The Lean Veggie - Strawberries and sunshine (and some cream ofcourse)

Its my favorite time of the year - the three wonderful months between Memorial Day and Labor day. Whichever part of the nation you may find yourself in, the days keep getting longer and longer. Drenched with brilliant sunshine, bright flowers dress up even the most dreary sidewalks. Fresh produce and farmer's markets everywhere delight even the most ardent carnivores. Heck, K even managed to purchase some delightful strawberries from the big neighborhood warehouse discount store.

I rarely eat fruit, but this recipe is decadent enough to tempt even me. I love the simplicity.
The cream complements the slight tartness of the berries. I barely added any sugar to the recipe - the richness of the cream and the natural syrup from the macerated berries were good enough by themselves.

Summer also brings with it birthdays and celebrations galore (yes, including mine!) K gifted me this wonderful SLR camera that I'm still trying to figure out. Do let me know if you have some photography tips to share.

Recipe -

1) Prepare one cup of sliced strawberries (wash them and cut the green tops off before slicing)

2) Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over the berries and toss. Then cover with cling film and set aside for about 30 minutes. You will see a rich red syrup collect in the pan

3) Lightly whip a third of a cup of cream (lightly with a fork)

4) Pour the cream over the berries, add a teaspoon of honey and toss. Add a little more sugar if needed

NOTE:
Toss in sliced mango, or nectarines if you like. Any strawberries would work, but try some fresh locally grown produce if you can.

The Lean Veggie - Baked tofu tikkas

If you want to eat the best paneer tikkas in Madras, you should try and go to the Boat club. They grill marinated paneer cubes with slices of onion, and serve with green cilantro chutney. These tikkas are a tad oily, but perfectly cooked - charred and crispy on the outside, spongy and chewy on the inside.

Even though paneer is readily available in many Indian grocery stores, the fat content seems excessive. So, I tried making tikkas with high protein extra firm tofu instead. They tasted almost as good. This recipe is really versatile. I served these by themselves, as a side dish one day. I also made mattar paneer and substituted the paneer with these baked tofu cubes. I'm sure these would taste great as a replacement for paneer in the classic palak paneer dish.

Method -

1) In a big bowl, whisk together all the below ingredients for the marinade -
3/4 cup yoghurt

1 tsp lemon juice

salt to taste

black pepper - 1/4 tsp

channa masala - 1 tsp

coriander cumin powder (dhania jeera masala) - 1 tbsp

red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

kasoori methi - 1 tsp

oil - 1 tbsp

grated ginger - 1 tsp

garlic - 1 clove grated

finely chopped cilantro - 1 tbsp

turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

2) Chop up some extra firm tofu into cubes - roughly about 1 inch in length, 1 inch in width and 1/3 inch thickness. For this recipe, I used about 1.5 cups. Combine the tofu cubes with the marinade. Each cube should be fully coated. If you think there is excess marinade, chop up some more tofu

3) Cover bowl with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours

4) Preheat oven to 475 degrees

5) Take a sheet of aluminium foil, place over a baking sheet. Grease the aluminum foil well

6) Arrange the tofu cubes in a single layer on the foil. If you have excess marinade in the bowl, spoon a little on each tofu cube.

7) Bake for about 15 minutes. As you are baking at very high temperatures, make sure you keep an eye on the oven. After 15 minutes, check on the tofu. If the edges are already browned, remove them from the oven. Otherwise, bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. Do not let it bake for too long, otherwise the tofu gets tough

Baking times could vary depending on the type of tofu you use. The easiest way to check is to cool and sample a cube (and yea, try not to finish them all)

The Lean Veggie - Salty and sweet nombu adais

We all have incredibly fond memories of the nombus and vrathams from our childhood days (especially when mom had to do all the cooking and i would make my grand entrance during the prasadam sampling stage of the poojas). My favorite was and still continues to be the Karadayan nombu, or to put in simple english - the valentine's day of vedic times.

The term "karadayan" simply means "flat cakes made with black eyed peas". Ofcourse, this festival has a lot more to it than its eponymous sweet and salty flat cakes. It celebrates the power of Savithri's love for her husband Sathyavan.
There was a lot of gal power in ancient India. And sassy Savithri is one such heroine. She definatly married the man she loved, prayed for his wellbeing, and then saved him from the God of death, not by wailing and pleading, but by beating him in a game of wits. The story is really cool. It goes something like this. Yama dharmaraja yanks Sathyavan's soul from his body, and starts traveling back to the netherworlds. Savithri doggedly follows him.

Lord Yama - Uh...lady... (stalker?) Can i help you?

Savirthi - I want my man back..

Lord Yama - If I say yes to that, doesnt my entire career become rather pointless then? I'll give you ANYTHING else that you ask for.

Savithri - Ok. I want to have many kids with Sathyavan then,

Lord Yama - Duh...Thats easy, you got it.

