Chicken and Chard Rice with Raita

One pot/pan meals are quick and easy, which make it quite attractive for me on weeknights. Spiced rice-and-veggies is one of the easiest dishes to whip up that is quite filling on its own. Toss in some beans or lentils/grams for protein and there's a complete meal, no fuss.

While we don't eat red meat, no pork/beef/lamb etc., the kids and the other adult do like poultry and fish every once in a while. And, getting a small portion of chicken breast from a humane local source seems like something we can make peace with.

Now, there is a school of thought I had subscribed to for a period in my life wherein food was just a bland nourishment to keep body and soul together and any indulgence of the palate was outrageous and unnecessary. I am still superbly satisfied with a simple rice and rasam, or buttermilk and pickles, nothing fancy, no indulging the eyes and nose with an array of flavors and colors. I don't care for meat and am not much of a desserts-and-sweets person either.

Left to myself, I am perfectly happy with the Sattvic diet that I grew up with.

Then, what am I doing with a food blog sharing novel and offbeat recipes, along with richly flavorful staples? I haven't quite found the answer to that yet.

All I know is that I enjoy feeding the family and I find cooking to be Zen-like meditation for me. When I am in the kitchen, I am in my zone.

Anyway, here's hoping that fellow foodies and cooking enthusiasts enjoy stopping by and exploring the recipes for inspiration and comfort.

Nothing much to this dish. Sauté onions, garlic, diced chicken, lima beans, and chopped chard in a large skillet which has a fitting lid. Add rice and sauté. Add appropriate amount of stock or water. Cover and cook, making sure there's enough salt and seasonings to taste.

I used a readymade spice blend from the store -- Blazin' Blends New Orleans Style Seafood & Chicken seasoning.

Cook till rice and chicken are done, adjust seasoning and serve warm.

I served it with a favorite Cucumber Cherries Raita - simple yogurt sauce that cools the tongue and is a great accompaniment for this spicy dish.

Pea Tips with Papaya

It was too hard to resist a pack of pea tips at the Asian store. In the thick of winter here, with gloomy skies and pouring rain, it seemed like pea tips hold the promise of Spring.

Simply saute the pea tips in olive oil, with salt to taste. Stir in julienned green papaya, carrots, and celery. Optionally, add crushed garlic while sauteing. Maybe a few turns of the peppermill, if preferred.

Enjoy as-is or serve with warm brown rice or wild rice or just good ol' jasmine rice.

Christmas season has been very low key and relaxed, as always. Some banana breads and cookies got made. Staples like soups and stews and casseroles keep us well fed around this time of the year.

No new recipes came about in the last few weeks, hence not many posts, but plenty of innovative cooking happened thanks to minimal essentials in the pantry as juggling grocery shopping with good weather conditions proved a bit challenging.

Kohlrabi Eggplant and Lentils with Kale Basil Rice

The last of the Italian basil from the garden needed to be used up. So, the basil, plus a few Lacinato kale leaves from the garden came together for the delicious Basil Kale Rice.

The heady aroma of Italian basil, plus some coconut oil, along with kale makes this rich green rice a meal of its own, especially when topped with some toasted walnuts and black currants.

Here, I serve the Basil Kale Rice on the side, with the Kohlabi, Eggplants, and Lentils stew, slow-cooked with layers of flavors.

Ingredients for the Basil Kale Rice:
½ cup finely chopped basil leaves
1 cup finely chopped Lacinato kale leaves
1 Tablespoon coconut oil (or any preferred oil)
2 cups cooked brown rice
salt/seasoning to taste

Preparation
Heat the oil in a pan, add the finely chopped basil and kale, sauté till aromatic, add some salt and seasoning; then stir in the cooked rice. That's it.

Ingredients for the Kohlrabi, Eggplant, Lentils Tagine/Stew:
½ cup green lentils, soaked
1 medium kohlrabi bulb, sliced
1 medium globe eggplant, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped chunky
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
3 green chilies, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon grated ginger
2 cups vegetable broth or water
a few threads of saffron, soaked in a few Tablespoons of warm water (optional)
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley or 2 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon each of marjoram, thyme, oregano
Juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve on the side
a few tablespoons of oil

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the garlic, ginger, chilies, and onions, a pinch of salt and sauté
2. Add the green lentils, broth or water, cover and allow the lentils to par-cook to medium doneness
3. Then, add the kohlrabi slices, green bell peppers, the saffron water, if using, all the herbs and spices, a sprinkling of salt, cover and cook on medium-low heat till kohlrabi and lentils are done.
4. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a pan and brown the eggplant slices, just till the outsides are golden brown
5. Arrange the browned eggplant slices on top of the lentils and kohlrabi, cover and cook till eggplant is soft but not mushy
6. Off heat, splash some lemon juice before serving

Chard Rice with Butternut Squash Ribbons and Pine Nuts

Peel the butternut squash, and then, use the peeler to cut out some strips of the butternut squash. Deep fry these strips to make the butternut squash ribbons. Keep handy for garnish.

