Baked Tofu in Fig Sauce

Marinated firm tofu can be pan-fried or baked ahead of time and stored in the fridge. It comes in handy to add to stir-frys and soups for a weeknight meal, or can be simmered in some favorite sauce and served over rice.

In this recipe, marinated baked tofu is simmered in fig sauce, with caramelized onions. I prefer firm or extra firm tofu as it has a solid structure and doesn't fall apart in cooking. Use any favorite store-bought marinade, or curry paste or hot sauce, or just make one up with favorite flavors like I usually do.

The chewy texture from baking, and the infused flavors from marinating makes this a meal in itself. To enjoy as-is, I prefer as little of the sauce as possible, but over steamed brown rice, the rich flavors of the sauce is delicious.

Ingredients:
1 lb Firm Tofu (I like the local brand manufactured by Pacific NW - has a large Panda picture on top)
Marinade: balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, sambal oelek - a tablespoon or so each, mixed
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
Cremini mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 Tbsp sesame oil


For the sauce:
4 dry figs, chopped finely
6 small dark raisins (optional)
1 Tbsp home-made red curry paste
1 Tbsp Sambal Oelek
1 Tbsp tamarind juice (adjust to taste, it can be quite tart depending on the brand)
salt to taste
water as needed

Preparation

1. Slice the big tofu block into 3/4-inch thick rectangular slabs/slices, and marinate the tofu slabs for an hour (or up to overnight in the fridge)
2. Pre-heat the oven to 400° F and bake the tofu slabs/slices for 25 minutes, flip over and continue to bake another 25 minutes
3. For the fig sauce: Combine the sauce ingredients and grind to a fine smooth paste
4. Heat the oil in a pan and sautée the onions till caramelized
5. Cut the baked tofu into cubes
6. Add the sauce paste, enough water, salt as needed, tofu cubes, and allow to simmer till sauce thickens 
7. Adjust flavors to taste, garnish with chopped dry or fresh figs, cilantro, spring onions

Kale and Chinese Long Green Beans with Coconut and Chilies

Chinese Long Green Beans (Payathanga/Payaru, in Tamil) is usually about a foot and a half long dark green variety of beans that can be cooked up much like green string beans. My mom's standard way of cooking this as a side was Paruppusili, or in the spicy chillies and coconut flavoring.

I like the thick stems of Kale and its sturdy rich leaves. In this simple recipe, Kale and Chinese Long Green Beans are cooked together with a little bit of salt, flavored with some green chillies+coconut paste, and finally garnished with finely grated coconut.

Ingredients
For the coconut+chillies paste:
1 jalapeno (or 3 serrano) chilies, chopped
4 Tbsp grated coconut (dry, unsweetened, or fresh if available)
1 Tbsp fresh or frozen grated coconut, unsweetened

1 Tbsp coconut oil
6 cups chopped Kale
4 cups chopped Chinese long green beans

water and salt as needed

Preparation

1. Combine the chillies and coconut and grind to a fine paste, keep handy
2. Heat the coconut oil in a pan, add the chopped kale and beans, some salt and enough water, cover and cook till done
3. Stir in the chillies+coconut paste, garnish with coconut, serve warm

Brussel Sprouts Fete

We had a bunch of Brussel Sprouts to cook up. After the usual slit-and-stuff or spicy-curry or kootu or sambar, or the few other ways I've cooked them, this time I decided to make a Brussel sprouts fete by cooking it three ways to showcase it and savor it.

For faster finish, I par-cooked the brussel sprouts in the microwave and then finished them differently for a quick spread.

I. Brussel Sprouts Pan-fried with Black Sesame Seeds, Nigella Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Black Pepper and Coconut Spice Mix

Ingredients: Black Sesame Seeds et al. Spice Mix (Ellu-Molagu Podi), coconut oil, Curry leaves (optional, for garnish), red onions diced, salt to taste

Heat coconut oil in a pan, sauté the onions, add the par-cooked brussel sprouts, some salt and some of the Black Sesame seeds et al. Spice Mix (adjust to taste).

Of course, any favorite spice mix would be good, I was leaning towards Ras al Hanout but have already shared that recipe here, so, went with the Black Sesame Seed et al. Mix instead.

The Black Sesame Seeds et al. Spice Mix (Ellu-Molagu Podi) can be made in advance and stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for about 3 months. I vary the spices a bit, change the proportions a bit each time I make it. It lends itself to a distinctive flavor for many pan-fried vegetables. On occasion, I heat coconut oil or gingelly oil in a pan, add the spice mix, some cooked rice, season with salt and enjoy the flavored rice as-is.

Ingredients
2 to 3 Tbsp dry grated coconut (unsweetened)
2 Tbsp black sesame seeds
2 Tbsp whole black pepper
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds
1-inch piece of Indian Cinnamon bark

Toast the ingredients lightly till aromatic and grind to a smooth powder. Save in an air-tight container. Refrigerate in warm places (it can go rancid).

Nigella seeds is extensively used in Indian cooking. For this recipe, it can be left out.

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II. Brussel Sprouts with Asian Flavors

Ingredients: 1 tsp Kecap Manis, 1 tsp Sambal Oelek, 1 tsp Rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 cups cooked brussel sprouts; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish).

Heat the sesame oil in a pan, add all the ingredients and toss to combine, garnish and serve warm.

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III. Brussel Sprouts and Manathakkali (Black Nightshade) Vatthal Kuzhambu

Vatthal Kuzhambu is a staple in many parts of South India. (One of my versions of Vatthal Kuzhambu recipe here).

The berries and leaves from Manathakkali (Black Nightshade) plant is also used widely in South India. The dried berries are primarily used to make Vatthal Kuzhambu and the leaves are used much like any other greens, say spinach or mustard greens.