Savithri - Well, Sathyavan has to be like, ALIVE for that. Aha!!! Gotcha!

Lord Yama - Touche! May you both live happily everafter

Lazy sis and I enjoyed the spicy flat cakes and the free pass to eat all the butter we wanted to. Mystic Mom would get all misty eyed and chant a little old tamil phrase that translates into "i shall give thou some un-melted butter and a single flatcake...may you live for ever with me!!!" as she served dad.

K, my modern day Sathyavan grumbled over the countless carbs in the rice flour based cakes and the saturated fat in the generous blob of butter on his plate. After much emotional blackmailing, he finally sampled some, and actually pronounced it edible. These cakes have an incredibly simple taste - just the nuttiness of the roasted rice flour, the spice from the hing, and the sweetness from the jaggery. But they sure are fulfilling. Especially the salty ones.
So, here are the recipes. Enjoy!

Salty adais-

1 cup rice flour

2.5 cups water

1/2 cup cooked black eyed peas

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tbsp finely chopped green chilli

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp urad dhal

1 tbsp finely chopped curry leaves

2 pinches hing

1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Salt to taste

Method

1) Dry roast the rice flour in a non stick pan till it turns pinkish with a nice roasted aroma (dont let it burn)

2) In another pan, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds

3) When the seeds splutter, add the urad seeds, chilli, curry leaves and ginger and stir fry for a few seconds

4) Pour in the water, add salt (about 1 tsp), 2 pinches hing, and cooked black eyed peas. Stir in the coconut at this stage if using

5) Sprinkle the rice flour, and stir well till all the water is absorbed and it becomes a pasty mass

6) Spread the mixture on a big plate, and let it cool till you can handle it

7) Shape into flat rounds (about the size of the palm of your hand). Make a hole in the center (like a vada). Steam on greased idli plates for about 15 minutes

8) When you open the cooker, and touch the cakes, if they seem wet, it then means they are ready. Cool them and the vadais will stay together. If you are worried about the cakes falling apart after steaming, then arrange on a plate and microwave for 4 minutes

9) Serve with butter

Sweet adais -

1 cup rice flour

1 cup shredded jaggery

1/2 cup cooked black eyed peas

3 cups water

1/2 tsp powdered cardomom

1) Dry roast the rice flour in a non stick pan till it turns pinkish with a nice roasted aroma (dont let it burn)

2) In another pan, boil the water and add the jaggery. When it dissolved fully, add the black eyed peas

3) When the water comes to a boil, add the rice flour and stir well till combined without lumps, and all the water has been absorbed

4) Mix in the cardamom powder well

Perform steps 6 to 9 as described in the above salt adai recipe

The Lean Veggie - Simple Lentil Soup

There is nothing more wonderful than a saturday at home away from work, and a bowl of lentil soup to warm you up at the end of winter's day. This recipe is incredibly simple to prepare - really, the only effort needed is towards chopping. It is a one pot meal, but you can definitely indulge with some toasted bread on the side. The spices in this recipe are muted - enough to tingle your taste buds, but perfectly mild, especially when you feel overdosed from too many sambar-curry meals.

I chop the carrots a little larger than usual. I do not want them to completely disintegrate during the cooking process. The leeks can be subsituted with finely chopped onions. I used leeks, and did not add cumin seeds, as I wanted to make this dish taste a little different from the usual dhals I make. I used brown lentils - you can find these in some indian stores, and definitely in the international foods aisle of any major grocery store. These lentils cook up quickly, and have a delicate nutty flavor.

(Serves 2 with leftovers)

Ingredients -
Brown lentils - 1 cup
Finely chopped red onions - 1/4 cup (use 1/2 cup if omitting leeks)
Chopped leeks - 1 cup loosely packed (make sure you clean the leeks very well)
Grated ginger - 1 tsp
Crushed chopped garlic cloves - 2
Canned diced tomatoes - 3/4 cup
Peeled and diced carrots - 2 (about half cup)
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp (or 3 turns of the pepper mill)
Coriander-cumin powder - 1 tbsp
Finely chopped cilantro - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method -

1) Take the lentils in a bowl. Heat 2 cups of water till almost boiling and pour over the lentils
2) In a large heavy bottom pan, or pressure pan, heat 1 tsp canola oil and 1 tsp olive oil. Use a little butter if olive oil is not available
3) Add the onions, leeks, ginger and garlic, a pinch of salt, and stir fry on low heat for about 5 minutes . Use this time to peel and chop the carrots
4) Add the carrots and tomatoes and stir fry for another 5 minutes
5) Drain the lentils, wash with plain water and add. Then, add salt, red chilli powder, pepper powder, coriander-cumin powder, and 1 cup of water
6) Stir well, close the pan with a lid and simmer till the lentils are done. Add a little more water if needed. The lentils need not get fully mushy, they just need to become tender while retaining their shape. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.