Start some rice cooking - either the sticky kind of Thai, Jasmine or California short-grain, or my favorite brown basmati or any other long-grain rice.

Toast some pine nuts and keep handy for garnish

Sautée some chopped veggies like onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers in a tablespoon of olive oil, with a pinch of all spice powder, some Szechuan flower peppercorns, salt and turmeric powder (optional). Then, add chopped chard and cook till it wilts. Stir in the cooked rice to make the Chard Rice.

Serve the Chard rice topped with butternut squash ribbons, toasted pine nuts and chopped spring onions.

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

Chicken Paella

One pot rice dishes make a filling meal and are easy to prepare. While there are different versions of paella, the Valencian style chicken and vegetables is what I usually end up making, not the seafood paella. Some boneless skinless chicken breasts and Andouille chicken sausages, peas, carrots, bell peppers and onions, to keep it simple. Of course any other vegetable or meat is fine.

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into large pieces
a few chunks of chicken sausage (optional)
vegetables - frozen peas, carrots, onions, red bell peppers, green beans, broccoli (optional)
fresh or sun-dried tomatoes, as much a preferred
a few prunes (optional)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
salt

1½ cups rice (I prefer Basmati, but any long grain rice is good)
3 cups water (more or less) or stock

spices
a few strands of saffron
finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large pan, brown the chicken pieces on both sides; add the onions sauté
2. Add the saffron and water, bring to a simmer, add the rice, rest of the spices, salt to taste, carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, prunes, cover and cook till water is absorbed and rice and chicken are done
3. Add the browned sausage, frozen peas, broccoli and red bell peppers, stir well, cover and let it rest for about 5 minutes or so
4. Adjust flavors to taste, garnish with parsley or spring onions, and serve warm

Beans and Rice, Potatoes, and Steamed Cabbage

As unimaginative as Beans and Rice, Potatoes, and Steamed Cabbage sounds, it represents a comfort meal at home. Since we don't eat out much, I like to present "dinner plates" with portioned out variety of menu items. Not only does it help me keep track of what I eat, it also provides a nice gauge for D and the kids, not to mention a nice presentation.

Food Court eateries aren't quite gourmet usually, but, certain menus there satisfy certain moods for me. One such pick I default to when I find myself in a Food Court at lunch time is this combination of Beans and Rice, Potatoes, and Steamed Cabbage+Carrots, topped with some chili sauce. This almost always turns out greasier than I like, but very filling.

The recipe here is nothing exciting: cook the favorite beans and rice together with seasoning, pan-fry some par-boiled and sliced potatoes with onions, steam some green cabbage and julienned carrots. All this can be done in parallel, leading to a quick yet sumptuous meal.

I like black beans and basmati rice for this, but, kidney beans with long grain rice would be good too. Typically, over weekends, I steam some potatoes in the steamer that comes with the rice cooker and store it in the fridge/freezer for later use so it is handy.

For this presentation, I like the rice and beans to be fairly dry, not runny like I prefer the Red Beans and Rice dish. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

Moorish Eggplant Pilaf

This recipe is loosely based on the Eggplant Pilaf recipe in Moorish by Greg and Lucy Malouf, and my usual baby eggplant curry recipe.

It is not very different from the vegetable pilaf/pulao or chicken biriyani recipe in that this is a one-pot dish.

Now, it is no secret that I love eggplant and look for ways to make it often. This recipe just combines ideas from the slit-and-stuffed curry with baby indian eggplant and vangi bath, borrowing the spices and flavoring elements from Moorish by Greg and Lucy Malouf.

Some pearl onions, fresh mint leaves, fennel leaves, and spring onions from the home garden got thrown in as well, making this a quick and easy meal.

