Coleslaw

Coleslaw is not something I make regularly. I never actively disliked them but never went looking for it either. In most places that serves non-Indian food coleslaw is always there and I usually take a look at it and pass it over or occasionally taste with a good dash of hot sauce.

I had a bit too many fresh cabbages and coleslaw was for some reason coleslaw came to mind and the next was kimchi. But kimchi is still on the to-do list. Most people think of cabbages as stinky and sometimes they sure do have a smeel. But like every other vegetable they get an odor once they start to age. And in cabbages the smell is a bit more prominent.

Cabbages are easy enough to grow. But in the winter when there is a dearth of food for all the creatures and they graviate towards something that is available and like it is the practice around here we shared them with mice, voles, rats and god knows what else. So once they have had their share we get to eat a few :(

Freshly harvested cabbage - 2021

Fresh cabbages on the other hand, don't have any smell other than a fresh crisp smell. In fact they are crunchy, crispy and delicious and I am guessing that is the first step to a good coleslaw :) The recipe is quite simple. Normally mayonnaise is used in making coleslaw of which I am not a big fan of. These days you can find mayonnaise that is made with Avocado oil which is another option. I used a mixture of yogurt and sour cream.

Shred cabbage and carrots. Get the yogurt, sour cream and the condiments in a bowl.
Whisk together the yogurt, sour cream adn condiments. Add it to the shredded vegetables and mix it in well.

Coleslaw
Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cooking Time:5 minutes
Ingredients

1. 3 cups of shredded cabbage
2. 1 cups shredded carrot
3. 3/4 cup of plain yogurt preferably whole milk yogurt (or mayonnaise if you prefer)
4. 1/2 cup of sour cream
5. 3/4 - 1 tbsp of hot sauce (I used Sriracha)
6. 3 tsp of honey mustard
7. 1 tsp of mustard powder
8. salt to taste

Method

In a wide mouthed bowl add the yogurt, sour cream and the rest of the ingredients other than the shredded vegetables.

Whisk the yogurt with the rest of the ingredients till it is smooth.

Gently mix in the shredded vegetables.

Perefect side for any meal. So if you get hold of fresh cabbages give this a try. Like what you are reading? Subscribe!

Spiced Radish Raita - Mullangi thayir pachadi

I didn't quite think I'd like radish but as I have already sang its praises in this Radish Masala Rice, I will go straight to the recipe.

Whenever I make some chapathi and a dry curry some members in the house hold would like something moist or liquidy, so I make raitas with beets or sauteed onions and tomatoes. So when I had these radishes it felt like the perfect way to try out this raita. It tastes good and would go well with rice as well. This is a very easy recipe. Here in pictures,

Shred the radish, prepare the coriander,green chilies, ginger, cumin paste. Season oil in a wide mouthed plan.
Add the radish to the seasoned oil, add cumin powder. Saute till radish is cooked.
Add the coriander,green chilies, ginger and cumin paste to the yogurt.
Add the whisked spiced yogurt and the cooked radish together.

Spiced Radish Raita
Preparation Time:15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 cups of grated radish
2. 2 cups of yogurt
3. 1/2 cup of coriander leaves
4. 2-3 green chilies
5. 1/2 inch piece of ginger
6. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
7. salt to taste
8. 1/2 tsp of cumin powder
9. seasonings : cumin seeds, mustard seeds
10. 1 tsp oil

Method

1. Peel and grate the radish and set aside.
2. Take the coriander leaves, green chilies, ginger and cumin and blend to a paste with addition of a tsp of water.
3. In a wide mouthed pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and cumin and let the mustard pop.
4. Add in the grated radish and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the cumin powder. (Radish does not have to be cooked all the way through, so cook as much or less as you want).
5. Take blended coriander paste with the yogurt, add salt and whisk together till smooth.
6. Add in the cooked radish and mix it well.

Serve as a side with any Indian bread or with rice. Like what you are reading? Subscribe!

Palak Paneer in an Instant Pot - Indian Cottage Cheese in Spinach Sauce

Palak Paneer is one of those things that I have avoided for a long time. I did not like the cream slathered spinach puree with paneer thrown in. It took me a while to realize that it does not have to be cooked with all that cream and I could cook it the way I liked.