If using a pressure pan, close the lid at the end of step 5, and pressure cook for a couple of whistles. When you open the pressure pan after sometime, you may find that the lentils have absorbed all the water. Just stir in another 1/3 cup of water before serving, and correct seasoning if needed.

The Lean Veggie - Besan bajra rotis

It has been a while since I made phulkas the traditional way – quick toasting on a tawa and then holding them over a flame, where they puff up into a big puri-like balloon and then collapse into a pillow of perfection. Making phulkas on an electrical stovetop was always a big challenge. Now, I’ve found the perfect kitchen implement at the Indian grocery store. This rectangular “net” has a heat proof handle and little projections which support it nicely over the coils of the electrical stove top.

Making rotis is fun. You can mix and match different flours, and you just have to season and knead the dough well. Besan Bajra rotis are incredibly tasty even by themselves. When eaten fresh, they are crispy and flaky. After cooling, they are still softer than typical wheat rotis.

Ingredients –

Besan – ½ cup
Bajra flour – ½ cup
Whole wheat flour (atta) – 1 cup
Salt – 1 tsp
Black pepper – 1 tsp
Finely chopped mint or cilantro – ¼ cup
Oil – 1 tsp
Buttermilk – ¼ cup
Warm water – as needed
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

1) Combine all the ingredients. Then, adding a little water at a time, knead the dough well into a pliable mass
2) Cover with a damp kitchen towel for atleast 20 minutes
3) Divide and roll the dough into lemon size balls
4) Follow the steps below for each phulka –
a. Roll the dough into a neat circular shape, keep dusting with wheat flour so that this does not stick

b. Place the phulka onto a heated tawa and toast each side for a few seconds till light brown dots appear

c. Transfer the phulka to the “net” and place directly on the stovetop. When one side puffs up, flip to the other side and let it puff up. Be very careful as the phulka could split at the seams releasing steam. Use a pair of tongs for flipping. Even if the phulka does not entirely puff up, flip to the other side. The taste will not get affected. Do not let it develop dark brown spots or get too stiff.

d. Transfer the phulka to an air tight container and spread a little ghee/melted butter spread on both sides. Serve with any vegetable curry and/or raita

The Lean Veggie - Vegetable Pulao

Making the perfect pulao is a challenge for any cook. The important thing is the technique. The key is to perfectly cook every grain of rice - it should be soft, but also maintain it's perfect shape and not get all mushy.

This recipe has few ingredients. No masala powders are used. A few whole spices are added to the oil, and this gentle flavor permeates through the whole dish. You can add a variety of chopped vegetables if you like (potatoes, cauliflower, beans). I prefer using peas and maybe a few teaspoons of chopped bell pepper for color, and save the veggies for a curry that I serve with the pulao.

For cooking the rice, all you need is a heavy flat bottom non stick pan. This dish takes barely 20 minutes to prepare. But the key is to NOT serve it immediately. Letting the rice sit for sometime, helps it absorb the moisture, and firm up. Served up with my favorite coconut milk kootu, this combination is flavorful vegetarian food at its best!

Ingredients -

Basmathi rice - 1 cup

Frozen peas, chopped carrots and/or chopped peppers - 1 cup total

Green chilli - 1 long or 2 small

Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup (optional)

Finely chopped mint leaves - 2 tablespoons (optional)

Finely chopped cilantro - 2 tablespoons

Cloves - 4

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch

Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon

Bayleaf - 1

Oil - 1 teaspoon

Method -

1) Take the rice in a bowl, pour enough water to cover. Then swish the rice around in the water and drain the water. Repeat this twice. Pour half cup water into the rice, and set the rice aside (the water will soak the rice and quicken the cooking process later, however, don't let the rice soak for more than 10 minutes)

2) Chop the green chillies finely.

3) Heat the oil, keep medium heat. Add all the spices except the cumin. Let the spices fry till fragrant (about 20 seconds or so)

4) Add the green chillies, cumin seeds and immediately add the rice

5) Maintaining medium heat, stir fry the rice gently. Make sure the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan or turn brown.

6) Add the green peas, cashewnuts (if using) and continue to stir the rice. The rice will turn a shade of bright white. All the moisture will evaporate and the grains will become very dry. The total time for steps 5 and 6 is about 5 to 8 minutes on medium heat.

7) Add 2 and a half cups of water, 1.5 teaspoons of salt, the mint leaves and stir

8) Close the pan with a well fitting lid. Cook the rice on medium heat. The temperature at which the rice cooks is important. You should not let the water boil too much. At medium heat, you will see a few bubbles and the rice will absorb the water

9) Stir occasionally, but very carefully so that the rice does not break. Within 10 to 15 minutes, all the water will be visibly absorbed. Turn off the heat (with the lid closed)

10) After 10 minutes, open the lid. With a fork, gently fluff the rice out and sprinkle the cilantro leaves. Replace the lid (propped a little open on one side so that the steam escapes). Serve after 15 minutes

The Lean Veggie - Giada's chocolate orange cookies

Nothing can beat the taste of cakes and cookies that you bake at home. I don't bake as often as I would like to, as almost every tempting recipe has eggs in it. Thats why I jumped at the opportunity to try out Giada's Italian chocolate sandwich cookies.

