Blog Title: (Lima) Beans and Delhi Cha(a)t

We Promise....

Season's Greens

In Punjab, the breadbasket of India, wheat is the main winter crop, which is sown in October and harvested in March or April. In January, the fields come up with the promise of a golden harvest, and farmers celebrate Lohri during this rest period before the cutting and gathering of crops.

Born and brought up in Delhi, which is situated in north India and happens to be a bastion of north Indian culture, I have been witness to many a Lohri celebrations. It’s a fun festival, with an evening bonfire being the highlight. A fire is lit outside houses, and people move around it in a circle, dropping popcorns, peanuts, and other wintry goodies into it. Supposed to mark an offering to the fire god wishing for prosperity, this is a tradition that perfectly fits the season. Nothing can be more heartwarming than the community coming out in the evening and sharing joy before a warm, glowing fire.

As the evening wears down, the celebration is rounded off with a traditional dinner of Makki di Roti (maizemeal bread) and Sarson da Saag (mustard greens curry). Let’s gather then for a hearty meal, shall we?

Sarson Saag (Mustard Greens Curry)

Ingredients:

Mustard Greens: 500 grams
Bathua Greens: 250 grams
Ginger paste: 1 teaspoon
Onion paste: 2 tablespoons
Garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
Tomatoes: 2, chopped fine
Green chilies: 3-4, chopped
Oil
Ghee/White butter: 1 teaspoon
Salt: To taste
Sugar: A pinch

Method:

1. Chop the greens finely and wash well. Boil until soft, then blend with the green chilies.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic pastes. Fry for a few minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomato and stir until the oil separates.
4. Add the blended greens, salt, and sugar. Keep stirring until the greens thicken. Turn off heat.
5. Add the ghee/white butter.
6. Serve hot with makki ki roti (recipe follows).

Makki ki Roti (Maizemeal/Cornmeal Bread):

Ingredients:

Maizemeal: 1 cup
Wheat flour: ½ cup
Radish: A small piece, grated
Green chili: 1, chopped fine
Coriander leaves: Few sprigs, chopped fine
Lukewarm water: Enough to bind the maizemeal into a soft yet firm dough.
Salt: To taste

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients and bind into a soft yet firm dough. Add half of the wheat flour if needed.
2. Make small balls out of the dough. Use a rolling pin to flatten the balls into round breads or rotis. Keep the bread a little thick.
3. Place the roti on a warm griddle. Be careful; maizemeal dough tends to be a little brittle.
4. Fry on both sides until you get that nice golden hue.
5. Plop it straight to the plate and serve with hot sarson ka saag and a piece of jaggery. This is the traditional accompaniment.


Relish!

~ Sury

Mushrooming My Way Back...

It's been a while, hasn't it? As I write this first proper foodie post of 2007, I have some Thank Yous to say. My gratitude to all of you who kept our humble blog listed on your blogrolls despite our unexplained absence; a big thank you to new friends who wished to exchange links with us (the links will be up with this post, I promise); much appreciation for all the kind comments that came in to our sporadic posts, reassuring us our blog hadn't yet been sucked up by a big black hole. Many thanks for staying our friends. :-)

I have missed the food blogging experience and have been every bit sore about it. I missed the encouragement and inspiration from fellow food bloggers, the propeller which fuelled my culinary adventures with such gusto. I hope to get back on that adventure trail with you all soon. That's what brought me back here to share with you my experiment with...

Achari mushroom. Achar is the Hindi word for pickle, as many of you may know. I had seen the recipe for Achari Paneer (cottage cheese) somewhere and thought of adapting the same for cooking mushrooms. The recipe is simple and uses the spices that usually go into the making of north Indian pickles. The experiment went well and produced a tongue-clicking, finger-licking dish. Here it is:

Achari Mushroom

Ingredients:

White button mushroom: 250 grams, cut into cubes or halves
Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek (methi) seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin (jeera) seeds: 1 teaspoon
Nigella (kalonji) seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Fennel seeds: 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
Yogurt: 1 cup (beaten well)
Onions: 2, chopped fine
Coriander/Mint leaves: 4 teaspoons, finely chopped
Green chili: 2-3, slit in the middle
Oil: 2 tablespoons
Sugar: 1/2 teaspoon
Salt: To taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wok and add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, nigella seeds, and cumin seeds.

