Something's fishy - Salmon Croquettes

Though the pink fish is much loved by both the husband and I, I never really took to cooking it at home. It took just one recipe to change the status quo. A recent issue of Cooking Light had an easy and healthy recipe for salmon croquettes. What do I say about CL? Love their lo-cal take on food.

I didn't use as much mayo as listed in the recipe and omitted the flour altogether. Still the croquettes were delicious. Paired with a spinach salad they made a quick, light weekend lunch. Plus this was one time we didn't miss carbs at all!

Just remember that the mixture should be squishy. Don't keep adding flour/ crumbs until you can shape the patty well, because the croquettes firm up as they cook.

SALMON CROQUETTES
(makes 6)
2 wild salmon fillets (or a 15 oz. can)
2-3 tbsp baby dill, chopped
2 tsp lite mayo
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
1 egg white
2-3 tbsp dry bread crumbs plus more for dredging
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil or cooking spray for frying

If you are using fillets, heat a pan and coat with spray. Place salmon skin side down and turn the heat to medium high. When you see the skin begin to peel remove pan from heat. Let cool and peel skin off.

Place salmon in a large bowl and mash with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and season to taste. Shape into patties, cover with film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat a skillet and coat with oil or spray. Dredge patties in crumbs lightly and place on pan. Cook on each side until golden brown. Serve with mustard or horseradish sauce.

* Learn about wild vs. farmed salmon here.

Cooking with a wise herb

2008 appears to be a year for unexpected gifts. It started with chocolate, then decadent mango burfi from my sister in law and most recently, sachets of dried sage (get the bad pun in the title?) from the lovely Jaden. And it's only February. Hopefully the year of the Rat will continue to bring more goodies (hint).

I have been cooking all sorts of greens lately. So much that the cashier at the store asked me if I was going to use the kale and chard for an 'arrangement' like lemons! Gosh no. Methinks kale looks better in the pot than the vase.

Cannellini beans and kale is a Tuscan classic. The smooth beans complement the woodsy kale nicely. Though I prefer mashed comfort you can keep the beans whole and serve it as a soup with a little elbow pasta thrown in. Leftovers make a great pizza/ tart topping.

CANNELLINI BEANS AND KALE
(serves 2-3)
1 15-oz. can of cannellini beans (or fava/ Great northern etc)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
half bunch of kale, picked, washed and roughly chopped* (or broccoli rabe/ spinach etc)
1 tsp dried sage
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + extra for drizzling
salt and freshly milled pepper to taste

Heat oil in a pan. Add minced garlic and onion. Saute till onion turns pink. Add kale and 3-4 tbsps of water. Cover and cook until leaves are tender (this takes anywhere between 7 to 10 minutes. Check periodically).

When kale is done, add beans and sage. Season to taste. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes for flavors to blend. Remove from heat. Mash beans with a potato masher until smooth. Spoon onto a serving plate, drizzle with olive oil and cheese. Serve with crusty bread.

* Kale requires a slightly longer time to cook depending on how mature the leaves are. I remove the stalk and tough stems, roughly chop it into strips and steam it until tender.

Spilling the 'Beans' - Peshawari Biryani

Yes, I am finally sharing the recipe I promised here. It's a biryani with an identity crisis. When my sister in law gave me the recipe she called it Peshawari Biryani. Jiggs Kalra makes it with kala chana and calls it Kale Moti Biryani in Prashad. And somewhere on the web it's referred to, rather uncharmingly as, Vegetarian Biryani. A rose by any other name etc. etc...

I made this biryani with kidney beans (rajma) the first time and felt they were too 'beany' for the delicate basmati rice. So this time around I used sprouted moth beans (matki). They complement the rice in taste as well as size. This is in fact one of the best things about the recipe. You can use pretty much any legumes in your pantry without compromising on the taste. The next time I plan to go a step further and combine the beans with fenugreek instead of cilantro.

Where does the casserole come in? I finish cooking the biryani on 'dum' in the oven. But the recommended 'unlayered' serving is a visual treat for parties.

