Kid approved Vegetable Cutlet

Saturdays were special. I had half day school. oh! it was a curse getting up early in the first place. 

You have to understand, my regular school timings (Mon-Fri) were 11:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturdays, 7:45 am-12:30 pm. so you can guess how annoying it was to wake up very early.

But early dismissal meant at least one good thing, going to meet Mommy! 

My Mother worked for the RBI. They had half day working on Saturdays too!

Sometimes I'd go to meet her at her office and then we would go shopping, Crawford market, Fashion street, Khau Galli were some of our stops. 

Our meeting spot was always the same. V.T Station ( now called CST Station), platform number 1, wait by the weighing scale ( *near* the scale, not on it, that would be embarrassing! ). 

I would come home from school, dump my bag, fling off my shoes, hastily change in to a 'good' outfit, grab money that was kept for me in a purse and race off to the station to get my 'return' ticket. 

I'd walk past the book stall on the station and glance at the 'headlines' on Mid-Day, look at all the glossies with glamorous film stars staring haughtily at me in their garish make up, which at that time (late 80-90's ) looked fine! and decide between 'Chandamama' or 'Tinkle' comic book, buy it with the spare money and settle down to read it before the train came. 

When I reached V.T station ( the last stop) I'd get down and dutifully wait next to the weighing scale. My Mom would hurry in at the appointed time and we would happily start our afternoon. Many a times, I'd just rush from home, without eating anything and in those cases, I'd be hungry as a hunter! I would make a beeline for a small booth that sold greasy food packaged by Railway Canteen. I always picked the cutlet. Teardrop shaped and brown colored. I liked these cutlets. Packed with a slice of bread, nestled on a small paper plate. I wonder if they still sell these cutlets... 

It's been about 2 decades  that I have not tasted those cutlets or stood next to the weighing scale in anticipation of an afternoon of fun and shopping, but those memories linger and today, I was inspired by those cutlets, tasted so many, many years ago.

My version is  Panko coated and pan fried and has vegetables peeking out here and there, unlike the deep brown deep fried version at the Railway snack booth. but I believe mine is healthier.

You need:

3 medium Potatoes  (I used the white skinned ones)

1/2 cup green Peas ( frozen)

~ 8 Baby Carrots, grated

1/2 cup Corn ( frozen)

2 Green chilies ( adjust to suit your tolerance)

1/4 cup Cilantro

1/2 tsp - 3/4 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds

1 inch Fresh Ginger

2 cloves Garlic

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Amchur powder (optional)

2-3 hefty pinches Garam Masala ( I used Badshah Rajwadi Garam Masala)

2 slices Bread (stale works best)

Panko Bread Crumbs to coat

Oil to shallow fry

Boil/pressure cook the potatoes. Cool, peel and mash.

In a mixie (chutney jar) or chopper, pulse the green chilies, ginger, garlic, cumin.

Pulse the bread slices, if using, and make them into crumbs. Add it to the mashed potato

Grate the carrot and place in a microwave safe glass bowl, add 2 Tbsp. water and microwave for approx. 2 mins to soften the carrot. 

Add the green peas, corn kernel and carrot (ensure that you drain any water left over after microwaving) to the potato and bread mash and mix well. 

Heat oil in a wok, add the pulsed green chilies, cumin, ginger & garlic and saute for 30 seconds (the garlic should not smell raw).

Add the potato- vegetable medley and mix well to distribute the spices.

Season with salt and amchoor ( dry mango) powder.

Sprinkle in the garam masala. Mix everything evenly and cook until the mixture is dry-ish. That is  there is no moisture in the mix.

Last, add the chopped cilantro. mix well and set aside to cool.

In a shallow plate, add the panko crumbs.

Set a pan/ cast iron skillet on on the stove ( medium heat)

Scoop a part of the mixture and shape it into a tear drop or round shape (whatever ou like, go on, shape them like hearts! ) 

Coat with Panko crumbs.  Spray or drizzle some oil on the skillet and gently place the patty on the hot skillet

Repeat the procedure for remaining patties. 

Do not over crowd the skillet when shallow frying the patties.

After a couple of minutes, flip the patties and cook on the other side. When cutlets are golden brown on both sides, remove and drain on paper towels.

