Indian Style Chicken Liver - Quick Meal Bowl

Lots of women usually middle aged or sometimes even younger women suffer from iron deficiency. Our diet definitely plays a part. The Indian diet while good in many ways is not high on iron content unless you make a conscious effort to include foods high in iron.

Leafy green vegetables (spinach & kale), mushrooms, dried fruits like dates and obviously meats like chicken and beef are all good sources of iron. An iron powerhouse is liver but it is not a good idea to eat liver everyday but occasionally like once a couple of weeks or once in a month should be beneficial. Here is a link for the iron content in everyday foods.

Everyone in our house likes livers be it chicken or goat liver. Even then it is delicious to eat it once in a way. Quick to cook and works very well in a quick meal in a bowl along with some roasted vegetables and corn or rice.

The recipe is very simple with onions, ginger, garlic and some spice powders. The bowl is easy to make with some boiled corn, roasted vegetable and some black bean - chipotle style. Makes a filling and very comforting meal.

Chicken Liver - Quick Meal Bowl
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1/2 lb of chicken liver
2. 1/2 cup of sliced onions
3. 3-4 garlic cloves chopped fine
4. 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
5. 2-3 tsp chili powder
6. 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder (optional)
7. 1/2 tsp coriander powder
8. 1/4 tsp cumin powder + 1/4 tsp pepper powder
9. salt to taste
10. 2 tsp of oil
11. Seasonings: cumin seeds and fennel seeds
12. half a lime (optional)

Method

1. Wash and cut it into bite size pieces if required and drain the water completely. Pat dry or let sit in a colander.
2. Add oil and when hot add the seasonings followed by the onions. Saute till the onions start to turn brown. Add in the garlic and ginger and saute for a couple of minutes more.
3. Add the liver, gently mix it into the onions and saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the turmeric, chili, coriander, cumin and pepper powders. Toss to mix and when the liver is cooked and if using squeeze the lime over, toss and turn off the heat.

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Gravied Drumsticks - Recipe from Sukham Ayu (Simple Lunches -25)

Losing a wallet or a purse is a traumatic experience. It almost happened to me couple of weeks ago. As I sat in a meeting I realized that my pocket had suddenly gotten lighter. I finished the meeting replaying everything I did from the time I left home till I reached the office. I kept going back to the previous night's events. I had left my wallet upstairs after paying for something on the internet even though I also vaguely remember taking it before leaving the house that morning.

Pushing aside that thought I had convinced myself that it was at home. I rushed back home all the while hoping it was still safe upstairs on my bedside table. It was not there. I called my friend at the office and asked her to check around my desk. Not there. Then I began the unenviable task of calling all the credit card companies and banks to cancel or block the cards. I finished the task and could not sit idle so decided to go back to the office and do something useful - talk to the security guard and also to look in the parking lot to see if it fell out of my pocket.

Let me digress a bit. What in the world has happened to women's pant pockets?. What used to be fairly deep pockets have somehow been made to be shallow pieces of cloth suitable for holding nothing.

I made it back to the office again, driving up and down on the interstate without a license and thinking that had that to take care of as well. Anyway I drove within speed limits and following all traffic rules. I made it back to the office, went down on my hands and knees and scanning the parking lot and finding nothing.

Walked back into the office and to my seat and found the wallet sitting at the back of my chair in the wedge between the backrest and the seat. I heaved a big sigh of relief and sat down to steady my nerves. That was easily the most nerve wracking couple of hours of my unexciting life. Phew and Thank God.

But another colleague of mine was not as lucky. She had her purse stolen while she was at a restaurant a popular and a very busy restaurant. Her bag was taken from an empty seat beside her by what she suspects is a group of people and within an hour debit and credit cards were used in several grocery stores, gas stations and other stores in the same zip code. Remember they had pretty much everything, car keys, house keys, license with address and everything. She complained to the cops who were not very eager to listen to her or help her. A crime that no crime solver rushes to solve.

Add to this she is getting married actually tomorrow and leaving the country afterwards for a 3 week trip. She was finishing up her last minute purchases and hence had pretty much all her cards with her. I shudder and can't imagine the stress she was under. This happened last Friday and at her surprise bridal shower yesteday she seemed to have taken it stride and dealt with it. Here's Wishing her a Very Happy Married Life.

I am not really sure what one can do to be more careful. But keeping an inventory of what is in the wallet might certainly come in handy. Only when I found the wallet and opened it to see what is in there did I realize the number of different cards that are in there.

Note down the card numbers and the phone numbers to call. The first thing these card companies or banks ask for is the credit card numbers yes of the card you are calling to report. Are we supposed to remember these and have them at our finger tips? To be fair after I got past that the process was hassle free and I got my new cards within the week.

Have you been in a similar and do you have any tips to deal with such a situation?

Frozen thawed drumsticks

Moving on to the recipe,
Getting fresh drumsticks back home was not that big of a deal and they are available throughout the year. But here I make do with frozen drumsticks. In all fairness I do not miss the fresh ones. Even if I see fresh ones I do not bother to buy them. They are usually dry and wonder how long they sit out. Fresh or frozen this recipe works magic on either kind.

Recipe Source: Sukham Ayu

Gravied Drumsticks
Ingredients
1. 2 -3 cups of chopped drumsticks
2. 1/4 cup of cooked peas (dried peas soaked, my addition)
3. 1/4 cup of chopped red onion (optional, not in original recipes)
4. 1 cup of tamarind pulp from a small lime size piece of tamarind
5. 3-4 garlic cloves crushed
6. 1/2 tbsp of red chili powder (I used 1/2 tbsp red chili powder and 1/2 tbsp of Kashmiri chili powder)
7. 1 tsp turmeric powder
7. seasonings: cumin, mustard seeds, a tiny bit of asfoetida and curry leaves
9. 1 tsp oil (recipe called for ghee)
10. 1/2 tbsp jaggery (optional, my addition)

Method
1. In a kadai, heat oil and when hot add the seasonings, when the mustard starts to pop add in the onion and saute till translucent. add in the garlic and saute for a minute.
2. Add in the chopped drumsticks, add a quarter cup of water, cover with a lid and cook till the drumsticks are cooked.
3. Now add the turmeric powder, chili powder and mix it in well.
4. Add the tamarind pulp and another 1/2 cup of water and let it cook till the raw smell is gone completely.
5. Add salt and the jaggery, check for taste and add more chili powder if required. Turn off when desired consistency has been reached.

Serve with rice, dal and yogurt.

Simple Lunches - 24 (Beans Kootu with Moong Dal)

The heart feels heavy. The shooting rampage of last Saturday is heavy on my mind with feelings ranging from sadness, anger to helplessness.

I would so like to lay the responsibility for this on Sarah Palin's feet. She has a big mouth and would probably talk anything to get a few popularity points. She and her other shouting, screaming, frothing Talk Show friends, all of them. They have lowered the civility and intelligence of the civil discourse and though they claim to have America's best interest at heart, sorry it is only their self interest that they care about most. So I am no way feeling sorry for the heat they are getting. But to lay the blame on them is perhaps a stretch.

It is rather sad that besides a few editorials nobody is talking about the root cause of most of these mass killing and shootings. Namely the predominant gun culture and the power and might of the NRA in making it almost impossible for meaningful gun control laws. Palin is an easy scapegoat but I would not say she does not deserve it. It is a perfectly easy way to gloss over the real problem. In most societies disagreements are settled with a few scuffles or loud words. But not here, we exercise our second amendment right.

None of the sad episodes would have happened if the access to guns are restricted like they are in other civil societies. The second amendment was written at a different time and age and to hide behind that is a shame.

