Vegetarian

Harissa

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IMG_3970When it comes to Red Spicy Condiments, Harissa is my absolute favorite!! I was first introduced to its smoky hot flavor by a Tunisian friend a few years back, it was love at first taste! Over the years I have tried various brands of store bought ones, but finally resolved to making some at home.   This is a perfect condiment to quickly add spice to any recipe. I use it to marinate meat and vegetables before grilling, as a spread on bread, instead of ketchup with scrambled eggs/omelet/fritatas and my favorite -instead of chutney with Dosa.

IMG_3965To make this, first step is to choose the right type of chiles to suit your palette. Personally I like using Dundicut Red chilli, its packed with heat and has a full bodied complex flavor or Guntur Chilli because at the end of the day, I am a Hyderabadi after all. But don’t limit yourself with these choices, experiment. I have used Chipotle and Marita chiles for a smoky flavor, Guajillo chiles to reduce the heat and a combination of all of them. I have also Roasted Red peppers for the times when I had kids coming over.

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Ingredients:

  • 10-12  dried red chilli pepper of your choice.
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp tamarind powder/paste or 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • salt to taste

Process:

  1. Soak the dried chile in the boiling water for around 45 mins.
  2. In a pan dry roast caraway seeds, cumin and coriander seeds till fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
  3. Remove the stems and seeds from the soaked chile (If you want the Harissa to be real spicy, leave the seeds). Please be sure to take necessary precautions like wearing gloves and throughly washing hands after.
  4. Add the soaked chile, roasted spices, garlic, turmeric, cilantro and tamarind/lemon juice to a blender/food processor and make a smooth paste.
  5. While the blender/food processor is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Add more liquid for a thinner dip (For a longer shelf life add oil instead of water).
  6. Adjust salt and add more if needed. The flavor of the Harissa deepens in 2 to 3 days time.
  7. Transfer to a airtight container, top it with a thin layer of olive oil on top and store in refrigerator. For longer shelf life, layer the top with oil each time you use the Harissa.

 

Thandai Ice Cream

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Thandai is a refreshing drink popular in north India, especially Uttar Pradesh. Its made using a number of ingredients believed to have a cooling effect, hence the name; Thandai in hindi means ‘cooling’.

It is a delicious and decadent blend of Almonds, fennel seeds, cardamon, pepper, rose and saffron, mixed with milk and served chilled on hot summer days. But cravings do not understand such weather limitations, besides I live in California!! So I didn’t just make a glass of Thandai to drink, I made a batch of Thandai flavored ice cream as well.

Time for Prep: 20 mins     Time to freeze: 12 hours      Yield: 8-10 Servings     Level: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups milk, chilled
  • 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • For the Thandai flavoring:
    • 1/4 cup almonds
    • 1 tbsp roasted fennel seeds, corse powder
    • pinch of Cardamon powder
    • 2 tbsp poppy seeds (khas khas)
    • 10-12 white peppercorns
    • 2 tbsp rose water or 2 drops of rose essence
    • a few strands of saffron

Process:

  1. In a blender add all the ingredients for flavoring and grind to a paste.
  2. Add milk and sugar, blend them together.
  3. Chill overnight, then strain the milk mixture. Its important to let the paste and the milk be kept aside overnight to ensure that all the flavors are fully absorbed.
  4. If using an ice cream machine, pour strained milk and heavy cream and follow instructions by the manufacturing company.

Process if Not using an ice cream machine:

  1. Whip the heavy cream till you get soft peaks, mix in strained milk mixture.
  2. Transfer to a shallow container and freeze.
  3. Take it out in a couple hours or after the mixture gets slushy. Whip or blend it and freeze again. Follow this step a couple times to get a very smooth ice cream.

Scoop and serve. You can garnish it with a pinch of saffron to give it some extra kick.

Notes:

  • For a nuttier flavor, first roast the Almonds for 5 mins at 350F. Cool and then grind into paste.
  • The Milk and cream has to be chilled before you add lemon juice to avoid it from curdling.
  • If you do not want to whip in between freezing, then replace milk with a 10 oz can of condensed milk and 12 oz can of evaporated milk. Skip the sugar completely.

Roshogolla

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1524178_10154220906405573_5115683737530121643_oRoshogolla or Bengali Rasagulla is essentially spongy balls of indian cottage cheese (chhana) cooked in sugar syrup. There are various versions to the origin of this dessert, but this is the one I like, because this is the version my mom told me.

The year was 1868 in Bhagbajaar (Kolkata), a confectioner named Nobin Chandra Das was having a discussion with a bunch of freedom fighters who were concerned about the popularity of English desserts in India.

“Nobinda, these puddings and pies are becoming very popular. These days the youth prefer those to puli and pithe” said one of them.

