Cranberry Vetha Kozhambu

Until a few years ago, I thought that cranberries are sweet and that is why the ubiquitous sweet cranberry sauce during the holiday season. Sweet dishes are not my thing so I didn’t tink about cooking with cranberries. When I realized that cranberries are tart and sour, I was curious to use it in some traditional Indian dishes. The first dish I made was cranberry Vetha Kozhambu. Vetha Kozhambu is a spicy and tangy dish from Tamil Nadu in India. Translated it means ‘ Fried Crisps in Gravy’. Traditionally it’s fried vegetables or fried sundried vegetables or crisps simmered on a tangy and spicy tamarind sauce. The vegetable in my dish was cranberry.

What You Need

- 1 cup cranberries

- 1 Tblsp Tamarind extract

- 2 tsp Sambar Powder

- 1 Tblsp sesame oil

- 1/2 tsp of turmeric

- 1 1/2 Tblsp Rice Flour

- 1 tsp each mustard, Chana dal, fenugreek seeds

- 1/2 tsp of Asafoetida

- 3-4 curry leaves

- 1 dried red chilli

- 2 cups of water

- Salt to taste

How Its Done

- Heat oil in a sauce pan, and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the asafetida, Chana dal, fenugreek seeds, red chili, curry leaves. Fry for a minute or so, then add the turmeric powder and let it cook for a few seconds

- Now add the cranberries and cook for a couple of minutes, till the cranberries plump up.

- Add the sambar powder and the rice flour and cook till the raw smell of the rice flour is gone.

- At this point, add the tamarind extract and the water and mix. Let this come to a boil, and then simmer for a few minutes till it thickens.

This is perfect to mix with plain rice or spread on a slice of bread, top with sliced cucumbers, or as an accompaniment to idles or dosa. Definitely works and is delish!!

Braised Kale and Yellow Beets

 

My usual recipe for beets is a something my mom makes, called Sukkhe. Sukkhe is beets cooked in a coriander, coconut and red chili sauce topped with caramalized onions. The coconut and chili balance the sweetness of the beets, making it a very flavorful dish. So I started making sukkhe today and got as far as sautéing the slices and cooling the beets in the microwave when the power goes off. As unusual as that is for where we live, I couldn’t let my dinner plans go awry!! So I proceeded to continue my cooing- although now I couldn’t make Sukkhe as I needed to grind my spices for the sauce. So plan B ensued- I needed something that will balance the sweetness of the beets- I had some kale, kale is slightly bitter- perfect!!

What You Need

~ 2 Large Beets ( red or yellow)
~ 1 Onion
~ 2 bunches of kale
~ 1.5 tblsp cooking oil
~ 1 tblsp coriander powder
~ 2 tsp red chile powder
~ salt and pepper to taste
~ 1-2 tblsp of shredded fresh coconut
~ juice of 1/2 lime

How It’s Done

• Prep the vegetables: Dice the onions and beets. Chop the kale into small pieces, removing the tough stems
• Steam the beets with a tblsps of water in the microwave till cooked
• Heat 1/2 the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions till golden brown. Remove from pan and reserve.
• Return pan to heat and add remaining oil. Add coriander powder and chili powder when hot. Cook a minute then add the kale and cooked beets.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook covered till kale is done- about 10-15 minutes. The salt will help release juices from the beets and the kale  in which the vegetables will braise.
• Mix shredded coconut and lime juice and serve.
The result was a balanced, flavorful dish that goes well as a side to rice and spicy sambar. Yum!

Quick Arrabiatta pasta Sauce

I believe that you don’t need bottled pasta sauce, if you have a few basic ingredients at hand. It takes as long to cook your pasta as it does to make a simple tomato based pasta sauce.

What You Need
- 2 Tomatoes
-1/2 an onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
-1/4 Yellow pepper
-1 Tblsp of tomato paste
- 2 tsp of sambal oelek or hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp of dried basil
- 2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

How it’s Done
- dice the onion as you set the water for pasta to boil
- heat oil in a pan on medium high heat and add the onions, then minced garlic and salt to release water and brown the onion
- dice the tomatoes and pepper. Add to pan
- cover and let cook for a few minted as the tomatoes start releasing their juices
- add the rest of the ingredients, mix and cook for the time it takes the pasta to cook, lowering heat when mixture starts boiling.

Toss with pasta and enjoy!! While optional, the balsamic vinegar adds depth to the sauce.

Floyd’s Upma with Crispy Kale and Stewed Tomatoes

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This recipe is my tribute to Floyd Cardoz, Top Chef Master, who elevated the ‘umble Upma and won the competition.  Throughout this last season of Top Chef Master, Floyd’s creations were among the top.  What impressed me the most about him was the fact that in the finale he was bold enough to present the most humble of Indian dishes, Upma and Sabudana khichdi.  The upma he made was nothing like I’d ever had before and I’ve been wanting to try it.  For the uninitiated, Upma is a popular breakfast or “tiffin” item in Tamil Nadu, in South India.  Literally, it means “salted flour” (Uppu = Salt; Ma or Maavu = Flour) and is usually made with semolina, water, ginger and green chili, tempered with mustard seeds and lentils fried in a bit of melted butter (ghee).  All kids growing up in TamilNadu eat it with sugar, and as you grow up, you enjoy it with coconut chutney or sambar (a stew with lentils, vegetables and spices).  I served it with stewed tomatoes spiced with fenugreek and crispy kale. Here’s the recipe:

