Posts

Showing posts from 2010

What was that again?

Image
The last one year for Nish who turned 4  in September has been profound in terms of mental maturity and verbal acquisitions. His preschooler sass, innocent fumbles, wise observations and insightful witticisms never fail to amuse us. Our days would definitely be dull without him. Here are some of his quips for some laughs— Ma, can you please leave the bathroom? I need some privacy. Pa, you need to listen to Ma, ok? him is the only grown up in this house. Ma, grow up! Hey Pa, can you turn on the lamp? I need some sun light in the room. Ma, when I was a baby in your tummy did I come out when you threw up? Ma, I don’t need a baby brother or a baby sister, can you make me a baby puppy instead? Reciting the Lords prayer – Our Father in heaven hallowed be thy name ……do not bring us to the test but deliver us from Eagle – Amen And these might be incriminating for my food blog, but nevertheless …. Ma, I only said it smells good, I didn’t say it tastes good. Ma, this tastes  funny. ar...

Methi Pulao/ Fenugreek Leaves Rice Pilaf

Image
  Methi Pulao is something that I usually make when I’m entertaining vegetarian friends.  No reason in particular. But since I’m a big fan of the fenugreek leaf flavor I just assume every vegetarian out there will find it irresistible too.  And frankly every time I’ve made it I haven’t met anyone till date who hasn’t gone for a second helping of this. So like I always say, my assumptions are very rarely wrong ;). Ingredients 1 cup Basmati/Long grained rice 2 packed cups chopped fenugreek/methi leaves 1 med onion, finely sliced 1/2 cup fresh green peas 1 med tomato cut into chunks 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 1/2 tsp red chili powder 4 cloves 2, 1/4 inch pieces of cinnamon  1 crushed cardamom 2 tbsp roasted cashewnuts  1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 tsp saunf/fennel seeds Salt as per taste ghee/oil Directions Soak rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside for 15 minutes. Heat a tsp of ghee in a pan, gently roast the rice for a couple of min...

Kadai Paneer

Image
This all famous colorfully vibrant Punjabi dish goes perfectly well with all Indian breads. It is a very simple dish to make but can look very attractive on the table when you are entertaining. It is not just about the looks either, the taste’s amazing too. The powerful Indian spices ignites a roaring flame of passion between the mild and sweet colorful peppers  and the nutty cubes of paneer. Just one bite and you’ll know exactly what I’m harping about.   Ingredients 2 cups mixed multicolored bell peppers 14 oz of paneer/cottage cheese 1 medium onion chopped fine 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1 large tomato chopped into chunks 1/2 tsp turmeric  1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp katoori methi / dried fenugreek leaves 1 tbsp coriander powder 2 tsp chopped green chilies 1 tsp red paprika/ kashmiri mirch 1/2 tsp 3 Cs spice mix 1 bay leaf 1 star anise 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder 1 tbsp cashew-almond paste -optional (cashew nuts and almonds in equal proportions ground to a paste with little water) 2 tbs...

Aloo Gobi

Image
Since I could never bend it like Beckham, I chose the easier alternative and learnt to make a killer Aloo Gobi. I consider a bowl of Aloo Gobi perfect when the potatoes and the cauliflowers remain intact in shape and size but are yet cooked thoroughly through. And of course the cauliflower florets shouldn’t be giving off that God-awful gaseous stench.  Over the years I figured the best way not to stink up your kitchen while cooking cauliflower and the like (cabbage, kohlrabi etc) was to cook them dry. And the easiest was to cook them dry is to deep fry them (tastier option) or broil/bake them (healthier option) . You of course can cook them dry directly in the pan too. But that requires frequent stirring and totally depends on how patient you are willing to be. I’ve detailed all four techniques here. Follow what ever floats your boat. Ingredients 2 cups cauliflower florets 1 cup quartered potatoes 1 small onion chopped fine 1 tsp grated ginger 1 medium tomato chopped into chunks 3/4 ts...

Chutneys Galore

Image
Well it is a day over a over a month since I bought my new toy and evidently I’m not yet bored with it like I thought I would be (or should be) by now. And since the Wife/Mother has shown no signs of curbing herself, the Husband and Son have stopped making efforts to hide their annoyance as well. The boys hopelessly voice out their oh-no! not again shrieks while the obsessive and unrelenting South Indian in me serves them yet another variation of a fermented crêpe or a mutant version of some fried or steamed dumpling they just had a day before. The only saving grace for both the parties involved have been the savory chutneys. These spicy and tangy dips always manage to get the boys excited and hence lessens the burden of guilt for me, though obviously I don’t seem as bothered as I should be ;). In any case, when I see my boys serve themselves big mounds of these chutneys, which again is so not the right way of doing it and I have had to dig my nails into the wall and eat my own hair ...

