Kachi Keri Nu Shaak

In beginning of Spring, you start to see various varieties of mango in markets of India. Some unripe varieties are used for making pickles. Some of these mangoes are also used in making chaats, chutneys, curries and salads. This unripe (kachi) mango (keri) nu shaak (curry) is similar to mango chutney but uses pickle masala (made from fenugreek seeds) which is the same masala used for making mango pickle. This curry is a sweet and sour, and we usually eat with khichdi. It goes well with flat bread also, in picture it’s serve with bhakhri.

Kachi Keri Nu Shaak

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Serves: 4

Sweet and Sour Unripe Mango Curry
Ingredients
  • 1 large unripe mango or 3 small unripe mangoes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup or more water
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon asafetida
  • 2 whole dried chilies
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dhana-jeeru (spice blend of ground coriander and cumin)
  • ½ cup or more jaggary or brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons methi no masalo (fenugreek seed pickle masala)
Directions
  1. Peel and cut mango into ¾ inch chunks. Remove as much mango as possible around pit, even if they are small pieces. Taste piece of mango for sourness.
  2. Transfer mango pieces to medium sized sauce pan. Cover with ½ cup water and season with salt. Cover the pan with a lid and cook mango for 3 to 4 minutes. Alternately, you can cook mango in microwave safe bowl. Mango should be soft but not mushy.
  3. Remove mango from pan along with remaining water or keep in the bowl.
  4. Heat oil in the same pan until shimmering, 1 minute. Add mustard seeds and let it pop. Immediately add asafetida and whole chilies. Add mango along with water. If there is not enough water to cover mango, add ¼ cup water. Let it come to boil and add ½ cup jaggery or brown sugar. If mango is too sour, add 1 or 2 tablespoons more jaggery or brown sugar. Add turmeric and chili powder. Stir to combine everything and let mango cook uncovered until jaggery or brown sugar is completely melt, 3 to 4 minutes. Add more water if necessary to avoid contents sticking to pot.
  5. Add pickle masala, dhana-jeeru and let shaak cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Taste shaak and adjust seasoning. It should be sweet and sour with gravy, add more jaggery or sugar and water if necessary. Cook for couple of minutes more. Serve with khichadi and/or flat bread. It stores well in refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

 

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Watermelon Poke Bowl

A poke bowl is associated with raw marinated fish, like Ahi or Yellowfin tuna, that’s cubed and served over sticky rice and pickles. It is originated in Hawaii. The meaning of poke is to slice or cut in Hawaiian and this vegetarian version with watermelon makes perfect sense. The combination of sweet watermelon, sour pickles and salty miso is delicious and refreshing in summer.

Watermelon Poke Bowl

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • ¼ of large watermelon or an individual size watermelon
  • 1 small avocado, ½ inch diced
  • ½ cup diced cucumber
  • ¼ cup small diced red pepper (optional)
  • 2 cups salad greens or chopped romaine lettuce
  • 4 teaspoons furikake or toasted sesame seeds
Dressing:
  • 1 tablespoon red miso
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 small shallot, diced finely
  • 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno, roughly chopped
Directions
  1. Peel and dice watermelon into ¾ inch dice and transfer to a colander with bowl underneath to drain water. Transfer diced cucumber to colander also. Let water drain for 30 to 40 minutes.
  2. Make dressing: Combine ingredients of dressing into a large bowl. Add drained watermelon and cucumber, diced avocado, red pepper to dressing and gently stir.
  3. To serve: Divide greens or lettuce to four salad serving bowls. Top with dressed watermelon with vegetables, dividing among for bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of furikake or sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

 

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Cauliflower Rolls

New England is famous for lobster rolls during summer. Living in New England I was looking for similar rolls in a vegetarian version which can be served while entertaining or picnicking outside. Why not cauliflower which can mimic same flavor as lobster and when it has become trendy to make rice to pizza crust from cauliflower. These vegetarian rolls use same dressing and crunchy vegetables as of lobster rolls. You can keep dressing and cauliflower florets separate and make dressing with yogurt only for a picnic. Rolls can assembled when ready to eat.

