Sweet Potato Paruppusili

I was looking for something mild and complementary to go with Pippali rasam, a favorite rasam of mine that is usually a post-partum meal served with rice and ghee.

Paruppusili being another childhood favorite of mine, I decided to serve a simple meal of pippali rasam, rice and sweet potato paruppusili for the grown-ups one night, kids got some rice and a bowl of steamed veggies after trying a spoonful of the rasam and paruppusili and categorically rejecting them. It takes at least 15 tries before I give up on a food, so, 14 more to go before I back off feeding the paruppusili to the kids...

Same recipe for paruppisili as always - simply soak the toor dal (plus a red chili or two) for a few hours, grind to a fine paste, microwave till it is cooked a bit - not raw anymore and not a hard solid yet. Break it up and pan fry in oil. At this stage, it can be cooled and stored in the freezer to be added to any favorite vegetable.

Cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave till fork tender not mushy. Start the tempering in a pan. Then add the cooked sweet potatoes and paruppusili and saute together till well combined. Serve warm.

Opo Sqash and Green Beans Warm Salad

Poduthuval, Poriyal, Thoran, Koottu are the generic names of some of the vegetable sides that typically accompany a  simple south Indian meal of rice and sambar or rasam. If the sambar or vetha kozhambu is spicy, then the vegetable side will be mild and complementary.

This combination of opo squash and green beans (plus carrots usually) is a favorite of mine, next only to the Chaenai Elavan Koottu. These days, as I don't serve a typical south Indian meal, the vegetable sides become either a warm salad or side for a weeknight meal. Opo Sqaush Carrot Mor-Kozhambu is more like a rich soup nowadays, served without the typical rice and spicy side.

I use frozen green beans and par cook it in the microwave to cut the cooking time. Then throw it in with the opo squash so they finish cooking together. Opo squash cooks up fast and is mostly water.

Tempering is quite an integral part of many south Indian dishes - either as a garnish or incorporated with the dish at the start. Heat oil in a pan, when shimmering add some split urad dal, when it turns golden brown add some mustard seeds and when they pop add the curry leaves. At this point, if using this as garnish, turn off heat and pour over the finished dish like sambar or rasam or vegetable salad like the recipe here, and stir well before serving.

Cooked Kadalai paruppu aka Chana dal is a favorite additive to vegetable sides to add some protein. Simply  cook it in the microwave or stovetop till soft but not mushy.

Ingredients
½ cup cooked chana dal
½ Opo Squash, peeled and diced
2 cups of par-cooked cut green beans or Italian green beans
2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
salt to taste

curry leaves and cilantro for garnish

Tempering: 1 Tbsp oil, ½ tsp urad dal, ½ tsp mustard seeds, 4 curry leaves, 1 long dry red chili broken into pieces

Start the tempering, when mustard seeds pop add the vegetables, cooked chana dal, and salt cover and cook till veggies are done. Stir in coconut flakes if using, garnish and serve warm or at room temperature.

Mini Pepper Poppers

Bajji, Pakoda, Ulunthu (Urad dal) Vadai, Masaal Vadai, Samosa... deep fried snacks were quite an indulgence around monsoon season when I was young. Of course, they were made for festivals and guests, and just because as well. Bajjis were my favorites - batter-dipped and fried eggplant, large green chilies, carrots, onions.

The weather being cold and soggy, and it being winter break for the kids, we felt like having some home-made deep-friend snacks.

Mini Peppers are so cute and colorful and have become my favorite indulgence of late, along with Baby Bella aka Cremini mushrooms.

Rather than the usual Baajjis, we had some Jalapeño and Mini Pepper Poppers, with some Habañero (seeded) thrown in the filling for the adults. Not an unusual recipe, but, quite satisfying nonetheless... Save any leftover filling in the fridge and use as sandwich spread

Ingredients
12 Jalapeño, Mini Colorful Peppers,
½  Habañero pepper, seeded and finely minced (optional)
8 oz Cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese
grated cheddar and mozarella as much as needed for the filling
garlic, herbs, finely minced
1 Tbsp finely minced drained, squeezed pineapple bits (optional)

some milk, flour for coating
about 20 oz. breadcrumbs or as much as needed for coating

oil for deep frying

Preparation

1. Filling: Mix the Neufchatel cheese, freshly grated cheddar and mozarella, some minced seeded habañero, finely chopped pineapple, minced garlic and set aside
2. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, seed them, and scoop some filling in and keep handy
3. Have a bowl of milk, a plate of flour, a dish of breadcrumbs ready
4. Heat the oil to about 375°F
5. Dip the filled half peppers in milk, then in flour, allow to dry; then dip in milk and then in breadcrumbs and allow to dry; then once more in milk then in breadcrumbs and deep fry
6. Drain in a paper towel and serve with favorite dipping sauce

Cari Chay Vietnamese Soup

With the winter weather here, soups, stews, and casserole are on the menu pretty much every day. Most of the time, there is no particular recipe to follow - I simply add a bit of this a dash of that, a fusion of flavors, tailored to my taste...