“Can you think of a way we can change that? Your a master confectioner can you come up with something which is swadeshi and delicious?” said another.

Nonbinda thinks a little and says “I think I have an idea, let me try it out tonight and we can all taste it here tomm”

That evening the confectioner mulls around his kitchen, takes a bit of chhana and gives it a boil in sugar syrup flavored with fresh ground cardamom, a bit of rosewater and voila! One of the most popular dessert of India was created.

IMG_3637I do not have a sweet tooth, but this dessert has my heart. Its not fried and made from pure chhana (cottage cheese) and considered to be a safe comfort food when recovering from a fever or stomach upset (Not to mention the low calorie count per serving!). Since I grew up in Hyderabad and getting this from the Pada’r mishtir dokan (local sweet shop) was not really an option, my mom whipped some up in her kitchen. Recovering from a flu almost always involved mom feeding me some roshogollas and story telling.

IMG_3639This is a recipe that a lot of people requested I post, so here goes. Let me start by saying that this dessert is a tricky one to master and you might not get perfect result in your very first try, don’t let that discourage you. Here are a couple things that I learnt:

  1. Raw (non-homegenized/non-pasturized) Cow milk gives better result.
  2. After curdling the milk, gently squeeze out the extra whey and hang it for 45min-1 hour. This helps with having the right amount of moisture you need for the softness of the final product.
  3. While kneading  keep in mind that less is more. As soon as you feel grease in your palm, stop!
  4. Boil it in a big stock pot that has enough depth for the chhana balls to expand, thats how they become spongy
  5. Keep aside half of the sugar syrup and add some in between cooking time to ensure the syrup doesn’t get too dense or too hot.

Time for Prep: 45 mins     Time to Cook: 15 mins     Yield: 20-25 Servings     Level: Medium

Ingredients:

  • For the channa
    • 4 cups (32oz) whole milk
    • 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
  • For the sugar syrup:
    • 2 tbsp rose water
    • 3-4 cardamon, crushed
    • Saffron (optional)
    • 1.5 cup sugar
    • 4 cups water

Process:

  1. Making the channa:
    • Bring milk to a boil, add the lemon juice and lower heat. In a few seconds you will notice the milk solids forming. Turn off the heat. When the water is completely separated (turns a greenish shade) drain into a colander lined with cheese cloth.
    • Run a little bit of water on it to get rid of the lemony taste, drain.
    • Gather the ends of the cheese cloth and bring them together, like a purse, slowly squeeze out the water. Be careful not to burn your hands as it is really hot.
      • This is now my mom does it: Hold the ends with your left hand and using a pair of tongs hold the purse just on top of the solids with your right. Then slowly twist the cloth with your left hand. The water squeezes out without resulting in burning fingers.
    • Hang it for 45 mins-1 hour.
  2. Preparing the Golla (Balls from the channa):
    • Remove the channa from the cheese cloth, it should not be soggy wet nor should it be dry (The picture should give you an idea).
    • With the heel of your palm mash the channa and knead. Collect from the sides, mash, knead. Continue for around 10 mins (or less depending on the pressure of kneading). As soon as you feel a little grease in your palm, stop. over kneading will result in hard Roshogollas.
    • Now pinch out small portions and roll between palms to form smooth round balls no bigger than a quarter. (See picture)
    • once done, cover with moist muslin and set aside while you prepare the syrup.
  3. Preparing the Rosh (sugar syrup):
    • Place a large stock pot (or a pressure cooker) over medium heat.
    • Add the sugar, water, cardamon and saffron (optional).
    • Bring to a boil. Set aside around 1/2 cup of this syrup.
  4. Cooking the Roshagollas: 
    • To the rest of the sugar syrup add the chhana balls one by one.
    • Shake the pan gently, to move the balls a little and cover immediately. Do not stir, that will break the chhana balls.
    • After around 3-4 mins, open the lid and add half of the reserved sugar syrup and shake the pan. This step ensures that the consistency and temperature of the sugar syrup stays constant.
    • After another 3-4 mins repeat the step above and add the remaining reserved syrup, shake the pan.
    • Cook for 2 more mins. Check for the doneness of the roshogollas and switch off the heat. And add the rose water.
    • To check for doneness:
      • Take it out with slotted spoon, press a portion. If it springs back to original shape its done.
      • Or take one of them out and drop it in a glass of water, if it sinks its done. (I prefer this method).

If you ask a non-bangali, they would say that let it cool and then serve. But a Bangali will always say that the best way to enjoy these are when they are fresh and warm! The second best way is to let it chill for a couple hours first.

Note:

  • While preparing the Gollas from channa you can add 1-2 tsp of Sooji (Cream of wheat) or all purpose flour or arrowroot powder. This ensures that the chnana balls will not crumble when boiling in syrup.

