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Showing posts from August, 2010

Pesarattu – Spiced Mung Dal Dosa(Crêpes)

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These specialty crêpes of the Andhra Cuisine can be made of either yellow mung dal or from whole green gram.If you use the former you get a golden yellow crêpe and if you use the latter you’ll have yourself a green crêpe. Both taste great. Personally I prefer using the yellow dal vs the green, purely for aesthetics. Hey, after all your eyes do most of the eating don’t they? Unlike the traditional dosas these are relatively faster to make for the obvious fact that they don’t have to go through the long hours of fermentation. And since they are not sour, in my opinion you need to complement them with sour chutneys like the tomato, gongura or tamarind to excite you palates. Ingredients 2 cups mung dal soaked in water for about 4 –5 hours, if you are using whole green gram, soak overnight  1 tsp roasted cumin 1/2 tsp chopped ginger  6 sprigs of cilantro  1/2 cup raw rice soak along with dal 3 green chilies 1 big pinch of asafoetida 1 medium sized onion chopped salt to taste D...

Pesarattu – Spiced Mung Dal Dosa(Crêpes)

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These specialty crêpes of the Andhra Cuisine can be made of either yellow mung dal or from whole green gram.If you use the former you get a golden yellow crêpe and if you use the latter you’ll have yourself a green crêpe. Both taste great. Personally I prefer using the yellow dal vs the green, purely for aesthetics. Hey, after all your eyes do most of the eating don’t they? Unlike the traditional dosas these are relatively faster to make for the obvious fact that they don’t have to go through the long hours of fermentation. And since they are not sour, in my opinion you need to complement them with sour chutneys like the tomato, gongura or tamarind to excite you palates. Ingredients 2 cups mung dal soaked in water for about 4 –5 hours, if you are using whole green gram, soak overnight  1 tsp roasted cumin 1/2 tsp chopped ginger  6 sprigs of cilantro  1/2 cup raw rice soak along with dal 3 green chilies 1 big pinch of asafoetida 1 medium sized onion chopped salt to taste Directions Grin...

Pottukadalai (Roasted gram) Chutney

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The nice part about a chutney recipe is that no ingredient or their amounts are set in stone. You can mix match and omit. And each time you would have created a novelty. Just go with what your taste buds desire. If you like cilantro, throw in some of it. If you don’t do mint, omit it. If you think coconut is unhealthy, replace it with peanuts. If you want a raw bite, use roasted gram.  If you are into ginger-garlic, a dash of it will do the trick. If you want a tang there is curd, tamarind or lemon. If you are looking for a spicy tone,  green or red chilies should work. And most important of all, if you can’t hold back your imagination, let it flow!    I’ve got myself a lean mean wet grinding machine earlier this month and there has been plenty of idlis, dosas and adais happening at home. So don’t be taken aback by the sudden surge of chutney recipes on this blog. Trust me it doesn’t take long before I’m bored. You might have to put up with it for only a few days or maybe if your plane...

As Dear As Salt

A reader recently commented on one of my posts saying, The recipe was bland and only after I added salt it tasted fine. I looked up the recipe and realized that though I’d mentioned Salt to taste in the ‘Ingredients’ section, I’d forgotten to state when salt was to be added in the “Directions”. Never would I have imagined that this oversight could pose such a problem. I soon figured that most of my recipes had this slip.  Though I did update that particular recipe, and though I promise to keep in mind the need to cite add salt in my future recipes, my nonchalance in such matters and the fact that my middle name spells LAZY makes it quite obvious that there is possibly no way I would even consider updating 100 and odd recipes as an option. So here’s a disclaimer I’d like to make for all my old and probably future recipes — All my recipes recipes call for salt – ‘to taste’. Unless and until I mention a  “pinch” (like in cakes and desserts)  or unless and until salt i...

Mathi Vattichathu – Sardines Poached To Dry –Kerala Style

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  Acclaimed author of many cook books, Food and Wine editor of  Town&Country for over two decades, James Villas wrote in an article called Unsung Sardines –   Ounce for ounce, sardines provide more calcium and phosphorus than milk, more protein than steak, more potassium than bananas, and more iron than cooked spinach.  Now, even if I hadn’t read that, I still would assume that these little silver slender beauties had to have high authority in terms of nutrition in order to find their way to my health freak sister Sony’s table every other day ;).  Frankly for me, the nutrition aspect is just an added bonus. I simply love them for their unparalleled flavor. Fresh sardines are found in plenty in Kerala and hence are cooked very often, usually poached or grilled. Fresh sardines however have been hard to find for me over here. But I do manage to get some good ones at Whole Foods or at my local Chinese market. All my recipes use fresh sardines and since I’ve never used t...