Serve warm with ketchup or cilantro chutney 

My little one enjoyed these and made me the happiest Mommy on earth! Point to note, he is fussy and would not eat if he could spy vegetables, but he polished off this cutlet! 

Notes:

You can substitute with vegetables of your choice,for ex: cauliflower, beans, cabbage 

If you like, add a tbsp of chopped mint leaves along with the cilantro. 

I have used white skinned potatoes, these mash easily and are a tad sticky and therefore I added a couple of slices of bread. If you use red potatoes or russet, you may not need the slices, use your judgement.

Slap the cutlet between  hamburger buns, add chutney, lettuce leaves, tomato and cucumber slices, cheese slice and your Vege. burger is ready! 

If you do not have panko bread crumbs, use fine rava/ semolina instead.

These freeze well. 

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Tari dar Aloo Kofta

The best thing about potatoes, you will agree with me, is that they are so 'adaptive'. much like your typical Indian 'bahu' (daughter-in-law) as portrayed in many Bollywood movies. 

But deep fry them taters in hot oil and they are transformed, they take on a glamorous avatar and dazzle you, think from a versatile Meena Kumari  to a sizzling 'item' like Katrina. 

The thing is, potato ( in it's deep fried glory) dunked in any sauce, was un-thinkable, where I was concerned.

Here's why.. many, many years ago, somewhere in a restaurant in Mumbai, I walked past many tables to go to an empty one on a busy day (as always, in Mumbai). of course, I  glanced, casually, here and there.. not intentionally, you have to understand, but  the eyes flicked casually over passing tables and I saw a sight, that shocked me and a memory, to this day that confuses me. A man sat at a table enjoying, batata wada in (gulp!) sambar.

I was clear in my mind about one thing, Batata wada= Mumbai, Sambar= Madrasi ( no offense, but 25 or so years ago, anything South Indian was Madrasi, even though my roots lie in Karnataka, it was Madrasi). Mixing this wada or indeed any kind of potato dumpling with that sambar, ayyo! 

I never dunked my batata wada in anything other than the fiery red garlic chutney ( and occasionally in green cilantro  chutney and a tamarind-jaggery chutney) they serve on a piece of old news paper at any road side. I cannot imagine anyone doing anything else. I am rigid on that count. 

And then I find this recipe, that changes my perspective ( and no, still not going to dunk my batata wada in sambar, but about a dumpling in a sauce).

If you think these are batata vadas, you are mistaken and if you say they are koftas, I'll just say, " smart, you read the post title". I just went on and on about the batata wada to confuse you ;), that and the fact that I have a batata wada fixation.
Not that these dumplings are any less addictive.
The curry base is also fantastic, compliments the  koftas very well. 

Source:660 curries 
For the dumplings:
1 pound Russet/ Yukon gold potatoes 
1/2 cup firmly packed Cilantro 
4-5 fresh green Chilies
6 medium sized cloves, Garlic
1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp. Garam Masala

1 cup Chickpea / besan flour sifted

1/4 tsp  Turmeric powder

Oil for deep frying

For the sauce base:

2 Tbsp Ghee (or oil) 

1 medium red Onion, roughly chopped

2 ( inch long x 1 inch wide) pieces of Ginger, chopped

1/2 cup Raw Cashew nuts

1/4 cup Golden Raisins

1 (15 oz) can Tomato Sauce

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped, to garnish

Pressure cook the potatoes, peel and mash. (the author has a different procedure, he suggests, peel and cube potatoes and cook them on the stove top until tender, mash. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water) 

In a mixie (chutney attachment /jar) or food processor, pulse the cilantro, chilies and garlic. 

Mix this in the mashed potatoes, add 1 tsp salt and garam masala.. Mix thoroughly. form small vadas /dumplings/ patties

Combine turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt and chickpea flour in a bowl. add warm water to make a thick batter ( like for pancakes)

Heat oil in a kadhai / wok. Line a plate with paper towels. Once the oil is hot (350 F) take a patty, dip it in the  batter and gently slide it in the hot oil ( deep fry up to 4 patties at a time) and fry them to a beautiful  yellowish brown color. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat for the rest of the patties.

Make the sauce:

Heat ghee in a large saucepan over medium high. 

Add onions, ginger, cashew and raisins and stir fry till the onion turns light brown around the edges, the nuts are brown in places and  raisins, plump.

