Spicy Herb Garlic Spread

Garlic

What comes to your mind when you think of some vegetable or bulb that is aromatic (or pungent to some)? To me, it is non other than garlic. I love it’s aroma and the the flavor it releases when cooked with other ingredients or by itself. It is usually used as seasoning or condiment than as a main ingredient. It also has medicinal properties and known to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and such. There is a restaurant in San Francisco called The Stinking Rose. You might wonder what’s that all about. The name is such because anything and everything is made of garlic in this restaurant including their ice-cream. Wow. Sounds weird? But the tastes great. People say that once you eat at this place and come out you are bound to smell like garlic for the next few days. Now, that I am not sure. But, I won’t insist that you eat that much garlicky food in a day but in small amounts such as a spread.

Recipe:
2 medium size garlic bulbs
1/2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Pepper - freshly ground
1 tsp red chili flakes or per taste
1 tsp dried basil leaves

Cut the top of bulb a little bit. Rub the garlic well with oil.
Place it in an aluminum foil, slightly loosely seal it. Place it on a pan inside the over and bake it for about 35 -40 minutes at 375F degrees or until soft. Remove from heat, open the foil. Let it cool down a bit. See below for garlic top cut off before roasting and garlic after roasting.

Now squeeze the bulb from one end so that the garlic comes out in the form of paste. If it does not, it means it has not softened yet and you need to bake it longer. Mash the garlic, add salt, pepper, chili flakes, basil and mix well. Use it as a spread on a bread or toss it with pasta. YUM.

Spicy herb garlic spread with some bread ~ Mathy’s JFI - Garlic

What’s fresh?

Today, I am not sharing any recipes but what’s fresh in my part of the world that motivates me in cooking. I consider it as a gift to be in the sunny bay area where the weather is mild throughout the year for the most part. Thanks to the weather that I am able to find several locally grown produce. So, I decided to go to the farmer’s market to see what’s fresh in season and I was blown away to see the vibrant, colorful, crisp vegetables and fruits. The vine ripe tomatoes where so red & juicy, the daikon was just tender & perfect, the strawberries were juicy & sweet and not to mention fresh peas in the pod. I could not make myself resist and bought a whole bunch of them for my week’s menu. So, here is what is fresh in my part of the world, bay area, california.

Fresh vegetables from farmer’s market ~ Eat Fresh - Wonderful Winter

Sooji Dhokla

Sooji Dhokla

Dhokla is a fast food in India, especially in the state of Gujarat. It could be made from besan or sooji. My Mom made more of the besan version while my Mom-in-law made the sooji version and both are yummy. They are super soft and just melt in your mouth. With a side of dhania chutney, every bite of it tastes heavenly. I never feel guilty eating these dhokla’s because they are healthy; the main ingredient being channa dal or sooji and they are steamed. It is always a crowd pleaser and a wonderful light tea-time snack although my family enjoys it anytime. Because of it’s light & fluffy texture it’s a hit in a potluck among my friends and everyone relishes it, I could tell from their face.

A cup of sooji

Recipe:

1 cup sooji or ready made packet
3 - 4 tbsp dahi
Green chillies finely chopped (optional)
2 tsp Ginger paste (optional)
2 tbsp oil
10 fl.oz water
3 tsp rye
1 - 2 tsp red mirchi powder
A few green chilies slit lengthwise for garnish
Dhania finely chopped for garnish
1 teaspoon of Eno fruit salt or baking soda
Salt as per taste

Mix sooji, oil, water, dahi, ginger paste, chopped green chilies and keep aside for about 20 minutes. Pour some water in a vessel preferably a pressure cooker and heat it. Grease another vessel that will fit inside the cooker. Just before pouring the mixture, add the eno, mix and pour. Cover with a lid and let it steam. If you are using a pressure cooker, it’s easier to let the steam out. Else, use a lid which has a hole in it so as to let the steam escape. Cook for about 20 minutes. Check by inserting a knife or a tooth pick to see if the mixture sticks to it. If it doesn’t, then the dhokla has cooked through. Sprinkle some mirchi powder while they are hot so that they can stick to the dhokla. Heat oil in a small pan, add rye, let it splutter, then add the green chilies. Pour this mix over the top of the dhokla. Let it cool a few minutes and then cut it first lengthwise, then perpendicular to get that diamond shape. Garnish with chopped dhania.