I did not have polenta or cornmeal, and so I just used all purpose flour. According to the reviewers, the cornmeal made the cookies too gritty, so this was definitely not an ingredient that was missed. After reading the helpful reviews, I modified the recipe and the ingredients, and the end result was amazing. The cookies are super light, with just a hint of orange, and a rich chocolatey taste. The filling is light and creamy and sweetens the not-so-sweet chocolate cookie. So here is the link to Giada's original recipe, and here is my modified recipe below -

Chocolate Cookies:

1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Sugar - pour till the 100 ml mark in a measuring cup

Cocoa powder - pour till the 50 ml mark in a measuring cup

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch salt

1/4 tsp orange zest

1 tsp orange juice

Orange Filling:

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp orange juice

1/4 tsp vanilla essence

To make the Chocolate Cookies, in a large bowl use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy. In another medium bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, orange juice, and orange zest. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Using your hands, knead the mixture into a dough, gathering the loose powdery ingredients repeatedly till they come together. If the mixture is too dry, add another tablespoon of melted butter. Roll with your hands into a thick log, about an inch and a half in diameter. You can split the mixture into two portions and roll two logs if it is easier. Work on a clean countertop.

Wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Then, remove from wrap. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the log into discs, about an 1/8 inch thick. Cover a pizza pan/baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread the discs out. These cookies will not rise or spread, so you can place them fairly close together. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, to make the Orange Filling, combine the butter, powdered sugar, orange zest, and vanilla essence in a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer to cream the ingredients together. Add more sugar if needed.

To assemble the cookie sandwiches, place about 1/4 teaspoon of the Orange Filling on a cookie. Spread with a butter knife. Top with another cookie and press the cookies together.

Bad food and good coffee in San Francisco

Take this word of advice from me - if any restaurant has a sign saying "Under new management", DO NOT GO THERE!

We went to San Fran yesterday, to check out the Mind exhibit at the Exploratorium. It was not too bad, but I would recommend it to you, only if you plan to go with kids. K and I mustered up all the enthusiasm we could and had a pretty good time.

And then disaster struck - in the form of lunch. Guided by Yelp's reviews (or should I say misguided), we went to a place for lunch. Despite the veggie dishes in the buffet and menu, this place is most definitely not suitable for vegetarians, especially if you are the squeamish type prone to frequent "komatals"!!! With the channa nesting a little too close next to meat dishes......ewwww....i cannot type anymore...

My frustration increased when we realized that we could have gone to Ssan francisco's north beach neighbourhood for some authentic mozzarella paninis and cannolis. I've been to many Chinatowns in the US (again, not generally recommended for sequeamish vegetarians prone to frequent komatals) but never really to Little Italys. Anyway, K and I jumped off the bus when we saw five consecutive restaurants all having Italian names and hunted for some good coffee.

We lucked out by choosing Cafe Greco. We had what could easily be called the best cappuchino this side of the atlantic. Rich, dark, foamy....the creaminess lasted through even the last mouthful. I kinda killed it a little by adding too much sugar, but sitting on the sidewalk and gaping at the lean san francisco women (all dressed exactly alike), the coffee finally got the bad taste of lunch out of my mind.

The Lean Veggie - Eggless cranberry apple spice cake

I borrowed a recipe from cooks.com, and then modified it to incorporate classic Thanksgiving flavors. The lack of eggs does not detract from the cake one bit. I refrigerated the cake for about 3 days after baking, and then warmed a couple of slices in the microwave for about 30 seconds before eating. Ofcourse, it also tasted great straight out of the oven. Warm, sweet, decadent, and spicy, this really is the taste of fall!

Ingredients -

Applesauce - 1 cup

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 cup

Cinamon - 2 sticks

Cloves - 2

Cardomom - 1 pod

Sweetened dried cranberries (Craisins brand) - 1/2 cup (can substitute with chopped raisins or other dry fruits)

Finely Crushed almonds - 1/2 cup

All purpose flour - 1 and 1/2 cups

Soft butter - 1/2 cup

Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

1) Finely chop cranberries/raisins and mix with 1/4 cup flour till fully coated

2) Finely powder the cinnamon, cloves and cardomom seeds with 2 teaspoons of sugar

3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

4) In a big mixing bowl, add apple sauce, sugar, vanilla extract and spices

5) Add softened butter, and with a hand mixer, mix together till incorporated

6) Slowly add the crushed nuts, cranberry flour mixture, baking powder, and remaining flour and mix well. The cake batter will be fairly thick

7) Grease a cake pan, pour the cake batter, and bake for about 30 to 45 minutes, till a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean

8) When done, invert onto a plate and apply the frosting to the top and sides of the cake

Frosting

1) With a hand mixer, cream together 1/4 cup of butter, 1/4 cup milk and 1 cup powdered sugar

2) Mix in 1/4 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries (Craisins)

The Lean Veggie - Easy oven fries

If you are craving for some good ol fashioned fries, but afraid of the calories and the time and effort, this is a really cool recipe. I used a massive russet potato, but you can substitute with a few smaller potatoes. Make sure the dhaniya jeera powder is super fresh. This recipe will go great with rotis and dhal as well.

