JFI Entry - Tindora Fry

Vijaya has sent this entry for JFI/ Coconut
In her own words, "one of my friends has a blog and I often visit other food blogs from her site. When I saw the ingredient for this month's JFI was coconut and that non-bloggers could participate, I wanted to send a recipe. This is a simple preparation of gourds that goes well with rice and rasam or sambar".

TINDORA FRY (Ivy gourd stir fry)
(serves 2-3)
15 to 20 tindora (ivy gourds)
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 cup fresh coconut, grated
1 tsp red chilli powder
4 garlic cloves, mashed (optional)
1 tsp garam masala
a pinch of turmeric
salt to taste
For seasoning –
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chana dal
2 dry red chillies
4 tbsp oil

Wash and slice gourds into rounds. Heat oil in a sauce pan. Add seasoning ingredients.

Stir for a few minutes then add gourds and curry leaves. Saute on moderate heat till the leaves turn crisp. Season with salt, cover and cook.

Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and coconut. Next add crushed garlic cloves and fry until they turn brown.

Finally add garam masala and mix well. Serve hot.

Sweet stuff - Sweet potato kheer

How many times do you pick up sweet potatoes on your grocery trip? I for one can easily avoid this particular spud for months without even realizing it, yet here I am posting my second dish with the vegetable in less than four months.

Well it's because I just couldn't let JFI pass without blogging about my favoritest (one needs to create a new word for such a dish!) kheer. It is one of the few Konkani desserts that uses coconut milk rather than coconut.

The authentic version has both thick (first extract) and thin (second extract) milk but I couldn't resist the temptation to reduce a teensy bit of calories and used only thin milk. I also added some roasted vermicelli for a crunch. Whatever you do, just don't add too much jaggery; the kheer should retain the flavor of the sweet potato.

RATALYACHI KHEER (Sweet Potato Pudding)
(serves 3-4)
3 medium size sweet potatoes
1/3 cup grated jaggery or to taste
5-6 cardamoms, peeled and powdered
1 1/2 cups thin coconut milk (I used canned)
1 tbsp vermicelli roasted in 1 tsp ghee (optional)
cashews/ pistachios for garnish (optional)

Peel the potatoes and slice them. Add just enough water to cover and boil until tender. Drain excess water if necessary. Mash potatoes coarsely.

Add jaggery and cardamom powder. Mix well. Next add coconut milk, stir and bring to a gentle boil on low heat. Add roasted vermicelli and simmer for a minute.

Spoon into individual bowls, garnish with nuts and serve chilled (or warm if you prefer).

* If you want a creamier kheer add upto 4 tablespoons of thick milk before removing from heat.

Entry for JFI/ Coconut

Tags: sweet potato ratala kheer payasam payas pudding upvaas ekadashi sankashti faral hashale

Binge break - Kobichi Bhaji

If my posts have been extremely infrequent it's because we have been having a wonderful time catching up with family. Blogging inevitably took a back seat, though food didn't. It never can where my family is concerned ;-)

After decadent dinners involving several courses and a gazillion calories no doubt, we (finally) decided to give it a rest. I made a very simple cabbage dish - this preparation is a huge favorite in my home because well, it doesn't taste like cabbage! The trick is adding a small amount of chana dal - a nutty partner to the bland vegetable.

This clever tactic (devised by hassled mothers I am sure!) is quite often used with the less popular vegetables; for instance besan in methi zunka.

KOBICHI BHAJI (Cabbage with split Bengal gram)
(serves 3-4)
1 medium size cabbage
1/4 cup chana dal
1 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
1-2 green chillies, slit
1/4 tsp turmeric
1-2 tbsp coconut, grated
4-5 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
salt to taste
oil

Wash chana dal in 2-3 changes of water. Add enough water to cover and soak for an hour. Meanwhile wash and shred cabbage. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, chillies, asafoetida and turmeric.

Add drained chana dal and saute briefly. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of water, cover and let dal cook. When it is half done add shredded cabbage. Season with salt. Cover and cook the cabbage in its moisture.

When dal is cooked (neither the dal nor the cabbage should be mushy) sprinkle grated coconut and chopped cilantro on top. Serve hot with rotis.

* Variation: substitute chana dal with green peas or use bottle gourd instead of cabbage

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Feeling saar-y...

I believe most Konkani homes make a 'saar' with just about everything but the kitchen sink. Alright I am exaggerating but you get the idea :-)
These thin soup-like curries (similar to the rasams of the South) do not take long to cook and pair well with rice. Twenty minutes from start to finish and dinner is served. So it is hardly surprising that every available ingredient is stewed in water then transformed into a delicious saar with a tadka.

Saars are made with tomato, kokum, cilantro, peppercorns, sprouts... the list is endles. Though they taste pretty good all year round a big bowl of piping hot saar in the winter is a real treat.

The recipes are highly flexible and can be tweaked to suit individual preferences or the contents of your fridge. If you don't have tamarind use lemon juice or tomato, use garlic in place of asafoetida; really the most essential ingredient is water!

KOTHMIR SAAR (Cilantro Soup)
a handful of cilantro (tender stalks and all)
1 small green chilli
1-2 tbsp grated coconut
1/4 tsp tamarind paste*
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
a few curry leaves
a pinch of asafoetida
salt & jaggery to taste

Grind cilantro, coconut and green chilli to a paste. Heat oil in a sauce pan, then add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.