2. When the seeds start spluttering, add the chopped onions and stir. Fry until they turn translucent.

3. Add the mushrooms

4. Add the beaten curd and mix well, stirring constantly. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Mix well.

6. Garnish with green chilies, mint and coriander leaves.

7. Serve hot with roti/paratha/naan.



Achari mushroom tastes expectedly tangy (perfect for my palate) and takes no time to cook. If you are in a hurry and want to eat something delicious, this is the perfect item for you. Give it a try and do let me know how it turns out in your kitchen.

Happy cooking and hearty eating, all!

~ Sury

Happy New Year!

Wishing all our friends a hearty and full-filling NEW YEAR!

Sury & Cesar

Happy Turkey Day! (yes, I mean Xmas)

Long time no see! It's been a couple of crazy months for Sury and me, which has kept us away from our little food blog. We've kept it on our minds every day though, and we hope that now that we're back, some of you will still be around.

Did the title of this post catch you by surprise? Turkey day, this guy must be waaay behind. I know our readers in Uncle Sam's land are certainly thinking that way. Turkey is the traditional dish in Thanksgiving, one of America's most significative holidays, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Thousands of families get together, give thanks for the blessings they received during the year and enjoy the biggest feast of the year. As a matter of fact many American families celebrate Christmas with family and friends, children asleep waiting for Santa while the grownups share a quite evening with lots of lights, eggnog, cookies and carols.

But of course, the world is huge and the traditions vary. For starters we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Peru. But we do have a feast one month later on Christmas Eve. And here too, turkey is the star.

So don't be shy, come in (it's sunny here, summer starting so no need for coats), sit at the table and let me show you what Christmas dinner looks like around here.

Us carnivore beings have an assortment of meat to choose from, from the traditional turkey, to glased ham, chicken roll or smoked pork...

Happy Diwali -:)

Happy Birthday!!!

Green Bell Pepper stuffed with Kidney Beans

Food enthusiasts don't just cook. They try to live food as much as they can. They read food books, spend hours on the Internet browsing through food sites and blogs, and watch food shows on the television. I do all of those; so even if I go on a hibernation here on the blog, I am not away from things culinary.

Discovery Travel & Living airs some fantastic foodie shows, one of which is Planet Food. The show features the cuisine of a country in each new episode, with the host sampling the best and most popular food items of that region. It's a zesty show, and you're almost there with the host, tasting the amazing fare on offer. I rarely miss it. And sometimes, I even cook some of the samples they show. Today's post is an account of one such adventurous venture that didn't go wrong. Thankfully.

This dish belongs to Mexico. It's roasted green bell pepper stuffed with kidney beans. You can use any other type of bean too; I used this one because it's widely available in India. And since it has some nutritional advantages to it, I am also entering it into Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging.

Like most beans, kidney beans are rich in the best sort of fiber - soluble fiber - which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They are a good source of folate, potassium, iron, manganese, copper and zinc. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they help reduce blood pressure. Not only are they low in fat, but when combined with grains, beans supply high quality protein which provides a healthy alternative to meat or other animal protein. Kidney beans also contain protease inhibitors which frustrate the development of cancerous cells.



Armed with those facts, we should now proceed to cook this deliciously simple dish, right? So let's get going!

Roasted Capsicum stuffed with Kidney Beans (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

Green Bell Pepper/Capsicum: 2 medium sized
Kidney beans: 1 1/2-2 cups
Onion: 1 large, coarsely chopped
Garlic: 4-5 big cloves, minced
Ginger: 1 inch block, grated
Tomato: 2 medium, chopped fine
Green chili: 1-2, finely chopped
Asafotedia/Heeng: A pinch
Mixed Italian herbs: 1/2 teaspoon
Salt: To taste
Oil

Method:

1. Wash the kidney beans in running water. Soak them in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the beans soak for 5-6 hours.

2. Once the beans have been nicely soaked, cook them in a pressure cooker along with the onion, garlic, and ginger. Add some salt. Cook for 5-6 whistles. Turn off the heat.

3. Once the pressure has been released, take out the beans on a large bowl, with as little of the soup as possible.

4. Heat oil in a wok. Add the heeng, the chopped tomato, and the green chili. Fry until the oil gets separated.

6. Now add the kidney beans to this mix. Add a little of the water in which you earlier cooked it. Add the mixed herbs and some more salt if needed. Stir well. Cook until the water has evaporated. Turn off the heat and keep aside.

7. Wash the green bell pepper nicely. Cut the top part and scoop out the seeds. Now coat it with a layer of oil and roast it over fire. Let the skin turn all black. Don't worry, only the outer skin will get charred, the pepper will still remain nicely edible.