Ingredients -

Potato - 1 huge russet potato, or 3 medium sized ones

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Spices - Salt, black pepper, red chilli powder, dhaniya-jeera powder (see recipe below)

Method -

1) Set the oven to 450 degrees

2) Peel the potato(es)

3) Cut into halves, and then cut the halves into four longitudinal sections, and then into thin slices. The thinner the slices, the faster and crispier the fries

4) Place the slices in a bowl. Mix in the oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1 tablespoon dhaniya jeera powder. Use your fingers - make sure the spices and oil are evenly distributed and coat every slice

5) Grease a baking sheet or a pizza pan with a little oil

6) Distribute the potato slices evenly in a single layer on the sheet

7) Bake in the oven till the slices are cooked through and begin to crisp. Make sure they do not burn. It will take atleast 20 minutes, but, as you are baking at a very high temperature, keep an eye on the oven and check every 5 minutes. Do not open the oven door too often as the heat will escape, but, turn the oven light on and take a peek every now and then.

Dhaniya jeera powder -

Dhania (coriander seeds) - 3 tablespoons

Jeera (cumin seeds) - 3 teaspoons

Heat a small non stick pan. Dry roast the seeds, constantly shaking/stirring the pan. The seeds turn black very quickly, so constantly keep them moving around the pan. When they turn a little brown, and you can smell the fragrance of the spices, immediately transfer the spices to a spice mill (coffee beans grinder) or very small blender jar (if you leave the seeds in the pan, they could still turn black due to the residual heat). Wait for about 5 minutes for the seeds to cool, and then grind to a very fine powder. Store immediately in an air tight jar. The blender jar has to be very small, otherwise, the seeds will not get powdered.

Note: Make very small quantities of this masala powder. It tastes wonderful when fresh, but can quickly lose all its flavor. You can buy dhaniya jeera powder in Indian or international grocery stores, but, the quantities are too much, and the flavor is lost very quickly.

The Lean Veggie - The perfect cup of chai

It took me many years, and I finally nailed it today. I made a wonderful cup of tea. The recipe is really simple, you just need the right ingredients and you can find all this in your neighborhood Indian grocery store.

Indian tea - I used the Tajmahal brand
Cardamom seeds - You can either use the whole crushed pods, or buy a packet of seeds (with the green pods already removed)
Milk - Preferably organic, 2% fat milk
Sugar - Real sugar is a must. Sweetners make the tea taste a little bitter
Fresh ginger - Use a vegetable peeler or a small knife, and make about a teaspoon of ginger shavings (including the skin).

Recipe -

1) In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup water
2) Before the water starts boiling, add 1/3 cup milk and stir
3) Add about 6 cardomom seeds (or one pod crushed) and ginger shavings
4) Heat till the mixture comes to a boil and rises. Watch the saucepan very carefully, and remove from heat the second the mixture starts rising
5) Add 2 teaspoons of tea (not heaped) and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Return the saucepan to the stovetop and heat gently for one minute. Do not let the mixture boil. If it boils, the tea may turn bitter
6) Turn off the heat, cover and let the pan sit on the heated surface for another minute
7) Pour the tea through a filter and remove the tea leaves
8) Transfer the tea into a serving cup (when pouring into the serving cup, raise your hand, and pour the tea from a height. This will cause the tea to froth a little, incorporate air bubbles, and improve the taste!)

The Lean Veggie - Garbanzo beans and sprouts salad with Yoghurt-Mango dressing

I threw a bunch of ingredients together and ended up with this incredibly flavorful dish. Its important to drizzle the dressing on the salad just before serving, because, you definitely want to taste the distinct flavors of the crunchy sprouts and veggies, and also enjoy the tangy taste of the dressing. The inspiration for this recipe is of course bhel puri, i just tried to get healthier.

Yoghurt-Mango dressing -

Blend together the following - 1/2 cup yoghurt, 2 tbsp mango chutney (i used the Pathak's variety). Add a little water to thin the dressing out if needed, it should reach pouring consistency. Mix in 1/4 tsp of fresh cracked black pepper, a pinch of salt and a pinch of chat masala (optional). Substitute bhelpuri sweet chutney if you do not have mango chutney on hand.