Add the ground paste. Cook for a few minutes. Add a cup of water (or less/ more for desired consistency), jaggery and tamarind. Season with salt, bring to a gentle boil and serve hot (pairs well with plain rice as well as pulao and masale bhaat).

* This saar is made on the tangier side to complement the herbs.

Tags: cilantro, coriander, saar, saaru, rasam, kothimbir, indian soup

JFI for Coconut

It's my turn to host Jihva this month and I have chosen an ingredient that I frankly can't do without. In fact it'd be difficult to attempt any dish from my part of the world without it. But cooking aside, coconut is integral to all of India. It is by breaking this fruit that we begin a new venture after all.
So to mark the new year that is coming upon us, January is dedicated to the COCONUT.

Use it any way - tender, grated, sweetened, dessicated; in any form - milk, cream, water, oil, heck even liquor if you want to be really adventurous ;-) and make a dish with it.

If you don't know what I am talking about you really need to read food blogs more often (everday would be a good start!). Till then here is the brief - Jihva for Ingredients is a monthly food event started by Indira of Mahanandi. A new host selects an ingredient every month and bloggers everywhere make a dish featuring it. Past JFI's include dal, Diwali treats and jaggery among others.

Your misson should you choose to accept is :-) -

• Prepare a dish with coconut and post the recipe on your blog (preferably) on Jan. 1
• Send me an email at food_forthought11@yahoo.com with the permalink to your post and a photo of the dish in 75×75 pixel size
• Include the name of your dish and your blog's name in the email
• Check the roundup at the end of the week

Non bloggers are welcome. Email me a photo of your dish with a description and I will gladly include it in the round up.

That's it friends. Let's go nuts this time around!

Simply sweet - Gulpohe

I have mentioned before how my cousins and I would spend almost every summer vacation at my grandparents' house in the Konkan. When I look back I realize how overworked and thoroughly hassled the women of the house must have been, cooking for 12+ people all day. Continually hungry people I might add ;-)

Gulpohe was the standard feature on the breakfast table then. It doesn't require any cooking (yes really) and can be made for a large number of people with ease. I have wonderful memories of sitting around a long, noisy table in an old kitchen; sunlight streaming in through the windows, eating gulpohe while my aunts bustled to and fro from the kitchen. My biggest worry at the time was whether it would be my 'den' for the next game of hide and seek. Sigh... those were the days.

Gulpohe is an appropriate dish for this month's JFI hosted by Kay. There is nothing else to the dish except jaggery - elegance in simplicity.

GULPOHE/ KALAILE PHOV (Beaten rice with jaggery)
(serves 1-2)
1 cup thin poha (beaten rice)
1/4 cup jaggery or to taste
1/4 cup grated coconut
2 cardamoms, peeled and powdered
4-5 cashews & raisins (optional)
a pinch of salt

Grate jaggery. Mix with coconut, cardamom and salt.

Add poha and mix gently. Lightly sprinkle water over the mixture until it softens.

Cover and let sit for a few minutes so flavors can blend. Toss in cashews and raisins if using.

Serve at room temperature.

Entry for JFI # Jaggery hosted by Kay of Towards a better tomorrow

Tags: poha, pohe, jaggery, gud, gul, sweet, indian, breakfast

Less is more - Orange Bread

As a rule the words 'low calorie' draw my immediate and unwavering attention to a recipe but when they precede the words cake, cookie or quick bread, I do a happy jig and start preheating the oven :-)

This recipe for orange bread is from an issue of Cooking Light and has no butter. Yes you read that right - no butter. This absence is not substituted by a lot of oil; just 1 tablespoon.

Now one wouldn't necessarily tweak a recipe that sounds so good does it? But I couldn't resist myself. I used a mix of whole wheat flour and all purpose and reduced the sugar. Then I began to worry that I had experimented too much. I know, I am weird that way.

The bread still rose beautifully and tasted great, especially the crunchy coconut. Perfect for brunch, afternoon snack or whenever you wish to nibble on something sweet.

ORANGE QUICK BREAD
(makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup milk
1 (8 oz.) carton orange yogurt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp flaked, sweetened coconut
2 tsp grated orange rind
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease loaf pan. Combine sugar, oil and egg in a bowl and whisk till smooth. Stir in yogurt and milk.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level with a knife (as opposed to scooping from container). Combine flour, coconut, orange rind, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the centre and add milk mixture.

Stir until just moist. Spoon batter into greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of coconut on top. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Cut in slices and serve (it's divine warm and topped with a little orange marmalade :-))

* Original recipe calls for 1 cup sugar
* Using whole wheat flour will yield a denser bread
* Since I didn't find an 8oz. carton of orange yogurt I used 6oz. orange yogurt plus 2oz. vanilla yogurt

Entry for - WBB # 7/ Baking for Breakfast hosted by Nandita of Saffron Trail

Tags: quick bread low calorie baking orange coconut cake healthy breakfast butter less

Flour Power - Fenugreek Zunka

Zunka is considered the quintessential Marathi dish; not without reason since it is prepared in almost all homes across the state. Zunka and bhakri (jowar bread) is a common, daily meal in rural Maharashtra. While urban households may replace bhakri with chapati (roti), zunka still finds favor without question.