PESHAWARI BIRYANI
(recipe from my sister in law)
(serves 2-3)
Rice -
1 cup basmati rice
1 tsp ghee/ butter
1" cinnamon, 3 cloves, 3 cardamoms
fried nuts (optional)
Beans -
1/2 cup beans of your choice (garbanzo, kidney, peas etc.)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tomatoes, peeled and pureed
a handful each of cilantro and mint, washed and finely chopped
1/2 tsp good quality garam masala
salt to taste

Soak beans overnight. Drain and wash the next morning. (Sprout them in a colander if you wish to). Combine with enough water and cook on moderate heat until done. (You can pressure cook the beans as long as they don't turn to mush). Reserve cooking liquid.

Heat oil in a pan. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and ginger garlic paste. Saute on low heat until combined. Next add herbs and saute until fragrant. Add puree and beans. Stir and cook on medium heat until mixed and dry. Season with salt and continue stirring until the beans lose most of the moisture. Sprinkle garam masala and set aside.

Wash rice in 1-2 changes of water. Drain and set aside. In a sauce pan heat ghee and drop in the whole spices. Add rice, saute for a minute. Add 2 cups of the cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat until rice is done.

For serving spoon rice onto a large platter. Make a well in the centre and place beans. Garnish with fried nuts and serve with a raita.

* Entry for My Legume Love Affair hosted by The Well seasoned Cook
* Trivia of the day - Using beans in cooking speaking
Hill of beans - not worth much
Spilling the beans - divulge a secret
Full of beans - bubbly

Bittersweet Love - Dill Dosa

Sneaky tactic 1: add leafy vegetable to dal
Sneaky tactic 2: add leafy vegetable to idlis, dosas & parathas
Amaranth, turnip, pumpkin, drumstick, sour greens... I'd see them in the grocery bag, decide I wasn't going to take a bite and then wipe my plate clean! Mothers... they would make impressive politicians no?

If you turned up your nose at the mere mention of dill, remember 'never say never'. These dosas are more like spongy, slightly sweet pancakes that taste only faintly dill-y (somewhere my English teacher is frowning at that line).

By the way sneaky recipes are very flexible so use brown sugar in place of jaggery or increase the amount of dill (as if that's going to happen!)

SHAEPI POLE (Sweet Dill Pancakes)
(makes 5-6)
1 cup rice
1/4 cup beaten rice (poha)
1/3 cup coconut, grated
1 cup dill, picked and washed
2-3 cardamom pods
grated jaggery (between 4 tbsps to 1/3 cup depending on taste or brown sugar)
pinch of salt
oil

Soak rice overnight or for a minimum of 3-4 hours. Drain and wash then place in blender. Coarsely chop dill. Add to rice along with washed poha, coconut, cardamom and jaggery. Grind to a smooth paste with just a little bit of water.

Remove in a bowl. Season with salt and mix well. Cover and set aside for 15-20 minutes. Heat a griddle with oil. Pour a ladleful of the batter in the centre. Let it spread into a thick circle.

Cover and cook on moderate heat. Flip over and cook on the other side. Serve hot with a dollop of homemade ghee. Or honey or maple syrup ...

* See sweet and savory dill idlis
* Variations - use jackfruit and cucumber (grated) in place of dill

Scallion Zunka for JFI

Yes, the plan was to make a 'dum' dish with the casserole but I realized my pantry was missing a couple of ingredients. Onions on the other hand? Never run out of them.

Though authentic zunka is made with onions, I used scallions (spring onions, green onions... so many names for such a dainty looking thing!) in this recipe. The garlic/ curry leaves tadka is not common either but this is how a popular restaurant near my home makes it.

PATICHA ZUNKA (Scallion Zunka)
(serves 2-3)
1 cup chana dal (split bengal gram)*
2 bunches of scallions, finely chopped
a pinch of turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander-cumin powder
sugar and salt to taste
oil
Seasoning -
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 garlic cloves, mashed
a sprig of curry leaves
1-2 green chillies, slit
Garnishing -
lemon juice
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

Wash then soak dal in 2 cups of water for about 2-3 hours. Grind into a coarse paste with salt and a few tablespoons of water. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds, garlic, curry leaves and chillies. Next add chopped scallions and saute for a minute.