8. Turn off the heat. Let the peppers cool a bit. Now with the help of a knife, peel out the outer, charred layer of the pepper. Do this carefully, or you might end up slicing the pepper a bit deeper than desirable.

9. Now stuff the pepper with the cooked kidney beans with the help of a spoon. Fill it to the brim.



Bingo! Your pepper is ready to be eaten. Serve with roti or bread, or just eat as a snack. This tastes really nice. The soft and mushy beans are a great contrast to the crunchy bell pepper. Add to that the smoky flavour of the pepper itself. A complex layer of tastes packed within a compact food item. Do try it; you will be surprisingly delighted.

~ Sury

Garden Fish

Something Corn

Honest confession: I am not a fan of roasted corn on the cob. I can have them, but I don't crave them, and unlike my mother and brother, I seldom feel a dying urge to have them the moment I spot a street vendor selling bhutta.

Last week, I saw one such vendor passing by our house and brought a fresh (unroasted) corn on the cob from him. And then, I didn't have a clue what to do with it.

The heavens must have taken pity on me and decided to pull me through this corny wicket. Why else would I mention that I was looking for a simple corn recipe to SJ, my friend from Tennessee? SJ happens to be an editor and a food writer-lover. The moment he heard my question, he said "Have you tried fried corn?" Of course I hadn't. So my good friend from Tennessee relayed the recipe over IM and got me all excited.

This incredibly simple dish tastes amazing. So if you are looking for something to munch on with your evening tea, try this out. I highly recommend it.

Fried Corn (Serves Two)

Ingredients:
Corn on the cob: 1
Capsicum: 1 (chopped into small cubes)
Onion: 1, medium sized (chopped)
Garlic: 1 fat clove (finely chopped)
Tomato: 1 medium sized (finely chopped)
Mixed Italian Herbs: 1/2 teaspoon
Salt: To taste
Butter/Vegetable oil for frying

Method:
1. Boil the corn on the cob for about six minutes. Drain off water and keep in refrigerator for a day.
2. Next day: Fry the onion and garlic until onions are translucent.
3. Add the tomato and fry some more.
4. Add the capsicum and saute for a couple of minutes.
5. Now add the corn, taken off the cob to the above mix.
6. Add the herbs and salt.
7. Stir nicely for 3-4 minutes, letting the corn mix well with the rest of the ingredients.
8. Serve hot.



The final result far exceeded my expectations. Since this is one of the cheapest (not in terms of taste, only money) snacks, I shall be having it often. Thank you, SJ, for this zesty treat!

I hope you all can try it out too, and relish it as much as I did.

~ Sury

Back in Action (hopefully)

Howdy Bloggers!

Independence Day and a Dish for the Ocassion

Hey, Bloggers. Happy 28th. Yup, for us in Peru it's a special ocassion because it is the day of our independence. This year the date is even more special because as of today we have a brand new president in office. Let's all wish that his period is one for progress an justice for us Peruvians.

So, Patriot Party (that's what we call today and tomorrow). Streets are decorated with the red and white flag -and not just streets, cars, houses, workstations-, people carry the red and white badges, and some trade their usual playlists for some Criollan music to get into the mood.

And of course, you can't have a real Patriot Party without Peruvian food. That's right. Starting breakfast with a traditional panetón you can expect a variety of traditional dishes to grace your palate. Anticuchos? Tequeños? Sounds really good. Something sweet? How about some Mazamorra? And take with you a glass of chicha while you're at it.

Yes, lots of traditional stuff out there. I'va had the chance to introduce these to you along the way. But this is Patriot Party! Time for the big guns. Time for the mother of all Peruvian dishes.

You guessed it. Gather around for a great Ceviche!

Ceviche is the Peruvian dish by excellence. Unique in the world (yeah, there have been attempts to make it in other places, but the real ceviche is as Peruvian as the flag) ceviche as you might know is fish based. But the key ingredient, the one that makes it Peruvian, is our lemon. I had the chance to talk to you about our lemons: small in size, extremely sour. Our lemon is so strong that it can "cook" the raw fish in a matter of hours, and charge it with a powerful taste. To this you add onions and for the commando-type aji and rocoto for a tongue-burning version. You then serve with an assortment of ingredients that make it more than a side-dish: lettuce, camote (sweet potato), choclo (maize), yuca, cancha and cilantro.