What You Need

For the Upma

1. Semolina – 1 Cup
2. Ginger – 1/2 inch piece
3. Green Chili – 1
4. Low fat coconut milk – 1 Can (2 cups)
5. Water – 1 Cup
6. Salt to taste
7. Ghee – 1 tsp
8. Oil – 2 Tbsp
9. Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
10. Urad Dal – 1 tsp

For the Stewed Tomatoes

1. Onion – 1/2
2. Tomatoes – 4
3. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
4. Fenugreek powder – 1/2 tsp
5. Green chili – 1
6. Chile Powder – 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Water, if needed
9. Oil – 1 Tbsp
10. Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
11. Cumin – 1/2 tsp

For the Crispy Kale

1. Kale – 4 sprigs
2. Cumin powder – 1 tsp
3. Salt and pepper to taste
4. Oil – 1/2 Tbsp

How its done

The steps for the preparation of this meal have in mind speed to table – given I have limited time, I can usually spend only an hour to cook dinner.

1. Pre-heat your oven at the Roast setting to 400 degrees.
2. Remove the washed and dried kale leaves from the stems, roll and cut into thin chiffonades.  Add oil, cumin powder, salt and pepper and massage with your hand for two minutes. Let rest till your oven comes up to the desired temperature – about 15 minutes; Then pop in the oven for 15 minutes, mixing once or twice.
3. Once the kale is in the oven, start on the tomato stew. Chop the onion, tomatoes and green chile, as well as the mince the ginger and chile for the Upma.  Heat oil in saucepan and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the cumin seeds. Once fragrant, add the onions and saute till they are transluscent. Now, add the turmeric, chile and fenugreek powder and saute for a minute or so.  Add the tomatoes, chile powder, salt and pepper and let cook, stirring occasionally.  You can add water as needed (tomatoes cooked in their own juices taste delicous). Let stew for 20 minutes.
4. The kale should be crispy by now. Take it out of the oven.
5. Now turn your attention to the Upma. Heat a non-stick pan, add the ghee and let melt.  Then add the semolina flour and roast, stirring periodically till a nutty smell emanates.  The semolina will change color ever so slightly.  Remove from heat.  Return the emptypan to the heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the mustard seeds, and when they start popping add the urad dal till toasted and golden brown. Now add the minced ginger and chile and saute a minute.  Then add the coconut milk and water. The idea is to infuse the coconut milk with the flavors of the ginger and chile.  As this comes to a boil, reduce heat and slowly introduce the roasted semolina to the pan, stirring continuously as you add the semolina.  This prevents lumps.  Mix well – the semolina will absorb all the liquid and become creamy. Keep stirring.  Once its thickens and starts coming off the sides of the pan, cover for a minute or so and cook. Then turn off the heat. 
6. The Tomato stew should be done by now and should be removed from the heat as well.  Let the meal rest for a few minutes before serving.

This meal is yummy served warm or at room temperature. The creamy upma with the tangy and spicy tomato stew topped with the crispy kale hits the spot!!

Roasted Corn and Jalapeno Jack Bread Roll Etouffee

If you’re vegetarian, you can’t the experience signature dishes of some cuisines, unless someone somewhere comes up with modifications.  I consider Etouffe the quintessential cajun dish, usually served with seafood or chicken.  Some have used mushrooms and that comes out really well as well.  I wanted to Etouffee (smother, in French) cheesy bread rolls with the quintessential sauce.  I imagined the result being a spicy, cheesy, sweet mouthful of goodness!! And the result was exactly that…

What You Need

For Cheesy Bread Rolls

1. 6 slices of whole grain bread
2. 2 cups of shredded jalapeno jack cheese
3. 1 Egg (or egg substitute; 1 Tablespoon of Agar Agar cooked in 1/4 cup of  hot water, mixed with 1/2 tsp of baking powder)
4. 1 Cup of Trader Joes Frozen Grilled Corn
5. Salt and Pepper to taste
6. 2 tsp of olive oil, and some to spray on

For Etouffee Sauce

1. 3 Tbslps of Olive oil
2. 2 Tbslps of flour
3. 1 Small Onion
4. 3-4 Celery Stalks
5. 2 cloves of garlic
6. 1 Bell Pepper
7. 3 Cups of Warm Water or Stock
8. 2 Tbslp Tomato Paste
9. 2 Tsp Cajun Seasoning
10. Salt and Pepper to taste

How its Done

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Shred the bread into bits, add whisked egg or egg subtitute, defrosted corn, cheese, oil, salt and pepper and mix. Form into small balls or rolls and place on a cookie sheet.
3. Spray with oil and bake for 15-20 minutes till golden brown, flipping over once.
4. While the bread rolls are baking, prep the ingredients for the Etouffee sauce – dice the vegetables.
5. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the flour whisking and mixing till the roux turns a nutty brown. I didn’t wait till it was the rich, dark brown, as I wanted the lighter roux. There is no stepping away during this process as the flour can burn quickly.
6. Then add the vegetables and continue to saute and cook the vegetables till tender, about 10 minutes.
7. Now, add the tomato paste, water or stock and seasoning and let come to a boil and thicken.
8. The bread rolls should be done by now. Serve bread rolls smothered with etouffee sauce.

Yum…is all I can say…the spicy sauce with the cheesy bread rolls explode with flavors in the mouth. Seconds is the only way to go!!