Barley Upma and Tomatillo Gotsu August 5, 2008

 

About a month ago, G and I ate at this small restaurant in Half Moon Bay called Chez Shea. Chez Shea has a very eclectic menu with flavors from all over the world made with wonderful local ingredients. One of the dishes served there (which G had) is falafel served on a bed of barley risotto ( you won’t find it on the menu on the website). Of course, we had to try making the barley risotto at home (which we did- and since it was G’s creation, he’ll be posting it sometime). Anyway, we cooked so much barley that we had left overs after making the risotto which I froze for use later. A week later, I was mulling over what to make for dinner when I thought of making upma out of the frozen cooked barley. And to go with it gotsu made with tomatillo and cherry tomatoes. Now, traditionally, gotsu is made with tamarind. I used tomatillos to get the same tangy, sour taste that tamarind lends.

Barley has a whole lot of health benefits to boot, way more than rava (semolina flour which is usually used to make upma). Did you know that barley helps with regularity and lowering cholesterol? And that it is good for lowering sugar levels and therefore, is good for diabetics? When I can, I try to use good whole grains in traditional south indian recipes that use white rice or other such high simple carbohydrates.

What You Need

For the Barley Upma

• 2 Cups of cooked barley
• 2 Small zucchinis
• 1 Small red bell pepper
• 2 Carrots
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tsp cooking oil
• 1/2 Tsp each of Mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal

For the Gotsu

• 2 tomatillos
• 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 an onion
• 1 green chilli
• 1/2 Tsp of turmeric
• 1/2 Tsp of asafoetida
• 1/2 Tsp each of mustard seeds, methi seeds
• 1/2 Tsp of coriander powder
• 1/2 Tsp of cumin powder
• a few curry leaves
• 1 Tsp cooking oil
• Water as needed
• Salt as needed

How Its Done

1. Dice the zucchinis, bell pepper and carrots. Slice the half onion.
2. Heat the cooking oil in a non-stick frying pan. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and wait for it to splutter. Then add the urad dal and chana dal and stir till they turn a light brown
3. Then, add the chopped vegetables and saute till tender (about 3-5 minutes).
4. Add the cooked barley, salt and pepper and a little water to help cook the vegetables and meld the flavors. Put the lid on so that the flavors assimilate and the vegetables cook (and still be crunchy)- about 5 minutes.
5. For the gotsu, heat a saucepan and add the cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let splutter. Then add the methi seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.
6. Add sliced onions and saute till the onion changes color and is almost brown. Add the turmeric, coriander powder and green chilli (if you like it spicier, add a little bit of red chilli powder or cayenne)
7. In the meanwhile, cut the tomatillos into cubes and put in a microwave-safe bowl with a little salt. Microwave for about 3 minutes till the juices start flowing. Do the same with the chopped cherry tomatoes
8. Add this cooked tomatillo and the chopped cherry tomatoes to the onions, stir and add water. Add salt to taste and let it come to a boil. About 5-7 minutes. Then let it simmer so all tomatoes are cooked. Use your spoon and mush the tomatoes so the juices are well combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

This is a really satisfying meal- the grainy, chewy barley makes a hearty upma and the tangy and spicy gotsu is the perfect accompaniment- it will leave you licking your fingers or spoon…

Masala Muffin Vadai July 10, 2008

 

One of my favorite snacks from Tamilnadu is Masala Vadai- its always a treat and something I eat when I’m really letting go and “pigging out”. So, in order to be able to eat it more frequently, I needed to come up with a healthy way of making them. After thinking about it for a very long time, I took the plunge yesterday. I needed some fat in the vadai to maintain its integrity and thought of using Flax seeds and Olive oil for their good fat content. I think sesame oil would also work.

