March 28, 2013

{Comfort Food} Amma's 15 minute Tomato Rasam | Tomato Chaaru/Saaru Recipe

 
I am feeling super lazy today. So much so that I don't want to move from this couch, ever.. Each one of us has such days right? Today, is my day! Now, as the lunch time approaches and my stomach starts to grumble, I crave for something super quick yet comforting to eat (read as drink!). That's when I made a big bowl of tomato chaaru for myself along with a small serving of rice. This recipe has a very special place in my heart as it is one of first few recipes I learnt from my mom. Whenever I missed her in a faraway land, this was my meal. Whenever I used to feel (home) sick or have cold or throat pain, this was my meal. Comforting in its true definition. Do you see the mug below? Yep, that is how I drink my chaaru every single time. It takes less than 15 mins to make this dish from start to finish and best part is there is no chopping required. Just grind, boil and season with tadka. That is it. Enjoy!

What do you make for yourself on such lazy days?



{Recipe} Amma's 15 minute Tomato Rasam

Ingredients:

1 big tomato
1 tsp tamarind pulp
2 tsp sugar
salt - to taste
1.5 tsp rasam powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 cups water

For Tadka -

1 tsp oil
1 whole garlic pod, crushed
curry leaves
1 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of hing/asafoetida
1 red chilli

Preparation:

1. Grind to a smooth paste - tomato, tamarind pulp, sugar, salt, rasam powder and turmeric.

2. In a vessel, add 2 cups of water along with tomato puree. Stir and boil on low-medium heat for 10 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a small kadai and add urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilli, crushed garlic clove, hing and curry leaves. Let them splutter a bit. Add tadka to rasam and cover immediately. Serve with hot rice or drink like soup, like I do always!

I sometimes also make Sorakaya/Anapakaya Dappalam [Bottle Gourd Stew] which uses rasam powder and goes well with rice.


Sending this simple soup recipe as an entry to Healthy Vegan Fridays.

This is Recipe 23 added to my The 100 Recipe Challenge for Year 2013. Check out the rest of the recipes too!

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March 25, 2013

{Holi Special Drinks/Beverages} Thandai | Spiced Almond Milk Recipe


The Holi fever is slowly catching up in our neighborhood and people are getting ready to enjoy this boisterous festival of colors with their friends and family. It also feel good to know awareness to use only eco-friendly, organic colors and demand for the same  is increasing with each passing year. I never played Holi as I said in my previous post but the gaiety of spirit does get to you. :-)

This is also a time when people tend to indulge themselves with heady drinks and get sloshed by the end. One beverage popularly called as Thandai, a spiced nut milk is consumed in copious amounts during this day. There are two versions of it - one is mixed with an intoxicating bhang and other without it. Today's recipe is the latter version. Not just for Holi, this delicious beverage can be prepared anytime, any day and for any occasion. It doesn't need much effort except for the nut mix which can be made way ahead of time. Kids will love it! Enjoy.

Important: Due to severe drought conditions in few parts of India, many are pledging to celebrate water-less Holi this year. Please be mindful of the amount of water you use and avoid any wastage.

To all you readers out there, Wishing you all a very Happy Holi. Play safe and think about our environment too.



..ingredients to be ground into fine powder....

{Recipe} Thandai | Spiced Almond Milk

Adapted from Tarla Dalal

Ingredients:

1 litr milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup almonds (preferably dry roasted to avoid oily taste)
2 tbsp poppy seeds
3 whole cardamoms (elaichis) (or use cardamom powder)
few strands of saffron
1/4 tsp pepper powder

Preparation:

1. Grind - almonds, poppy seeds and whole cardamom pods into a fine powder. Store in an air tight container. This nut mix can be prepared way ahead and will stay fresh when refrigerated.

2. Boil milk. Add saffron and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cool it down a bit. Then add the nut mix and pepper powder. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours so that flavors blend well into the milk. Strain the mixture through a sieve or a colander. Top with chopped nuts/raising if you wish to. This tastes fabulous when served super chilled.






This is Recipe 22 added to my The 100 Recipe Challenge for Year 2013. Check out the rest of the recipes too!

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Make a difference to lives of those girls who have no family of their own to celebrate Holi except for each other. Would you spare to donate a few rupees (or dollars) so that their school fees are paid for and they can aspire for brighter future? Please press the "Give Now" button and share about Vaidehi Ashram (More information  Click here) with your friends and family. Thanks in advance.