Mathi Vattichathu – Sardines Poached To Dry –Kerala Style

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  Acclaimed author of many cook books, Food and Wine editor of  Town&Country for over two decades, James Villas wrote in an article called Unsung Sardines –   Ounce for ounce, sardines provide more calcium and phosphorus than milk, more protein than steak, more potassium than bananas, and more iron than cooked spinach.  Now, even if I hadn’t read that, I still would assume that these little silver slender beauties had to have high authority in terms of nutrition in order to find their way to my health freak sister Sony’s table every other day ;).  Frankly for me, the nutrition aspect is just an added bonus. I simply love them for their unparalleled flavor. Fresh sardines are found in plenty in Kerala and hence are cooked very often, usually poached or grilled. Fresh sardines however have been hard to find for me over here. But I do manage to get some good ones at Whole Foods or at my local Chinese market. All my recipes use fresh sardines and since I’ve never used the canned k...

Mathanga Erissery / Pumpkin Dal

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South Indians very rarely make plain Dal. We usually add a vegetable or two in them and call each of them with different names even though they might have the same kind of lentils and involve the same process. If you think – that is one big bag of stupid, it really isn’t. Each different kind of vegetable gives a different flavor and identity to the Dal that you can’t help but christen it with a new name :). The Mathanga Erissery, a sure dish of an Onam Sadhay is made of yellow pumpkin or squash and Red Chori or Azuki Bean. Traditionally the consistency of it is usually very thick almost like mashed potatoes. But I  make it into a gravy and relish it with rice, papadams and lemon pickles. Ingredients 3 cups diced yellow pumpkin 1/2  cup Red Chori/ Azuki Beans, soaked in water over night 1/2 cup grated coconut 7-8 finely sliced shallots 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder 1/2 tsp of chopped garlic 1/2 tsp ground fresh pepper 1/4 tsp chili powder-1/4tsp 1/4tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp blac...

Sprout Masala

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Since eating healthy has become exponentially the coolest thing to do these days I have been trying real hard to work up the hip in the family. Although it has been a struggle to give up our ongoing love affair with the fat-sugar-fried or anything that spells YUMMM for that matter, certain healthy foods I must admit, have helped in easing the transition. And sprouts for us is among the top contenders. The nutritional value of sprouts apparently are double sometimes quadruple times their dried forms and the best way to eat them would be raw like in salads or sandwiches. But, though we are all for the healthy, and aye aye the  nutrients, we are not yet so bohemian in our being as yet. So, for now we are eating these elixirs of life in their cooked form probably killing thousands of nutrients in the process. I know I know, many of you are already tsking your tongues out! But hey, we are hoping to slowly work ourselves to where all of you already are. Please be patient with our baby steps....

Mushrooms And Potatoes in Coconut Milk Gravy

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This simple dish goes amazingly well with Indian breads. I’ve used Portobello mushrooms here. But, you can use any kind you like. The mushrooms and the potatoes so readily absorb the sweetness of the coconut milk that every bite of it leaves you wanting more. Though you can make this dish with just mushrooms I’ve added potatoes too, only because I wanted more volume and they being the most versatile of the veggies I knew would remain subtle and not over shadow the mushrooms in this dish. Ingredients 1 lb Portobello mushrooms chopped into chunks 3 red potatoes 1 large onion finely chopped 1tbsp ginger-garlic paste 3 –4 green chilies chopped 2 tomatoes chopped into chunks 1 sprig of curry leaves 1/2 tsp cinnamon-clove spice mix 1/4 tsp turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 cup canned coconut milk 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder 2-3 shallots finely sliced 1/2 tsp red chili powder 1 tsp of lemon zest 1 tsp black mustard seeds 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tbsp choppe...

Choy Sum and Eggs Stir-Fry – Motta Cheera Thoran

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  This thoran with greens and eggs can be made with any kind of leaves like spinach, kale, amaranth etc. I’ve used Choy Sum here. The slight hint of mustard in these leaves I find complement the eggs very well. The dish calls for coarsely ground coconut with garlic right at the very end. I however usually skip the coconut cause I don’t like to overpower the greens with too many ingredients. For me it is either the eggs or the coconut. Very rarely both. But, if you are the types that can’t do without coconut, add 1/2 a cup of coarsely ground coconut with 2 cloves of garlic in the below recipe right at the very end and sauté 5 – 6 minutes before switching off the flame. Ingredients 1 lb choy sum chopped fine 3 eggs 1 medium sized onion chopped fine 1 tsp black mustard seeds 1/2 tsp powdered roasted cumin 1 tbsp oil 1 sprig of curry leaves 3 –4 green chilies finely chopped 1/4 tsp turmeric powder salt to taste Directions Heat oil in a wide pan ...

