Eggplant Flavored With Fenugreek, Nigella Seeds, Black Sesame Seeds, Black Pepper, Curry Leaf, and Peanut

It's been a while since I posted any new recipes here. I've been making some of the staple comfort foods that I've already posted here, plus, I've been lazy.

The never-ending title for this post is basically the ingredients list. Eggplant is eggplant: people love it or can't stand it. I am crazy about it, as can be seen from the zillion-odd eggplant recipes here featuring this gorgeous purple berry.

The spices bring in the kick that eggplant seems to lack. Also, cooking the eggplant just enough so it is tender but nor mushy brings some texture to this dish that can be appealing.

Ingredients
 6 Italian eggplants, sliced into long wedges
1 medium onion, sliced thinly

spice/flavoring:
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
6 to 8 curry leaves
2 Tbsp roasted peanuts

salt to taste
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 Tbsp vegetable oil for sautéing

Preparation

1. Toast the spice/flavoring ingredients on medium low heat till aromatic, just a few minutes, then cool a bit and grind to a coarse powder and keep handy
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the grated ginger, turmeric powder, onions and the cut eggplant; sprinkle some salt, stir well and cook till partly done
3. Add in the spice/flavoring powder from step 1 and toss to incorporate well, continue cooking till eggplant is cooked to your liking
4. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm as-is or with a side of brown rice or quinoa

Kohlrabi and Green Papaya Thoran

Thoran is typically just a dry dish made using coconut and green chilies that are ground up and stir-fried with steamed veggies, topped with tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves. Many of the vegetarian South Indian recipes here are based on this basic thoran.

Green Papaya and Kohlrabi don't have the same texture but they go well together when cooked, especially in this simple form.

Ingredients
4 cups finely diced green papaya and kohlrabi, peeled first
¼ cup dry grated coconut
3 green chilies, coarsely chopped
½ tsp black mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
4 to 6 curry leaves (Murraya Koenigii) torn to small bits
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Cook the kohlrabi + green papaya with enough water and salt till it is cooked through but not mushy, and no excess water remains (drain if needed)
2. Meanwhile, combine the green chilies and coconut in a blender and grind to a fine powdery paste
3. Tempering: Heat the tablespoon of oil in a small pan, when shimmering add the mustard seeds, when they pop add the cumin seeds and torn curry leaves, turn off heat and keep handy
4. When the veggies are cooked through and dry, stir in the coconut+chilies, then top with the tempering
5. Stir well and serve as a side with brown rice or even flax-and-whole-wheat roti

Caribbean Squash Coconut Cumin Koottu

There are days when I barely make it home from work - not just the traffic, but the killing headache and associated nausea makes it all the more challenging to get home safely. Focused on deep breathing during the commute, all I can think of is getting home, hugging an ice pack and curling up on the sofa...

And on such days, just to make it fun for the kids, they get cereal or waffles or pancake puffs or something topsy-turvy for dinner - something that Papa can easily handle after his longer day at work.

I saw this West Indies/Caribbean Squash at the local market - it didn't have a specific name, so, not sure what it is called... Its taste and flesh reminded me of large sections of Matthanga, which along with Elavan made the delicious Olan, the best version, of course, being my mom's. I've always had a soft spot for Matthanga, it has a delicate sweet flavor, with a pumpkin-like soft texture when cooked.

Anyway, other than the fact that cutting and cleaning the squash is a pain, this is a simple dish that comes together quickly.

Garnish with cilantro and serve warm with naan, paratha or brown basmati rice.

Ingredients
3 cups of diced squash
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
salt to taste
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
cilantro for garnish

for the coconut paste:
¼ cup grated coconut
1 Tablespoon cumin seeds
2 or 3 dry red chilies

Tempering:
½ teaspoon split urad dal
¼teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coconut oil
6 to 8 curry leaves, if handy

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the turmeric powder and the squash, some salt and water, cover and cook till squash is soft but not mushy, drain any excess water
2. Meanwhile, grind the coconut paste ingredients together
3. Stir in the coconut paste and the brown sugar, adjust salt to taste
4. Tempering: heat the oil, add urad dal, when it turns golden brown add the mustard seeds; when mustard seeds pop, add curry leaves if using, turn off heat and pour over the squash curry

Tri-color Mini Peppers, Onions, Black Nightshade Berries (Manathakkali) Kaara Kuzhambu

Chettinad Kaara Kuzhambu is absolutely mouth-watering. I've only had it in restaurants in India, so, I am not sure if that was authentic or not. But, I memorized the taste. Or rather, the taste imprinted itself in my memory, making me salivate if I consciously think about this particular dish.