Cauliflower Rolls

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 20-25 small bite size cauliflower florets
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • Hot sauce, according to taste
  • 1 cup corn meal
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for frying
  • ¼ cup finely diced red pepper
  • ¼ cup finely diced celery
  • ¼ cup finely diced red onion
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon celery salt
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 4 Hot dog buns
  • Butter to toast buns
Directions
  1. Combine buttermilk, hot sauce and salt to taste in a mixing bowl. Marinate cauliflower florets in buttermilk for 2 to 3 hours.
  2. Combine corn meal, all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and salt to taste in another bowl. Once cauliflower is marinated, drain the florets and transfer to flour mixture. Coat florets with flour and shake off excess flour.
  3. Heat oil for frying in a frying pan until ready to fry. Fry cauliflower florets in 3-4 batches until golden brown. Transfer to paper lined plate to drain excess oil.
  4. To assemble rolls: Toast the hot dog buns on a griddle with butter. Combine mayonnaise and yogurt in a big mixing bowl and whisk to make it smooth. Add red pepper, celery, onion, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and celery salt. Stir to combine. Once excess oil is gone from cauliflower florets, add warm florets to mayo mixture and stir to combine. If you are not ready to serve roll immediately then wait to add florets until you are ready to serve them. Open the top slit of buns and divide the florets filling among four buns. Serve immediately.

 

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Chile Relleno with Paneer

Chile Relleno with Paneer

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
Directions
  1. Make paneer bhuraji and tikka masala gravy according to directions.
  2. Char poblano peppers on open flame of stove or under the boiler. Once blackened, transfer them to zip lock bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let them steam for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Remove the blackened skin from peppers. Make a slit in middle and remove seeds. Stuff peppers with paneer bhuraji. Transfer them to a baking dish and bake them for 10 to 15 minutes until peppers and filling is warmed through.
  5. To serve, pour about half a cup of gravy on individual serving plate and top with stuffed pepper. Serve with a nan and/or rice.

 

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Panchrav Shaak

During month of August or September (on the eight day of Shravan Vad in Hindu calender) people in India celebrate Lord Krishna’s birth. The festival is known as Janmashtami. This year it was on August 24, 2019. People observed fast on that day. The next day which is called Parna, feast is prepared as an offering to god as well as to break a fast. The Panchrav (mixed) shaak (vegetables) is prepared as an offering which includes variety of vegetables available in the market. Only on that day vegetable mongers in Gujarat sell prepared mixed vegetables known as Patrali. All you need to add are root vegetables to make panchrav shaak. In the recipe, quantity of vegetables might seem too much, but as you cook them it will reduce almost in half. If some vegetables are not available, it should be fine. Try not to add onion and garlic. That way you will taste each vegetable separately in the mixed vegetables. Remaining shaak can be frozen for further use.

Panchrav Shaak

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Serves: 10

Ingredients
  • About 4 to 5 cups of mixed vegetables (like butternut squash, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini, etc.), finely cut
  • About 5 to 6 cups combined, green peas, green beans, corn kernels, papadi lilva, toover lilva (fresh pigeon peas), choli (Indian long green beans), suran (Indian yam), tindola (green ivy squash), etc. available in frozen section of Indian grocery stores
  • About 3 to 4 cups of mixed vegetables (like eggplant, potato, sweet potato, taro root, etc.) finely cut
  • About 2 cups methi (fenugreek leaves), frozen, available in frozen section of Indian grocery stores.
  • About 1 cup palak (spinach), frozen
  • 2 to 3 jalapeno or serrano chilies, finely chopped
  • ½ cup or more olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon asafetida
  • 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons red chili powder
  • 3 teaspoons dhana-jeeru (spice blend of ground coriander and cumin)
  • Salt to taste
  • Juice of one lime
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions
  1. Heat ¼ cup oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot until shimmering. Add mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Add asafetida, turmeric and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Immediately add first mixed vegetables and green chilies. Season with salt and stir to combine with spices. Cover the pot and let vegetables cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Occasionally stir vegetables so they do not stick to bottom.
  2. Uncover pot and add second mixed vegetables. Season with salt and stir to combine with other vegetables. Let vegetables cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Occasionally stir vegetables so they do not stick to bottom. If vegetables start to stick to bottom add more oil 1 tablespoon at a time.
  3. Uncover pot and add third mixed vegetables. Season with salt and stir to combine with other vegetables. Let vegetables cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Occasionally stir vegetables so they do not stick to bottom. If vegetables start to stick to bottom add more oil 1 tablespoon at a time.
  4. Uncover pot and add methi and palak. Stir to combine with other vegetables and cover pot. Let vegetables cook for 10 to 12 minutes until you start to see oil on side of pot. Occasionally stir vegetables so they do not stick to bottom. If vegetables start to stick to bottom add more oil 1 tablespoon at a time.
  5. Uncover pot and add remaining chili powder and dhana-jeeru. Stir shaak to combine with spices. Taste shaak and add salt if needed. Add lime juice. Let shaak cook on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes. If shaak looks dry, add more oil 1 tablespoon at a time. By the time shaak is fully cooked, it should be glistening with oil. Before serving garnish with cilantro. Serve with warm puri.

