Snake Gourd with Chickpeas and Coconut

Snake gourd, when cooked just right, has a wonderful blend of textures - a mild crunch from the skin and a mellow softness from the flesh.

No fanfare this time, just a simple coming together of flavors that mean comfort for me. Growing up primarily on Palakkad cuisine, coconut was ubiquitous, as was plenty of vegetables. So, I went with a touch of salt, turmeric, and dry red chilies, with the proteins coming from chickpeas. I could eat a plate of this whole and call it a sumptuous dinner.

Ingredients

1 large snake gourd, cleaned and sliced

1 cup cooked chickpeas, seasoned

2 to 3 Tablespoon dry grated coconut

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

3 dry red chilies, broken into smaller pieces

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

salt to taste

just enough water to immerse and cook the snake gourd

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds; when the mustard seeds pop, add the dry red chilies, allow to toast a bit, then add the turmeric and snake gourd and saute a bit
2. Season with salt, cover and allow to cook till snake gourd is tender but not mushy; drain any excess water
3. Stir in the chickpeas and dry grated coconut, stir well, serve warm

Plaintain, Carrot, Potato, Zucchini Coconut Poduthuval

Plantain and coconut featured in my meals quite frequently during my formative years. Coconut and green chilies ground together to a powdery mix, with no water added, is a favorite spicing additive to many vegetable dishes in my kitchen.

Nothing extra special about this dish, except that I made it one evening and got to enjoy it over three subsequent meals since none of the others at home really care for this dish. Along with my favorite garlic black pepper rasam and plain brown rice, this vegetable medley was quite the comfort food I was craving for.

Plantain, when green and not too ripe, is wonderful as a vegetable in savory dishes. Peel the thick skin before using.

Simply dice the veggies: I used one each of plantain, carrot, potatoes, zucchini.

Coconut+chili Spice Mix: Chop about 4 mild green chilies and add it to quarter cup of dry grated coconut and blend to a powdery spice mix

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when they pop add cumin seeds and when they plump up, add the veggies (all but zucchini, which cooks faster than plantains), splash about half cup of water, some salt, cover and allow to cook; when par-cooked, add the zucchini and stir well; check often for doneness and add a bit more water as needed till veggies are cooked to your liking. Off heat, stir in the coconut+chili mix and adjust salt to taste.

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

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

Pan-fried Plantain Wedges and Plantain Chips

Unlike Bananas which are enjoyed as-is ripe and sweet, Plantains are best for cooking when raw/unripe and firm. I grew up with a variety of bananas and plantains, some of which still stir happy memories - like ripe Rasthali and Nendran - and thanks to my mom, we had quite an array of dishes made with green plantains - mezhukuvaratti, podimaas, varuval and so on during my childhood which established a liking for this vegetable/fruit.

For this recipe, it is best for the plantains to be firm but almost ripe, not too raw and green, else it doesn't cook through well before the outside is crisped. To adjust for this, I par-cook the plantain wedges in the microwave, then pan-fry.



The flavoring spices can be varied - sometimes I prefer simple salt and chili powder, or black pepper; sometimes, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander; can even toss it around with some brown sugar and pan-fry to caramelize for a mildly sweet snack.

Plantain chips are just deep fried in canola oil and sprinkled with salt.



Ingredients
2 plantains, cut into wedges or rounds
salt and spices as needed
a few teaspoons of oil for pan-frying

Preparation

1. Toss the par-cooked plantain wedges with salt and spices and some oil
2. Heat a teaspoon or two of oil in a pan, add the coated wedges, allow to develop a crisp skin on each side, turning only to get all sides browned, not too often

Mini Indulgences

I haven't bothered to cook anything at my mom's what with all the delicious favorites she has been making for us so far...