I think this is because the recipe is highly versatile - as long as you have some chickpea flour handy you can make this dish. Since my family likes leafy vegetables (weird I know), I like to make zunka with fenugreek. The nutty taste of the flour compliments the bitterness of the greens nicely.

METHICHA ZUNKA (Fenugreek with chickpea flour)
(serves 2)
2 bunches of fenugreek
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup chickpea flour (besan)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp jaggery (optional; if you find fenugreek too bitter)
salt to taste
oil

Wash fenugreek in 2-3 changes of water then chop finely. Roast the flour on low heat just till it changes texture and doesn't smell raw.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter add asafoetida and garlic. Add chopped onion and saute till it turns translucent. Next add turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well.

Add fenugreek and season to taste. Cover and cook on steam till done. Add roasted flour gradually mixing all the while. Sprinkle a little water as necessary to combine the mixture. Cook on low heat for a few minutes.

Remove from heat when flour is cooked. Don't cover the pan.

* Zunka can also be made with onions, cabbage and scallions (spring onions)

Tags: besan zunka methi dry subji

More comfort food - Khichuri

Yes, it's pretty much a continuation of the previous theme though I am a lot better (thanks everyone for your lovely wishes). Khichuri, the Bengali version of khichdi was introduced in our dinners along with other gold standard recipes like aloor dum and poshto during our long stay in Calcutta. Since we don't let go of a good thing when we spot one it has been a regular feature on our menu since :-)

My mother learnt the recipe from our Bengali neighbour. Though many versions of this classic abound, one thing remains the same - roasting the moong dal. I think it is the single most distinguishing feature of this khichuri, as roasting intensifies the flavor of the lentils.

An onion and ginger less version of this khichuri is served as part of 'bhog' (prasad) during Durga Puja. I have had the good fortune of eating a traditional bhog - khichuri, bhaja, tomato chatni and payesh - with my friends in India and it's a meal I won't forget soon.

KHICHURI (Bengali rice & lentil Casserole)
(serves 2-3)
1/2 cup rice (Basmati if you prefer)
1/2 cup yellow moong dal
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 medium size onion, chopped
3/4 tsp ginger paste
salt to taste
ghee
Spices -
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder (adjust to taste)
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
Vegetables -
1/4 cauliflower (about 6-8 flowerettes)
4 baby potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
1/2 cup peas
(or carrots, beans, bell peppers etc.)
Garam Masala -
3 green cardamoms, peeled
1 small piece of cinnamon
2 cloves

Roast moong dal on low heat until golden. It will take about 5-6 minutes and the aroma is hard to miss. Let cool.

Grind the ingredients for the paste with half to one teaspoon of water. This can be difficult in a coffee grinder or blender so powder them in a mortar beforehand then mix with water.

Wash dal and drain in a colander. Wash rice till water runs clear then drain in a colander.

Heat oil in a deep saucepan. Add bay leaves and cumin seeds. When they sizzle add onion. Saute till it turns golden. Next add ginger paste. Add rice and saute it until it is well glazed.

Add dal, vegetables and spices. Mix well. Season to taste. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and stir once. Bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, lower heat and cook until done.

Sprinkle a little water if khichuri appears too dry. When rice and dal are cooked (not mushy), add garam masala and 1-2 teaspoons of ghee. Mix well and remove from heat. Cover and allow flavors to blend. Serve hot with fried eggplant & potato slices (bhaja).

Comfort Food - Daali Tauy

I have been missing from action because of a throat infection. For the last few days it felt like both my voice and taste buds had been taken hostage! Food is not exactly high on the list as you can imagine.

I have gone right back to basics with hot, comforting meals of rice-dal, khichdis and soups. They help my throat a little and my mood a whole lot more.

Daali Tauy is the Konkani version of the much loved Indian dal. It has a ginger-y flavor and unlike regular dals is quite watery. Serve it piping hot with rice and your favorite pickle or papad .... isn't it amazing how the second we are asked to avoid certain foods we can't stop thinking about them!

DAALI TAUY (Konkani Dal)
(serves 2-3)
1 cup red gram/ pigeon peas (toor dal)
1" piece of ginger (I am heavy handed with the ginger; adjust to taste)
1-2 green chillies, slit
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
lemon juice/ finely chopped cilantro (optional)
For seasoning -
ghee or oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
1 red chilli, broken into pieces

Wash dal in 2-3 changes of water. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a pressure cooker or a deep sauce pan. Mash ginger lightly and add to dal along with turmeric, green chillies and about 3 cups of water.

Cook till dal is done then season with salt. Heat oil in a tadka pan. Add mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter add curry leaves and chilli. Saute briefly and pour over the dal.

Cover pan and let sit so flavors can blend. Add lemon juice or finely chopped cilantro at the time of serving. Serve hot with rice and pickle... (there I go again!).

Tags: konkani dal toi thoi tauy toor tur arhar dahl

Fruit of the Fall - Persimmon Salsa

Though there are a thousand ways in which I dislike being away from home, one thing I like about it is the new experiences. Whether it's the cool but not cold weather of autumn or the yellow and red hued trees or the new produce that this golden season brings - it's all magical for a girl used to a year divided into summers and monsoons.

Of all the fruits that started appearing in my local market, it was the persimmon that caught my eye. It looked beautiful - like a tomato dressed up in an orange gown, and it looked delicious.