Sooji Dhokla garnished with green chili, dhania and rye

TIP: Instead of using oil to grease, you can use PAM non-stick spray. This makes the dhokla’s come out easily without sticking. Also, if you do not prefer making this dish from scratch, you can always use the ready made Gits pack and they come out very well too. But just make sure to buy the Sooji Dhokla (White in color) and not the Khaman Dhokla (Yellow in color).

Mooli Paratha

Mooli Paratha

Paratha is a flattened wheat bread usually pan fried with ghee and served with either dahi, achaar or some vegetables. Paratha’s come in plain or stuffed with vegetables, paneer, or simple spices. It is wholesome and satisfies everyone at every meal. My mom always made paratha’s growing up and we never got bored of eating them. She knew how to make them interesting by making variations from plain to stuffed ones. My all time favorite was not one but a few varieties such aloo, mooli, gobi, methi. Every evening when I came home from school, my mom would make those delicious paratha’s. The aroma filled the air and melting ghee made the paratha turn golden brown and crispy too. Every bite of it would melt in my mouth. With a side of simple dahi or achaar would make it even more delightful. I would like you to experience this wonderful dish and pass it along to your family & friends and build memories as I did.

Recipe:
Atta 3 cups
Mooli 1 medium size grated
1 green chili finely chopped or as per taste
2 tsp red chili powder or per taste
Salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp jeera
Dhania fresh chopped (optional)

Add salt to the mooli and keep it aside so that the water from mooli can come out. After say about 30 minutes or so, squeeze the water in the mooli by placing them in between your palms. This makes the paratha come out well and easy to roll. Add the spices and green chili, dhania, check for seasonings. Add little water and salt to the atta and knead it like a pizza dough. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Then makes small balls out of them & roll out a little bit as shown below. Place a spoonful of the mooli mix in the center and close the left over atta so that the mooli mixture is completely sealed.

Spoonful of mooli mixture

Roll out the stuffed atta. Add some atta flour if needed so that it does not stick while rolling out. Heat a flat pan and put this rolled out paratha. After a couple of minutes, flip it. Now add some ghee or oil on top of the paratha and flip again. Press it with a spatula so that it turns golden brown. Flip to cook on the other side. Serve hot with some chilled dahi and/or achaar.

Mooli paratha served with a side of dahi and achaar

Mango Achaar

Cut mango pieces

We all love achaar (pickle), whether it is nimbu (lemon), mango, chili or the varieties that we get these days ranging from lotus roots, carrot, eggplant and much more. But I must admit that my all time favorite is mango achaar. It goes well with many dishes and sometime when I am feeling a bit lazy to cook (which is rare) I can still enjoy eating roti’s with mango achaar alone. Mango achaar can be made using small whole mango’s, grated, diced and may be many more ways. For the most part, they take time to soak and soften in the hot spices before they can be consumed. But I also make the quick version of achaar which I learned from my dear Mamma. It is super fast and is crunchy unlike the soft achaar. My family loves it so much that they almost eat it like a side dish. So, why not give it a try and see what they have to say?

Recipe:
Mango - raw and firm cut into small pieces
1 tsp of haldi
1 tbsp chili powder or as per taste
Salt to taste
1 - 2 tsp methi seeds
1 -2 tsp rye
1 tsp of hing
Oil
kari leaves (optional)

Heat oil in a vessel and add the rye, let it splutter. Then add methi and let the aroma infuse in the oil, add hing, kari leaves. Keep the flame low and add haldi, chili powder, salt, turn off the heat. Right away add the cut mango pieces, mix well so that the spices can coat well. Do not cover or heat or cook them so that they remain crunchy, that’s when you get the real taste of it. Once cool, bottle it up and serve when needed with all your main courses. I promise that you will be delightedly surprised.

Crunchy, delightful mango achaar

NOTE: You can use sesame oil a little for extra aroma.

Aloo Hara Channa Gravy

Fresh Hara Channa in it’s pod

What could be more appeasing to your palate than eating fresh hara channa that is in season. Aloo, a quintessential vegetable in every household is another all time favorite for the mass. To add more interest, how about a combination of aloo and hara channa cooked in an aromatic gravy that is not only nutritious but delicious? Today that’s exactly what was cooking in my kitchen this afternoon. Just a few simple ingredients and you are all set to prepare this dish. The aroma from the spices filled the air and even when my family was not hungry, none of us could hold on any further.

