Vegetable Tortillitas

I have never been one to catch onto trends quickly. It is no surprise then that I went to my first Zumba class only a few months ago. In fact it is a surprise I went to any kind of dance class. Dancing has never been my thing, and I have always been very diffident about it. For my first class, I took a spot at the back of the room, trying to follow along rather awkwardly. As the music proceeded, I realized that I just had to let go and have fun. Spanish songs that sound like new Bollywood music? Check. Belly dancing moves, hip hop beats? Check. And that certain Korean 'style'? I was supposed to groove to that too. How embarrassing. It took me some getting used to, but I find now that if taken with the right dose of attitude, Zumba can feel like a one hour vacation for the body rather than just a workout.

What does that have to do with this post? Well, the dish I am writing about is a little bit "everything goes" like Zumba. It started off from a Mark Bittman recipe for Spanish Tortillitas, and I adapted it with some Indian flavors, giving it a healthy and vegan twist, but the end result is utterly fun and enjoyable. It makes for a fine brunch or solo light meal, and is a fantastic (and I don't use this word lightly) vehicle for many different kinds of leftovers.



The first time I made it, I had a little leftover sauteed cauliflower with garlic and spices, made using Madhur Jaffrey's recipe for Baghari Phool Gobi. I used it in place of the shrimp, and had such a satisfying lunch while working from home, that the recipe zoomed up very quickly in my repertoire of all-time-bests.

Since then, I have used sauteed cabbage, brussels sprouts, or any type of greens such as these, and they all work great. Here is just one variation in which I used brussels sprouts and panch phoran, that I have made and loved.

For about 7-8 pancakes
Ingredients

1 cup besan
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (see note)
1 teaspoon baking soda
salt to taste

For the filling:
1 cup finely chopped brussel sprouts
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 green chili, finely chopped
8-10 sprigs of cilantro, finely chopped
2-3 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon panchphoran
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1-2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a deep skillet or wok. Add the panch phoran, and as the seeds start to swim around, add the Brussels sprouts, chili, and turmeric. Saute until the vegetable is coated with the oil and spices. Add some salt, and continue to cook for a few minutes on high heat until the Brussels sprouts start to get a few light brown spots. Then turn down the heat and cook for a few more minutes. Add in the chopped shallots, and let it cool. You can make this ahead of time as well.

In the meanwhile, mix the flours, baking soda, and salt. Add about 2 cups of water, starting with 1 cup, and whisking until a thick mixture of pancake batter consistency is formed. You want it to be just thick enough so that you can pour it from a ladle.

Add in the cooled Brussels sprouts and cilantro, and stir gently with a large spoon. Heat a wide non-stick skillet or omelet pan, and spread a few drops of oil on it. Pour in about a ladleful of the batter, and spread it around gently by swirling the pan to form a pancake. Check in a couple of minutes to see if it is starting to get brown on the bottom. When the top feels set, flip with a spatula, and cook for another two or three minutes, adding a few drops of oil on the side until is crisp outside. Try to serve and eat immediately.



Note: 

* You can use just all purpose flour as in the original recipe. I have tried different kinds of flours in the mix, like cornmeal, fine rawa, and atta. Feel free to experiment, keeping overall ratios about the same.

* Use a non-stick skillet. When I tried to make this on a cast iron pan, it stuck to the pan miserably!

Tiramisu, and a belated bloggiversary

It has been a little over 6 years since I started blogging. So many things have changed during this time, in life and work, in the world of blogs, and in social media in general.

Back then, when I decided to start a blog, rather hesistantly, it was mainly to publish my favorite recipes; the ones that I would want to make again and again, the ones that I would want to share with family and friends. I had been documenting favorite recipes with my notes for a long time before that. However, blogging enabled so many things that an ordinary document on my computer couldn't. Adding pictures to show how the final dish looks was a good start. The ability to tag and categorize them, and view comments from others made it even more appealing. Friends were created. Like minded communities arose. For some, book deals, home businesses, and classes were spun off. Some bloggers just stopped posting, and some of them really ought to come back. Things really have changed so much since the time I started blogging, that these days, it can be sometimes difficult to tell if a blog is a labor of love or something created by an organization for profit.

 

On my blog, things haven't changed much. The frequency of posting went down to a lamentable average of four posts a year in the last two years. I still write about the food I cook and eat as part of my daily activities, but I have very little time now to take pictures of food. Taking pictures, uploading, and linking was taking up way more time than I had as I juggled work, commute and travel for the most part.

I started another blog to fill in the gaps and to keep track of things I tried, what worked, and  what didn't. It has become my handy reference for a lot of my cooking experiments. Some of the more successful ones should really see the light of the day and be here on the main blog with some pictures to match. Alas, my pictures haven't improved much in the last few years. If anything, I feel they have developed a "sameness" to them because of which I hesitate to publish them. Here is one example. I have been making this wonderful Tiramisu for nearly three years now. The recipe is as perfect as it gets. Other than the liqueur used, I hardly make any changes to it, because it works like a charm and never fails. It is an absolute crowd pleaser and receives raves every time I make it. Seriously, it tastes better than many a sad excuse for a Tiramisu that are served at times in restaurants. It has just the right amount of decadence, is not too sweet, and doesn't use raw eggs. However, I did not want to write about it because how do I prove it to you? I have tried, but could never take a picture that would do it justice. Most recently, I made a large batch for a potluck dinner, and before rushing out of the house, I tried to take a few pictures. The end results were just as blah as before. See for yourself.

The tiramisu itself was demolished down to a few crumbs by everyone, and that gives me great joy and satisfaction. The visual proof is lacking, but take my word for it, and try the recipe. I will upload a glamor shot if I get one some day.

The Best Tiramisu Ever
Recipe adapted from Baking Bites, a dependable resource for many dessert recipes

Serves: about 8

Ingredients

8-oz mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso, room temperature
1/4 cup Baileys original, dark rum, coffee or chocolate liqueur
approx 30-36 ladyfingers
unsweetened cocoa powder, for finishing
a few spoonfuls of grated or shaved chocolate, optional 

Method

In a large mixing bowl, mix mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream and vanilla gently with a whisk or fork, and then beat the mixture at low to medium speed, increasing the speed if needed, until mixture is fluffy and very smooth.

In a small, shallow bowl, combine coffee and Baileys (or liqueur of choice). Dip each ladyfinger into the coffee mixture very quickly to let it soak up some of the liquid, a second on each side. Do not completely soak the ladyfingers in the coffee mixture. Place in the bottom of a 8×8 or 9×9-inch square glass or ceramic dish. Place the lady fingers snugly close to each other as you go. The bottom of the pan should be completely covered with the ladyfingers in a single layer. When there is a full layer of ladyfingers, spread half of the cream mixture on top of them. At this point, you can sprinkle some grated chocolate over the cream if you like.

