Weave a Thousand Flavors

Palak Pakoras ~ Indian Style Spiced Spinach & Chickpea Fritters

 
The fact that I am fixing Palak Pakoras must mean one and only one thing ~ it's raining cats and dogs & pails!

In fact it gets much much worse. Tonight's forecast reads verbatum from the National Weather Service is as follows....

.........WINTRY MIX OF RAIN AND SLEET CHANGING OVER TO SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS... 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET.

So you see, pakoras it is! Pakoras and rain (or sleet) go together like Jack and Jill, cucumber and dill, Lewis and Clarke....you get the drift.

Growing up in India, I urge you to find me one family that didn't wake up on a cold rainy morning to the words "Pakora aur chai ho jaaye" which loosely translates into " Pakoras and tea it is!". Call it cultural, I call it utterly delicious.

What's not to love of besan, a chickpea batter flavored with whole spices like coriander and carom seeds, red chillies and turmeric into which is nestled fresh spinach leaves, fresh ginger and onions, globs of which are dropped into hot oil just so they rise to the surface all light and airy?

Now imagine eating these hot off the stove with piping hot chai ~ see what I mean? Some traditions are just meant to be.

So why not I give you one of mine and you give me one of yours?

 

Happy Deepavali & 'Channar Jilipi' in Celebration : Khoya & Ricotta Spirals in Saffron Nectar

 

People,  Meet Channar Jilipi ~ Gulab Jamuns with a college education.

The first time I met Mr. Hubby's extended family over a decade ago, they all asked me if I had ever eaten my Mother-in-law's Channar Jilipi for which she holds the unrivaled reputation of making, like no other. 

 
While the Gulab Jamun, is its dumpy brother Channar Jilipi is its feminine reinvention. Sporting slender curves and incredibly delicate, Channar Jilipi is bound to give Gulab Jamuns a complex! 

At it's best, both have a heart that is soft with a melt-in-your-mouth center that is bursting with intensely flavored syrup as you bite into it. Alas, more often than not, most end up a hard 'rock' at its core. And that dearies is what separates the novices from the whiz'.

So when my mother-in-law affectionately, Ma was visiting for a few weeks this summer (and since we both share the same passion for good cooking and food) we decided to put our heads together and make Channar Jilipi. The basis of the partnership was simple, she teach - I learn, with two notable and from what I understand, ground breaking differences.

I convinced Ma that we should skip the boring old, 'add lemon to curdle the milk' step and instead reach for store-bought Ricotta in the refrigerator aisle. Gasp! Well why not? That's exactly how Ricotta is made and imagine skipping such a tedious step for the modern kitchen (if it worked that is)

Dubious she was indeed but what a good sport and agreed to give it a go. Just when she'd come to terms with this, I suggested we get rid of good old fashioned kneading and use the food processor. Now we were both really nervous but ventured on, brave faced and all.

Enter, Ma - you must understand, the pillar of Indian kitchen is 'andaaza' - don't bother asking our Mums for recipes, they don't have one. They do everything by proportion and then a splash of this and a dash of that i.e. 'andaaza'. The proportion is critical and you never mess with it. I am quite used to my own Mum and grandma exchange recipes in the form of 1:7 - butter : flour. Sorta reminds me of mixing cement, same concept, 1:3:4 just in case you wanted to know.

To make these spiral lovelies, one essentially needs equal parts of khoya : Ricotta to which is added a smidgen of flour and other flavor adding ingredients such as cardamom seeds and sugar.

So where to buy Khoya?

Khoya which is essentially reduced milk to its solid/thickened form, is sold as a 'brick' in Indian-Pakistani grocery stores, in the refrigerated section and is essential to this recipe. Ricotta is available in regular grocery stores.

Channar Jilipi are heavily in demand in Bengal while Gulab Jamun, its globular brother is made all over India, especially during Deepavali - the festival of lights seeing how you too are going to fall madly in love with these sweet, curvy delights!  

{ Murgh Ke Koftay } Punjabi Style Chicken Meatballs in Buttermilk Gravy

Growing up, koftas was one of my favorite foods of choice. Which kid doesn't like meatballs? And almost all cultures have their own particular culinary expression of spectacularly flavored balls of meat.

Mum would usually make hers with ground mutton or goat meat with the distinct flavor of peppercorns in every bite. Having left India, finding excellent quality spring goat meat, which by the way is far more superior to lamb since it has neither the toughness nor the pungent odor, was quite hard to find. Don't get me wrong, I love spring lamb when cooked right but spring goat is in a league entirely its own!

And so I turned to the meat of which there was plenty i.e. chicken. Interestingly enough this posed yet  another problem  - It is nearly impossible to create chicken meatballs i.e. koftas that are succulent and moist that don't turn into tough rubbery balls of meat.

The answer to this lies in the addition of ground pork. You don't need a lot, just half the quantity of the ground chicken you are using but the results are fantastic! Moist succulent and flavorful spheres of chook heaven.

Now I may have convinced you to add the pork but my own Mum is proving to be a  rather tough customer. Its been years and every time we have a conversation about chicken koftas & I add my two cents worth about adding the ground pork, I can hear her less than enthusiastic unhaa...unhaa..transmitted across the sound waves. Noncommittal followed by a swift change of topic!

OK, I need to look at it from Mum's point of view. Most traditional Indian families in India don't set out to buy pork on a regular basis if at all. They tolerate it if it is served in restaurants or when traveling abroad but to seek it out goes against their grain. The exception to this rule are the Goan Christian inhabitants who favor pork more than any other meat.