Recipe:
4 - 5 aloo boiled, diced
1 large onion
2 - 3 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 - 2 bay leaf
2 tsp rye
1 tbsp of oil
1 tbsp of masala or per taste
Salt to taste

Grind together onion, tomato puree, cloves with little water. Heat oil in a pan, add rye until it splutters. Then add cinnamon stick, bay leaf and let the aroma infuse in the oil. Now add the ground paste and saute until oil separates on the sides/raw smell is no longer sensed. Now add the spices and mix well, then some water to make it a gravy and add the hara channa. Let it cook with a lid on it. Add salt, then the cut aloo. Bring it to a boil. Garnish with fresh dhania. Serve with hot Paratha or Roti or Naan bread or Tortillas or even with some rice.

Aloo Hara Channa Gravy

Black Eyed Bean Sundal

Black Eyed Beans

Most of the beans including black eyed bean or black eyed pea are rich in soluble fiber which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They are a good source of minerals such as potassium, phosphorous etc. They are also low in sodium which helps in reducing blood pressure. When combined with other vegetables, they can be fulfilling and satisfy a complete meal.
In India, especially during festival seasons in the south, this recipe called sundal, is made from different kinds of legumes. My neighbors would invite us for the festival called Golu and it would be very interesting for me to understand the intricacies of the festival. But what I used to look forward was the sundal that they serve. The aroma and the simple spices from the sundal served warm would be so mouthwatering. And last night my family wanted something flavorful yet simple food, so I decided to make sundal and soup. The combination might sound a bit out of place but believe me, the warmth from the soup was so soothing and the wholesome meal out of sundal kept us all filling too.

Recipe: (Makes for 4 people)
1 & 1/2 cup black eyed beans
1 tbsp urad dal
1 tbsp rye
1 green chili chopped or per taste
Small piece of ginger
lime or lemon juice
A few kari leaves
3 tsp of oil
1 - 2 tbsp of grated coconut
2 - 3 tbsp grated raw mango

Soak the black eyed beans for at least 4 -5 hours. It is advisable to cook the beans with some salt in a vessel with a lid and not pressure cook because it becomes mushy soon. If you can pressure cook it just about until just soft and not mushy then by all means, do it. Drain the beans and keep it aside. Heat oil and add rye until it splutters. Then add urad dal; let it turn golden brown. Now add green chili, ginger,kari leaves, mix, add the cooked beans. Adjust seasonings if needed. Turn off the stove, let it cool before adding the coconut, mango, lime juice. Serve it as as or with a side of soup for a complete meal. I bet it feels good.

Black Eyed Bean sundal topped with grated mango and with a side of soup

Rava Idly

Everyday food ~ Rava Idly

Vegetables for rava idly

The idli or idly, is a savory dish popular throughout southern India. They are round in shape and are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented lentils and rice. The variation of rava idly comes from using semolina and it is a much healthier version because it is made from wheat and/or vegetables. Most often rava idly’s are eaten at breakfast or evening tiffin, served with chutney or other accompaniments. Steamed and made with rava and vegetables - what could be more tastier and healthier? I doubt it. They are so easy to make than regular plain idly’s because plain one’s need soaking, fermenting and grinding before cooking them. But these humble rava one’s make use of basic pantry ingredients and takes very less time before it is ready to be served on the table.

Recipe: (Makes about 12 idly’s)
2 cups of rava
2 small aloo finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
peas (optional)
1 tsp finely minced or grated ginger
1/2 cup dahi
2 tsp rye (mustard seeds)
2 tsp urad dal
2 tsp channa dal
some dhania finely chopped
1 green chili finely chopped
salt to taste
Oil

Use a couple of tbsp of oil to the rava and mix well. When you take a handful of the mixture in your hand and squeeze them, you should be able to hold the shape of the rava some what. If not, add a little bit more oil. This makes the idly’s come out soft. Keep it aside for about 10 -15 minutes. Add some water to the dahi and make it a butter milk. Heat 1 tbsp oil and add rye, let it splutter. Then add the urad dal, channa dal and until the color turns golden brown. Add this to the rava mixture. Add all the vegetables, ginger, chili and dahi as well and mix it well to get a little thicker than a pouring consistency.