 

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Everyday Cabbage (shaak)

Everyday Cabbage (shaak)

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Serves: 6

This is a basic recipe to cook any vegetable in Gujarati style and it is referred as shaak. Usually there is some kind of a shaak with a meal (Gujarati thali). In vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, green beans, okra etc. mustard seeds are used whereas for potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and eggplant etc.; cumin seeds are used. You can cut down amount of oil and adjust seasoning according to your taste. The spices and its amount from recipe works for 3 medium size potatoes, one medium size eggplant, and 30 to 35 green beans (or 1 16 oz. bag of cut green beans or French cut green beans). You can also mix and match vegetables.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium size cabbage (cobish), shredded
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dhana-jeeru (spice blend of coriander and cumin powder)
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro for garnish
Directions
  1. In a wok or a frying pan heat the oil until shimmering, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Add asafetida, turmeric and chili powder. Add cabbage and season with salt. Stir cabbage until coated with oil and spices.
  2. Cover the pan with a lid and let cabbage cook until fork tender, stirring from time to time, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Once cabbage is cooked, uncover, add dhana-jeeru. Stir and let cabbage cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Just before serving garnish the shaak (cabbage) with cilantro. Serve warm with any type of Indian flat bread.

 

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Karela nu Shaak

Karela nu Shaak

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Serves: 4

Karela (biiter melons) are usually available during mango season (April to July) in Gujarat. Here in US they are available all year around. This shaak is especially eaten with mango pulp. Both works well together as karela are bitter and mango pulp is sweet. Not all people like this shaak but once you get used to bitterness it is very delicious. It is very enjoyable with warm Rotli(puffed flat bread).
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. karela (bitter melon)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dhana-jeeru (spice blend of coriander and cumin powder)
  • 3 tablespoons golden raisins
  • 3 tablespoons cashew bits
  • 3 teaspoons sugar or to taste
  • 1 golf ball size jaggery piece, cut into smaller pieces
Directions
  1. Wash karela. If karela are fresh and skin does not have any blemishes keep the skin otherwise remove the rough part. Remove ⅛ inch of karela from both ends. Cut bigger karela in half, again cut karela in half and slice into three to four slices. Remove tough seeds while cutting karela. Karela are extremely bitter. If you wish to remove some bitterness, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and let it drain in a colander for ½ an hour. Skip salt later in recipe.
  2. In a wok or a frying pan, heat oil on medium high heat, about 2 minutes. Add mustard seeds and let them sizzle, 30 to 40 seconds. Lower the heat to medium. Add turmeric, chili powder and asafetida. Add karela, season with salt and stir everything well. Cover and let karela cook for 10-12 minutes or until karela are tender, stirring occasionally.
  3. Once karela are cooked, add rest of ingredients. Stir everything and let it cook uncovered on low heat until sugar and jaggery is melted and karela looks dry, about 7 to 10 minutes. Karela should be covered in caramel to reduce bitterness. Golden raisins help in reducing bitterness and use of more sugar. Check seasoning and add salt if needed. Serve warm with any type of Indian flat bread.