For a while I've been leaning towards South East Asian cuisine - Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, Myanmar... subtle differences in local ingredients and flavors make these unique, but many of them have similarities as well. If I am able to find the specific ingredients at the local Asian store, I am pretty excited to use it, else I try to substitute as possible.

Now, not having visited many of the SE Asian countries, I don't quite know the native aromas and presentation other than what I see in restaurants and books, so, no claim to authenticity here.

Curry leaves is an acquired taste - it is not quite bitter like the Neem leaf, but, has a mildly bitter flavor and some subtle undertones. Curry leaves and curry leaf powder (not the generic spice mix sold as "curry powder") are available at most Indian stores.

Any favorite combination of vegetables would be fine - I like eggplant and tofu typically, but also find that soups are a great way to use up the broccoli stems I save up after using the florets in other dishes.

Ingredients
Cari Chay Spice Mix:
2 tsp Madras curry powder
1 tsp Curry Leaf powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Annatto seed seasoning (Achiote) powder
1 tsp lemongrass powder
2 tsp brown sugar (less if preferred)
½ tsp turmeric powder
4 to 6 curry leaves

1 Tbsp finely chopped or grated ginger
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic

Vegetables— broccoli stem, potatoes, carrots, jalapenos, onions, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, tofu

14 fluid ounces coconut milk
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine the Cari Chay Spice Mix and keep handy; chop the vegetables and keep ready
2. Heat the oil in a pot, add the onions, ginger and garlic, sauté, then add the Cari Chay spice mix and sauté till aromatic
3. Add the chopped vegetables, some salt, a splash of water, cover and cook till vegetables are cooked through yet firm, not mushy
4. Stirin the coconut milk, simmer on medium low heat for about 4 to 5 minutes; off heat garnish with curry leaves
5. Serve warm with Bánh mì or plain rice

Chermoula Mushroom and Potatoes

Chermoula is a North African spice-paste/sauce-mix with rich flavors that I appreciate in Indian curries. For this recipe, I deviated slightly from my Chermoula Eggplant Two Ways formula in keeping with my fusion cuisine signature.

I had just a couple of wedges of Preserved Lemons left and thought they'd be perfect for this batch of Chermoula. When I make a batch, it is usually a large one, so I store it in the fridge for upto 5 days and use it up to flavor different dishes.

Potatoes and mushrooms with sauteed onions are such a perfect combination, and with some green bell peppers they turn heavenly.

So, I decided to serve them in two ways:

1. Chermoula Mushroom and Potatoes, infused with South Indian flavor from Curry leaves and dry red chilies
2. South Indian pan-sauteed Mushroom and Potatoes with Curry Leaves, Tempered with Mustard Seeds and Urad Dal

Chermoula Mushroom and Potatoes

For Chermoula sauce:
2 Tbsp coriander powder
1 cup loosely packed fresh chopped cilantro leaves, stem and all
2 Tbsp sweet paprika powder
1 Tbsp whole black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp turmeric powder
4 Tbsp Sambal Oelek
2 wedges of preserved lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil

3 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed (or any other variety of potatoes)
8 to 10 Baby Bella or Cremini - small Portabella mushrooms, sliced
6 to 8 Snow peas (optional)
6 curry leaves (available at Indian stores)
1 Jalapeño pepper sliced
1 medium green bell pepper chopped into chunks (optional)
1 small yelow onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Preparation

1. Combine the chermoula ingredients and grind to a fine paste, adding water if needed
2. Par-cook the potatoes in the microwave
3. Heat olive oil in a pan, add the curry leaves and jalapeños and sauteé a bit; then add the onions, chermoula paste and lower the heat to medium and sauté stirring frequently till the chermoula paste loses the rawness and turns a richer, deeper color
4. Add the mushrooms, snow peas, bell peppers and par-cooked potatoes, cover and allow to simmer for a few minutes over low to medium-low heat till flavors meld and potatoes are cooked through but not mushy
5. Serve warm with plain hot basmati rice or flatbread 

Mushroom and Potatoes South Indian style

Many of the vegetables sides I grew up with were made in the simple South Indian style of tempering with mustard seeds and urad dal (peeled, split black gram), with curry leaves and dry red chilies, some salt; and perhaps some grated coconut. 

To this day, I love green beans and all varieties of string beans, snake gourd, chayote squash and pumpkin cooked this way.