But here in the great void of the world wide web, I have this to say to Mum - Since she & Dad tolerate pork in all those wonderful creations served up just for them at China Garden & Ling's Pavilion (their favorite restaurants by far) surely she can go to the market and buy a 1/2 lb of ground pork when she does end up making Chicken koftas a la her daughter.

Surely the shop that sells those cocktail sausages at Pali Naka will have little bags of it ready to go without your having to see big pig heads on a stake at the abattoir.

The figurative ball or should I say 'kofta' as they say is now in Mum's court!

Memories of Childhood & Kheema - Spiced Indian Style Ground Goat Meat (Mutton) or Lamb with Peas

 
 
Is it odd that some of my fondest childhood memories are nestled in a plateful of spicy ground meat with hot bread rather than some sweet confection?

Perhaps.

Growing up my weekends would punctuated by late weekend brunches with Mum's Kheema and while Mum was busy preparing the kheema, Dad and I would get into out little jonquil colored Italian Fiat and drive down to our favorite pao-wala (bread man) who worked out of a little tin shack on the side of the street and pick up hot slabs of bread loaves (paos) sold by the dozen at which point these are known as ladis. Very Mumbai, this.

Oh yes! Those were amazing times and these memories will forever warm my soul. As Mum brought the Kheema to the dinner table here in the US, we served it with hot oven baked Naan. I hope you remember my recent post on Homemade Naan. What a delight to have these come straight out of our oven and Dad says it rivals some of the finest he has eaten growing up. Now there's a compliment if there ever was one!

Any way not to my surprise, the conversation at  the dinner table drifted back to those wonderful slabs of hot paos so common in Mumbai. Of all the things from back home, pao is on my top ten list. Turns out, unlike bread here in the US that does so well in the freezer and therefore keeps for extended periods of time, pao turns into soggy loafs once you take them out of the freezer. So the question that comes to my mind is, what do they put in the bread here that makes it freezer friendly?

Hmmm....should we plead the fifth on this one ?

For now, I think we'll just have to stick with hot homemade Naan's, shamelessly slathered with butter along with Mum's delicious kheema with whole spices and herbs.

The kheema is traditionally ground goat meat found at Pakistani halal stores here in the US (use lamb if you must) of fine quality and is stewed with onions and spices and it then sauteed till it is nearly dry and the ghee simmers to the surface. So aromatic is dish and yet utterly simple that it has been a staple for generations - my grandfather, my Dad, myself and now my kids! You know something is special when it stands the test of time and turns into a family tradition.

So what is your favorite food related childhood memory?

 

Mum's Rassavala Chicken - A classic Chicken stew from India flavored with cumin, yogurt & spices

 
 
I grew up on this, my Mum's chicken stew. Utterly simple, utterly nourishing & utterly divine!

My memories of this, one of my favorite chicken preparations is Mum perched on the greenish-black 'kota' stone kitchen counter top, a foot stool below her to help her up from her 5 ft height. The situation only compounded by the fact that atop the stove were my mother's very old tall copper & iron ore pots & if she didn't perch herself onto the counter top, there was no way mum would see past the side of the pot much less in the pot!

I  know this is a food blog but that doesn't mean I can't share tidbits about building materials can I? So just 'coz you asked, 'kota' stone is a fine-grained variety of limestone quarried in the 'Kota' district in Rajasthan, India. Moving on...

My mother has a lot of patience when it comes to cooking which is at complete odds with my style & she often refers to me as 'the tornado in the kitchen'. 

So when Mum makes one of her signature dishes, she'd always pull out the footstool and seat herself up on the counter top and patiently get cooking. I'd dare not do this in my home with the cheap particle board & plywood construction frame  - I reckon me being a fat girl in a fat body, I'd bring the entire freakin' counter top down, cabinets & all!

Anyway, back home Dad being an Architect, our counter tops (frame and all) are custom designed in stone & short of an actual tornado (not talking about moi here) nothing is going to bring it down!

Growing up, one of my most vivid memories whenever this chicken was being cooked is that as soon as the chicken broth was done, Mum would have made extra and call me for my 'thaakath' drink which in Hindi means 'strength potion'. There was no arguing here, not that I would - I mean it was delicious but even if it was hotter (as in chilly hot) than usual, there would be no arguments and I'd have to drink a cup of it down.

Incidentally, I've tried this with my own kids and it doesn't work - they run the other way as soon they hear me calling & see one of my nameless creations cooking in the pot!

....... breathe Devaki.... breathe.....

 

Authentic Yakhni Pulao - My Childhood On a Plate

 

If I were asked to sum up my childhood in one meal then that meal for me is undoubtedly Yakhni Pulao. If what you see before you is just a plate of meat and rice then let me share with you what you aren't seeing - this is a plate with a story to tell.

A story about tradition, knowledge passed down from father to son and now father to daughter and daughter to sons not by the written word but by little anecdotes and "see here's" and sentences that invariably begin with "Your Grandfather, your Dadaji would say........."

This plate also tells the tale about honesty - honest ingredients meet on a plate and the the story that then unfolds is less about the Cook and more about the Dish. Just a handful of excellent ingredients come together and unleash an explosion of flavors. And the true foundation of this dish begins not in the kitchen but at the butcher shop where only the finest quality of meat can yield the perfect result of a perfect pulao.