I am shocked every time I witness the extent to which guns are woven into this culture.

I was speechless when I learned that for less than $100 I could be armed and dangerous. Almost too easy. It is much easier than admitting your child to a school.

Every time a mind numbing gun violence happens the country goes through a period of soul searching. We debate about civility, being good to our neighbors and those with views different than ours, the mental health system and the lack of access, but always a deafening silence about the ready access to weapons.

Come on, this is a country where a sitting Vice President shot someone thinking he was a duck and never found the need to report it until someone else did.

I live in perhaps one of the most liberal counties in the country and you'd think things would be different here. Nope. This obsession with all things guns starts at an early age. From toy guns kids graduate to real ones by middle school I suppose. I was at DD's school on a Saturday volunteering as a Math tutor. I was tutoring 2 boys and they were paying attention and learning. That is until another boy(the son of the organizer) walks in with a gun catalog. In less than a nano second my tutees had jumped out of their seat and were near the catalog.

Seeing a gun catalog brought to school was itself a shock to my system and then the Principal of the school walks past and sees the boys involved in the discussion of the merits of each model and she never baits an eyelid! I expected her to do something. She did not. Maybe it was not in her job description. The whole thing bothered me enough.

DH warns me every time I honk at someone on the road I am in danger of having my head glown off. Yes! my friends road rage is another popular reason to use the weapon.

Now that one of their own is a victim maybe Congress will wake up and get its act together and do something about it. Australia did it Scotland it but then again not so fast, this is America we are talking about.

None of the violent incidents - Columbine, VA tech and Tuscon would have happened if owning guns were illegal like it is in most parts of the world. You'd think any sane person would see the connection.

Talk about gun control and you are sure to be branded a whacko. No wonder no politician would not even touch the issue with a 10 feet pole.

Let's move on to the recipe now that I feel a little lighter.
I fall back on kootu when I have had enough of sambhar for the week. The recipe I follow is a standard one that I learned from my mother. The spice paste is simple and is made while the dal is getting cooked and the whole process takes less than 1/2 hour.

I saw this recipe for kootu on Akshayapaatram where the spice mixture is different from mine. I tend to use green beans, cabbage and occasionally squash when I make kootu. Any of those vegetables or brussels sprouts like Priya has done in the recipe should all work.

Ingredients
1. 1 cup of split moong dal
2. 1-2 cups of finely chopped green beans
3. 1 tsp turmeric powder
4. 3 green chilies slit
5. seasonings: curry leaves, mustard and cumin seeds
6. jaggery (optional, I did not use it)
7. salt to taste + 1 tsp oil

Spice Powder
1. 1 tbsp urad dal
2. 1 tsp channa dal
3. 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
4. 1 tsp cumin seeds
5. 1/2 tbsp peppercorns
6. 3 red chilies
7. 1 sprig curry leaves
8. 1 tbsp grated coconut (I used frozen and thawed)

1. Roast the chana dal and when it starts to turn color add the urad dal roast for a minute and then followed by the coriander, cumin and peppercorns and red chilies. When the chilies get a slightly black tinge remove from heat
2.Now add the curry leaves and coconut and roast them on low flame till the coconut turns brown
3. Cool and powder in a blender without using water

Method
1. Pressure cook the moong dal with excess water with the beans with the turmeric powder and a drop of oil till mushy
2. Dissolve the spice powder in about 1/2 cup of water and add it to the dal and let it cook on low flame for 8-10 minutes
3. Meanwhile heat a tsp of oil or ghee in a small pan and add the seasonings and when the mustard starts to pop pour it over the dal
4. Add salt and the jaggery if doing and turn off the heat in a couple of minutes

Goes well with rice or chapati

Simple Lunches - 23 (Frozen Okra stir fry)

The year that was ...
I made a resolution at the beginning of the year to learn about the sources of the foods we consume and in the process share them in the blog. I learned a lot and along the way got disheartened that so much of what we consume today is loaded with chemicals, sugar and salt. But every dark cloud has to have a silver lining right? So over the course of the year I have come to an uncomfortable truce with the supermarkets.

I try my bestest to follow Michael Pollan's advice to keep away from foods which have more than 5 ingredients and to avoid foods that grandma would not recognize. But try finding foods within that ingredient count. That is another matter altogether. Climbing Mt.Everest is probably easier. Often these rules get broken for foods that have to be bought - bread, cereal, muffins and bagels. Sometimes for frozen stuff which come in very handy for those hungry evening times.

The debate over whether organic, locally grown or conventional produce is best is an ongoing one. Price, quality or sustainability? I do what works best for me, there is no hard and fast rule. If I see an organic head of cauliflower alongside a locally grown one I pick the locally grown one. I tend to always buy organic milk and preferably free roaming organic eggs. Chicken I buy only from my beloved Amish market. Organic, fresh (truly) and very reasonable. What more can one ask. I am sorry to admit I have cut down greatly on eating fish for the simple fact that I am afraid. This will change in the coming year.

To tell you the truth the best time was in the spring/summer when I was able to grow my own vegetables. Besides being a soothing and rewarding activity the taste was hard to beat. This has only increased the longing to go back to my grand-folks profession. One can dream can't they?

Coming from a culture where clean plates is emphasized meaning you eat everything that has been served I have changed enough to emphasize not to eat more than it is possible, and that to simply clean the plate because there are several others in the world without food. We cleaning our plate is not going to help them. We have to find ways to deal with that problem. So I ask my kids to serve what they can and to serve more only if they want more. In the unlikely event when they over serve they are not to stuff themselves.

Obesity is the biggest epidemic of our times and to learn from a young age not to overeat is not just an important lesson but an essential one. The one thing that endeared me to the First Lady was her Let's Move campaign. This is one campaign that everyone leaving aside party stripes should jump on blindfolded.

It is best to ignore hypocrites like Sarah Palin(got my goat with her recent comment) who have no clue the changed circumstances and world order that the US finds itself in today. Disparaging Hollywood and then encouraging your daughter to act and dance on TV is one thing, spewing hateful rhetoric and then accepting millions for the books from the same elites she so freely condemns but making fun of a campaign that emphasizes kids to eat healthier and become more active?. I know it is best not to pay heed to dimwits like her. But,

She clearly crossed the line when she made fun of the Let's move campaign. Let the mama grizzly feed her kids tons of sugar and fat and park them in front of the TV to watch the inanities she spews but leave the rest of our kids out. She who sees conspiracy in everything also wants kids to exercise their god given right to eat junk. So be it but keep it among your family. Thank you.

Seriously how did eating locally, healthier become elitist? Isn't this how our forefathers lived? How did eating right become a liberal agenda?

Take a look at this post by my friend Kay in her healthy living blog.

To round out the year here is a simple lunch suggestion. Buying okras has always been an unpleasant experience(broken stems anyone?). Bhindi subji is a big favorite in DD's friend's house. It is in ours too but buying them is a chore. On checking with her friend's mom she mentioned that she never bothers with fresh okra and uses frozen ones. I was skeptical at first wondering about the slime and the hours it was going to take to get that out and how soggy it was going to get. I was wrong on all counts. Cooks very fast, the slime is not noticeable and the end product is far from soggy.

The trick is to not thaw the okra and add it directly to the pan to cook. Never cook okra without lemon juice or amchur powder. Yogurt or even tamarind pulp works. They all help in reducing the slime. I do not know the science behind it but it works.