Manathakkali Vatthal Kuzhambu is one of my mom's specialty. Here, I follow the recipe much like my Bittergourd Vatthal Kuzhambu, but add plenty of dried manathakkali berries and curry leaves and garlic cloves. Instead of bittergourd, I use brussel sprouts.

I like Vatthal Kuzhambu with rice, but also enjoy dipping naan or roti in it and savoring the strong flavor.

Mayocoba Beans in Acorn Squash Puree with Okra Brown Rice

Pinto, Black Turtle, Red Kidney, Black-eyed, Navy, Garbanzo, Adzuki, Cannellini, Lima, Fava, Hyacinth... we've been incorporating so many bean varieties into our diet over the years, just what we are able to find at the local markets, nothing exotic.

And, for the first time, a couple of weeks ago, I noticed the Mayocoba or Peruano beans at the grocery store, and promptly bought some to try. Turns out there was some controversy over these beans regarding patents.

These yellow-tinged off-white Peruano or Mayocoba beans are as large as pinto beans. At first, I thought they might taste much like cannellini or navy beans. But, I was pleasantly surprised to taste the rich flavor and meatier feel, which makes for good refried beans.

I soaked it overnight, and cooked it on stovetop, with some salt and brown sugar, till soft and firm but not mushy - about 30-40 minutes for 1½ cups of dry beans in 4 cups water. For refried beans, I prefer to pressure cook it till mushy.

Sometimes, I find it handy to cook and puree the squashes and add them to soups/curries/stews as a base/gravy. I had some acorn squash purée handy which I used here. But, tomato purée or even roasted red bell pepper purée, or a combination of them might taste fine too.

Ingredients
For the Mayocoba beans:
1 cup acorn squash purée
1 cup cooked Mayocoba beans
1 small yellow onion diced finely
1 small carrot, shipped (optional)
1 tsp Madras Curry powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder
1 tsp brown sugar
salt to taste
cilantro for garnish
water as needed

Sauté the onions, add the beans and the rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer till flavors meld, garnish and serve warm with bread or rice.

For the Okra Brown Rice:
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 small red or yellow onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
6 medium okras cut on a bias to 1-inch pieces
1 small carrot chopped
Spice Mix: 1 tsp cumin powder, 2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp ground/crushed oregano, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp paprika powder, 2 tsp dried parsley
salt to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil or hazelnut oil or even coconut oil for a strong tropical flavor

Combine the spice mix, stir well and store in an airtight container. Use as much as needed for flavoring the rice.

Heat the oil in a pan, sauté the onions, add the garlic, a tablespoon of spice mix, okra and stir fry till aromatic; add the cooked brown rice, stir well, adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish and serve warm.

Green Leaf Salad with Spicy Sesame Bliss Dressing

A wonderful 2012 to you all!

As I look back at last year's recipes, I noticed that the frequency of posts here have lessened considerably. Not necessarily because I don't cook as much anymore, but, possibly because I fall back to the staples more in Winter - variations of soups/stews, casseroles, and such - and have pretty much shared them all a little too enthusiastically.

Salads have become such an integral part of the meals at home that I rarely think of writing about it. Just toss together available vegetables and greens, top with dried fruits and nuts as preferred, drizzle on some favorite creamy dressing or light vinaigrette... aha! it's the dressing that makes the salad for me. So, I can still write about salads here while showcasing the current favorite dressing.

And, I am rather finicky about the balance of flavors in the dressing/vinaigrette. Too much vinegar and it sets my teeth on edge; too much oil and it feels slimy; too much flavorful herbs and spices and it smothers the fresh vegetables...

For a while, the Pomegranate Red Wine Berry Chili Vinaigrette was the top favorite. It seemed like I couldn't have enough of it. The kids loved the strong flavors of it and preferred it as a dip for their hunk of sour dough bread on and off.

However, starting this year, this Spicy Sesame Bliss Dressing has become almost an obsession. I tried a few variations - cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, balsamic vinegar, garlic, herbs - before arriving upon this combination that has vaulted to the top favorite spot among salad dressings. This recipe is inspired by my mum-in-law's that I recently tasted.

Wheat germ and nutritional yeast are usually well-stocked in my kitchen and I try to incorporate them judiciously in the recipes. Packed with protein and many nutrients, wheat germ is one of the favorite ingredients in this dressing. As always, adjust flavors to taste and enjoy!

Ingredients
2 Tbsp Tahini (all natural sesame paste)
2 Tbsp wheat germ
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Sambal Oelek

1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp ground paprika
3 to 4 Tbsp water

Blend all the ingredients except water to a smooth paste, add a little water at a time and blend to desired consistency.

Chermoula Eggplant Two Ways

After the kids arrived, stealing 10 minutes alone, sipping my tea and poring over the pictures in cookbooks just for the pleasure of it, has become somewhat of a challenge (and a secret indulgence when I can manage it).

I have very few cookbooks at home despite the fact that I love to cook. Being more of an intuitive cook with a passion for experimenting with cuisines from around the world, I rarely follow a recipe to the letter, opting to be daring (or foolish) with the spice combinations and ethnic ingredients. This is a boon and a curse as Mr. Monk would say.

Baking fails miserably when I take Epicurean licences with the tried-and-tested recipes, but, many other interesting dishes have come out of this incurable urge to deviate from the prescribed that it has been worthwhile.

It is no secret that I love eggplant, and it is quite possibly  the most showcased fruit here at Delectable Victuals.

Many dishes were inspired by Greg and Lucy Malouf's Moorish which I have shared here before.

Here is yet another eggplant dish with North African flavors, cooked two ways:

1. Inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi's Chermoula Aubergine (as the main course)
2. Inspired by Greg and Lucy Malouf's Eggplant and Feta Stir-fry (as a side dish)

As I had some preserved lemons handy, I did take liberties with the Chermoula formula.