As is tradition, the meat here is spring goat and unlike it's smellier cousin, the lamb, it is full of iron and protein and is very very lean. But there is an art to selecting the perfect cut of meat, so before you venture out to fix this dish, I suggest, No, I insist that you read the next post on - Once Upon a Goat! Everything you ever wanted to know about 'Select' Goat meat and Wish you Never Asked

Growing up, it was quite common to see my father wake up in the wee hours of the morning and drive to the butcher shop so he would be able to select the finest slab of meat, still unloading off the delivery truck. On days that I would join him, he'd say "You know your Dadaji (paternal Grandfather) would be able to choose the perfect quality of meat that would cook in 20 minutes flat!"

Back at home Mum would be busy preparing for the meat that would soon make an appearance. Probably still huddled in their jammies, the dinner guests, friends of the family who have savored the delights of this dish in the past, would often call Mum voicing their anticipation for the evening feast ahead.

 
It is even more delightful that today this meal is being prepared by Dad himself because when it comes to this signature dish, no one does it better! I silently stand back in the wings, taking notes while Mum is scurrying about the kitchen handing him the next ingredient. This is a dance that I have always watched them do when Dad is at the helm in the kitchen.

So without further ado, for the sake of my sons, here is Daadu's pearls of wisdom as he brings us all his signature Yakhni Pulao!

 

Home made Naan - A quintessential unleavened flatbread from South Asia

 
There is nothing quite like hot, buttered Naan with a North Indian meal. To this day, Naan is usually prepared in a clay oven or tandoor.

So I'm tickled to death that I was able to recreate this quintessential Indian bread in my American kitchen with no special equipment but for a broiler oven and a baking stone.

It took a few trials and errors but I think this is IT! 

This recipe is so close to the real thing,  that as I had my nose glued to a hot Naan as I buttered it - I was hit by a wave of nostalgia and I was instantly transported to a dhaaba (road side eatery) in India. Here's why - wait for it...... NO yeast!

If you've ever eaten a Naan prepared with yeast, I think you'll agree that it's a bit like eating a naked pizza crust and then it has that unpleasant smell to it. Not here, folks!

 If I haven't yet sold you to the idea of homemade Naan , how about the savings - it cracks me up when I see people check out a $3.99 piece of pre-made Naan at the grocery story when for that, we could make enough for 6 people! And, we can use the  dough cycle or knead cycle on the bread machine or food processor - so no back breaking kneading involved.

  I don't know if you can tell, but I am so excited about this recipe coming together, that I can break  into song and dance. So lets get cooking instead!

 

Nothing like Homemade Ghee

 
We had some acquaintances over to dinner the other night. They are some friends of friends and we had only met them a couple of times at community gathering events. They had heard of my cooking skills (not shy am I?) and they wanted some authentic home cooked Indian grub. So we invited them.

One of the ladies saw that I was using ghee and she started talking to the other women about how she picked up a bottle of fragrant ghee at this high end organic foods store (for something like 8 or 9 bucks). Now no offense,  but I have experienced some of these ready made ghee's available in  the high end markets and all I can say is - close but no cigar!

I realized as I was stirring the dal that as long as one can get their hands on sweet cream butter (I bought 2 lbs on sale at 1.59/lb just to make ghee)  and stir a pot, you can get the most awesome, liquid, golden ghee in 45 minutes flat, for one-thirds the cost and double the quantity!

Now for those of you unfamiliar with ghee, it is also known as clarified butter and it is fantastic in  rice dishes, Indian cooking and makes a mean steak au poivre to tow -- you think I'm kidding - try it and see for yourself.

I cook my steak with nothing but - and here's why. It has a much higher burning point, than  butter and I think of it as the 'clean fuel of cooking fat'. Good term, eh?

It has no strong discernible flavor so you can use it in just about anything - roasted veggies, roasted potatoes (to die for) and almost all Indian cooking - for which olive oil has too strong a flavor and scent. Do you what my favorite food in ghee is? Fried eggs! Yummy!

A Tale of Two Graters & Delicious Dessert with Calabash Gourd ~ Doodhi Halwa from India

Growing up I always heard my Mum say "You are sooooo hard on your shoes"!

That's 'coz she didn't know what I'd grow up & do to my box grater!

 Seriously you have to see to believe what is left is left of my couple of years old box grater. You'd think I have been placing my posterior on it for hours on end - everyday! No - this is the result of normal wear and tear.

{Hariyali Tangdi kabab} A Succulent 'Green' Tandoori specialty of Grilled Chicken Legs marinated in a blend of Yogurt, Herbs & Spices

There are countless varieties and styles of Tandoori cooking. Unfortunately for most, if you have only ever eaten at a 'run of the mill' Indian restaurant here in the US, then you have probably tasted but one or two styles of tandoori cooking - doused in orange food coloring! With this recipe you are in for a welcome refreshing surprise!

It is hard to imagine that anyone would sink to their knees in rapturous delight at sight of chicken leg quarters on sale for $0.77 cents/lb. But then most people don't know that these humble chicken appendages are essential to preparing one of the finest fresh herb tandoori delicacies in the North Indian kabab repertoire! - Hariyali Tangdi kababs.

A direct translation of this dish - Hariyali Tangdi kabab - are leg (chicken) kababs  in an abundance of greens & herbs. Quite honestly, there is no better explanation.

In this kabab preparation, skinless chicken leg quarters are marinated overnight or for at least 4 hours in a blend of yogurt, spinach, green bell pepper, bird green chillies, garlic, ginger, mint leaves, red chilly powder & garam masala powder. The enzymes in the yogurt act as a meat tenderizer which is the secret behind achieving super tender & moist meat as a result.

Traditionally, these & all North Indian kababs are cooked in a  clay oven, known as tandoor. It used to cook everything from a variety of breads such as Naan & Tandoori roti to a vast selection of kababs which are marinated grilled meats, seafood & vegetables.