What You Need

1. 1 Cup chana dal
2. 1/2 a medium sized onion
3. 2-3 green chillies 
4. 1/2 inch piece of ginger (optional)
5. 6-7 curry leaves
6. 1 Tsp baking powder
7. 1 Tbsp Flax seeds
8. 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
9. Salt to taste

How Its Done

1. Soak the Chana dal in warm water for about 20 minutes. I rinsed and put the dal in a microwave safe bowl and filled it with enough water to cover the dal. Then heated it for a minute or so till the water heats through and let it soak for about 20 minutes
2. After 20 minutes, pre-heat the oven to 350° F.
3. Drain the water from the chana and coarsely grind with chopped chillies, ginger and flax seeds. Make sure the dough is thick with very little moisture (add moisture only to make sure your processor runs). 
4. Mix in the salt, baking powder, olive oil, chopped onions, and curry leaves (coarsely torn by hand).
5. Prepare a muffin tin with non-stick spray and spoon the mixture into the cavities, filling them 3/4 way up.
6. Bake for 45 minutes till the tops are golden brown. 
7. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before taking them out of the muffin tray.

These taste awesome- the unique taste of dal and chillies with a hint of ginger and the sweetness of the onion balancing it all out..mmmm!!  And they’re good for me now that they are no longer deep fried . I made 9 muffin vadas. Here’s the nutrition info: Each vada has 104 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fat. 

To make them crispy and crunchy (and if you have the time) make patties out of the dough and lay them on a pre-prepared pizza pan. Half way through the cooking time flip them over. Pizza pans have the little holes that prevent moisture from accumulating ensuring that your vadas will be crispy and crunchy!! 

 

This is my contribution to Mansi’s Healthy Cooking event, an event that epitomizes what I strive to do in every dish I make. Kudos for the wonderful idea, Mansi!

Caramelized Onion and Spicy Jack Curd Pizzette February 1, 2008

The first time I heard about Jihva For Ingredients, I thought it was a great idea for cooks like me to get ideas for how many ways an ingredient can be converted to delicious foods. And, what a way to learn about different cultures and try to indigenize it to yours, or vice versa! Kudos to Indira of Mahanandi for the ingenious idea, and thanks to Radhi for hosting the event! My first ever contribution to the Jihva For Ingredients is Caramalized Onion and Spicy Cheese Pizzette. Pizzettes are little pizzas. The first time I made these little mouthfuls of joy was when I had some frozen pizza dough on hand and a few onions I wanted to use up. Its a great appetizer and quite simple to make.

What You Need

• 12 Oz. of Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (I made my own; you can also use any frozen or fresh pizza dough from your local store)
• 2 Onions (Red or Yellow onions have more flavor)
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 Tsp Crushed Red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
• 8 Oz. of Fresh Spicy Jack Curd or Cheese (fresh spicy mozzarella would work well as well- I use Mike’s Firehouse Jack Curd available at my local farmer’s market)
• 1 Bottle (12 Oz.) Izze Blackberry
• 2 Tbsps of Harissa ( You can use any spicy chutney or spread you might have on hand)

 

How Its Done

1. Peel and dice the onions. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the onions. Stir periodically till onion turns transparent.
2. Add salt and continue to cook the onions (stirring periodically to make sure they don’t burn) till they begin to brown (the sugar in the onion is caramelized).
3. Add the Izze to the onion and let cook down till there is no liquid left. The sugars in the Izze will be concentrated in the onions, enhancing the sweetness in the onions. Turn off the heat and let cool.
4. While the onions are cooling, preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit and start working on the Pizzettes.
5. Roll our your pizza dough (if using frozen, follow package instructions to thaw) as thin as you can, making sure the dough doesn’t stick to the surface or is too thin to hold the toppings.
6. Use a glass or a cooke cutter and cut round discs out of the rolled dough (you should get about 17-18). Lay them out on a cookie sheet (dusted with corn meal) or a pizza crisper (pizza trays with little holes at the bottom that make the crust crisp).
7. Place an m&m sized dot of the harissa or spicy spread on each pizzette and spread (just like you would spread butter on your toast).
8. Next, top the pizzettes with the caramelized onions and pop them in the oven for about 6-7 minutes till the pizzettes start to brown.
9. If you’re using a firm cheese (pepper jack), you can top the pizzettes with the cheese and optional red pepper flakes before step 8 and bake till you see the cheese bubble and melt. If you’re using a soft cheese (such as fresh mozzarella) or cheese curds (like I did), proceed with step 8 and take the pizzettes out when they start to brown and top them with the cheese and red pepper flakes . Return to the oven and bake till the cheese is melted and bubbly. (these will also taste great with goat cheese, which you can add after the pizzettes are baked)
10. Take it out and let cool for 5 minutes before you serve.