Repeat with remaining ladyfingers and cream mixture. Dust with cocoa powder, grated chocolate, or both.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 6-10 hours before serving.

Here is another lovely looking variation from the same blog, using dessert wine and raspberries.
 

Ridge Gourd Chutney, Deconstructed

Everything I learned about "ridge gourds", I learned online. This might sound like an exaggeration, but it is very close to the truth. Ridge gourd, which is called 'doDake' or 'shiraLe' in Marathi, and 'turai' in Hindi is a vegetable that I wasn't familiar with while growing up. While it is quite commonly used in most regions of India, I don't recall eating it much, if at all, and I know for sure I never ever watched anyone cooking it either at my home or anyone else's.

Like many other vegetables that I had never tried before, I began to see loads of beautiful gourds in the Asian stalls at the local farmers market, and was tempted to try it out. I started looking for recipes to use it, and found plenty of ideas online. But I was clueless right from selecting the gourds. Are the smaller ones better or the larger? Slim better or hefty? I had to even search online for instructions on how to peel and prepare them before using in a recipe. After reading and searching about it, I felt I was finally ready to cook with it.



The first thing I ever cooked was this 'Ridge Gourd with dumplings' sabjee, about five years ago. I used oat flour instead of jowar, and made the dumplings bite sized, about the same size that I chopped the gourds into. It was such a hit that I made it repeatedly. Soon after that, I started looking for more recipes to expand my repertoire, and tried this 'Stuffed Ridge Gourd' which was an instant hit too. I realized that I enjoyed the slightly earthy taste and texture of of this vegetable, unlike some of my other family members, because of which the vegetable must have never made an appearance in our house.

Then one day, when there wasn't enough time to make the dumplings, or the stuffing, I wanted to make some kind of a quick saute bhaaji (chop, sizzle, and stir) and that was when I deconstructed Mint's 'Ridge Gourd chutney' to make a bhaaji, and it has become a huge favorite ever since.Here it is, adapted and translated with her permission.



Ingredients

2-3 ridge gourds (depending on their size)

4 cloves of garlic
4 green chilies

1-2 Tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
a few curry leaves (optional)

3-4 tablespoons crushed peanuts
1-2 Tablespoons dried shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
about 4 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Method

Cut off the ends of the ridge gourds. Scrape off the bumpy ridges with a vegetable peeler. Cut each into half lengthwise, and then slice crosswise into half moons. Add the pieces to a bowl of cold water with a teaspoon of salt, for about 10-15 minutes, and drain in a colander before using.

In the meanwhile, prepare the other things. Peel the garlic. Remove the stems of the green chilies and wash them. In a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic and chilies together until they barely hold their shapes. Do not smash into a paste, but you need them to release all their flavor.

Heat the oil in a wide pan or wok. Add the mustard seeds, and when they start to pop, add the asafoetida, turmeric, curry leaves, smashed garlic and chilies, and stir for a few seconds or until the garlic starts to change color slightly.

Add the chopped ridge gourd, and saute just until coated with the seasoned oil. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionaly, until the ridge gourd is almost done. The gourds usually release a fair amount of water, so I do not cover them while cooking.

In the meanwhile, roast the coconut in a small dry skillet until it turns slightly golden brown. When it is cool enough to handle, crush it coarsely with fingers, or a rolling pin, or a pestle.

Add salt to taste, and the crushed peanuts and coconut to the vegetable in the last couple of minutes before turning the heat off, and stir everything around. Add the cilantro just before serving, and serve warm, with polis or rice and dal.



Dodkyachi Bhaaji served with Polis

Pink Panha

When I made Rhubarb Chutney not too long ago, I kept aside a stalk for an experiment that I had in mind. It turned out so wildly successful, that I had to post about it.

I had always heard of making rhubarb syrup and then diluting it with regular or sparkling water to make a refreshing drink, and wanted to try it out. So I did, and swooned over the pretty color, but I wasn't prepared for what it would taste like. As soon as I had a sip, my first reaction was to exclaim how much it tastes like 'Panha', the classic Maharashtrian drink made with tart raw mangoes, and I was beyond thrilled!

A week later, I bought more rhubarb specifically for making a pink 'Panha', and this time I enhanced it with the flavor of cardamom, which I associate with the traditional taste of 'Panha'. I also measured out the quantities rather than adding sugar and water by andaaz. The tartness of rhubarb varies with the batch, so you would have to use your judgement of quantities based on how sweet and tart you want the end result to be. I have provided my measurements as a guideline.

The elusive taste of 'Panha' and the gorgeous pink color of Rhubarb is sure to be a crowd pleaser.



Rhubarb Syrup Drink / Panha

Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients

2 large stalks rhubarb (about 5 oz, or 1-1/2 cups when chopped)
1/2 cup (+ 1-2 Tablespoons sugar if needed)
1-1/2 cups water
2 pods of cardamom
4-5 cups water or sparkling water
Salt to taste
lemon juice (if needed)

Method

Clean the stalks of rhubarb. If they have dry ends, trim them off. Chop the stalks into roughly 1 inch pieces and add them to a stainless steel pan. Add 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1-1/2 cups water. Heat the pan, and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat, and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the rhubarb is soft and can be mashed with the back of a spoon. If it gets too thick during the process, add some water as needed.

In the meanwhile, peel the cardamom pods, and powder the seeds in a mortar and pestle. Stir the powder into the cooked mixture.

When the liquid has cooled, you can mash the rhubarb with a masher or fork, or run the mixture in a blender. Strain the syrup in a sieve to remove any tough fibres.

Add a pinch of salt, and taste the syrup. Add extra sugar if you want it sweeter, and some lemon juice for more tartness. When ready to serve, mix the syrup with about 4-5 cups of water, and pour into glasses with ice. You can also use sparkling water, but the classic Panha is made with regular water.

Note

You can make a large batch of the syrup and keep it in the fridge for several days, and add water and ice as needed to dilute.

Strawberry Rhubarb Mint Chutney

On 'Evolving Notes', I have written about various fruit chutneys that I have made, mostly inspired by the recipes from 'My Bombay Kitchen'. While all of them were delicious, the best of them all was the Rhubarb Chutney.

Earlier this spring, Mints wrote a post about that Rhubarb Chutney which reminded me to make it once again. I was also reminded of her crowd-pleasing Strawberry Mint lemonade, which I like a lot as well. All of these favorite flavors then easily came together in another chutney, and a new winner was created.

Taking a cue from Niloufer Ichaporia, I followed the principle of making sure that the chutney was emphatically sweet, hot, and tart.

Strawberry, Rhubarb, and Mint Chutney



Ingredients

About 2 stalks of rhubarb (about 4 oz)
1 pint strawberries
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon red chili powder (cayenne)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
30-40 mint leaves
optional lemon juice if needed

Method

Hull the strawberries. If the rhubarb has dry ends, trim them off. Chop the rhubarb and strawberries into 1/2 inch sized pieces and add them to a stainless steel pan. Add everything except the mint leaves and cook on medium high heat, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes or until it is jammy and soft. You can check by mashing the pieces of strawberries and rhubard with the back of the cooking spoon.