Ingredients
6-8 baby indian eggplant, slit and stuffed as in this recipe
1 medium red or yellow onion sliced thinly
3-5 pearl onions (optional)
2-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves
¼ cup loosely packed chopped fresh parsley
4-6 cups water or vegetable stock
1½ cups basmati rice or long grain rice
1 14oz canned diced tomatoes
2-4 Tbsp canola oil or olive oil
salt to taste
optional spices: 1 Tbsp sumac, 1 Tbsp cumin powder, 2 Tbsp hot chili powder

Preparation

1. Slit and stuff the baby eggplant as in baby eggplant curry or stuffed baby eggplant, varying the spiced masala filling to suit your taste
2. Heat oil in a pan, sauté the onions and garlic, add the tomatoes and a sprinkling of salt and spices, stir well, then add the mint and parsley in a single layer
3. Add the rice and stir it to coat well
4. Nestle the slit-and-stuffed little eggplant into the pot in a nice arrangement, add the water/stock, cover and allow to cook over medium lowtill eggplant and rice is cooked through till all the water is absorbed, turn off heat
5. Remove the lid, cover with a tea towel and put the lid back on to allow it to steam for about 10 minutes
6. Garnish with nuts and dry fruits if preferred, or with some fresh parsley or cilantro
7. Divide it into wedges so each serving gets one eggplant, and serve warm with plain yogurt on the side

Bibimbap

A fairly authentic version of bibimbap came into my life about 12 years ago when a Korean fellow student introduced Bulgogi and Bibimbap to me. Bulgogi (bool-go-gi) apparently roughly translates to fired meat or fire-cooked meat, and, by default the meat is beef in Korea. Since I don't eat red meat, I skipped trying Bulgogi that she ordered that day.

However, she talked to the waitress and assured me that they serve Bibimbap (bee-bim-baab) without any meat. So, I ordered it with slight apprehension and figured I could always have some rice-and-yogurt when I get home if I couldn't eat this strange sounding new dish. But, when it arrived, with visually stimulating presentation and aroma, I was excited. And, I loved it instantly! Loved the hot sauce Gochujang that came with it as well.

As far as I understood then, Bibimbap is a good way to clear out the fridge - it is simply rice served with an assortment of vegetables, accompanied by Korean hot sauce Gochujang. Typically, seasoned bok choy, seasoned spinach, cool cucumber salad to clear the palate, some julienned blanched/steamed vegetables like carrots, zucchini, and maybe some form of eggs - either fried or boiled, all of it served over rice that is piled on crisp lettuce leaves to balance out the flavors.

This recipe here is just a version of Bibimbap that I have adapted to suit my tastes over the years. Gochujang was not handy, so, I made up a version of it as well. I usually have a huge jar of Sambal Oelek in my pantry, seems like it has become just as indispensable as salt or black pepper in my kitchen.


Ingredients
Seasoned Bok Choy or Spinach or Swiss chard
Pan-fried Tofu (optional)
Boiled Egs
Cucumber Salad
Toasted Sesame Seeds
Finely chopped Spring Onions
Sauteed eggplant
Steamed Asparagus
Julienned fresh baby tender kohlrabi
Shredded purple cabbage marinated in apple cider vinegar and some strong Dijon mustard
Bean Sprouts, Baby Corn, Roasted Red Pepper, Zucchini, Carrots or other vegetables of your choice


For Gochujang: Either buy it from the store, or, use a substitute recipe as given by Madhur Jaffrey in her World Vegetarian cookbook, adapted here:

2 Tbsp red miso
2 Tbsp sambal oelek
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper or red chili powder (optional, for extra heat)
1 tsp brown sugar
toasted sesame seeds
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Combine the above ingredients, add some rice wine vinegar if preferred to get the sauce more runny. Also, can double the amount and prepare this ahead of time and save in an air-tight container for a couple of weeks in the fridge.


Seasoned Bok Choy or Spinach:
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp grated ginger
2-3 dry red chilies
Bok Choy or Spinach, cleaned and cut to bite-size pieces
some water or broth
1 tsp sesame oil or canola oil

Heat the oil in a wok or pan, sauté the garlic and ginger, add the dry red chilies, then add the greens, some broth/water, cover and cook till tender but not mushy. Adjust salt to taste with light soy sauce or just table salt.



Cucumber Salad
Any simple cucumber salad is fine, but, I like to peel, core and dice the cucumber and red onions, add a simple vinaigrette of sesame oil, lemon juice, salt and red chili powder or cayenne pepper powder.