Frozen Okra Stir Fry
Ingredients
1. 1lb Cut frozen okra
2. 1/2 cup onions sliced
3. 1/2 tbsp sambhar or red chili powder + 1 tsp turmeric powder
4. 2 broken dried red chilies
5. 1 tbsp lemon juice or 2 tsp amchur powder
6. seasonings: curry leaves, cumin seeds, mustard seeds
7. salt to taste
8. 2 tsp of oil

Method
1. In a wide mouthed pan, heat the oil and add the seasonings, when the mustard splutters add the red chilies and when it turns slightly black
2. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes till they are translucent
3. Now add the okra and let it cook covered for 4-5 minutes till the okra pieces are separate
4. Open the lid add the lemon juice or amchur powder, turmeric powder and sambhar powder and saute for a few minutes
5. Close the lid again and let the okra get fully cooked. Open and stir gently occasionally to avoid sticking to the bottom
6. Open the lid and saute till the desired texture is obtained
We like it a little bit soft but if you like it crunchier saute a bit longer.
Notes:
Lemon juice, amchur powder, tamarind pulp or even yogurt all help in reducing the slime. They generally add some tartness so use accordingly.

Serve as a side for soft chapatis or any rice dish.

Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year with good eats and lots of laughter.

Simple Lunches - 20 (Cabbage with whole green moong)

Our Washington Post newspaper is accompanied by a magazine supplement every Sunday like I think most papers in the US do. I get to the magazine during the week usually while watching some vacuous show on TV. Imagine my surprise and utter delight when I saw this article in the magazine. It seemed like a lovely coincidence coming right after this post. I am so very glad to know that a humble laundry line can teach so much about culture and identity.

"On our 16-month journey from Southeast Asia to North Africa, we were consistently drawn to the colorful images of laundry hanging off balconies, over bushes and on river banks. Our initial interest may have been a reflection of our spin-cycled, machine-dried perspective, but the more we traveled, the more the laundry became, for us, an essential part of the landscape...." Read, Following the Line: Photographing laundry around the world and do not miss the slide show.

When my mom visits us here she requests that I buy cabbage on every trip to the grocery store. The reason being it is very easy to make a quick stir fry along with some dal and a meal is ready. I am not particularly fond of cabbage and the family doesn't complain about them but they don't ask for them either. But I do see the value in my mom's words. The problem is - there is always a small piece laying around the fridge forlornly aftr the bulk has been used for a stir fry. This recipe came about trying to use up one such piece. A very simple and light side dish for rice or chapatis. I used whole moong dal but they would work with channa dal, toor dal or split moong dal cooked just enough to retain the shape.

Cabbage with whole green moong
1. 1 1/2 cup of thinly shredded cabbage
2. 1 Cup whole moong cooked (soft but should retain the shape)
3. 4 green chilies slit
4. 2 tbsp chopped shallots
5. 1 tsp grated ginger + 2 cloves chopped garlic(optional)
6. 1 tsp sambhar powder
7. seasonings: mustard, cumin and curry leaves
8. salt + 1 tsp ghee

Method
1. In a heavy bottomed pan heat the oil or ghee and add the seasonings followed by the green chilies and shallots and saute till the onions turn brown.
2. Add the garlic and ginger if using and saute for a minute more.
3. Add the cabbage and salt and let it cook till it gets a bit soft (should retain some crunch)
4. Add the cooked moong dal and a bit of the water they were cooked in.
5. Add salt and sambhar powder, cook for 2-3 minutes.

Serve with chapatis or rice.

Moroccon spiced couscous with Puy Lentils

Food and Trade - Part II
Low prices, weak laws and cheap labor
While we flock to low priced stores to buy goods we never fail to complain in the same breath the effects of the loss of manufacturing jobs is having on the lives of people here. Its very surprising that we are not very aware of that connection.

We are OK with getting low prices as long as the slave labor happens thousands of miles away from where we cannot see them. We might not for a second tolerate the appalling conditions people slave in those factories and farms. Somebody pays the price somewhere.

I read in the paper a few days how Walmart was trying to hold Chinese companies to stricter environmental laws. Perhaps Walmart more than any company is the face of the low price mania and has taken advantage of lax Chinese environmental and labor laws. It is now pressuring its Chinese suppliers to abide by the environmental laws, flouting those very same laws when it was convenient and has made it tons of profit. As customers who are starting to pay attention to the business practices of companies they patronize it makes perfect business sense for Walmart to start amending its business practices.

Read the details New sheriff in China is named Walmart.

Walmart it seems is encouraging and providing monetary help for farmers setup green houses to grown oranges and nectarines in mid-winter. Is this a good thing? Maybe int the short term to provide jobs and means of income for struggling farmers but in the long run who knows.

Local farmers abandon crops that are best suited for their climatic and soil conditions and start growing crops that their multinational buyer demands. Walmart with its buying power truly can bully its suppliers to abide by the environmental laws which the government might fail however hard it tries. Even then I am unwilling to give Walmart a pass.

Head over to PJ's Ginger and Garlic for another take on Walmart's foray into organic produce.

2 articles in different publications (there might be more) talking about Walmart's organic practices in 2 different places sounds to me like a marketing campaign more than anything else. Just like when a movie or book is released the protagonists saturate the medium with participants. So forgive me here for my skepticism.

Subsidies and Agriculture
What is an agricultural subsidy?
Subsidy is money paid out by the government to farmers to supplement their income and provide price support for food commodities like wheat, corn, soybean, cottonseed, rice etc. The 2 most subsidized food crops in the US are corn and soybean.

If you are driving out in the country side and see acres and acres of farm land under corn cultivation, there lies the answer. In the face of it grudging farmers for the payments they receive for their hard work might be counterproductive especially considering we have been talking about how hard it is for farmers to make a living.

Subsidies are given for all the right reasons, to preserve local farmers, local farming techniques but they have the exact opposite effect. Taxpayer money is transfered to big landowners and companies that need them the least.Farm land is used for growing commodities that fit the government sanctioned list of commodities. Eighty percent of the subsidies directly benefit large business and it is a direct payment independent of profit or loss that was made for the year.

This agricultural subsidies given by rich countries keep commodity prices low in the world market directly hurting farmers in poor countries who are dependent on the prices of the commodities in the open market to make a living.

Agricultural subsidies transfer wealth to a small group of people who have powerful representation in the halls of power and it is a scared cow no farm state politician will touch, though it is an entitlement program few voters know or care about.

Rightly so the subsidies are a big barrier in trade negotiations with developing countries who are reluctant to open their doors to subsidized commodities from the rich countries entering their marketplace which will drive prices lower in their countries and hurt their farmers.

Who receives for subsidies?
Though intended for small farmers large farm holding companies are the ones who benefit by using the extra money from the federal government to drive out small farmers and buying up the land. Due to loopholes companies which have nothing to do with agriculture get these subsidies too. Click here to see the companies that get the most subsidies.

Wealthy individual with big estate homes on lands that used to be farms.

The farm payments are based on land calculations that were done in 1981. So owners collect subsidies even when they planted timber on the farm land as long as they do not develop it.

Farmers and landowners benefited from the 1996 law whether their land once grew wheat, corn, cotton or any of the other subsidized crops. But nowhere is the impact more evident than in the sunbaked Texas rice country that spreads southwest from Houston to the Colorado River and east to the Gulf of Mexico.

In 1981, the Texas rice belt extended over about 600,000 acres. By last year, USDA records show, the amount of planted rice had shrunk to 202,000 acres, partly because landowners were able to get farm payments even if no rice was grown on their land.

In fact, so many landowners and farmers are collecting money on their former rice lands -- $37 million last year alone -- that the acres no longer used for rice outnumber the planted ones.

From the Washington Post - Bill Moyer expose on farm subsidies

As for the actual farmers who rent these these rice lands in Texas, the landowners still receive the subsidy payments. Some of these landowners canceled the lease to farmers who grow rice because money for just keeping the land paid them more. When the laws changed and the actual farmers got the payment the landowners simply raised the rent.