Lao Posto (Opo Squash with KhasKhas/Poppy Seed)

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Posto or khaskhas or poppy seed is a pretty popular ingredient in bengali kitchens. It has this euphoric sleepy effect, which makes it a perfect ingredient for those lazy weekend afternoons, when all you have in the days plan is some reading and a nice long afternoon nap. And in a bengali household, thats usually the plan. We love our adda (chit chat/debates/political discussions), literature, good food and lazy afternoon naps followed by Cha (tea) and biscuit cookies (pronounced biskut) at 4:00 pm.

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Its not often that I find opo squash or bottle gourd in the local farmers market. I always do a little happy dance when I find them (Yes, fresh produce makes me happy! I am weird that way). This vegetable is one of my favorite, its versatile, light and packed with health benefits. But if your unable to find some, you can replace it with zuccini or summer squash as well.

Opo squash is very high in water content and usually shrinks to 1/2 the quantity when cooked so be careful while adding salt. Less is more, remember you can always add more salt later if need be.

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Time for Prep: 10 mins     Time to Cook: 30 mins     Yield: 4-6 Servings     Level: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium sized Opo Squash, cubed (around 3 cups)
  • 6 tbsp khaskhas/poppy seeds
  • 5-6 fresh green chilli, slit in half
  • 2-3 dried red chilli
  • 1 tsp black cumin
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 3 tsp ghee or 2 tsp oil
  • salt to taste

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Process:

  1. Soak khaskhas/ poopy seeds in water for 15-20 mins.
  2. Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a pan in medium -high heat, add black cumin and dried red chilli, wait till they splutter.
  3. Add the chopped opo squash/ bottle gourd, pinch of salt and fresh green chilli, saute for 3-4 mins.
  4. Cover, reduce heat and let the squash cook until tender, 15-20 mins.
  5. In the mean time, drain and transfer the soaked khaskhas/ poppy seed to a blender, add a couple green chilli and salt to taste and grind to make a smooth paste. The paste should be thick and not watery.
  6. Once the squash is tender, add the poppy seed paste, mix it in so that its evenly coated, cover and cook for 5 more mins.
  7. Turn off the heat, add 1 tsp of ghee and 1 tsp of sugar, mix it in.
  8. Serve with plain rice.

 

Summer Squash and Lentil Stew

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Fall is my favorite season! The change of hue in leaves and the blue of the sky, the nip in the air, warm ciders, the festive feel around. With the chill also comes cravings for fresh warm food. My menu is usually dominated by parathas, stews and soups. Farmers market at this time of the year is all about squashes, pears, apples and cauliflower, so is most of the food I cook.

Fall is also the busiest time of the year for my artist career, prepping for the holiday season and my goal with cooking is to make wholesome quick meals. This is just that.

I used summer squash, you can get creative and use other vegetables too. This recipe calls for shallots, simply because I like how they punch in a lot of flavor and integrate easily and cherry tomatoes for the sweetness. You can use 1 regular onion and 1 regular sized tomato instead. The wine and vinegar is optional. The wine add a sweet fruity flavor and the vinegar a sourness that I like, but if you don’t have it handy don’t let that stop you from trying this, a pinch of sugar and some lemon juice will also work great!

I cooked the Lentil and Squash separately because the cooking time of the two is different. If you cook them together, all the squash will become mushy and pasty.

This goes great with Baguettes, rice, pulao or Quinoa Cakes.

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Time for Prep: 10 mins     Time to Cook: 35 mins     Yield: 4-6 Servings     Level: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or any cooking oil you prefer)
  • 3-4 shallots, finely diced
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup sherry (optional)
  • 2 cups french green lentils, rinsed and soaked for 30 mins
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (optional)
  • 2 cups summer squash, chopped
  • 2 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 15-20 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
  • 6-7 basil leaves, rolled into a bundle and cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Salt to taste

Process:

  1. Cooking the Lentil:
    1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, 1 tsp cayenne and salt.
    2. Sauté until softened, about 3-4 mins. Add the wine and sauté till the onions begin to caramelize, around 4-5 mins more.
    3. Add the lentils, green peas and chopped carrots, stir them in and sauté for 2-3 mins.
    4. Add water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender. Around 20 mins.
  2. Cooking the squash:
    1. While the lentils are cooking, heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, summer squash, 1 tsp cayenne and salt. Cook till tender.
  3. Once the lentils are cooked add the sherry vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  4. Putting it together:
    1. Add the cooked summer squash to the lentil and start it in (Or)
    2. In a bowl fist ladle in the lentil, then top it with the squash.
  5. Garnish with basil leaves.