Choy Sum and Eggs Stir-Fry – Motta Cheera Thoran

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  This thoran with greens and eggs can be made with any kind of leaves like spinach, kale, amaranth etc. I’ve used Choy Sum here. The slight hint of mustard in these leaves I find complement the eggs very well. The dish calls for coarsely ground coconut with garlic right at the very end. I however usually skip the coconut cause I don’t like to overpower the greens with too many ingredients. For me it is either the eggs or the coconut. Very rarely both. But, if you are the types that can’t do without coconut, add 1/2 a cup of coarsely ground coconut with 2 cloves of garlic in the below recipe right at the very end and sauté 5 – 6 minutes before switching off the flame. Ingredients 1 lb choy sum chopped fine 3 eggs 1 medium sized onion chopped fine 1 tsp black mustard seeds 1/2 tsp powdered roasted cumin 1 tbsp oil 1 sprig of curry leaves 3 –4 green chilies finely chopped 1/4 tsp turmeric powder salt to taste Directions Heat oil in a wide pan Add musta...

Gongura Dal

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These lemony tart leaves are my all time favorite greens. There has not been a single time I’ve been to an Indian store and not bought them if they were available. And considering that I go to the Indian store every other weekend and also keeping in mind the fact that these perennial greens are often found all through the year, you can imagine how frequently I make it. Gongura or Sorrel/Kenaf as they are called in English are widely used in Andhra cuisines to complement flavors in dals and chutneys and to tenderize meats in non-vegetarian preparations. I‘m a big fan of them in the dals but, I go head of heals in love with them when they are fried with shrimp. No kidding. Wait till I post my Shrimp Gongura recipe. You’ll begin to accept that I hardly exaggerate ;). .  The Gongura dal is popularly made with Tuvar or Masoor Dal. But if  you ask me I’d say use any dal you like and trust me every combination of these leaves and the dals give you a different flavor. So try all combinations b...

I Don’t Get

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  Religion – Today’s society is much too complex to be governed by principles and rules that were set thousands of years ago. With so much of hatred spewing from them it is about time we leave them behind and move on. We really don’t need guidelines to pray or to love. People who don’t Recycle – I’m not saying you need to heave that guilty-green gasp at every breath (I have friends who do that and I know how annoying that can be). But it really doesn’t take much to do your little. Switch off lights when you leave a room, stop running the faucet while brushing or shaving, walk instead of driving to blow off steam and you’ve done your bit. Yes, small things add up, big time. Guys Obsessed with their Looks – Yes guys, unfortunately no one cares a damn if you wore your your blue jeans, your grey ones or none at all. Just, shave, shower and check your breath. That and a fully functioning upper storey is sufficient to turn us on. Don’t let us catch you looking into th...

I Don’t Get

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  Religion – Today’s society is much too complex to be governed by principles and rules that were set thousands of years ago. With so much of hatred spewing from them it is about time we leave them behind and move on. We really don’t need guidelines to pray or to love. People who don’t Recycle – I’m not saying you need to heave that guilty-green gasp at every breath (I have friends who do that and I know how annoying that can be). But it really doesn’t take much to do your little. Switch off lights when you leave a room, stop running the faucet while brushing or shaving, walk instead of driving to blow off steam and you’ve done your bit. Yes, small things add up, big time. Guys Obsessed with their Looks – Yes guys, unfortunately no one cares a damn if you wore your your blue jeans, your grey ones or none at all. Just, shave, shower and check your breath. That and a fully functioning upper storey is sufficient to turn us on. Don’t let us catch you looking into the mirror, we might ...

Muslim Biryani

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Sing ye all good folks- Joy to my world!! I finally got my hands on the most divine recipes of all!!! The recipe that eluded me all these years, taunted my taste buds in ever so many occasions, teased my nostrils with its titillating whiff, ignored my yearning lustful eyes and and mockingly snuck away from my greedy grasps. YES!! I have it with me today. And who do I have to thank? My darling little niece, Sneha, who meticulously jotted down the recipe from her Muslim friend at school. My sweetheart cousin Jasmine, who trusted her daughter and her friend and followed the recipe to the T-recreating it, so the doubting Thomas in me  would believe. And my dear BIL EJ, who in seconds notice had the recipe scanned and printed for me to treasure – FOREVER!!! Now ain’t mine a dandy sweet family??! It sure is. All those who have known me for even just about a week, let alone years,  would have had an earful about my long, unfailing loveand fidelity to what I think is the supreme food of a...