Toss in the spices, a pinch of sugar and a little salt. Add dal paste. Turn heat to low, cover pan with a lid and let the dal cook (sprinkle a few drop of water if you find it's sticking to the pan). When it is dry and crumbly, squeeze a little lemon juice on top, garnish with cilantro and serve. (Zunka gets drier the longer it sits. So plan on serving immediately).

* Inspired by the 'parippu uslis' around blogosphere, I opted for chana dal instead of besan in this zunka. The resulting crumbly texture is quite delicious.
* For JFI - Onions hosted by Radhi

Peek into the Kitchen

The only coordinated 'set' in my kitchen are the dishes; almost everything else is an haphazard collection assembled over the years. And this casserole is undoubtedly one of my favorites. It is 32 years old, and has traveled across 8 cities and two countries.

It occupied the pride of place in my mother's kitchen and it does now in mine. Curries and biryanis, soups and gratins, noisy dinners, celebrations, formal meals, clumsy guests... this pot has seen everything and stood the test of time. Best of all, like women it only looks better with age.

The Nun's Revenge

No blasphemy here. That is honestly the name of the drink. This Italian hot chocolate is so delicious and indulgent, it is assumed it can't be chaste! In fact the author has compared drinking it to a religious experience :-)

I really didn't need further encouragement but as luck would have it, Padmaja's fabulous Fairtrade Goodie Bag arrived in the mail (thank you dear!). Nestled between the coffee and tea was a gorgeous bittersweet chocolate. Sign from above!

THE NUN'S REVENGE
(adapted from 'Hot Chocolate: 50 heavenly Cups of Comfort')
(serves 2-3)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half*
1 tsp arrowroot
1 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
2 ounces fairtrade bittersweet chocolate (at least 70 percent cacao), chopped
2 to 4 strips orange zest for garnish

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the half-and-half with the arrowroot, whisking until smooth.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup of half-and-half in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. When the half-and-half begins to bubble around the edges, whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the arrowroot mixture until the half-and-half thickens slightly, usually less than a minute.

Remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the chocolate until smooth. Pour into cups, top each with a piece of orange zest, and serve immediately.

* Revenge is best served... cold with low fat substitutes. So feel free to use your choice of milk. The arrowroot makes the drink creamy anyway.
* Use orange flavored liqueur or orange extract if you prefer.
* Beer is usually the drink of choice on game nights but I am sending this over to Mansi anyway for her Game Night Party event.
* Don't forget to Click liquids for January.

So(y), so good - Scrambled Tofu

In one of the magazines I picked up on the flight back home there was a lovely sounding recipe for scrambled tofu. To be honest tofu and I aren't the best of friends. Considering the darn thing is nothing short of a superfood though, I grudgingly send out invitations for dinner now and then.

But first thing in the morning? Could my husband and I prove to be gracious hosts? A closer look and I saw tofu would be accompanied by pesto and mushrooms. Now those I could handle any time of the day. So we had our little brunch party and whaddaya know, a good time was had by all.

This is a great recipe for a vegetarian brunch menu. It tastes so good you won't know you are eating three vegetables (AND tofu)!

SCRAMBLED TOFU WITH PESTO
(adapted from Food & Wine, January'08)
(serves 2-3)
2-3 fingerling or small new potatoes, scrubbed and peeled
1 cup mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 1/2 cups firm tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, sliced*
shredded cheese (omit for a vegan version)
2 tsp prepared pesto
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain and slice 3/4 inch thick. In a large non stick skillet heat oil until shimmering. Add potatoes and cook over medium heat until lightly browned.
Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook stirring occasionally until browned. Add roasted pepper and tofu. Season again lightly. Cook, stirring and lightly mashing tofu until all ingredients are well combined.

Top with pesto and cheese. Stir to melt cheese. Transfer to a plate and serve with crusty bread.