When cool, add coarsely chopped or torn mint leaves. Use an immersion blender or a food processor and pulse a few times until the mint leaves are finely chopped. Either way, remember to pulse.

Taste, taste, taste. Adjust the salt, heat with chili powder, and tartness with lemon juice if needed.


Serving fruit chutneys

I usually serve these chutneys just like most other chutneys and pickles in Indian cuisine. I place them on the table, for everyone to help themselves. Over the last couple of years, I have been enjoying various cheese courses while eating out, and I have started creating them at home as well. When I have a sweet and spicy chutney on hand, I buy an interesting cheese, some hearty fresh bread or crackers, and arrange it on a platter to savor with a glass of wine or other drinks.

Strawberry Rhubarb Chutney with Brie



Other Chutneys

A note on other chutneys I have made, and a recipe for Pear Ginger Chutney.

Rava Cake

I truly vanished from the blogging scene. If one can say that I was ever on the scene at all. The reason for not posting much wasn't any kind of a conscious decision. Those few who read Evolving Notes know that the kitchen is still buzzing with action, even though I have gotten busier and busier over the months. I am packing lunches, trying to squeeze in quick healthy dinners every weekday, and trying out new things or baking on the weekends. What I do not have any more time for is taking pictures, whether good, bad, or ugly. I hardly ever have the few seconds between preparing a meal and sitting down to eat it, as right away I need to continue meetings with the other half of the world that comes in to work by then. That is just how my life has been, thanks to work, commute, and travel.

Several weeks ago, I was driving in the dark, after just another busy day, when I thought about the "rawa cake" that my sitter used to make as an afternoon snack. To this day, I count her among the best cooks whose food I have had the pleasure of eating. On most afternoons she would make some kind of snacks for everyone who was around. Her ghavans were legendary, her chaklis are still the best, and thanks to her weekly upwas, she instilled in me a lifelong fondness for sabudana khichadi.

It is inexplicable why I thought of her rava cake though. It wasn't among my most favorite things back then, but suddenly the memory of the taste had gripped me, and I wanted to make it as soon as I could. I asked a few trusted friends, and they gave me their family recipes, but since it was a specific taste that I was going after, I had to go to the source and call up the lady whom I have always called Aatya. She said she used equal parts of rava, dahi (plain yogurt), and sugar by volume, and some LoNi (home made butter), adding that they do like things on the sweet side. "What about ghee or oil?", I asked. "Ghee is fine, but not oil". (See later how I flouted her rules anyway). I asked her if she added anything else for flavor, like cardamom. "I don't add anything else, but why would that taste bad. You can add anything you like".

I made the cake right away, reducing the sugar a little. The simplicity of the taste was astounding, and the best news was that it tasted just like Aatya's!

Later, I got creative and made other versions of the cake, adding cardamom and saffron, lemon zest and lemon, and even a vegan version with soy yogurt, oil, and orange zest, and they were all good. Within the last couple of months, I have made this cake five times.

It holds a special place for me, and I wanted to share it with others. It also meets my blogging criteria of posting something that I have made multiple times and would want to make again and again.




Semolina cake / Rava Cake / Ravyacha Cake

Ingredients

1 cup unroasted medium coarse or fine rava (can also use semolina or farina)
1 cup yogurt (regular or soy yogurt)
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons softened butter, ghee, or oil
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Optional : 2 cardamom pods powdered fine, and a small pinch of saffron

Method

In a large bowl, mix the rava, yogurt, sugar, and butter, and mix everything with a large spoon, until all the ingredients are mixed well and a batter is formed. Let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour. Add the baking soda, and flavoring ingredients of choice, and stir everything again until completely mixed.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 X 8 inch square or 9 inch round glass or ceramic baking pan, and pour the batter evenly into it, using a spatula.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is just golden brown and springy to touch. Let it cool completely before turning it out of the pan.

Sad

Until today, I did not know her name. I read her posts with interest, and she always had warm, thoughtful and positive things to say on my posts. That was the extent of our relationship. Yet when I heard today that she had passed away, my eyes welled up, and the mind has continued to grow restless since. Everything I knew about her was through her blog. She wrote about her love of baking, and the goodies she made, her fondness for Bombay, where she grew up, and marathi food. How can I forget her wonderful post of her stroll through the streets of Delhi? She had connected with me through her words. What I did not know though was that she was ailing.

I now think of her six year old daughter, and the rest of her family who are bereft without her. Raji, you were taken away from us way way too soon.

Easiest Chhole Ever

'Easy' is a relative word, and so I should start off by qualifying that this is the easiest of all the chhole recipes that I have tried.

After having tried several chhole recipes, it also happens to be my most favorite in terms of taste, so with a very high taste to effort ratio, it is also the 'Best Chhole Ever' in my world. There is absolutely no chopping involved. Dried garbanzo beans are soaked and cooked, and then mixed with some flavorful dried spices. Simple and delicious. If anyone remembers the old 'bawarchi' site, that is where I got this recipe. The accompanying description by the contributor said that his mother learned to make it from a street vendor near their house in Delhi. Street, vendor, chhole, delhi, conjured up an image of something truly delicious and authentic in my mind, and the recipe did not disappoint.

The link has changed twice since, but this is where the original resides now. I use a lot less oil than specified, and it still seems fine to me.

Even if you like the usual chhole with onions and tomatoes, I recommend you give this a try, if only to compare and decide.



Chhole

Ingredients

1 cup dried garbanzo beans
1 tea-bag
1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon red chili powder (cayenne)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon amchoor (dried mango powder)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon chhole masala (or chana masala)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 Tablespoon (or less) oil
pinch of cumin seeds (optional)

Method

Soak the garbanzo beans in a large bowl with plenty of water for 8-10 hours. Rinse and drain them when you are ready to cook. You can cook them in a pressure cooker with the standard three-whistle regulation that you might be using for dal, or you can cook them over a stove-top, which could take 45 minutes to an hour.

I use a pressure cooker, with a small pot inside with the beans. To the garbanzo beans, add one tea-bag (remove label if it has one), one bay leaf, and enough water to cover the beans completely. A little extra water doesn't hurt. Let the pressure drop on its own, and then drain the beans in a large sieve or colander, making sure you save the cooking water.

Measure out all the dry spices in a small bowl, and mix them all with the warm beans to distribute them completely.

Heat the oil in large pan or wok. Add the cumin seeds (if using) and when they start to sizzle, add the beans and stir together. Add the cooking water a little at a time, and keep stirring gently until you have enough to form the gravy (sauce).