Well, I take it back, I have been cooking - only the morning oatmeal and occasional ravioli for the kids. I sneak in Junior Horlicks™ (with DHA) into their morning Weikfield™ oatmeal, and some Maggie™ vegetable cube flavoring into their ravioli. And since neither is interested in any solid food intake so far during this visit, I am just throwing up my hands in frustration and letting them live on air and water, some milk and yogurt, till they come around.

Meanwhile, feeling a little guilty, I quietly appreciate the mini indulgences my mom presents, grateful for the respite from the kitchen duty I have back home.

Seen here is a simple meal of Mango fruit (mambazham) mor-kozhambu, lablab/hyacinth beans and snake-gourd poduthuval, usually served with plain white rice.

Spanish Peanut Curry

Kadala Curry as it is called in my home, this is a protein-packed delight, again, a specialty of my mom's. I get raw Spanish peanuts, as they are called, from Winco in bulk. They are unroasted and have the skin on.

I love this kadala curry as-is for tea time snack; but it can be served as a side with rice and sambar or rasam, or even mor-kozhambu.

For a bland flavor, simply use tempering and sauté the peanuts, leave out the onions and tomatoes and spices. This is the way Ana relishes it - she has started her onion-hating phase already :)

Ingredients:
raw spanish peanuts, soaked overnight
salt to taste
1 Tbsp canol oil
tampering: 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp split white urad dal
1 medium onion sliced thin
tomatoes coarsely chopped
madras curry powder
chili powder
1 star anise
1 bay leaf

Preparation

1. Simply soak it overnight, lightly rub with hands to remove loose skin if desired, then, pressure cook it with some salt and spices, keeping it dry, not mushy;
2. heat oil in a pan, add the urad dal and mustard seeds and let the dal brown and the mustard seeds pop; then, throw the onions and tomatoes and sauté them; add the cooked peanuts, adjust flavors and serve warm or cool

Navy Beans poduthuval

Navy beans is versatile. I usually soak and cook up a large batch, freeze them, and conveniently forget about them :)

A handful in soups and stews, a cup or two mixed in with vegetable pulao, or cooked as in this poduthuval recipe here to be eaten as a snack, salad or a side, navy beans feels wholesome.

I like the navy beans to be cooked through, soft, but not mushy - still holds shape.

Poduthuval is a term I have heard my dad and grandpa use. I just use the term "curry" for everything - with gravy or dry as in this recipe :) I am not sure of the origin of the term, but, it fits the characteristics of this navy beans recipe here - dry spice powder (usually with coconut) used to flavor vegetables in Palakkad recipes my mom taught me.

Ingredients
1 cup cooked navy beans
1 cup frozen peas
½ medium onion finely diced
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp brown sugar
salt to taste

tempering: 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4-6 curry leaves

for the spice powder:
¼ cup grated coconut
¼ cup coriander seeds
3 Tbsp chana dal
1 Tbsp urad dal
4-5 dry red chilies


Preparation

toast the spice powder ingredients till aromatic, and grind to a fine powder, no water needed

tempering: heat oil in a pan, when shimmering add the mustard seeds and when they pop add the cumin seeds and curry leaves; throw in the onions and ginger, a pinch of salt, and sauté till onion turns translucent

add the navy beans, frozen peas, brown sugar and the spice powder, stir well, cover and cook till peas are soft; adjust salt to taste

Serve warm as a side with rice and sambar, or rice and mor-kozhambu, or just eat it as-is, like a salad, which is what I prefer :)

This Navy beans poduthuval is my 'N' dish for lovely Nupur's A to Z of Indian Vegetables event.

Colocasia (Chaembu)

Taro (chaembu, as we called it,or chaembu kezhangu -' ch' as in 'chair', not 'choir', ) was almost as ubiquitous as potatoes when I was growing up. My mom tried to use it in a few different dishes, including making taro chips, but, our collective favorite at home was this simple, quick and easy recipe here.

It cooks up like potatoes, but, is pretty starchy and slimy when wet, sort of like how okra gets when wet. So, to get it pan-roasted, try to steam it covered, with not much extra water, and then pan-roast it till it gets crisp on the outside.