* If you don't have roasted red pepper omit or saute fresh bell pepper instead. But it is a handy thing to have - adds great flavor to sandwiches, pastas or salads.
* This goes to WBB - Soy hosted by Rajitha of Hunger Pangs

CLICKETY CLICK
This month's Click focuses on the ever challenging theme of liquids and one of the judges is none other than yours truly. Which is ironical because I steer away from photographing them (it's capturing the right light but NOT getting the reflection that brings me to tears) So go on and click away. I'd love to get some pointers.

Happy New Year!

I am back from my trip; it was a much needed, completely relaxing vacation that I enjoyed so much I am finding it hard to get back to work! But it is the 2nd of January and I have no excuse left. So nose to the grindstone. Meanwhile here's wishing all of you a happy, healthy and peaceful 2008. I promise to get back to blogging soon.

Treasure Hunt - Green Tuvar

One look at the authentic 'vadu mangu' pickle, Punjabi vadis and dhanraj chillies in the local Indian store and my in laws were floored! Shopping for groceries became more of a treasure hunt. They took their time strolling through the store and searching every nook for an edible surprise.

I'd never have noticed the packet of green pigeon peas (tuvar lilva) had my mother in law not zeroed on it. Green tuvar is a seasonal (monsoon) produce and I haven't had the opportunity to eat it in years. Sometimes it takes a different perspective to show us things in a new light.

Just like this month's JFI host, Linda whose curiosity and enthusiasm about Indian cuisine makes me look at it with renewed appreciation.

GREEN TUR UPKARI (Pigeon Peas Stir fry)
1 cup green pigeon peas
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of asafetida
1-2 green chillies, slit
1 red chilli, halved
oil
salt to taste
grated coconut and finely chopped cilantro

Defrost peas in the microwave (or set to thaw an hour before).

Heat oil in a sauce pan. Add mustard seeds, chillies and asafetida. Add the peas and just enough water to cook them. Season to taste. Top with grated coconut and cilantro and serve.

* Any gourd (snake, ridge etc) or potato works well in combination with the peas. They make a good addition to khichdi and pulao too.

Better late than never Chana Kebabs

This was going to be my entry for Suganya's wonderful event, Vegan Ventures but work interfered. Breaking all blogging rules (hopefully the Union Leader will protect me!), I am still posting the recipe because it's just so delicious and easy. What's a few days here and there when good food is at stake hmm? So here are my better late than never chana kebabs.

The recipe is from my sister in law (yes, I steal from her and she still shares recipes with me!) It's very flexible - the chana and potato are the only essential ingredients and you can pretty much play around with the rest.

KALA CHANA KEBAB (Black Garbanzo Kebab)
(recipe from my sister in law)
(makes 9-10)
3/4 cup kala chana*
1 large potato, boiled
1/2 tsp coriander powder
red chilli powder to taste
1/2 tsp tandoori masala/ garam masala etc.
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
enough bread crumbs, corn flour, semolina etc. for binding*
salt
oil for frying

Soak chana in 2 cups of water overnight or for 5-6 hours. Combine with just enough water to cook. In a pressure cooker or sauce pan cook chana till soft. It is actually convenient to cook them to mush unless you prefer a workout for your arms! Drain excess water if any.

Mash chana and potato. Add all ingredients except oil and mix until well blended. Adjust seasoning. Shape mixture into round patties and shallow fry in oil until well browned.

Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney.

* Use black beans or white garbanzo for a different flavor
* I dredge the kebabs lightly in semolina to get a crispy top.

Back to basics - Garam Masala

Up until a few years ago if I came across a recipe with garam masala as an ingredient, I'd just open a packet at random and toss in a teaspoon. Then I'd wonder why the dish never tasted authentic enough.

Enlightenment finally dawned with the help of Madhur Jaffrey. When I got her book for the first time and browsed through the glossary, I realized I was doing everything wrong. Make your own garam masala and make it fresh were Jaffrey's first instructions. Why? Because packaged garam masala contains more of the cheaper spices like cumin and coriander instead of the expensive ones like cardamom and cloves. So much for authenticity!

Since then I use the masala liberally whenever a recipe calls for it. Sometimes even if the recipe doesn't call for it because I love the aroma! There are a few things I am grateful to Jaffrey for - teaching me to eat turnips for example, or making the perfect rogan josh but this garam masala tops the list by far.