I thought the fruit would be equally striking from the inside and was disappointed to see it looked and felt like a papaya. However all my negative feelings vanished with one tentative bite. For such a confused fruit the persimmon does have an unique taste - a subtle, juicy mix of papaya and peach. I used it in a salsa for a sweet and spicy contrast.

PERSIMMON SALSA
(adapted from Cooking Light)
(serves 3-4)
2 Fuyu* persimmons
1-2 green chillies, chopped
1/2 red onion, finely minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
salt to taste

Wash, peel and chop persimmons. Combine with other ingredients in a bowl. Chill until ready to serve. Serve with chips, appetizers or grilled sea food.

Alternately you can make an Indian style chutney by blending the persimmons with lemon juice, red chilli powder, cumin seeds etc.

* Most supermarkets sell two types of persimmons - Fuyu and Hachiya. The Fuyu is non astringent and eaten when crisp. The Hachiya (used in baking) is astringent and cannot be eaten until completely ripe. The cashier at the market told me how she ate an unripe Hachiya as a child and it almost turned her off all fruits! This site has more information on each variety.

** See more persimmon recipes here

Peek into the Pantry

The Konkani kitchen is quite similar to kitchens throughout India in its use of spices, souring agents and dried foods. But there are some ingredients that are very specific to the region. 'Peek into the Pantry' highlights some of the more unique spices from the region.

Teppal - a variety of peppercorn that grows in the region. Teppal is crushed and added to vegetarian and seafood curries for a distinct, heady aroma. Since it is quite a strong spice, seasoning is generally minimal or avoided in such dishes.

Bedgi Chillies - looking at India's use of chillies today it is hard to believe this is actually a comparatively 'new' spice brought to us by the Portugese. Almost every state in India now has a chilli of its own, and the coastal areas are no exception. Bedgi chillies from Karnataka are commonly used in Konkani cuisine. They are highly prized because they are not spicy but impart a wonderful color to any dish.

Quick Fix - Peas Stir-fry

Quick vegetable dishes or stir fries (for lack of a better word) like these were the norm during my student life. One would think regular dinners of microwave soups, bread and eggs and even cereal (I kid you not!) would spur us into making something a bit more substantial when we had the time, but both my friend and I were always keen on short cuts. Cooking seemed like a necessary chore at the time and we got it done by taking the least amount of effort possible!

Though it no longer seems like a chore (well... not always :-)) I still like short cuts in cooking. Nothing can get quicker than this dish - not a lot of chopping required, no grinding of masala involved, just a simple stir fry that goes well with everything - roti, rice-dal or our then favorite accompaniment - sliced bread.

VATANA SUKKE/ USAL (Green Peas Stir Fry)
2 cups green peas
1 medium size onion, chopped fine
3 green chillies, slit
2 tbsp grated coconut
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
salt to taste
For seasoning -
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
oil

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds; once they begin to pop add asafoetida and cumin seeds. Let the cumin sizzle then add onion and chillies. Saute until the onion turns slightly golden.

Add peas and turmeric and season with salt. Add a little water and cook until peas are tender.

Sprinkle grated coconut and cilantro on top and serve hot.

Festival of 'eats' - Moong Dal Ladoo

My contribution to the ongoing sugar bonanza and my absolute favorite ladoo. Moong dal ladoos taste great; ranking right in the upper leagues of yumminess along with rawa and besan; but they get brownie points in my book for being really easy to prepare. You just cannot mess these ladoos up. And as anyone who has had a couple of disasters in the Diwali cooking department will tell you, easy is good!

The key lies in toasting the dal. Toast until your kitchen is redolent with the fragrance of moong dal and members of your family start hovering nearby in anticipation.

If those very members have sneakily raided your jars of Diwali goodies before the festival has even begun then these ladoos also make a good back up plan :-)

MOOGA DAALI LADOO (Moong Dal Ladoo)
(makes 6)
1 cup yellow moong dal (split green gram)
heaped 3/4 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
3-4 cardamoms, peeled and powdered
a pinch of nutmeg (jaiphal) powder (optional)
8-10 cashews, broken into pieces
about 10-12 teaspoons of ghee

On low heat toast the moong dal till it is a uniform reddish brown color. Remove from heat and spread on a plate to cool.

Powder sugar in a blender. Heat a teaspoon of ghee and saute cashews until light brown. Remove in a bowl and keep aside.

Grind moong dal to a fine powder and mix with cashews, sugar and cardamom-nutmeg powder.

Heat about ten teaspoons of ghee in a wide sauce pan. Add dal mixture and stir until well combined. Remove from heat and shape into lemon sized balls when the mixture is still warm. Add teaspoons of hot ghee gradually if the mixture cannot be easily shaped.

Wishing all of you a very HAPPY DIWALI.

Entry for JFI - Diwali hosted by Vee at Past, Present & Me

Entry for VCC Q3 hosted by VKN of My Dhaba

Tags: moong dal ladoo laddu diwali snacks sweets indian

Three mice & Radish Raita

Three blind mice, three blind mice
See how they run, see how they run...

