Skillet "Bitter Gourd/Bitter Melon" Fry

I am back. If you asked me what outlook I had on life this past dozen-days and if I was to sum up my feelings into one word, its "BITTER". As bitter as an uncooked Bitter Gourd/Bitter Melon if you ask me. But not to worry, just like how a bitter melon transforms into a mouthwatering dish after a bit of TLC, I will too-From Bleak to Better, that is! My 10-day antibiotics course got over yesterday and I feel much much better already. I am eating plenty of Yogurt and Yogurt-based dishes to re-introduce the good bacteria that the anti-biotics "inadvertently" killed from my system. Working out has resumed and things are falling back into place.

The one thing I am not looking forward to is cleaning the house. Yes, 2 weeks of slacking has compounded my chores and I have plenty of cleaning up to do. My house is a mess and that is not how I intend it to be when my In-laws arrive next week.  The next few months are going to be fun-filled and interesting. You may look forward to more traditional recipes that I plan on learning from MIL. Happy Happy is me. :). And I plan on teaching her a few recipes I learnt since the last time she visited, like this one. I usually cook my Bitter Melon with a bit of Jaggery(raw sugar) but this dish tastes yummy even without that. Thanks to Suja of Kitchen Corner for posting this wonderful recipe.My hubby and I have grown extremely fond of this curry that we have with Sambhar(Lentil and Vegetable Stew) and rice almost on a weekly basis.The original recipe was so good that I didn't have to change anything at all except omitting the coconut chunks. Yum! Read about the health benefits of this Vegetable here.

Ingredients:

• 6 Small Bitter Melon/Gourd
• 1 Tbsp Corn Starch or Rice Flour
• 1 large Yellow Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6-7 Green Chili, vertically slit without halving
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 Tsp Chili Powder or as needed
• 3-4 Tbsp Canola Oil
• Salt as needed
• A few grinds of Black Cracked Pepper

Procedure:

• Wash the Bitter melon thoroughly in cold water and pat dry.

• Thinly slice the bitter melon and take out the seeds.Add it to a bowl. Add the Corn starch, Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder to the chopped melon.

• Mix them all thoroughly and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the melon with little salt for 5 minutes.

• Add the chopped onion and green chili and fry for an additional 5-6 minutes.

• Check for taste.Cracked pepper may be added if more heat is preferred.

• Serve this delicious curry with Sambhar or with White rice and Yogurt.

Note:

• True to its name this Vegetable is indeed "very very" bitter. So it really does need all the 4 Tbsp of oil, all the heat from the green chili, chili powder and cracked pepper plus the 10-12 minutes of frying to "offset" some of its bitterness. 
• Use a non-stick pan to really fry the melon. Frying it helps getting rid of some of the bitterness.

Enjoy!

Read More...

Bombay Sandwich

Day 7 of Blogging marathon: The last day of Blogging marathon(6th edition) is all about getting paired randomly with one another participant and swapping recipes from each other's space. So I was paired with SriValli. I don't have to tell many of you who she is.For those of you who don't know, she is the blog author of the extremely popular Cooking for all seasons and Spicing You life. When it comes to blogging she is no new kid on the block. She is also the brain behind this wonderful Blogging Marathon that me and many other girls enthusiastically participate in. I was immensely happy that I got paired with SriValli. Her space has plenty of quick and easy recipe for the current theme that I am blogging about: Cheese. One recipe that caught my eye was the Bombay Sandwich and here is my adaptation of it. Instead of Butter I used "Swiss Cheese".

For those of you who are here for the first time, here are the recipes posted for BM#6:

• Day1: My gargantuan post-work breakfast with Cheesy Eggs on whole wheats Burger bun.
• Day2: Turkish "Spinach And Feta Cheese" Gozleme
• Day3: Spinach and Indian Cottage Cheese "Palak Paneer"
• Day4: Baked Radiattore With Veggies and Cheese
• Day5: Sloppy Joe Tortilla Pizza
• Day6: Berry Cream Cheese Muffins

Now onto the recipe-
Ingredients:
For the Mint-Cilantro Chutney(Makes ~ 1 Cup):

• 1 Cup packed Mint
• 1 Cup Packed Cilantro
• 3-4 Tbsp Red Lentils
• 1" Ginger
• Marble sized Tamarind, cleaned and soaked in 1/4 Cup warm water
• 2-3 Hot Green Chilies
• 1-2 Dry Red Chilies
• 2 Stalks Curry Leaves
• Salt as needed
• 3 Tsp Olive Oil

