Ingredients:
Potatoes - 7-8 large
Coconut milk - 1 can
Ginger - 1" piece grated (more if you're like me and love ginger)
Green chillies, slit lengthwise - 6 small
Curry leaves - 10 leaves (about 1 stalk)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing (asafoetida) - 1/4 tsp
Cloves - 2-3 (optional)
Cinnamon - 1" stick (optional)
Oil/ghee - 1.5 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Servings: 4-6
Time: 25-30 min
Method:
Boil and peel the potatoes (if peeling first, boil for a shorter time) until they are cooked about three-fourths of the way through.
In a wok, heat the oil/ghee and add mustard seeds, cloves and cinnamon. When the seeds start to sputter, add the green chillies and ginger. Fry for a minute and add the potatoes. Fry for 2 min, lower the flame and mix in the coconut milk. Stir for a few minutes and add turmeric, curry leaves and asafoetida. Add salt (and water, if required) and cook covered on medium-low heat for 10-15 min or until the potatoes are cooked through. Simmer for 5-10 more minutes if needed on a very low flame to thicken. Serve with rice, chapatis, parathas or puris.
ALTERNATE VERSION:
The essential ingredients for this recipe are ginger, green chillies and coconut, so feel free to add as much ginger as you like.
In a blender, grind whole green chillies, diced ginger and grated coconut (the unsweetened kind!) into a coarse thick paste (you can use either water or coconut milk to change the consistency of the paste). Once this is done, fry cloves and cinnamon in oil/ghee, add mustard seeds and turmeric, and the paste. Fry for a minute or two, then add half the coconut milk, mix, and add the potatoes and salt to taste. After it has cooked for a few minutes, mix in the rest of the coconut milk and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add fresh curry leaves and cook for a few more minutes.
Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Source: Based on aunt's recipe
Monday, November 22, 2010
Spicy Green Beans
Ingredients:
Green beans, cut into 5" pieces or less - 1/2 kg
Ginger, chopped coarse - 1" piece
Green chili, chopped - 1
Curry leaves - 5-10
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Udad dal (split black gram) - 1/2 tsp
Hing (asafoetida) - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Coconut, dessicated - 1/2 to 1 cup
Time: 10-20 min
Servings: 2-3
Method:
Heat the oil and sputter the mustard seeds and udad dal. Add the curry leaves, ginger and green chili and fry for a minute or two. Add the beans and stir to coat well. After a few minutes, add 1/2 cup of water and cook covered on a medium flame until the beans are cooked and the water is almost gone (add more water if necessary). Add salt and coconut and mix well. Cook for a few more minutes.
Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Green beans, cut into 5" pieces or less - 1/2 kg
Ginger, chopped coarse - 1" piece
Green chili, chopped - 1
Curry leaves - 5-10
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Udad dal (split black gram) - 1/2 tsp
Hing (asafoetida) - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Coconut, dessicated - 1/2 to 1 cup
Time: 10-20 min
Servings: 2-3
Method:
Heat the oil and sputter the mustard seeds and udad dal. Add the curry leaves, ginger and green chili and fry for a minute or two. Add the beans and stir to coat well. After a few minutes, add 1/2 cup of water and cook covered on a medium flame until the beans are cooked and the water is almost gone (add more water if necessary). Add salt and coconut and mix well. Cook for a few more minutes.
Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Karu Vepalai (Curry leaf) Podi (Powder)
Introduction
Since I recently purchased a small dry grinder, I've been making my own spice powders whenever I have the time. These spice powders are great because (a) they don't spoil easily, and (b) they are excellent when mixed with cooked white rice and a little bit of oil/butter/ghee, so they're perfect a quick meal. The recipe below is for powdered curry leaves. I'll be posting some more podi recipes soon, and all of these recipes involve dry-roasting (or perhaps with a small amount of oil) lentils (one or more kinds) and whole red chillies, which are then ground together into a coarse or fine powder. Udad dal (split black gram lentil) is one of the main ingredients; -- it's also great for seasoning vegetables, FYI.
Ingredients:
Udad dal - 1/2 cup
Red chillies - 2
Asafoetida (hing) - 1/4 tsp or less
Curry leaves, dry - 1 to 3/2 cups (If you buy them fresh, destalk the leaves and set in a dry place for at least a few hours. Ideally you want them to crumble when touched)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Time: about 15 min total
Servings: makes about 1 cup.
Method:
Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed vessel. Test the heat by adding a small amount of udad dal. The moment it starts to sizzle, add all the dal and stir continuously to coat throughout; keep stirring until the udad dal starts to turn golden brown. Scoop the dal out of the vessel into a bowl. To the same vessel, add the red chillies and asafoetida and stir until the red chillies start turning black (you'll probably start coughing and sneezing at this point, so be careful not to overcook!). Mix the red chillies + asafoetida with the udad dal, curry leaves and salt. Grind in small portions to fine or coarse powder. Test salt by mixing one spoon of the powder with some rice (1/4 c?).