Pour in the tomato sauce and scrape the bottom of the pan releasing any browned bits of onion . 

Reduce the heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened.

Transfer the sauce to a blender  and puree. 

Pour the sauce back into the saucepan and add the reserved cup of 'potato water' . 

If you have pressure cooked the potatoes, there won't be any starchy water, add regular tap water.

Add salt and stir. Gently heat the sauce.

Lower the koftas in the sauce and  cover them with the sauce.

Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Do not stir or the koftas will fall apart.

Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

FYI:
660 curries is the Chowhound Cookbok of the month ! Check out what others are cooking and read all about their experiences with the delightful recipes in this fantastic cookbook!

A few weeks ago, I got a very pleasant surprise, from a very close friend. She and I  talk over the phone, e-mail and discuss anything and everything!
Like many friendships in blogworld, ours is also a virtual friendship. We have never met.. yet it feels like we have known each other for ever so long. M-one day after he saw I was glued to the phone for a long time, talking, laughing- he wondered out loud, which of my Indian friends was up so early ( at dawn) to talk SO energetically with me, that too about food and kids. All I can say is, his face was a picture when he heard I was talking to a person I have never met, except thru our logs! hehehehehe!
Coming back to my surprise parcel! The first thing I want to talk about is a packet of chivda. For those who read the blog and know me are aware that I *love* chivda.
I got the parcel just as we were heading out and without any ceremony we opened it in the car and started munching! What was left ( because both , M and I, were being polite by leaving the last spoonful or two for the other) is the only proof I have of this tasty, finger licking good chivda!

This is the only picture I have of the left over chivda, which I was able to share  thru Instagram after a lot of fiddling ( I realized after this experience, that I have much to learn and retain where all this picture sharing etc. is concerned and more importantly, passwords to remember!) 

The other surprise was a a silicone mold ( sea shell shape), currently in the possession of the little one, who has taken a fancy to it ( but of course, Mommy needs it and therefore it is just has to be in his hands!). The mold was to make these awesome Lotion Bars. 

Ash has me hooked to making soap and lotion bars at home!She also sent me a sample bar and I knew I had to make them at home. It is easy and doable for a person , like me, who has no craft gene! I used the sea shell mold to make bars and I was lucky, I got a chance to send a few back home ( in India) for my Mother! Picture of these cute bars will be updated when I make my next batch (and rescue my mold which is currently used as a home for colorful erasers- It's just perfect, in S's words... yeah , yeah, sure! )

Thank you, Ash! I hope one day, we meet, in person and talk and eat and laugh, just like over the phone!  I am so glad I *met* you and really look forward to *really meeting* you and your family members! 

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Cucumber Sweet and Sour Chutney

Or to call it by it's real name, Theeya Dhosakaya Pulusu Pachadi'.

We'll come back to the tongue twister in a bit! 

A few weeks ago, my friend Sujata had borrowed my copy of 'Cooking at Home With Pedatha'. Sujata is a fan of South Indian cuisine.... well, she is a huge fan of Idli-sambar, to be accurate. 

When her parents were visiting, she tried out this recipe and I had a share in it too. 

Interestingly, had I not tasted this chutney at her dinner table, I doubt I would have been in a hurry to make it, let alone blog about it.

To me, Cucumbers mean sandwiches and raitas/ koshimbir. Cooking cucumbers was a big no for me. I had tasted cucumber daal once and disliked it, somehow that experience left it's mark on my memory with a deep rooted dislike for cooked, gloopy, squish ( in Marathi, one would call it 'gilgileet') cucumbers. That was until Pedatha stepped in to rectify it! 

This  book is a treasure, I tell you ( yes, I am repeating myself) 

And this chutney is a keeper. The flavors mingle so well to create a tangy tango in your mouth and you want seconds in no time. I made this  last week, when Sujata and I combined forces for a Ganpati Potluck at her house. 

I kept thinking of my Father when I made this relish, he would have loved it. Maybe, if my parents visit us, I will get an opportunity to make this for them (among the ten thousand other things I want to feed them! )

 Try it, you will love it! Trust me. 