To Serve: Prepare a bed of lettuce leaves or blanched Napa Cabbage leaves. Add a scoop of cooked rice (I prefer Jasmine rice for this recipe). Arrange the toppings separately over the rice - seasoned greens, sliced boiled eggs, pan-fried tofu, cucumber salad, julienned vegetables - place some gochujang in the center, sprinkle some chopped spring onions and toasted sesame seeds. Let the guest mix it all up as they eat.

Also, I like to serve some extra gochujang, spring onions and other toppings on the side for extra helpings with rice :)

Skillet Chicken and Rice with Peas and Carrots

We've been having soups for dinner for the last several weeks, nothing spectacular, mostly hearty brothy soups and some creamy soups.

This skillet chicken and rice recipe is nothing unusual, but, as it is a favorite, I wanted to note it down here. It is mild, yet fragrant and flavorful.

Ingredients
2 small-to-medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt to taste
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
2-4 Tbsp evaporated milk^**
2-3 Tbsp minced garlic and finely grated ginger
2 Tbsp canola oil
cilantro for garnish

^**¼ cup evaporated milk gives a rich creamy feel to the skillet rice

2 cups basmati rice
4-5 cups of water or low sodium broth

veggies: mushrooms (optional), frozen peas, carrots, green beans, and spring onions or other veggies of your choice

marinade: soy sauce, red wine vinegar, ginger powder

whole spices: 1 star anise, 2" piece Indian cinnamon bark (dalchini), 2 cloves, 2 cardomom pods (crushed), 2 dried bay leaves

Preparation:

1. Marinate the chicken breasts in the marinade for about 20-30 minutes while assembling the rest of the ingredients
2. When ready to cook the chicken, heat oil in a skillet and allow the chicken to brown well on one side, remove from pan and set aside
3. Sauté the minced ginger and garlic and the raw basmati rice in the same skillet, add the whole spices, broth or water, evaporated milk, salt to taste and nestle the chicken breasts in the rice, cover and cook till chicken is done - thickest part registers 165°F
4. If at this point rice is not done, and the water is all gone, add a little more water and the vegetables, cover and finish cooking the rice, while keeping the chicken warm covered in foil
5. Garnish with cilantro and chopped spring onions, add a few turns of the pepper mill for some fresh ground black pepper, serve warm

Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani

PBS recently aired a re-run of Planet Food featuring South India, hosted by Padma Lakshmi. One of the recipes was Hyderabadi biriyani made typically with lamb, cooked in "Dum" style - viz., slow-cooked in a sealed vessel using steam. The veteran chef who shared his recipe mentioned that cooking over coal fire in a copper pot gives the best results.

Since I don't have a copper pot or easy way to have a coal fire going, I simply cooked on stovetop, sealing tight with the lid that came with the non-stick pan.

It is fairly simple: marinate the chicken in this exotic yogurt-based marinade, pour rice over it, add some saffron dissolved in milk, some salt to taste, seal and cook till chicken and rice are just done. I tend to overcook chicken sometimes, but, this time I tried to watch closely. Important thing was not to stir at all till it is fully done over slow heat.

I spent quite a bit of time in Hyderabad, India, but never had the chance to try this local specialty. However, one of my mom's friends used to make this incredibly superb Hyderabadi biriyani (vegetarian) and baingan bartha (eggplant dish) which my taste buds remember fondly to this day... Mine here didn't turn out quite as I remember, but was still delicious nonetheless :)

Ingredients
spices:
6-8 cardamom pods
2" Indian/Chinese Cinnamon Sticks (Dalchini)
2-3 cloves
1-2 star anise
2-3 Indian bay leaves

marinade:
2-4 Tbsp ginger garlic paste
2-4 Tbsp coriander powder
1 Tbsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 cup plain yogurt

other:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 cups basmati rice, soaked and drained
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, or water
a few strands of saffron, soaked in ½ cup warm milk
1 cup French Fried Onions
salt to taste
1 Tbsp Ghee or Cooking Oil

chopped cilantro for garnish
optional: carrots, peas, edamame, bell pepper, mint leaves; plus, raisins and cashews sautéed in ghee for garnish

Preparation

1. marinate the chicken in the marinade for at least 30 minutes
2. heat oil in a pan/pot, add the marinated chicken, basmati rice, spices, stock/water, saffron in milk, french fried onions, cover tightly and cook over medium-low heat till rice and chicken are mostly done; turn off heat, cover the pan/pot with a tea towel and put the lid back on tight and allow to steam for another 10 minutes till cooked through
3. garnish with cilantro, and raisin+cashew, serve hot

Green Vegetables Rice

This is a very simple and wholesome rice dish that I make often, especially in summer when our garden is yielding some fresh vegetables and herbs. The rice is flavored solely with some salt, mint, ginger and garlic which not only gives subtle flavoring but also some simple health benefits.