Of course, ceviche has many variations. You can have the simple one, the traditional black clam ceviche, or the Mixed Ceviche which includes an assortment of seafood.

And if you're feeling adventurous, try a glass of Tiger Milk. Tiger Milk is basically the pure juice of the ceviche, served as a drink. Strong, spicy and sour, this is what some people call "a beverage to arise the dead". Not only that, but it's a proven afrodisiac.

So now I bring you a simple ceviche recipe, but not without a necessary disclaimer: without Peruvian lemon, you'll only get an approximation. If you want to taste the real thing, come to Peru on your next vacation, visit one of our many seafood restaurants and ask for a nice, big ceviche tray. You'll remember it forever.


Ingredients:

200gr fresh white fish
1/2 onion, cut in long thin slices (juliene)
1/2 tbsp salt
Chopped aji
5 fresh Peruvian lemons (you'll squeeze them only when needed, not before)
Lettuce
Boiled maize (Choclo)
Camote

Preparation:

1. On a chopping board, clean the fish by removing all bones and dark parts. Chop it in small cubes and put those in a glass or ceramic bowl (**NOT plastic or aluminum**).
2. Peel and chop the onion and add to the fish. Add the aji and salt.
3. Squeeze the lemons over the fish. Mix with a steel spoon (**NOT wood**).
4. Let the fish rest. The lemon juice will "cook" the fish. This should happen over 3 or 4 hours. Stir every now and then.
5. When ready, serve with a bed of lettuce and choclo and camote slices.

And while you're at it, grab your glass of Pisco Sour! Happy 28th!

Cesar

A Prayer for Mumbai

May the bloodshed end.

HELP:

Mumbai Help

Mumbai Police

Hit the Heat with Potatoes and Greens

This blog has not kept pace well with the rest of the food blogging world. The reason if you ask me is just one--summer. While I am aware that summer is a time for frolick across many European countries, in north India, it's living hell. Temperatures ranging between 40 degree C (106 F) to 47 C (113 F), unending power cuts, acute water scarcity, extreme humidity. The result? It leaves me listless and cranky, and food--eating or cooking--is the last thing on my mind.

However, just because I feel sad to be away from this blog and you all for long, I keep returning. I will, even if the walk is a little slow until the rains come.

And now, to cut the enervated rambling, here's the crux of the matter. Today's dish is Bengal's own comfort food, an item Bengalis might claim a patent for, just like the South of India can for Dosas and Idlis. It's a poppy-seed paste based dry dish, with potatoes and ridge gourd as the main ingredients. What else goes into it? Let's find out!

Alu-Jhinge Posto (Potato-Ridge Gourd in Poppy Seed Paste)

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd: 1, chopped into small pieces
Potato: 2, medium sized, cut in cubes
Poppy seeds paste: 2 tablespoons
Nigella: 1/2 teaspoon
Green chilli: 3-4, slit lengthwise
Salt, to taste
Oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wok and add the nigella seeds.
2. Add the potatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes. Now add the ridge gourd. Stir for another two minutes.
3. Add the poppy seeds paste.
4. Cover and cook, stirring in between.
5. Add half a cup of water and let simmer.
6. When potatoes are cooked, add salt and the slit green chillies.
7. Serve with hot rice.


Bengalis usually cook this using mustard oil, but you can use any vegetable oil. The taste of poppy seeds paste is unique and has a magnetic effect on the foodie subjected to it. So do give this very Bengali dish, a part of the culture's everyday fare, a try. And if you do, don't forget to let me know how you liked it.

And while we are at it, let this be my contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging, insituted by the famous Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen. This weekend, as Kalyn is off to San Fransisco for a trip, WHB is being hosted by Gabriella of the wonderful blog My Life As A Reluctant Housewife. All of you interested in learning about herbs from across the globe, peek into Gabriealla's blog for the round up.

Until the rains come...

~ Sury

Coming Home to Dal - JFI

We have been really slacking as far as the housekeeping business of this blog goes. Please don't mind if the place looks somewhat dusty and neglected. Now that I am back in our blogging home, let me try and put everything in order so that you can sit around comfortably and enjoy some food.

What's on the menu, you ask? Something hot, comforting, and very Indian. Okay, that's vague. How about making it simple and straight? It's dal I am talking about.