Noone would mind these mice scampering around in the kitchen now would they?! Unlike the farmer's wife in the rhyme I didn't just cut off their tails, I used them to make a raita :-)

The radish is generally used for a raita and the leaves to prepare a tambli similar to this one. I combined the two recipes today to make a sort of rai-tambli! And the mice encouraged me to experiment further with a Maharashtrian touch of peanuts to this very Konkani specialty ;-)

MULANGI TAMBLI (Radish Raita)
1 small bunch of red radish with leaves (or 1 white radish)
1 cup yogurt, beaten
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
5-6 curry leaves
2 tbsp roasted peanuts (optional)
Grind finely with a little water -
1-2 tbsp grated coconut
1-2 green chillies
1" piece of ginger

Wash radish and cut into small pieces. Take a handful of the leaves (use good ones), wash well and chop finely.

Add salt and lightly cook both in just enough water. The radish is done when it changes color.

Whisk yogurt with the coconut-ginger paste. Season to taste. Heat oil in a tadka ladle, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Saute for a minute then remove from heat.

Let cool then pour over yogurt. Mix with radish and let sit (preferably in the refrigerator) for 6-8 minutes. Top with crushed, roasted peanuts at the time of serving. Serve cold.

See how to make radish mice here
For more fun ideas with vegetables check this site

The 'sweet' season - Goad Bhaat

Come the month of October and my sensible, calorie counting self bows down before my indulgent, guilt free one. Burfis, ladoos, halwas... how can a mere human (and a weak one at that!) summon up the will to resist? She can't, and that's that.

January 1 is the official "stop hogging" day my friends, till then lets all dig into the butter laden, sinfully rich and downright delightful treats that herald the festive season.

I think dishes like these highlight the versatility in Indian cuisine. For instance a rice and moong dal combination is used to make a savory, comforting khichdi as well as a rich dessert like this one.

Having seen this dish on other blogs I know that it is called pongal in the South. We call it 'goad bhaat' or sweetened rice; variations of this dish include kesari bhaat (saffron rice), narali bhaat (coconut rice) and sakhar bhaat (sugary rice). These dishes are all considered quite special and made only on festive occassions.

GOAD BHAAT (Sweet Rice)
(serves 4-5)
1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup yellow moong dal
3/4 cup grated jaggery (adjust to taste)
1/4 cup grated coconut
6-7 green cardamoms, peeled and powdered
8-10 cashews, broken into pieces
a pinch of saffron dissolved in 1/2 cup warm milk
2-3 tbsp ghee

Wash rice and moong dal in 2-3 changes of water. Drain thoroughly and spread on a plate to dry for 20 minutes.

Heat ghee in a deep saucepan. Roast the dal and rice on low heat until glazed and aromatic.

Add two cups of water and half cup of saffron milk. Cook till rice and dal are well done and mushy.

Mash well so they lose their shape. Add grated jaggery, powdered cardamoms and coconut. Stir and cook on low heat until jaggery is well dissolved and the mixture becomes homogenous.

Heat a tablespoon of ghee in another pan. Roast cashews until they turn golden and add to rice.

Spoon into individual bowls and serve warm with a drizzle of ghee.

Entry for - JFI - Ghee/ Butter hosted by Cooking Medley

Tags: sweet rice goad khichdi sakhar bhaat prasad

Golden goodness - Frittata

Eggs are a favorite breakfast food in my family. So after the bhurji, egg rolls, omelet and egg toasts have all been made, eaten and pronounced boooring, I A frittata, that's what.

Frittatas are baked Italian omelets, that unlike their Indian counterparts aren't restricted to onions and chillies. This makes them the perfect brunch food in my opinion, the vegetables and cheese sustain you till the invariably late weekend lunch, and the herbs are a welcome change from Indian spices.

Most of the recipes I came across called for a lot of cream or extra egg yolks in order to help the frittata set well. So I came up with my own version after a couple of hits and misses. I think it works just fine (with the added flavor of a guilt free meal :-)).

My favorite combination is bell peppers and mushrooms; you can try using other vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, corn) and cheese (cheddar, monterey etc.) as well.

FRITTATA (Italian style omelet)
(serves 3-4)
4 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 green bell pepper
6-8 mushrooms
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp fresh basil
1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley
5 tbsp goat cheese or shredded parmesan
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
olive oil

Pre heat oven to 400°F. Wash, core and cube the peppers. Clean and slice mushrooms. Peel and coarsely chop the garlic. Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl with salt, pepper and milk.

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Add mushrooms and saute on medium high heat until their moisture dries up. Next add peppers and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper. Add herbs and mix well. If you have an oven proof skillet, add eggs right into the vegetable mixture, cook on stove top till they firm up, then pop the skillet into the oven.
If not, spoon the vegetables into an 8" round cake pan. Pour the egg mixture on top, then bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, or until the top is golden.

Slice and serve the frittata with a good, crusty bread.

Entry for - Weekend Breakfast Blogging at Saffron Trail

Musical Cooking - Paneer Tawa Masala

Weddings in Bombay are a barometer of the city's love for food. On an average guests might commute for an hour after work to reach the venue, stay for about thirty minutes, then travel another hour or two to get back home; but they will still enjoy dinner to the hilt!
It's no wonder then that reception menus are often not only delicious but also creative.

At my cousin's wedding some five years back, the most popular dish was a mixed vegetable fry prepared entirely on the 'tawa' (griddle). A man stood in front of a huge griddle with vegetables laid along it's corners. He had a gravy sizzling on the tawa and then added to it the vegetables requested by the guest. After mashing and sauteing them all together in a noisy display, he swept the blend up with his spatula and plopped it on their plates with a flourish. Hardly surprising that the little nook drew all the crowds!