There is 'curry' in my salad

When I refer to my salads on this blog, or while talking to friends, I am asked to write up something about them for ideas and inspirations. While it is not difficult, I am always stumped about what I should write about salads. They are usually just mixed greens with a few substantial things tossed in, and a dressing that I think would go with everything. There are no recipes and no stories to tell. However, I definitely understand the point of these queries. So I am going to try and fit in here some of my favorite salads.

The salad I am going to write about today actually does have a bit of a story attached. It starts with a recurring flashback from a few years ago. It was a hot and sunny summer afternoon in Salzburg. We had just crossed over from the old town to the newer part of town, and after escaping hordes of tourists we started looking for a spot to eat. I had a guidebook, but not enough time to figure out the optimal route to any recommended place. There was a train to catch, and we were getting hungry, and the summer heat was starting to get unbearable. There didn't seem to be any restaurants around, but finally, on a side street, we found a cafe that was open. Anything to eat was welcome at that point. I looked through the German menu and found nothing vegetarian. Zilch. I managed to communicate with the server and ordered a salad without any meat in it. She seemed to understand.

The salad was served in a lovely white bowl. Crisp greens, a lemony creamy dressing, and a topping of cooked potatoes and scallions, that had the classic 'curry powder' flavor that one tends to find in Europe. I wondered a little bit if the addition of curry powder was a concession to the color of my skin. In fact, that is what I seemed to remember long after, more than the salad itself. Since the salad was just something they put together for me, I found myself pondering over whether the 'curry powder' was standard or if it was an improvization, but I wouldn't have known because the menu was barely understandable.

Then one day, as I ran out of ideas and ingredients for my lunch while working from home, I thought about it. I sauteed some thinly sliced potatoes and onions, and added some basic spices, and used it to top lighly dressed greens. I also added some cashews to the mix. The warm topping and crunchy cashews over the salad greens was lovely and satisfying, and this combination soon became part of my regular menu.

To make it more filling, I toss in cooked and shelled edamame if I have them on hand, or cooked garbanzos beans, or add a boiled egg on the side. And every time I eat this salad, I think of the non-descript cafe in Salzburg.



Mixed Green Salad with Warm Spicy Potatoes

Makes 1 main salad, multiplies easily for more servings

Ingredients

For the salad:

2-3 big handfuls of mixed greens (like mesclun or spring mix)
1 small-medium potato (yukon gold, red, or similar type)
2-3 Tablespoons thinly sliced onion or 1 small shallot
1 Tablespoon oil
1 Tablespoon roasted cashews
a handful of shelled and cooked edamame or garbanzo beans (optional)
salt to taste
1/8 teaspoon coriander powder
1/8 teaspoon cumin powder
pinch of turmeric powder
pinch of red chili powder

For the dressing:

1/4 teaspoon mayonaisse (or tahini for a vegan version)
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Procedure

Wash and dry the potato(es). Slice it along the length, and then slice each half along the length again. Slice each resulting quarter thinly along the width.

Slice the onion or shallot thinly.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet, and when it gets fairly hot, add the sliced onions, and potatoes and a pinch of salt. Saute on medium high heat until the potatoes start to turn golden brown. Add the cashews and beans, and the spices, and saute everything further for a few minutes. Turn the heat off and let it cool just a little so that the potatoes are not steaming hot.

In the meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together until they emulsify and form a dressing.

Place the salad greens on a serving plate, spoon just enough dressing to dress them lightly, and toss with a fork. Top with the warm potato mix.

Note

In place of combining various spice powders, use a scant 1/2 teaspoon of a mild spice mix, such as a commercial curry powder or garam masala.

Tofu, Vegetable, and Walnut Sandwich Stuffer

Busy Evolving!

From the silence on this space it is probably obvious that I have been too busy with other things to post anything here. It wasn't my choice to ignore my blog completely, but with a new job, much longer commute than before, and more traveling that ever before, it was hard to get a lot of things done, and blogging naturally started to fall lower in the priority list.

One thing that now cuts into my available time even more is that I have to pack my lunch, because food options near the workplace are very limited. When I add my parameters of vegetarian, healthy, low-fat, nutritious, fresh, filling, and preferably organic, the options are practically non-existent. So it means I have to pack a good lunch for myself and it has to be built into the routine.



My first choice is usually a good salad with add-ins, dressing on the side, and some seasonal fruit. I can happily eat that on a regular basis. but then, every now and then I need a change. So my next favorite packable lunch is a sandwich that uses a tofu based stuffing. The idea originated from Madhur Jaffrey's 'World Vegetarian'. She calls it 'bean curd salad or spread' in the book, but what I make now has morphed so much that one wouldn't know that that was where it started.

The vegetable combination is all different too. I generally use carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, and spinach, but you can use bell peppers, cauliflower, cabbage, greens, or any of your favorite vegetables, or use it as an opportunity to use up odds and ends. This is a very versatile recipe, but what I usually don't change is the use of walnuts, soy sauce, black pepper, and the bit of sugar. That seems to do the flavor magic.



I use the same recipe two ways. Depending on the type of bread I have, I either chop all ingredients into medium chunks and then quickly pulse the cooked mixture a few times in the food processor, or I finely chop all ingredients to begin with. The roughly processed spread is good to use between slices of hearty bread because it sticks to the bread well and the filling does not fall out while eating. The bhurji-like chunky textured mix is great for filling plump whole wheat pita halves, with the added advantages that you do not have to wash any food processor bowls. Either of the sandwiches are also immensely packable for travel as they don't have any distinctive 'smell'. I have taken them on domestic flights because options at airports or in flight never seem appealing.



Tofu, Vegetable, and Walnut Stuffing for Sandwiches

Makes enough for about 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

Note: All Quantities are approximate

About 8 oz of firm tofu (or enough to yield about 2 cups)
1/2 medium onion (or use scallions)
1-2 small carrots
1-2 cups of broccoli
2-4 mushrooms
a big handful of spinach leaves
handful of walnuts
2 Tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame seeds or sesame oil (optional)
black pepper to taste (about 50 turns of the pepper mill)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4-5 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Procedure

Press the tofu gently between clean tea towels or paper towels to remove any excess water, and grate it or chop it finely. Chop the onion, and grate the carrots. Chop the other veggies and walnuts small if you want a bhurji, you can keep them large if you are going to whirl it in the food processor at the end.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil. Add the onion, and other veggies, and saute them for a few minutes on medium heat until they start to soften. Add the walnuts and spinach and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tofu, cilantro, and rest of the ingredients, and stir everything together until the tofu is heated through.

If you want to use it like a spread, wait for the mixture to cool down and then pulse it a few times in a food processor.