Am I thankful I didn't forget to cook for this month's Jihva For Ingredients (JFI), hosted by the versatile Sailu. She chose dal or lentils as the theme, and I have brought a bowlful for you all. What's special about it? Well, it's different from the usual Bengali dals we cook at home, with the typical cumin or paanch-phoron tempering. Inspired by a recipe from a Sindhi Cookbook I recently added to my bookself, this dal is a delight to be cooked and relished over and over again. Don't go by my word. Try it for yourself, and you will know.

Sindhi Garlic Dal (Adapted from The Essential Sindhi Cookbook by Aroona Reejsinghani)

Ingredients:

Masoor Dal: 1 cup (heaped)
Cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder: A pinch
Ghee (clarified butter): 1 tablespoon
Oil: 1 tablespoon
Asafoetida: A pinch
Garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
Ginger paste: 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves: A sprig
Green chillies: 3-4, slit, lengthwise
Tomato puree: 1/2 cup
Water: 2 1/2 cups
Salt: To taste

Method:

1. Wash the dal. Soak it in water for an hour and drain.
2. In a heavy-bottomed pan put dal, turmeric, salt and water. Cook on high heat, bring to a boil and hower the heat. Cook for another 15-20 minutes, until soft.
3. Remove from heat, mash the dal and set aside.
4. In a pan heat oil and ghee and add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Add ginger and garlic pastes when the cumin seeds stop crackling. Stir fry for a few minutes.
5. Add tomato puree, green chillies, curry leaves. Mix well. Cook for another 5-6 minutes.
6. Add the mashed dal to the above mix. Stir well.
7. Serve hot.

I prefer to have this dal with rice, but I am sure it would go equally well with chapatis and paranthas. The garlic-curry leaves flavour blends in perfectly for this thick lentil soup. If ever there could be a living definition of comfort food, this would be it.



Let the slurping begin!

~ Sury

Remembering Grandma – I

AMALTAS

It’s been more than fifteen years since I lost her, yet I still miss her cooking. Titti, as my brother and I used to call my maternal grandmother was a remarkable person. A writer with powerful wordsmith skills, she held equal dexterity in other departments—sewing, knitting, and of course cooking. She was also an active social worker. I miss her wisdom, her sunshine presence, her selfless love. And like I said in the beginning, I miss her cooking.

Titti was an innovator. Not only did she excel in preparing traditional recipes to perfection, she also often created splendid wonders out of seemingly ordinary and at times unusual ingredients.

And so it was with her experiment--successful, and oft-repeated--with Amaltas flowers. Whenever I see these resplendent yellow clusters, also known as golden showers, blowing through the hot Delhi summer breeze, I think of Titti. And I think of the delicious fritters she produced from these flowers.

So recently, when the prolific and talented Shilpa tagged me for the ten things I miss the most about my mother’s cooking, I thought of starting these posts about my grandma. You see, since my mother is right here with me, I don’t have to miss her cooking at all! But we both miss Titti’s full-of-love edible creations. Just last week, Ma thought of remembering my grandma by getting a bunch of Amaltas and frying some fritters off them.

Even though I enjoyed helping Titti make these delightful pakoras or fritters, I didn’t know Amaltas is the proud owner of several medicinal properties.

The ancient Indian system of medicine attributes medicinal properties to almost all parts of amaltas tree, but it is the pulp of its fruit which is considered as an excellent laxative. The amaltas’ pulp has a peculiar flavour and is sweet in taste and cold in effect. It also has digestive, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic and blood purifying properties. A strong purgative, the root of amaltas is used in various skin diseases, while its leaves form an important part of many ointments and poultices. The bark of the tree, which is known as sumari, has astringent properties. From this link.

Let me share with you all the simple recipe of Titti’s Amaltas fritters then. Since it fits the theme so well, this is also my entry for Kalyn’s Weekend Herb Blogging.

Titti’s Amaltas Fritters

Ingredients:

A bunch of freshly-plucked Amaltas blooms
Gram flour (besan): 2/3 cup
Green chili (chopped): 3-4
Nigella seeds (kalonji): 1/2 teaspoon
Salt, to taste
Water: 1 cup

Method:

1.Make a batter using the above ingredients. Make sure it has a thickish consistency, so you can make small fritters.
2. Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the fritters in batches.
3. Serve hot with chutney or ketchup or just like that.

Nothing special about the fritters, really. Yes, they do taste yummy, but then most fritters do, don’t they? It’s all about the memory for me. I miss Titti, but then she smiles back with the waves of the cascading Amaltas bunches.


~ Sury

Happy Birthday!!!!

