May 2020 – Page 2 – TamarindtoAmchur

Cambodian Dal Curry

I don’t even know if anything of this name or kind exists but it was born because R wanted a curry and I wanted dal to go with Veg Pongal. Extremely strange combination to eat with pongal as the standard combination is chutney and gothsu BUT this did prove to be a hit !!! There are two parts to this : making dal and then curry seperately. If you aren’t like me then try with plain rice or some Quinoa.

Need –

Toor Dal or Moong Dal – 1/2 cup
Water- 1 cup
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Tamarind paste – 1 tsp
Kasoori methi – 1 tbsp
Tofu – 1/2 block – cubed
Carrot – 1/2 – julienned
Capsicum – Red & Green – julienned
Ginger – 2 inch – julienned
Onion – 1 – sliced
Cambodian curry powder – 2 tsp
Pepper – 1 tsp
Salt
Coconut cream – 1 tbsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Ghee – 1 tsp
Jeera- 1 tsp
Kalonji – 1 tsp

Process –

In a pressure cooker take Ghee and temper jeera and then cook dal with water , turmeric & tamarind paste for 3 whistles or till dal is soft to be mashed
In a pan take oil , temper kalonji then add ginger and Onion and sauté till it wilts. Add carrot and the capsicum and sauté till cooked. Now add the curry powder , pepper and coconut cream ,little water , tofu and salt. Cook till raw smell goes. You could serve this as a separate curry at this stage.
Add the cooked mashed dal into the curry , adjust consistency and add crushed kasoori methi and switch off. You could squeeze some lemon juice as well.

Hummus Curry

Fusion Food

R made a huge batch of hummus and I had to stick it in the freezer. But it came handy when I need to make quick gravies or pizza. With the rice of Veganisim and people using peanut butter or almond butter and other varieties to make a curry why not use yummy for a nutty filling flavour. I was running short of vegetables and only potatoes and carrots survived in my fridge. I could whip up this plate in 30 minutes for a hearty meal.

Need –

Tofu – half a block or paneer
Potatoes – 1
Sweet potato – 1 small
Carrot – 1
Onion – 1
Hummus – 3 tbsp
Coconut powder or cream – 2 tbsp
Salt
Cambodian curry or Thai green curry or Simply garam masala
Black pepper powder – 1-2 tsp
Curry leaves – 5 – crushed
Jeera – 1 tsp
Oil

Process –

In a pan take oil and temper cumin seeds.
Now add sliced onions , diced carrots , potatoes and saute for 5 minutes.
Add black pepper , cambodian curry powder or paste , curry leaves , salt , hummus , and thin down with coconut cream or powder and water.
Close and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
Now add the tofu and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve with roti or rice.

Maangaai Sadam / Raw mango rice.

North & South Indian

Maangaai saam is a South Indian favourite specifically during the summer when you get mangoes in abundance. You get a variety called “Killi mooku” translating to parrot nose because the shape represents the bird’s nose. This raw mango variety is used in abundance to make mango pickle that will last you a year until the next season arrives. The traditional maanga sadam looks nothing like how I have made. The mango is grated and added to a tempering or mustard seeds , peanuts, curry leaves and urad dal along with hing , salt and mixed with cooked rice.

In PH do not get the Kili mooku but something called Indian Mango. It tastes similar to the Indian version .

Need –

Cooked rice / day old rice – 2 cups
Raw mango / Ripe mango – 1 each
Carrot – chopped 1/4 cup
Onions – sliced – 1/4 cup
Coriander – handful
Oil
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Peanuts – 1 tbsp
Curry leaves – 10
Green chilli – 2
Salt

Process –

If using fresh rice , take the cooked rice and spread it in a plate to cool and to get the grains separated else they will become clumpy.
Wash the mangoes and chop them with skin on. Even the ripe mango adds a distinct flavour to the dish.
In a pan take oil , when hot temper mustard seeds. When it crackled add urad dal, peanuts ,curry leaves, chopped green chilli and saute till peanuts are fried and urad dal turns red.
Now add the onion and carrot saute till little soft and add the mangoes. Turn off the heat. Add rice , salt and coriander leaves and toss it.
Serve with curd and papad.

Apple Toast

Fusion Food

I had a faint memory of making something similar in my OTG in 2014 when I had R’s friends come over for dinner , the first set of friends home right after our marriage. His friends absolutely loved what I had made but I had completely forgot about the recipe until recently I found a box of apples in my fridge unused due to lockdown. I tried my best to recollect what the recipe was but couldn’t find it hence I came up with my own version. It is tasty as hell and healthy too.