Chermoula
1 Tbsp cumin powder
2 Tbsp coriander powder
2 Tbsp sweet paprika powder
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
4 to 6 dry red chilies (I used the dry Thai chilies from home-garden)
1 wedge of preserved lemon (optional)
4 Tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and grind to a smooth paste. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months.

For the Chermoula Aubergine à la Ottolenghi

I followed the recipe as close as I can, except of course, I used the chermoula paste as above. It might be a sacrilege in some books to tamper with a master's recipe. But, as all fantastic cooks say, adapt and personalize recipes to your taste.


For the bulghur, since I am not fond of raisins/sultanas, I used dried cranberries; used walnuts along with almonds; used chopped celery leaves and dried mint for flavoring; plus finely chopped jalapenos (seeded).


For the Chermoula Eggplant Stir-fry

1 large globe or black beauty eggplant cut into even-sized chunks
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
4 to 6 tablespoons of chermoula paste
salt to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup diced feta (or crumble on top if preferred)

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the eggplant in a single layer; add the onions and saute till soft
2. Add half the chermoula paste and stir-fry till aromatic; bring the onions plus chermoula to the center of the pan to make room for eggplant
3. Add the eggplant chunks around the sides, sprinkle some salt, add the rest of the chermoula paste, cover and cook till eggplant is done, stirring once in a while to ensure even cooking
4. Off heat fold in the feta, or crumble it on top; serve warm with flat breads like naan or paratha; or with fragrant rice and tzaziki on the side

Chipotle and Sun-dried Tomatoes New Mexican Flour Tortillas

I grew up with various quick (unleavened) griddle-cooked non-greasy flat breads like: roti, chapathi, paratha and naan; some fried breads like puri and bathura. Some were made with whole wheat flour, some with an assortment of lentils and some even with chickpea flour. So, tortilla, when it came into my life, was not unusual at all, and was much welcomed.

Making tortillas was not so much different from making chapathis - in my mind - but, I've always shied away from the traditional tortilla recipes I found which called for a generous amount of shortening. My rotis and chapathis barely have a spoonful of ghee so they feel lighter and healthier somehow.

But, a request from D prompted me to make these New Mexican Flour Tortillas adapting a recipe I found in the Tuesday Nov 29th edition of The Oregonian, which in turn adapted a recipe from Saveur Cooks Authentic American.

We used these to make easy chicken wraps. I went rather squeeze-happy with the food color, but, between the chipotle and the sun-dried tomatoes, extra red coloring is not needed. I thought my kids might fancy this bright color for a change.

Ingredients
1¼ cup boiling hot water
4 cups all purpose flour
1¼ tsp salt
6 Tbsp vegetable shortening
4 to 6 Tbsp sun-dried tomato and chipotle chili paste
red food color (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine 4 Tbsp of Chipotle in Adobo sauce (more if preferred) with 4 Tbsp of Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, blend into a smooth thick paste
2. Combine the flour and salt and mix in the shortening, crumbling with fingers as it gets incorporated, to form a fine breadcrumb-like texture
3. Add in the sun-dried tomato and chipotle chili paste; add a few drops of food color (if using) to the hot water
4. Using a wooden spoon add one cup of the hot water first and stir well (as if to make play dough) till the dough comes together; add a bit more water as needed till the dough holds well and comes off the sides of the bowl
5. Turn the dough into a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes till smooth, cover with a plastic wrap and allow to sit for 30 mins
6. Divide the dough into 10 or 12 balls, roll out to about 3 millimeter thick rounds
7. Cook one at a time on a hot cast-iron skillet, both sides till done; the tortilla might puff up a little, which is a good sign
8. Wrap in a cotton towel as they come off the pan and serve warm with favorite sides, or as a wrap

Chipotle Sweet Potato, Taro Root, Kale, Chayote Squash, Long Green Beans Soup

A simple brothy soup, best enjoyed hot and steaming on a cold wintry evening.

The not-so-creative title says it all - it is an unconventional mix of vegetables I had handy: Kale, Long Green Beans, Chayote Squash, Sweet Potato and Taro Root.

I used store-bought stock and chipotle in adobo sauce.

Ingredients
2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, pureed (incorporate 1 tsp of sauce with each chili)
8 cups vegetable stock - or stock and water in any proportion adding to desired amount
Chayote Squash, Sweet Potato, Taro Root - peeled and diced or sliced
Kale, Long Green Beans - chopped
Black-eyed Peas, soaked overnight and cooked till done but not mushy
salt to taste

Preparation
Combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Adjust flavors to taste. Thicken if preferred. (I like this soup brothy). Serve hot.

Spinach, Cauliflower, Potato Soup with Pumpkin Rounds

Now that wintry weather is here, the sun absconding for months at a stretch, the dinners lean towards hot casseroles, soups, and fresh-from-the-oven rustic breads/rolls/dampers... there is no set combination, really. Whatever I can throw together and we are in the mood for. One of my favorites is meatless Borscht.

Creamy Cheesy Broccoli Soup is a favorite with the kids, along with Sour Dough or Rosemary-Potato Bread. Tomato Florentine with Cheese Bread. Chunky Fusilli/Rotini/Radiatori Pasta with Vegetables Soup and Herb+Olive Dampers.

The quick breads and rolls and dampers come in handy for weeknight meals. And, of course at times, artisan bakers have done the work and I just bring one of their creations home and heat and serve. I found myself addicted to Pugliese bread for a while, along with Borscht...

The Spinach, Cauliflower, Potato Soup here is quick and simple. To cut down on cooking time, I par cook the potatoes in the microwave for about 5 minutes before adding it to the soup.