You need: 
2 medium Cucumbers
3Tbsp. Thick Tamarind Pulp (soak Tamarind in warm water and extract pulp, discard solids)
1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
2 tsp. Sambar Powder
11/2 tsp Sesame seeds
1 heaped Tbsp. Jaggery
2 Tbsp. Chopped Cilantro
1 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Tempering
1 heaped tsp. Urad daal / split husked black gram
1 heaped tsp. Mustard seeds
2-3 red Chilies, nicked at the tail, stalks retained
2 Green Chilies, slit and stalk removed
5-7 Curry leaves
1/4 tsp Asafetida powder

Peel the cucumber and chop into thin 1 inch long pieces or 1/2 inch cubes
Dry roast the sesame seeds on a low flame until golden brown  and grind to a coarse powder
Heat oil in a wok/ kadhai, add the urad daal (gram daal), as it turns golden, add the mustard seeds. These will pop on contact. 
Lower the flame, add the chilies, curry leaves and asafetida.
Add the chopped cucumber and stir for a minute
Add the tamarind pulp, turmeric powder and sambar podi, powdered sesame seeds and jaggery
Cover and cook for a few minutes
Add salt just before switching off the heat. 
Garnish with Cilantro.
Serve as a side dish.


I enjoyed this side dish with warm rice and a tiny drizzle of ghee.
I also enjoyed it with Jowar bhakri and Masale Bhaat.

Some Telugu friends of mine, at my son's bus stop assured me that I had used the wrong cucumber and that Dosakaya meant this. I was confused, maybe you, my dear readers, can clarify and if you have used the yellow melon/ cucumber, please do leave me a comment and I will look it up on your blog.

Wrong or not, this is one awesome side dish you will not regret making. Cooked cucumbers never tasted this good! 

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Turkish Pilaf

We live around Dallas, one big hub of Indians and Indian community related activities. 

We miss out on most activities.

Something, always, comes up.

One day, it is a late meeting.

The other it is a migraine.

Then the son decides to throw up his entire, dinner, for no reason.......wait, there is a reason, we had plans to go out. Right, glad I got that straight.

So all in all, you can imagine how our social calendar looks like. 

I ain't complaining, just tellin' it like it is.

I guess my parents went thru this too, when I was little. 

When I think of all this, I miss my parents, more than the usual. (Don't we all?)

My favorite type of entertainment is a small party of close friends over for dinner. Fun, laughter, good food and the closeness we share. We are lucky when our friends have their parents visiting, that way Little S  gets a small share of 'Aaji and Ajjja' (Grandma and Grandfather), that tides us over till the time I can convince our parents to visit us.

This summer, my good friend Sujata's parents were visiting her. This was an additional bonus for me, her daughter is my son's 'Tai' ( he treats her like his elder sister) and now he would get to share her grandparents too!  It's good learning for me too, Sujata's Mom is a fantastic cook and I was always in and out of her kitchen looking, learning and sampling! 

4 months passed off in a blink! We met, laughed, dined , celebrated birthdays and soon it was time for them to leave. 

We had to get together for dinner and say good bye to them. Sujata suggested I bring a couple of items and she would make something and make it a small potluck. 

Deciding on what to cook was easy. There was the 15th. August celebration  organized in the city, we did not go ( read the first few lines, they will explain why). Sujata and her family went and she got me this little cookbook. I was thrilled. I have tried a couple of Hare Krishna  recipes earlier and loved them. This book would provide some more with equally delightful results. I was sure.  

I decided on one recipe from this book and another from my very favorite, 660 curries.  Recipe coming up soon.

Turkish Pilaf sounded just right!  A fitting recipe to bid them Bon voyage.

the combination of the pilaf and curry was refreshingly different and we all enjoyed it.

Here's what you need to feed 6.

3 Cups Vegetable Stock or Water ( I used water)

1 Tbsp Extra virgin Olive Oil

1/2  cup Pine Nuts

1/2 tsp Yellow Asafetida powder

1 1/2 Cups Basmati Rice (or other good-quality long grain rice)

4 whole Cloves

One, 1 inch cube Ginger, sliced

2 Bay leaves

Two, 4 inch stalks Fresh Thyme

Three, 3 inch strips Orange Zest

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1/3 cup Currants

3 Tbsp Chopped Flat leaf Parsley

Bring to a boil the Veg. Stock in a small sauce an over moderate heat

Cover and reduce to a simmer.