The dish is called Taka Tak Bhaji, after the rhythmic sound the cook's spatula makes on the griddle; or (the less charming in my opinion) Tawa Bhaji. It can also be made with chicken, shrimp or my choice today, paneer.

PANEER TAWA MASALA/ TAKA TAK (Cheese in tomato gravy)
(adapted from the book 'Prashad' by Jiggs Kalra)
(serves 2)
1 cup paneer*
1-2 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp ajwain
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2-3 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
3/4 cup tomato gravy*
1/2 tsp garam masala
finely chopped cilantro to garnish

Crumble paneer coarsely. Heat ghee in a pan and add ajwain. Saute on medium heat until they begin to crackle.

Add onion, ginger-garlic paste and chillies. Saute until the onion turns limp. Add the spice powders, stir and then add paneer. Mix well.

Finally add the gravy and saute until everything is well blended. Turn the heat up and saute (bhuno) till all moisture dries up (work those arms!).

Sprinkle garam masala and finely chopped cilantro. Serve hot with roti or naan.

Tomato Gravy -
My favorite recipe is from the book but it is a long and intimidating process, so I modify it for quick results -
In a stockpot add three tomatoes, 2-3 slit green chillies, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, 3 cloves, 3 green cardamoms and 1-2 cups of water.
Simmer on low heat until reduced to pulp. Your kitchen will smell divine at this point :-)
Let cool, then discard skins, whole spices, chillies etc.
Mash pulp and strain into another pot. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek) and cream as desired. (If gravy is too sour adjust with honey.)
I find this gravy very versatile. So I make a large quantity, freeze it and use as required in dishes like matar paneer, vegetable korma, gobi ka kheema etc.

* The original recipe uses paneer cubes and also has more paneer to gravy ratio
** If you don't have time to make the gravy from scratch use canned tomato puree and flavor it with spices

The Perfect Brownies

With a name like that, I certainly couldn't resist making them; but since the unspoken agreement in our home is that my husband and I can't be left alone with chocolate, I restrained until we had company :-)

The brownies courtesy Nic of Baking Sheet finally got made over the weekend. And the verdict? Yep, perfect to the last crumb. All because of the neat trick of popping the brownies into the freezer straight out of the oven. Since the baking process is arrested in this manner, the insides of the brownies retain their gooeyness (new word!) while the tops become crusty. Add to that a rich, chocolate-y taste and you have got yourself the perfect brownie indeed (sorry, can't say that enough!).

To serve I made 'sizzling brownies'; an Indian interpretation of brownie a la mode. This was a very popular dessert in Bombay a couple of years back and probably still is. The brownies were served on sizzling hot tandoor plates (hence the name) with vanilla ice cream on the side and a drizzle of hot chocolate. I made do by microwaving the brownies instead.
Or you can always go with the classic, never fail pairing of milk.

CLASSIC BROWNIES
(makes 16)
8 tbsp unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F and line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with foil. (I used the aluminium foil pan available in the market).

Chop chocolate coarsely. Melt butter and chocolate in the microwave using low settings (or in a double boiler). Stir until smooth.

Stir in sugar, vanilla and salt. Add eggs one at a time, followed by flour. Stir until well combined.

Add walnuts and mix again. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 22 - 24 minutes.

When brownies are done remove from oven and place immediately in the freezer. If you don't have space in your freezer, make an ice bath instead.

Allow to cool completely (ie. resist temptation to eat!!) then remove pan and cut brownies into squares. (I dusted mine with a little cocoa).

Things To Eat Before You Die

Who would have thought a meme could be so difficult? When Meeta tagged me I was thrilled to add my bit to the growing list on Melissa's blog; specially because I found Indian cuisine woefully under represented there.

But whittling down my endless ideas to just five foods was really tough. So I looked at the original post afresh and the word that stood out was - DIE (forgive the morbidity, the interesting part is coming soon!). Things became less complicated when I thought about the foods I would want to, NEED to eat before I joined the great Foodie above!

In no particular order they are -
1) Chicken Cafreal on a beach in Goa
I have had a long love affair with the place and I'd return there for one more glorious meal. I'd start the day early and walk around the city marveling at the old houses and regal churches. Having worked up an appetite I'd then head out to the beach (not the touristy one). Feet in the sand, the sound of waves in my ears and Cafreal on my plate, with a rice bhakri and sol kadhi as accompaniments.

2) A festival (Ganesh Chaturthi) meal at my grandparents' house in the Konkan
Actually it could be just about any meal at my grandparents' house and I'd die happy! There are so many memories associated with that big, old house it's hard for me to think about the food. But here is what the menu generally is -
Varan -Bhaat - dal seasoned with cumin and rice, the nutty red kind available in the area
Vade - puris made of rice flour
Kandamool/ Khatkhate - a delicately flavored stew made with seasonal vegetables and greens
Patolya - turnovers stuffed with coconut and jaggery and steamed in turmeric leaves
Panchamrut - a relish made with five ingredients, usually peanuts, fenugreek seeds, sesame seeds, coconut and jaggery
And the accompanying beverage? - water drawn straight from the well.
I'd eat the meal sitting on the floor in the huge kitchen, with sunlight streaming in through the vents in the tiled roof and the smell of hay and mud stoves in the air.