According to Ayurveda, mint, ginger and garlic have certain properties that help keep the digestive system toned.

• Ginger encourages the body to produce enzymes that help digest fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Ginger decreases discomfort during pregnancy and is also wonderful for postpartum care
• Garlic is sometimes considered a galactagogue and I have been including it a lot in my post-partum diet these days. It apparently promotes proper fat metabolism, and aid in liver detoxification.
• Mint can be both cooling and warming, according to the usage in Ayurveda. It aids digestion, reduces inflammation, prevents spasms, and has anti-bacterial properties. The oil derived from the herb, contains Vitamins A and C, flavonoids and menthol

Garden fresh mint, chives and scallions inspired this green vegetables rice. Any handy green vegetables would do, but I used chinese long green beans, broccoli, collard greens here; peas, green bell peppers, green beans, celery are also a wonderful combination.


Mint is one of my all-time favorite herbs which I make into chutneys during peak season when I can get them fresh from my garden... and being the main herb that brightens this dish, I'd like to send this post out for WHB: Weekend Herb Blogging started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen fame, hosted this week by Maninas from Maninas: Food Matters.

Ingredients
4-6 cloves of garlic
4 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
salt to taste

4-5 cups cooked basmati rice
steamed green vegetables: collard greens, chinese long green beans, broccoli scallions
1 Tbsp canola oil

Preparation

1. In a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and mint leaves; heat oil in a pan, add the crushed garlic, mint and grated ginger, a pinch of salt and sauté till aromatic, making sure garlic does not burn
2. add the steamed vegetables and a pinch more salt and stir well
3. add the cooked basmati rice and stir well till incorporated, adjust salt to taste

Serve with cool Cucumber Raita: grate cucumbers and stir in some crushed mint leaves, plain yogurt and salt to taste.

Pumpkin Risotto

I have been making my usual favorites like rasam, wholewheat pasta, injera, dosai, idlee and such but nothing new and exciting as Baby and I are just recovering from some sort of viral influenza thing... So, I casually started sifting through some old photos that I might have missed posting and found this pumpkin risotto one.

Risotto is a versatile rice dish open to variations - almost any combination of vegetables would work. This here is not quite the pumpkin risotto - Asian sweet potatoes and acorn squash stood in for pumpkin in this recipe.

Unless I use seafood/poultry explicitly (we don't care for red meat), my usual recipes are primarily vegetarian, and many of them actually turn out to be vegan. In that sense this pumpkin risotto can be classified as vegan, I guess...

For a non-vegan version, add some grated parmesan or pecorino-romano cheese, if preferred.

Ingredients
2 cups arboreo rice
6 cups vegetable stock (low sodium)
1 medium onion diced
4-5 garlic cloves crushed, minced or sliced
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 medium acorn (or butternut) squash, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
1 medium Asian sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
salt to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil

spices/herbs:
2 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (reserve some for garnish)
2 Tbsp ground black pepper or cayenne pepper powder
1 Tbsp paprika powder
1 tsp nutmeg powder

Preparation

1. heat oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and ginger, sauté till onions turn translucent
2. add the squash and sweet potato chunks, rice, stock, some salt, cook over medium heat till all water is absorbed, stirring occasionally
3. i like the creamy consistency - not too thick, sort of like porridge - so, i smash some of the squash and sweet potatoes into the rice to give it some body
4. adjust salt to taste, stir in the spices and herbs

Pongal Godhsu

Pongal, Godhsu, Medhu Vadai and Chutney - all four together - evoke this wonderful memory of my childhood Sunday brunches. Many Sunday mornings, my mom made this combination which became a favorite brunch in our family.

Now, thankfully, D and Ana love it too, so I get to make it on and off on weekends. Plus, it gave me a reason to use up the eggplant, chilies and tomatoes from our garden.

Now, I was too lazy to make vadai, but I did make a simple chutney. And, as always, my recipes are adapted to my tastes, so they may not be quite traditional and authentic.