Onion and Garlic Chutney

Image
This chunky,mouth watering, finger licking chutney is for those who crave for that hint of sugar in every spicy bite. This is one of my favorite chutneys. It has a really long shelf life and actually never goes stale on you . Ingredients 1 chopped red onions 1 tsp red chili powder (base it on taste)   1tsp paprika (for color)   2 tbsp sliced garlic   1/2 cup tamarind pulp extracted from 1 lemon sized tamarind 3 green chilies slit lengthwise 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds small pinch of asafoetida  1 tsp jaggery shavings  salt to taste  1 spring of curry leaves  2-3 tsp of sesame oil (cold pressed) Directions Heat oil in a pan, add asafoetida, mustard and curry leaves. Add onions, green chilies and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent Add chili powder and paprika and sauté for a few minutes. Pour in the tamarind pulp and bring to boil. Add jaggery and salt to taste. Serve with dosas or idlis.

Shallot Chutney / Ulli Chammanthi /Vengaya Chutney

Image
This is another one of those chutneys that you continue to lick off of your plate even when the dosas and idlis are long gone. Ingredients 1 cup shallots chopped 4-5 dried red chilies   1tsp black gram dal/urad dal  1 tsp channa dal / bengal gram  1/4 tsp tamarind paste or marble sized pitted tamarind small pinch of asafoetida salt to taste 2-3 tsp of sesame oil (cold pressed) Directions Heat oil in a pan, add asafoetida, dals, dried chilies and shallots and sauté until the shallots are golden brown. Add tamarind and sauté for a few more minutes.  Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool. Grind to a smooth paste. Serve with dosas or idlis.

Green Chili Coconut Chutney

Image
This mildly sweet, delicately spicy, greenish tinged elegance pairs very well with dosas and idlis. This chutney is my Mom’s recipe and something that I absolutely love. Ingredients 1 cup grated fresh coconut 2 green chilies 2 tbsp chopped shallots salt to taste 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds 1 sprig of curry leaves 2 tsp of coconut oil or refined vegetable oil Directions Grind together coconut, shallots and green chilies with 1/2 cup of water. Add more water after grinding to get desired consistency. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let the mustard pop. Pour the seasoning over the ground mixture and mix well. Add salt to taste. Serve with dosas or idlis.

For Those 30 Minutes of Blissful Abandon

Image
At the crack of dawn everyday, for little over a month I hear the patter of tiny feet down the hall. Moments later, I see faint light from the hall slip in through the ajar bedroom door  and  the silhouette of my little boy Nish at the doorjamb with his wild mop of curly hair standing against the light. He gently slides in. Like a cat his darting deep black eyes glow in the dark. He spends a few seconds deciding on which side of the bed to crawl in from. He mostly chooses the side his dad lies on. Roy mumbles in his sleep as he helps Nish climb across and snuggle in between us. He stretches out his hand and instinctively hugs his wife and son as we nuzzle closer to him. My boys immediately fall back to sleep and their rhythmic gentle snores sync in harmony. I sniffle Nish’s sour morning breath and my maternal heart shrugs with the familiar ache. I’m overwhelmed with strange euphoria. Nish has been an independent child mostly. Form day one he has slept all by himself in a crib and ever ...

Simple Dal with Shallots, Ginger and Tomatoes For Idlis

Image
This simple dal with shallots, ginger and tomatoes, is what I call the soul mate for idlis. I know idlis are officially married to sambars and no doubt they make a handsome pair. But according to me their divine, spiritual and natural love totally lies in this dal ;). I got this recipe from my sister Sophie, who I think tried to imitate something that my God Mother auntie M used to make and ended up with something  completely different but divinely delicious. And like I said before, if you have to do justice either to this dal or to the idlis you HAVE to get these two together.  Ingredients 1 cup tuvar dal/ lentils (pigeon pea) 1 8-10 shallots each cut into half 1 cup tuvar dal/ lentils (pigeon pea) 4 plump and ripe tomatoes chopped 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds 1tbsp finely cut ginger julienne style 1/2 tsp turmeric 5- 6 curry leaves 1/4 tsp tamarind paste or 1 marble sized ball of pitted tamarind soaked in warm water and pulp extracted (optional) 4- 5 green chili...

Mixed Sprouts and Potatoes in Coconut Gravy

Image
Since I’ve already written about how I sprout my legumes early on and also droned about all the nutrition they provide in that same post , I shall hit straight to the recipe here. Though this dish has a touch of Kerala in it, I can see many snooty Mallus turn their noses the other way when I say this goes well with Kerala appams of any kind. So, I’d suggest you try it and decide for yourself.  And of course if the appams don’t do it for you, you’ll always have the basmati rice with cumin or the good old Indian breads to fall back on. About that, rest assured  no one will deny :). Ingredients 1 cup sprouted black channa (black chickpea) 1/2 cup sprouted green gram (whole moong dal) 1/2 cup sprouted Red Chori/ Azuki Beans 1 cup finely sliced shallots 1 cup fresh grated coconut 2 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp red chili powder ½ tsp turmeric powder – ½ tsp ½ tsp kerala garam masala 1 cup diced potatoes ½ cup chopped tomatoes 2 sprigs of curry leaves salt to taste 2 tsp coconut oil ½ tsp must...