Sauteed Paneer

I am glad that I did because with some fresh spinach and some soft paneer there is nothing better and tastier. I cook it the way I do the spinach chutney. A few extra spices to permeate the bland paneer is all that is different. With an Instant Pot it is all done in one dish.

Recipe in pictures,

Heat ghee in the Instant Pot in Saute mode and saute the cubed paneer for a minute or so.
Chop the onions, chilies and get the spices ready.
In Saute mode, heat oil and add the onions and green chilies, and saute till the onions are translucent.
Add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute and then add the spice powders.
Add the chopped spinach, salt and saute for a couple of minutes and then add a 1/4 cup of water and cook in Manual mode for 5 minutes and let the steam release naturally.
Use a hand blender and blend the spinach to a puree and then add the sauteed paneer.

With some soft phulkas or chapatis this is the perfect balanced meal.

Palak Paneer
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients

1. 14 oz block of paneer cubed
2. 1/2 lb of Spinach washed and chopped
3. 2 tbsp of chopped onions or shallots
4. 1 garlic clove chopped (optional)
5. 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
6. 3 green chilies
7. 1/4 tsp cumin powder
8. 1 tsp black pepper powder
9. 2 tsp coriander powder
10. 1 tsp ghee + 1/2 tbsp oil
11. salt to taste

Method

1. Put the Instant Pot in Saute Mode, adjust the heat to 'Less'.
2. Add the ghee when the pot says hot and in half a minute add the cubed paneer and saute for a minute or so. Remove to a paper towel.
3. If the Instant Pot does not have any bit of paneer stuck to the pot, add the oil and continue with cooking. Else clean the pot and then add the oil.
4. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and green chilies and saute till the onions are translucent.
5. Add in the grated ginger and garlic and saute for a a minute.
6. Add in the cumin, pepper and coriander powders and saute for a minute more.
7. Add in the chopped spinach and salt saute for a couple of minutes and add a 1/4 cup of water and then put the Instant Pot in Manual mode and cook for 5 minutes.
8. Once cooked let the pressure release naturally and using a hand blender, blend the spinach to a smooth puree.
9. Add in the sauteed paneer and mix.
Serve with any kind of Indian bread or even rice.

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Shredded Raw Banana Roast - Vazhakkai Podimas - Vazhakkai Poriyal

If being stuck in traffic gridlock was an Olympic sport, DC area could go for gold, says this story in the Washington Post that offers the dubious distinction of being stuck in traffic for more hours than the average vacation hours. I take the bus and metro to reach work, it does not by any means reduce the number of hours stuck in traffic but at least I am not the one behind the wheel. Riding the bus or metro gives an opportunity to read a book, sleep, or chat.
If only more people would do the same and expense wise it probably might even work out cheaper than driving the car. What has Plantain Fry got to do with traffic? Nothing!

This goes to Ahaar for the JFI this month which features Bananas and Plantains are accepted too.

Finely grated Raw Banana (no turmeric added)

The recipe posted earlier for plantain fry is the simplest and quickest way to cook them. If you are ready for a little bit more work and some extra time this recipe is one to try. But the ingredients and cooking itself is very easy.

This is a very tasty dry stir fry which goes well as a side for any rice dish.

Thicker grate with turmeric powder

Shredded Raw Banana Roast - Vazhakkai Podimas (Poriyal)
Steaming Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients

1. 3 Green raw plantains or raw banana
2. 1/2 Red Onion Chopped fine
3. 2 Red Chilies broken in half and seeds removed or 4-5 green chilies chopped
4. seasonings - cumin 1/4 tsp, mustard seeds 1/4 tsp, 2 tsp urad dal and Curry leaves
5. Oil 2 tsp
6. 1 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
7. 1 tsp grated ginger (optional)
   
8. Salt to taste

Method

1. Steam the plantains till they are half way cooked and grate them in a grater. You can shred it fine or slightly thicker. I like the thicker grate better.
2. In a pan heat oil, add the seasonings, urad dal when it starts to brown, cumin, mustard seeds and curry leaves.
3. Add the red chilies or the chopped green chilies followed by onions and saute till they are translucent. If adding ginger do so now and saute for a minute. Add turmeric powder and mix it in.
4. Now add the grated plantains and salt and saute till they are roasted (4-5 minutes) or the texture you desire.