That's right! It's our very own Sury's birthday today! Best wishes blogger buddy, make room for all the yummy stuff. Party!!

Cesar

Pass the dip!

Well, the date has come. Sports fans (particularly soccer fans) know what I'm talking about. Yup, it's the World Cup. I'm personally a wrestling guy myself (as Sury can testify with an eye-roll or two, lol) but I'm sure there are many among our blogger friends who are really excited about it.

So in the spirit of this big occassion, how about something you can enjoy while sitting in front of your TV. That's right, people. Take out the chips. The dip is on us tonight.

The key word is: avocados. Most of us know them, but then, many do not. A while back I spend and nice chat with Sury talking about this vegetable which for a number of reasons she had not had the chance to taste. Avocados (we call them palta in Peru) are green egg-shaped vegetables. The skin is hard and rough but extremely easy to peel if ripe. Actually you can take the whole skin of one half with one pull. It is soft inside with a very big circular pit in the center, which also comes off really easily. You can eat avocados in salad or you can make a paste with it for a number of preparations.



Which is exactly what we are going to do.

You guessed it. We're about to make guacamole.

So, separate a few minutes before the game. Pick one avocado, cut it in half, remove the skin and pit. Then, in a bowl, squash the avocado halves with a spoon or fork. Keep squashing and stirring until you end up with a uniform paste.

      

      

Bhapa Doi - Bengali Dessert

So we completed a year. With this blog, I mean. What a fun-filled ride it has been! What better way to celebrate this blog's anniversary than to bring something traditional? And how would it be if that something is also sweet? Good you say? Well, I agree.

Back in the nascent days of this blog (not that it's in any way grown up now), my talented writer friend Lisa once remarked, "Your blog needs more dessert items." Ouch! 'Seems like neither of the two bloggers who write this foodie journal have a well-cultured sweet tooth. But that shouldn't keep us from sharing the goodies with sugar lovers out there. Here's a good way to rectify this lack in this blog year then. With a traditional Bengali dessert.

Bhapa is steamed in Bengali and doi is yogurt. So there you have it--steamed yogurt. This is amongst the simplest of sweet dishes to whip up and easily amongst the yummiest. Don't let the simplicity underestimate its worth for you. In about ten days from now, this very Bengali sweet dish will be on the menu for the official celebrations of Britain's Queen Elizabeth's 80th birthday.

Shall we get to the whipping up process then?

Bhapa Doi (Steamed Yogurt)

Ingredients:

Natural yogurt: 100 grams
Condensed milk: 100 grams
Cardamom (crushed): 2-3

Method:

1. Take around 400 grams of natural yogurt and drain the water off it by hanging it in a fine cloth for at least 6-7 hours. You will get about 1/4 the original amount of yogurt.

2. Put the dehydrated yogurt in a large bowl. Add the condensed milk to it and whip. It should turn into a smooth paste. Take care to see there are no lumps.

3. Add the crushed cardamom and mix once more.

4. Place the curd mix inside a container with a lid.

5. Steam it for 15-20 minutes. I used the pressure cooker without the pressure vent device. I filled the cooker with some water, placed the container inside it, letting the water cover half of it.

6. Take curd mix off heat. Let it cool naturally.

7. Serve in room temperature or cold. You can cut it into pieces like I did or just scoop it up with a spoon and enjoy.

The texture of bhapa doi is cheesecake-like soft. The taste has a hint of yogurt and a creamy richness. Add to that the sweetness and the aroma of cardamom. It's a delight, which, if you bite into once, will pull you again and again.



All yours :)
Sury

P.S. In case I can't post another entry within this week, this is my contribution to Anthony's Curry Mela.

Blowing the Candle

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

Today is the day for this blog to turn a year old. Just like every other purpose under heaven, it’s time, too. Time for us to reminisce some, celebrate some, and wonder ever more. Just what I find myself doing as I grin at the almost absurd, yet exhilarating outcomes of writing this blog.

- Craig Clairborne

In this past year I bought a new chopping board, a knife, a mortar-pestle set—my playthings for the new sport I discovered. I learned cooking pasta for the first time at home (thank you, Cesar). I learned cooking meats, I learned different ways of chopping onions, I learned making vinaigrettes, I craved to buy an oven (still saving money for that), I surprised family members (“You can really cook, eh?”) and myself, I ran riot in the kitchen. I cooked.

