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Cauliflower Subzi

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Cauliflower Subzi4Spring is here and there is an abundance of fresh vegetables in the grocery stores. I picked up a medium sized cauliflower the other day and made a “subzi” out of it for dinner. Subzi (or subji) simply means vegetable dish and it can be used with any vegetable. My cauliflower subzi turned out well and I thought I would share the recipe with you.

For this dish, I suggest that you use fresh ginger and garlic and crush them using a mortar and pestle. Using bottled ginger and garlic from the grocery store changes the taste of this dish completely. Also, make the extra effort to roast and crush whole black pepper and whole coriander seeds to sprinkle on the dish just before it is done. This extra step gives this cauliflower subzi a unique North Indian flavor.

Cauliflower Subzi
1 medium cauliflower, separated into bite-sized florets
1 cup sliced onion
2 teaspoons crushed garlic (about four or five garlic cloves)
1 teaspoon crushed ginger (about 1/2 inch piece of ginger)
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon whole black pepper
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

In a large pot, set over moderate heat, add three tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft. Add garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chill flakes, salt, and cumin seeds. Cook for one minute and then add the coriander, turmeric, and garam masala powder. Stir and cook until the oil separates from the tomato-onion mixture.

Add the cauliflower and mix well, stirring occasionally, to make sure that the cauliflower does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook for seven to eight minutes or until the cauliflower is done.

In the meantime, place another small frying pan over low heat and gently toast the black pepper corn, and coriander seeds for three minutes. Remove and cool. Put them in a mortar and pestle and crush them to a coarse grind. Sprinkle the crushed pepper-coriander mixture over the cauliflower. Stir gently, cover the dish with a lid, and turn the heat off. This dish goes well with fresh rotis (Indian bread).

Penne with Chicken in a Spicy Tomato Sauce

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PennaThe credit for this recipe goes to my daughter, Jyoti. This Italian pasta, with an Indian twist, is a beautiful springtime dish. It is easy to prepare and requires only a few ingredients.

Many of my Indian friends in the U.S. have a special blend of spices called Telugu masala in their kitchen cabinets. I get my stash of Telugu masala from Aunty Absolom. It’s the best! In this recipe, I’ve given you the choice of using plain chilli powder or Telugu masala. You can adjust the amount to suit your taste.

A few points to remember when making this pasta dish. When cooking the penne, salt the water well. Since the penne will be cooked in the sauce again, cook it just shy of being completely done. There must be a bite to the penne. Italians call it al dente. You can use minced chicken or turkey breast for this recipe. Also, I try to buy the best spaghetti sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese that I find. It makes a big difference! The brand of tomato sauce that I used for this recipe is Paesana and I bought it from Whole Foods.

Penne with Chicken in a Spicy Tomato Sauce
1 13.25 ounce box Barilla whole grain penne (cook to al dente using directions on the box)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ pound minced chicken breast
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
3 teaspoons chilli powder (or Telugu masala)
1 25 ounce jar of spaghetti sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)
2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or spring onion

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the minced chicken and brown, gently breaking it up into bits with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and cook until light brown and tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the chilli power and saute for 30 seconds. Then add the spaghetti sauce, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat to low and cook for five minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the penne in a large pot to al dente. Use the directions on the box and make sure that you add enough salt while cooking the penne. Reserve two tablespoons of the cooking water, drain the penne and return it to the pot.  Add the sauce to the penne and toss over medium heat. Add the reserved cooking water and let the penne absorb some of the sauce. Remove from heat after two minutes. Garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and parsley or spring onion. Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Potato and Habanero (Very Hot!)

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Habanero and Potato Fry2

There are times when I like to eat something spicy and hot. It is at these times that I pick up habanero chillies from my neighborhood Asia market. They have green, orange and red habaneros and I discovered that the flavor of these extremely hot chillies go well with potatoes.

So, I’m sharing this recipe with all those that like their “subji” hot every now and then. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you. I had this dish with parathas yesterday and had to have a bowl of yoghurt right after. But it was worth it. Give it a try if you dare!

Potato and Habanero (Very Hot)
1 small onion
5 medium sized potatoes
3 cloves of garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 habanero, sliced in quarters
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Peel and slice the onion. Peel the potatoes and quarter them. Cut them into small 1/8 inch slices and put them in cold water. Cut each tomato into eight pieces. Peel the garlic and ginger and crush them in a mortar and pestle.

Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and when they sputter, add the sliced onion. Fry the onion until they turn translucent. Add the tomato, cumin seeds, coriander and turmeric powder, and salt. Stir and let the tomato cook until the oil separates from the tomato-onion mixture. Drain the potatoes and add them. Cover the dish and turn the heat to low. Do not add water. Cook for about 15 minutes. Then put in the habanero and cilantro. Stir gently, cover, and cook for another five minutes. Turn off the heat and serve with piping hot rice or parathas.