The traditional tandoor is a clay oven fired by charcoal. And despite an advent of modern contraptions it is nearly impossible to achieve the flavor & the aroma that comes from grilling in a traditional tandoor. However, in the modern kitchen, a gas grill, a gas broiler or charcoal grill do manage to produce fabulous results so we just may be able to overlook not having a charcoal tandoor in our kitchens!

If you are ever going to begin cooking wonderful mouthwatering kababs at home, I urge you begin with this one.  With a whir of a mini-chopper, a little bit of planning for the marination, 20 minutes on a grill or broiler & you will be in culinary heaven. By the way, I do not recommend that you substitute with chicken breasts because they have a tendency to dry out.

Hariyali Tangdi kababs  are also a marvelous dish to serve at a large party because you can produce massive amounts cheaply & quickly without anyone ever realizing that they are eating economical cuts of chicken as they will be so enthralled by its flavor. Promise!

So here goes -

 

In a mini chopper, add the yogurt, mint leaves, roughly chopped ginger, garlic cloves, baby spinach leaves, green bell pepper, lemon juice, bird green chillies, salt, red chilly powder & garam masala powder.

Blend to a fine paste, adding no additional liquid.

 

Use fresh or defrosted chicken leg quarters. Remove skin and cut away excess fat. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal slashes on the thigh & drumstick on both sides.

 

Place the chicken in a large non-metallic dish or a zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Rub thoroughly so the chicken is completed coated with the marinade. 

Cover & refrigerate for 24 hours or set aside on the counter top for 4 hours.

A half hour before serving, fire up the grill or broiler.

Gas Grill or Charcoal grill -  Oil the grill grate as needed. Heat grill on medium-high heat. Using 'direct' grilling method, cook the legs for about 10 mins/side

Broiler  (which is the method I'll be using since my gas grill is out of commission - aagghh....Don't ask!) 

 

If using a baking stone, heat the stone for at least 10 minutes in the preheated broiler till very hot.

Spray the baking stone or broiler pan with some non-stick baking spray. Place the chicken legs on the baking stone a broiler pan in a single layer. 

Broil for 12 minutes. Brush the legs with some melted butter or ghee and turn over to the other side.

Cook for another 12 minutes or until both sides are a delicious brown.

Remove to a platter and rest for about 10 minutes.

The clean intense flavors of the herb infused chicken is refreshing and and at the same time rich and complex. Its like a little flavor explosion with every bite.

The kachumbar served on the side, is a refreshing salad of red onions, tomatoes, lime juice & cilantro and it constantly refreshes the palette with each bite and complements the chicken perfectly!

Brilliant with Naan, plain roti or tandoori rotis.

 

Helpful Tips from Zander (blog reader & friend) who fixed this (smiles) :

1. Cook the chicken longer then you think. At first was a little under done at the bone.

2. Ghee makes nice fire when mixed with hot coals. Have a water sprayer standing by to kill the flames

3. Breast meat works fine just don’t over cook.

 

 

Recipe for

{HARIYALI TANGDI KABAB} TANDOORI GRILLED CHICKEN LEGS MARINATED IN A BLEND OF YOGURT, HERBS & SPICES 

Preparation time - 10 minutes

Marination time - 4 - 24 hours

Cooking time - 20 minutes

Serves 4

Shopping list

4-6 (large family pack) chicken leg quarters

1/2 cup yogurt

3 garlic cloves

1" piece fresh ginger root

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1'section'  green bell pepper

1/4 cup mint

2 green chillies

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

3/4 tsp garam masala

2 tbs lemon juice

Preparation -

Marinade - In a mini chopper, add the yogurt, mint leaves, roughly chopped ginger, garlic cloves, baby spinach leaves, green bell pepper, lemon juice, bird green chillies, salt, red chilly powder & garam masala powder. Blend to a fine paste, adding no additional liquid.

Chicken - Use fresh or defrosted chicken leg quarters. Remove skin and cut away excess fat. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal slashes on the thigh & drumstick on both sides.

Place the chicken in a large non-metallic dish or a zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Rub thoroughly so the chicken is completed coated with the marinade. 

Cover & set aside for a minimum of 4 hours or refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Cooking Method -

A half hour before serving, fire up the grill or broiler.

Gas Grill or Charcoal grill -  Oil the grill grate as needed. Heat grill on medium-high heat. Using 'direct' grilling method, cook the legs for about 10 mins/side

Broiler - If using a baking stone, heat the stone for at least 10 minutes in the preheated broiler till very hot.  Spray the baking stone or broiler pan with some non-stick baking spray. Place the chicken legs on the baking stone a broiler pan in a single layer. 

Broil for 12 minutes. Brush the legs with some melted butter or ghee and turn over to the other side.

Cook for another 12 minutes or until both sides are a delicious brown.

Remove to a platter and rest for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sevian - A Vermicelli Dessert from Northern India of stewed sweetened milk, almonds, golden raisins, cardamom & pistachios

One of the most delightful desserts from North Indian kitchen is  Sevian (pronounced - say-vi-yaa) Here fine vermicelli is lightly sauteed in ghee and then stewed in sweetened milk with almonds, golden raisins, & cardamom. Finally garnished with pistachio slivers.

Growing up, I have seen my Mum make this dessert so often sometimes for dinner parties and sometimes just to satisfy that sweet tooth. I have always taken this for granted and have never bothered making notes or observing how Mum was fixing it. All I remember was relishing bowls and bowls of this heavenly nectar.