Ingredients

for the godhsu: 1-2 Ichiban eggplant (or any variety handy) 1-2 red paprika peppers (optional) 1 kung pao green chili (or any other variety) 1 medium onion 2 medium tomatoes salt to taste 1 tsp cumin powder 1 Tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp hot chili powder 1 tsp brown sugar ½ tsp tamarind concentrate Tempering: 1 Tbsp canola oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds curry leaves, cilantro for garnish

for pongal: 1 cup jasmine rice ½ cup yellow split moong dal 3 cups water salt to taste 1 Tbsp whole black pepper 1 Tbsp cumin seeds 2 Tbsp canola oil

for the peanut-coconut chutney:
½ cup dry roasted peanuts
¼ cup dry grated coconut
1-2 red paprika peppers, or red chilies
salt to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Chutney:Combine the ingredients in a blender/food processor and blend to a fine paste, adding a little water, if needed. Optionally, add the tempering: heat oil in a pan, add 1 tsp urad dal, when it turns golden brown, add a tsp of mustard seeds and cumin seeds and when the mustard seeds pop, off heat and garnish the chutney.

Preparation:

Pongal: Combine the rice and dal in a pressure cooker and cook till slightly mushy; heat oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and whole black pepper, stir a little till cumin seeds sizzle but not burn, add the cooked rice+dal, some salt, stir well, adjust to taste; add a little water if the rice is too thick; I prefer the almost-porridge consistency.

Godhsu: Finely dice the vegetables; heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds; when the mustard seeds pop, add the onions and other diced vegetables, sauté a little; then add the cumin, coriander, chili powders, salt to taste and the tamarind, some water to cover the vegetables, and allow to simmer on medium low till vegetables are cooked but not mushy. I like the godhsu to be fairy thick, not too runny...

Serve the pongal and godhsu hot and steaming. It makes a filling brunch especially on cold winter mornings. But, many a nights, I have served this for dinner too.

lemon rice

Whether taking the G.T Express, or the Bangalore Mail, or the Charminar, as a little kid in India, one thing that still lingers in my mind is the food my mom used to pack for the trip. Hearty, simple, sturdy idlees, fortified and enhanced yogurt rice plus good old Lemon Rice.

And Lemon Rice is my 'L' post for lovely Nupur's A to Z of Indian Vegetables event.

This is a very simple dish that is easy to throw together with leftover plain cooked rice, if handy; and, has always withstood the scorching heat during our train rides without spoiling - thanks to the lemon juice that provides enough acidity to keep this for a few days.

Ingredients
3 cups cooked basmati rice
1 medium onion diced finely
1-2 serrano chilies chopped finely
1-2 Tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp brown sugar
4-5 curry leaves (optional)
salt to taste
4 Tbsp lemon juice
Tempering: 1 Tbsp canola oil, 1 tsp chana dal, 1 tsp urad dal, 1 tsp mustard seeds

garnish: toasted cashew nuts, toasted peanuts

Preparation

tempering: heat oil in a pan, when shimmering, add the chana dal, when it turns golden brown add the urad dal, and when urad turns light brown add the mustard seeds, and when they pop add the curry leaves, ginger, chilies, turmeric, onion, a pinch of salt and brown sugar, and sauté till onions turn translucent

stir in the rice till well incorporated; off heat, stir in the lemon juice; garnish with toasted peanuts and/or cashew nuts

preferably, add a little lemon juice at a time, stir well, taste and add more to suit your taste - i like it mildly tangy, not too strong:)

Serve warm or at room temperature, with pappadam or favorite chips.

Gallo Pinto

Back in grad students days, I was fortunate enough to have a close-knit group of friends. A wonderful gal from Costa Rica got me interested in Central and South American foods, quite inadvertently. I am sure she doesn't know that this gallo pinto evolved over time to my taste, after watching her make it one evening.

As far as I gather, pretty much everybody in Costa Rica makes this dish and is fairly simple, nothing complicated. Of course, I just adjusted some flavors as i like to experiment.

Gallo Pinto (apparently translates to "spotted rooster"), simply put, is just spiced rice and black beans. But that doesn't do it justice. I like to cook up a large batch as they make good leftovers - wrapped in tortilla the next day for breakfast, with some eggs on the side...