The blog also opened a window of learning for me. I found out the fascinating regional variations of Indian food, I celebrated festivals of different Indian states with food bloggers across the world, I got a glimpse into cultures not known to me, herbs I have never smelled or tasted (thanks, Kalyn!), and edible delights that still remain shrouded in enticing mystery for me. I got the opportunity to join a wonderful food forum comprising members from all the inhabited continents (many thanks, Farid and Ji Young), which in turn has become my encyclopedia for exploring culinary cultures.

Sury

For, you see, we just happen to come from two countries with huge culinary traditions. On one side—India in the East, with its different regions and flavors; on the other side—Peru in the “New World,” a place which became literally a food laboratory with the coming of the Spaniards, resulting in the breeding of unique ingredients.

Cesar

Book Cover and Smoked Eggplant

Hi everyone!

It's good to be back again. Was I really gone? Um, not really; I just served an ultimatum to Cesar that I would be on a posting hiatus until he posted something here. It worked, eh? Just joking Cesar; don't glare at me. :P

To tell you the truth; this self-imposed staying-away wasn't easy. Fellow food bloggers, I have missed you all and your soul-tempting recipes. Now that I am back, be sure to find me find my trail in your blogs.

Yes, I did get a recipe for you all, but first something non-foodie. Please take a look at the cover for my debut book, Making Out in America, slated for release later this year.



My brother did the cover art for the book, so if you have any appreciation or criticism, do let me know. I will pass it on to him.

And now for the foodie stuff. Eggplant/brinjal lovers, get your pen and notepad ready. Here's an interesting version of Baingan Bharta or smoked and mashed eggplant. There is a Bengali touch in this version, and that comes by the way of poppy seed or posto paste. The end result is very similar to the usual bharta, yet, I found this simpler to cook. Let's get cooking then, shall we?


Begun Posto (Smoked Eggplant in Poppy Seeds Paste)

Ingredients:
Eggplant: 1 (round)
Dry red chilies: 2
Poppy seeds (ground into a paste): 2 tablespoons
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 teaspoon
Garlic (minced): 1 tablespoon
Green chilie (slit lengthwise): 1
Turmeric: A pinch
Water: 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking




Method:

1. Wash the eggplant. Smoke and roast it.
2. Remove eggplant from fire. Cool, mash and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok. Add the red chilies and fry for a minute or so.
4. Add the fenugreek seeds, garlic, and green chilie and stir until the garlic turns brown. Take care not to burn the garlic.
5. Add turmeric and water. Bring to a boil.
6. Lower the heat and add the mashed eggplant.
7. Add the poppy seeds paste and salt. Mix well and stir.
8. Cover and cook eggplant for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent eggplant from sticking.
9. Remove from heat.
10. Serve hot.



Like the conventional bharta, this variation is best accompanied by hot paranthas or chapatis. And it's a recipe not likely to leave anyone disappointed. So do try it, and let me know how you liked it!

Sury

A Taste for Lemon

Peruvian lemon is a bit different. For starters its appearance. Our lemons are deep green and about the size of a golf ball. These lemons are extremely sour and they are the key element in national dishes such as the world famous ceviche (a post on ceviche is coming soon).Sufficee to say, you would never be able to make ceviche with American lemons, you'd just bemissingg out on the whole thing. This is the reason why every tourist who comes hear ismarveledd by this dish. You won't find it anywhere else in the world. Not ours. And the reason is very simple: only Peruvian lemon is strong enough to cook the raw fish ceviche is made with.

"Our lemon arrived with the (Spanish) conquest, but when it was sowed in our soil it acquired properties which can't be found anywhere else in the world: its flavor, its sourness, the amount of juice, the fine skin, the beautiful color, scent and size."


A bit of trivia: the biggest producer of Peruvian lemon is Tambogrande in Piura (north of Peru) which is responsible for 80% of the lemon consumed nationally.

So now that you know a bit more about this fruit, I can maybe interest you in a delicious dessert.Veryy simple to prepare it makes the most out of our sour friend. So without further delay, here is a littlerecipee for a great pie.

Jihva for Ingredients: Green Mango Chutney

I admit I have been a late comer to this event. However, I am not squarely to blame for that. Between computer woes, my other blog, and a long power cut (yes, summer has arrived in India), I barely found time for helping Mother prepare my entry and take the pictures. But I am here now, and I promise not to keep you waiting on this one.