In 2004, the property was sold to Shin Shan Chu, an elderly investor who lives in Vancouver, Canada. Once a year, Bailey, who still grows rice on part of the 4,000 acres, cuts a $25,000 check and sends it to Chu, whom he has never met.

Reached by telephone, Chu said he hoped to eventually "develop some residential buildings there. It's very nice land, very flat, very close to the city."

Chu, who also owns and leases 17,000 acres of farmland in west Texas, grew up in mainland China and Taiwan, worked in electronics and moved to Vancouver 36 years ago. He described himself as nearly 80.

"It's just an investment," he said of his farm holdings. "I'm waiting for the money."
Link

If you are interested in learning more I strongly encourage to spend some time and look over this website.

References:Agricultural Subsidy Programs - by David Sumner

About Current Farm Subsidies

The struggles and problems that farmers face even in the face of so much money being spent by the governments is truly incredible.

.The End.

Giving these Puy Lentils a try has been a long time project. Finally got some at an organic store, the speciality about this store is they sell organic products but the prices are in par with the regular stores. Decided to pair them with some whole wheat couscous. And these must be the prettiest lentils around.

Moroccon spiced couscous
Ingredients
1. 2 Cups Whole Wheat couscous
2. 2 Cups water
3. 1 tbsp Moroccon spice blend (any spice will work or leave it out)
4. 2 tbsp olive oil
5. 1 tsp salt.

Method
1. In a sauce pan, mix in the oil,salt and spice blend and bring to a boil. Switch off the heat.
2. Pour in the couscous and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.


Puy Lentils with tomatoes
Ingredients
1. 1 Cup Puy Lentils
2. 1/2 cup sliced onions (I used yellow onions)
3. 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
4. 2 garlic crushed
5. 3 fresh Red/green chilies slit
6. 3 garlic cloves crushed and chopped
7. handful of coriander leaves (optional, did not add them)
8. 2 tsp red chili powder + 1 tsp cumin seeds
9. salt to taste

Method
1. Cook the lentils to soft not mushy they should still hold their shape with plenty of water. (add as much water depending on how runny or thick you want it cooked)
2. In a pan heat oil, add the cumin seeds followed by the onions and garlic, saute till soft.
3. Add the slit chilies and saute for a minute more.
4. Add the tomatoes and let them cook till soft.
5. Add the cooked lentils along with the water and salt, let it boil for 5-6 minutes.

Serve over the couscous.

Simple Lunches - 19 (cabbage paratha with tomato relish)

If you want something "ask". This is the philosophy by which DH leads his life and he never hesitates to ask. I on the other live by the opposite philosophy, think 100 times before asking and if possible never ask. Psychoanalysts might give this a different diagnosis but we won't go there. We have saved money, learned stuff that we would never have and saved time because of his policy. We have 2 Japanese made cars (no not that company, the other one). I drive one and DH drives the other. The engine malfunction light came on in the one I was driving, the manual asked not to drive too far and take to the nearest shop/dealer. I should have checked if the car was under warranty before taking it to the shop but I would have been someone else better if I was that perfect :) The shop ran the computer diagnostics and charged about $150 and also told us the car was under warranty and should be taken to the dealer. If we had taken the car to the dealer directly, the problem would have been taken care of without charge. For me that would have been THE END but not for DH he called Honda and asked them about reimbursement for the diagnostics. He asked and they gave, it was that simple. Most companies want to do the right thing if only we would ask.

The same theory applies to grocery shopping as well I guess but not exactly in the same sense. Even in an impersonal supermarket or a large chain store if we have questions about a product we should certainly ask.I am not sure if you all do but I certainly don't. I get home and send an email or call and talk to the headquarters, which always does not give the best results, it is too impersonal. I am changing and now learning to ask then and there. The more people ask questions the more careful the businesses will be about where and how they source their products don't you think?

I want to add a disclaimer before we proceed to the second installment of the knowledge gathering posts. These articles are more for my benefit and learning experience than anything else. I am not in favor or against organic, local or conventional food and I will not make any recommendations. I will best describe what works for me and sometimes maybe forcefully but that does not in any way mean it is the only possible way. To be a good consumer we have to be an informed consumer as well. That is my primary motivation.

In the last post we discussed about the different type of seeds. Today we will focus on Organic farming practices.

When can something be labeled organic?
Say for eg. tomatoes, just if the tomato had been grown from an organic seed, can it be called organic? No. A conventional farm takes a minimum of 3 years to be converted to an organic farm. In other words it is the optimal time required for the ill effects of fertilizer/herbicide/pesticide usage to recede and the land can regenerate itself. The farmer also never uses any chemical products(pesticides, fertilizers, herbicide, fungicide etc.,) to increase yield. The organic label is not a purity test rather a standard for a product to be deemed organic.

Can produce be truly organic?
An organic farmer purchases seeds that are labeled as organic but there is no independent test conducted to see if the seeds were contaminated prior to usage, so if a batch of GMO contaminated seeds are mixed with the package of seeds, then the produce is still marketed as organic.

If there are conventional farms nearby using GMO seeds the contamination can lead to the produce not being truly organic. There are also uncontrollable external factors like water, pollution and cross pollination which can affect the organic index of a produce.

All said and done, produce grown without direct application of pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides is in itself worth the higher price.

Source- The organic and non-gmo report

Differences in Organic vs Conventional output

"Our rice yields under the organic system are almost as good as before," he says, as his wife scoops up cow manure with her hands and pats it into disks to fuel the cooking fire. "And we're spending much less money on inputs, since we're not buying pesticides and fertilizer — although labor costs have increased."

- Amarjit Sharma,Punjab-India, an organic farming convert from conventional farming.
Excerpt from NPR 'In India, Bucking The 'Revolution' By Going Organic'.
Listen to the full story here.

The yield of wheat were about half after he switched from organic to conventional farming.

With my limited understanding of organic farming methods I was under the impression that organic farming yields were lower and the costs higher when compared to conventional farming methods. But this is not true, proven by the farmer from India quoted above and a 22 year farming trial study conducted here in the US showed that organic farming produced the same yield as conventional while using 30% less energy, water and no pesticides. Source

The single forceful argument given by conventional farming, industrial farming supporters has been the need to feed the growing world population. But the reliance on chemical products to increase yield has hurt the land, taking away the ability to regenerate itself and has harmed the land irreversibly denying future generations the ability to feed themselves. Short term profits and food supply cannot be the only goal. Male trout in the Potomac river are growing female sex organs - if we deny that chemical products in the atmosphere had nothing to do with it, we are probably all kidding ourselves.

Let's go back to 60s and 70s to India, India was a new democracy, food shortages were threatening millions and it needed badly to become self reliant in food production and hence the government's green revolution program. Many farmers like Sharma abandoned traditional farming practices and switched to pesticide, fertilizer usage and high yielding varieties of seeds. Crop rotation was abandoned, the same crop was repeated year after year. In the short term yields soared but then things went south. More fertilizer application was required to produce the same amount of yield and pesticide resistant insects destroyed large portions of crops.

Sharma again,
"We are not worried about how much yield we will get," he says. "We are worried about our families, and our children. We want them to be healthy. We will never sell or eat poison."

In the end isn't that what it is all about.

Huge companies promoting genetically modified seeds, pesticides and fertilizers have money and a big megaphone to promote what is best way to feed the world, (of course thereby increase their profits manifold) equating organic farming to a yuppy feel good kind of thing. Nothing can be further than the truth.