Ingredients:
1 cup dry black beans, soaked overnight (or canned cooked black beans)*
1 cup raw rice
1 small yellow onion, diced
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 chilies (jalapeno, bell pepper, or any mild chili), chopped
2 Tbsp coriander powder
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp canola oil
water as needed
4 cups vegetable stock (optional)
salt to taste
chopped fresh cilantro leaves

*if using canned beans, drain and rinse well before using

Preparation

heat oil in a pan, add the chilies, onions, garlic, some salt and sauté a bit, then add the soaked beans and about 8 cups of water and cook the beans

cook the rice in vegetable stock or water till done

when ready to serve, combine the cooked rice, beans, coriander powder, cilantro, chili powder and brown sugar, stir well over medium heat till well-combined; adjust salt to taste

serve hot with some fresh salsa on the side

Kathrikka Rasavangi

Rasavangi is a dish my mom makes on and off, but, I never paid much attention to it until recently. Of course, in keeping with my fusion passion, the recipe here is probably not traditional, but tweaked a bit to suit my taste...

Rasavangi is typically made with eggplant, but, I think next time I would like to try it with a different vegetable, say, bitter gourd...

It is usually served with hot white rice, ghee and a mild vegetable side like butternut squash poduthuval or Zucchini & Snake Beans poduthuval.

The masala paste for this can be made in larger quantity and refrigerated or frozen for later use (thaw in a hot water bath, not microwave)

Ingredients 1 large eggplant, cut into largish chunks 1 medium tomato,diced 1 medium yellow onion,diced 2 cups cooked toor dal, mushed curry leaves and cilantro for garnish 2-3 Tbsp tamarind paste/concentrate (adjust to taste) 1 Tbsp brown sugar or jaggery water salt to taste 2 Tbsp canola oil

for the masala paste: 1 cup coriander seeds ½ cup dry grated coconut (or fresh) 1 indian bay leaf ½ star anise 2 cloves 1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns 4-5 dry red chilies ¼ cup chana dal

for tempering: 1 Tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, a few curry leaves

Preparation
heat oil in a pan, toast the masala paste ingredients till chana dal turns golden brown; stir constantly so as not to burn the other ingredients; set aside to cool a little; then, blend to a fine paste

in a pan, add the tamarind paste, some salt, enough water to cover the eggplant pieces and let it simmer till eggplant gets tender (skin loses color)

add the masala paste, onions, tomatoes, cooked toor dal, and brown sugar to the pan; stir well, let it simmer till onions cook through and the flavors meld; adjust salt to taste

this is a fairly thick dish, about the consistency of chili or a thick stew, but, add a little water if needed to keep it smooth

tempering adds a nice finish and flavor: heat a tbsp of oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds and let them pop, then add some cumin seeds and curry leaves, turn off heat, let cumin seeds plump up in residual heat and the curry leaves get crispy; garnish the rasavangi dish with the tempering; stir well before serving

peas and cumin rice

Rice seems like such a perfect food and I love it. I grew up eating rice everyday, and, if I don't eat it at least once a week, I really miss it.

Fragrant, long, not-so-glutinous brown basmati rice is my favorite, followed by white basmati rice, then brown rice, followed by jasmine rice and then, last bust not the least, sweet-and-sticky rice.

Certain recipes work best with certain varieties of rice; although any other variety will work just as well, this recipe feels perfect with basmati rice.

Ingredients
4 cups cooked white or brown basmati rice
2 cups fresh peas, or frozen peas
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 medium yellow onion diced finely
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced finely
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
½ cup cilantro leaves, for garnish
1 Tbsp home-made flavored ghee, or butter, or canola oil
salt to taste

Preparation

1. heat ghee in a pan, add the cumin seeds till they plump up, get aromatic and are fried but not burnt
2. add the onion, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt, sauté till onions turn translucent
3. add the peas, stir, cover and cook till peas are just done but not mushy
4. add the rice, stir well, adjust salt to taste; off-heat garnish with cilantro
5. serve warm with raita and curries like ridge gourd curry, or egg curry, or soya chunks curry, or, baby eggplant curry
   

Sometimes, I throw in some cooked chick peas as my wee tot loves this dish - for that matter, anything with peas, chick peas, corn, green beans and rice, flavored with garlic and ginger, with some sautéed onions seems to appeal to her these days...

Mango Rice

I remember roughly about a dozen or so varieties of mangoes that I relished in my childhood: some best eaten raw, some best when ripe and golden, each with quite a distinct flavor and texture. Some were stringy, some were soft and fleshy; some were way too juicy that i just had to poke a hole, stick a straw and enjoy the juice and discard the mango.

