Bittermelon Carrot Spicy Curry

Chinese bittermelon and Indian bittergourd feature frequently in my kitchen.While the adults in the house love it, the kids are still reluctant to embrace it fully. But then, I was not an early embracer myself and I think constant presence of it in my diet over the formative years helped me develop the taste for it. So, I hope to keep getting the kids to try it every time I make it.

Served warm with roti, dosai, rice, or even rice noodles, this Bittermelon Carrot Spicy Curry is quite versatile and flexible. Adjust chilies to taste.

Ingredients
2 Serrano chilies sliced thin on a bias (seeded if preferred)
1 medium onion, sliced thin
4 bittermelons sliced thin
1 large carrot, sliced thin on a bias
3 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 Tablespoon crushed fresh garlic
1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
1 Tablespoon caraway seeds
1 Tablespoon cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon fennel seeds
3 dry red chilies
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or tamarind juice)
1 teaspoon coarse cane sugar
salt to taste
2 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
water as needed

Preparation

1. Salt the cut bittermelon and let it stand in a towel-lined colander for about 10-15 minutes to draw out the bitter juices; then squeeze the moisture out and keep handy
2. Toast the coriander, cumin, caraway, fennel seeds, dry red chilies, and grind them to a fine powder
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the onions, garlic, chilies, tomato paste, and the powdered spices and saute till aromatic
4. Add the bittermelon and carrots, a splash of water and lemon/tamarind juice, cover and cook till bittermelon is done
5. Remove the lid, stir in the cane sugar and adjust salt to taste, and saute till thickened to desired consistency
6. Serve warm with roti or rice

Wheat Berries, Brown Lentils, Golden Beets, Squash Salad

One part wheat berries to 3 parts stock in a rice cooker is my preferred way of cooking wheat berries. The crunchy chewy texture from cooking in the rice cooker is perfect for this salad.

Roasted winter squashes, turnip, rutabaga, golden beets, sweet potatoes are all wonderful additions. Cooked brown lentils bring some more texture and protein. Toss with favorite vinaigrette and serve warm or cold.

Lychee Chili Chicken

I noticed a bag of lychees at the Asian store nearby and couldn't resist bringing it home to meet the family. We got on better than expected. And by "we" I mean just my daughter and I, as the others in the family don't care for lychee's strong personality at all.

Much like the Lychee Fiesta a few years ago where we had a spread of Chicken in Lychee Sauce, Lychee Strawberry Frozen Yogurt, and Lychee Flaming Diaquiri, I wanted to have a week of celebrating lychee, mainly to make sure we consume the bag of lychees brought home on a whim before they rot and turn to compost.

This is a simplified recipe of chicken in spicy lychee sauce. As always, adjust flavors to taste.

Ingredients for the Lychee Chili Sauce:
12 fresh (or frozen or canned) lychees, skinned, seeded - pulp only
2 serrano chilis, coarsely chopped
4 dry red chilies
2 cloves of garlic, peeled, crushed
3 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 large chicken breast, cut into chunks, plus a tablespoon of canola oil

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet, add the chicken chunks and a dash of salt, cover and cook over medium heat, flipping to cook all round
2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a blender and grind to a fine paste
3. Add the sauce to the par-cooked chicken and continue cooking covered, adding a splash of water as needed, and salt to taste
4. When chicken is done and the sauce has reduced, and the raw flavor has been cooked away, remove from heat, garnish with cilantro and spring onions and serve with warm basmati rice