GARAM MASALA
(adapted from this recipe by Madhur Jaffrey)
(makes about 3 tbsps)
1 tbsp cardamom seeds
1 2" cinnamon
1 tsp black cumin (shahjeera)
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp peppercorns
1/4 nutmeg

Powder spices in a clean, dry coffee or spice grinder until smooth. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

* In Prashad, Jiggs Kalra has a separate garam masala for curries, meat and mild dishes! It has either fennel, mace, ginger etc. Similarly Sanjeev Kapoor adds large cardamom (badi elaichi). All are aromatic spices and I am sure one can play around for combinations. In my opinion, those spices are good-to-add while the above six are must-add.

Recipes with this garam masala -
Pindi Chana
Paneer Tawa Masala
Hara Cholia Te Paneer

* Entry for A Spoonful of Christmas hosted by Zlamushka's Spciy Kitchen

Get together grub - Gobi ka Kheema

This Diwali was over before we knew it. For the first time we had many family and friends close by so we were busy either hosting a party or going to one. At one such dinner we were served a dish that not only tasted great but sounded it too - Gobi ka kheema.

My immediate thought was to get the recipe so I could blog about it! But the party was a raucous and chaotic affair and finding a quiet moment with the host was out of question.

Coming home, I googled for the recipe and after a couple of hits and misses with soy chunks and paneer, landed on this page. The recipe seemed a close approximation of what I had eaten. I modified it a little and relished the dish all over again. If you want to steer clear of koftas and paneer for your next party, give this kheema a shot. You won't be disappointed.

GOBI KA KHEEMA (Minced Cauliflower)
(adapted from this recipe)
(serves 2-3 as a main)
1 medium cauliflower
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 onions, grated or pulsed in a blender
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2-3 tomatoes, blanched & pureed*
1/2 cup peas
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
oil
1 tbsp cream (optional) and finely chopped cilantro for garnish

Separate cauliflower into large florets and grate coarsely in a food processor or by hand. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add cauliflower and saute for 8-10 minutes. Continue sauteeing until the florets turn golden brown. Set aside.

Heat oil and add bay leaf and cumin seeds. When seeds sizzle, add grated onion. Stir for a few minutes then add ginger garlic paste. Continue stirring until onions lose moisture completely and don't smell raw.

Reduce heat and add tomato puree. Mix well. Add chilli powder and peas. Season to taste.

When gravy starts to simmer, add cauliflower. Ensure it is well coated with spices. Cook for 5-7 minutes on moderate heat to reduce sauce. Add garam masala and mix well. Garnish with cilantro and top with cream if preferred. Serve hot with naan or paratha.

* I used this tomato gravy. I have written about it before - it's pure magic!
* The kheema got me thinking about its potential uses. A little binding with flour and one could use it to make meatballs, tikkis or add to a pulao.

Clicking Noodles

Last month I didn't get the time to shoot eggs but this time I was determined to make it to Click. So here is some spinach & chives linguine for you. This is right now one of my favorite products at Trader Joe's. I am not paid by TJs for advertisement but I really wouldn't mind it since I love almost everything they stock :-)

Let there be 'peas'

This dish has many, many memories attached to it. On our annual trips to Goa, we couldn't eat fish until we had visited all temples. And it invariably used to be a short trip because we had to head to my uncle's home soon after. So consider this -
seafood lovers + seafood paradise + (4 to 5 temples x 1-2 rituals each) - no seafood = really cranky seafood lovers!!

I am exaggerating of course. It wasn't that bad. Contrary to popular perception Goa has amazing vegetarian fare to offer and we didn't feel deprived at all. I remember we used to eat this peas curry with freshly baked buns and it was sheer bliss! Goa's bread deserves a post of its own. Poetry can be written on the subject and it would still not be enough. (See Mahek's post).

This curry is an example of how legumes are cooked in the region of Malwan/ Goa. Roasted coconut, use of whole spices like cinnamon & cloves and the distinct lack of bedgi chillies sets this cuisine apart from its Kanara counterparts (though there are exceptions on both sides, so no angry emails please!).

