Charred tomato, green chillies Smitten, Gingery-Skinned-Potatoes

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Rustic old ways. Memories. Earthen. So real. And so inspiring.

When baskety mornings weave unreal dreams. And the thoughts enough to fill the day with shimmery senses.

When the sunlight playing hide n seek in the early morning hours, lure you to wake up to reality mixed with bitter, sweet hopes..waves of emotions that almost give you a headache, a hangover…that can only be cured as the day passes by with assuring and reassuring moments as the clock ticks by…

Now, coming back to the post..if you want to taste something real different and comforting.. this is the simple recipe to go for.

Charring has such a rusticness and burst of flavours  attached to it. Isn’t it? Never tried. Its never too late!

For this recipe take two big fresh tomatoes and put them over fire. Place it over your gastop directly which is the easiest  to do in an ordinary town kitchen.

Till the pulp goes all charred and charcolish. Aah.. the words itself now blend with the aroma that fills up the room.

Do the same with three to four green chillies. The green chillies should have heat in them to add to the flavours.

Green chilies and tomatoes..charred make for an impactful flavour together.

Parellel, parboil few potatoes with their skins on and some salt sprinkled while boiling them!

Once  the tomatoes and green chillies are ready.. heat a pan and drizzle some mustard oil till smoky!

Mustard oil adds to the real punch of flavours too here!

Add lots of grated ginger (about 2 tbsp) and stir fry on high heat with lotsa chopped coriander leaves.

Stir till they almost turn brownish. Add the tomatoes and mash them with a masher.

And chopped charred green chillies. Lower heat and stir for few secs.

Add the potatoes and mix them up well. Let the potatoes be stirred for atleast 2 to 3 minutes till it almost gets that roasted texture. Add some turmeric powder and salt. Throw in just a pinch of sugar.

Stir and then add very little water. Cover and let cook in slowly for another 10 minutes.

Squeeze some lemon on top.

The goodness of these charred veggies will beg for you to have these with your loved ones amidst a lot of greenery and love and conversations of fond memories! So, have it with steamed rice sprinkled with mustard oil (blissful combination of rice and raw mustard oil) and bites of raw diced onions sprinkled with some salt, lemon and raw chilly powder. Assuring you an unsophisticatedly lovely, charry, smoky, earthy, rustic, heavenly experience!

Do let me know!

Crispy leftover lentil rice jeera (cumin) fritters

 

 

 

 

Invention is always a challenge….Or discovering something that’s experimental and stimulating to the mind and taste buds as well.. Just not with food but with anything don’t we like to wonder if its worth the effort and experimentation and the investment, Well I say sometimes let things be for the joy of it… And if it brings joy to the heart, the returns come to you naturally.. Let the process be fun…no matter what the outcome.

With leftovers sometimes you just want to reheat and have them because else by then they get boring and mundane..

And Leftovers are common. But creatively churning out something that’s worth eating the next day too.. is quite a challenge…

I had left over Dry Spicy Khichdi/ an Indian preparation made from rice and lentils (dal).

Khichdi is commonly considered to be a comfort food, and was the inspiration for the Anglo-Indian dish kedgeree. Khichri is also thought to be the inspiration for the popular Egyptian dish, kushari.

In India Khichdi is usually prepared atleast once a week (Just a guess). An absolute comfort food.
If you are new to this, you must try and have it hot with the family with some pickle of your choice.

A quick recipe of Khichdi would be:

In a pressure cooker, temper in two tsp of hot refined oil, some chopped onions, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and green chillies. Add one cup of lentil (moong/ tuar),one cup of regular rice and three cups of water. Add two pinch of turmeric powder, 1/4th tbsp of red chilly powder, two tbsp or more tomato puree or chopped tomatoes, salt and let pressure cook with two whistles or till rice and lentile are just cooked. Garnish with chopped coriander.

 

So, since I had these leftovers, I ended up whipping these fritters/ snackers that would go perfect with you cuppa tea or coffee.. Click on the link to get a ginger tea recipe done the Indian way.

You can use left over steamed rice too and play with flavours by adding more spices to the fritters dough

The ingredients used in this recipe have a lot character and Indianess ! By that I mean, they all together add to the final recipe and taste!

To make this mathri kind of fritters or snackers,

Take a quarter plate or a big cup of khichdi.
Add 1 and half cup of sieved maida/all purpose flour.
Throw in 1/4th cup of fine semolina and 1/4th cup of sieved rice flour. And one tbsp of gram flour.
Add dry ingredients like, 2 tbsp jeera/cumin seeds, one tsp ajwain/ carom seeds, one tsp turmeric powder, one tbsp red chilly powder, some dry fenugreek/kasuri methi if you have. Add a pinch of baking soda and a pinch of castor sugar.

 

Now add two big onions chopped very very finely and a tbsp of chopped garlic. These added an interesting dimension indeed since the touch of onions added a sweet and crunchy taste/texture.