To serve, mix 2 tbsp into 1 cup of white rice with sesame oil or ghee. Increase quantity if desired. Enjoy with side veggies or chips/papad.
Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Source: Mom's recipe
Since I recently purchased a small dry grinder, I've been making my own spice powders whenever I have the time. These spice powders are great because (a) they don't spoil easily, and (b) they are excellent when mixed with cooked white rice and a little bit of oil/butter/ghee, so they're perfect a quick meal. The recipe below is for powdered curry leaves. I'll be posting some more podi recipes soon, and all of these recipes involve dry-roasting (or perhaps with a small amount of oil) lentils (one or more kinds) and whole red chillies, which are then ground together into a coarse or fine powder. Udad dal (split black gram lentil) is one of the main ingredients; -- it's also great for seasoning vegetables, FYI.
Ingredients:
Udad dal - 1/2 cup
Red chillies - 2
Asafoetida (hing) - 1/4 tsp or less
Curry leaves, dry - 1 to 3/2 cups (If you buy them fresh, destalk the leaves and set in a dry place for at least a few hours. Ideally you want them to crumble when touched)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Time: about 15 min total
Servings: makes about 1 cup.
Method:
Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed vessel. Test the heat by adding a small amount of udad dal. The moment it starts to sizzle, add all the dal and stir continuously to coat throughout; keep stirring until the udad dal starts to turn golden brown. Scoop the dal out of the vessel into a bowl. To the same vessel, add the red chillies and asafoetida and stir until the red chillies start turning black (you'll probably start coughing and sneezing at this point, so be careful not to overcook!). Mix the red chillies + asafoetida with the udad dal, curry leaves and salt. Grind in small portions to fine or coarse powder. Test salt by mixing one spoon of the powder with some rice (1/4 c?).
To serve, mix 2 tbsp into 1 cup of white rice with sesame oil or ghee. Increase quantity if desired. Enjoy with side veggies or chips/papad.
Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Source: Mom's recipe
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Ginger Sweet Potato Pie
Crust:
1 1/2 c ginger snap cookie crumbs
3 Tsp brown sugar
pinch of salt
4 Tsp melted butter or neutral oil
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the crumbs, sugar and salt in the food processor or a bowl. Slowly add the butter, processing or stirring until well blended.
2. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of a pie or tart pan. Bake until it just begins to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on a rack before filling, it will crisp up as it cools.
Sweet Potato Puree:
About 1 1/2 pounds sweet potato (you'll have extra compared to what you need for the pie)
salt
2 Tsp extra virgin olive oil or butter
1. Peel and trim the potatoes. Cut into roughly equal-size pieces, 1 or 2 inches in diameter. Put everything in a pot with water to cover and add a large pinch of salt; or put in a steamer above water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, usually about 5-15 minutes.
2. Drain the vegetables, reserving some of the liquid. Puree potatoes in food processor using some of the reserved water if necessary to aid blending. Add the olive oil or, for a richer flavor use butter (you can also add up to a 1/2 cup of cream, half and half or milk). Season with salt and reserve.
Pie Filling:
1 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
1 1/2 cup cream or half and half (and more if you want whipped cream)
4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tsp minced crystallized ginger or 2 t minced peeled fresh ginger
1. Oven at 350.
2. Put the sweet potato and the cream in a small pot and heat until steaming. Whisk together egg and yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla and ginger. Gradually pour in the sweet potato and cream while whisking. Pour into the cooled crust.
3. Bake until the mixture is not quite set - it should jiggle a bit in the middle - 35-45 minutes. It will set and thicken more with cooling. Remove and let cool to room temperature. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Serve with whipped cream - yum!
From Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
posted by BNH,ELE
1 1/2 c ginger snap cookie crumbs
3 Tsp brown sugar
pinch of salt
4 Tsp melted butter or neutral oil
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the crumbs, sugar and salt in the food processor or a bowl. Slowly add the butter, processing or stirring until well blended.
2. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of a pie or tart pan. Bake until it just begins to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on a rack before filling, it will crisp up as it cools.
Sweet Potato Puree:
About 1 1/2 pounds sweet potato (you'll have extra compared to what you need for the pie)
salt
2 Tsp extra virgin olive oil or butter
1. Peel and trim the potatoes. Cut into roughly equal-size pieces, 1 or 2 inches in diameter. Put everything in a pot with water to cover and add a large pinch of salt; or put in a steamer above water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, usually about 5-15 minutes.
2. Drain the vegetables, reserving some of the liquid. Puree potatoes in food processor using some of the reserved water if necessary to aid blending. Add the olive oil or, for a richer flavor use butter (you can also add up to a 1/2 cup of cream, half and half or milk). Season with salt and reserve.