Ingredients
8-10 medium taro
2 Tbsp canola oil
salt to taste
spice powders (adjust to taste):
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cayenne pepper
tempering:
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chana dal
1 tsp mustard seeds

Preparation:

1. peel the taro just like potatoes, wash and pat it dry so it is not too slimy; dice them to fairly uniform size
2. heat oil in a non-stick pan, add the tempering: chana dal first, when it turns golden brown, urad dal and then mustard seeds
3. when mustard seeds splutter and die down, add the chopped taro, 1 Tbsp of water, the spice powders, some salt, stir well; cover and cook on medium-low heat till it is cooked through but not mushy
4. remove the lid, start pan roasting it on medium-high to high heat till they are fairly crisp on the outside
5. serve warm with rice and rasam or sambar, or even with roti.
   

Alternately, taro can be roasted in the oven just like potatoes. In a plastic bag, add some oil and spices, and some salt, throw in the chopped taro, shake well, dump them onto a roasting pan, single-layer, and roast them just like potatoes - maybe 350 F to 400F oven for about 35-45 mins or so, keeping an eye on it so it doesn't char.

Butternut squash poduthuval

Butternut squash is a favorite winter squash - its texture and mild sweetness makes it quite versatile. It takes well to spices, but is also wonderful with a mild flavoring of coconut+green cilies, which is what I do here.

This is a simple side which can be served with rotis or rice and rasam or sambar.

This is a quick and easy recipe that is pretty much the same as my young green jackfruit recipe. Can substitute Pumpkins for Butternut Squash.

Ingredients
4-5 cups peeled diced butternut squash
1/2 cup dry grated coconut
3-4 green chilies (adjust depending on variety of chili)
salt to taste
1 Tbsp coconut oil (or canola oil)
water as needed

tempering:
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chana dal
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Preparation

1. grind the grated coconut and green chilies into a fine powdery paste and set aside
2. heat oil in a pan, add the tempering: chana dal first, when it starts to turn golden add the urad dal and when they turn brown add the mustard seeds and then the cumin seeds
3. when mustard seeds splutter and die down, add the diced butternut squash, some salt, the coconut-chili paste and stir well till it is coated with oil and tempering
4. add a few tablespoons of water, cover and let the squash cook a bit till it is soft but not mushy; stir once in a while
5. off heat garnish with cilantro or curry leaves, if available
6. serve warm with roti or steamed basmati rice
   

Young Green Jackfruit

This is another favorite dish from my childhood days in India and I like it best when made as in this quick and easy recipe here.

I remember back in the days, jackfruit ("chakkai", as we called it at home) was available in loads during the season. Many prefer the ripe jackfruit. But, my mom used to incorporate young green jackfruit, as well as the large pit inside the jackfruit, into many different dishes. Also, she used to make a sort of jam with ripe jackfruit and jaggery which to this day makes my mouth water.

Young green jackfruit is available canned or sometimes fresh in season here at asian markets. I prefer the canned version as it saves a lot of cleaning and preparation time. I haven't found jackfruit pits in my local stores here in Portland so far.



Ingredients

2 cans young green jackfruit,usually packed in water and some salt and preservatives
1/2 cup dry grated coconut
3-4 green chilies (adjust depending on variety of chili)
salt to taste
1 Tbsp coconut oil (or canola oil)

tempering:
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chana dal
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds


Preparation

1. grind the grated coconut and green chilies into a fine powdery paste and set aside
2. drain the water from the canned green jackfruit, chop or crush the chunks coarsely to the texture you prefer - i like it sort of as in the picture above :-)
3. heat oil in a pan, add the tempering: chana dal first, when it starts to turn golden add the urad dal and when they turn brown add the mustard seeds and then the cumin seeds
4. when mustard seeds splutter and die down, add the coarsely chopped/crushed green jackfruit, some salt and stir well till it is coated with oil and tempering
5. add the coconut-chili paste from step 1 and stir till well incorporated; serve warm as a side with rasam or sambar and rice.
   