 

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Vegetables and Chickpeas Tagine

Vegetables and Chickpeas Tagine

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Serves: 6

The spices used in Moroccan Tagine recipes are very similar to spices used in Indian curries. I like to cook curries/stews with warm spices during winter months. It is very satisfying and comforting during cold season. I add chickpeas or lentils for protein to dishes like this.
Ingredients
Spice Blend:
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon dhana-jeeru (spice blend of ground coriander and cumin)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ginger powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
For Tagine:
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, finely minced
  • ⅛ teaspoon saffron threads
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 2 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup small red or yellow potatoes, cut in half
  • 1 cup vegetable stock or water
  • 1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup different color peppers, cut into strips
  • 1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
  • 1 cup large green olives
  • 2 preserved lemons, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup roughly chopped dry apricots or golden raisins
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped for garnish
Directions
  1. In a mixing bowl make spice blend by combining all spices. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (optional, See step 3).
  2. In a large Dutch oven or oven proof sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat for 1 minute. Add onions and sauté until translucent, 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, saffron and spice blend, and sauté until fragrant for 2 minutes. Next add tomato paste and sauté for 2 minutes.
  3. Add cauliflower florets, carrots and potatoes to pot. Stir to coat vegetables with spices. Add stock or water and bring it to boil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and stir. Cover the pot and you can either cook vegetables on stove top or transfer to oven. Let vegetables cook for 10 to 12 minutes or just tender.
  4. Add remaining vegetables, preserved lemons, apricots or raisins and olives. Add diced tomatoes from can with juices and chickpeas. Season with remaining teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine everything and cover the pot. Transfer to oven or continue to cook on stove top for another 10 minutes or so until all vegetables are cooked through.
  5. Before serving garnish with cilantro. Serve with couscous and/or nan.

 

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Country Fried Cauliflower Steak with Couscous

Country Fried Cauliflower Steak

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Serves: 4

This recipe is inspired by vegetarian episode of Guy's Grocery Games show on Food network.
Ingredients
  • 1 large cauliflower
  • 1 cup AP flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1¼ teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
  • Canola oil for frying
Directions
  1. Cut four ½ inch thick steak from cauliflower with stem.
  2. Season flour in a shallow baking dish with ½ teaspoon of each garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
  3. Whisk eggs and buttermilk in another shallow baking dish. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
  4. Season panko bread crumbs in a shallow baking dish with ½ teaspoon of each garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
  5. Dredge each cauliflower steak one by one in flour, eggs and then panko bread crumbs, pressing bread crumbs on steak to adhere. Keep the steaks on a wired rack baking sheet.
  6. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  7. Heat oil for frying steaks in a large frying pan or a Dutch oven until ready for frying. Fry cauliflower steaks one by one on each side until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer them to wired rack baking sheet. Bake steaks for 10 to 12 minutes until cauliflower is cooked through.
  8. Serve over couscous with roasted red pepper sauce (recipe follows) and side of roasted asparagus or green beans.

 

 

Couscous with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 1 cup Israeli couscous, uncooked
  • 3 large roasted red peppers
  • 1 cup or more raw cashews
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cups or more water
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
  1. Cook couscous according to directions. Once couscous is cooked, drain and transfer to same pot and stir in olive oil off heat.
  2. In a blender make smooth sauce by combining peppers, cashews, tomato paste, and 2 cups water. If sauce is too thick, add more water. If sauce is too thin, add more cashews. Season with salt and pepper and blend for few seconds. Pour the sauce over couscous and stir to combine.
  3. Let couscous cook with sauce for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm with cauliflower steak.

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Thanksgiving 2018

Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Follow the link below for recipe. This recipe makes a center piece for vegetarian thanksgiving. Use sauce from recipe as gravy. http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/whole-roasted-cauliflower-with-poblano-vinaigrette-and-goat-cheese-cream-clinton-Kelly. Serve with nan and/or plain rice.

 

 

Mashed Potatoes

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 4 large or 6 medium Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
  1. Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch chunks. Transfer them to a Dutch oven or a large soup pot. Cover the potatoes with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pot and let potatoes cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile combine milk, heavy cream and 4 tablespoon of butter in a small sauce pan and warm it.
  3. Drain potatoes once they are cooked and transfer them to same pot. On low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher or a ricer. Stir in half of milk mixture with mashed potatoes. If mashed potatoes are dry add more milk until potatoes have creamy consistency. Save some milk if you are not going to serve mashed potatoes immediately. Season with remaining salt and pepper.