Insalata Caprese

Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil salad

Several weeks ago, a young couple came over for dinner at short notice. They were in the area, and they are related to me, so neither of us felt the need for any formalities. We had afternoon tea and we chatted, and in parallel I did some cooking, asking them about their preferences as I went along. They wanted something simple and healthy. Based on what I had on hand, we decided on matki usal, brown rice, polis, and baby potatoes bhaji. I was going to make a cabbage koshimbir to go along with it. However, I had some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes in different colors, and also fresh mozzarella. They had never had a Caprese salad before, but seemed eager to try it out, so I made that. The classic Italian Insalata Caprese (salad in the style of Capri) fit just fine into the otherwise Maharashtrian slanted meal.

In fact, the guests watched me make it, and enjoyed it so much, that later they started making it at as well, and sent me an email to tell me about it. Sweet.

I have been making this salad for years, and it is a staple at almost every Italian restaurant. To me it is so basic that I would have never ever thought of putting it up on my blog. However, I found it gratifying to have taught my young relatives something they liked. So for people like them who are eager to try and enjoy new things, here is a recipe for a simple salad that depends on a few things of the highest quality. It needs excellent tomatoes and the best fresh mozzarella you can find. Both of these have to taste really good on their own for them to shine together.

Just because the classic combination is unbeatable, I rarely bother to make any variations it, but I do use the basic canvas to try out various salts or olive oils. A recent hit was using Himalayan pink salt. I don't know what it was about this tiny change, but it just turned out much better than usual, and so now I always use Himalayan pink salt in this salad. Italy meets India, as it does many times in my kitchen!




Insalata Caprese

Serves 2

Ingredients

8-10 oz (about 2-4, depending on size) ripe tomatoes
4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese (usually 1 medium ball)
10-15 basil leaves
big pinch of coarse salt
freshly ground pepper
about 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Method

Slice the tomatoes into rounds. Drain the mozzarella cheese from its brine and slice it into rounds.

On a platter or tray, layer the slices of tomatoes, cheese, and basil leaves. You can also tear up the leaves and scatter them over the tomatoes and cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and gently drizzle olive oil to cover everything.


Note: Ignore those two olives in the picture. They were sitting in the fridge and had to be finished off.

Related Interesting Article

Rajma-ah!

Right now, there are four types of tomatoes on the kitchen counter. There are tiny cherry tomatoes, colorful heirlooms and no-name cooking tomatoes from the Farmers' market, and more heirloom tomatoes from a friend's yard. Yes, sounds like fall around here! September through early November usually yields some of the best local tomatoes in our area. As the weather starts to cool off, it is also a perfect time to use these tomatoes in long simmered dishes, like Rajma, which is a household favorite. I did not grow up eating Rajma, and I don't recall it ever being made at home, so I have had to try various recipes to get it right. The one I finally settled on is based on Sanjeev Kapoor's 'Khazana of Indian Vegetarian Recipes'. Some of his recipes are really foolproof and delicious, like this one for instance. Even though it looks like a standard 'onion-tomato-masala' gravy, the proportions are so perfect that I never need to wing it. The few changes I have made are reducing the amount of chili powder, and usually doing away with the garam masala.

While having good tomatoes is quite necessary, the key ingredient here is of course, the rajma itself. Many years ago I landed on a truly dud batch of red kidney beans bought in a local Indian store. Despite the standard soaking and pressure cooking the beans were rock hard, or barely cooked. This happened on multiple tries. Soon after that, during a trip to India I went looking for 'rajma' at my neighborhood grocer. He brought out two kinds, one that was pink and he called as 'regular' rajma, and a deep maroon one that he called as 'Kashmiri rajma'. Both were much smaller in size than what I usually see here. I bought back a kilo of the 'Kashmiri' variety, and was hooked. The beans are so creamy and delicious when cooked that I could never again bear to buy the gigantic beans from the Indian stores here.

Types of Beans

If you can find the dried 'Kashmiri' or other rajma from India, definitely use those. If not, Italian Borlotti beans or Cranberry beans are quite good too, or use small pinto beans. Some of the darker bean varieties from Rancho Gordo would be definitely worthwhile too, with some experimentation. I was once gifted a bag of their 'Red Nightfall' beans, and cooked some of them rajma style. The beans were very flavorful on their own so I had to go easy on the spices, but the result was excellent.



Rajma Rasmisa
Adapted from 'Khazana of Indian Vegetarian Recipes'

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup Kashmiri rajma (dried beans)
2 ripe tomatoes, medium sized
2 Tablespoons oil
1 cassia leaf
1 small red onion
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 inch piece of ginger
3/4 - 1 teaspoon red chili powder (cayenne) or to taste
2 teaspoons coriander powder
3/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon mild garam masala (optional)
1-2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

Method

Soak the beans in plenty of water for 6-8 hours or overnight. Drain the water, add fresh water and cook until the beans are tender. I use a pressure cooker and use my 3-whistle regulation.

Puree the tomatoes. Chop the onions fine. Grate the ginger and finely mince the garlic, or make a paste of the ginger and garlic together.

Measure out the red chili powder (cayenne), coriander powder, cumin powder, and turmeric in a small bowl.

Heat the oil in a large and wide heavy bottomed pan. Add the cassia leaf, followed by the onion and saute until they start to turn slightly brown. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute. Add the spice powders, and stir around, reducing heat if needed.

Add the tomato puree and some salt, and stir it around. When the tomatoes have lost their moisture and are completely cooked, add the cooked rajma, with its cooking liquid as needed, and simmer on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Add salt to taste. If using garam masala, add it.

Note

I usually check the beans after they have simmered with the rest of the ingredients, and if they taste flavorful enough I do not add any garam masala.

I also do not add any chopped cilantro in this, but that would be a common addition as well.

I am sending this to SunshineMom for World Vegan Day.

A Tomato Trick

Good local tomatoes are starting to come into the market now, and while the heirlooms and other colorful ones are excellent for using raw, the red ripe ones for me mean dishes that depend on the juicy tomato taste, such as gravy wallah sabjees, rajma, and many other things.



I am quite a fan of silky smooth tomato puree in certain dishes, and even a bit finicky about large bits of tomato skin floating carelessly in some dishes. So naturally, I have to go the longer route to get the result. The best way to make a large batch of tomato puree is to bring a pot of water to boil, drop in the tomatoes for about a minute, then remove them with a slotted spoon. When they are cool enough to handle, they can be peeled off easily, then cored, chopped, and pureed in a food processor.

Sometimes, however, you don't need a lot of puree, perhaps just enough from a tomato or two, and so this process can get a bit cumbersome. For such times, turn to the wisdom of women like Madhur Jaffrey, Niloufer Ichaporia, and many knowledgeable home cooks. Just use a regular grater.

With a paring knife, make a small cross on the smooth end of the tomato. Hold the tomato at the stem end, and using the medium holes of the box grater, grate the tomato into a bowl. The skin will practically stay in your hand, and you will have fresh tomato puree in seconds, ready for use.

Illustrated below in pictures.



Scoring an 'X' on the tomato before grating



Resulting Tomato Puree after grating

This handy trick which I have been using for a long time now goes to the Back to Basics event. The event was started here.