So when the morning of the Foodbuzz 24,24,24 dinner party rolls in, you can read all about that splendid evening here and I have done nothing for this dish with the exception of stocking the groceries, I jump off the couch, coffee in one hand , paper & pencil in the other and begin frantically dialing my parent's at home.

Fortunately Mum picks up and I explain my predicament. After a short spiel on how I really must stop doing everything at the last minute, she reveals not only her recipe but more importantly the critical points to watch out for in the cooking process. Because its the little stuff that will get you every time!

Fortunately, this one's easy to fix with spectacular results. There are a couple of additions I have made to Mum's recipe, adding a can of evaporated milk to speed things up & a tsp of rose water. Other than that, here's Mum's Sevian -

The main ingredients required are -  

Fine brown wheat vermicelli (available in Indo-Pak stores), milk, evaporated milk, whole cloves, sugar, cashew halves (optional), sliced almonds, golden raisins, rose water & sliced pistachios for garnish. 

Cook's Note - Do not use the vermicelli sold under the pasta section of regular grocery store. This warrants very fine wheat vermicelli that is a rich brown available at Indo-Pak stores.

 

 

Prepare the ingredients -

 Sevian - If your sevian is in 11-12" long lengths, with a pair of kitchen shears cut into 4 equal parts. Set aside

 

Almonds - In a saute pan, heat ghee till hot but not fuming. Add almonds and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

 

Cashews halves (if using) - In a saute pan, heat ghee till hot but not fuming. Add almonds and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

 
 

In a heavy bottom saute pan, on low heat, heat the ghee till hot but not fuming. Add the cloves. As soon as they swell up, add the vermicelli.

 

Saute for 2-3 minutes until the vermicelli is a golden brown. There will be a distinct glistening on the vermicelli & it will release a scent. Stir constantly during this process. Watch for strands vermicelli turning brown quicker than others.

Add all the milk including the can of evaporated milk. Increase heat to medium & bring to simmer.

Lower heat and stir regularly for about 15-20 minutes. The vermicelli will have expanded and the milk should show signs of slight thickening.

Cook's Note - It is very important to be at hand and stir. If the milk sticks to the bottom of pan as it thickens, it will give out a burnt milk smell and the entire will have to discarded. 

 

Add the sugar, almonds, cashew haves if using & cardamom powder. Stir.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat.

Refrigerate once cooled if using the next day. If serving the same day, just before serving warm the Sevian.Add rose water and stir.

Cook's Note - As the Sevian sits it will thicken. So you may add as much as 1/2-1 cup of milk to thin but only do so once warmed. Also once again taste and adjust the sugar if needed.

Some families like their sevian thick & others like it thin. In ours we like it thin. I do not recommend serving your Sevian very thick like a cream of wheat consistency. It should be thinner than a thick soup.

Remove the Sevian to a decorative serving bowl and garnish with pistachio slivers and decorate with rose petals if desired. 

Serve warm or hot in individual serving bowls.

One bite into the creamy rich texture of the vermicelli with the milk and dry fruits and it has us swooning.

The milk is infused with flavor from the cardamom and the little crunch from the almonds and cashews is a lovely contrast to the smooth silkiness of the vermicelli. I especially loved the pistachios and the hint of rose water in it.

I hope you make this when you have your next 'Indian nite'. I think you'll enjoy it as much as we did.

Recipe for

Sevian - A Vermicelli Dessert from Northern India

Preparation time -  10 minutes

Cooking time - 20 minutes

Shopping list

3.5 oz/100 gms Sevian or thin Vermicelli (brown)

1 # 12 oz can evaporated milk

6 cups milk ( plus extra to thin once cooled)

1/2 cup sugar

2 whole cloves

1-1/4 tsp powdered cardamom

1-1/2 tsp ghee

3 tbs sliced almonds

1/2 tsp ghee to saute almonds

2 tbs shelled pistachio nuts, for garnish

1 tsp Rosewater (optional)

Preparation 

Sevian - If your sevian is in 11-12" long lengths, with a pair of kitchen shears cut into 4 equal parts. Set aside.

Cashews halves (if using) - In a saute pan, heat ghee till hot but not fuming. Add almonds and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Almonds - In a saute pan, heat ghee till hot but not fuming. Add almonds and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Cooking Method

In a heavy bottom saute pan, on low heat, heat the ghee till hot but not fuming. Add the cloves. As soon as they swell up, add the vermicelli.

Saute for 2-3 minutes until the vermicelli is a golden brown. There will be a distinct glistening on the vermicelli & it will release a scent. Stir constantly during this process. Watch for strands vermicelli turning brown quicker than others.

Add all the milk. Increase heat to medium & bring to simmer.

Lower heat immediately and stir regularly for about 20 minutes. The vermicelli will have expanded and the milk should show signs of slight thickening.

Cook's Note - It is very important to be at hand and stir. If the milk sticks to the bottom of pan as it thickens, it will give out a burnt milk smell and the entire will have to discarded.

Add the sugar, almonds & cardamom powder. Stir.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Simmer for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Add rose water and stir.

Cook's Note - As the Sevian sits it will thicken. So you may add as much as 1/2-1 cup of milk to thin but only do so once warmed. Also once again taste and adjust the sugar if needed.

Some families like their sevian thick & others like it thin. In ours we like it thin. I do not recommend serving your Sevian thick like a cream of wheat consistency. It should be thinner than a thick soup.

Garnish with sliced pistachios.  Serve warm or hot.

Enjoy!