What is a consumer to do?
Does this all mean I only eat organic produce? No! I try to make choices the best I can. Organic produce are expensive and in most cases not always available. Some produce more harmful than others, so I either eliminate them or find the best source to get them. My uncle, refuses to eat eggplants bought from the market because they are doused with pesticides. I have witnessed them first hand when I started growing them in the backyard, they are highly pest prone. Best case is to avoid eating them when I cannot grow them but not practical as I don't live in a tropical country. Cut back immensely when the only option is to eat them from the store. I am no way saying this is an ideal solution but this is what I chose to do till I find another viable alternative. There are many such vegetables that have disappeared from our diet this way :( Not an ideal situation. What about tomatoes, onions and other staples. I don't look for organic, they are not available in most stores and so I buy them.

Only a few years ago the price of organic milk was astronomical, fast forward a few years to today, while the price is still high compared to regular milk (which has all become hormone free) has reached affordable levels or we have just learned to live with the higher costs.

If there is enough demand and education the days for good pesticide free produce is not far off.

If buying vegetables is this hard, consider buying fish, there is no organic labeling or is there?. We will tackle that next time.

After all this talk if you are still interested in food here goes,

I mostly have a like, dislike relationship with cabbages. This leads to them either being bought week after week or ignored for months on end. I was going through this dislike phase when I saw the recipe for cabbage roti on Veg Inspirations and went out and bought cabbage and made them the very next day.

Cabbage Paratha
Ingredients
1. 3 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2. 1 tbsp yogurt whey or yogurt
3. 1/2 tbsp chili powder
4. 3 tsp of ajwain
5. 1 tsp cumin seeds crushed in the palm of your hand
6. 3 cups of finely cut cabbage
7. salt
8. 1-2 tbsp water
9. all purpose flour for rolling

Method
1. In a wide mouthed mixing bowl mix all the ingredients together and make a stiff dough and set aside for half an hour.
2. Pinch of lime sized balls of dough and roll them evenly to 4 inch diameter circle, use the all purpose flour to dust the board and sprinkle on the dough to avoid sticking.
3 Heat a tava and place the rolled dough, cook on one side, flip and cook on the other side. Apply oil if desired.

Tomato Relish
Ingredients
1. 5 Red tomatoes
2. 1/2 Red onion sliced
3. 3 green chilies cut in 2
4. 2 tsp grated ginger
5. 4 garlic cloves sliced
6. salt to taste
7. seasonings: mustard, cumin and curry leaves

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and add the seasonings and when mustard starts to splutter
2. add the onion and saute till translucent. add the garlic and ginger and saute for a few more minutes
3. add the tomatoes and salt, cover and cook till mushy.

Simple Lunches - 18 (beets with potates)

If a business gives a person in power money to get something done it is called a bribe. If the Nobel committee offers the peace prize with an expectation of a certain type of behavior is it still called a prize? BHO after accepting his bribe prize delivers an impassioned speech about being a war president. Didn't we vote for him to be the peace president? Don't miss the article on Jugalbandi and the article linked there - this piece in Rolling stones. As people who voted for him it is also our responsibility to keep tabs on what our President is really up to apart from the sound bites.

The weather has turned noticeably colder and we have had the season's first snow already. The mouth craves for foods that are spicy and hot. The kids relish the snow and watch the melting of snow with great sadness, as for me the faster the snow melts the better. But one thing that offers solace is the availability of beets. I know beets are found all year round but the best ones I think are found in winter. Beets is one vegetable that I remember eating with great pleasure. This beet raita was made often. We had a cook who used to make a dry beet root curry which was also a big favorite. I have to recreate the recipe from memory. The recipe presented here was given by a dear friend, amazing in its simplicity but really tasty.

Beets and Potatoes stir fry
Ingredients
1. 3 Medium sized beet roots chopped into cubes, 2 cups
2. 1/2 - 1 onion chopped
3. 2 Potatoes peeled and cubed into slightly bigger size than the beets
4. 4-5 green chilies slit (optional)
5. 3/4 tbsp sambhar powder or chili powder and coriander powder
6. seasonings: mustard seeds, urad dal - 1 tsp, cumin seeds and curry leaves

Method
1. In a pan heat a tsp of oil and add the seasonings followed by the onions and green chilies and saute till the onions turn translucent.
2. Add the beets and potatoes and saute for a few minutes, add salt, sprinkle 3-4 tbsp of water, close the lid and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes.
3. Open the lid, add the sambhar powder and saute for 3-4 minutes.

Serve as a side with rice and sambhar or with chapatis.

Simple Lunches - 17 (Expressly cooked fit for a party)

We all get invited to parties or invite others for a party and get served or serve restaurant bought food. If the parties you go to are in a close geographic area the food and the menu gets boring pretty quick. The same palak paneer, malai kofta, vegetable pulav - all make it more of a punishment than enjoyment. I am talking here about my neck of the woods not the food paradise that is India.

Just like Honda and Toyota (maybe Lexus too,I see a lot of my desi compatriots enjoying their rides on that one) have been determined to be the best value a few restaurants (in our area it is 2) have been found to provide the best bang for the buck and it is that food that gets served most often and one I am for one am starting to develop a strong aversion to.

Any food that the hostess takes time to prepare even if it is the most simple of foods the pleasure and delight is immense. The recipe that follows today is going to Anita's Express Party just for that reason.

Tomato rice can be very simple or very complicated like a biryani. For everyday eating the simple tomato rice is what I like best. Add a few vegetable and a fancy raita you have a very delightful quick meal.

Beet is the vegetable that is all the rage now and the tomato rice will be served with beetroot raita. This is a purely Kongu Tamilian cuisine

Tomato Rice
Ingredients
1. 1 1/2 cups of seeraga samba rice or basmati rice (requires 4 cups of water)
2. 4-5 tomatoes chopped 1 1/2 cups worth
3. 1/2 Medium sized red onion sliced thin (1/2 a cup)
4. 4 cloves garlic chopped
5. seasonings: mustard, cumin seeds, curry leaves
6. coriander (1 tbsp) and cumin (2 tsp) roasted and powdered
7.1/2 cup each of peas and chopped carrots - optional
8. salt to taste
9. 2 tsp oil
10. 5 red chilies slit

Method
1. In a pressure cooker heat oil, add the seasonings followed by the onions,green chilies and saute till translucent.
2. Now add the garlic, give a quick saute followed by tomatoes and salt and saute till the tomatoes turn mushy.
3. add the vegetables and give a good mix. Add the rice and saute for a minute or two followed by the powdered coriander/cumin powder.
4. Add enough water and let it come to a boil. Now close the lid and cook for 8 minutes.

Beetroot Raita
Ingredients
1. 2 cups of grated beets
2. 1/4 cup of chopped onions
3. 4 green chilies slit.
4. mustard and curry leaves
5. 1 tsp oil
6. salt to taste
7. 2 cups of beaten curd

Method
1. In a pan heat oil and add the mustard and curry leaves
2. Saute the onions and green chilies
3. Add the grates beets and a cup of water, salt - close with a lid and let cook till the beets are soft and all water has evaporated. (If there is moisture remove the lid and let cook for a few more minutes)
4. Cool and mix with the yogurt.

Both the dishes are done in less than 1/2 hour.
Serve with potato chips for a grand lunch.

Simple Lunches 16 - Lemon Rice and Colorful Scrambled Eggs

Today there are roughly one million Hindus with an ever increasing number of Hindu temples being built in the US but as a religion Hinduism is still bathed in mysticsm. There are people who think 'Hindu' is the language that is spoken in India rather than someone who practices Hinduism. It is not limited to the general population, even large newspapers use 'Hindu' in place of 'Hindi'. Just like interest in Indian foods and curry, yoga, Ayurveda etc., have increased so has the curiousity about Hinduism as a religion.