Ingredients
2 medium potatoes, peeled, diced, par-cooked
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Madras Curry powder
1 tsp coriander powder
4 cups vegetable broth/stock
2 cups water
½ cup evaporated milk (optional)
salt to taste
arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) as needed for thickening


For the Pumpkin Rounds:
2½ cups flour
3¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ tsp chopped herbs
4 Tablespoon Smart Balance Omega Butter Light (or butter)
1 egg
3/4 cup pureed pumpkin

Preparation

1. Soup: Combine the vegetables (except spinach), broth, water, spices and a tsp of salt in a large pot and bring to a boil; simmer at medium-low heat till cauliflower is tender; adjust seasonings to taste; add the spinach leaves, cover and simmer for a few more minutes; thicken as needed; off-heat stir in the evaporated milk, if using
2. Pumpkin Rounds: Pre-heat oven to 415°F; Cut in the butter into the flour+baking powder to form fine crumbs; Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg and pureed pumpkin, knead the dough till smooth; Roll it out on a dusted surface to about 2-inch thick and cut small rounds; Place in a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 mins till tops are golden and insides are done

Drunken Chicken

Inspired by simple staples like Biermarinierten Huhn and Beschwipster Huhn, I decided to dunk the chicken in Beer and then drown it in a Red wine + Plum Juice sauce for this dish. Beer before wine is just fine - for the chicken at least :)

The sauce is a made-up one and can be adjusted to taste. I had one last potato from the garden to use up so sliced it thin and added it to the sauce along with onions.

Marinate the chicken in any dark beer, the longer the better. I started it right after breakfast one Saturday and cooked the beer-marinated chicken for dinner that evening. Spices/flavoring is optional and flexible, as always.

Fresh baby spinach salad rounded out this meal: Toss in sautéed onions into a bowl of spinach and allow the spinach to wilt a bit; add some feta, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts and serve with favorite vinaigrette.


Quick Pomegranate Red Wine Berry Chili Vinaigrette:
50ml Pomegranate Red Wine Vinegar
100ml (more or less) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 generous Tablespoon Sambal Oelek
1 teaspoon Blue Agave Nectar
1 teaspoon no sugar added Berry Jam
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
salt to taste

Taste and adjust as needed. I like the pronounced flavors of the tart vinegar and the spicy chilies from the sambal balanced by the the mild sweetness from the jam and agave nectar.

Ingredients
2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

For the marinade:
12 fl. oz. dark beer (Deschutes Black Butte Porter was handy for me)
1 to 2 Tbsp Tabasco® Sauce
2 Tbsp brown mustard
4 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt

For the sauce:
1 cup red wine (any inexpensive one is fine, I used Gato Negro Cabernet/Merlot)
1½ cups Unsweetened Plum Juice
Bouquet Garni: A bunch of favorite dry herbs like Bay leaves, Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Marjoram
salt to taste
water as needed
1 Tbsp Olive oil
Optional: Thinly sliced onions, potatoes

Preparation

1. Marinate: If the chicken breasts are too thick, slice them to uniform thickness (helps with the cooking later) and marinate them anywhere from 2 to 12 hrs
2. Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a pan, drain the marinated chicken, discard the marinade, cook the chicken till done; I let one side sear and brown, then flip over and cook, checking that internal temperature reaches 170°F. Remove chicken from pan, keep warm
3. Make the sauce:In the same pan, add the onions and potatoes, sauté, loosening the fronds; add the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer till reduced in volume by half; adjust flavors to taste
4. Combine: Slide the cooked chicken breasts back into the sauce, cover and simmer a few mins till fully warmed. Serve immediately with a favorite salad

Hwyl Gardd: Bye For Now Garden

It has been a while since I cooked anything new that I haven't shared here before already... So Delectable Victuals has been enjoying a quiet vacation.

We did finally get the garden to rest till next spring - got the last of the green tomatoes that won't get a chance to ripen on the vine, chilies are potted and brought back indoors, Rainbow chards are clipped down, radishes are pulled out, grapes are harvested (well, only about 6 reasonable bunches in all)...

As I looked back over the years, I seem to be taking fewer photographs of the garden - much like there are fewer photographs of my kids now that they are not infants anymore. But, here are the few that I managed to click this year.

Hyacinth Beans with Home-garden Butternut Squash

Short, dark, broad, green Hyacinth beans, (Avarakkai in Tamil), used to be a favorite bean variety in my mom's kitchen. Avarakkai poduthuval simply saut ed and tossed in with dry grated coconut + green chilies paste is still one of my favorite sides, not to mention Avarakkai Paruppusili.

The dried seeds of Hyacinth green beans goes by the name of Mocha Kottai in our family. It is versatile - can be used in sambars, curries - but the most I remember it for from childhood is Mocha Kottai Chundal ('Ch' as in chair) / Sundal. It was a staple during Navarathri festival - the nine-nights ten-days long festival which incidentally is going on now, today being the 10th day, Vijayadasami.

The first of the half-dozen or so home-garden butternut squash we harvested, together with Hyacinth beans makes this wonderful side which can be served with roti, naan, paratha, rice and sambar.

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cleaned, diced
1 cup dry Hyacinth beans, soaked overnight, cooked till done but not mushy
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbsp coriander powder
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 green chili (optional)
tempering (optional): mustard seeds, urad dal
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan; add the tempering if using and allow mustard seeds to pop and urad dal to turn golden brown
2. Add the squash, chilies, spices, toss well, add a few Tbsp of water, cover and cook till squash is done but not mushy
3. Add in the cooked Hyacinth beans, adjust salt to taste, sauté together and allow to brown a bit

Zucchini Paratha

I was hanging on to the very last half of the home-garden zucchini after the Zucchini Three Ways, wondering how best to use it, and it struck me to just grate it and fold it into the paratha dough I was making the other day.

Serve with any of the favorite curries or dals/koottus, an array of chutneys, or even just pickles and thokku.