Spicy Paddu

Image
I always loved the lunches my best friend L got to school. Her Mom was a very good cook and I made sure L reserved a major portion of her lunch box for me. She was/is one of my closest of friends and there is no doubt I loved her company and always wished to hang out at her place irrespective of the food, that is. But, the fact that her Mom was an amazing cook only amplified the desire a tad bit more ;). These fried dumplings called Paddu sometimes came in L’s lunches and were coveted by  not just me but, by many of  our other avaricious friends as well. So, my dearest pal L, bless her sweet sweet heart, always saved a few extra for me in a safe place before she opened her box to the wild hungry wolves around us. And though I knew that my portion existed elsewhere, I still fought with the rest to get my split in this share of the treat as well;).  You see, greed is a vice I’ve had tough timing dealing with all my life :(.  Anyway, what is worth mentioning here though is that, it was no...

Meaty Pasta and Mushrooms in Pink Sauce

Image
Like most American kids my boy too could live his whole life eating only macaroni and cheese. I do indulge him occasionally, most often at restaurants, where of late better sense has prevailed upon me and I have begun accepting the fact that once in a while, it is ok to refrain  from wrestling veggies down his throat. At home however, over a period of 3 years I gradually gave Mac & Cheese  a complete make over. Today my innocent little lad eats a version that looks and tastes like anything but Mac & Cheese. A variation of elbow pasta that has veggies, meat and way less cheese and cream, . But every time I serve him this, he delightfully screeches MAC & CHEESE and wipes out the entire bowl!  I know he’s going to call my bluff in a year or two. But I’m counting on the fact that by then he would have acquired a taste for all the intruders in his bowl and would care less about the deception his trusted mother put him through ;).   My two cents – 1. Nish and most other you...

Boring is What I Long For

Image
If a slug and I were ever to race, it would get light years ahead of me and eventually reach the finish line while I’m still deciding on the bow-tie or the inside-out style for my shoe laces.  Yes, that’s how laid back I am, and always will to be. While others thrive on the pump of adrenaline, I go out of my way to avoid it. And if it were up to me, What are you NOT doing over the weekend, is what I’d prefer people enquiring. A quiet weekend with absolutely nothing to do is something I would often like to look forward to. I don’t understand why people don’t get the infinite possibilities of an empty weekend. Why people scorn upon me when I say, I’d like to spend the weekend sunk into the couch with my favorite author, or sleep it away with long beauty naps, or indulge it with longer restful baths or travel around the world through the TV, from inside the confines of my most favorable sanctuary – my home. Back from hiking random peaks at 5 in the AM , my husband Roy often gives me the ...

Idli / Steamed Rice & Gram Dumplings

Image
One of the most common breakfast in the south of India are these steamed puffed dumplings called idlis. Made from fermented rice and black gram these provide sufficient crabs and proteins to get you through the day. Idlis come in different size, shape and texture. Whatever kind they may be, you know they are perfect when they simply melt in your mouth.  The key to getting your idlis really soft is to make sure the amount of water is just right, not too much nor too little. And secondly ensure the husked black gram is ground fine to a smooth and silky batter. Take care of just these two things and rest assured that your idlis will be mouth melting delicate. Now, how you grind the rice depends on what kind of texture you are looking for. If you like your idlis smooth and soft then make sure your rice is ground to a smooth and silky batter as well. And if you are looking for a soft coarse texture in your idli, use cream of rice (rice rava) instead. If you can’t find cream of rice i...

Idli / Steamed Rice & Gram Dumplings

Image
One of the most common breakfast in the south of India are these steamed puffed dumplings called idlis. Made from fermented rice and black gram these provide sufficient crabs and proteins to get you through the day. Idlis come in different size, shape and texture. Whatever kind they may be, you know they are perfect when they simply melt in your mouth.  The key to getting your idlis really soft is to make sure the amount of water is just right, not too much nor too little. And secondly ensure the husked black gram is ground fine to a smooth and silky batter. Take care of just these two things and rest assured that your idlis will be mouth melting delicate. Now, how you grind the rice depends on what kind of texture you are looking for. If you like your idlis smooth and soft then make sure your rice is ground to a smooth and silky batter as well. And if you are looking for a soft coarse texture in your idli, use cream of rice (rice rava) instead. If you can’t find cream of rice in ...

White Pottukadalai (Roasted Gram) Chutney

Image
Ok, this chutney is very similar to the previous pottukadalai chutney that I’d posted earlier. I however have omitted the cilantro and have used lemon juice instead of tamarind to bring in the tang. Like I said before, chutneys are all about mix and match. Ingredients For Grinding 3 fresh green chilies ( base it on your spice tolerance)  1 big clove of garlic 1 cup pottukadalai/ roasted chickpeas/ split dalia/ kadale pappu  salt to taste 2 – 3 tbsp lemon juice For Seasoning 2 dried red chili torn into 1 inch pieces 2 tsp of cold pressed sesame oil 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds 1 sprig of curry leaves Directions Blend all the ingredients for grinding into a slightly smooth paste. Heat oil in a pan, add all the ingredients for seasoning. When the mustard pops, turn off the flame and pour into the ground mixture. Mix the seasoning well into the chutney and serve with idlis, dosas or other crêpes

Pesarattu – Spiced Mung Dal Dosa(Crêpes)

Image
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)

Image
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

Image
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

Image
  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

Image
  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...