 

Knead it into a pastry kind of crumble. Do not over knead. Not soft but slightly firm. Add flour as per your judgement here keeping in mind that you would need to roll them and cut into pieces later.

 

Take tiny batches of these kneaded dough and spread on flat surface with a rolling pin. Not too thick. Maintain medium thickness.

Pierce all over.

Cut into pieces of your desired shape.

 

In a deep bottomed pan, heat sufficient oil for deep frying.

Once smoky hot, add these bits and let fry till crisp. Golden brown. Place them in paper towel so excess oil gets absorbed.

 

Let them stand for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy them crisp with a cuppta tea!!

 

Good to keep in mind:

You can also make soft round  flatbreads /parathas  with them if you do not want to deep fry

Cumin seeds add great taste so add as per your whim

Since these have onions and left overs its better not to store them beyond a day. Have them fresh once slightly cooled.

 

 

Beety Sesamy Flavour-Burst Rice Bowl ! Beetroot, fenugreek aromatic mix rice bowl in sweet, sour, hot flavours

Beety Sesamy Flavour-Burst Rice Bowl

Its good when you feel , intuitive, sure and creative! When certain basics are right and still there is a long way to go, discovering and exploring something never tried or heard before elevates the journey all of a sudden. And such is life. Each day you feel one way or the other.

Well I was feeling red and velvety… not like angry red.. but bright vivid red… and green.. like the fresh, garden green!

And that turned into a gardeny red healthy bowl of rice. I wish I could capture the flavours here. So try it and experience the delight yourself.

Beety Sesamy Flavour-Burst Rice Bowl ! Beetroot, fenugreek aromatic mix rice bowl in sweet, sour, hot flavours

The recipe is a veggie mix rice dish I ended up cooking and relishing with a taste that was exotic, comforting, with true and fresh burst of flavours.

Some key ingredients are beetroot and fenugreek (methi patte) …

“Beetroot is low in fat, full of vitamins and minerals and packed with powerful antioxidants – a health-food titan” (Source: bbcgoodfood.com/)

“Methi contains protein, fibre, vitamin C, niacin, potassium, iron and alkaloids.” (Source: thehealthsite.com/)

Enjoy the process of cooking this simple dish by cutting, chopping, grating, mashing the required ingredients beforehand while you watch your favourite show. Just make sure to visit your nearest veggie seller for fresh vivid green fenugreek leaves and bright red beetroots..

Fenugreek leaves and dhaniya

Pre-preps

First Stage of Cooking the rice :

• Groundnut Oil or sesame/olive oil (I used groundnut)
• Fennel seeds: Just a little more than a pinch
• Finely chopped green chillies(Keep the seeds on!)
• Finely Chopped Garlic
• Finely grated Ginger
• Cooked Kolam or regular rice(not too soggy so that it can mix well later)
• Curry leaves: Chopped
• Hing or asafoetida
• Fresh Methi/fenugreek leaves : Two small bowls
• Beetroot : Two Chopped Coriander leaves for garnish
• Salt for garnish
• Pepper for garnish (peppery delights add punch of flavours)

For the wild tempering:

• Butter(How can there be no butter in my recipe 😉 )
• Oil
• White Sesame seeds (til)
• Sugar granules
• Whole Red Chillies
• Coriander seeds: Just a pinch (I would recommend crushing these already after slightly roasting)
• Grated Paneer

Added and recommended ingredient delights:

• Teeny weeny Pieces of apple : one tbsp
• Boiled potatoes with pinch of italion seasoning : One big potato
• Lemon juice

Mashed potatoes

Coriander seeds goodness

Cheese, green chillies, garlic, coriander seeds

Fennel and asofoetida/hing goodness Asafoetida is one of the spices native to Afghanistan and cultivated near India. It is one of the most common spices used in Asian cuisine and especially the Indian cuisine. Though the odor of the spice is strong, Asafoetida is known for its miraculous health benefits for human body. Used widely in dals/lentil recipes and pickel preparations.

Beety bites

Fenugreek or methi.. the yummier way

Grated cheese

THE RICE

An ingredient : Sesame : used in Indian Cooking since always for the crispy crunch to any recipe. Sesame seeds add a nutty taste and a delicate, almost invisible, crunch to many Asian dishes. They are also the main ingredients in tahini (sesame seed paste) and the wonderful Middle Eastern sweet call halvah. They are available throughout the year. One of my favorite facts about sesame seeds is that they are an abundant source of minerals.

Sesame, Curry leaves, coriander leaves, red chillies, Fenugreek

Let’s begin this exciting culinary journey!

Cook the beeroot in boiling water for say 5 to 7 minutes.

Pass through running tap water.

Peel off the skin and chop into fine tiny diced pieces.

Beetroot in boiling water

Keep aside.

Diced beetroot Maroon red delight

In a preheated deep pan on a gastop, add 1 tbsp oil.

Once heated, add half a tsp of fennel seeds.

Once toasted in the oil, add 1 tbsp of ginger and 1 tbsp of chopped garlic goodness.