For the Bombay Sandwich(For 1 Large Serving/2 Small Servings):

• 3 Slices of Pumpernickel Bread
• 4-5 thin Slices of Cucumber
• 5-6 thin Slices Boiled Potato
• 4 thin Slices Tomato
• 2 thin Slices Red Onion
• 3 Wedges(~3-4 Tbsp) Swiss Cheese (I Used Laughing Cow)
• 1 Tsp Olive Oil

Procedure:

• In a pan, heat 1-1/2 Tsp oil and add the red lentils. When it starts turning light brown add both the read and green chilies followed by the ginger and curry leaves. Once the curry leaves start turning crisp, switch off the stove. Cool this and coarsely grind in a blender.

• In the same pan, add the 1-1/2 Tsp Oil and lightly wilt the mint leaves. Takes about a minute.

• Add the Cilantro leaves and switch off the stove. Mix both the leaves and cool.

• Add the leaves to the blender that has coarsely ground lentil mixture along with salt, soaked tamarind and the water it was soaked in.

• Grind it to a fine paste. This is the Mint-Cilantro Chutney.

• Collect the things that you need to assemble the sandwich.

• Spread swiss cheese on one side of all 3 slices. Assemble the sandwich in this order:Slice with cheese side up, 3 tsp of mint-cilantro chutney, 2 slices of cucumber, 3 slices of potato, 1 slice of onion and 2 slices of tomato. Repeat the same thing in the same order one more time.

• Top it with the third slice with the cheese side down.

• In a pan, drizzle 1 tsp of oil and place the sandwich and press it down with a burger press. This step is entirely optional. Let it crisp on one side for a minute. Do not flip.

• Move it to a cutting board. Halve and serve.

Enjoy!

Read More...

Vegan Chocolate Cake, for Mother's Day 2011

A couple of poems that touched my heart, I dedicate to my loving mom:

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,

  Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,

Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,

  But only one mother the wide world over.

~George Cooper

No painter's brush, nor poet's pen
   In justice to her fame
Has ever reached half high enough
  To write a mother's name.
~Author Unknown
 

I have been thinking what to post in honor of Mother's Day and this is what I concluded with. My mom who has a weakness for anything sweet would be very pleased with this "Earth-Loving" cake.

So here's to you, Amma, for all of your endless support, boundless love and angelic patience! - over the years.

Recipe Source: One Perfect Bite.

Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients:

• 3 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2-1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
• 1 Tbsp Espresso Powder or Instant Coffee Powder (Folgers or Nescafe`)
• 2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp Salt
• Confectioner's Sugar, or dusting

Wet Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Cold Water
• 1 Cup Canola Oil
• 2 Tsp Vanilla extract
• 2  Tsp White Vinegar
• 1/2 Tsp Almond Extract

Tool:

• 9 X 13 X 2 inch Oven-Safe Rectangular Baking Pan
• Parchment Paper,for lining the pan (Optional)

 Procedure:

• Sift together the flour, baking soda and cocoa powder in a wide pan.

 

• Add the granulated sugar, salt and espresso/coffee powder to the sifter flour mixture.

• Add cold water to the measuring cup. Stir in the vinegar, vanilla extract and almond extract.

• Pour the water-vinegar-extract mixture into the dry ingredients and mix it with a rubber/silicone spatula. Add the Canola Oil and mix till the batter is lump free.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the baking pan with little oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper, if using. Grease the paper with little oil and lightly dust with flour. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes to 50 minutes or till the toothpick inserted into the center comes clean.

• Completely cool the cake and cut it into square(s) a couple of hours later with a very sharp serrated knife. Enjoy it as is or with a good dusting of confectioner's sugar on top.

Makes ~20 Servings.
If you like to add ripe banana in the batter, check this recipe for Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake.

Note:

• This cake isn't too sweet. You may add 1/2 Cup sugar additionally if you prefer a sweeter cake.

Enjoy!

Read More...