Since I don't measure exactly for roti/paratha dough, this is a rough estimate - adjust water/flour as needed to get a dough that can be rolled flat and cooked on the griddle without getting sticky or brittle.

About 4 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups grated zucchini
water as needed (zucchini has quite a bit of water)
salt to taste
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
2 Tbsp Smart Balance™ Omega Butter Light with Flax Oil (or any other favorite butter substitute)

Very much like in the Flaky Paratha recipe, combine the ingredients using a little water at a time, and knead to a smooth elastic dough, pinch off balls and roll flat adding layers by folding. Pan/griddle cook.

Home-garden Zucchini Three Ways

After the round of Zucchini breads and soups and curries and grated fritters/hash and what-not, we had one last home-garden Zucchini left from this season's harvest.

Not quite the fan of fried foods (and not because I don't like the taste or anything), I was trying to resist the urge to make a snack feast much like the pakora/bajji my mom used to make on rainy days... it seemed like a perfect overcast day with a hint of Autumn in the air.

Rather than deep frying, I went with shallow frying. And that's how these hot delicacies came into being in my kitchen and disappeared in a short time. I used just one half the large foot-long 4½ inches diameter home-garden zucchini for this and it was plenty.

Technically, they are not cooked up in three different ways, but, three different batters make for an interesting spread. Kids liked the Shredded Wheat one the best as it was the crunchiest for them.

Simply cut into preferred shape about 2 or 3 millimeters thick, dust with flour, keep handy. Prepare the batters and keep handy as well. Shallow fry in batches. Serve with favorite dip/sauce or chutneys. I went with a quick and easy favorite: Combine equal parts of ketchup and Sambal Oelek for a Hot+Sweet Chili Sauce. Kids preferred just the ketchup, of course.

The quick picture I took doesn't justify the taste and the satisfaction it gave us that day.

Zucchini 65: Very much like the Hong Kong Bitter Melon 65 recipe, the rich red light batter seemed like a good first way. So, I shallow fried a batch using much the same batter as before.

Zucchini Tempura: Much like my usual vegetable tempura batter, this is light and crispy and best enjoyed right away. Any standard recipe for tempura batter is fine - prepare the batter just before frying and use it up quickly.

Shredded Wheat Breaded Zucchini: Shredded wheat cereal has lent itself to a few other dishes as a breading ingredient, much like in breaded chicken recipe shared here. I use the unfrosted, plain old shredded wheat, of course. Combine it with some stale old cheese crackers to form a crunchy coating for any breaded-and-fried dish.

What should I do with the last half of the home-garden zucchini? I've been asking myself as I eye the half dozen on more butternut squashes that are ready to be picked in the garden which is getting ready to close down for this year.

Home-garden Yellow Squash, Chards, Green beans, Tomatoes

Another delicious meal straight from the garden: the yellow Mexican squash was ready to be picked. Some chards, green chilies, green beans and tomatoes were ready as well. They all came together for this simple vegetable medley, with some corn kernels and onions.

Simply sauté together till vegetables are cooked but not mushy. Add favorite spices. I used one of my favorite store-bought paste: Maggi™ "Kitchen Secrets"™ Bhuna Masala Paste for Vegetables and Dal.

Bok Choy, Edamame, Opo Squash, Chana Dal Salad

As with most recipes that just pop into existence in my kitchen, this Bok Choy, Edamame, Opo Squash, Chana Dal Salad also happened quite by accident where I open the fridge and stare at the few remaining things that need to be used up before my next trip to the market.

Will they go together? How should I cook them? Should I make it a side or the main course? What flavors will go well with this combination? I don't answer all these questions and plan a dish in great detail. Most simple meals at home just come together because I felt like it and threw things together for a quick meal. Work and kids don't leave me with the luxury of planning elaborate and exotic menus, but, I do manage to take a quick picture of some of the dishes I cook, so I can share it here.

The inspiration for this salad was the simple koottu my mom used to make with Kadala Paruppu, aka Chana Dal. My koottu recipes here have a slightly non-traditional edge.

I had some cooked chana dal in the fridge that needed to be used up. About half an opo squash leftover after using it for my favorite Opo-Squash Mor-Kozhambu, which I drink like a soup rather than have with rice as is done in India.

Some fresh green chilies from the garden, a few heads of baby bok choy after the Luffa, Snake Beans, Baby Bok Choy dish the other day, plus about half a bag of frozen edamame came together for this simple steamed vegetable salad.

Ingredients
Opo Squash, cut into chunks
Carrots, cut into chunks or rounds
Baby Bok Choy leaves separated and cleaned
Edamame par-cooked frozen (as it cooks faster)
1 cup cooked chana dal
2 or 3 fresh mild green chilies from the garden

Flavor with mild curry powder and salt, or simply use a favorite vinaigrette.

Preparation

1. Steam the vegetables (flavored with a pinch of salt) to desired doneness
2. Flavor as desired and serve warm or cold

Luffa, Snake Beans, Baby Bok Choy

When D brought home Cee Gwa or Chinese Sponge Gourd from the Asian store nearby, I was excited about pairing it with some other favorites and cooking it.

Luffa aka Cee Gwa is much like Ridge Gourd except with no ridged skin, but just smooth greenish skin that can be bitter, and spongy insides which cook up fast.

Snake beans or Long Green Beans has been a favorite since childhood when my mom used to make paruppusili with it.

Some fresh green baby Bok Choy, Luffa, and Snake Beans came together for this simple dish, served with rice.