Fusion Cobb Salad

 Tandoori Chicken tenderloins served on a bed of fresh lettuce, herbs & vegetables, tossed with a ginger-honey dressing & finished with raisins & tortilla crisps

It's spring & there's nothing funny about that where I'm concerned! I have yet to shed the 7 lbs I have put on from Christmas...from Christmas, you hear me? I want to scream. It's Easter next week and I'm still stuck with Christmas weight! Ugh....

So when I first began finalizing plans for dinner tonight, it had to be a salad and before I entered the kitchen, I had every intention of preparing  a classic Cobb salad.

Somewhere along the way, once I opened the refrigerator door, I was seduced by the variety of herbs & fresh produce in my refrigerator (other than those called for Cobb's salad) a half finished container of plain yogurt, a lonesome tortilla in its bag & the scant golden raisins waiting to be used. And very soon plans drifted from traditional Cobb salad to what can only be called a Fusion Cobb salad.

There is some irony to the fact that Robert Cobb himself invented the salad back in the 1930's in California in a similar fashion, using items he had found in the refrigerator at his restaurant - The Brown Derby. So it gives me some comfort that since there was method to his madness,  perhaps such will also be the case in mine!

The recipe can be categorized into 5 sections -

• Tandoori Chicken & its marinade
  
• Dressing 
• Salad
• Garnishes & tortilla Crisps
• Assembly

Chicken -

  

In the container of a mini chopper or blender gather together ingredients for the chicken marinade - yogurt, cilantro, mint, roughly chopped ginger, peeled garlic cloves, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, cream & salt. Pulverize to a  paste.

Pour into a dish (not metal) with the defrosted chicken tenderloins & marinate for  anywhere from 1-4 hours. Longer the better. Set aside.

 

Dressing - In a cleaned out bowl of the mini-chopper or blender, add the juice of freshly squeezed lemon, grated ginger, olive oil, honey, sugar if you're using, chopped mint leaves, crushed garlic, chopped 'Thai' red chilly & salt.

Pulverize until it is completely blended to a fine, smooth consistency. Refrigerate till ready to use. 

Salad-  Begin preparations approx 45 minutes to an hour before serving time.

Prepare all ingredients for the salad - hearts of romaine lettuce, fresh cilantro, mint, red bell pepper, black olives, avocado, red onion, tomatoes & cucumber.

Hearts of romaine lettuce - Wash, discard any brown or discolored leaves. Tear with hand or kitchen  shears to approx 1" bite size pieces.

Place in a large mixing bowl lined with kitchen paper towels.  

Using a kitchen paper towel pat dry the lettuce to remove as much moisture as possible. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the other ingredients.

 

Avocado -  Cut an avocado into half. Retain the other half with the seed, in the refrigerator.  Score the avocado with a knife in a criss-cross fashion. Do not cut into the skin.

Turn the avocado inside-out so the fleshy square come away from the skin. Set aside on a large platter.

 

Herbs & olives -  Wash & finely chop the mint & cilantro. Halve the black olives & set aside on the platter with the avocados.

Vegetables - 

 Red onion - Peel & finely slice in semi-circles

Tomatoes - Wash & dice

Cucumber - Peel leaving alternate strips intact (for looks), cut lengthwise & cut into 1/4" semi-circles.

Gather all the vegetables on the platter.  Refrigerate till further use. 

 

 

Chicken -  If using the oven, turn the oven to 'broil' setting. If using a gas grill or charcoal grill, heat to medium-high.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard excess marinade.

In the broiler pan, place the tenderloins on a baking stone or parchment lined baking tray (sprayed with non-stick spray) & cook the tenderloins for about 8-9 minutes or until cooked. Baste with 'ghee' or olive oil. Grill for another 8-9 minutes. Baste with olive oil or ghee & set aside.

Cook until no longer pink but do not overcook or they will dry out.

If using the gas or charcoal grill, grill the tenderloins until golden brown and cooked through about 6-7 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill or broiler pan and let rest for 10 minutes.

Tortilla Crisps -

 

Use any tortilla you have at hand or buy the kind you would use later on for wraps etc.  The one I had on hand was a honey wheat tortilla. It is a little stale so it is  perfect for the tortilla crisps.

Using a serrated bread knife, cut the tortilla in half. Overlap the edges & cut into radial shapes like pizza triangles. Heat olive oil in a small pan & heat on medium heat till  hot but not fuming.

 

Add one tortilla triangle at a time & fry till to a lovely golden brown. 

Assembly- 

 

Remove the lettuce from the refrigerator. Discard the kitchen paper towels. Add all the herbs & vegetables. Add half the dressing & toss.

Cook's Note - I would serve the extra dressing on the side. Nothing worse than having way  too much dressing to begin with. This way everyone can help themselves to more at the table.

Sprinkle the garnishes - the raisins & crumbled aged cheddar cheese. Mound the Chicken tenderloins over the salad & serve with the tortilla crisps.

This salad can  best be described as a palimpsest of flavors. The zesty tang in the lemon dressing carries a hint of sweetness throughout, while the ginger & minty aromas amp up the flavors in the salad. The raisins add a touch of whimsy & sweeten the palette most unexpectedly.

The chicken with its moist tender flesh is an explosion of flavors with the cumin, spices  & yogurt set against the refreshing canvas of the salad.

A perfect, light dinner with the tortilla crisps adding just the right touch of crunch!