The recipe is a specialty of my mother's side and my 'maushi' (aunt) especially excels in making it. When family get togethers had to be strictly vegetarian, 'hirvya vatanyachi amti' was the unanimous choice. Only my aunt insisted on calling it 'popti vatanyachi amti' (parrot green peas curry)!

HIRVYA VATANYACHI AMTI (Green Peas Curry)
(serves 2-3)
1 cup dry green peas*
1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp tamarind paste or 3-4 kokum
salt to taste
Masala -
1/2 tsp oil
1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
5-6 peppercorns
3-4 dried red chillies
1" cinnamon
2 cloves
3/4 cup grated coconut
remaining 1/2 of onion, sliced
Seasoning -
mustard seeds
curry leaves
asafetida
oil

Soak green peas in water overnight. Drain and add just enough water to submerge. Combine with chopped onion and cook until soft (but holding their shape). Set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet and roast the coriander seeds, chillies, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns. Set aside. Add sliced onion and coconut and roast till golden. Grind everything to smooth paste with a little water.

Heat a sauce pan with oil. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafetida. Add cooked peas and masala. Adjust consistency of the curry with water and still until everything is well combined.

Add tamarind/ kokum and season to taste. Bring to a boil and serve with bread, these buns or rice.

* You can use fresh green peas too, if you find the non sweet kind
* This masala is very versatile; use it for 'chawli' (black eyed peas), 'moong' (green gram sprouts) and the other famous dish from the region - 'kale vatane' (dry black peas)

More power to 'Powerless' Cooking - Rasayan

When EC's mixer went on the fritz for a few days what did she do about it? Start a blog event of course! 'Powerless cooking' is an one-off event that she is hosting to encourage us to cook without the aid of electrical appliances.

Since most of the recipes on this blog begin with the words "grind the coconut to a smooth paste", you'd think I'd be at a loss here. Not so. There a few dishes in our cuisine that not only do not require grinding, but in fact do not require any cooking at all (yes, that's what I said). They were meant for the sultry summer days when working behind a stove was difficult for the woman of the house. And they were usually yogurt or milk based to cool the body.

EC has allowed us the use of electric stoves, but I decided to challenge myself further and make a no-cook dish ie. no switching on the stove. Rasayan came to mind immediately - a kheer made with coconut milk and fruit. If that isn't different enough, it has jaggery instead of sugar for added exoticism.

KHARBUZA RASAYAN (Honey dew melon Kheer)
(serves 2-3)
1 cup cantaloupe*/ banana/ mango/ jackfruit, cubed (yes the fruit has to be cubed - don't let the photo mislead you!!)
1 cup coconut milk
1-2 tbsp grated jaggery or to taste
1/4 tsp cardamom powder

Dissovle jaggery in coconut milk. Combine with melon cubes and cardamom powder. Chill until ready to serve.

* Cantaloupe or musk melon is commonly used in rasayan. I made do with honeydew because that's what I found in the market
** Variation - add a handful of thin poha to rasayan

Other 'power-less' dishes on my blog -
Goad Phov (Sweet poha)
Kalayle Phov (Spicy mixed poha)
Tival or Sol kadhi (Kokum saar)

Season's Eatings - Khajur Halwa

Since Vee has continued her tradition of hosting JFI Diwali (and breaking all the rules!), I decided to continue mine; posting an easy, hassle free Diwali dish. Last year it was Moong Dal Ladoo, this year it's Khajur Halwa.

Okay so it's not originally hassle free. The authentic, mom version is quite labor intensive - cooking the dates in milk until it solidifies into a mass. But the (lazy) daughter version considerably cuts down on the slogging behind the stove by using khoya.

No matter which method you use, you will love this creamy, subtly sweet (no sugar yay!) halwa redolent with the goodness of dates. If you still aren't convinced let me add it uses only a tablespoon of ghee.