Ingredients
1 large Luffa/Cee Gwa, skinned and cut into chunks on a bias
20 or so Long Green Beans (more if preferred), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
a few heads of baby bok choy, cleaned and leaves separated
green bell pepper (optional)
a few cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp grated ginger

1 Tbsp Sesame oil
1 Tbsp Mongolian Hot Chili Oil
Salt to taste
Black pepper

Preparation

1. Heat the Sesame oil in a pan or wok, add the garlic and ginger, add the long green beans, some water or stock and salt, cover and simmer till beans are almost cooked
2. Add the Luffa and Baby Bok Choy, Chili oil, a few turns of black pepper from the pepper mill and allow to cook till Luffa turns translucent (which only takes a few minutes)
3. Adjust flavors and serve warm with jasmine or basmati rice

Home-garden Zucchini Bread

It seems like among the annual staples, peas, green beans, eggplant, spinach, lettuce, chards, tomatoes, chilies, zucchini and various kinds of assorted summer and winter squashes have been the most successful in terms of minimal effort with maximum yield in our home garden.

Raised beds would be nice to have as it gives better control over the soil and growing conditions, and requires very little maintenance once established. Many of my friends here have raised beds and successfully manage perennials like blueberries and raspberries in them as easily as radishes and arugula and garlic.

As it happens we just use native soil in its own condition and battle with the vagaries of nature each year. I think the main reason for this has been just my laziness to get down and build the raised beds. Maybe next year...

We've had huge zucchinis from the garden so far. After the usual zucchini recipes like soups, fritters and curries, there was still plenty to make zucchini breads, many loaves of them.

As I look back at my early recipes, it seems like the photographs were so terrible. I always tell myself I should take a fresh picture when I make that recipe next and update it, but, end up forgetting and moving on to the latest recipe I am excited about sharing. And, at times, I forget to add a little extra item in the photograph to give a perspective - to indicate the size more intuitively. A cropped close-up of a 2-inch chilli is probably not going to tell much about its actual size.

I like these types of breads not-too-sweet, but still moist, almost cake-like. In that sense, this Zucchini Bread is not very different from Banana Blueberry Bread, Apple Walnut Bread and Lemon Fruit Bread shared here before.

Ingredients
Wet ingredients:
2 cups fresh grated Zucchini
1½ cups brown sugar (a little more if preferred)
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla essence
1 Tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Dry ingredients:
3 cups flour (more or less)
1 tsp sat
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup dried cranberries (optional)

Prepration

1. Pre-heat the oven to 325°F
2. Grease two 9x5x2½ inch loaf pans and keep handy
3. Sift the flout and rest of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
4. Combine the wet ingredients in another bow, beat the eggs well
5. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients till well incorporated, no lumps
6. Pour up to about an inch in each of the loaf pans and bake in 325°F oven for about 35-45 minutes
7. Check mid-way and rotate pans, bake till toothpick inserted comes out clean
8. Remove from oven, allow to cool a bit, gently dislodge it from the loaf pans, slice and enjoy!

Hong Kong Bitter Melon Stuffed and Braised

Now that we've found an Asian market that sells Hong Kong Bitter Melon on and off, I've been favoring them to the usual Fu Gwa and Indian Bittergourd. Its milder flavor and thick flesh makes it more versatile than its other two cousins in my book.

The Braised and Stuffed Bitter Melon recipe here is based on the popular Chinese version which uses minced pork for stuffing. I went with a vegetarian stuffing of fragrant Jasmine rice cooked with rich flavors coming from onions, garlic, chilies, tamarind, mint, with a hint of brown sugar.

Ingredients
2 Hong Kong Bitter Melons, cleaned and cut as before into 2-inch rings

3 to 4 cups Tamarind Sauce as shared in the Hong Kong Bitter Melon 65 recipe

2 Tbsp canola oil

For the Stuffing:
2 cups cooked Jasmine rice
1 medium onion finely diced
4-6 cloves of garlic minced
3-6 mint leaves finely chopped
1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
½ cup rich Tamarind Sauce
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Stuffing: heat the oil in a pan, sauté the onions and garlic, add the chopped mint, cooked rice, some salt, about ½ cup water and the tamarind sauce; allow to simmer together at medium-low heat, stirring frequently; The rice gets gooey and thick, light brownish anf flavorful; taste and adjust salt; add a hint brown sugar if preferred
2. Bitter Melon: Blanch the 2-inch rings of cleaned bitter melon, pat dry and keep handy for stuffing
3. Stuffing and Braising: Heat oil in a pan; fill each blanched bitter melon ring with the stuffing; place it in the hot pan; sear the bottom and allow to sit for a few minutes; add a little of the tamarind sauce, cover, allow to cook at low heat; when most of the tamarind sauce is gone, add a little more, cover and continue cooking; repeat till bitter melon is softer but not mushy and still holds shape when lifted out of the pan
4. Serving: Arrange them in a plate, spoon some of the Tamarind sauce over and serve warm or cold

Marion berry + Black berry Pie

After freezing most of the berries we picked recently, there was just enough Marion berries and Black berries for a week-long celebration of fresh berry smoothies, short-breads and pies.

The pie crust is the standard Double-Crust Pie pastry I've used before. The filling is simple as well. It turned out pretty delicious, needless to say. It is hard to go wrong with fresh berry pies.

With a scoop of Double Vanilla Ice Cream, the fresh warm pie just felt like heaven.

Ingredients
Double-Crust Pie pastry
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening/butter
6-7 Tbsp cold water

Filling:
1 cup sugar
½ all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups fresh Marion + Black berries

Preparation

1. Double-Crust Pie Pastry: Mix together flour and salt; cut in the shortening; sprinkle a Tbsp of water at a time, toss with fork, push aside and add another Tbsp and so on till all the flour is moistened; form the dough into 2 balls; roll one ball into a 12-inch flat circle; do not overwork the dough; save the other ball for the top crust
2. Place the rolled out pastry on a pie plate carefully, without stretching, allow to fall over the edge and trim around the edge
3. Filling: Combine the sugar, flour and salt; toss the fresh berries in. Pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie plate
4. Top Crust: Roll out the second ball of dough and drape it on as the top crust; brush top of pastry with some milk and sprinkle with sugar; flute the edges - i.e., pinch them into a zig-zag shape, or simply press down with tines of fork like for single-crust banana cream pie
5. Bake in 375°F oven for about 25 to 30 minutes till golden

Hong Kong Bitter Melon 65

Studies over the years record the anti-diabetic and other wonderful properties of bitter gourd/bitter melon (Momordica charantia) and yet it remains one of the not-so-easily-incorporated foods in daily diet. Possibly its strong bitter taste and lack of versatility are the reasons, along with not-easily-available.