 
Mexican Corn Stuffing

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Serves: 6

Ingredients
  • 4 cups corn bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped, green, light green and white part separated
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, minced
  • 2 cups frozen or fresh corn kernels
  • 1 red pepper, finely diced
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup crumbled queso fresco or finely shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup or more vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread out corn bread cubes in even layer into two baking pans. Bake corn bread cubes until bread is almost dry, 25 to 30 minutes. Let bread cool down.
  2. In a medium sauté pan, heat oil and 2 tablespoons butter until butter is melted. Add white and light green parts of scallions and sauté it for a minute. Add garlic, green chili, red pepper and corn. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, pepper and paprika. Sauté vegetables for 2-3 minutes to soften them slightly. Let vegetables cool down for 10 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise and vegetable stock. Add corn bread, ¼ cup cheese and vegetables, and stir until bread and vegetables are well coated. Add more stock if mixture looks too dry.
  4. Butter 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Transfer stuffing to buttered baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake stuffing for 35 to 45 minutes until top is browned.
  5. Before serving garnish with green part of scallions and cilantro.

 
Charred Brussels Sprouts Salad

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts
  • 1 navel orange
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds
  • ½ cup cilantro or parsley leaves
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, finely minced
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
  1. Wash and trim Brussels sprouts. In food processor with a slice blade, slice Brussels sprouts.
  2. Heat large cast iron pan on high heat. Transfer Brussels sprouts to pan and sauté them until they are charred in several places, 10 to 12 minutes. Add minced ginger and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Let Brussels sprouts cool down for 10 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, cut orange segments. Squeeze juice from remaining orange. Add maple syrup and season with salt and pepper. Combine juice and orange segments with olive oil.
  4. Add cooled Brussels sprouts and stir with dressing. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle pomegranate seeds and cilantro or parsley.

 
Cranberry Chutney
Click on chutney to find recipe.

 
Apple Pie Bars
You can find the recipe on NYTimes Cooking.

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Tindola nu Shaak

Tindola nu Shaak

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 1 lb. tindola (green ivy squash)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • Pinch of asafetida powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dhana-jeeru (spice blend of coriander and cumin powder)
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon sugar or to taste
Directions
  1. Soak tindola in water in a mixing bowl. Remove ⅛ inch of from both ends. Cut tindola in half and slice into two to three slices. Transfer to colander.
  2. In a wok or a frying pan, heat oil on medium high heat, about 2 minutes. Add mustard seeds and let them sizzle, 30 to 40 seconds. Lower the heat to medium. Add turmeric, chili powder and asafetida. Add tindola, season with salt and stir everything well. Cover and let tindola cook for 10-12 minutes or until tindola are tender, stirring occasionally.
  3. Once tindola are cooked, add dhana-jeeru and sugar. Stir everything and let it cook uncovered on low heat until tindola become almost dry, about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve warm with any type of Indian flat bread.

 

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Turiya Patra nu Shaak

Turiya Patra nu Shaak

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 2 medium or 1 large turiya (snake gourd, known as Chinese okra)
  • 4 rolls of Patra, cooked or uncooked
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno or serrano chili
  • 1 tablespoon chickpea flour
  • 1 cup or more water
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dhana-jeeru (spice blend of ground coriander and cumin)
  • 1 golf ball size piece of jaggery or 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
  1. Wash turiya, remove the sharp edges and cut into ½ inch dice.
  2. In a wok or a frying pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds and let it sizzle. Add turmeric and chili powder. Add garlic, green chili and sauté it for 30 seconds. Next sauté chickpea flour for 30 seconds. Add water, turiya and season with salt. At this point if you want to use uncooked patra rolls, add them. Cover the wok or pan and let turiya and patra cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring few times.
  3. Uncover the wok or pan and if you are using cooked patra rolls, add at this point. Add dhana-jeeru, jaggery and lemon juice and let shaak (vegetable) cook for 4-5 minutes or until jaggery is melted. If gravy is too thick add more water.
  4. Cut the rolls into 3-4 pieces before serving. Garnish shaak with cilantro and serve warm with rotli or paratha.

 

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