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until next recipe,







Besan Papdi Katori Chat | Chickpea Flour Shells with Sprouts Filling Recipe


I am going to share a secret with you all today.

I have never played Holi (the festival of colors) ever in my entire life (except for once when I HAD to stay back at my friend's place). Neither did TH. Yes, we do believe in its true essence which is victory of good over evil, a common theme that runs through almost every Indian festival. Holi also waves goodbye to winter (which we never had) and welcomes spring (when is that? Its already so hot!) in a rainbow of its colors...

All my childhood, I have seen my parents lock the front door and all four of us stay indoors, gorging on delicious food, playing games or spend the day watching TV. Putting up a lock outside was important to make believe the outside world we were out of station. The plan worked for quite a few years but later my friends figured out the secret. But still couldn't do anything about it as they used fear the wrath of my father.

Essentially, Holi in our household is synonymous to family time and super delicious meals. With extra time on hand and nothing else to do staying at home, my mother used to make her famous biryani, korma, mirchi bajji along with many other delicacies. This year though, I chose to make something different for Holi. An appetizer that easy to nibble while staying in the house (in my case) and playing with colors (like many of you reading this post!). Both - the katoris and the filling can be made way ahead of time and can be assembled at the very last minute. Doesn't that serve our purpose to stay away from the kitchen during festival time? Yay!

Enjoy!

 Besan Papdi Katori Chat


{Recipe} How to make Besan Papdi Katoris

These shells stay fresh and crunchy when stored in an air tight container for weeks. One can serve almost anything as filling in this recipe. Add little salt to the filling first and taste along with one of the besan katoris. Adjust accordingly. 

Makes around 25 katoris

Ingredients:

1.5 cups besan (finely ground chickpea flour)
1 cup rice flour
2 cups chopped greens (I used spinach and cilantro)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp oil
1 tbsp chilli powder
salt - to taste
water
Oil (if deep frying the shells)


simple ingredients - besan, rice flour, greens, ginger garlic paste, salt, turmeric and chilli powder


...this is the trick to cute little shells. Don't forget to lightly oil the muffin cups..


Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, add chickpea flour, rice flour, greens, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, oil, salt and chilli powder. Mix all the ingredients without adding any water first. Then add water little by little and knead into a soft dough. Cover and keep aside.

2. Take a small ball of the dough and shape into shells using muffin cups. I used silicone molds so it was easy to just peel away the shell. One can use a standard non-stick muffin pan too, just be careful while removing the shell out. Repeat the process with rest of the dough. I made a batch of 6 shells at a time, let them rest for about 10 mins (so that they don't break while peeling) and they easily came out of the mold.

Since its festive season and wouldn't mind those extra calories, I chose to deep fry the katoris. If you wish to, you can bake the muffin molds (brush a little oil over them) as-is in a preheated oven (180 C) for about 10-15 mins, until cooked.

3. Heat oil in a kadai. Drop 3 to 4 shells at a time, reduce flame and fry until light golden brown. Don't fry for too long as they tend to gain more color once out and drained for a while. Store these in an air tight container.

..deep fried and ready to filled..




{Recipe} Mixed Sprouts Salad (Filling)

Not just as a filling, this dish also serves as a healthy side dish for rotis or as a quick salad.

..Don't they look super healthy. I love to eat them raw..


Ingredients:

2 cups mixed sprouts (I used green beans and brown chickpeas)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
salt - to taste
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp oil
juice of half a lemon

Preparation:

Heat oil in a kadai and add cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter add chopped onion. Saute until translucent and add tomatoes. Cook for few mins, then mix in the sprouts and season with salt and chilli powder. Don't cook for long. The heat from onion-tomato mixture will cook the sprouts. Turn off the heat and add lemon juice. Mix well. Cool.

...as a filling, salad, side dish.. this dish is versatile to be served as anything...


Assemble: When ready to serve, top each of the besan katoris with sprouts filling + some fresh cilantro and serve them on a platter.




...Served! Holi hai!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is Recipe 21 added to my 2013 Recipe Archive. Check out the rest of the recipes too!