The Pizzettes taste great warm- the sweet and spicy layers with the crunchy crust make each pizzette full of surprises! Buon Appetito!

Edamame Hummus and Tortilla Chips January 17, 2008

Being a vegetarian, getting enough protein becomes challenging. While lentils are a great source of protein, another very versatile ingredient that comprises 16% protein is edamame, or green soybeans.  You can read about edamame here. I  add edamame to as many dishes as I can- I use edamame for recipes traditionally using peas, I add edamame when I make Maggie noodles, pasta…you name it! I stock up on frozen shelled edamame from the grocery store and defrost it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. In some recipes (soups and stews), you can just add it frozen.This is my favorite snack to whip up when I have unexpected guests and not too much time. I also usually have a couple of packets of Whole Wheat tortillas (they are great as chapattis for a quick meal on a work day).  

 What You Need

• 3 Whole Wheat Tortillas
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 Clove garlic, minced (optional)
• ¼ Teaspoon Cumin Powder
• ¼ Teaspoon coriander powder
•  Salt and pepper to taste
•  Flax Seed to sprinkle (Optional)
• 1 Cup frozen edamame

How its Done

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit
2. Stack the tortillas, cut them in half, then quarters, then eighths- you have 24 chips.
3. Lay them out on a pizza pan (which has holes) or on a cookie sheet over parchment paper
4. Mix the ingredients 2 to 5 and use a basting brush to spread some of this mixture evenly over all the chips.  Sprinkle the Flax Seeds on top. Keep the excess mix aside
5. Pop the chips in the preheated oven for a few minutes, till lightly browned. Turn off heat.
6. Thaw the frozen edamame (a minute or two in the microwave usually does the trick) and transfer to your blender7.     Add the excess mix from step 4 and blend till it’s a fine paste. Add water for a thinner consistency.

Your Chips and dip are ready. If you like it spicy, you can add some crushed pepper flakes when blending. Try this the next time you have guests over..its yummy and its good for you!!  

Chaat Cups November 28, 2007

I love Chaat but like it to be finger food, without the frying. I thought of this recipe when I was thinking of non-fried savory appetizers (other than chips and dip) with a desi flavor. 

What You Need: 

•  Mini Phyllo Dough cups (I use Fillo Factory brand)- 2 pkts of 15 each
• 1 Cup – green mung dal, soaked overnight or sprouted
• 1/2 Teaspoon- Chaat Masala
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 Cucumber chopped finely
• Cilantro, chopped finely for garnish
• Tamarind Date Chutney ( usually available in the Indian Grocery stores)

 How Its Done :

Thaw the Phyllo dough cups per instructions. Pre-heat oven to 400 degree farhenheit. Line the Phyllo dough cups on a cookie sheet and pop them in the oven for about 5 minutes until heated through (make sure they don’t change color- that means they’re burnt)

1.  Drain the pre-soaked Mung dal and transfer to a microwave safe bowl. Add a little water (1 tablespoon) and some salt microwave for about 5-7 minutes till the dal is cooked but not mushy. Let it cool.
2. Mix the Chaat Masala, juice of a lemon or lime into the moong dal and adjust salt according to your preference.
3. Add the chopped cucumber right at the end when you’re ready to serve. Mix well.
4. Fill the Phyllo dough cups with the moong dal mixture and top each cup with a small serving of the Tamarind Date Chutney. Garnish with the chopped cilantro.