It's Strawmisu

I have been making versions of this dessert for a long time now. It is a simple and classic combination of a cake or cookie base, strawberries, and a decadent and creamy topping, and I find it just perfect for summer. It is easy to make and doesn't even need much of a recipe. You can make one or two small servings, or make a huge batch for a crowd with equal ease. Sometimes I make individual sized servings in small bowls which looks very pretty too. As always, use this as a guideline and make your own fun variations on it; I have yet to see this ever going wrong.

Now finally, I have also given it a name. I am calling it 'Strawmisu'. I searched on it to be doubly sure, and no such word exists, so I can say I have coined it, and it works!



Ingredients

10-15 strawberries
3-4 tablespoons of Grand Marnier
1/4 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
2-3 teaspoons sugar (optional)

4 oz mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup whipping cream
2-3 Tablespoons sugar
a few drops of vanilla extract

8-12 Savoiardi or Italian style ladyfingers (you will need more or less depending on their size)

Method

Rinse the strawberries quickly, and place on a kitchen towel. Slice enough strawberries so that you have about 1 an 1/2 cups of slices. Use the rest for garnishing.

In a medium bowl, place the sliced strawberries. Add the Grand Marnier, 2-3 teaspoons of sugar, and orange zest. Let it sit for about an hour so that the juices and sugar create some syrup.

Whip together the mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, the rest of the sugar (or to taste), and vanilla extract, for a few minutes until it forms soft peaks.

In a pan about 8 X 8 inches in size, arrange the ladyfingers close to each other to create the base layer. You might need to break up some of them to make them fit the entire pan. Spoon the strawberries evenly over it. Drizzle the syrup evenly so that all the ladyfingers are evenly moistened.

Spread the cream and cheese mixture evenly over the strawberries. Cover and keep in the fridge for 2 hours or more.

Garnish or serve with additional sliced or whole strawberries.

Note:

If you do not want to use Grand Marnier, you can use freshly squeezed orange juice.

In place of the ladyfingers, you can also use thin slices of pound cake or something similar.

My Bombay Kitchen

and other stories, including eggs on eggs

There are a few women that I would like to adopt as my aunts have adopted as my aunts, but they just don't know about it. Madhur Jaffrey, Ina Garten, and now, Niloufer Ichaporia-King.

The common connection to all these women is quite obvious. I came to follow Ina through her TV shows, Jaffrey through her books, and with Niloufer, it was first her book that drew me in, and it was capped off by getting to know her in person. Yes, some serious name dropping can now happen! They all write beautifully about the subject close to their heart, and best of all, give you a wealth of recipes that work every single time.

The first time I heard about "My Bombay Kitchen" was when a friend sang praises about a new book she had stumbled upon in the library. So I decided to check it out, and just fell in love with it. The writing is beautiful and evocative, erudite, but not stodgy, unexpectedly humorous, full of great advice, and always informative. While reading through it, I have literally tugged at the person next to me saying "Just listen to this ...".

The book is sub-titled "Traditional and Modern Parsi Home Cooking", and is based primarily on Niloufer's Parsi heritage, from her experiences growing up in India, and her continued research after she started living in the US. So a lot of the recipes in the book include family favorites, but since she is a big advocate of farmers markets and adapting local ingredients, there are many interesting variations, along with her discoveries in foreign lands, and interpretations from her über chef friends. With loads of wit and wisdom packed into its pages, and recipes that work perfectly, this soon became my favorite cookbook in recent years. Her husband David has done the most adorable illustrations throughout the book, which really pull everything together and complete the package. Over and above, the fact that Niloufer is such a charming person is just the jewel in the crown.

So far I have tried countless things from the book, each delicious, and many more are begging to be made. Her panir is quite a standout. I used her recipe to make regular paneer for cooking many times, but then I had the pleasure of having it served soft, with a warm flatbread with hints of ajwain and ever since I almost always have some fresh soft panir in the fridge. As Niloufer would say, we like to fool around with it.

Among other things that are on regular rotation in the Evolving kitchen are the Wafer Par Ida and Kasa Par Ida. The recipe is available on many sites, including here, so I will paraphrase just a bit.

Wafer per Ida (Eggs on Potato Chips)

Niloufer writes that for years she thought it was a joke recipe, a loony fantasy or a way of lampooning the Parsi love affair with eggs and potato chips, until she tried it and found it to be absolutely delicious. I agree about the deliciousness part! Very rarely do I buy potato chips, usually only when I have little kids around. Inevitably there are crushed up chips or pieces in the bottom of the bag, that no one eats, and the wafer par ida is the perfect use for them. I have used various different types of chips too, and it is always good.



Ingredients

1 tablespoon ghee, clarified butter, or mixture of vegetable oil and butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste (optional)
2 to 3 hot green chiles, finely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
4 good handfuls of plain potato chips from a just-opened bag
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon (about) water

Method

Heat the ghee over medium heat in a sturdy medium skillet.

Add the onion and let it soften, stirring occasionally, a few minutes. Before it browns, add the paste if you like and the green chiles, and as soon as the mixture looks cooked, add the fresh coriander. Crumble in the potato chips, tossing the contents of the pan to combine them thoroughly.

Make nests in the surface of the mixture, and crack an egg into each. Pour a tablespoon or so of water around the edges of the pan to generate some steam, cover the skillet tightly, and let the eggs cook just long enough to set the whites without turning the chips soggy. This usually takes me just about 3-4 minutes on very low heat.


Kasa par ida (Eggs on Anything)

Wafer per eda is almost like a corollary of kasa par eeda. I have literally taken the idea of the 'kasa' (anything) to heart and tried it many ways. It always works for me as a quick, satisfying, and comforting meal when I have completely run out of ideas and strength for anything else. Niloufer says that sometimes it's a hastily improvised dish that appears as part of the evening meal and what goes under the eggs is left to the imagination. Like a giddy child I told her some of the things I have done, and she approved with a slight nod and her majestic smile.

So, what have I put this on and enjoyed? Here are some from my list:

• Slightly dried out good bread chopped into small little cubes, or day old chappatis, torn into bits, given the same treatment as wafers
• Onion, ripe tomatoes, haldi, and malvani masala (other masala of choice would be good as well)
• Asparagus and cannellini beans stir-fry
• Sauteed onions and potatoes, with green chilies and cilantro stir fried into it
• Thin red pohe, barely sprinkled with some water, given the wafer treatment as well

What Others Say

Here is what some of my favorite bloggers have to say about the book:

The Cooker: I knew I had to have it
Mints: Niloufer's writing style is very casual but very informative
Manisha: Favorite Parsi cookbook author
Melissa: I've made not one, not two, but seven spectacular dishes

Here are some more:

The Kitchen I Wish I Had Grown up in
One of my favorite new cookbooks
Her Bombay Kitchen

If you have a good blurb on your blog about 'My Bombay Kitchen', and want to list it here, just let me know at evolvingtastes[at]gmail[dot]com

Easy Mango Cake

Is there such a thing as 'too easy'?