Pie Filling:
1 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
1 1/2 cup cream or half and half (and more if you want whipped cream)
4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tsp minced crystallized ginger or 2 t minced peeled fresh ginger
1. Oven at 350.
2. Put the sweet potato and the cream in a small pot and heat until steaming. Whisk together egg and yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla and ginger. Gradually pour in the sweet potato and cream while whisking. Pour into the cooled crust.
3. Bake until the mixture is not quite set - it should jiggle a bit in the middle - 35-45 minutes. It will set and thicken more with cooling. Remove and let cool to room temperature. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Serve with whipped cream - yum!
From Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
posted by BNH,ELE
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Chundakkai (Turkey Berry) Kuzhambu
Introduction:
Kuzhambu is a thick, spicy South Indian lentil soup which may or may not include tomatoes. Kuzhambu (or sambar) mixed with rice is traditionally the first course in South Indian meals, followed by rasam and then curd rice. Typically, one fries the seasoning ingredients, adds tamarind and water and spices, and cooks until thick. Chundakkai or turkey berry is the dried (or fresh) fruit of the turkey berry plant, it is naturally tangy and bitter. The sesame oil used in this recipe cuts the bitterness, leaving a tangy tasty soup that can be served with white rice or pongal.
Ingredients:
Chundakkai (dried turkey berries) - 1/2 cup
Onion, finely chopped - 1 big
Tomato, chopped - 1 big
Garlic, finely chopped - 6 big pods
Sambar powder - 2 tbsp
Water, hot - 2 cups
Salt - to taste
Sugar (optional) - 1 tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil - 3 tbsp
Gram flour ("Besan") - 1/2 cup
Dry powder:
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup (I used dessicated, unsweetened coconut)
Curry leaves - 6-7
Heat a wok on medium heat until warm. Add curry leaves, roast for a couple of minutes. Now add coconut and stir until light brown. Remove from flame, cool and grind to powder. Set aside.
Cooking time: 25-30 min
Servings: 3
Method:
Heat oil in a wok, add the turkey berries, frying for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped onions and garlic and fry until onions are translucent. Mix in the dry powder, and fold in the tomato pieces and cook for a few minutes. Add the sambar powder and stir well. Dissolve the salt and tamarind paste in the hot water and add to the wok. Lower the heat and cook for 15-20 min until the oil separates to the sides. In the meantime, gradually add water to the gram flour to make a smooth, thick paste. Stir into the wok. Close with a lid and cook for a few minutes.
Note: to turn this into a non-vegetarian dish, add chicken pieces (try chicken legs, the chicken-on-bone goes really well with this gravy) after mixing in the dry powder and sautée for a few minutes before adding the tomato. If simmered long enough, the chicken becomes fall-off-the-bone tender when served.
Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Source: This recipe.
Kuzhambu is a thick, spicy South Indian lentil soup which may or may not include tomatoes. Kuzhambu (or sambar) mixed with rice is traditionally the first course in South Indian meals, followed by rasam and then curd rice. Typically, one fries the seasoning ingredients, adds tamarind and water and spices, and cooks until thick. Chundakkai or turkey berry is the dried (or fresh) fruit of the turkey berry plant, it is naturally tangy and bitter. The sesame oil used in this recipe cuts the bitterness, leaving a tangy tasty soup that can be served with white rice or pongal.
Ingredients:
Chundakkai (dried turkey berries) - 1/2 cup
Onion, finely chopped - 1 big
Tomato, chopped - 1 big
Garlic, finely chopped - 6 big pods
Sambar powder - 2 tbsp
Water, hot - 2 cups
Salt - to taste
Sugar (optional) - 1 tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil - 3 tbsp
Gram flour ("Besan") - 1/2 cup
Dry powder:
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup (I used dessicated, unsweetened coconut)
Curry leaves - 6-7
Heat a wok on medium heat until warm. Add curry leaves, roast for a couple of minutes. Now add coconut and stir until light brown. Remove from flame, cool and grind to powder. Set aside.
Cooking time: 25-30 min
Servings: 3
Method:
Heat oil in a wok, add the turkey berries, frying for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped onions and garlic and fry until onions are translucent. Mix in the dry powder, and fold in the tomato pieces and cook for a few minutes. Add the sambar powder and stir well. Dissolve the salt and tamarind paste in the hot water and add to the wok. Lower the heat and cook for 15-20 min until the oil separates to the sides. In the meantime, gradually add water to the gram flour to make a smooth, thick paste. Stir into the wok. Close with a lid and cook for a few minutes.
Note: to turn this into a non-vegetarian dish, add chicken pieces (try chicken legs, the chicken-on-bone goes really well with this gravy) after mixing in the dry powder and sautée for a few minutes before adding the tomato. If simmered long enough, the chicken becomes fall-off-the-bone tender when served.
Author: Shrinkingsodacan
Source: This recipe.
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