Salad -

1) Mix together all the below ingredients (you can omit many of these if you dont have them, but at a minimum, the chickpeas and potatoes are very important)
* chickpeas (garbanzo beans) - 1 can
* Soaked whole green moong dhal - 1/2 cup (soak overnight, even better if you let it sprout). Cover with water and microwave for 15 minutes
* Boiled peeled and diced potatoes - 2 small
* Quartered cherry tomatoes - 1 handful (or use 1 regular tomato)
* 1 grated carrot
* 1/4 cup boiled black channa (definitely optional)
* Finely chopped red onion - 1/4 cup

2) Stir in 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp lemon juice and a good few turns of the pepper mill. Check the flavors and add more seasonings if needed. This mixture should be flavorful enough to eat on it's own (even without the dressing)

3) Stir in 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

To serve -

* Scoop the salad into serving bowls

* Drizzle a quarter cup of dressing over the top

* Serve with some chapathis, or parathas, or even microwaved lijjat papads to make a light meal

The lean veggie - Something like Puliyodharai

Puliyodharai is one of the most loved south indian foods. I did not have all the ingredients, but desperately craved its incredible tangy taste. So, I took my friend's recipe and made a few changes. The result was pretty good. Having run out of cashews and peanuts, I used boiled black channa instead. It sounds unusual, but goes very well with the rest of the ingredients, and ofcourse, it is a great source of protein and much lower in fat than regular nuts. This is a two step recipe. You prepare the spicy tamarind paste - pulikaachal. You can then bottle this and use as a chutney/spread/pickle, or mix a few tablespoons into some steamed rice and make puliyodharai. When refrigerated, the pulikaachal keeps well for days.

Ingredients for the paste:

* 1 tbsp coriander seeds (dhania)
* 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
* Dried red chillies - 4
* Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
* Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
* Black pepper corns - 1/4 tsp

Heat 1 tsp oil in a non stick pan, add all the ingredients except the fenugreek and sesame seeds and fry till you get a nice aroma from the coriander. Add the fenugreek and sesame seeds and fry till they brown. Make sure they do not burn, these fry up rapidly. Empty into a blender. Cool thoroughly and then blend into a fine paste.

Other ingredients:

Black channa - Soaked overnight and pressure cooked till soft - about 1/2 a cup (this is optional, can be substituted with peanuts or cashewnuts). You can soak a good quantity, use a portion for making sundal, another for channa masala, and use the rest in this recipe. Even better when sprouted.
Light brown tamarind paste - 2 tbsp mixed in half cup of water
Curry leaves - About 10
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds (methi) - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Dried red chillies - 2
Cooked rice - About 2 cups of raw rice, cooked with 6 cups of water. Use sona masoori or ponni for best results, and make sure each grain of rice is soft, but firm. Spread on a wide plate to cool.
Hing/Perungayam - 1/4 tsp

Instructions for making the pulikaachal:

1) Heat 2 tbsp of oil, add mustard seeds and splutter
2) Add curry leaves, red chillies, and fenugreek seeds and fry for a few seconds. Add the channa (or the nuts) and stir fry for 1 minute
3) Immediately add the tamarind paste and stir
4) Add the hing and turmeric powders and prepared paste
5) Add salt (to taste, atleast 1 tsp. check and add more)
6) Boil on a medium flame for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Wait till the water has evaporated
7) Remove from flame.

Bottle the pulikaachal when cool. To prepare puli saadham, take the required quantity of rice in a bowl, add a little salt, 1 tbsp of sesame oil if available, and mix in a few teaspoons of pulikaachal till the rice is uniformly brown. There are no exact proportions - you can mix a little, then taste the rice, if too bland, then mix in some more paste. This is a great tiffin dabba filler!

The lean veggie - Edamame sundal

Shelled soya beans (edamame) are said to be really good for health - they are a great source of protein, and all the good stuff... It can be lightly boiled and snacked on like peanuts, but the plain version didnt taste much of anything. So, i went back to an old favorite sundal recipe

Ingredients -

Frozen Edamame - 1 cup

Chopped cilantro - 2 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Broken red chilli - 1

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Broken urad dhal - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Lemon zest - 1 tsp

Hing - 2 pinches

Curry leaves - 3 (finely chopped)

Grated coconut (or dry coconut flakes) - 2 tbsp

Recipe -

1) Place the edamame in a microwave safe bowl, cover with water, and microwave for 5 minutes. Check to see if tender , and microwave for another minute if needed

2) Drain the edamame, but reserve the water

3) Heat 1 tsp of oil in a non-stick pan

4) Add the mustard seeds, cover and allow to splutter. Then add the red chilli, curry leaves and urad dhal and fry for a few seconds till the dhal is golden brown

5) Add the edamame, turmeric powder, salt, hing and stir fry for 2 minutes

6) Add 1/4 cup of reserved water, coconut, and cook till the water evaporates

7) Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the chopped cilantro, lemon juice and lemon zest. Taste and adjust the seasonings

The Lean Veggie - Thengai paal kootu

If i were to make a list of my mom's best recipes, this is surely number 1. There are days when I am tired of north indian and south indian food, but not in a mood for pizzas and sandwiches. This dish perfectly fits the bill then. The rich flavor comes not from a big pile of spices, but simply from ginger, fresh coconut milk, and cilantro. This recipe allows the flavor of all the veggies to shine through without getting overpowered by the gravy. Serve it with pulao, or fresh basmathi rice, or phulkas or idiappam. I made some instant sevai, but it is not the best accompaniment. The kootu is so flavorful, you need a bland side dish to go well with it.