One of my grandfather's friends has a small mango canning and preservation enterprise. They live in the middle of the best mango producing regions in India, and use some of the finest local mangoes in their products. They sell a lot of their products in their store locally, but also send it out to several cities in India, and perhaps abroad too.

If I or some of my relatives ever get a chance to get there, we stop by their house, which is right next to the store (or is it the other way around?) and usually buy a few things from them, especially their jars of mango pulp. These are glass jars, unlike the tin cans one sees commonly, and I prefer those for two reasons. One is that one can see what is inside, and secondly, I think there is a much lesser chance of any kind of strange stuff happening, such as something that could happen if the acid in the mango reacts with metal.

Other than those few jars, I rarely buy canned mango pulp. The jars are by and large savored by themselves as Aamras, particularly when pooris are on the menu. Hence I went back and forth over whether I should use up almost half of a precious jar just to try out something new. I can say now for sure that it was worth it. This cake is superb, in taste as well as texture. I have also yet to meet a cake recipe that was easier to whip up; it is literally "dump and stir". It is a complete keeper that I would definitely try again, and perhaps even buy some cans of mango pulp if needed!

Adapted from here.




Rava Mango Cake

Ingredients

1 cup fine rava (or semolina flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
2 pods of green cardamom
1 cup canned mango pulp
1/4 cup oil
1 Tablespoon golden raisins (optional)
1 Tablespoon chopped almonds (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix the rava, baking powder, and sugar. Using a flexible spatula, stir in the mango pulp, and the oil, until the rava absorbs the liquids completely to form a batter.

Powder the seeds of the cardamom in a mortar and pestle and add it to the batter.

Lightly grease a small loaf pan (8 X 4 inches would be fine, mine is 9 X 5).

Pour the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the raisins and almonds on top. Bake for 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick to check if done.

Notes

1. I actually forgot to add the cardamom powder, but it was not missed. I am eager to try it with it next time.

2. Most likely, the quantities can be increased by 1.5 times to fit a loaf pan better.

3. It can be made just as well with melted butter in place of oil, I think.

4. The dried fruit and nuts are optional, and can be played around with. Mix into the batter, or add on top like I did.

Entry Update

I recently made this cake again, with increased quantities, and baked it in a bundt pan. It took me 35 minutes to bake it. Since the mango pulp was quite sweet, I decreased the overall sugar quantity as well, and did not use any dried fruit or nuts. It was enough for 12-16 people. The process remains the same as above, but here is an update on the quantities.

2.5 cups fine rava (or semolina flour)
2.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
4-5 pods of green cardamom
2.5 cups canned mango pulp
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
a few drops of oil for greasing pan

Khatte Meethe Baghari Baingain

Sweet and sour eggplants in creamy nut sauce

I said a big hurrah recently because it seems like 'baby eggplants' season has started now. Well, eggplant season in general, for which I have been waiting for several months. It has been a while since I bought much produce from a grocery store, so there are certain things that are just not in my purview if the farmers don't bring them in. Among the few things I miss are the eggplants. Fret no more, because hopefully they will go strong well into fall now. Which means there will be eggplants in the basket during each trip to the Farmers market, and it means that khatte meethe baingain will be devoured many times as well.




Ever since I found this recipe, via Culinary Annotations, it has been a complete keeper and has turned into one of the many recipes that I barely have to look up because I have made it so many times. Like several others in my rep, it never made it to the blog because I never had a good photo to accompany it. The reason for that should be obvious too - could never wait long enough to take a photo after it was cooked, and there were never any leftovers to photograph!

One of the interesting bits in the recipe is cooking the eggplant partially in a microwave. While I do not use the microwave for any real cooking, I thought I could give this a try, and I have to say that it was a good thing to listen to the chef! The eggplants get just a little tender in the microwave first, and then get charred and crisp just right on the stovetop.

The other thing I like about this recipe is that it is a lot less complicated than the traditional Maharashtrian stuffed eggplant (bharli vangi), so it can be made even on a busy weeknight.




Here is the paraphrased recipe with some tips, minor changes, and translations of ingredients to English.

Khatmitthe Baghari Baingan

Ingredients

Little baby eggplants 1/2 kg (about 12-15)
1-2 Tablespoons oil
1/4 cup peanuts
1 Tablespoon white poppy seeds (khus khus)
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds (beige)
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder (cayenne)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sambhar powder
2 teaspoons tamarind (not concentrate)
1 Tablespoon jaggery
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoons fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
a few curry leaves
pinch of asafoetida
1-2 green chilies, slit lengthwise (optional)

Method

Dissolve the tamarind in 1/2 cup of hot water, and let is sit for 30 minutes or longer. Using a fork or your fingers, extract the pulp completely and strain it to get tamarind juice.

Wash the eggplants and pat them dry. Make two cross slits on them without separating the slices. I remove the tops, and make the slits from there, but you can keep the top and make the slits from the opposite end. Rub them with a few drops of oil, and place on a microwave safe plate. Microwave for four to five minutes.

Grind the poppy seeds and sesame seeds to a fine powder. Add the peanuts towards the end and grind them as well.

Heat about 1 Tablespoon oil in a large wide pan, and add in the eggplants with a pinch of salt. Cook the eggplants for a few minutes, turning them a few times until they are golden brown on all sides.

Add the spices, and the nut and seed powder, and saute everything together for a minute. Add the tamarind juice, jaggery, salt to taste, and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 5-10 minutes, making sure the sauce starts to seep into the eggplants. Add a little water if needed, by the tablespoon, if the sauce starts to thicken up.

In a separate tadka pan (or butter warmer, or small saucepan), heat about a teaspoon of oil, and add the asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies. When they start to crackle, pour everything over the eggplants.

Naked Fruit

Some people have a sweet tooth. I think I have several. I was never one to say no to anything sweet, and it runs in the family, so it wasn't considered a bad thing either. As I grew older however (and somewhat wiser, I like to think), and concerns about consuming sugar increased, I tried to stay away from too much sweet stuff. It was hard though, considering that I always craved for something sweet after every meal, even if it was just a tiny bit.

Over time, an easy way for me to transition from sugar laden treats was to eat fresh fruit for dessert. They provided the perfect satisfaction to curb that 'need' for a little something sweet at the end of dinner.

Fortunately for me, I am able to get great local seasonal fruit throughout the year. After regularly shopping for produce, I have also learned to discern among the varieties available, and have mostly zoomed in on my favorite farmers for each type, so I have started to enjoy the best of the season even more.