Rose Cookies

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Rose CookiesRose cookies or “achappam” as they are called in Kerala are made during special occasions. I must warn you that they are addictive and it is difficult to stop with just one of these delightfully crisp sweet treats. This isn’t the easiest thing to make, but I can assure you that with a little practice you’ll be an expert soon. You will need a rose cookie mold to create the rose shape.

This particular recipe was handed down to me by my mom. She used fresh coconut milk unlike what I am doing in this recipe. I’ve used store bought canned coconut milk. It doesn’t taste exactly like the rose cookies my mom made but it is close enough to stifle my craving.

Rose cookies
1 cup all purpose flour
1¾ cups fine rice flour
¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp sesame seeds
½ tsp cardamom powder
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup water
Oil for deep frying

Sift the all purpose flour into a large bowl. Add the rice flour, sugar, salt, sesame seeds and cardamom powder. Mix the coconut milk and water in another bowl and then slowly pour it into the flour while stirring constantly. Stir until you have a smooth batter with no lumps. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Heat oil, for deep frying, in a wok. Place the rose cookie mold in the oil so that it will also get heated the same time as the oil. Test to see if the the oil is ready by putting a drop of batter into it. If it sizzles and comes to the surface, the oil is ready.

Gently take the mold out of the oil and dip it into the batter about three quarters of the way up. Do not dip the whole mold in the batter. You will hear it sizzle. Put the mold back into the oil and let it sit in the oil for about 40 seconds. Then gently shake the mold so that the rose cookie comes off the mold and floats in the oil. Turn it over and let the other side fry until lightly golden. Remove on to a paper towel lined baking tray. Cool completely before serving or store in an airtight container.

Banana Fritters

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Banana Fritters

I got the idea of making banana fritters when I ate beignets at Founding Farmers in Washington, D.C. I added the ripe banana just to give it a hint of banana flavor. I served my fritters sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar, but if you are adventurous you could serve it with chocolate or caramel sauce.

Banana Fritters
2 eggs
1 teaspoon oil
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons sugar
1¼ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 very ripe mashed banana
Oil for deep frying
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Beat eggs, oil, milk, vanilla and sugar. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add to egg mixture and beat until the batter is smooth. Stir in the mashed banana.

Heat oil for deep frying in a wok over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Drop tablespoonfuls of the batter gently into the oil. Fry until both sides are lightly golden brown. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar while the fritters are still warm. Serve immediately.

Cabbage Thoren

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Cabbage ThorenCabbage “thoran” is a dish my mom made often. It is a Kerala specialty and the main ingredients are shredded cabbage and grated coconut. Thoran means dry vegetable dish, in that it does not have a gravy. I am sharing with you a basic thoran recipe. You can switch the star ingredient, cabbage, for French green beans, carrots, or spinach.

My mom was my favorite chef and I loved the food she made for my family. During dinner, she would often tout the health benefits of the vegetables she cooked. When we had cabbage thoran, her lecture would go something like this: “Did you know that the cheap, humble looking cabbage can do wonders for our bodies? It has more vitamin C than oranges. It helps to repair the wear and tear of our bodies and also treats ulcers and certain cancers, while strengthening our immune system.” I am sure my brothers and sister can hear my mom’s voice right now. I catch myself doing the same thing at my table with my children!

My daughter-in-law, Dharti, likes this dish so I find myself buying cabbage more often than I used to. Shredding cabbage is easy to do with a mandoline. In India we used a small stone mortar and pestle to crush the ingredients required for this recipe, but you can use a blender or food processor to do the same job.

Cabbage Thoren
1 small cabbage, finely shredded (about 6-8 cups loosely packed)
1 teaspoons red chilli seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 cup grated fresh coconut (or grated frozen coconut)
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black gram dal
6 tablespoons sliced shallots
1 sprig curry leaves
2 green chillies (optional)

Coarsely grind the chilli seeds, cumin seeds, finely grated garlic and 2 tablespoons sliced shallots in a food processor. Two or three pulses should do. Add coconut and turmeric and pulse again so that all the ingredients are coarsely ground.

Wash the shredded cabbage, drain well and put it in a saucepan over medium high heat. Make a well in the center of the cabbage and add the ground ingredients. Cover the ground ingredients it with a little cabbage and put the lid on the pan. Cook for about six minutes. Stir well and if there is water, remove the lid and let the water evaporate. Remove from heat.

Heat oil in a small pan over medium high heat. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter, add the black gram dal and let them brown lightly. Then add the curry leaves and chopped shallots. When the shallots turn light brown pour the seasoning is ready. Pour it over the cooked cabbage. Stir well, garnish with fresh green chillies and serve.

Blueberry Pancakes

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Blueberry pancakes3There’s nothing like waking up to pancakes on a Sunday. I wish I could have them more than once a week. I must admit that, for many years, my pancakes were made from a box of Bisquick. This morning, I made some blueberry pancakes from scratch, thanks to the crew from America’s Test Kitchen. And they are simply amazing!