Need –

Bread slices – Brown/ White/Multigrain
Apple – 1 – big
Onion – 1
Green chilli – 1 or substitute with mexican spice or japanese mix or chilli flakes or mixed herbs
Salt
Garam masala or pav bhaji masala – 1/2 tsp
Edam or gouda or mozzarella -sliced or grated
Blue Cheese or Feta – optional

Process –

Wash the apple and grate it with the skin on. Use the bigger grating side. Once grated , squeeze well to remove the juice – there you have fresh apple juice to drink !
Grate the onion or slice them thin.
Mix the apple , onion, salt , chilli or spices with some garam masala. Spread it on the bread . Top with sliced or grated cheese.
Bake for 7-10 minutes at 180 degree C.
Top with blue cheese or feta and relish it !!!

Saag Halloumi

Dal / Gravy

This is my little take on Palak paneer. Palak panner or saag paneer is a gravy made of spinach or other green leafy vegetable and adding palak or any vegetable to it. The famous of all the palak paneer. Paneer is hung cheese that is obtained from curdling milk and tying in muslin cloth to remove all water and left with set milk solids.But this day I had no paneer , no mood to make paneer but frozen halloumi and I wanted to experiment. You could add some watercress or purple spinach or even kale as well along with spinach.

Need –

Spinach – 2 bunch
Onion – 1
Tomato – 2
Green chilli – 2
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 1 pod
Coriander – 1/4 cup
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Turmeric – a dash
Salt
Amchur – 1.2 tsp
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Jeera – 1 tsp
Bay leaf – 1
Halloumi – 1 block
Oil

Process –

Remove water from halloumi and blot it. you could wash it to remove excess salt if you like and blot it. Cut into blocks and shallow fry in 2 tbsp oil.
Blanch the spinach for 2 minutes and wash under cold water. Grind it along half an onion, chilli, tomato, coriander , ginger and garlic into a paste.
In a pan take little oil or ghee , temper jeera and bay leaf. Sautee remaining half sliced onion and add the paste along with turmeric and garam masala. Cook till raw smell goes.
Thin down with some water or little milk and bring to boil. Now add amchur , lime juice , salt and mix and toss the halloumi in it.
Serve with rice or roti
Be mindful of the salt as the cheese contains salt.

Hummus Pizza

Fusion Food

Hummus pizza is usually made with left over pita or naan. I tried to recreate with store bought pizza base. These base are such a life saviour on those days when you are in no mood to enter the kitchen and use these bases with anything on top with cheese and food is ready. I had excess of hummus in hand and decided to use it in my pizza.

The usual is the mediterranian mix of onion ,tomato , feta and herbs. This is your own creation.

Need –

Pizza base- 2 – homemade or store bought
Hummus
Red Onions – sliced – 1
Capsicum – sliced – 1
Sweet corn – handful
Dried basil – 2 tbsp
Dried parsley – 2 tbsp
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Block cheese – grated 1/2 cup
Mozzarella – grated 1/2 cup
Feta – optional

Process –

Spread the hummus on the base and bake it for 5 minutes at 180 degrees.
Now spread the vegetables , dried herbs, pepper, salt and oil.
Top with cheese and bake it.
When done , remove and drizzle more hummus and serve.

Baked Kachori

Snack

Kachoris are fried snack filled with moong dal and spices and deep fried. It is native to Marwari’s , the traders who needed to travel for days together and had to carry something that was filling and would stay for a longer time. Hence the marwari women came up with Kachoris. Kachori or Kachodi are called Khasta Kachori . There is a version of stuffing made with Urad dal too. Here I made a mix of both and the other cover is made with whole wheat opposed to flour that is normally used.

Need –

For Dough – Aata/ Wheat Flour -1 cup
Maida / All purpose flour – 1/2 cup
Salt
Ghee – 2 tsp
Cold water
For filling:
Urad Dal – 1/2 cup
Yellow moong dal – 1/2 cup
Green chilli – 1
Jeera – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Salt
Jeera Dhania powder – 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp crushed
Ghee- 3 tbsp

Process –

Soak moong and urad dal for 2 hours.
Kneed data, maida, salt and ghee with water and form a dough. Cover and keep to aside.
Drain water from dal and grind it coarsely but not into powder or a paste.
In a pan take 1 tbsp ghee , temper jeera , add green chilli , fennel seeds and the spices. Now add the ground mix, salt and mix well. Cool and make 6-7 small balls out the balls.
Similarly make 6-7 balls of the dough. Take a ball and shape like a cup , keep the filling inside and pleat it, bring ends together and press. Flatten the kachori a bit.
Another way is to roll the dough into a thin disc , place the filling and pleat similar to a momo or a bao bun. press it down or roll it to 1 inch thickness.
You could now fry the kachoris or apply melted ghee around the kachoris and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree C for 25-30 minutes depending on your oven till nice golden brown.
Serve with rasedar aalu or green and imli chutney.