My recipe here is arrived at by trial-and-error, based on the recipe my mom sent across and other recipes sampled around the web. As my mom jokingly says, much like there are only a handful of plots but infinite number of stories, there are a handful of recipes with infinite styles of cooking the same. So, the recipe here is just what suits my tastes at this time, not authentic Chettinad cuisine.

Sometimes, I find packaged dried manathakkali aka Black Nightshade or Sunberry (Solanum nigrum) at Indian stores and I stock up. These packaged berries are usually soaked in brine and buttermilk and then dried so they have a mild salty spicy flavor infused. I love the way they taste once reconstituted in sauces like kuzhambu. This is certainly an optional ingredient, but, sometimes, this is the sole ingredient I add to this kuzhambu.

Ingredients
6 to 8 cloves of garlic, minced or chopped
½ medium red onion, diced or sliced
¼ cup chopped broccoli stems
¼ cup celery, chopped
A small wedge of red cabbage, chopped
4 to 6 tricolor mini peppers, chopped
1 Tbsp dried Black Nightshade berries aka Manathakkali
6 to 10 curry leaves (Murraya Koenigii)
5 cups water

Spices:
2 Tbsp Sambar Powder - either homemade or storebought (I like MTR™ brand)
1 tsp red chili powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
4 Tbsp nước me chua Tamarind cooking sauce (aka Sour Soup Mix)
salt to taste

Tempering:
1 tsp ghee or gingelly oil
¼ tsp black mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp urad dal

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pot, add the garlic and onions and sautee till aromatic; then add the curry leaves and Black Nightshade berries and stir well; then add the rest of the veggies
2. Stir in all the spices, add 5 cups of water, cover and allow to simmer at medium low heat till flavors develop and veggies are cooked; turn off heat and add the tempering
3. In a small pan, do the tempering: hear the oil, when shimmering, add the urad dal, when it turns brown add the cumin seeds and the mustard seeds; when mustard seeds pop remove from heat and garnish the kuzhambu with the tempering
4. Serve warm with basmati rice

Indian Baby Eggplant in Rich Coffee Infused Sauce: Bhagare Baingan with a Twist

One of the things that gets me into the kitchen every day to cook for my family is the endless possibilities for combining flavors and spices and arriving at a dish that is tailored to our palates, and nourishes and satisfies us all.

That, and the opportunity to get a bit creative and take liberties with the recipes I grew up with, as well as incorporating ingredients from cuisines of the world for a fusion infusion.

Kathrikkai, Vazhuthananga, Badhanekayi, Vankaya, Baingan... so many names for this pretty purple fruit in India.

Bhagare Baingan is a dish packed with flavor, built layer by layer, involving a multi-step process that results in the slit-and-stuffed baby Indian eggplant floating in a rich aromatic gravy.

I do take shortcuts and use substitutions on and off. Why? Well, Why not? And, because I can. And because I am curious to see if any other combination gives me just as much satisfaction.

This time, I had a cup of brewed decaf espresso roast coffee ready and wanted to see how it affected the flavor of this delightful dish that I enjoy often in its traditional form.

Also, I skip the first step of frying the slit eggplant to par-cook before simmering in the sauce, and directly simmer the eggplant in the sauce.

Ingredients

For the Masala Paste:
2 Tbsp roasted peanuts
2 Tbsp grated coconut
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon toasted poppy seeds
1 Tbsp cumin powder
2 Tbsp Tamarind concentrate (sold as Sour Soup Mix in Asian stores)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot chili powder
1 teaspoon neutral-flavored oil
½ teaspoon salt

Veggies:
About 8 small baby Indian eggplants

Curry sauce:
1 cup (8 oz.) brewed decaf espresso roast coffee (or any dark, unflavored coffee, caffeinated or not)
¼ cup vegetable stock
¼ cup mirepoix - finely chopped celery, onions, garlic
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 Tbsp neutral-flavored oil (or ghee, if handy)
salt to taste

Garnish Finish:
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon nigella seeds
2 dry red chilies, broken to pieces
a handful of fresh curry leaves