Heat half the olive oil in a 2 liter/ quart over low to moderate heat, when slightly hot, add the pine nuts.

Toast them in oil for  a minute or two, until golden brown and fragrant.

Remove  saucepan  from heat, quickly remove the nuts from the oil and drain on a paper towel.

Return pan and remaining oil to heat.

Warm remaining oil and sprinkle asafetida, stir momentarily, drop in the rice and stir for -3 mins. or until the rice grains turn translucent.

Pour the boiling stock on the rice. Add cloves, ginger, bay leaves, thyme stalks, orange zest, salt and pepper.

Raise heat to high and quickly bring rice to a full boil.

Immediately reduce the heat to very low and cover pan with a tight fitting lid

Remove saucepan from heat, allowing  the delicate rice grains to firm up for 5 minutes.

Lift the lid and carefully, allowing the delicate  rice grains to firm up for 5 mins.

lift the lid and carefully extract the cloves, thyme stalks, ginger and bay leaves, which should be sitting on top.

Carefully fold in the currants and flat leaf parsley and serve hot.

Notes : 

I made some changes to the recipe
- I used cranberries instead of currants , I could not find any :(

- I used Walnuts instead of pine nuts ( read about pine nut mouth) on Nupur's OHS and have been vary since. 

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A little outing and 2 restaurant reviews

Last week, we made plans to take a small vacation. Finally. 

M gets 3 weeks vacation, like most slaves ;). This, if not claimed, is washed down the drain ( which has happened) without any compensation. Smart people ( and those like us, who learn things the hard way), therefore, take leave, when opportunity arises.

Since he is about to start a new project, come September, last 2 weeks of August seemed like a good time. 

We plan things quickly, make bookings quickly, pack minimally and set out. Our destination this time was Houston. It was a matter of minutes before we booked our hotel ( we prefer Marriott Group, simply because they have a kitchenette), booked the car  and we traveled during the week. 

For the first time in 4 years, I traveled without my kitchen! Let me explain, traveling with little S meant cooking food,  I was not too happy about restaurant cooked food for him and preferred making a simple khichadi for him, this ensures no unpleasant shocks with sickness. It did mean carrying my rice cooker and a pre-made khichadi mix from home. 

Now that Little S is 4 and enjoys eating out, we decided to drop the extra baggage of carrying 'the kitchen'! 

But wait, it is still not that easy! When I say eating out, it does become difficult with an antsy 4 year old, fresh from a long-long drive and I do not like spending my time trying to get him to eat or behave, my solution ? Take everything to-go. Sitting in my hotel room and eating peacefully! Ah! Luxury :)

The first night out, we ate at Cuisine India ( read: to- go dinner) 

Tired after a long drive we just wanted to fill our belly and so we did not  do the appetizer, entree, dessert courses. We  ordered only what we needed and therefore, I am giving our opinion only based on what we ate. 
M ordered chicken in Ceylon Curry, a curry redolent with green chilies and heat!  he enjoyed the taste and the serving size was generous. The curry came with Basmati rice and a small salad on the side.
I ordered Paneer Makahani and Naan, keeping it simple as paneer is a good source of protein for little S and for me as well.

The naan was soft  and light, the paneer was soft and fresh, the gravy was mild and creamy,  S enjoyed the combination! I liked the over all taste, however the gravy was on the sweetish side and a strong cardamom scented one. Not offensive, but a bit overwhelming for my taste. But I liked that they were generous with the quantity of paneer pieces and gravy.

The entire meal cost us ~$25, reasonably priced and generous quantities!
For those dining in, the restaurant menu has a good selection  has a pleasant ambiance, and the wait staff is knowledgeable and quick.
Location:
1212 Nasa Parkway

Nassau Bay, Texas 77058

281-333-4343

www.cuisineofindiaclearlake.com

Overall Rating:  4/5

Our outings are child-centric ( no surprises there) and at a pace and time he can handle. 

Day 1: We spent an enjoyable day at the NASA Space Center, marveling at everything, firing the little one's imagination!

We headed back to the hotel in the evening, tired and hungry. That night we got dinner to-go from Mogul.
Here is what we ordered.