Summer was the mango season where I grew up. My mom used to make so many different dishes with mangoes - the raw green ones as well as ripe fruits.

Tiny raw baby mango pickle is still one of my favorites: my mom used to just brine a batch and have it handy for snacking on; and then a larger batch was brined and soaked in a blend of spices including extra hot chili powder and mustard - we either called it "maa vadu" or "kadugu manga" - a wonderfully addictive pickle/achar/side that I loved eating with yougurt or buttermilk rice. My mom had special porcelain/earthenware jars/crock to store these in and they last for over a year, if we don't eat it all up first, that is.

Plus, of course various mango chutneys, salads and pachadis. By the end of each mango season we kids would have gorged so much that we couldn't handle the sight of another mango! Those were the days!

Many south Indian dishes seem elaborate as they involve some form of spice paste, plus some form of spice powder, but, I have found that making extra and saving it for future use makes it seem effortless the next time :)



Ingredients
2 medium raw green mangoes - one diced, one grated finely
4 cups cooked basmati rice
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbsp canola oil
salt to taste

spice paste*:
4-6 cloves of garlic
1" piece of ginger
4-5 green chilies

Spice powder:
1 Tbsp urad dal
1 Tbsp chana dal
1 Tbsp mustard seeds
1 star anise
1-2 bay leaves
1-2 2-inch pieces of Indian/Ceylon cinnamon bark (optional)

tempering:
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp chana dal (optional)
4-5 fresh curry leaves (optional)
1 Tbsp oil for tempering

Preparation

1. Dice one mango (get as close to the pit as you can; and discard the pit) - i like to leave the skin on as it gives a certain texture and bite to the dish; alternately, skin and grate the mango, if preferred, instead of dicing; set aside
2. Roughly chop the other mango; again, remove the skin if preferred
3. Combine the chopped mango from step 2 and the spice paste ingredients in a blender or food processor and grind into a fine paste; set aside
4. Dry roast the spice powder ingredients, and when cool enough to handle, grind them to a fine powder; set aside
5. Heat the oil in a pan, add the spice paste and sauté till the raw flavor of garlic is gone and the spices release their aroma
   
6. Add the diced mango, turmeric powder, spice powder from step 4, some salt and sauté till the diced mango softens a little and is not too raw
7. Add the cooked rice, adjust salt to taste, stir till well incorporated
8. Tempering: heat oil in a small pan/ladle, when oil shimmers add the mustard seeds; when mustard seeds splutter and die down, add the curry leaves and turn off heat
9. Garnish with the tempering, serve warm with pappadam or vadaam.

I usually double or triple the quantities for the spice powders and spice paste and save a portion of them for later use. Spice pastes can be refrigerated for up to a month usually, and spice powders last even up to six months if stored in an air tight container.

While I prefer to make my own spice pastes and powders, I also try to have some store-bought ones to fall back on.

The quick and easy mango rice recipe here is adapted from Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan, with variations, as I cannot follow a recipe without personalizing/customizing it somehow.

Green Tomato Rice

We harvested the last of the green tomatoes which may not get a chance to ripen as we had to say good-bye to our vegetable garden for this year.

Much like green tomato dal/koottu, this dish came about as I was looking for a good way to use up the tomatoes.



Ingredients

For spice powder:
1 Tbsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp urad dal
2 Tbsp chana dal
3 Tbsp coriander seeds
6-8 dry red chilies
1/2 cup dry grated coconut

3 or 4 large green tomatoes, chopped
4 cups cooked basmati rice
2-3 fresh green chilies, slit in half
OR - 2 Anaheim peppers
green beans (optional)
1 medium onion sliced thin
2 Tbsp golden raisins (optional)
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

for garnish(optional):
2 Tbsp cashew nuts
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Preparation:

1. dry roast the ingredients for the spice powder, when cool enough to handle, grind them to a fine powder
2. heat oil in a pan, add the onions, green chilies, turmeric powder and green tomatoes; sautee till onions turn translucent and green tomatoes are softened a bit
3. add the rice, raisins, the spice powder from step 1, and some salt, stir till well incorporated, and sautee on low heat for a few mins
4. off heat, garnish with cashew nuts and cilantro, serve warm with raita or thayir pachadi, and, pappad or vadam