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Make a difference to lives of those girls who have no family of their own to celebrate Holi except for each other. Would you spare to donate a few rupees (or dollars) so that their school fees are paid for and they can aspire for brighter future? Please press the "Give Now" button and share about Vaidehi Ashram (More information  Click here) with your friends and family. Thanks in advance.


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until next recipe,

March 22, 2013

{Simple and Easy} Chana Dal and Coconut Stir Fry Recipe (Senagapappu Kobbari Koora)

 
Yay! It's Friday today. After a busy week both at work and personal fronts, here I am sitting on my office  desk during lunch time, thinking about what prologue to write for this post. Sigh! sometimes when you are drained, writing is always the hard part. Nothing's is coming to me. All my thoughts are wandering back to the task list in my "Reminders" app on my Iphone 4S. To make up for the sad state of my mind, I thought of sharing few pictures which I have photographed for this year's Project 365 so far. That's an easy task. Isn't it? Just choose my favorites and jump right into today's recipe. Yep, I chose the easiest way out. :-)

Here we go -

My favorite time of the day is when I am sitting in our balcony with a cup of tea. I make it a point not to have any news paper or my phone or my laptop around to distract the mind. Just me and my cup of ginger tea contemplating on the things to do on that day!


“In joy or sadness flowers are our constant friends.” ~ Kakuzō Okakura, The Book Of Tea

I  am in love with the bright, summer mornings we are bestowed with these days and strolling around in our roof top garden before it gets too hot.


Babies, they are adorable. Aren't they? This is one my favorite shot of my sister's niece who is already almost an year now. How time flies!


My favorite muse is of course photographing food and there are no surprises there. ;-) and sometimes they are slowly creep into my photo blog too. 


These are my favorite few shots from Project 365 so far. There are many more that I wish I could share. But, that would make the post too long. To follow my photo journey, do subscribe to - 365 days of Siri. Now, let's talk about today's recipe. Shall we? - a combination of curry my mom makes where are literally nothing in the fridge. The Chana Dal and Coconut Stir Fry is a simple to make curry that goes well with both rice and rotis.

Enjoy!


{Recipe} Chana Dal and Coconut Stir Fry



Adapted from Amma.

Suggested accompaniments - Onion Bhakra | Palak Khasta Roti | Perfectly Baked Brown rice

Ingredients:

1 cup chana dal (senaga pappu)
2-3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 tbsp oil
1/4 cup shredded fresh coconut
salt - to taste

For Tadka - 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp split gram dal, few fresh curry leaves, hing

Preparation:

1. Add enough water to chana dal so that its completely immersed and pressure cook until 2 whistles. Let the pressure be released naturally. The dal must be soft, not mushy. Drain water, cover and keep aside.

2. In a kadai, heat oil and add all the ingredients listed for "Tadka" one by one. Let them splutter a bit. Then add slit green chilies and cooked dal. Gently mix everything. Season with salt. Saute for 5 to 6 mins. Then sprinkle fresh coconut over the top. Stir fry for 5 mins again.

Serve as side dish with hot rice or rotis.

More dal-based recipes -

Broccoli Paruppu Usili - a Step by Step Recipe
Chana Dal Wadi ki Kadhi (Lentil Dumplings in Yogurt Gravy)
Pearl Millet and Brown Rice Khichdi
Moong Dal Shorba (Yellow Mung Dal Soup)
Kerala Style Arhar (Toor) Dal
Nimbu Masoor Dal
Dal Pakwaan
Urad Dal with Tomatoes


Sending this vegan recipe to Healthy Vegan Fridays and The Wellness Weekend



This is Recipe 20 of  The 100 Recipe Challenge for the year 2013. Check out other recipes posted so far.

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March 19, 2013

{Easy Summer Recipes} Homemade Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt (using Plums)


One of the many fun activities during my weekend grocery shopping while I was in US was strolling through the endless rows of products right from cereal to various kinds of sauces to fresh, exotic vegetables. Most of the times, I was on tight budget, so once the contents from my pre-made shopping list are in my cart, all I used to do was gape and make a mental note of stuff-I-want-to-buy-once-I-have-tons-of-dollars. You see, shopping frugally was never my cup of tea. I was desired for more. My sinister heart would coax me to buy much more than I wanted but my rational mind would stop me every single time!.