Ingredients

½ tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp split urad dal

2 Tbsp vegetable oil or sesame oil

6 to 8 fresh curry leaves

2 to 3 dry red chilies, broken to release the seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp asafoetida powder

salt to taste

Peeled, cubed and cooked potatoes, firm not mushy

Sliced Portabella mushrooms (or any other favorite)

diced onions

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, when the oil is shimmering, add the urad dal and allow it to get golden brown; then add the mustard seeds and cover with a screen lid to contain the splattering mustard seeds, then immediately add the dry red chilies and then the curry leaves; allow the curry leaves to crisp up a bit, then add the asafoetida and turmeric powder
2. Add the onions and sauté a bit, then add the potatoes and mushroom, stir well and cover and cook on medium-low heat for a few minutes till mushroom sweats and is not raw anymore
3. This dish is fairly dry so cook till excess water from the mushrooms and onions are gone
4. Serve with rice and sambar or koottu or dal

Moghrabieh with Pan-cooked Chicken and Vegetables

I cook Moghrabieh every once in a while, not as often as cous-cous or pasta or rice— sometimes adding it to soups for body, sometimes making a casserole with a bunch of other vegetables, but usually, I serve it in place of rice with some vegetables.

I have to admit that I am a rice cooker fan - the standard electric kind. Many dishes get done without much fuss using my rice cooker - from the simple yet fragrant subzi biriyani to the creamy polenta. Quinoa, barley, millet all get cooked in the rice cooker, much like rice. And so did this moghrabieh.

Chicken breast is rather simple in this meal - marinate in a favorite marinade and pan cook it till done.

Veggies are just steamed - except, I then quickly pan-sauteed the carrots in a bit of broth to add some flavor.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked moghrabieh pearls

2 cups broth or water

1 tsp crushed caraway seeds (or cumin seeds)

1 tsp dried sumac or crushed fenugreek leaves ("Methi leaves" in Indian stores) 

1 tsp dried crushed mint leaves

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt as needed

Preparation

1. Sauté the uncooked moghrabieh in olive oil, adding the dry spices; then transfer to the rice cooker, add the broth or water and cook in the standard rice cycle; fluff when done and keep warm.
2. Serve it as-is with some sides like Indian Kofta curries, or Tagine, or add it to soups.

Barley, Lentil, Chickpea, Spinach Stew

Four simple powerhouse ingredients - chickpea, lentils, barley and spinach, plus some onions, garlic and tomatoes come together for this flavorful, hearty winter stew.

I cook barley in a rice cooker: 1 part barley to about 3 parts water or stock. I like to stock up on dry beans, soak and pressure cook them in batches and freeze them for later use. so, there is usually about 3 or 4 varieties of cooked beans in the freezer, ready to be used.

Brown or green lentils have a full-bodied flavor and don't get too mushy when pressure cooked, which adds to the texture of the stew.

I like the nutty crunch that the cooked barley adds as well.

Sometimes, I use Kale in addition to (or instead of) spinach in this recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup cooked barley
2 cups cooked brown or green lentils
1 cup cooked chick peas
10 oz frozen chopped spinach
3 cups fresh kale, chopped finely
2 cups vegetable stock or water

3 to 4 dry red chilies
1 medium onion diced
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
1 Tbsp chopped garlic

2-inch piece of Indian Cinnamon bark
1 black cardamom
2 medium bay leaves

1 tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbsp paprika powder
1 Tbsp coriander powder (optional)
salt to taste

Preparation

Combine the ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook till first whistle, turn off and allow to cool and release pressure a bit.

Open the lid when safe and simmer the stew in the pressure cooker for a few minutes till desired consistency.

Adjust flavors, garnish and serve with home-made herb dampers or Indian flatbreads.

Boston Cream Pie

It seemed like a sweet idea to commemorate the day of my entry into this world... and I was hoping not to do the commemoration myself.

Thanks to Cook's Illustrated, Papa and daughter pooled their skills to create the Wicked Good Boston Cream Pie as a birthday surprise!

I am a big fan of America's Test Kitchen and it is no secret that their recipes inspire and educate me, as I've shared here before.

So, there you have it, not an original recipe, not a dessert that I baked, but a fantastic one nonetheless and easy to make from scratch thanks to Cook's Illustrated. And pretty decadent.

Paruppusili: Warm Vegetable Salad with Lentils

Growing up on staple South Indian vegetarian cuisine - vegetables and legumes and grams along with rice and yogurt and a variety of pickles - I find that these still offer the comfort of sumptuous yet quick-fix meals.

Over the last decade, rather than white rice, I opt for quinoa or brown Basmati rice, sometimes millet or barley, with barley being more of a soup additive by preference than a rice alternative.

Combining vegetables with lentils for the protein boost is one of my favorite side dish or starter, if not the main course. The classic example is the Paruppusili dishes I make on and off and can't have enough of.

Just about any vegetable lends itself to this method of presentation, except the squashes (summer and winter) and  bittergourd and beets and greens, according to my mom. And, Kovakkai/Tindora Paruppusili used to be a very special treat during season.

Of course, I beg to differ... Beets+Potatoes Paruppusili is quite delicious with a unique combination of textures and tastes. And there is nothing like the crunch and nutrition of Kale Paruppusili.