Unlike semitic religions(Islam, Judaism,Christianity) Hinduism does not prescribe to a single holy book, set customs or even a single God. It is more a way of life than a religion. It can be called an all embracing culture allowing within its huge following several practices, customs, foods and observations. So being asked to explain a religion which is more a combination of cultural practices, foods and a vast array of customs evolving over centuries is not an easy task.

For anyone who is not overtly religious, Hinduism gives space to follow their own version of life as a practising Hindu. The only preaching(if it can be called that) that I remember is "You can see God in everything that is done to the best of your ability".

Well anyway I am not really sure why I dove into religion today being unreligious but I do faintly believe in God :) This article in Newsweek recently piqued my curiosity - We are all Hindus now.

Lemon rice, scrambled eggs, vadagam and curd

Now onto food,
In a Kongu home a simple everyday meal would include white rice, paruppu or sambhar (dal), a stir fry generally with green vegetables, a rasam - pepper water (to aid in digestion) and yogurt. Whenever I set out to cook lunch I try my best to stick with this basic combination. In the simple lunches the lemon rice provides the carb element, eggs and bell pepper combination provides the protein and vegetable and yogurt completes the meal.

The masala powder in lemon rice is optional but it adds just a bit of extra spice.

The sweetness of the colored bell peppers adds a little something to any dish. DD2 loves eggs but she is moody about bell pepper but this scrambled egg disappeared along with the bell peppers.

I cannot take credit for the pictures, they were shot by DD.

scrambled eggs

Lemon Rice
Ingredients
1. 4 cups of cooked cooled rice (I used ponni parboiled rice)
2. juice from 1 1/2 limes
3. 1/2 onion chopped fine
4. 5 broken chilies
6. seasonings: mustard, cumin seeds, curry leaves
7. 2 tsp of turmeric powder
8. 1 tbsp roasted peanuts or cashews
9. 2 garlic cloves chopped (optional)
10. 2 tsp of oil
11. salt to taste.

for the masala powder
1. 1 tsp of cumin seeds
2 2 tsp of coriander seeds
3. 1 red chili
4. a pinch of fenugreek seeds
5. 1/2 tsp of split urad dal

Dry roast the above and make a fine powder

Method
1. Heat oil in a big mouthed vessel (kadai) and heat the oil. Add the seasonings and when the mustard starts to pop add the chilies followed by
2. the onions and saute till translucent, add the garlic and saute for a few seconds if using
3. add the turmeric powder and saute for a few more seconds
4. add the roasted peanuts and mix them well (if using cashew nuts, roast them seprately and add towards the end)
5. Add salt and the masala powder and mix it well.
6. Let cool and then squeeze in the lime juice.
7. Add the cooked rice and mix it in gently.

Scrambled eggs with Bell Pepper
Ingredients
1. 2 red and orange bellpepper diced
2. 4 eggs
3. 1/2 red onion chopped fine
4. 4 green chilies chopped fine
5. salt to taste
6. 1 tsp oil

Method
1. In a pan heat oil, add the onions and green chilies and saute till translucent
2. Add the diced bell peppers and saute till they are soft
3. add salt and mix
4. Crack the eggs and in low heat continue to saute so the eggs do not stick to the pan
5. Continue till all moisture has evaporated and the eggs are completely cooked.

Serve lemon rice with the scrambled eggs, vadagam and yogurt.

Simple Lunches - 15 (Mushroom Raita)

Is it only me or has it gotten colder a lot earlier this year? We saw flurries in the evening and snow was expected overnight but none came. The kids were disappointed but I am happy the white stuff did not make its presence felt yet. Some folks like the change in season, I for one would be happy with just one, the hot summer season. The heat does not bother as much as the cold does. Well anyway winter has not astronomically started yet and I am moaning already.

One thing winter invariably does is make you crave for sumptuous food. Chapatis, aloo gobhi, aloo paratha would all fall into that category but these are dishes that not too long ago, were considered restaurant fare and to a certain extent exotic food. Cooking these dishes did not come naturally nor did they fit in neatly with the menu of the day. Chapatis were always accompanied by a watery gravy and aloo gobhi would have been considered too dry for a side. This all changed when I started cooking for myself, aloo gobhi, aloo parantha all make their appearance once a week and are considered down home food. The only thing I make sure is to have a raita of some kind to substitute for the watery kurma/gravy of childhood.

Anita's Sookhi Aloo Gobhi with chapatis and a mushroom raita on the side makes for a complete meal enjoyed by all. We used to visit a hole in the wall place, infact a very dirty dhaba place for their samosas and this aloo gobhi. The food was tasty and for Indian food very very reasonably priced but cleanliness was a BIG problem. There was always a big queue waiting to buy samosas and the rotis, parathas, naans were all cooked right before our eyes and my consolation was they were made fresh so can't be all bad. Eventually their Food Service License was suspended and place was shuttered for rat and roach infestation. Did not surprise me though I have wondered often why the guy (a respected ex-professor) could not keep the place clean. But no worries there, once armed with this recipe I no longer miss the hole in the wall place anymore.

Mushroom Raita
Ingredients
1. 2 packs Baby Bella mushrooms washed and sliced
2. 1 1/2 tsp sambhar powder
3. Salt to taste
4. 1 1/2 Cups Yogurt
Method
1. In a wok heat oil and add the sliced mushrooms
2.The mushrooms will shed water, add salt and on high continue to cook till the water evaporates.
3. Add the sambhar powder and saute for a minute.
4. Cool completely and add to the yogurt.

Simple Lunches - 14 - Paasi Paruppu - Moong Dal (Simply seasoned Moong Lentils)

What a difference a few days can make! It was only a few days ago I was reveling in the jubilation of participating in the American Democratic process but today I long for the sights and sound of home.

I was browsing through Bri's Figs With Bri after reading Bri's husband Marc's moving farewell. I only wish I had known her earlier. She comes across as a warm, vibrant personality, full of life making it all the more hard to accept the news.

One of the blog posts I came across was Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie through which I landed on this episode Southern India: The Spice of Life. Watching the episode was what bought on the bout of longing for home.

The other most everyday scene that makes me feel this way is that early morning hour when it is still dark and each house has a newspaper on their driveway. The lights are gently flickering and the sun is just about to peep over the horizon.

What better way to banish those thoughts, than to cook up simple comfortable everyday food. Food is one connection that is hard to severe. The smells and tastes wafting from these simple dishes almost always succeeds in making everyone happy.

Uppu Paruppu (Paasi Paruppu), Vendaikkai Pulikulambu(okra in Tamarind sauce, squash poriyal (Butternut squash Stirfry)

This is a typical lunch in many a Kongu household. The meal would also include rasam and Yogurt.

Paasi Paruppu (split moong dal with simple spices)

Ingredients
1. 1/2 Cup of Split Moong dal with skin (slightly roasted), toor dal or masoor dal (with 1 1/2 cups of water so the dal is cooked nice and mushy)
2. 3 green chilies slit
3. Seasoning: Currly leaves, mustard seeds
4. 1/2 tsp of ghee

Method
1. Pressure cook the moong dal or alternatively use an earthenware pot to cook the dal.
2. In a pan heat the ghee, add the seasonings, when the mustard seeds splutter add the green chilies and saute for a minute.
3. Pour the dal (no water is required unless you require it watery).
4. Add salt and mix, switch the heat off in a minute.

Serve over rice with dash of ghee and Vendaikkai Pulikulambu and a squash poriyal on the side.