Recipe for

Fusion Cobb Salad ~ Tandoori Chicken tenderloins served on a bed of fresh lettuce, herbs & vegetables, tossed with a ginger-honey dressing & finished with raisins & tortilla crisps

Preparation time - 40 minutes

Cooking time - 20 minutes

Serves 4

Shopping list - 

8-12 chicken tenderloins (1 packet)

Marinade -

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1" fresh  ginger root

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbs heavy cream

2 tbs lemon juice

3 cloves garlic

Salad -

1 - 1/2 bundles hearts of romaine lettuce (6-8 cups torn leaves)

3 Roma tomatoes

1/2 ripe avocado

1/2 red bell pepper

1/2 red onion

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

8 black olives

1 English cucumber (1 cup sliced)

Dressing -

1/4 cup+ 1 tbs olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

3  garlic cloves

1-1/2" fresh ginger root

1 'Thai' red chilly

1/8 cup fresh mint leaves

1 tbs honey

1/2 tsp powdered sugar (optional)

1/4 tsp salt

Garnish-

1 large tortilla

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 oz aged cheddar cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup for deep-frying

Preparation

Garlic Cloves - Peel & crush. Discard skin

Ginger -  Scrape skin off with a knife. Roughly chop " piece for marinade. Grate 1-1/2" ginger for dressing (to make 3 tsp)

Chicken & Marinade-  In the container of a mini chopper or blender gather together ingredients for the marinade - yogurt, cilantro (for marinade only), mint (for marinade only), roughly chopped ginger, 3 crushed garlic cloves, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, cream & salt.  Pulverize to a  paste.

Pour into a dish (not metal) with the defrosted chicken tenderloins & marinate for 1-4 hours. Set aside. Longer the batter.

Thai red chilly - Finely chop. Set aside. Wash hands thoroughly with soap & water to get rid of chilly oils.

Mint (for Dressing) -  Wash & roughly chop.

Dressing - In a cleaned out bowl of the mini-chopper or blender, add freshly squeezed lemon juice, grated ginger, olive oil, honey, sugar, chopped mint leaves, crushed garlic, chopped 'Thai' red chilly & salt. Pulverize until to a fine, smooth consistency. Refrigerate till ready to use.

Salad -

Hearts of romaine lettuce - Wash, discard any brown or discolored leaves. Tear with hand or kitchen  shears to approx 1" bite size pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl lined with kitchen paper towels. Using a kitchen paper towel pat dry the lettuce to remove as much moisture as possible. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the other ingredients.

Avocado - Cut an avocado into half. Retain the other half with the seed, in the refrigerator.  Score the avocado with a knife in a criss-cross fashion. Do not cut into the skin.  Turn inside out to separate avocado fruit from skin. Set aside on a large platter.

Red onion - Peel & finely slice in semi-circles

Tomatoes - Wash & dice

Olives - Remove from liquid & halve (lengthwise)

Cucumber - Peel leaving alternate strips intact (for looks), cut lengthwise & cut into 1/4" semi-circles. 

Mint  & Cilantro (for Salad) -  Wash & finely chop.

Gather all the vegetables on the platter.  Refrigerate till further use. 

Cooking Method -

Chicken -  If using the oven, turn the oven to 'broil' setting. If using a gas grill or charcoal grill, heat to medium-high.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard excess marinade.

 In the broiler pan, place the tenderloins on a baking stone or parchment lined baking tray (sprayed with non-stick spray) & cook the tenderloins for 8-9  minutes. Baste with 'ghee' or olive oil. Grill for another 8-9 minutes. Baste with olive oil or ghee & set aside.

If using the gas or charcoal grill, grill the tenderloins until golden brown and cooked through about 6-7 minutes on each side.

Remove from the grill or broiler pan and let rest for 10 minutes.

Tortilla Crisps - Using a serrated bread knife, cut the tortilla in half. Overlap the edges & cut into radial shapes like pizza triangles.

Heat olive oil in a small pan & heat on medium heat till  hot but not fuming. Add one tortilla triangle at a time & fry till to a lovely golden brown. 

Assembly- 

Remove the lettuce from the refrigerator. Discard the kitchen paper towels. Add all the herbs & vegetables. Add half the dressing & toss. Serve remaining dressing table side.

Sprinkle the garnishes - the raisins & crumpled aged cheddar cheese. Mound the Chicken tenderloins over the salad & serve with the tortilla crisps.

Enjoy!

Cabbage 'Paratha' - A delicious, pan-fried Indian bread stuffed with vegetables and lightly spiced

 

A 'Paratha' is to Indian cooking  what a dinner roll is to Western food or rice is to Asian food.  It is a staple.

Like most Indian breads it is of the unleavened variety. A variation of paratha in it's plain form is served as an accompaniment to a main dish. However, when it is stuffed or spiced then it may be served alone with a bowl of plain yogurt or a hot cup of 'chai'. It serves a myriad roles for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

When it is not pan fried in clarified butter 'ghee' and is simply roasted  it is called a 'roti'.  The ingredient most frequently used  to make Indian breads is stone milled whole wheat flour referred to as 'atta' making  it nutritionally superior and healthier to its cousins elsewhere.

A  note about the flour - it is best to buy your flour at an Indian/Asian store. You won't get the best results using any flour that has been mixed with all purpose flour. I have tried using the whole wheat flour available in organic and fine food stores and have been disappointed.

The 'atta' I have used successfully for all Indian breads thus far are Swarna and Sujata brands.  (Please share if you've used other brands successfully)

Rolling and pan-frying the parathas takes a bit of practice and patience with oneself. So to be perfectly honest, if you are complete novice at cooking,  handling dough or using a rolling pin now would be a good time to grab a friend or relative with some experience to help. But I do hope, no matter what your skill level,  that the step by step instructions will help you prepare these with ease.