KHAJUR HALWA (Date Fudge)
(serves 3-4)
3/4 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup khoya (mawa)*, crumbled or grated
1-2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp ghee, melted
a pinch of cardamom powder
a pinch of nutmeg powder (optional)
chopped cashews and pistachios, for garnish

(If you find it difficult to chop the dates pop them in the fridge for a while. Mind your fingers!)
Soak chopped dates in a little water for 5 minutes. Drain and grind into a paste.

Heat a non stick pan, add date paste and stir on moderate heat. When the mixture starts to bubble a bit, add grated khoya, honey and cardamom & nutmeg powders. Spoon ghee along the edges, increase heat slightly and stir until everything is combined into a homogenous mass. Time for some elbow grease - keep stirring like crazy!

Make sure the halwa doesn't brown or stick to the bottom of the pan. When the halwa can be collected into a ball, it's ready. Fry nuts in a little ghee. Sprinkle over halwa and serve hot or cold.

* You can either buy readymade khoya or make it at home using condensed milk, ricotta cheese or milk powder.
* You can make date ladoos or burfis by cooking the halwa longer. Garnish with dessicated, unsweetened coconut for texture.

WISHING ALL OF YOU A VERY HAPPY DIWALI

Entry for JFI - Festive Edition & AFAM - Dates

Blog Hopping & a Bharta

Far from biryanis and koftas, when I am blog hopping (really, who coined this term? It makes us all sound like rabbits!), I am actually always on the lookout for recipes I can cook on weekdays. It is when I am staring at the crisper in the fridge without an inkling of how to use up the zucchini or ridge gourd that I need inspiration from my friends. Here are a few recipes that came to my rescue.

Before you shake your heads in disbelief that we eat nothing but gourds let me add that these recipes have been tried over the last several weeks and I couldn't help but devote an entire post to them!

Ridge gourd with Pathrode (patra) - I'd never have thought of combining the two. But Richa did. All I can say is go ahead and make this rightaway - it's just the most delicious way to eat ridge gourd.

Another day, another unique combination - Musical's equally tasty Zucchini Paneer Subji.

Nupur's recipes are so precise I follow them blindly. And they never fail me. This Maharashtrian style preparation of ridge gourd with peanut powder has joined our favorites list (along with her Chavli amti and Paneer pulao).

Everytime I read an authentic Coorgi recipe on Asha's blog it transports me to a coffee plantation or coconut farm. I had been meaning to try several recipes from her blog but it was the Bottle gourd & Chana dal curry that tempted me the most. We loved the dish - it tasted familiar to our palate because of the coconut, yet different because of the poppy seeds.

And finally here is a bharta from my own kitty. Unlike eggplant, gourd or pumpkin is not roasted but steamed lightly. I faintly remember my grandmother making a hole in the centre of the pan and placing embers from the stove (chulha) to infuse the dish with a smoky flavor. I make do with browning the gourd a little. This changes the taste of the otherwise bland veggie.

GARDUDHE BHART (Bottle Gourd Bharta)
(serves 2-3)
1 bottle gourd (or pumpkin, squash etc)
1-2 green chillies
2-3 tbsp coconut
about 1/2 cup yogurt, beaten
1 shallot, finely chopped
Seasoning -
oil
nustard seeds
curry leaves
Garnish -
finely chopped cilantro

Peel and dice gourd into large cubes (scoop out seeds if tough). Combine with 1/4 cup of water in a non stick saucepan and cook till soft and lightly browned at the bottom. Mash cubes lightly with a fork.

Grind coconut and green chillies to a coarse paste (don't add water). Add to gourd along with chopped onion and yogurt. Mix well. Season to taste.

Prepare a tadka with seasoning ingredients and pour over bharta. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

One a penny, two a penny - Buns

I was introduced to Mangalore buns after my marriage. Two days after to be precise. "Let's make buns for breakfast tomorrow", my mother in law told me. I nodded my head, awed that she was not only a good cook but a great baker too. I imagined us buttering warm buns fresh from the oven, while sipping tea and engaging in lively conversation (those darned Enid Blytons again!).

To cut a really embarassing story short, I realized buns were puris only after my mother in law poured oil into the 'kadai' instead of pre heating the oven!!