Simple Lunches - 13 Snake Gourd Kootu

Yellow for Bri

Picture Courtesy: Cherry Blossoms

I feel a sense of hope as I see the scale in Chip-In moving towards the right. I am extremely proud of the blogging community that has made this possible and ofcourse all the generous donors bloggers and non bloggers. Bri Good Luck and Best Wishes. Please visit Jugalbandi for the info and opportunity to participate in the June Click - Special Edition.

I am all for simplicity these days. In my simple world 1=1 but the Democratic primary has my head spinning where 1 is not equal to one, it is more like one equals 2, 1 1/2, 1/2 and so forth. A simple voter is not expected to know these nuances right? But no doubt it voters fired up involved in the process. The Millenlial generation is expected to play a big role in the elections this year, unlike the apathetic Gen Xers who gave up hope in the whole thing. This is a history making election, no matter how you look at it. The hope express has come far and the straight talking express has taken shortcuts and twists and turns.

Simple is all I wanted after all this complication.

Snake Gourd Kootu
1. 2 Snake Medium sized Gourds the outside skin scraped and cut into small pieces
2. 3/4 Cup Moong Dal pressure cooked with a bit of oil and turmeric powder
3. 1/4 Red onion chopped
4. 2 Red chilies - split
5. Seasonings: mustard,cumin and curry leaves
6. Oil
7. Salt to taste

For the Paste
1. 2 Red Chilies
2. 3 Green chilies
3. 1 1/2 tsp urad dal
4. 1 tsp coriander seeds
5. 1/2 tsp cumin
6. 1/4 tsp asfoetida
6. a few roasted chana dal (to aid in the blending process)
Make a paste with a bit of water

Method
1. In a pan heat some oil and season with mustard, cumin and curry leaves followed by the split red chilies
2. Saute the onions till translucent
3. Add the chopped snake gourd and saute till the raw smell goes
4. Add the paste and a cup of water and let the snake gourd cook completely.
5. Add cooked moong dal and salt. Mix, bring it to a boil and turn off the heat.

Serve with rice and a poriyal or varuval. We had it with chapathis and banana fry (roasted with just sambhar powder and salt. Recipe here for another version.

Other posts in the Simple Lunches series: here

Simple Lunches 12 - Brinjal Chutney

Green Earth
The recent scare about plastics came to a head yesterday when I almost got rid of all of the plastic drinking glasses. But good sense prevailed along with several heaves of relief from members in the household who shall remain unnamed, and I turned around went to sleep instead. Phew! Getting rid of plastic glasses means buying other kinds of glasses to replace them. There in lies the paradox. Does getting rid of non-green stuff around the house and replacing them with organic stuff really serve the purpose? This reminded me of the article I had read a few weeks ago in the Washington Post - Greed In the Name Of Green (To Worshipers of Consumption: Spending Won't Save the Earth). Isn't buying locally grown veggies even if not organiclly grown better than buying an organic product shipped from the farthest corner of the earth? It is not always possible to buy local and more often than not land in the local grocery store buying tomatoes grown in California, apples grown in New Zealand, mangoes grown in Mexico! But I am of the firm belief that the small things we do will go a long way.

Tip 1: Use the laundry machine, dryer or dishwasher during the night or early morning. It does not hurt that the electric rate during these hours is cheaper than during the working hours.
Tip 2: Recycle plastic bags (grocery bags, newspaper bags) - most grocery stores accept plastic bags for recycling.

Simple Lunches 11 - Brinjal Chutney
The simplicity of these dishes is what makes them so attractive. Brinjal Chutney is simple to make, they taste good with idlis and dosais but they taste the best with rice. With a quick and easy stir fry on the side a complete meal.

rice,chutney,cabbage peas poriyal and yogurt

Ingrdients
1. 3 Japanese Eggplants cut into small pieces
2. 1/4 red onion chopped
3. 2 tsp coriander seeds
4. 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
5. a small piece of tamarind
6. 2 -3 red chilies
7. salt to taste

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and saute the corinader,cumin,red chilies and tamrind, set aside
2. Saute the onions and the eggplants till cooked, add salt

Blend with just a bit of water if required

Serve with rice.

Simple Lunches - 11 , Potatoes with Spinach and Masala Chapathi

What is the difference between chapatis and parathas? Have had this question in minds for a while now. It was probably while in college when I first tasted a paratha. This is a doubt well justified don't you think? Here is my take on them, the plain ones are usually called chapatis, ones stuffed with something, potatoes as in potato paratha or mixed into the dough like beetroot or pumpkin are called parathas and a bit more oil is used for them. I chose to call the masala ones masala chapatis because it was cooked the same way as chapati but masala paratha works too. Enlighten me if there is a different way to differentiate these two.

I usually have some frozen store bought masala parathas - with some rice yogurt and pickles they make for a quick meal. The store bought ones have crushed coriander and cumin seeds I did not add them. The basic recipe is from here.

Before we move on to the recipe here is a Quiz
Whose quote was this and about what?
"I thought it would be tough. I didn't think it would be this tough."

masala chapati, spinach potatoes and yogurt with some strawberries

Potatoes with Spinach
1. 8-10 small potatoes boiled and skin peeled and cut into cubes
2. 3 Cups Fresh Spinach leaves washed and chopped roughly
3. 4 garlic cloves crushed
4. 1 tsp cumin seeds
5. 2 -3 tsp sambhar powder
6. 1 tsp turmeric powder
7. 2 tsp oil

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and season with mustard seeds, add
2. the garlic and fry till soft add
3. the spinach leaves and cook till they are wilted
4. add the potatoes and the turmeric and the sambhar powder and mix well.
5. Continue to saute till the potates are well coated.


Masala Chapati
1. 2 Cups Wheat Flour
2. 1/2 tbsp chili powder
3. 2 tsp cumin powder
4. 1/2 tsp chicken masala powder (garam masala powder)
5. salt to taste
6. 2 tsp oil
7. 1 tbsp curd

Mix the powders and yogurt into the whole wheat flour and knead into a dough, set it aside for an hour or so

Method
1. Make small balls with the dough and roll them out into the desired thickness and fry them on a heated griddle with a light cooking spray if required.


Novel Reading:The Pig Did It By Joseph Caldwell

Simple Lunches - 10 Beetroot leaves Paruppu (dal)

We had our health checkups a couple of weeks ago at the office which usually means a flurry of diet and exercise consciousness brought on by the news of high cholesterol. Some blame it on the shrimp they ate a couple of days and take the news in stride, a few others try to make changes to their diet. One was going on a meatless diet and being fond of Indian food asked me the recipe for lentils - Ameri speak for dal. I gave him the standard onion, garlic, green chilies with seasoning of mustard and cumin but he informed me yesterday that he liked the dal a whole lot better with ginger in it. I rarely ever add ginger to dal or sambhar.

I am consumed with guilt if I buy beets and end up throwing away the green parts because they don't look too good after sitting in the fridge for quiet some time. These days I plan(!) the purchase of beets much better. The greens acutally are quiet versatile and fit into a lot of dishes. The quickest surest way to use them ofcourse is in dal. The dal serves as a perfect partner for my favorite sunday meal,
chapatis with aloo gobi. This menu make its appearance once in two weeks or so.

Ingredients
1. Bunch of beet greens washed and chopped fine, the soft stem part can be used also
2. 1/4 Cup of Toor Dal washed
3. 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
4. 1 tsp of sambhar powder
5. seasonings: cumin, mustard, curry leaves, asfoetida, few pepper corns
6. Salt

Method
1. Pressure cook the greens and dal with about 1 cup of water, turmeric powder and few drops of sesame oil, cool, mix and mash slightly
2. In a another pan heat a little bit of oil, add the seasonings and when they start to turn color and the mustard pops
3. Pour over the dal and cook for a minute or two, add a bit of ghee on top.