3) My mother's shrimp curry
The one and only, I have raved about this before, the shrimp cooked just right, the perfect blend of spices and the creamy undertones of coconut milk are well, to die for!

4) Mishti doi or sondesh in Calcutta
The real thing, and I'd gladly go there to taste it again. These are desserts at their simplest and most sublime. Mishti doi is lightly sweetened yogurt served in earthern pots. Sondesh are sweets made from the soft cheese (chenna) that is obtained by souring milk. Bliss.

5) Dum biryani
Vegetarian, chicken, mutton...anything is fine as long as it's an authentic dum biryani, slow cooked with each layer distinct and aromatic - browned onions, potato chips, saffron rice, and then the spiced meat or vegetables. Heaven in a pot! If you have had a really, really good biryani, you will know why it figures on this list.

The international favorites that didn't make the cut were -
Pizza ai frutti di mare or seafood pizza in Venice
The perfect Lobster Bisque
Tiramisu
Freshly squeezed orange juice
Paella
Green Tea Ice cream

I am sure almost everyone has already been tagged so I will resist. It's open to anyone who wants to join in on the fun. Do check the interesting and truly exotic list over at the Traveler's Lunchbox (1285 entries at last count!!).

Going green - Mixed vegetable curry

Here is the vegetable curry I mentioned in my post on shrimp pulao a few days back. It uses the same green masala, give or take a few ingredients. This is one of the more uncommon dishes I know, because it uses fennel (a spice that is more popular as a mouth freshner in my kitchen!), is a refreshing green in color and doesn't have a tarka; nope, not even a tiny sizzle of cumin.

What it does have is an aromatic mix of cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. I call the powder semi garam masala because it has 3 of the 6 spices used in garam masala! It works really well in milder gravies (green as opposed to red) and pulaos.

This curry is actually called 'kurma' in our home but I hesitate to use that word because it is so synonymous with greasy, overly spiced restaurant dishes. This is more like an aromatic stew in comparison.

MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY (Vegetable Kurma)
(serves 2-3)
about 3 cups of mixed vegetables , fresh or frozen (beans, peas, corn, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes etc.)
2 medium size onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup of thin coconut milk (canned or freshly made from 1/3 cup of grated coconut)
salt to taste
1-2 tbsp oil
For the paste -
2 medium size onions, quartered
10-12 stalks of cilantro
3-4 green chillies
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
For the powder -
2 sticks of cinnamon (about 1.5 - 2cms each)
2 black cardamoms (badi elaichi) or use green cardamom
3-4 cloves

Prepare the vegetables (thaw or cut them). Heat a griddle and lightly toast the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom on moderate heat until aromatic. Let cool then grind to a fine powder.

Blend onions, cilantro, chillies and fennel into a fine paste using a little water. Keep aside. Heat a pan with oil. When hot add sliced onions and saute till they turn golden brown. Next add cilantro paste. Stir for 2-3 minutes until it loses moisture.

Add vegetables and mix until they are well coated. Sprinkle spice powder and stir again. Season with salt then add 1 cup of water to get desired consistency.

Cover and let cook. When vegetables are done, add coconut milk and bring to a gentle boil. Serve hot with rotis.

Light Dinners - Sprouts Sandwiches

I like to incorporate sprouts into meals as often as possible and am always on the lookout for different recipes using them, since the usual curries can get kind of boring. I came across this recipe for sprouts sandwiches on one such 'search'.
I haven't really tried a lot of Tarla Dalal's recipes for some reason, but this one sounded too good to pass up. Luckily my hunch was right - the sandwiches were just delicious. Maybe it was the onion sauteed in butter, or the pav bhaji masala but it all added up to something you'd eat at your favorite snack joint in India. Now if only I could get a Thums Up and the background score of a bustling Bombay on the side, I'd be right at home :-)

I am sure any masala can be used in place of the recommended pav bhaji, but it actually gives the filling that 'street snack' taste we love so much. I reduced the spices and tomatoes from the original recipe and added some alfalfa sprouts for a crunch.
The sandwiches will make a great kiddie treat, brunch or as they did for me, a light solo dinner when the other half is away.

GRILLED SPROUTS SANDWICHES
(makes 4)
For the sandwiches
8 bread slices
4 cheese slices
butter
cooking spray
For the filling
1 cup green gram sprouts (moong)
a handful of alfalfa sprouts, or your choice of mixed sprouts
2 small potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp pav bhaji masala
1 tsp coriander-cumin (dhania-jeera) powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
a pinch of turmeric powder
1 medium size tomato, finely chopped
finely chopped cilantro
1-2 tablespoons butter
salt to taste

Cook the moong sprouts in enough water until tender.
Heat butter in a pan. Add onion and saute till it turns pink. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for another minute.
Add spices - pav bhaji, coriander-cumin powder, turmeric and red chilli. Add tomatoes and salt and cook till the mixture becomes thick.
Add the sprouts and potatoes and mix well. Sprinkle cilantro and keep aside.
Butter bread slices lightly. Spoon a little filling on one slice, top with cheese and make a sandwich with another slice.
Heat a sandwich grill. Grease with cooking spray or butter and grill sandwiches until well browned.
Serve immediately.