Serve with any rice dish.

Originally published 9/20/2007 at 9:03 PM.

Simple Cauliflower Masala with tomatoes

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables which tastes great when it is still slightly crunchy and not completely mushed up. During the summer months when tomatoes were plentiful I turned to the tried and tested recipe that I have seen in a lot of homes back home being made as a side dish for chapati. I initially started making this for and then realized that adding the cauliflower would make it even better.

Just the simplest of ingredients but really tasty and so quick to make. This works really well for a week night meal. Need to use ripe tomatoes and ones that are juicy. Heirloom tomatoes or sometimes called ugly tomatoes work really well here. The curry should not be dry but slightly loose, not by adding extra water but from the moisture from the tomatoes.

I got this Corningware Vision Dutch Oven which I have become quite fond of. Works for making curries, sauteing vegetables and cleaning is a breeze.

Simple Cauliflower Masala with tomatoes
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 head of a medium sized cauliflower cut into small florets
2. 1/2 cup of chopped red onions
3. 4-6 tomatoes finely chopped
4. 1 tsp of grated ginger (optional)
5. 5-6 slit green chilies
6. 1 garlic clove chopped fine
7. a handful of chopped coriander leaves
8. salt to taste
9. 2 tsp of oil
10. seasonings: mustard and cumin seeds

Method

1. In a wide mouthed pan, heat oil add the cumin and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds starts to pop add the onions and green chilies and saute till the onions become translucent.
2. Add in the garlic and ginger if using, saute for about 30 seconds making sure the ginger does not stick.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till they become nice and mushy.
4. Add in the cauliflower florets and salt and saute till the florets get cooked but barely.
5. Add in the chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with chapathis or soft phulkas.

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Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts Masala Fry - Masala Poriyal

I was having a conversation with a colleague at work about diet and how younger and younger folks seem to coming down with diseases which usually afflicts people who are much older. It happens that most people do not care about the sugar and salt in their diet. Whenever I see people warming up their frozen meals I wonder if they have noticed the salt levels in those foods.

But really! We work so hard and if we are not able to spend a few minutes to get a good meal for the family that is sad isn't? What I have noticed is that during lunch leftovers even those meh ones do taste sufficiently delicious. I prefer packing my left overs to lunch and though people make fun of the numerous containers I carry to the office I prefer to take each thing separately rather than dumping everything into one container. When I do that it really feels like leftovers. Anyway to each his own.

I am not sure why but anything with potatoes make great leftovers. When heated they become crispy and more delicious. Like this recipe for instance tasted even better the next day.

Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts Masala Fry
Preparation Time:15 minutes
Cooking Time:20 minutes
Ingredients

1. 4-5 Potatoes washed, peeled and sliced thin sticks or wedges
2. 20 Brussel Sprouts, each cut 4 ways
3. 2-3 tsp oil (or more)
4. seasonings: cumin seeds and mustard seeds
Masala Paste
5. 3 tbsp of chopped onions
6. 1/2 tsp of pepper corn
7. 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
8. 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
9. 6-7 Red Chilies

Method

1. In a cast iron pan or a wide mouthed pan (kadai) heat oil and add the seasonings.
2. Add in the potatoes and brussel sprouts and let them cook half way. Keep sauteing so they do not stick to the bottom.
Blending the Paste
3. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a another saute pan, add a tsp of oil and saute the onions till they are browned.
4. Add in the red chilies, pepper corn, cumin and coriander seeds and saute for another couple of minutes.
5. Transfer the contents to a blender and blend to a smooth paste without adding water if possible.
6. When the potatoes are partially cooked add in the blended paste and salt and continue to saute till the potatoes are completely cooked and the masala is well coated.
Note:
7. The potatoes can be made crispier by adding more oil while sauteing.

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