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

Prep time: 

Cook time: 

Total time: 

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.

 

Continue Reading

Vegetables and Chickpeas Tagine

Vegetables and Chickpeas Tagine

Prep time: 

Cook time: 

Total time: 

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.

 

Continue Reading

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji

Prep time: 

Cook time: 

Total time: 

Serves: 6

Pav (bread) Bhaji (mixed vegetables) is a street food available all over India. The bhaji should be soft and mashed which you can scoop up with a pav. This recipe uses small quantity of variety of vegetables which is great use of left over vegetables. You can also use left over mashed potatoes for this recipe.
Ingredients
  • Quarter of cabbage, shredded
  • 3 to 4 florets cauliflower, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, shredded
  • 1 Japanese eggplant or ½ of large eggplant, peeled and ½ inch diced
  • ½ dhoodhi (Indian squash), peeled, deseeded and ½ inch diced (optional)
  • 2 medium russet potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 2 large red onions, finely diced (reserve ½ cup for serving)
  • 3 large Roma tomatoes, ¼ inch diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons canola oil or butter
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dhana-jeeru (spice blend of ground coriander and cumin)
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
  • ¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 2 teaspoons pav bhaji masala
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro, for serving
  • 1 lime, cut into quarters for serving
  • 6 soft buns (pav), any kind
  • Butter for brushing on buns
Directions
  1. Combine cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, eggplant and doodhi in a large microwave safe bowl or large soup pot or Dutch oven. Cook vegetables in microwave (7 to 8 minutes) or stove top (10 to 12 minutes) until soft. Vegetables will release some liquid, keep that liquid. Mashed vegetables with potato masher and set aside. (You can use same soup pot or Dutch oven to make bhaji. You can transfer cooked and mashed vegetables to a mixing bowl).
  2. Heat oil or butter on a medium high heat in a large soup pot or a Dutch oven until oil is shimmering and butter is melted, 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium, add garlic and sauté it until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onions and sauté them until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Next add all dry spices except pav bhaji masala and sauté with onions and garlic for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and sauté them until softened, 2 minutes.
  3. Add mashed potatoes and combine with sautéed vegetables. Let potatoes warm through before adding rest of mashed vegetables, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add rest of mashed vegetables, season with salt, stir and cover with a lid. Let bhaji cook for 7 to 10 minutes on low heat until flavors meld, stirring frequently. If bhaji is sticking to bottom, add some water. Uncover, add peas, pav bhaji masala and let bhaji cook for 5 to 6 minutes on low heat.
  4. Spread butter on buns and toast them on a griddle or frying pan until light golden brown but still soft.
  5. Serve hot bhaji with pav (buns). Garnish individual serving of bhaji with 1 tablespoons of cilantro. Serve reserved onion and lime on side.

 

Continue Reading