Batter for rava idly

Pour into idli plates and steam it for about 15 - 20 minutes until cooked. Serve hot with coconut chutney or savor as is.

Rava Idly

Crispy Tava Plantain

Crispy, Tasty, Quick ~ Crispy Tava Plantain

Crispy plantain

We all love snacks especially if they are finger foods. As my family was watching some masala movie, I wanted to make it a little bit interesting; interesting not in terms of the movie, because I know I will fail but something to munch on which could make the situation a bit more acceptable. At least this is what my intuition was. So, I went over some of the ingredients in my pantry and refrigerator and there was this plantain that has been lying around. Thanks to my memory power that with no further due, I recollected the recipe my Mom used to make with this succulent vegetable. It needs a very few ingredients which is mostly available in everyone’s pantry and easy to prepare. It is widely used in southern India in a variety of dishes and they are truly delicious. Plantain leaf also serves a purpose; it is used in serving food traditionally and believe me when you eat it in that leaf, the food seem to taste more appeasing. The flower is also used in dishes and has some medicinal purpose too. Almost all part of the tree is useful in some form or the other. Today, I will use the raw plantain from this humble tree.

Raw plantain

Recipe:
1 or 2 plantain (depending on the number of people)
1/2 cup or so besan (chickpea) flour

Either the following:
2 tsp of red chili powder or per taste
1 - 2 tsp of turmeric powder

Or the following:
1 tbsp of sambar powder. I personally, prefer using this.
A pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
Salt to taste

Mix all the above ingredients with little water so that the consistency is of a dosa or a pancake batter. Taste it and adjust for seasonings. Make sure that you do get the aroma and taste of hing a little bit stronger and keep it aside. Peel the plantain and cut into thin rounds. It should not be so thin like chips but a bit thicker than that so that it cooks easily yet it can hold it’s shape well. Heat a iron or non-stick griddle and pour a spoonful of oil and coat it well. Dip each piece of plantain in the batter and place it on the griddle on medium low flame. Drizzle some oil around each plantain for it to cook. You will see that there are many plantains cooking at the same time for the first batch. After a couple of minutes flip the side and let it cook. Increase the heat a little bit to crisp it and to see that golden brown color. If the cut plantains are thick, I suggest that you on low flame with a lid so that it cooks through, then flip it, let it cook again with the lid covered and then crisp it by increasing the flame. Enjoy with some home made dhania chutney or hot sauce.

Crispy, spicy, satisfying plantain

Dhania Chutney

The versatile condiment ~ Dhania Chutney

Fresh Dhania or Cilantro or Coriander

Chutney or Chatni is a term for a condiment that originated in India which is spicy or sweet. It could be thought of being similar to the salsa or relish as it usually involves a fresh, chopped primary vegetable/fruit with seasonings added and used to accompany another food to add that extra flavor.

In India, a chutney is often made to be eaten fresh, using whatever suitable strongly flavored ingredients are locally traditional or available at the time. The most commonly available form of chutney is Dhania (coriander/cilantro) chutney which is used as a condiment in many dishes. The Hindi translation of “to make chutney” is a common idiom meaning “to crush”, because the process of making chutney often involves the crushing together of the ingredients. Although chutney is most widely known as a condiment originating in India, the concept has spread worldwide and modified to suit local needs.

Traditionally, chutney was made in a stone maker and is often regarded as vital to create the ideal chutney and perhaps tasted more delicious. Back home, in my Nani’s (Grandma) home, they still use the stone maker to make chutney and to be honest it really is delectable when compared to using any electric grinder.

Recipe:
Dhania bunch
small piece of ginger
1 -2 tsp jeera (cumin) seeds
lime/lemon juice as per taste
salt per taste
1 -2 green chilies as per taste

Grind all the above ingredients together in a grinder with very little water. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. As you store this chutney for a longer time, the color changes from lush bright green to dark green. So, if you want to store chutney for a longer time exclude adding lime juice and salt. Then, whenever needed, take a little amount of the chutney and add lime juice and salt to it. This way the brightness and color is preserved. Enjoy it with all your dishes.

A spoonful of dhania chutney for Weekend Herb Blogging