Snake Gourd

Snake gourd used to be on the bottom of my list of favorite veggies growing up. But now, I find that it has become one of my comfort foods: along with rasam and rice, this dish completes one of my favorite meals.

This is a simple snake gourd recipe - just sauté lightly salt and serve South Indian style with tempering and curry leaves.


Ingredients:
2 medium snake gourd(each about 10"-12" long), cut into rings
OR
1 pkt frozen, cut snake gourd*
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

for tempering:
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp mustard seeds,
1/2 tsp urad dal

*I prefer the frozen ones as they are readily available in indian stores locally, and so far have not been bitter at all; fresh snake gourd can sometimes turn out to be incredibly bitter; even salting and draining sometimes does not remove all the bitterness.

Preparation:

1. if using fresh snake gourd, cut them in half, scoop out the spongy insides, cut them into rings, salt them and let them sit for a while then rinse in fresh water and pat them dry
2. heat the oil in a pan; add the urad dal and mustard seeds; ural dal will turn nice golden brown and release nutty aroma; mustard seeds will spatter (have a screen lid handy) and die down
3. add the turmeric powder, frozen (no need to thaw) or fresh cut snake gourd, and salt to taste; cover and let it cook till tender but firm
4. if not using frozen, check and add a few Tbsp of water as needed to cook the snake gourd till it is fork-tender, but not mushy and still holds shape
5. stir in the black pepper powder, adjust to taste; serve warm as a side with rice or roti

Snake Beans and Zucchini

I like long chinese green beans also referred to as snake beans sometimes. They have a slightly different flavor than the regular green beans and are usually about a foot long.

This poduthuval is a South Indian side dish, usually served with (rice and sambar) or (rice and rasam).


We had a huge zucchini growing in our garden (photo) and this recipe was a good way to use that zucchini. It is quick to cook, but takes a bit of an effort to chop the veggies.

Also, Chana Dal(Cicer arietinum) is pretty healthy, and is often confused with yellow split peas, but is supposed to be a relative of chickpeas; it doesn't cook up to a mush like other dals or lentils, and holds it shape firm and cooks up pretty quickly.


Ingredients
1-2 standard zucchini (or half a large zucchini as in picture above)
15-18 snake beans (long green beans)
7-8 tablespoon chana dal (can use up to 1 cup, if you like this dal)
4-5 Tbsp grated coconut (dry works fine, or can use fresh)
1-2 green chilies
5-6 curry leaves (murraya koenigii) for garnish
1 tsp mustard seeds, a pinch of cumin seeds for tempering
1 Tbsp oil for tempering
water, as needed for steaming
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Soak the chana dal in water for 5-10 mins
   
2. While chana dal is soaking, peel, remove inner pulp and seeds, and dice the zuccini
3. Cut the long green beans into 1" pieces
   
4. blend the green chilies and coconut into a coarse dry powdery paste and set aside
5. heat oil in a pan, add the mustard and cumin seeds for tempering; mustard seeds will spatter - use a screen lid for the pan to prevent a mess
   
6. when the spluttering dies down, add the chana dal and some water, cover the pan and let the chana dal cook till it gets a little soft; use approximately about 1 cup water for 1 cup chana dal
   
7. add the chopped green beans; cover the pan and let the green beans cook in medium-low heat till they are almost done
8. then add the zuccini, salt, a tablespoon or so of water if needed - look for a nice steamed texture where veggies retain their shape but are still cooked enough but not mushy
9. if water turns out to be too much, just drain it out with a spoon as needed
10. when veggies look about done, add the coconut+green chilies blend, stir it in, turn off heat and garnish with curry leaves
11. serve warm with rice and sambar or rasam