M tried the Reshmi Kebab. And for all of us, I ordered, Navratan Subzi, Veg. Biryani, Naan and Zaiq-e-shahi (dessert)

Again, generous helpings. Food taste and quality, very disappointing.

M declared the kebabs were, strange. 
The naan was good, the navratan subzi was a disaster. The vegetables used were probably frozen vegetables, at least the beans were, they were limp, rubbery and inedible. The vegetables were not well spiced, I do not mean hot/ spicy, I like mildly spiced, but there has to be some flavor. 
The biryani was another disappointment, it tasted like biryani rice had been added to  the navratan subzi and a few cashews, fried and sprinkled on top.
The dessert was Gulab jamun in basundi, not too bad, but cloyingly sweet.
The entire meal cost us around $28-30
The restaurant has large capacity with a banquet hall. Reasonably priced, but the taste was just not up to the mark.

My Rating: 2/5
Location:
1055, Bay Area Blvd., Houston, TX 77058
Tel:  281-40 3097

Day 2 we visited Moody Gardens and loved every minute of it.

Everything worked out well for us!  Maybe because it was a week  day. It wasn't too crowded, there was no waiting in lines etc. and the weather was amazing!

There is plenty for little kids and adults to enjoy. There is a fun ride ( height restriction for kids), 3D ( we opted for the Coral Reef 3d movie, there are choices ex: there is one about Sharks, Polar Bears etc)  and 4D movies ( Dora and Diego Adventure, up to 12:00 noon and The wizard of Oz thereafter) 

There are 3 pyramids with exhibits, there is the Rain forest Pyramid, which is so, so beautiful! It abounds with flora and fauna found it rain forests and is fascinating, even to children.

The second pyramid has a Science Exhibit, they have the 'Bodies Revealed' exhibit ( camera usage not allowed) at this time. Though fascinating for older children and adults, young ones are likely to be bored and sensitive children may get scared. 

The third pyramid is the Aquarium and has a large variety of fish and turtles and penguins etc. 

There is a water park and a small beach, which brought back beautiful memories of our time spent in Los Angeles and made us long to go back! 

There is a lot to do on Galveston Island for those who wish to explore more. We restricted ourselves to just Moody Gardens.

Day 3 was spent at the Children's Museum , a wonderful world made just for children, but one that is fun for adults who want to refresh or even discover some facts! Little S had a great time and had to be dragged back to the hotel, he played a lot in the water zone. I did not do my homework and did not carry extra clothing for him, my bad! 

We spent about 4-4 1/2 hours playing and then ventured out in the water zone, so his fun was not cut short, but yes, we left some part unexplored :(

 We came back home on Sunday, happy and tired. I want to 'fess up here. I had a lot of fun in these 4 days but like Little S, I wanted to fret and complain, " I want to go hoooooooooome", just because I wanted home cooked food! I kept thinking of piping hot rice with Daal and pickles. regular chapati/ fulka with a simple stir-fry of vegetables, yogurt-rice.......... oh! 

The first thing I did on returning ( apart from the cleaning up and all those rotten, boring chores) was to make  a simple Gujarati Daal ( recipe coming up) with Rice and scarf it down! 

Does that happen to you as well? Do you long for home cooked meals when on vacation? What do you crave?

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Scallion Parathas

To me, parathas, came in 2 varieties Plain or Stuffed (with potato), there wasn't anything else, the restaurant menu said so.
When we went to restaurants, my mother would opt for a plain paratha, my father liked plain tandoori roti and glutton that I was, I wanted butter Naan. I could never finish one and eventually I would grudgingly share 2 quartered pieces with them.

Then of course I graduated to stuffed paranthas and what a discovery that was! Good bye boring poli-bhaji! I wanted parathas and with Aloo stuffing ( that was the only one I knew). Of course now, thanks to a variety of restaurants  opening  in every nook of the city, we are exposed to cuisine from all corners of India and can sample so many varieties that can satisfy the taste buds and  also leave us wanting more.

While I love my Aloo, Gobhi, Paneer etc. parathas, every now and then, I  go on a fridge cleaning spree and finds small ziplocks of cut vegetables that I had quite forgotten or  something I had picked up at the Indian store meaning to try out a certain recipe but never got to it. does that happen to you, as well?