Vada Pav

Fast Food

Vada Pav is life for me. I grew up in Mumbai, pretty much munching on them my entire life. We mumbaikars can eat or breakfast /lunch / dinner / snack, pretty much anytime. We have seen the price for a vada pav being sold for 5 Rs to 20 Rs today. Most mumbikars will grab one at as early at 7 AM on their way to work and smell the fresh pav every morning on the way to the railway station.

History says it was introduced by a common man who wanted to sell a food item that was quick that could keep up with the fast pace of life and hence was born the vada pav. Vada is fried potatoes and Pav is the dinner roll of Maharashtra. It is served with a fried chilli by the side.

Need –

Potatoes – 5 – boiled , peeled and mashed
Oil – for frying
Mustard seeds/ Rai – 1 tsp
Jeera – 1 tsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Ginger – 1 inch – chopped
Chilli -1 – chopped
Hing – 1 pinch
Curry leaves – 6/7
Salt
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves
For batter – besan 1 cup, salt, hing, red chilli powder , water.
Pav
Green chuntey – Mint , coriander – a bunch , 2 garlic pod, 1 inch ginger, 2 green chilli, lemon juice, salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp peanuts.
Sweet/Tamarind chutney -2 tbsp Tamarind pulp , 1 tbsp Jaggery , 3 dates, 1 tsp dry ginger powder,1 tsp jeera powder , 1 tsp chilli powder, salt
Garlic chutney – Garlic 5 pods , peanuts 1 tbsp , 2 tbsp coconut , salt, 2 dry red chilli
Chopped onions
Fried green chillies

Process –

In a pan take a table spoon of oil and heat it. Temper mustard seeds , jeera , curry leaves, ginger ,hing. Add chilli, turmeric powder , salt and mashed potatoes. Mix well . Switch off and add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Cool and make palm sized balls.
Heat oil for frying while mix everything under batter to a thick consistency.
Take the balls and dip in batter to coat well and fry on low-medium flame till nicely brown and crispy.
Grind together everything under green chutney. For Sweet chutney cook all ingredients well till raw smell goes and it thickens. Mash well or grind it when cool. For garlic powder dry roast all the ingredients till coconut becomes dry. Cool and grind to a powder.
To assemble take the pav and score 3/4th in between to open it and spread sweet chutney at the bottom , mint chutney on top , place the vada and top it with garlic chutney and chopped onions. Press the pav together and serve with fried green chilli.

Cabbage Vadai

North & South Indian

Vadai is the best snack South India has ever discovered. Adding extras to the batter just makes you hog and feel extremely happy. My favourite combo is with Kappi but it goes well with chai as well. It is crisp on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. And NO you have to use only urad dal

Need –

Urad Dal – 1 cup
Green chilli -1
Black pepper – 1 tsp
Ginger 1 inch
Curry leaves – 6
Cabbage – chopped 1/2 cup
Salt
Oil – for frying

Process –

Wash and soak the urad dal for 2 hours. Use the full urad dal than the broken variety. After 2 hours it would have plumped.
Take oil in a deep pan and keep it for heating on a low flame. Drain the water grind it in a mixer with chilli, pepper , ginger and curry leaves. Do not add water at all unless the batter is stiff or powdery. Just sprinkle water when necessary else avoid it completely. Less the water the crisper the vadai that holds shape.
Take the batter in a bowl and add chopped cabbage. Drop a dot of the batter to see if the oil is ready. If it floats as soon as you drop it , the oil is ready. Now add salt to the batter and mix. Keep a bow of water in a cup by your side.
Wet you palm , take the batter and form a small ball or flatter with your thumb , make a small hole in the middle and drop in the oil. Water helps to avoid sticking.
If this is difficult just drop small ball of the batter fry in low flame till golden brown.
If you find the batter is loose , add some rice flour to make it tight and crispy .

Muthiya Kadhi

Fusion Food

Muthiyas (mentioned in previous post) is a yummy snack. There is never too much muthiya but if you have left overs turn it into one yummy dinner to go with peas pull or jeera rice or just plain rice. Kadhi is a yogurt gravy with some spices and simmered. It can be plain and served with kichdi like in Gujrat or with pakoras from Punjab or Rajasthan.

Need –

Left over muthiyas or steamed muthiyas – 1 cup
Curd – 1 cup
Water – 1 cup
Green chilli – 2 crushed
Ginger – 1 inch crushed
Besan – 1 tbsp
Kasoori methi – crushed 1 tbsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Cinnamon – 1
Salt
Oil
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Jeera

Process –

Whisk together curd , water , sugar, besan, chilli and ginger.
In a pan take oil and temper mustard seeds, jeera , cinnamon and add the curd mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the crushed kasoori methi and the steamed muthiyas and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add salt, mix and serve. You could add the raw muthiyas along in the 2nd step and let it cook in the mixture.