Ingredients -

* 2 cups of chopped vegetables - beans, carrots, cauliflower, peas, zucchini squash, lima beans(any combination and proportion works)

* 1 peeled chopped potato

* 1/2 cup chopped tomato

* 1/2 cup sliced onion

* 1 tbsp chopped ginger

* 5 curry leaves finely chopped

* 1 tsp cumin seeds

* 1/2 can coconut milk (try to avoid the lite milk varieties)

* 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

* 2 green chillies slit lengthwise

* 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

* 1 pinch hing

* 1/2 tsp chilli powder

Method -

Try to use a pressure pan for quick cooking. If a pressure pan is not available, use a big saucepan with a well fitting lid.

1) Heat the pressure pan and add 2 tsp oil. While waiting for the oil to heat, perform step 2

2) Finely slice the onions, chop ginger, curry leaves, green chillies and tomatoes3) Add jeera to the oil, take care not to let it burn, and add the ingredients from step 2

4) Stir fry for 5 minutes

5) Add all the veggies, turmeric powder, chilli powder and stir fry for 5 minutes

6) Add enough water to cover all the veggies, close the lid of the pressure pan, add the weight and cook till you hear two whistles. Immediately turn the heat off. After 5 minutes, place the pressure pan on a cool surface. This is important to make sure the vegetables do not get over cooked. If using a saucepan, simply place a lid and cook till the vegetables are done

7) Open the pan, and add salt and the coconut milk and heat through. Make sure that you do not boil the curry, as the coconut milk's flabor gets altered if over heated. Check the taste and add more salt, chilli powder and a pinch of sugar if needed

8) Garnish with the chopped cilantro

I'm hungry

Maybe its the weather. Maybe its the fact that I have 8 pounds to shed in precisely 8 weeks (to look atleast a little presentable while standing next to my fabulous cousins during the wedding of this decade) and my system is fighting every single attempt for any dietary restrictions. Maybe its the simple joy of pure vegetarian food.

Anyway, I am back to becoming a serious foodie. My inspiration is bloggers like Mahanandi. You have to check out her blog, it is such a beautiful tribute to simple Indian food. Cooking is a joy, and i want to devote more blog space to it. So, here is a fabulous recipe I made for our new year night dinner - apple crumble (source:BBC)

The prep time is barely 10 minutes. You do not need any special ingredients other than apples and brown sugar. Serve this dish hot from the oven with a dollop of vanilla icecream.

Great Kathiawadi food at the Village Hut

Just yesterday, my husband and I were lamenting the lack of good vegetarian indian restaurants in the Chicagoland area. After some googling and a helpful friend's recommendation, we went to the Village hut at Glendale heights for lunch. Well, I know that most of my blog readers do not live near Chicago, but I wanted to write this article because of the superb cuisine. And I am hoping to inspire you into hunting for the closest Kathiawadi restaurant near where you live.

We were not given a menu. Instead, the restaurant owner, after ascertaining that we were first-timers, decided that we should go for the Kathiawadi style lunch. The food was awesome. We were given a big jug of Chas (buttermilk flavored with cumin and chilli powder) and papads for starters. The appetizers were regular vadas and something like a cross between dhoklas and dosais.

Now on to the main course - we were served a wide variety of curries, dhal, kadhi and bajra rotis. The unique aspect of Rajasthani and Gujarathi cuisine is the simplicity of the recipes. There are very few ingredients used, and no heavy masalas or rich tomato gravies. And absolutely no cream in the dishes (something desi restaurants are notorious for). My favorite was the patra curry - colocasia leaves stuffed with a besan filling and steamed and then made into a curry. We finished the meal with a decadent walnut-milk-something. My next project? To try and start cooking Kathiawadi food at home.

Chilli curry

I am discovering the joys of gardening. It has been really hot for the past few weeks, and the plants on my deck are growing wild! The weather has been really kind, every week has had alternating rainy and sunny days.

I bought a little "mariachi pepper" plant in spring, and dumped it in a pot and forgot about it. This beautiful plant is now almost too big for it's pot. I had to pluck the peppers as they were almost too heavy for the plant.

I really wanted to make molaga bajji, but my health conscious husband vetoed the idea. So, I used the peppers in my other favorite recipe - Mirch ka salan. If you have not tried this recipe, you do not know what you are missing! This is the perfect dish - it has an unusual combination of mughlai, north indian, and south indian flavors, and is both hot and sweet. Hemant Trivedi's cookery corner has the best recipe for this dish. I recommend you follow every instruction (i skipped the peanuts as I am allergic). You can use any kind of green chilli, or even bell peppers for this dish. Check out the other recipes on his website as well - the udipi sambar really has the hotel sambar taste.