Preparation

1. Masala Paste: Grind the Masala paste ingredients and keep handy
2. Slit-and-Stuff Eggplant: Just like for the Indian baby eggplant curry, slit the eggplant and stuff it with the Masala paste; there will be plenty of Masala paste, so reserve the remaining for the curry sauce
3. Curry Sauce: In a pan, heat some oil or ghee; add the mirepoix, saute; then add the ginger garlic paste and tomato paste, a dash of salt and saute some more; add the remaining Masala paste left over from stuffing the eggplant, saute a bit more
4. Simmer: Add in the coffee, stock, stir to incorporate; and place the slit-and-stuffed eggplants in the sauce, turn the heat to low, cover and allow to simmer; turn the eggplant every 5 minutes or so to cook all sides evenly, checking to make sure the sauce is not too dry (add water as needed); turn off heat when done
5. Garnish: heat oil or ghee in a small pan, when the oil shimmers, add all the ingredients listed for the Garnish finish; wait till cumin seeds pop and curry leaves turn a bit crisp; remove from heat and pour over the finished eggplant curry
6. Serve with warm basmati rice or naan or roti

Winged Beans and Acorn Squash with Coconut and Curry Leaves

The title says it all. The winged beans craze is still strong at home. Paired with acorn squash it was a welcome warm salad/side on a stormy weekend afternoon.

It is made in typical south Indian style with tempering and curry leaves and grated coconut. Salt, tamarind, and chilli powder for flavoring.

I cooked the acorn squash and winged beans separately in the microwave so they are firm yet fully cooked, not mushy.

Indian Style Winged Beans and Okra with Curry Leaves

Winged beans has become an obsession of sorts lately. It'll pass. I'm sure I'll grow out of it soon. But until then, it is fun to cook it up in ways that is particularly appealing to the cook.

Okra and winged beans come together for a mildly spicy South Indian style dish with tempering and curry leaves for flavoring and garnish.

While the beans and okra are cooking in the microwave (about 5 minutes each), I get the masala paste ready and start sautéing it; this way, when the masala paste is good and ready, I can throw in the cooked veggies into the same pan and finish cooking quickly. I prefer to cook the veggies with some salt for seasoning.

Ingredients
1 cup Winged Beans, chopped
1 cup frozen cut Okra
½ medium red onion, diced
¼ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
2 Tbsp curry leaf masala paste*
salt to taste
tempering: 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon split urad dal, 3 or 4 curry leaves

*Curry Leaf Masala Paste
¼ cup packed curry leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1-inch piece of Indian cinnamon bark
2 tablespoon unsweetened dry grated coconut
2 Tablespoon gingelly/sesame oil

Preparation

1. Curry Leaf Masala Paste: Dry roast the ingredients (except oil) and grind them to a fine paste drizzling olive oil as needed while grinding
2. Cook the winged beans with some salt in microwave, drain, and rinse. Microwave power varies-- I cook the chopped winged beans for about 5 minutes in mine, with enough water to immerse the beans
3. Cook the frozen cut okra with some salt per package directions, drain, rinse in cold water
4. Tempering: Heat oil in a pan, add the urad dal first, when it turns golden brown add the mustard seeds, when it splutters add the curry leaves
5. Then, add the masala paste, onions, crushed diced tomatoes, a tablespoon of oil and saute till aromatic and the onions and tomatoes are cooked and the masala paste is thick and intensely flavorful
6. Add the cooked okra and winged beans to the pan, cover and cook till combined. 
7. Garnish with some cilantro and chopped curry leaves. Serve warm with hot basmati rice

Okra and Fingerling Potatoes Curry

Usually I go for the frozen okra available year-round, but, I found some fresh okra for a reasonable price at the grocery store and couldn't resist. Steamed Fingerling potatoes are kids' current fad food so I had  a bag of them handy.

Some fresh cherry tomatoes and walla walla pearl onions from the garden, plus the curry leaves from the local Burmese store made this delicious spicy side dish which is best enjoyed with plain brown rice and plain yogurt.

Heat some olive oil or sesame oil in a pan, saute some onions, then add the cut okra, curry leaves, and cherry tomatoes, some salt and curry powder (or any favorite seasoning), a splash of water, cover and cook till okra is almost done.Then add the par-cooked fingerling potatoes, stir well. Cook tell vegetables are done. Garnish with cilantro if preferred. Serve warm.

Wild Rice with Mango, Bell Pepper and Sprouted Beans

Some mango, curry leaves, bell peppers, onions come together for this wild rich dish garnished with sprouted beans and spring onions.

Every once in a while I sprout some beans/lentils and sprinkle a handful on salads, soups etc. Moong beans and brown lentils are the most common ones I sprout.

Sometimes I use the default cheesecloth in colander method, or use the glass jar with screen lid method.

If screen lid is not handy, a piece of mesh cut out from the mesh bag the onions came in works; place it over a Mason™/Kerr™ canning jar, and fit it with a ring lid. If mesh bag is not handy, I get away with a piece of paper towel with perforations.

