Daring Bakers June 2011: Walnut & Honey Baklava

Not an easy but an eminently rewarding challenge is how I'd describe the Challenge set us by Erica for June 2011. I have made Baklava before but this was my first time with making the Phyllo at home. Mine turned out really well except the top layer became flaky from staying in the oven a little too long!! Tastes superb!! Loved this recipe - a definite keeper!!

Fada | Dalia ka Upma (Broken Wheat Porridge)

Sunday breakfast is always special. Sometimes I get round to making it so leisurely after morning tea and papers that it kind of morphs into a brunch! In the good old days when I had a proper desi mixie, I'd make idli, dosa, vadas, dal cheelas, all of which my husband just loves. While we miss these, I now have the opportunity to explore a different range of healthy breakfasts that we had been missing out on!!

Patta Gobhi Aloo (Cabbage Potato Stir Fry)

Though we love cabbage around here and I always keep one handy, I was quite surprised to find an extra one in the refrigerator this week. Looks like it was hiding in the crisper and I had forgotten all about it!! I can't say I was disappointed to find it, as I had just decided to make a big batch of my favourite Cabbage Parathas to freeze!! The bonus cabbage went towards a childhood favourite - one that I almost never make at home now. And for a very good reason too.

Patta Gobhi Aloo is not easy to prepare. The cabbage can get soggy and completely wilt away in the pan. But after I ate this at my brother's a few weeks ago, I was inspired to try it again. It is a typical North Indian preparation and he made it exactly as my Mum does. In fact it was so tasty that I was hooked. 

Ingredients:
3 cups cabbage, shredded
2 medium potato, cubed (small)
1/2 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp lal mirch (red chili powder)
1/4 tsp amchur (raw mango powder)
2 tbsp canola oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin.
2. Reduce heat to a medium high. Add the turmeric and potatoes. 
3. Stir till the potatoes are well coated with the oil mix.
4. Now cover for 2 minutes, then uncover stir and add the cabbage.
5. Stir the vegetable so that the cabbage too is coated with the oil mix.
6. Reduce the heat to a medium low. cover and cook the vegetable.
7. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes.
8. Remove cover, add the red chili powder, raw mango powder, and salt to season.
9. Stir once and then cook for another five minutes uncovered.
10. The potatoes should be just done and the cabbage cooked but not soggy at this stage.
11. Turn out on to a serving dish and serve with rice and a dal of choice.
12. Alternatively, try with a chappati or paratha (Indian Flatbreads).

Once it was ready, I was so glad I tried this recipe again. It came out perfect. The flavours are light and wonderful and I just love this cabbage and potato combination!!

Vegan Recipe

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2011. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Tamatar-Moongphali Chatni (Tomato-Peanut Chutney): Version 2.0

This is another recipe for Tomato Chutney that I have been experimenting with last week. This time I used raw peanuts and dropped the jaggery. The result was a sharper and more tangy taste. Note that as the peanuts in this chutney are raw, the cooking time is longer. This results in a more flavourful chutney as the peanuts absorb the spice and tomato juice better.

Ingredients:
4 large tomatoes, chopped
2 green chilies, chopped fine
8 kari patta (curry leaves)
1/4 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
1/4 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
2 tsp lal mirch (chili powder)
A pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
1 cup raw peanuts, ground
3 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, reduce the heat to medium, and add the cumin seeds, turmeric, and curry leaves.
2. Now throw in the tomatoes and green chilies with a pinch of salt and sugar.
3. Cover the pan and let them stew in their juice for 7 minutes. Add the chili powder and ground peanuts.
4. Stir, cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Remove cover and cook, stirring continuously until the oil separates. 
6. Adjust seasoning including salt to taste.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This Chutney can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Good to Know:  

• Find Tomato Chutney Version 1.0 here.

Vegan Recipe

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2011. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Daring Cooks June 2011: Potato Salad

With the 4th of July weekend coming up, no recipe could be better suited for a Daring Cooks Challenge than one of Potato Salad. Iconic at barbecue tables across the country the salad itself has become a great summer eat! Of course there are innumerable types of potato salads - creamy, spicy, hearty, light. The sheer versatility of the potato allows for much variation in flavour and accommodation of regional taste.

I chose to make a classic-ish style of salad - creamy, cheesy, with a burst of flavour that comes from a combination of cilantro, lemon juice, and sour cream!!

Ingredients:
4 potatoes, boiled and cubed
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 ts crushed black pepper
1/4 tsp mustard powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp honey
1/4 lemon, squeezed
1 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cheese, grated

Method:

1. In a small mixing bowl, blend together the sour cream, honey, olive oil, and lemon juice.
2. To this mix, add salt, pepper, and mustard powder. 
3. In a larger mixing bowl, toss together the cubed potatoes, cheese, and the cilantro.
4. Pour the dressing over it and using a couple of forks, mix well enough to coat the potatoes well.
5. Turn into a serving bowl. Chill in the refrigerator before serving. 

Post Script: Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!

Vegan Substitute: Try dairy free sour cream and vegan grated cheese in this recipe.