Eureka! Eureka!

I found it! Its a piece of magic! It will bring world peace...Well, maybe that is a stretch, but think about this - when you have a divine cup of coffee in the morning, the happiness it gives you really lasts all through the day. You would then spend the whole day in a happy coffee buzz and not do something silly like say, start a fight?

My blog readers obviously do not need introduction to madras filter coffee. If I assumed wrong, then check out this wikipedia link for an introduction to heaven-in-a-cup. And while we are on the subject of Madras, here is a really interesting article by Tishani Doshi.

A few years ago, I moved here from Madras. Like any other true FOB desi, I was most distressed by the fact that coffee here, in its most basic form, is AWFUL! It took me two years to adjust both to life in the US and less than perfect coffee. I learnt to make do by using disproportionately large amounts of creamer, or making folgers with lots of milk, aathufying it for all its worth, and telling myself that it tasted a bit like filter coffee.

In 2003, I went to Madras for my wedding and returned with a slim stainless steel coffee filter as part of my "seeru". As a new bride, I found that the one and only thing my accomodating husband expected from me was a good cup of filter coffee. I also realized that I could become completely americanized, but I could never ever get coffee cravings out of my system.

So, every weekend morning started with the same routine - I would grind regular american coffee into a finer powder, boil water and pour it into the filter. It sure sounds simple, but the little devil had a mind of its own. Many days, I would watch the filter all morning, and not even a drop of decotion would percolate through. Grinding the coffee was also a real pain in the wrong place.

Anyway, after many months of lamenting, cursing, and experimenting, I solved the coffee powder problem. I now buy "Eight o clock coffee" - whole arabica beans, dark roast. I then set the instore coffee grinder to the espresso setting and walk out of the store with a fresh bag of super fine coffee. It is so fragrant, that it reminds me of the days when I would walk back home with a prized bag of leo coffee and every passer-by would turn around to catch a whiff.

Well...getting back to the topic (the piece of magic remember?) - I woke up this morning, and I knew i could not battle the coffee filter anymore. After many hours of extensive online research, I reached the conclusion that espresso coffee is probably as thick as decotion. The method for preparing espresso is radically different though. Hot water is forced through coffee powder at high pressure, and then escapes through a spout.

There are a wide variety of espresso machines available in the market, starting from $30 for a simple Mr.Coffee or many hundreds for a starbucks style barista machine. I wanted to go in for something really simple, and hence chose the stovetop "MOKA EXPRESS" machine. Apparently, this machine is a big italian icon, and a great favorite of many european households.

Using the moka express is as simple as a kettle. Just fill the lower compartment with water, place the coffee powder in the filter part, screw the top portion on and place the contraption on the adupu. I followed all the instructions and held my breath. And I think i hit bulls eye! The decotion was prepared in a couple of minutes, and the resulting coffee tasted pretty good. Here is the link to this product in amazon - do check out all the reviews.

Some more experimentation needs to be done - I used turkish ground coffee instead of espresso ground coffee. This caused some coffee grounds to get mixed up with my decotion. Also, i did not tamp the coffee powder sufficiently. However, with a little practice, i am sure i have found the magic keys to heaven in a cup!

A good movie, a good song and good food

The good movie -

I watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and I loved the movie. Do drop everything you are doing, and watch it ASAP (even if you are a sworn muggle). I do not need to write about the story ofcourse, everybody has read the book, which is the most significant in the series. After three books that darkly proclaim the return of he-who-must-not-be-named, the Dark Lord makes his first full appearance in the thrilling climax.

The super long book has been condensed into a 2.5 hour movie. Although the movie tends to drag in the middle (especially the much-written-about ballroom sequence), the action sequences more than make up for this. The intial Quidditch world cup is thankfully brief. Especially thrilling are the various Tri wizard tournament contests. Daniel Radcliffe finally settles into his role, and may I say, could turn out to be the next heart throb by the time we see the cinematic version of Harry Potter and the half blood prince!

Speaking of heart throbs, Cedric Diggory is hot!

A good song

Ok.. This song is quite old now, but I finally got around to listening to it. Miss Independent by Kelly Clarkson.



Good Food


I made this greek(?) dessert called Baklava. My husband once bought this from an authentic Greek restaurant in Arizona and its taste was unforgettable. I watched Emeril Lagasse make the same dish on food tv a few months later. I am not a big fan of making sweets at home, but this recipe seemed simple enough. I finally got around to trying it, and it came out great! You really cannot go wrong with this dish. Its just the perfect combination of flaky layers of puff pastry, lots of butter, honey and nuts.

Try the recipe below, or head to your nearest ethnic Greek food store/restaurant
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_30271,00.html