Mambazha Pachadi: Sweet Mango Fruit Pachadi

A Palakkad dish, this is one of my favorites growing up, especially the way my mom used to make it. Over the years, I've played with her recipe to adapt it to my current tastes. Kids don't like it, and the other adult in the family can take it or leave it. So, when I make it, I know there's going to be plenty for me.

The sweetness of ripe mangoes, the tang from tamarind, and the heat from red chilies come together for an amazing burst of flavor. If using raw tamarind or pulp or paste, adjust to taste; the store-bought Sour Soup mix works out well for many dishes that use tamarind, and the measurements are for this particular product.

Ingredients
1 large ripe mango, chopped
2 Tbsp tamarind Sour Soup mix
1 tsp red hot chili powder

for grinding:
3 Tbsp grated coconut
1 tsp whole black peppers

salt to taste

Tempering:
1 tsp coconut oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 dry red chilies broken to pieces
a few curry leaves, torn

Preparation

1. Grind the coconut paste and keep handy
2. Boil the mango in some tamarind and water and salt; I leave the skin on as I like the texture it brings to the final dish; peel the mango if preferred
3. Puree the cooked mango to a mush, stir in the coconut paste, adjust salt to taste and simmer
4. Tempering: heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies and finally the curry leaves; remove from heat when mustard seeds pop; add it to the simmering mango puree
5. Serve with roti, naan, basmati rice

Kale and Spinach Saag Paneer

Kale can be quite crunchy and reluctant to give up its structural integrity even when cooked to a mush. But, the texture and flavor it brings to the original spinach recipe, called Saag Paneer, is wonderful.

For smoky spiciness, and since fusion cuisine is my signature and preferred style, I brought in some chipotle in adobo sauce plus some lemongrass to spice up this Indian staple.

Paneer can be homemade or store-bought. Several online resources show a step by step procedure for making paneer at home-- it does take time, so, plan ahead. However, many Indian stores sell packaged paneer which works just as well.

Sometimes I saute the paneer cubes before adding it to the mix, but I omit this step here-- the clear blandness it brings balances the spiciness of the kale and spinach mix.

Ingredients
4 cups finely chopped fresh kale
2 cups chopped frozen spinach, thawed

spices and flavoring:
1 chipotle chile, finely chopped, in about 1 Tbsp of adobo sauce
a bit of crushed lemongrass or 1 tsp of lemongrass powder
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp garam masala powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice

¼ to ½ cup heavy cream
1 cup cubed paneer (more if preferred)

salt to taste
1 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil or olive oil

Preparation

1. Pressure cook kale and spinach with some salt
2. Blend the kale and spinach to a mush
3. heat oil/ghee in a pan, add the spices and flavoring ingredients, mushed kale+spinach, stir well and allow to simmer gently
4. Slide in the paneer (sauteed or plain) and simmer a bit more
5. Off heat, stir in heavy cream, a little at a time, to desired consistency and flavor
6. Optional Tempering: heat ghee or oil in a pan, break some dried red chiles and add to the hot oil, add some cumin seeds; remove from heat and add to the dish before serving

Broccoli Stem Saute

Steamed broccoli florets with some cheese is a favorite side for the kids. They prefer just the florets, not much of the stalk/stem. So, I save the stem for this dish, a quick and easy side for weeknight.

Instead of pan-sauteing as shared in this method, toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper and roast  it in a 400°F oven in a single layer, for about 15 minutes or more as desired.

Ingredients
Broccoli stem, cut into uniform pieces
red onion, sliced
salt to taste
ground black pepper
1 tsp olive oil

Preparation

1. Steam the broccoli stems in a steamer or microwave; I simply add the steamer apparatus when I cook rice in the rice cooker. Sometimes, I find it easier to microwave the stems.
2. Heat oil in a pan, saute the red onions with a pinch of salt; add the steamed broccoli stems, saute some more; taste and adjust flavoring
3. Serve warm

Kasha with Opo Squash and Carrots with Coconut, Curry Leaves and Chilies

Opo squash and carrots mingled with curry leaves and coconut and chilies is a favorite combination. Simply cook the veggies; grind some coconut, chilies and curry leaves; stir it into the cooked veggies and serve warm; adjust salt to taste.

Easy to make, this side can be served with roti, naan, rice or even quinoa.

Kasha can be an acquired taste for some. No one besides me likes it at home, so I don't make it often. I prefer to cook kasha in the rice cooker. To get it mushy, I add equal parts kasha and water; but for a grainier texture, I reduce the water and add some olive oil to the rice cooker and cook it for one cycle as usual.