The typical method is to soak the toor dal with some cumin and  dry red chilies and then grind it into a coarse paste, steam it, then pan fry it before tossing it with the cooked vegetables. Seems elaborate, but after arriving at some short-cuts and alternatives over the years, this is something I enjoy making on and off.

An alternative to the typical paruppusili is to roast and coarse-grind lentils and stir it into to finish the cooking vegetables:

Simply toast some Urad dal and chana dal till golden brown, along with some dry red chilies, asafoetida and cumin seeds and grind it in a spice-grinder to a coarse powder. Toss in some roasted peanuts, if preferred, while grinding.

I start with tempering for these dishes first - heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan, when it is shimmering add mustard seeds and when they pop add some curry leaves if available, then add the chopped vegetable, a pinch of salt and water as needed to cook the vegetables. Finish off the dish by stirring in the ground dal mixture. And for want of a better word, since 'paruppu' means lentils/dals, I still call this style of dish as Paruppusili.

Chayote Squash, Carrots and Cabbage Paruppusili

Galletti Tricolori and Romanesco Broccoli in Creamy Pesto Sauce

Romanesco Broccoli, or Roman Cauliflower, or Broccoflower as it is popularly known, has a peppery, mildly bitter flavor with crispy, crunchy florets that are packed with nutrients. I like it best when steamed with salt, rather than raw.

We got a large head of it at the Farmer's market and had some of it steamed for lunch and the rest of it was asking to be paired with the Galletti pasta in some creamy cheese sauce.

Galletti or Creste de Gallo, is a cock's comb-shaped pasta, "rooster pasta" as kids call it at home. Any pasta would be fine, of course, but, I save the special shapes like Gigli, Orechietti, Galletti for pairing with special vegetables.

I don't measure exactly for sauces - just some fat-free milk, some Smart Balance™ Omega butter, good melting cheeses like a combination of Colby Jack and Medium to Sharp Cheddar (Fontina, Gruyere, Muenster - but they are on the expensive side so I reserve them for fondue on special occasions), heated together gently until rich and velvety (adding just a bit of corn starch to thicken if needed)

Cook the pasta per package directions - about 8 minutes for al dente. Make the cheese sauce, adding some pesto to it, if handy. Steam the Romanesco Broccoli. Then, combine the three and serve warm topped with freshy grated Pecorino Romano or Parmeggiano cheese.

Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Feta

Grated raw beets and carrots, with par-boiled red pearl onions, a splash of distilled white vinegar and a dash of salt is my Dad's signature "salad", perfect if made a day ahead. Finely diced green chilies is optional. My version of beet+carrot salad is a bit different these days.

Since childhood beets has been a favorite with me - my mom's spicy beets+potatoes curry goes perfectly with Mor-Kozhambu and rice.

On and off, I add beets to salads. And sometimes, beets is the primary ingredient as in this salad recipe. It is a wonderful summer salad, served cold.

I pressure cook the beets in bulk, with skin on, then peel and chop, and freeze them if not using right away.

This Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Feta is best when prepared a day ahead and allowed to develop flavors.

Ingredients
Whole beets, cooked, still firm not mushy, bite-size slices
Red onions, thinly sliced
Feta, crumbled

Balsamic Dressing:
1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp Pomegranate Red Wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Agave nectar (more if preferred)
1 tsp Tabasco® sauce
1 tsp ground smoked paprika


Whisk the ingredients for the dressing, drizzle as much as needed and toss lightly with the beets and onions; top with feta, cover and save in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Black rice, Bean salad, and Pan-fried Butternut Squash

'Kadhambam', as they say in Tamil, is a catch-all word for 'combination/mixture' of unlikely things.

Kadhambam is what this dinner turned out to be one weekend:
- a tiny butternut squash was beckoning to be sliced and pan-fried with just a touch of salt+pepper
- a cup or so of black rice bought on a whim from the bulk food store was waiting to be cooked
- last of the Pickled Pearl Onions needed to be used up to make room for others
- a quart jar full of 4-bean salad was developing flavor for over a week and ready to be enjoyed

Black rice was cooked in the rice cooker much like brown rice, with the last of the pickled pearl onions tossed in and a light sprinkling of salt.

Four Bean Salad: Soak and cook white beans, black beans, chickpeas, and pinto beans till firmly cooked, not mushy. Add some chopped zucchini and onions, if preferred. Toss with favorite balsamic vinaigrette.

I make a batch of this Bean Salad (3-bean, or 4-bean, sometimes even 5-bean) on and off and leave it in the fridge to use as salad topper for quick meals - adds the proteins and carbs to the green salad and doubles as a dressing/vinaigrette. 

Pear Apple Sauce

Not a fancy recipe, just a plain old staple with my signature fusion of organic home-garden fruits - viz., apples and two varieties of pears.