Buns are made with ripe bananas and maida and served with chutney for breakfast (the version we grew up eating was made with rice flour and called 'kelyache wade'). My mother in law favors whole wheat over maida and since I learned the recipe from her, that's how I make buns too. If like me you buy a bunch of bananas and always have a few over ripe ones left that noone is willing to touch, this is the perfect solution.

BUNS (Banana Puris)
2 cups whole wheat flour (or maida if you prefer)
1 overripe banana
4-5 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup yogurt, beaten
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
salt to taste
1 tsp oil + oil to deep fry

Peel and mash bananas. Add yogurt, sugar, salt, cumin and baking soda. Adjust sugar to your taste. Five tablespoons might seem a lot but you always need to add flour while rolling, which reduces the sugary impact. Mix well. Gradually add flour and gather together to form a dough. You might need to add more flour if the dough is too 'wet'.

Rub a teapoon of oil on dough evenly. Cover and set aside overnight or for a minimum of 4-5 hours.

Dust rolling pin and board with flour (the dough will be very sticky) and keep some handy to help with rolling. Roll out circles of 3-4" diameter. Don't worry if they are slightly thick - they taste better. Since I haven't mastered buns yet I roll a large circle and then cut out puris with a cookie cutter or bowl. Faster and way easier :-)

Heat a kadai with enough oil to deep fry. Gently slide in puri and fry on moderate heat till it puffs up. Turn over and fry on the other side. Buns will be slightly darker in color because of the bananas. Remove and drain on absorbent paper.

Serve hot. In our home they are served with a spicy green peas curry - heavenly and so worth all the hassle and guilt!

* More sweet ideas - The Maharashtrian delicacy of Gharge, puris made with grated pumpkin and the Luchis that our neigbour in Calcutta used to make with left over syrup from rasgullas or gulab jamuns.

* Entry for JFI Banana hosted by Mandira of Ahaar

My Salad Days

"Does it come with a salad?", this is my hopeful question in most restaurants. No matter how eager I am to try the main course, the salad remains my eternal favorite. To crunch on fresh greens with a seasoning of the simplest ingredients is such a fulfilling, palate cleansing act in my opinion.

This inclination to raw food stems from my childhood - if you have a father who whips up a salad every single day and enjoys creating dressings from some really unique ingredients - you are bound to view salads differently.

(the book & the tool)

My interest in food and cooking started by perusing my mom's cookbooks when I didn't have anything to read. Today I have a collection I am really emotional about (yes, I get emotional about my books!). It's not huge, but I have bought each book (or it has been gifted to me) with a lot of thought behind it.

One such book is 'Twelve Months of Monastery Salads' by Victor D'Avila Latourette, a Benedictine monk. It is a collection of almost 200 salad recipes that the monks prepare in their kitchens throughout the year. How good are the recipes? Well, I e-mailed a couple to my dad and now I have a standing instruction to get this book for him on my next visit!

SPICY BEAN SALAD
(adpated from 'Twelve Months of Monastery Salads)
1 cup black beans*
a handful of corn kernels
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Dressing -
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp cumin powder
a pinch of paprika
salt & pepper to taste
Garnish -
finely chopped cilantro

Soak beans overnight and cook till tender but holding their shape. Or rinse and drain if using canned beans. Combine with corn, bell pepper and onion in a large bowl. Add minced garlic and toss well.

Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl until thickened. Pour over salad and mix well. Adjust seasoning and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving for flavors to blend.

Garnish with cilantro and serve. (Eat with your eyes first!).

* In the book this is a Latin American inspired three bean salad with red, black and white beans. I used black beans only because I didn't have the other two. You can also use red kidney beans (rajma) or black eyed peas (chawli) as a substitute. The mustard is not a prominent flavor so it can be omitted. Use a little red chilli powder in place of paprika to make it spicy by Indian standards! This salad is perfect for lunch boxes, picnics and potlucks.

* Trivia of the day - The phrase 'salad days' was first used by Shakespeare in Anthony & Cleopatra -
My salad days,
When I was green in judgment: cold in blood,
To say as I said then!

* Entry for 'Show me your Cookbook' hosted by Nags of For the Cook in Me