Cabbage, Onion And Blackgram Fritters "Doughnut Vadai"

Day4 of BM#4: My neighbors, a gay couple sold their house last week and moved out. I mean why would anyone want to sell their house when its not a seller's market?? Found a bigger house?? Can't afford to pay the mortgage?? Don't know what the reason was but I am sad to see them go.I will especially miss "hubby#2" cause he was a true example of perseverance and discipline. There wasn't much of an interaction between us except for an occasional hi and bye..But I used to watch him..Don't take it wrong, I wasn't ogling but I liked watching him go about his business.You see,my kitchen overlooks his garage and since I spend most of my time washing and cleaning in the kitchen I couldn't escape clapping eyes on him, whether I liked it or not. Oh, I liked.
So "hubby#2" drives a blue beetle. I have never seen someone care of their car like he did. Rain or shine, hell or high-water, he would clean his car the old-fashioned way - with a pail of water and a soapy sponge exactly 2 times a week. No more, no less. Even when there was snow on the ground he carried on. Nothing would deter him from his car-cleaning obligation. That kind of dogged determination certainly impressed me and I rejoiced that I had found "my muse for discipline". He had recently adopted an uber cute Chihuahua puppy that he would take for a walk right after he comes from work.Now my loss is two-fold -- I will miss my neighbor "hubby#two" and his puppy too.
Speaking of discipline and perseverance, you will need it both if you want to make this deliciously deep-fried fritter. The texture and consistency of the batter is important if you want the fritters to have that perfect hole in the center to resemble a doughnut and there is no easy way out. The batter is indeed unforgiving..if it is too runny it will end up like these. So if you fail to achieve this perfection first time, try it again and again. Its totally worth it. Addition of cabbage in this "Doughnut Vadai" was a new for me.
I first saw this at Kathy's space, The Colors of Indian Cooking,  about 2 months ago. Kathy is an extremely talented Hollywood writer and an equally talented cook whose Momo recipe, Pizza recipe, Vietnamese drip coffee recipe and definitely this Cabbage fritter recipe have made me go mad with wanting. I made this Fritters(Vadai) for my hubby's potluck party at work and he said they were gone in a matter of minutes. Its totally irresistible and definitely not to be missed out. Even my 3-yr old who doesn't care for hot, spicy food but certainly loves deep-fried goodies, asks for seconds.He is equally crazy about Masala Vadai too.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Whole Black Lentil/Black Gram minus the shell
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion, finely chopped
• 1-1/2 Cup Finely Shredded Cabbage
• 1/8 Cup Finely Chopped Cilantro
• 4-6 Hot Green Chilies or More/Less 
• 1/2" Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/8 Cup Fresh or Frozen Green-peas (Optional)
• Canola Oil for deep-frying

Tool:

• Kadai or a dutch oven for deep frying

Procedure:

• Soak the Black Lentils in water for about 2-3 hours.

• Drain it completely and grind it to a fine paste with very-less/no water either in a food processor or a blender.

• Remove the seeds of the hot green chili, finely chop and add to the lentil paste.

• Add the chopped cabbage, onion, cilantro, salt to the batter. I did not grind the onions because it leaves water and that is bad for the batter. The batter has to be relatively thick to make a doughnut shaped fritter.

• Place a Ziploc plastic bag on a flat surface, smear it with oil and add a golf-ball size batter. Press it down gently to form a Pattie. Using the forefinger put a hole in the center.

• Pick up the Ziploc bag with your left hand, transfer the doughnut to your right hand and drop it gently into the oil. Repeat for the remaining batter. Deep fry fritters in batches until they are browned evenly on both sides.

• Fish them out of the oil using a skimmer and drain them on paper towel and serve it hot and crispy with a cup of Masala Chai/Tea.

Makes ~ 20 Doughnut Fritters.

Note:

• It is extremely important that you grind the batter with as less water as possible(no more than 2-3 tbsp). The dough has to be relatively thick to form a perfect doughnut shaped fritter.
• Do not let the batter rest. The salt in the batter will make the cabbage and onion shed water thereby making it soggy.Ergo, no perfect doughnut and no crispy fritter.

Check out the Blogging Marathoners doing (Group 3) BM#4 along with me-
Diabetes Diet/Management: Kamalika, Smitha, Suma
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Sriv

Enjoy!

Read More...