I really look forward to Pomelos in winter, for instance, which I had ignored initially. It was one of the things that drove me to ask, "Where were you all these years?" I also know now which Apples and Oranges of the season I prefer. May is for Cherries, and late summer is for stone fruit and Strawberries. Incidentally, I have found that strawberries taste better in late summer or early fall even though they are always attributed to spring. Figs are fragile beauties that are seen rarely so I buy them when I see them, and of course nothing says fall like Persimmons and Pears. Good Pears have a really short season here, but certain fruit stands have Pears that are really outstanding.

When fresh fruit is prepared and served, it does feel more like a elegant dessert or its own course, rather than when it is grabbed hurriedly from the fruit basket or fridge. Since there are no recipes needed here, all I am going to do is post some photos of my favorite ways to prepare fruit, with some serving suggestions.



Strawberries: Slice off the bottoms, then cut each strawberry in half, and slice into bit sized pieces. Serve in a bowl, over a small scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream, about half of the volume of strawberries.



Persimmons: Slice off the green top. Peel the persimmon, then very thinly slice along the latitude, and serve in a wide plate. This works for just ripe Fuyu persimmons. Chill for a bit before eating.





Apples: Peel the apple. This is optional, but I love it that way. Remove the core, then thinly slice the apple and fan out into a wide plate. If the apple is not top notch, drizzle a little honey and a touch of cream. (A friend was quite shocked when I told her that I like to eat peeled apples, but this is about eating fruit for dessert.)



Oranges: Slice off the top and bottom end of the orange. Cut off the skin, cutting very closely to the flesh with a small paring knife until you have a bright orange ball left. Slice thinly along the latitude, or cut into segments.
L: Three type of oranges: navel, blood red, and fukumoto
R: Also blood oranges, but with many beautiful shades




Figs: Slice off the top and a bit of the bottom. Either serve whole or cut into halves.



Raspberries: Chill in the fridge and eat. Why mess with perfection.



Berries with orange scented whipped cream: Whip some heavy cream with a bit of sugar, and lots of orange zest. Serve it with strawberries, raspberries, or a combination.



Kumquats: If you are lucky enough to find them, remove the stems, wash, place in a bowl, and grab a few every time you pass the bowl.



Fruit Platter: I found this picture of fruit that I had prepared for a picnic a while back. Chunks of cantelope, sliced kiwi, strawberries with bottoms chopped off, and watermelon sliced into wedges. All you need is a fork.


While I was looking through pictures that I could use for posting here, I realized that I had already posted several pictures and to some extent even written about eating fruit on it own, proving my own point. See - cherries, mangoes, persimmons, pluots, strawberries, watermelon!

Extra Extra!

To redeem for the fact that I have a post with no recipe, I am going to let you in on a secret. I have been maintaining a parallel blog, which is a much untidier and more casual space. The main reason for having the other blog is that even though I try to make time to cook, many times there just isn't time to photograph the food, or to upload the photos, or to write about a dish in great detail. So that blog is where I keep notes, quick posts on what I cooked, what worked, what didn't, and many other things, and it is aptly called "Evolving Notes". If this main blog is the dining room, then think of the other one as the kitchen.

It is open by subscription, so if you would like to take a peek, just send me an email to evolvingtastes[at]gmail[dot]com, and I will add you to the list.

Hearty and Healthy Whole Bean Cutlets

In all these years, I can hardly recall having made 'cutlets'. I am referring to the very Indian 'vegetable cutlets', which you would be hard pressed to find much in the mainstream outside India. When I think about it, there are several probable theories to it. The main reason is probably because they usually involve frying, and they invariably involve potatoes. The other is that they were seldom made at home. This was something we ate occasionally as part of a large buffet, at tea time at someone's place or as a snack or appetizer at casual restaurants. So then I suppose I never thought about making them myself either.

However, after I tasted these lightly fried bean cutlets made by Mints, I made them twice in just the last two months. They are full of proteins, do not need much fat, and the best part is that most of the work is done by the pressure cooker and food processor. The type of beans you can use is also flexible - I used whole moong, matki, garbanzo beans, and whole dried peas. If shaped into larger sizes these would be perfect bean burgers too. Just be sure to salt the batter well as most beans have a tendency to absorb quite a bit of salt.

With this post, I am defying two norms of my usual cooking. First is the making of 'cutlets' itself. The other thing is freezing. I hardly ever freeze food but I found that these are really freezer-friendly. I make a large batch, then pop some of the cutlets, without frying, into a freezer bag or box, such that they lay flat in the freezer. Then I saute a few as needed, to add heft to a salad, to increase the protein quotient of a meal, or just to add some zip to leftovers. These can also be baked on a lightly oiled baking sheet, at about 400 degrees for 20 minutes, 10 minutes on each side. There is no need to thaw them out either.



Another good thing about this post is that the recipe posted by Mints is perfect as is, and so it is on its way to the first edition of Blog Bites.

Very Simple Spinach and Potato bhaaji

pAlak BaTATA BhAjI

In Maharashtrian cooking, there is a not so uncommon practice of adding potatoes to anything, that sometimes drives me nuts. Flower-batata, bhendi-batata, farasbee-batata, pretty much any vegetable you can think of gets paired with potatoes. While I like each vegetable on its own, and I can have potato on its own, the fascination of these pairings escapes me. It is purely a personal preference, because they are quite popular, and I know so many people who really prefer the two together, even within my own family.

As always, there are exceptions, and one of them is this rather homey palak batata, which is how my mother makes it. I happened to learn it from her a few years ago during a trip back to India. It is just one example of the kind of food I am likely to cook on weekdays, even when I don't have any time at all. It doesn't need much measurement and precision, and has a low effort-to-nutrition ratio. I have tried some simple variations to this bhaaji like adding garlic or onion, but I much rather like this original version. A few warm chapatis or rice and plain dal are the perfect accompaniment for a delicious and comforting meal.



Spinach and Potato Bhaji

Ingredients

1 bunch of spinach (about 3-4 cups when chopped)
2-3 medium sized thin skinned potatoes

1-2 Tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
3/4-1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
10-12 (or more) sprigs of cilantro

Pluck the spinach leaves, discarding tough stems. Rinse the spinach leaves and leave them to drain in a colander or sieve or something like a salad spinner basket.

Wash the potatoes. Slice it along the length, and then slice each half along the length again. Slice each resulting quarter thinly along the width. If there is too much starch I rinse them off quickly and drain.

In a wide pan or wok, heat the oil, and add the mustard seeds. As they start to pop, add the asafoetida and turmeric, followed by the potato. Saute the potatoes until all the slices are coated with oil, then lower the heat to medium high and cook for a few minutes. Stir them around once more, turn the heat down a little more, place a lid on the pan, and let them cook until tender. You can use a fork to check.

While the potatoes cook, finely chop the spinach. Or give it a few quick pulses in the food processor. Finely chop the cilantro.

Add the spinach to the potatoes, the red chili powder, and salt. Toss everything together, add the cilantro, and place the lid back on to let everything cook for just a few minutes.