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2011. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Masala Thalipeeth (Mixed Spice Flatbread)

Its been really long since I made Thalipeeth at home and I was craving this delicious moist flatbread typical of Maharashtrian kitchens. Several years ago when I was in Pune for a holiday with my parents, I remember strolling down the local market looking for bargains. Hot, tired, and ready for a meal, we ventured into an old-styled eatery that served pure vegetarian food prepared in ghee.

It was just past the local lunch time and the bustle had died down as we entered. We ordered the traditional Thalipeeth which is made with a special flour called Bhajani flour and served with a pat of butter. Occasionally, a vegetable and chutney may accompany this spicy flatbread, and here it did.

At home, I generally make Sabudana (Sago) Thalipeeth, as Bhajani flour is not easy to come by, and I don't have a good mixie. I also like to mix it up and experiment, and make Thalipeeth with other ingredients that I have handy in the pantry.

Ingredients:
11/2 cup atta + more for rolling
1 cup rice, cooked
1/4 tsp zeera (cumin)
1/2 tsp dhania powder (coriander seed powder)
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric)
1/2 tsp lal mirch (red chili powder)
1/2 tsp chaat masala
Salt to taste
1 tsp oil
Water as needed
Ghee as needed (clarified butter)

Method:

1. Sift the flour, masalas, and salt together in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the rice and oil, rub together with your hands to blend into the flour mix.
3. Use enough water to make a soft dough.
4. Set aside for at least half an hour.
5. Divide the dough into equal parts, each about the size of a lemon, roll into a ball.
6. Place some flour on a work board, flatten one ball of dough onto it.
7. Sprinkle a little flour on the top. 
8. Now using you fingers, rotate the dough as you flatten it further until it is 1/6 " thick.
9. Repeat for all the dough. Heat a griddle. 
10. Reduce heat to medium-high, then place a prepared thalipeeth on it. Cook evenly on each side.
11. Apply ghee on both sides, then place in a warmed tea towel till ready to serve.
12. Repeat for all the thalipeeth.

This version is so yum, I made some extra for snacking on. Cool completely, wrap in wax paper, then foil and store in the refrigerator or freezer. Bring to room temperature or warm before eating. Great as travel food too.

Vegan Substitute: Substitute canola oil for ghee.

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2011. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Matar Aloo Sukhe (Peas Potato Stir Fry)

A couple of week ago I got some extra time and decided to clean out the refrigerator. Out came all the vegetables, dairy, and fruit as I tried to decide what to do with each of them. Over what turned out to be an afternoon long cooking session, I made several bhajis, and a couple of sweets that lasted us the next few days.

One bhaji I made is the classic Matar-Aloo Sukhe that is eaten with Pooris in Uttar Pradesh. The recipe is simplicity itself with minimum spices and maximum flavour. It can be rustled up in a jiffy. I remember eating this on lazy Sunday afternoons in Delhi with fluffy hot Pooris, Kheera ka Raita, and Anardana Chutney. While it is not even close to possible to recreate those idyllic days, memories seem to force through every so often, and nostalgia takes over. That's when I dash into the kitchen with a craving that needs to be satisfied and get down to reliving the magic!!

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes,peeled and cubed
2 cups green peas
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp lal mirch peesi (red chili powder)
3/4 tsp amchur (raw mango powder)
1 tsp ghee

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin, then turn down the heat to medium.
2. Next add the potatoes and stir ensuring that they are well coated with the oil.
3. Cover and cook for five minutes. 
4. Stir, then add the peas, red chili powder, salt, and amchur.
5. Mix in, cover and cook for another 8 minutes.
6. Stir in the ghee, check for seasoning, serve hot.

Vegan Substitute: Skip the ghee in Step 6 of this recipe.

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2011. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Lasun Aloo (Garlicky Potatoes)

Its getting warmer here by the day and we have had temperatures hit the upper 80s in the last week. The sun is incredibly bright and everything outside looks beautiful as it basks in its warmth!! Its been a long time coming in our part of the world but summer has finally arrived. Our Farmer's Market is in full swing, with an amazing array of blooms, fruits, and produce. Just walking around the market is pure pleasure.

To come to the recipe at hand, I bought Yukon Gold potatoes after quite some time. These waxy wonders are great for stir fry style recipes as they don't crumble into a mass of mash. I find these potatoes cook fast and hold their own shape really well during the cooking process. Lasun Aloo is something like Zeera-Aloo which goes superbly with Pooris (Deep Fried Indian Flatbread). The Lasun, cilantro, cumin combination adds a great burst of taste to this Bhaji which tastes great with Saada Parathas, plain Rotis, and of course rice. This is what comfort food is all about.

Ingredients:
4 large potatoes, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
2 tbsp garlic, minced
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp cumin
2 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin, and then the garlic.
2. Fry for a couple of minutes.
3. Next add the sliced potatoes.
4. Stir until the potato slices are well coated.
5. Cover and cook on medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the cilantro and salt, then stir, cover and cook for another 3 minutes.
7. Remove the cover and cook the slices for about 3 minutes.
8. Remove from the heat.
9. Serve warm with rice and Arhar/ Tuvar Dal.

Vegan Recipe

All content, text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2011. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.