Simply soak the brown lentils overnight, drain, rinse, drain well; place in a glass jar fitted with screen lid and watch in sprout in 3 or 4 days. Rinse once a day and drain well.




Ingredients
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 medium onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 medium-ripe mango (not too ripe, raw is fine)
a handful of curry leaves (optional)
1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
2 Tbsp home-made ras al hanout (more or less)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste
1 Tbsp canola oil

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan, saué the onions, curry leaves, bell peppers with a pinch of salt and spices
2. Add the cooked wild rice, mango, brown sugar, stir well, adjust flavors to taste
3. Stir in lemon juice and garnish with spring onions and sprouted brown lentils before serving

Curry Leaf Kuzhambu

Curry Leaf, known as Karuveppelai in Tamil, is ubiquitous in south Indian dishes either as garnish or as part of spice paste or even on its own in Curry Leaf Chutney.

Kuzhambu/Kozhambu is a south Indian thick and spicy stew served with rice. While Sambar typically has cooked mashed toor dal and vegetables in it to add some body and protein, Kozhambu is typically made when dal and seasonal vegetables are not handy, relying mostly on herbs and such for a bold flavor - garlic (Poondu Kozhambu), ginger (Inju Kozhambu), Molagu Kozhambu (Black pepper Kozhambu), Curry leaves as in this Curry Leaf Kozhambu...

I add vegetables to some of the kozhambu I make, but is usually optional... sometimes even some lentils like the Pottu Kadalai Kozhambu or Paruppu Urundai Kozhambu.

And this Curry Leaf Kozhambu features cauliflower, but can be omitted, or substituted with any other favorite vegetable.

Asafoetida is a staple in most south Indian kitchens, a pinch here with tempering, a pinch there in the simmering pot... a small jar of it lasts quite a while in my kitchen, thanks to its strong aroma and taste.

Ingredients
For the Curry Leaf Paste:
1 cup fresh curry leaves, chopped coarsely
1 Tbsp whole black pepper
2 to 4 dry red chilies (fewer if preferred)
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger (optional)
4 Tbsp dry grated (unsweetened) coconut

For the kuzhambu:
1 cup Cauliflower florets
½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 tsp tamarind paste (I like Tamicon™ paste)
Cornstarch or rice flour for thickening
salt to taste
6 cups of water

Tempering: 1 Tbsp oil, ½ tsp asafoetida powder, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp chana dal, 1 tsp urad dal

Preparation

1. Combine the curry leaf paste ingredients together, grind to a smooth paste, set aside
2. Tempering: Heat the oil in a large enough pot for making the kuzhambu, add the chana dal, then urad dal and when they turn golden brown, add the mustard seeds, and when they pop, add the asafoetida
3. At this point, can reserve some of this tempering for garnish or simply proceed with the kuzhambu
4. Add the onions, sautée till translucent, then add the kuzhambu ingredients, (except cornstarch or rice flour), cover and simmer till it is reduced in volume by one-third
5. Add the curry leaf paste, adjust salt to taste and simmer about 5 minutes longer
6. Thicken: mix a teaspoon of cornstarch or rice flour in cold water, add to the simmering kuzhambu, stirring constantly to thicken

Curry Leaf Chutney

Curry Leaf chutney one of my favorites and is pretty simple and fairly easy to make if I can find curry leaves, which is not always the case. I have tried growing my own, but probably the seeds were not quite happy or I left it out exposed to cold too much, they never survived so far. I have not given up hope yet.

Ingredients
1½ cup loosely packed curry leaves
1-2 jalapeno or serrano (remove seeds and membrane if too hot)
1 cup grated coconut (dry or fresh)
1 Tbsp urad dal
1 Tbsp toor dal
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 Tbsp canola oil
salt to taste
some water

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, toast the dals and mustard seeds till urad dal turns golden brown.
2. Off heat, add the curry leaves and toss them around in the residual heat of the pan.
3. Allow to cool a bit; then, combine the coconut and chilies, grind to a fine paste, adding water as needed.
4. Stir in some salt to taste.

Tempering is optional, I always like it as it adds a nutty flavor and gritty texture to an otherwise smooth chutney, and is visually appealing.

Tempering ingredients:
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp canola oil

Heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and allow it to pop, then add the cumin seeds, allow them to plump up, and turn off heat. Garnish the chutney with the tempering. Stir well before serving.

Curry Leaf thogayal/thohayal is another wonderful way to enjoy these leaves: make it just like coconut thogayal recipe, with the curry leaves as the additional ingredient.