On such days, I mix and match ingredients to make my lunch / dinner as the case might be.
Last week, I got 3 bunches of scallions, meaning to try out some Asian inspired Noodles, Of course I  had every intention of trying  that recipe,  then I got caught up in routine activities around home and day to day cooking, used 2 bunches ( with  every intention of using the 3rd. bunch fr the noodles, or so I kept telling myself), which never happened  and that is how this recipe was born..

This is a forgiving recipe and you can eyeball the ingredients in the stuffing, within reason of course. 

I used Roti dough for the outer cover.

For the stuffing :

1 bunch Scallions, chopped ( whites and greens)

1/2 tsp. Red Chili powder ( more if you want it spicy)

1 tsp. Coriander powder

Hefty Pinch Kasuri Methi

Salt to taste

2 tsp finely chopped Cilantro

Set the griddle / tawa to heat on medium- medium high.

Mix all the ingredients ( except the salt)  for the stuffing and set aside.

Roll out a small ball of dough ( lemon sized ball of dough), spoon the stuffing in the middle, pull up the sides and seal to make a ball.**

Dust with flour and roll evenly into a circular shape.

Place on the ht griddle and drizzle with ghee/ oil, cook on both sides till golden brown with spots that are a shade darker.

These parathas can be eaten by themselves. As an accompaniment, make a raita ( peel and grate a cucumber, add yogurt, salt to taste, sprinkle with black pepper powder and you are done - this is the-most-basic-raita- recipe and works well with the paratha). You can also pair it with Aloo Gobhi or Rajma. 

NOTES:

Add salt to the stuffing, just before making parathas. Salt will release water in the onions and make it difficult to roll. 

** If you find it difficult to to stuff the filling and seal to roll, make it easy, roll out 2 thin rounds/ tortillas/ rotis of the dough, spoon the mixture on one round, top  with the other, seal the ends  by pressing together, dust with flour and apply gentle pressure with the rolling pin to spread the filling evenly. 

These are best served right off the griddle.

I had the opportunity of writing another article for the New Indian Express and was published  over the weekend, please take a few minutes to read it. The Right measures get the dish right. Thank You.

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4 Ingredient, Creamy Mango Ice cream

I am cross and fidgety when I go out these days. No points for guessing why. The normal temperature here in Dallas has made up it's mind to keep at a loony 3 digit. Only at night, around midnight does it come down to 2 digits, fat lot of good that is! I cannot wake  Little S at that ungodly hour to go for a special walk, can I?   huh! 

To top that, who knows what creature may be roaming free? Don't raise your eyebrows at me! Did I tell you, dear readers, of the time when we had recently moved to this apartment, when one night, around midnight or a quarter to, when M and I were talking to our family in India, glancing out of the window, we spotted 2 coyotes loping on the path right outside!? Yikes! My curly, frizzy hair  stood up in silent shock! Good God! To think, that just the day before,we had gone out and returned home late, real late, gulp!  and walked home, unsuspecting, slowly, carrying a sleeping toddler in our arms, not knowing, not even guessing! 

So now, I  try not to stay out after dark, unless I have lots of company. Better safe than sorry, what! 

What does this have to do with a food post? Why everything! You see, going out in the daytime is pure insanity, for me at least. If I do, the end result is cross and cranky, migraine-y and an antsy 4 year old... what a combination!  Safer option, stay indoors, crank up the air conditioning and invent ways to keep a 4 year old engaged. 

I draw atrocious pictures for him to paint ( he likes them, his, good job Mommy! with a pat on my back makes me feel like some great artist) and watch with pride as he colors his lady bug a violent yellow or pink, his stegosaurus in 4 different body colors and  a varied colors for the plates on his back.

After that is done, we turn to the kitchen, painting (and drawing) are tiring and make us hungry. We churn up something edible and spend time.

Last week, the temperature stayed steady at an oppressive 108F. Foul weather like this demands making ice cream at home. 

If you have 4 ingredients at home, you can make it! 

Interested? Read on........

I could capture just this one shot before we ate most of it! 

You need:

3/4  Cup Mango Pulp ( I got Alphonso Pulp, nothing close to the real thing, but such as it is)
1 Cup Powdered Sugar ( 1 1/2 cups, for those who like it very sweet)
2 Cups Heavy Cream
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

If using granulated sugar, blitz it in the spice mill / coffee grinder (only if the spice mill is free of any smell of spices etc.) / mixer attachment.