Perfect side for chapatis alongside Aloo Gobi.

Puttu Maker
A new easy to use puttu maker caught my eyes in the stores during the India visit. Looked similar to a idli pan and could be used in the pressure cooker. The tumblers had holes on the bottom for easy steaming :)

Simple Lunches 9

Simple Lunches is the series that I started for documenting every day dishes. I have ignored it for quiet some time now because I have gone fancy?! Egg Fried Rice could easily fit into the category, quick and easy to put together and tasty neverthless, even the rice avoiding folks (who shall remain nameless) love this dish. Fried rice used to be my standard order for a long time while visiting Chinese restaurants.

Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients
1. 1 Cup rice cooked and cooled
2. 1/4 cabbage cut into strips
3. 1/2 Red Onion cut into thin strips
4. 1 Carrot cut into strips
5. 15-20 Green beans cut into strips
6. 2 Eggs beaten and made into omelette
7. 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
8. 1 1/2 tsp sambhar powder
9. Salt to taste
10. 2 tsp oil


Method
1. In a wok heat oil and when it is hot add all the veggies (2-5) and saute till they are 3/4the cooked.
2. Add sambhar powder to veggies and mix well. Sprinkle the salt if required (be careful with the salt as the soy sauce adds some salt as well)
3. Add the cooked rice, soy sauce and mix well and the egg cut into thin strips.
4. Mix well and serve hot

A simple dish that never fails to please. Enjoy just by itself or with ketchup on the side ;)

Fried Rice Recipes:

Live To Eat - Indo-Chinese Vegetable Fried Rice

Lisa's Kitchen - Spicy Fried Rice

Simple Lunches 8

Recently the yogurt isles of the super market have been taking a little bit more of my time than I'd like, trying to decipher what the labelling actually mean, noticing Yogurts labelled 'All Natural' besides the Organic and the regular ones. I am not really sure what 'All Natural' means compared to the Organic ones. Here is an article that explains. This type of labelling is for sure confusing. Started to see 'All Natural' labelling on Dannon products long time ago but did not really pay attention because they don't have an Organic line as far as I know, but started to really notice and get confused when Stoneyfiled Farms which primarily markets Orgainc dairy products also started carrrying products labelled 'All Natural'. I have picked up 'All Natural' thinking they were Organic because the packaging is very similar. 'All Natural' is not Organic is what I have found googling. The article linked above makes some of it clear.


Carrot Rice and Tindora Stir Fry
Carrot Rice is a very simple recipe to make but very tasty and ofcourse nutritious and the color definitely makes it attractive. It comes in very handy as a weeknight meal and a perfect lunch to pack. Add a few cashews roasted in ghee for that extra special something.

Ingredients
1. 2 Cups Cooked Rice
2. 4 Carrots Grated
3. 3 Green Chilies chopped
4. 1/2 onion chopped
5. Seasonings mustard seeds, cumin and curry leaves
6. 15 Cashews broken and roasted in a little bit of ghee

Method
1. In a pan heat oil, add the seasonings followed by the green chilies.
2. Add the onions and saute till translucent.
3. Now add the carrots saute, add salt cover and cook till soft (the amount of cooking depends upon how cooked you like the carrots to be)
4. Now add the cooked rice and mix it well.
5. Garnish with cashews

Serve with a side of stir fried Tindora.

Simple Lunches 7 - Gongura Chutney and Brijal Stir Fry - Kathrikkai Poriyal

Gongura leaves pickle have always a favorite but I have never cooked with fresh leaves. I got another batch of long green and white eggplants from my neighbor and also an invitation to get some fresh Gongura leaves. The Gongura leaves became a very tasty chutney paired with some Moong Dal and some eggplants (round purple and green from my plants) stir fry made an excellent meal.

Gongura Chutney
Ingredients
1. 1/2 Medium Sized Onion
2. 2 Red Chillies
3. 3/4 tsp cumin seeds
4. 1/4 methi seeds
5. a pinch asfoetida
6. 2 Garlic cloves
7. Salt to taste

Method
1. Dry roast 2,3,4,5 and set aside
2. Add a little bit of oil, saute the onions till translucent add the garlic and saute a few seconds more
3. Add the Gongural leaves and saute till they are wilted about 7-8 minutes

Cool and blend

Brinjal Stir Fry (Kathirikkai poriyal)
Ingredients
1. 10-12 firm eggplants sliced
2. 1/2 Onion Sliced
3. Seasonings: mustard, curry leaves

To Powder
1. 2 Red Chillies
2. 1/2 Tbsp Corriander Seeds
3. 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
4. a few Peppercorns
5. 1 tbsp Split Urad Dal
6. 1 tsp Bengal Gram Dal
7. 1 pinch asfoetida
8. 2 Cloves Garlic

Dry roast all the above and powder

Method
1. In a wide mouthed pan, heat oil and add mustard and curry leaves.
2. Add the onions and fry till translucent.
3. Add the brinjal slices and saute till they start to turn color, cover with a lid and cook till they are almost cooked.
4. Now add the powder and enough salt.
5. Saute for a few more minutes.

Without too much oil this is one fry that tastes fantastic every time and when made with fresh egpplants they are truly astonishing.

Simple Lunches - 6

A friend of mine suggested I read the book In Spite of the Gods written by Edward Luce and while looking for it on Amazon.com noticed in the 'Customer who bought this item also bought' section Planet India, written by Mira Kamdar. On second thoughts before buying either of them thought I'd check the Public Library, they had both the books while for In Spite of the Gods I had to place a Hold, Planet India was readily available. It was a pretty interesting read about the economic fortunes of India and by extenstion the rest of the world. One particular catch phrase caught my attention "As Goes India, So Goes the World".

Well the bitter gourd plant had 3 bitter gourds and the very first purple egg plant from the eggplant plant. It was the weekend and time for a Simple Lunch Menu and something with dal. I have never really cooked bitter gourd with dal. My mother suggested to use Thatta Payar because the sweetness of this dal would balance out the bitterness of the gourd, I was considering Toor Dal so we compromised on Split Thatta Payar. It turned out pretty taste and the bitterness hardly recogonizable.

Split ThattaPayir with Bitter Gourd
Ingrdients
1. 3 Bitter Gourds pits removed and chopped into small pieces
2. 1 Eggplant split in four
3. 3/4 Cup Thattapayir cooked till soft
4. 1/4 Cup Tamarind juice from a cherry tomato sized tamarind ball
5. 2 tbsp chopped onions
6. 4 cloves of garlic chopped
7. 2 tsp jaggery (optional)
8. seasonings: mustard, curry leaves

To Grind
1. 1/2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
2. 2-3 Red Chillies
3. 1/2 Tbsp Channa Dal
4. 1/2 tsp asfoetida

Dry roast the red chillies, channa dal and asfoetida and with the coconut blend to a paste with a little bit of water.

Method
1. In a pan heat oil and saute the bitter gourd pieces and saute till they just start to turn black on the edges set aside
2. In a pan heat a little bit of oil, add the curry leaves and mustard and when it starts to splutter add the onions and saute till translucent, add the garlic and saute a few more minutes.
3. Add the eggplant and saute till the skin starts to wrinkle about 2-3 minutes and add the bitter gourd pieces, saute a minute or two
4. Add the tamarind juice and about 1/2 cup water and let the mixture boil till the bitter gourd starts to turn soft.
5. Now add the thattapayir, blended paste,jaggery and salt and cover and cook for about 5-8 minutes till they are mixed together.

Serve with Chapatis or rice with some roasted Taro root fry on the side.