So far I've primarily cooked with two varieties of bitter gourd/bitter melon - the dark skinned, pronouncedly ridged, smaller Indian variety, and the larger, lighter green, smoother-skinned Chinese Fu Gwa. They each have their distinct taste and lend themselves to many dishes that I have shared here.

This time, a third variety - Hong Kong Bitter Melon - was available at the nearby Asian market, inspiring me to cook it in a not-before-cooked way - at least not-before-cooked in my kitchen.

Hong Kong Bitter Melon has beautiful light green skin, smooth with gentle ridges, thick flesh and very mild bitter flavor. Which makes it more versatile in my book.

Inspired by the Cauliflower 65 recipe shared a while back, this Hong Kong Bitter Melon 65 recipe turned out to be a delicious new way to enjoy the benefits of this fruit.

The general theory is that 'Anything tastes good when battered and deep-fried'. And, while I am not much for deep-fried foods, the light non-greasy batter-coated fried Hong Kong Bitter Melon 65 turned out to be quite a snack treat one weekend afternoon. Especially when served with the sweet-and-sour Tamarind Sauce.

Ingredients
2 Hong Kong Bitter Melon
1 tsp red chili powder
a few drops of red food color (optional)
1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 cups rice flour
salt to taste

Canola or vegetable oil for deep frying

For the Tamarind Sauce:
1 tsp Tamicon™ tamarind paste
2 Tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste
optional: finely diced home-garden pearl onions and onion sprouts, home-garden green chilies
5 cups of water

Preparation

1. Tamarind Sauce: Combine the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil, lower heat to medium high and continue to simmer till sauce reduces to about 1 cup; it takes quite a long time to get the most delicious flavor and texture for it so I prefer to start cooking the sauce first; taste and adjust flavors for the sweet-sour balance
2. Hong Kong Bitter Melon: Remove the spongy insides of the bitter melon, slice into rings, salt it an allow to sweat; then drain, pat dry and dust lightly with some rice flour and set aside
3. Heat the oil in a pan for deep frying
4. Batter: Combine the ginger-garlic paste, rice four, salt, chilli powder, food color if using, and any other preferred spices, add a little water at a time to make a smooth batter
5. Dunk the bitter melon rings in the batter and deep fry
6. Serve hot off the frying pan with the richly flavored Tamarind Sauce

Home-Garden Summer Squash, Chards, and Pearl Onions Curry

It would be nice if I had the help of a gardener, somebody who knows what they are doing when it comes to growing plants. As it happens, I am an urban farmer at heart with nothing other than passion to support this fantasy. I lack the stamina or the knowledge to sustain vegetable gardening, even if the weather permits. Which it doesn't where I live. So, I make the most of the few months from April to September, knowing that a greenhouse is out of my limits for now.

Thanks to wonderful nurseries around town (one just around the corner from my house), I do get to plant some favorite vegetables and watch them grow. If harvesting the weed-like oregano and mint and fennel and rosemary and lavender from the garden gives me pleasure, it makes me ecstatic to get the squashes and green beans and eggplants and chards and lettuce and onions from the home garden.

Over the years, many simple and surprising recipes have come out of the home-garden harvest. I cannot imagine life without composting. Kids, thanks to support from their school, are well aware of organic waste and remember to dispose of it in the compost bin in the kitchen, which dutifully gets emptied into the Earth Machine in the backyard.

A big question I was asked when I was a newbie home gardener was whether it was worth it? It is hard to answer that question. Obviously depends on what we mean by "worth it". The effort vs. the cost is probably the topmost factor people like to weigh. And, home gardening is a lot of work, especially if doing it yourself.

Over the years, considering what it has offered in terms of intangible lessons and returns, I'd emphatically say it is well worth it. Knowing how plants grow, where our food comes from, how to care for the earth - composting, recycling - plant diseases, interdependence of nature's creatures, soil nutrition, harvesting, bugs and their role in the garden are at some level hands-on for the kids, allowing me to learn a lot in the process.

We still have to buy vegetables from the markets as we are not entirely sustained by our garden and we do visit the local farms for fresh produce on and off, so it is not like we are self-sufficient with a teeny patch of backyard garden.

I am rambling... back to the recipe. It came about as I went into the garden one evening and noticed the few vegetables that were more than ready to be harvested - summer squash, about 3 dozen little pearl onions and several large leaves of chards.

Mint, fennel and rosemary fresh from the garden gave the herbal base for this recipe. Some store-bought Rogan Josh Curry paste and Kashmiri Masala Paste gave the rich, spicy sauce base for the curry. Serve with brown rice, roti or naan.

Simply simmer together till vegetables are just cooked, adjust flavors to taste. Serve warm.

Easy Breaded Pan-fried Chicken Breasts

So, what's special about chicken breasts, right? Marinate, then pan-cook or oven-bake or deep-fry, breaded or plain, serve with a salad and a possibly some sort of bread/starch and there you have it - a simple well-rounded delicious meal.

This recipe was inspired by a recent grocery shopping trip when I casually (and quickly) browse the packaging for meal ideas. Some old non-crispy crackers and unfrosted shredded wheat cereal came together for the breading.