Add the sugar and lemon juice to the mango pulp and combine ( I use my hand mixer)

Add the heavy cream and whisk until soft peaks form ( do not over do it)

Transfer the contents to a sturdy plastic container with a tight fitting lid and freeze  ( I left it overnight)

Optional, Top with chopped mango bits to serve or serve plain, either way, you have a wonderful treat for blistering hot days! 

I also wanted to share something with all of you! A few weeks ago, the Executive Editor of The New Indian express contacted me and asked me if I was interested in writing an article for the paper. Of course I was thrilled and agreed. The article was published in the Sunday edition. I am glad I got this opportunity!!

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Green Noodles

An Indian on foreign turf, makes a beeline for the Indian grocery store, like a homing pigeon. He/she will fill the cart with all familiars like beans, legumes, rice and flours, chai biscuits et al. The bachelor will head to the ready-to-eat section, and unerringly stash his basket with frozen vegetable entrees and rotis/naan  and  then order his meal in the store-cum-restaurant, eat his fill.

The 'family' people stagger out with grocery and walk purposefully to pizza hut and stuff their hungry kids to the brim with pizza and heave a sigh of relief. A newly married couple will pick up items that are a mix of ready-to-eat and some 'experiment on spouse' items and then in all probability head out to a restaurant to try something 'different'. They walk in, uncertainly, into a fast food joint or restaurant and gaze at the menu with curious intensity. This uncertain couple are reflections of my former self, a good 6 years ago. I liked eating out as much as at home, the only hitch being, I was a vegetarian in a meat lovers land! What can I order without lengthy explanations of how I prefer my 'vegetarian' soup without it's chicken/beef stock? In a menu where egg or fish were considered vegetarian, I was treated like an oddball, chafing at the limited options I had, or so it seemed.

Sound familiar?

I haunted the local library for cookbooks, much like a family spectre, vanishing at closing time. I read them like novels, gazing lustily at the glossy pictures. Slowly, I stepped into the world of blogging to showcase my love for food and experimenting with flavors and try to replicate international recipes using Indian spices.  I was thrilled to discover, that using staples in my pantry, but with different proportions and technique, I had a completely new dish to serve up. Mexican, Caribbean, Thai food was suddenly an option and I was lovin’ it.  I discovered that we may be worlds apart, but many of these International cuisines used standard stuff I used in my Indian kitchen! What a thrill that was!

My focus was and still is, on simple recipes that do not require me to buy expensive or difficult-to-pronounce-and- procure ingredients, but mixing and matching what was in the fridge to a couple of store bought items, like the recipe I have for you today.


In fact, I have another sauce that can be used with the noodles and that is coming up soon!  Flat rice noodles, 2 ways. 


I like this sort of thing , two ways with one ingredient, when I bring in one packet of noodles, I can never finish it off at one go and  I do not want to repeat the same  recipe and so having an alternative is great.

Green Noodles

Recipe Courtesy:  Cara Hobday’s Noodles Asian Style. 

1 Garlic clove

1 Tsp. Salt

1 Tbsp. Black Peppercorns

2 oz. Fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)

2 Tbsp.  fresh Parsley, chopped

2 Scallions, chopped

1 fresh Red Chili, sliced (add more if you want the noodles to be HOT)

3 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon juice
2/3 cup Coconut Milk

2 Tbsp. Peanut butter

8 oz. Flat Rice Noodles

Lemon Quarters to serve

Make the sauce: Grind Garlic, salt, peppercorn and cilantro together. Add parsley, scallions and red chili and make a rough paste.

In a saucepan, add the above paste, lemon juice, coconut milk and peanut butter, mix well and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, boil water in another pan, switch off the heat and add noodles, cover and let it stand for 5 minutes or as per directions. Drain well.

Final assembly: Toss the noodles in the sauce until evenly coated. Serve immediately with lemon quarters.

Notes: 

·        The noodles are mild, if you want, amp up the heat by adding another red chili. Lemon juice is a must to add a burst of fresh flavor.

·      Leftovers make a great lunchbox option. The flavors soak into the noodles and taste great. Gently re-heat  before serving.

·         This is not a complete meal, add a protein on the side.

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