As I hopped my way around the blogs that entered the Jihva for Ingredients (JFI) event, hosted by the wonderful Indira of Mahanandi, I found a particular phrase echoing through most of them. It went thus: "When I first heard of JFI..." And so, to carry on with that refrain I have to say when I first heard of this very delicious new food blog event, I immediately thought of the green mango chutney that is a star attraction of any Bengali platter. Tempered with the typical Bengali spice-mix called panch phoron, this is a chutney that is usually served at the end of a meal and one that promises to keep you licking your fingers happily ever after.

Aamer Chatni (Green Mango Chutney)

Ingredients:

Green mangoes: Two, peeled and diced
Sugar: 300 grams
Salt: 3/4 teaspoon
Raisins

For tempering:
Ginger: 1 teaspoon, finlely julienned
Panch phoron (mix seeds of fenugreek, nigella, mustard, fennel, and cumin in equal measure): 1/2 teaspoon
Dry red chili: 1

Method:

1. Put the diced mango, sugar, raisins, and salt in a pressure cooker and cook until 3 whistles.
2. Take the cooker off the heat and let the pressure get released.
3. Heat oil in a wok and add the ingredients for tempering. Fry for a minute or two and immediately mix it with the boiled magoes.
4. Pressure cook again for one more whistle.
5. When the pressure is released, transfer into a container. Let it cool
6. Relish!

The tart taste of mangoes, along with its refreshing scent, when mixed with sugar and spiced with panch phoron, deliver a jelly-like chutney to remember.


Dip your finger ;)

Sury

A special note of thanks: To Anthony for providing the Menu category (see new sidebar feature) code, and to Cesar for painstakingly setting it up on the blog.

Summertime Refreshment

I am back. To blogging and to Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging (WHB) too. And what better way to do that than bring a most delicious summer drink on the table? A drink, that besides being of delectable taste, also packs a punch in terms of nutrition. But first, a little about the fruit that yields this yummy drink.

Found all over the sub-Himalayan forests, and indeed across the whole of India, Bilwa or Bel (Aegle marmelos/Bengal quince) is a most sacred tree for Hindus. Its leaves and fruits form an integral part of the worship of Shiva--a part of the all-important Hindu trinity of gods. A symbol of fertility, all parts of the Bilwa tree contain medicinal properties. This article provides a wealth of information on the tree as well as the fruit.

Talking of the fruit, it too boasts of numerous health benefits. In fresh, half-ripe form, Bel is used as an antidote for treating diarrhea, hepatitis, TB, dysentery, and dyspepsia. Learn more about the fruit's healing power here.


Personally, I am very fond of Bel. It's inexpesive, tasty, and memory-filled. One of my typical summer vacation activities during school years used to be getting a bel broken by someone (the fruit has a hard exterior and needs some mettle for dismantling) and scooping out the soft, sticky pulp with a spoon. I would just have it like that, without any ado. And dare I say, this favourite fruit of Lord Shiva, did indeed taste divine. It has a sweet fragrance and the taste is naturally sweet. The unchweable and bitter seed did pose a bit of hindrance, but I overcame that with my persistent interest in eating the scooped-up pulp.


I can't recall exactly when my rustic manner of eating a disintegrated Bel graduated into relishing this amazing drink made from it. However, the graduation has surely been most rewarding. Let me waste no more time then to introduce you to one of my favourite summertime concoctions.

Beler Pana/Bel Lassi (Bel drink with yogurt) [For a single serving]

Ingredients:

Bel pulp: 2 tablespoons (Scoop out the pulp, mash it, remove the seeds, and strain to get a smooth pulp)
Natural Yogurt: 2 tablespoons
Sugar: 1 1/2 tablespoons
Water: 1 cup
Ice cubes

Method:

1. Take Bel pulp and yogurt in a glass. Add sugar and beat the mixture well. Make sure there aren't any lumps.
2. Add water and mix well.
3. Add the ice cubes.
4. Cheers!

If you can get hold of this fruit, do try this aromatic drink. You are likely to fall for the rich, sweet taste and vow to enjoy it all through the hot weather.



Chill!

Sury

Regarding Comments

This is to let all our wonderful readers know that the comments settings of this blog doesn't allow us to post anonymous comments. So when you post us a comment, please leave your name in the box given.

In the present scheme of things, the anonymous comments do come to our inbox, but won't get published. When I try to publish them, I get an error message.

From time to time, we keep receiving some wonderful anonymous comments, but unfortunately we can't post them. So please leave your name the next time you comment.

Thanks for everyone's lovely comments in the blog. It's what keeps us going :).

Sury