Stir and let cook for 30 secs. Add the chopped green chillies. Stir for 30 secs only.

Add the methi/fenugreek leaves. Cook for 30 secs.

Beetroot contains betaine, which in other forms is used to help treat depression, and trytophan, the feel good chemical in chocolate. n 1975, during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, cosmonauts from the USSR’s Soyuz 19 welcomed the Apollo 18 astronauts by preparing a banquet of borscht (beetroot soup) in zero gravity.

Add the delightful par-boiled beetroot pieces. Stir till the fenugreek turns slightly crispy.

Add the rice and mix everything well making sure not to break the grains or letting it stick to bottom.

Sprinkle salt and pepper

  Parallel to it now, heat a tapered shallow pan in the othe rburner. Add few drops of oil along with half tsp of salted butter to avoid butter from burning.  Once heated add crushed slightly pre-roasted coriander seeds, raw sesame seeds, chopped red chilles, curry leaves chopped, a pinch of asafoetida and stir well. After 10 secs add a tbsp of sugar granules. Stir it all till sesame gets crispy  (be careful not to burn the sesame or red chillies) (I say just taste a sesame to identify if crispy and well roasted for the perfect topping to this dish)

Keep an eye by continuously roasting, toasting and stirring.

Gardeny tempering

Hey Sugar!    Sugar and sesame together are quite the pair to go for!

Tempering to be added to the main cooking

The ingredients for the tempering should be ready in 20 to 25 secs.

Add the grated paneer/cottage cheese (half a small bowl) and mashed potatoes which has been seasoned with pinch Italian dried herbs. (Italian seasoning is optional) Toast them well along with other ingredients in the tempering pan.

Separately  lightly roast the tiny bits of apples. Keep aside

NOW…

Add all of this except the apples in to the other pan with rice, beetroot, fenugreek mix..Mix well…

Sprinkle finely chopped coriander leaves on top and lemon juice. On topmost layer add the apple toppings…

Grab the entire bowl and enjoy with your favourite tv show and person!

Coriander, commonly known as Dhania in the Indian Subcontinent and Cilantro in the Americas and some parts of Europe, is an herb that is extensively used around the world as a condiment, garnish, or decoration on culinary dishes.

                                 

Participated in an interactive forum Fiesta Friday hosted at  http://thenovicegardener.wordpress.com/

 

Excerpts From The Forum:

Fridays are usually filled with anticipation for a fun and exciting or relaxing weekend. Fridays feel different and are somehow more special than other weekdays. They’re days to indulge, to let your hair down, and to celebrate by kicking it up a notch.

So, share with us how you celebrate your Fridays.

Homesick? try Mashed potatoes and Buttery Moist Rice

Well, there are times when you are HOMESICK, nostalgic, cribby and what not.
This ones a very peculiar recipe. And so Simple! Either you will like it , or you won’t. But worth a try.

For say two people,

Boil two and half cups of water in a big pot.

Add a cup of your favourite rice (smaller grains rice types are better)

Add half tsp salt

Once the rice feels all gooey and there is still water left switch off the flame/cooktop.

Keep aside in a hot casserole.

Parallely, boil 4 to 5 boiled potatoes with pinch of salt added till 3 whistles atleast in pressure cooker or till absolutely soft. Peel after dipping the potatoes in ice cold water , so peeling becomes easier.

Mash them well with your palms or a masher.

Add half a chopped raw onion to the mashed potato. Add bit of salt, few drops of mustard oil,  chopped coriander leaves.

Now, have this with the cooked extra moist/almost watery rice. Add butter or raw mustard oil to the hot cooked rice. With every bite of rice and mashed potato , have bits of raw green chilly.

Oh, you can also as an accompaniment have the poppy seeds recipe I shared the other day. Click here to know more

Poppy seeds paste with raw mustard oil & steamed moist rice

Poppy seeds paste with raw mustard oil & steamed moist rice

 

Monsoon & hot cuppa rice!

Poppy seeds raw paste, drizzled with mustard oil, green chillies, hint of salt, with steaming hot rice! 

Monsoons are here and what better than a hot plate of steamed rice with my favourite Poshto !

Here you need to grind the poppy seeds (khuskhus) to a coarse paste. Traditionally the same is done in a stone mortar and pestle to get that perfect texture.

However the trick for today’s generation is to soak the poppy seeds in some water overnight and then grind it in the food processor.

Poppy seeds are popular in West Bengal as recipes of aloo poshto or “potato & poppy seeds dish”… and many others.. Poppy seeds pastes add great taste to traditional aloo dum recipes as well.

Now to this paste of say one small bowl, which I like un-cooked… add mustard oil (about 2 to 3 tbs), finely chopped or slightly grinded green chillies, salt (half tsp), and two drops of lemon juice.

Ah, heavenly!

 

Enjoy it just like that with Hot plate of steamed rice. Let the rice be cooked all moist…

 

Note: The images have been sourced from google images and pinterest…