My family knows I love cookbooks so when they visit me they often bring me books. My nephew, Bobby, and his wife, Anna, visited recently from New York and they brought me, The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook – 2001-2013. Thanks, kids, I love the book. The blueberry pancake recipe that I share with you today is adapted from this book. So, get in the kitchen and give this recipe a try. I promise, you will not go back to making pancakes from a box!

Blueberry Pancakes
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup fresh blueberries

Place the blueberries in a mesh strainer and wash them gently by running cold water over them. Dry the blueberries on a paper towel lined plate.

In a medium bowl whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Whisk the egg, melted and cooled butter, and buttermilk until combined. Make a small well in the center of the dry flour mixture; pour the milk mixture and whisk very gently until just combined. Don’t over-mix.

Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat; add 1 teaspoon of oil and turn the pan to coat the entire surface. Pour ¼ cup of the batter onto three spots on the pan; sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the blueberries over each pancake. Cook until large bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake. About two minutes. Turn the pancake’s and cook until golden brown on the other side. Make the rest of the pancakes in the same manner. These pancakes taste best topped with butter and dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Yummy!

Mushroom Soup

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Mushroom Soup2A bowl of hot soup is a welcome comfort on cold winter evenings. I make soup for dinner quite often  because it is easy to make, filling, and light enough for an evening meal. The mushroom soup recipe that I am sharing with you today is a basic recipe which can be changed easily with whatever vegetables you have on hand. For example, if you don’t have enough mushrooms, you could add a potato, two carrots, two sticks of celery and make a vegetable soup. Soup and toasted cheese sandwiches are made for each other. Try this recipe and let me know how it turns out. Stay warm!

Mushroom Soup
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 cups chopped button mushroom and stems
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup hot water
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Wipe the mushroom clean and slice into ¼ in thick pieces. You can use the stems as well.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium low heat. Add the shallots and sauté until transparent. It will take about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and cook until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and stir well so that the pieces are coated with butter. You can turn the heat up to medium high at this point. Stir once in a while until the mushrooms release their liquid. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover the pot and cook until all the water evaporates.

Add chicken stock or vegetable stock and the hot water. Cover and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mushroom are fully cooked and tender. It will take about 20 minutes. Let the soup cool.

Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Put the puree back into the large pot and add the cream. Bring to simmer over low heat. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with croutons and little blobs of cream.

Coconut Ice

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Coconut IceI wonder how many of my Indian readers remember buying coconut sweets from little shops in India. They were kept in large glass jars – looking very tempting. During my high school days, my friends and I would use spare change from our allowances to buy a couple to share.

For those who have never tried these, I highly recommend them. They are similar in texture to coconut macaroons with a dash of exotic flavor. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did all those years ago.

Coconut Ice
1½ cups sugar
½ cup water
½ cup cream
2 cups unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon ground cashew nut
1 teaspoon ghee
1 drop of red food color

Using parchment paper, line an 8×8 inch square baking pan.

Add sugar and water to a large heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches 235 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Or until the sugar and water mixture reaches one thread consistency. Being very careful, add the cream, desiccated coconut, ground cashew nut, ghee, red food color, and mix well. The color of the coconut ice should be light pink so add only a drop of red food coloring.

Immediately spread the mixture into the parchment lined pan. Press firmly and allow it to cool completely. Cut the coconut ice into squares or diamond shapes.

Kerala Red Fish Curry

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Kerala Red Fish CurryThis classic Kerala fish curry is cooked in an earthenware pot that is called a “manchatti” in Malayalam. When I moved to Washington, my mom gave me a small manchatti which I used to cook the fish curry that you see in the picture. You can use any fresh, fleshy fish of your choice to make this dish. The curry tastes best the day after cooking it.

There are many variations to this dish as there are Malayalee homes! I say that because my red fish curry tastes a little different from my sister’s version. I use Kashmiri chillies to give it its bright red color and hot dry red chillies to give the dish heat. You can reduce the number of chillies to suit your taste buds. My son, likes his fish curry to be hot so the curry I make is very spicy.

Kerala Style Red Fish Curry
1 pound fish (any fleshy variety that you like)
14 dry hot red chillies
14 Kashmiri chillies
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 pinch fenugreek seeds
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
4 tablespoons coconut oil
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
3 pieces of Malabar tamarind (puli)
2 cups water
salt to taste

In a small pan add the chillies, coriander, and fenugreek seeds and roast them over medium low heat. When they smell fragrant, remove, cool and powder in a spice grinder. Soak the Malabar tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain and dry on a paper towel.

Place the manchatti or pot on medium high heat. Add coconut oil and when the oil is hot add mustard seeds. When they splutter add curry leaves, ginger, garlic, shallots, and the Malabar tamarind. Fry for about 30 seconds and then add the powdered spices. Immediately add 2 cups of water and salt. Stir well and when it boils add the pieces of fish. Turn the heat to medium low and cook until the pieces are done and the gravy thickens.