* Even if I had the sandwiches for dinner, they'd actually make a great weekend breakfast so I will send this off to Weekend Breakfast Blogging hosted by Pavani
* And the cheese makes it perfect for JFI - Milk hosted by Vineela this month.

Tags: mung moong sprouts indian snacks breakfast sandwich toast

Sweet Offering - Nevryo

Up until a few days before Ganesh Chaturthi I was all set to make the traditional modak but then I dropped those plans in favor of these unique 'nevryo'.

Incessant rains, rickety buses and a general risk to life and limb notwithstanding, we would travel from Bombay to visit my grandparents' house in the Konkan, to celebrate the Ganpati festival. After the evening arti at our own home we'd visit the neighbouring houses, relishing the prasad served in every home, joining in their arti and returning home late in the night with our tummies full and our voices hoarse.

I remember eating these sweet potato nevryo on one such visit and the first bite was enough to hook me forever. Nevryo or 'karanji' as they are known in Marathi, are usually made by deep frying crescent shaped turnovers filled with coconut and jaggery. This version (popular in Goa from what I have been told) is made with sweet potato. The nevryo are then lightly roasted on a griddle.

Considering this was my first attempt at making them, the nevryo didn't turn out too badly. Even shaping them wasn't too difficult. Sweet potatoes are often called yams in the U.S. by the way. Weird, I know.
I used white sweet potatoes from the local Chinese market; they turned out to be really fleshy so I didn't need to add even a teaspoon of flour.

RATALA NEVRYO (Sweet Potato Turnovers/ Karanjis)
(adapted from the book 'Ishtann')
Dough -
4-5 sweet potatoes
1/4 cup refined flour (maida)
salt to taste
Filling -
1 1/4 cup grated coconut
3/4 cup jaggery (adjust to taste)
8-10 cashewnuts, broken
a pinch of cardamom powder
salt to taste
ghee

Put potatoes in a stock pot, cover with enough water and cook until done (they should be mushy to the touch). Drain and let cool.

Mix grated coconut, cashew pieces, salt and cardamom powder. Add jaggery and cook on moderate heat until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Keep aside.

Peel potatoes, mash them and form a dough. If you have trouble forming a dough add refined flour (maida) with a spoon just till it can be gathered into a mass (you don't want flour-y nevryo). Flatten into puris/ circles with your fingers. Spoon a little filling on one side and fold over into a crescent. Make ridges with a fork, press lightly and keep aside.

Heat a griddle on moderate heat. Fry the nevryo using ghee until it gets a couple of brown spots here and there. Turn over gently and fry on the other side. Drizzle with ghee and serve hot.

Bridging the divide - Shrimp Pulao

It has been brought to my attention by two avid readers of this blog (that would be my husband and my brother but I still take them seriously :-)) that I have been partial to vegetarian food on this blog. And it is true, there are only two non vegetarian recipes compared to some fifty vegetarian ones. How did this happen? For sure I was making seafood and meat dishes at home; I just didn't blog about them for some reason. Well it's time to bridge this widening gap, because in my family we love our seafood. Too many days without it and we get get restless!

Since red chillies and coconut are the most commonly used ingredients in any Konkani masala, this pulao makes a refreshing change with its base of cilantro and green chillies. This 'hirwa' (green) masala is super versatile; you can make a big batch, store it in the freezer and use as required in a variety of dishes. I use it in shrimp curry, stuffed fish (like patrani macchi) and with a slight variation, in a mixed vegetable curry that I will post soon because I do not want to alienate my vegetarian readers entirely!

This pulao can be made with a lot of variations; you can add some grated coconut to the cilantro masala while grinding, you can add a little coconut milk to cook the rice along with water, you can use carrots instead of peas...whatever strikes your fancy.

KOLAMBI BHAAT (Shrimp Pulao with Peas)
(serves 2-3)
For pulao -
1 1/2 cups Basmati rice
1/2 cup green peas
2 large onions, finely chopped
a pinch of turmeric
15-20 medium size shrimp
salt to taste
lemon juice
oil
For masala -
1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2-3 green chillies (don't use too many since the whole garam masala adds heat as well)
1" piece of cinnamon
1 black cardamom
2-3 cloves
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black cumin seeds (shah jeera, or substitute cumin)
2-3 peppercorns
1 small bunch of cilantro (discard tough stems and use the rest)
10-12 mint leaves
For garnish -
finely chopped cilantro and grated coconut

Wash, peel and devein shrimp. Place on a kitchen towel and pat dry. Sprinkle salt and lemon juice over top and keep aside.

Wash rice in 2-3 changes of water. Grind all ingredients for masala into a fine paste using very little water.

In a dutch oven or sauce pan heat about 3 tablespoons of oil. Add onion and saute till it turns reddish brown. Add the ground masala and saute till it loses its moisture. Next add shrimp and stir for about 2 minutes. (Don't saute shrimp for too long as they become chewy).

Add rice, peas and turmeric and season to taste. Mix well, taking care not to break the grain. Add 2 3/4 cups of water and bring to a boil on medium heat. Then lower heat, cover and cook until water has almost evaporated.

Place a griddle (tawa) over flame, then rest sauce pan over griddle. Cover and cook till rice is done. This prevents rice from sticking to the pan as well as cooks the pulao on 'dum' (steam). Garnish with chopped cilantro and coconut and serve hot.

Tags: kolambi prawns rice shrimp indian green masala pilaf sungta