Potato, Sweet Potato,Carrots And Peas Stuffed Masala Buns/Palya Buns (Cricket World Cup 2011 Special)

**This is a post dedicated to "Cricket World Cup 2011" Finals (Happening today) -- "Chak De! India( = Go For It! India)" **

I have seen plenty of folks make this famous "Masala Buns"( also called as "Palya Buns") and now its my turn.:). The reason why I didn't make this before was due to my fear of "Yeast". One of my New Year's resolution was to get over this fear.Now I have to pat myself on the back cause I went and did it.I know its quite silly to be nervous about a frothy ingredient that loves to eat sugary stuff and excrete carbon-di-oxide.Isn't it?
It has always been my dream to bake Bread/Rolls/Buns in my kitchen,be enthralled and enveloped by the smell of freshly baked goods coming right out of my oven.Now that it has finally happened,I am over the moon. Here I was thinking that I was somehow going to mess it up but I didn't. And this recipe is a keeper.It will be made over and over again with all kinds of fillings. This time though I went with "Potato, Sweet Potato, Carrot and Peas" filling. Yea, Yea,I know. I have bought plenty of Sweet Potatoes and I am looking for ways to use it up. So bear with me.
Now I am on a roll towards making rolls, buns and the likes. I have to thank Champa of "Versatile Kitchen" who has clarified many of my "bread baking/vital wheat gluten/yeast" related questions. So I told to myself that if I ever bake anything with Yeast, it will be from her blog and post about it - my way of showing gratitude to someone who took time to help me lay my "yeastly demons" to a rest. Champa has been baking with yeast for quite some time and she has plenty of posts on breads and rolls. So make sure to drop by her space.
Why did I post so early today, you may wonder. Well its because many of my blog buddies have decided to post some kind of "Game Day Food"  today as its the Finals of Cricket World Cup 2011 between India and Sri Lanka. India is in the finals. Woooohoooooo. Well done, Boys in (Light) Blue! The Very Best Of Luck to you all! Sri Lanka, Bring it onnn!
Hey Guys, did you notice something new about my space?? I have made the pictures bigger. How do you all like it? Let me know.

Ingredients:
For the Buns:

• 3 Cups King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
• 2-1/2 Tsp Dry Yeast
• 1 Cup Warm Water
• 1/2 Cup Warm Milk + more for kneading
• 1/2 Stick (4 Tbsp) Butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar

For the Filling:

• 5-6 Small Gold Potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks
• 2 Large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks
• 3 Small Carrots, peeled and sliced thickly
• 1/4 Cup Fresh or Frozen Green Peas
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minces
• 1 Small Onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 Tsp Fennel seeds
• 3 Green Chilies or less/more, finely chopped
• 1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 Tsp Garam Masala
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt as needed

For the Egg Wash or Milk Wash for the buns:
If you choose Egg Wash:

• 1 Egg Whisked

If you choose Milk Wash:

• 1 Tbsp Milk + 1 Tbsp Olive Oil + 1/2 Tsp Sugar

Procedure:

• To check if the Yeast is Alive: Pour the warm water, sugar and the yeast in a wide pan and let it sit in a warm spot undisturbed for 10 minutes. If it becomes frothy and bubbly like in the picture below, then Its active.

• Add the flour, milk, salt, butter to the pan and adding more warm milk as needed to make a soft pliable dough. Knead it for 8-10 minutes on a flat board using a "push-pull" motion. Smear oil on the top.

• Cover and let the dough rest in a warm place for about 45 minutes to an hour.

• Meanwhile add the Potato, Sweet Potato and Carrot in a pot of "slightly salted" water and bring to a boil.

• Remove and drain the veggies once they are fork tender. Roughly smash them and set aside.

• In a pan, heat 2 Tbsp of Olive oil and saute the garlic, onions, green chilies, fennel seeds until the onions are slightly browned. Add the salt, turmeric and garam masala powder and saute for a couple more minutes.

• Throw the smashed vegetables along with fresh/frozen peas and toss them together till the evenly incorporated. Check for taste. Add more spice or salt if needed. Divide the mixture into 11-12 even-sized balls.

• The dough doubles in size after an hour.

• Divide the dough into 11-12 even-sized balls. Smear little oil on top and cover it. Let it rest for 15 more minutes.

• Pat the dough into 3-4 inch circles on a plate with hands. Place a "golf ball" sized filling mixture in the center.

• Bring the edges together to the top.

• Press all the edges on the top making sure the filling is securely enveloped inside the dough.

• Repeat the same for all the dough balls and place them on a baking sheet "seam-side" down. Let it rest for 45 more minutes.
• Give them an egg-wash or milk-wash before baking them.

• Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F. Bake them in a 350F oven for 18-22 minutes in the center rack.

• They should be slightly browned on the top, like below-

• Have at it with a cup of tea/coffee to wash it down. It tastes good the next day too.

Makes 11-12 Single Servings.

Enjoy!

Read More...