My first brush with cabbage paratha's was just yesterday. I was talking to my mother on the phone and telling her how I have this quarter piece of cabbage in the refrigerator that I have to use up and can't for the life of me think what to do with it. Well it turns out that her best friend was telling her about cabbage paratha's just the other day.  So here goes.....and thanks to Aunt Rekha and Mom!

There are couple of things we need in terms of cooking equipment to begin-

   (stock photo)

• A concave iron griddle called tavaa or  a non-stick frying pan at least 8 inches round.A rolling pin and wooden base. If you do not have a wooden base or butcher block you can use, thoroughly clean your counter top with warm water and dry completely. Not a good idea to use any spray chemicals. Flour the base lightly.
• A traditional large parat or any large bowl or utensil in which to knead dough.
• A metal spatula

 

To begin with cut cabbage in large chunks and place in a food chopper or food processor. Chop cabbage for a few seconds till finely chopped. 

Empty out the food chopper and rinse out. Dry completely. In the same chopper place green pepper chunks and chop till fine.

  

In a large utensil for kneading dough or a parat  put flour in a mound and make a dip in the middle. Add all the finely chopped vegetables and spices to the flour.

   

Wash your hands thoroughly clean and mix up the flour. Now add oil to the flour.

Add warm water to the flour 1 tbs -1/4 cup at a time,  and no more than 3/4 cup for the time being.

Cook's Note - Remember you can always add more water later if needed as the vegetables will also release their own moisture. When my mother  made this, she needed to add only 1 tbs water it depending on the quality of the cabbage - so begin adding water sparingly.

  

Knead the dough by mixing all the ingredients thoroughly and shape into a ball. The dough should be malleable - not too soft and not too hard.

Cook's Note - You can also knead the dough in a food processor or the 'dough' setting on a bread machine. Just place all the ingredients  as stated and remove as soon as a dough ball is formed. Do not allow it to enter the rise cycle if using a bread machine. 

A word of caution, if you are using a machine to knead the dough add water little at a time because it may need lesser water than if it is hand kneaded.

 

In a separate plate spread 1/2 cup of flour. Pull at a piece of dough with your finger and knead into a ball 2 inches round. Roll the dough liberally into the flour and place on rolling base.

Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. You should have a big enough piece of dough that when you are done rolling you have a paratha that is 6-7 inches round. The paratha should be about 1/8 inch thick rolled out.

Cook's Note - This point on it would be a good idea to  let the phone go to voice mail and let the DVR record your shows!

  
 

On medium low heat gently place the paratha on the frying pan or tavaa. Count to 30 and flip over. Now increase to medium high heat. A whitish cooked surface should have appeared on the cooked side. Count to 30 again and flip over.

   

Now add 1/2 tsp ghee all around the perimeter of the paratha and onto its surface. Keep pressing down with a metal spatula on the surface of the paratha. Count to 30 and flip over. Brown spots should have appeared on the paratha surface.

Repeat the above step for the other side of the paratha as well. Now both sides of the paratha  should be cooked with golden brown spots on its surfaces.

Cooks Note- Reduce flame to lowest setting while you are rolling out the next paratha. If not chances are you will end up with black burnt spots on your paratha.

 
Serve hot with a bowl of plain yogurt or a hot cup of 'chai' . These parathas were savory and quite delicious even without the yogurt. I also had no problem getting the kids to eat these and with the vegetable too which was definitely an added bonus!

Recipe for

CABBAGE PARATHA

Serves 4

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Cooking time - 45 minutes

Shopping list

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups chopped green cabbage

1/2 chopped green bell pepper                                

1 tsp red chilly powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp salt

2 tbs Vegetable oil

Warm water for kneading (1/4-3/4 cup)

4 tbs Ghee (clarified butter) - for pan-frying

Preparation

Dough - In a large utensil for kneading dough or a parat  put flour in a mound and make a dip in the middle. Add all the finely chopped vegetables and spices to the flour.

Wash your hands thoroughly clean and mix up the flour. Now add oil to the flour. Add warm water to the flour 1/4 cup at a time,  and no more than 3/4 cup for the time being.

Knead the dough by mixing all the ingredients thoroughly and shape into a ball. The dough should be malleable - not too soft and not too firm.

Cook's Note - You can also knead the dough in a food processor or the 'dough' setting on a bread machine. Just place all the ingredients  as stated and remove as soon as a dough ball is formed. Do not allow it to enter the rise cycle if using a bread machine. 

A word of caution, if you are using a machine to knead the dough add water very cautiously because it will need lesser water than if it is hand kneaded.

In a separate plate spread 1/2 cup of flour. Pull at a piece of dough with your finger and knead into a ball 2 inches round. Roll the dough liberally into the flour and place on rolling base.

Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Roll the paratha out to an even thickness of approx 1/8' approx  6-7 inches round. 

Cooking method -

Heat your tavaa or non-stick frying pan to at low heat.

On  low heat gently place the paratha on the frying pan or tavaa. Count to 30 and flip over. Now increase to medium heat. A whitish cooked surface should have appeared on the cooked side. Count to 30 again and flip over.

Now add 1/2 tsp ghee all around the perimeter of the paratha and onto its surface. Keep pressing down with a metal spatula on the surface of the paratha. Count to 30 and flip over. Brown spots should have appeared on the paratha surface. Repeat the above step for the other side of the paratha as well. Now both sides of the paratha  should be cooked with golden brown spots its surfaces.

Serve hot with a bowl of plain yogurt.

Enjoy!