We had a lot of apples and pears and plums from our garden this year. Usually, the trees skip a year or two bearing bountiful fruits only once in 2 years or so. This was one of those good years.

As we don't use any pesticides or chemical synthetic fertilizers, the worms and bugs get to the fruits often unless we are vigilant. Plums seem immune from any infestation so far.

After canning about half a dozen pint jars of Apple Plum Butter, I still had enough apples leftover to make something else.

We had very few traditional pears - the kind that kids loved eating off the tree for a snack. But, there were plenty of Asian Pears. (Also susceptible to bugs.)

And that's how this Pear Apple Sauce came about: After cutting and discarding worm-eaten fruits, there was enough pears and apples to make about 2 half gallon jars and 2 pint jars of Pear Apple Sauce.

Simply chop the fruits coarsely (skin and all), cook in just enough water to soften them. Puree in batches. Return to boil. Keep simmering while canning as usual in a Boiling Water Bath.

I added a hint of cinnamon and some Agave nectar as I had splashed some lemon juice on the cut fruits to keep them from browning too much. If it is too tart, the kids don't prefer it, but I didn't want to use any sugar.

Just 4 simple ingredients (two is probably all the is traditionally used): fruits, water, cinnamon, agave nectar, simmer and save.

Soy Bean Kofta Curry

Not another kofta recipe again... I was telling myself when I thought of posting this, but the dish was quite tasty as usual that it would be a nice addition to this Kofta collection.

Soak soy beans overnight. I like how the round dry pearl-like beans soak and get into the oval-ish bean shape. Pressure cook them with some salt and spices. At this point the beans can be cooled and frozen for another day.

When ready to use, mush them in a blender and add some flour to make a dough that can be shaped into firm balls. Either bake or deep fry the balls. Sometimes, I coat the balls in batter made from chickpea flour before deep frying.

For the curry, blend some garlic, ginger, tomatoes, mint, coriander, cumin; heat oil in a pan, saute some onions along with the curry paste, add some water as needed and simmer.

Slide in the fried or baked kofta before serving; garnish with cilantro, spring onions and serve warm with naan or basmati rice.

Apple Plum Butter

We had a fairly sizable yield of Jonagold Apples and Italian plums from our garden this year. The apples, plums, pears in the garden usually skip a year or two for giving maximum fruits, so, the years when they are aplenty I like to can them.

As they are organic, the worms get to the apples before we do so it is a bit tenuous to share it with friends. As we joke at home, What's worse than biting into an apple and finding a worm? Biting into an apple and finding half a worm!

Chopping the apples up and getting the good parts is usually fun, even if a bit tedious.

Plums have been safe from bugs so far - birds and squirrels get to them first. There is a short window when they are perfectly ripe for picking, when they are juicy and sweet and ready to eat. But they are just fine when they are firm but tart and work well for jams and preserves.

I like to can some of them whole, pit and all, in mild syrup so it saves time. But taking that extra effort to pit the plums and make jams and preserves is very satisfying too.

The Apple Plum Butter/Jam is a pretty straightforward recipe: simply cook with favorite spices for long enough time till apples caramelize to a thick jam-like consistency.  I did not measure exactly for this batch.

Ingredients
Chopped apples, skin and all
Chopped Italian plums, pitted
Lemon juice
Prune Juice
Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves
Brown sugar (or Splenda, just enough to reduce the tartness)
Apple Cider vinegar
Water as needed

I cooked the above ingredients on stove-top for about half an hour over medium heat, then transferred to a slow cooker/crock pot and left it overnight on low, and finally increased it to high to finish cooking for the last 2 hours. Indeed, it takes about 14 hours to make this but one taste and it convinces me that it is worth it.

I made some garlic relish as well, and some key lime pickle - my favorites - Indian-style. Unlike the usual Chunky style Lime Garlic Chili pickle, I diced the key lime finely and minced the garlic and chopped the chili to make a Thokku-like pickle.

Hawaiian Chicken Breast with Bulgur Salad

'Hawaiian' marinade is just in spirit as pineapples and hot sauce and soy sauce inspire the island flavors for me.

The bulgur salad is mild with Mediterranean flavors and it complements the sweet-and-spicy chicken breast well.

Ingredients
For the Hawaiian marinade:
4 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
¼ cup pineapple juice
2 Tbsp Sambal Oelek or Sriracha™ hot sauce or Bull Snort™ Texas Tail Torcher sauce
2 Tbsp Agave nectar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp canola oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

For the bulgur salad:
½ cup bulgur
1 cup water (salted if preferred)
1 cup chopped bell peppers - red, yellow, orange
1 medium summer squash diced,
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp capers
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
6 Kalamata olives, chopped
Feta, crumbled, as much preferred
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)

10 mint leaves for garnish, cut into ribbons
Sliced almonds, dried pineapples, dates, prunes for garnish