The sauce is optional. Kids don't care for it. Just some rosemary and oregano leaves from the garden ground up with tomatoes, basil and garlic, cooked down to reduce a bit so the flavors meld.

And, the garden lettuce was ready to be harvested, with hopefully plenty more to come for the rest of the summer. We had gone berry-picking, our usual summer favorite. Marion berries are my favorite, next only to raspberries and blackberries. So I had picked some, while kids and D were picking blueberries and raspberries. The thorns are nasty so nobody else wanted to pick the Marion berries with me...

That's how this simple salad came about - just home garden lettuce with some ripe juicy Marion berries and almonds with a simple lemon juice and olive oil vinaigrette.

Ingredients
2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced up if too thick
1 cup unfrosted shredded wheat cereal
1 cup cheddar-flavored crackers
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
2 to 3 Tbsp Olive oil

marinade: red wine vinegar, soy sauce, Patak's™ Kashmiri masala paste(optional)

Preparation

1. Marinate the ½ inch thick chicken breasts in enough marinade for about 2 or 3 hrs. If making on a weekend, I marinate right after brunch/lunch to cook it for dinner (refrigerate on warm days)
2. Grind the shredded wheat cereal and crackers to breadcrumbs texture, keep handy
3. Heat the oil in a pan, coat each chicken breast piece with the breading mixture, arrange on the pan, allow to cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes or so till the crust is formed
4. Flip and cook the other side, adding more oil if needed
5. Check to see that the chicken is cooked through (I am happy if internal temperature is 170°F off the pan)

Bittergourd in Spicy Tamarind Sauce: Pavakkai Vatthal Kuzhambu

Vatthal Kuzambu (Vatha-kozhambu as we say it at home) is a spicy Tamilian dish made with tamarind-based spicy sauce, using dehydrated (dry) vegetables. Anything sun-dried (the easiest way in India) is a vatthal.

When vegetables are in season I remember my mom sun-drying batches and batches of eggplant slices, tomatoes, citron, and of course the usual vadaams - tapioca+lime+chilies, or rice or urad dal concoctions enjoyed deep-fried once it is dried. Sounds weird, but, it was a way of life. These were 40 °C summer days when wasting all that solar energy felt criminal and families stocked up for those soggy monsoon days when not many vegetable are in season.

The popular ingredient for vatthal kozhambu used to be Chundakkai (Sundakkai - 's' becomes a 'ch' as in chair in my family lingo) - the bitterest thing I have ever tasted and to this day have not developed a taste for, despite loving bitter gourd. A favorite of mine (although my tummy would disagree) is appalam/pappadam vattha- kozhambu - made with dry, un-fried pappadam/appalam.

Anyway, after having my mom's special vattha-kozhambu during my recent visit with my family, I was craving for a bit more of that home-made goodness, so made a slightly non-traditional version of bittergourd vattha-kozhambu.

Now, the name would be misleading, in that it is not dried bitter gourd that I used, but, let's just say it is vattha-kozhambu in spirit, a sort of wanna-be, made with bitter gourd and some other things that I like.

I use Tamicon™ tamarind concentrate usually, which is a thick blackish paste that is intensely sour and can be diluted as needed. But there are liquid tamarind concentrates that are mellow and brownish. Or, if available, use fresh tamarind - just shell it, soak in hot water to extract as much tamarind juice as preferred.

I like the hot-sour-sweet combination, so, I usually add a liberal amount of brown sugar, which, according to my mom is an abomination.

Ingredients
1 large Chinese Fu Gwa bittermelon or 2 small Indian bittergourds
1 small yellow onion
1 large tomato
salt to taste
1 tsp canola oil

for the sauce:
1 Tbsp Tamicon™ tamarind paste
1 Tbsp red hot chili powder
1 Tbsp coriander powder
2 Tbsp brown sugar (more or less)
6 cups water

Preparation

1. Clean the bittergourd by removing the spongy insides, chop into bite-sized pieces; dice the onions and tomatoes as well
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the vegetables plus a pinch of salt and sauté them for a bit
3. Add the sauce ingredients, stir well, cover and allow to simmer till the sauce reduces in volume by half
4. Taste and adjust flavors; if too spicy or sour, can always add more water, simmer some more; then thicken with rice flour, or corn starch
5. Serve with hot basmati rice, home-made naan or simple rotis

Home Garden Chards, Zucchini, Pearl Onions Soup

After a month of practically zero cooking thanks to visiting my family, it feels nice to just throw something together (as is my wont) for a quick meal back at my nest.

There is something romantic about cooking (and eating) at an odd hour late-night, especially after returning home from a long trip, and having only a few things in the cupboards/pantry - even if it is just heating up a can of beans or having fresh rice with Indian pickles.

Of course, the kitchen cupboards are usually well-stocked with spices, and the pantry has some canned essentials like beans, coconut milk etc., so, it isn't really a big deal to scrounge something up for a quick bite.

Anyway, the onion seeds we had saved from last year were thrown in a small patch in the garden and they sprouted up nicely, which I had been using before I went on the summer vacation.

Now that I am back, I see that there are a bunch of little onions all crowding together, looking like gorgeous little pearls. A bit of cleaning, no tedious skin-removing, and I have a ton of pearl onions to incorporate in my cooking. Of course, red pearl onion arachu vitta sambar is my all-time favorite South Indian dish, but these white/yellow pearl onions are great even in salads as they are not too pungent.

A large zucchini, some chards, some green chilies, mint, and pearl onions from the garden came together quickly for this coconut-milk-based soup for our first brunch after we got back.

The flavoring is simple as I went with Italian spices I had handy - just dry/ground spices like garlic powder, celery seeds, basil, oregano, marjoram. I crushed some mint leaves and green chilies to keep things green for the flavoring. It is best enjoyed chilled or at room-temperature on a warm summer day.