Preparation

1. Marinate: Reserve some marinade for basting while cooking; combine the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken breasts for at least an hour, or overnight in the fridge until ready to cook (avoid acidic juice if marinating overnight)
2. For the Bulgur Salad: 
• Bring the water to a boil in a sauce pan, add the bulgur, turn off heat, cover and let it sit for 20-25 minutes; drain if needed and fluff with fork; allow to cool to room temperature
• Sauté the onions and squash in some olive oil, with a pinch of salt; allow to cool to room temperature
• Combine the bell peppers and the rest of the ingredients for the salad, along with the sauteed onions and squash, with the cooked bulgur; garnish with feta and mint leaves
3. Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a pan; drain and discard the marinade and cook chicken breasts till done - depends on the thickness/size of the breasts; baste part way through to keep it moist and flavorful
4. Garnish with almonds, chopped dried fruits, and mint leaves and serve at room temperature

Tricolor Gigli Salad with Roasted Squash, Bell Peppers and Purple beans

The colorful gigli (campanella or riccioli) pasta with a burst of fresh vegetables and a light dressing makes this a delicious pasta salad, especially when prepared ahead and served cold on a warm summer evening.

We had some vegetables from the home garden  - purple bush beans, green beans, onions, tomatoes. Use any favorite vegetable combination for the pasta salad.

Pan roast the squash and onions; mildly saute the carrots, bell peppers, green and purple bush beans; or leave them raw, no need to saute... I prefer almost 2:1 ratio of vegetables:pasta in my pasta salad.

The dressing is rather quick and easy if pesto is handy. I had some home-made Mint and Fennel Pesto as mint and fennel are overgrown in the garden. Or, any favorite store-bought pesto can be used.

Ingredients
2 cups cooked tricolor gigli pasta
1 medium summer squash, cut into chunks
1 medium Walla Walla sweet onions, sliced
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced or chopped
1 or 2 carrot, cut into discs
as many purple and green beans as preferred
½ cup cooked Mayo Coba beans (optional)
2 Tbsp capers
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
1 to 2 Tbsp oil for pan roasting

Dressing:
3 to 4 Tbsp Mint-and-Fennel pesto
2 Tbsp beaten non-fat yogurt (or sour cream)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp ground smoked paprika
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Pomegranate red wine vinegar
1 tsp Samabl Oelek (or any hot sauce or chili paste)
salt to taste

garnish: fresh herbs - I used rosemary, oregano and fennel from my garden

Preparation

1. Cook the gigli pasta per package instructions to al dente. Drain, rinse and keep handy.
2. Pan roast the vegetables (or use them raw if preferred), allow to cool
3. Combine the dressing ingredients, all but pesto, and beat to a smooth thick consistency; taste and adjust flavors
4. Toss the vegetables and pasta together at room temperature, add pesto and just enough of the dressing to lightly coat the salad, reserve some dressing in the fridge if preferred to serve on the side
5. Chill the pasta salad in the fridge for an hour or up to a day 
6. Garnish and serve cold

Leeks and Red Cabbage Kofta in Red Pepper, Beets, Chipotle Sauce

The title says it all. This is another kofta recipe, this time, in keeping with my signature fusion cuisine, the sauce is made with Chipotle in Adobo Sauce, Roasted Red Bell Peppers and Beets, along with a few staples for Indian curries. I love the rich, deep red color that these ingredients lend to the sauce, not to mention the unique taste and the antioxidants.

The koftas were made a bit differently this time, from my other kofta recipes. No special reason for making it this way, other than to experiment and bring together ingredients from other cuisines and how they work together. If deep-frying is not an option, then, the koftas can be baked in a 450°F oven (I use the smaller toaster oven for this) till done.

Of course, I don't always include every detail, but, when using leeks, it is preferable to wash it a few times and make sure all the grit in between the layers are gone. Also, I don't measure exactly - I keep adding a little of this and a little of that till it feels right, so, for the koftas below, the measurements are approximate at best.

Ingredients
For the Kofta:
1 cup finely chopped red cabbage
¼ cup finely chopped leeks
2 Tbsp chickpea flour
2 Tbsp rice flour
2 Tbsp dry fine-grain cous-cous
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tsp salt
water as needed

oil for deep frying

For the Beets, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Chipotle sauce:
2 Tbsp Chipotle in Adobo sauce
about 12 oz of roasted red bell peppers
¼ cup of diced or grated beets
1 cup tomato sauce
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 Tbsp Garam Masala powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar (more or less)
salt to taste
water as needed
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt, beaten to be smooth

Preparation

1. Combine the dry ingredients for kofta, adding a little water at a time to form a thick dough that can be shaped into balls; set aside for 5 to 10 minutes while getting the sauce ingredients ready; meanwhile, heat some oil in a pan for deep frying
2. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce, except yogurt and water, and blend into a smooth paste
3. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan, add the sauce paste, saute a bit, then add about a cup of water, turn heat to medium low and allow to simmer for a while
4. While sauce is simmering, fry the shaped kofta balls a few at a time over medium heat so as not to brown the outsides too fast with the insides still uncooked; I usually test the oil temperature by frying one kofta first as I don't really measure the oil temperature, and figure out how long it takes for it to be cooked through
5. When the sauce has thickened and reduced a bit, taste and adjust flavors, turn off heat, allow to cool for about 5 minutes before adding the beaten yogurt
6. Add the beaten yogurt, toss in the koftas and let them sit and absorb the flavors of the sauce for another 5 to 10 minutes; the longer the koftas soak the softer and tastier they get, but too long and they will fall apart easily
7. Garnish with cilantro, spring onions, and a sprinkling of dry dill weed
8. Serve warm with brown basmati rice or naan or rotis

Chicken with Mango and Pepper Sauce

Growing up with more than two dozen varieties of mangoes, enjoyed every season till we can't bear the smell of it anymore, it is no surprise that mangoes excite me, even if I get just two or three varieties in the local markets.

A ripe mango, some Turkish Pepper paste, some roasted red bell peppers, a few Walla Walla onions from the home garden, and a few leaves of fresh mint also from the home garden came together for this dish.

A jar of Tazah® Hot Pepper Paste is a staple in my kitchen. It is fairly mild, even though it is labeled Hot.

Cut the chicken breast in half and serve this dish with a drizzling of sauce and a side salad for a light yet satisfying meal. Or, serve the whole chicken breast floating in a bowl of sauce with some hot brown basmati rice on the side and some home-made naan to mop up any remaining sauce.

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

For the rub:
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp paprika powder
1 Tbsp Tazah® pepper paste
1 tsp salt
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

For the sauce:
3 Tbsp Tazah® Turkish Pepper paste
6 to 8 Pickled Walla Walla Pearl Onions (I had it handy and wanted to use it; this is optional)
½ cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
3 or 4 fresh mint leaves

Preparation

1. Carefully slit the chicken breast to create a pocket
2. Combine the ingredients for the rub to make a thick paste and rub the chicken breasts with it
3. Reserve some diced mango for garnish, some for the sauce, and stuff some of the diced mango into the pockets in the chicken breasts, securing with toothpick as needed; marinate for about 20 minutes (or more if preferred)
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and place the chicken breasts carefully in the pan at high heat and let it sit for about 2 minutes; then flip the breasts over, turn heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes till chicken breasts are cooked through; remove from heat
5. While the chicken breast is cooking, make the sauce; combine the sauce ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer at medium high heat till the sauce reduces and thickens to desired consistency; taste and adjust salt
6. Slide in the chicken breasts into the simmering sauce, allow to simmer for about 5 minutes more in low heat
7. Garnish with the reserved mango pieces, some fresh mint leaves and spring onions if handy

Chicken Makhani

I make my version of Chicken Makhani recipe quite often, much like Chicken Tikka Masala, or for that matter, Mole Chicken or Stuffed Chicken Breasts. Often times, I substitute the chicken with vegetables like cauliflower and potatoes as I am not fond of poultry or other meats.

Anyway, rather than fat from butter and cream, as traditional recipes suggest, I just use creamy non-fat yogurt to get the rich texture. Which might raise the question, In that case, can this still be called Chicken Makhani? And the answer for me is Yes! it is still rich and thick and creamy as I expect this dish to be.

Marinate the chicken in any favorite marinade or rub. I usually cut them into cubes and rub them with garam masala powder and marinate them in a bit of vinegar for about 15-20 minutes while I get the other masala paste ready.

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups tomato sauce
salt to taste
water as needed

2 cups creamy non-fat yogurt, beaten a few minutes till fluffy

cilantro and spring onions for garnish

Marinade: distilled white vinegar, favorite herbs/spices, salt

For the Masala Paste:
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 star anise
2 bay leaves
1 1" stick of Indian cinnamon bark
5 or 6 dry red chilies
1 tsp paprika
¼ cup finely chopped fresh ginger
2 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp brown sugar

Preparation

1. Marinate the chicken
2. Combine the Masala paste ingredients in a blender or food process and grind to a fine paste
3. Heat oil in a cooking pan, add the masala paste and sauté it till it is aromatic and rich in color
4. Add the marinated chicken pieces, tomato sauce, salt to taste, water as needed, cover and let it simmer over medium heat till chicken is cooked; if the sauce is too runny at this point, remove the cooked chicken and simmer the sauce till it reduces to desired consistency
5. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes; then add in the cooked chicken if taken out in the previous step
6. Fold in the beaten yogurt, garnish and serve with naan or rice.

Sweet & Crunchy Walla Walla Pearl Onions

Being a casual dabbler in the home-gardening front, I periodically ask myself why do I want to grow what I am planting in my garden right now? Why this plant vs. that (for the annuals)? And there is usually no logical answer.

Some are my favorite (eggplant, chilies, green beans) and usually work out cheaper if successfully grown at home, some just don't grow in the native soil and weather, and some others (like tomatoes) I can them for the winter months knowing it is organic, pesticide-free.

Although potatoes and onions are dirt cheap almost year round, I still love the onions in my garden. And this is why:

1. it is the Walla Walla variety, which is less pungent, mildly sweet, crisply fresh and a bit more expensive than the regular yellow onions;
2.  I get to pick them young as Pearl Onions (not the true pearl onion variety, of course) and savor them in many recipes (Pearl onions can get quite expensive in my local markets); 
3. plus there's always plenty of scallions for garnish.

We've been harvesting the onions from the garden since last Spring, replanting some, saving the seeds from some and so on. The 7-year-old at home usually likes this job - to dig up onions from the garden - as long as I set the limit, say, "Fill up this basket" or "Get about 20 onions" or something specific.

When the onions refuse to grow, I guess it will be time to give up this addiction to the Sweet & Crunchy Walla Walla Pearl Onions and move on.

One of the recent batches became a delicious jar of pickled onions - vinegar, salt, a hint of sugar, some black pepper and dried red chilies: boil for about 5 minutes, cool and store in the fridge.

Hearts of Palm, Chayote Squash, Radish Seed Pods salad

Hearts of Palm, Chayote Squash, Radish Seed Pods plus a few other vegetables come together for this summery salad served chilled, with Asian flavored dressing.

I threw some vegetables I had handy as I liked the combination, but, any favorite set of vegetables would work as well.

The salad tastes better when prepared a day ahead and allowed to rest in the fridge and develop flavors.

Ingredients
a jar of SunPix™ Hearts of Palm, cut into rings (use as much as preferred)
1 small chayote squash, peeled an diced
¼ cup water chestnuts (optional)
¼ cup radish seed pods (optional)
½ cup chopped baby corn
a handful of sugar snap peas
1 crisp fresh tomato, pulp removed if preferred, chopped
1 carrot cut into rounds
a handful of chopped bok choy
3 or 4 mint leaves, chopped finely for garnish
1 tsp lemon zest for garnish
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Asian Peanut Chili Dressing:
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp sambal oelek
1 tsp ginger marmalade (or orange marmalade)
1 tsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp unsweetened peanut butter

Preparation

1. Blanch the chayote squash in salted water, drain and keep handy
2. Blend the dressing ingredients and keep handy
3. Heat the peanut oil in a pan, saute the vegetables with a hint of salt, adding in the blanched chayote squash - all except the hearts of palm and tomatoes - for a few minutes and turn off heat; allow to cool completely
4. Toss in the tomatoes and hearts of palm with the sauteed veggies, drizzle some dressing, chill in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes; garnish as desired, drizzle more dressing as preferred and serve cold

Zucchini Mahshi

This Lebanese-cuisine inspired Koussa Mahshi or Stuffed Zucchini with a blend of Mediterranean spices, served hot with fresh warm flat bread, is a treat to be relished.

Small whole zucchini is cut at stem end, cored, stuffed and stewed in tomato-based sauce.

I had fairly large zucchinis and scooping out the core seemed tricky, so, I cut them in half and made little zucchini cylinders/tubes. One half of each zucchini is open at both ends, the other half is open only at one end.

Of course, this means, stuffing is not going to be contained inside and will definitely ooze out when cooked, but, the whole blend in the pot with the softened zucchini cylinders, the sauce, and the aromatic rice stuffing came together nicely in the end.

I used the left over stuffing from Swiss Chard Dolmas.

Ingredients
5 or 6 small zucchinis, stem-end trimmed, cored

For the stuffing:
(see Swiss Chard Dolmas)

For the sauce:
12 oz tomato sauce
1 medium onion, diced finely
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried mint (or about 12 to 15 mint leaves chopped finely)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 pod of cardamom, crushed
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
water and salt as needed

Preparation

Stuff the zucchini and keep handy

Bring the sauce to a simmer in a large pot and arrange the filled zucchini cylinders, cover and simmer over low heat till zucchini is tender and cooked just enough, but not mushy.

Swiss Chard Dolma

Dolmas: Something Stuffed.

Flavorful stuffing wrapped in favorite leaves and steamed. Be it East Asian style lettuce leaves or Mediterranean style grape leaves or Swiss chard.

Blanch the Swiss chard leaves after cutting away the white thick stems carefully. I have a tendency to over-stuff, but, this time I managed to use just enough and wrap it into tight little packages for steaming.

Brown rice with toasted pine nuts, feta, and dried cranberries, flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and a hint of cayenne pepper makes up the stuffing for these Swiss Chard Dolmas.

I served it with a Balsamic Vinaigrette dip and Sweet Chili Sauce. But a delicious rich tomato sauce or a light and delicate Mint-Yogurt sauce or Tahini-Sumac-Yogurt Dressing would be wonderful as well.