During such escapades, I discovered these down under yogurt cups from an australian company called Wallaby. I tried once and I was hooked. I never imagined fruit at bottom + yogurt on top can be such a delicious indulgence. From then onwards, I bought atleast 10 of these yogurt cups each week, on an average to eat one every day and rest of the three when I crave for more. This went on for couple of years until I moved out of Virginia in the summer of 2010.

..this was my favorite go-to-snack whenever I am low & need some pep up..and it always worked!
While in California, I did search for these, tried a few other fruit-at-bottom products but nothing came closer to the lusciousness of wallaby. I had to be content with flavored yogurts available at Trader Joes, like this one...


...I miss you Trader Joes...:-(
Now, after almost 2 years, on a whim I longed for my favorite indulgence. One night, I swear I even dreamed about these. Determined to make my dream a reality, I made some fruit-at-bottom-yogurt-jars today. The recipe is so darn simple and it came out perfectly in my very first try. Any combination of firm fruit can be used, if you want to refrigerate and use it over a week or so. I had few plums on hand, so I made of them for today's recipe. TH wants with strawberries next time around and off I am to get some berries tomorrow from our nearby fruit market. :-)

Enjoy..


...plums...oh..you..luscious plums..

..cornstarch water being added to cooked,mushy fruit..

plum compote... I have saved some for my toasted bread in tomorrow's breakfast..


[Updated on 21st July 2014This is my entry to KitchenAid Contest, open exclusively for participants of Indian Food Blogger Meet 2014 scheduled to happen in Bangalore on August 1st and 2nd 2014. 


{Recipe} Home-made Fruit (Plums) at Bottom Yogurt 

Adapted from Simple Bites

Ingredients:

4 plums, chopped into small pieces or any other fruit
1 tsp of water
1 tbsp honey (or sweeten with 1-2 tbsp of sugar)
a pinch of salt
2 tsp cornflour
2 tsp cold water
1 cup plain yogurt (preferably not sour) sweetened with 2 tsp or more honey (to taste)

Preparation:

1. Making fruit compote: In a small pan, heat very finely chopped plums (or any other fruit), honey (or sugar) and salt. Add a tsp of water and bring it to simmer on low heat, stirring every now and then. In a separate bowl, mix cornflour with cold water. Once the fruit mixture becomes a little mushy, add the cornstarch water. Let it simmer for 5 to 8 minutes on low heat, until it thickens. Remove from heat and cool completely.

2. Whisk plain yogurt/curd with honey. To assemble, add 2 spoons of fruit compote at the bottom and then top with yogurt. Refrigerate for at least 30 mins before serving.

Note: The amount of honey or sugar to be added to plums (or any other fruit especially tart ones) and yogurt can be varied according to taste. To add some crunch, top with granola which becomes a great option for breakfast or whenever you crave for something sweet. When refrigerated, covered this will stay fresh for 1 week (if it lasts that long!).





This is Recipe 19 for my The 100 Recipe Challenge for Year 2013. Check out the rest of the recipes posted so far...



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until next recipe,

March 18, 2013

{Easy Summer Recipes} Strawberry Balsamic Basil Soda


Summer has arrived for us and during these sweltering hot days as the temperatures are rising, a chilled beverage is preferred as a 24x7 summer fix. A glass of plain water is just so blah to beat the scorching heat waves around. Over the years, I had bookmarked many summer recipes and just like any other, my recipe-list has been overflowing with new ideas to try. Under the label - "Easy Summer Recipes", I want to try and if they turn out right, I want to share them all with you in coming months. Are you excited just as I am? Let's jump start this series with an easy yet delicious soda recipe - Strawberry Balsamic Basil Soda.

Enjoy and make some today!



So, which recipe depicts summer to you? I would love to know them all. :-)

...the ingredients...

...simple basil syrup...add to your everyday green tea for a herby feel!

..strawberry balsamic puree..


..blend it all with club soda and Voila! a refreshing summer drink is ready...

Sending this as an entry to 
Healthy Vegan Fridays and The Wellness Weekend.


{Recipe}  Strawberry Balsamic Basil Soda

Makes 4-5 glasses of soda
Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
3/4 to 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (amount varies depending on how sweet or tart the strawberries are and how much vinegar you prefer)
2 cups club soda or sparkling water

For Basil Syrup - 

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely minced

Preparation:

1. To make the basil syrup, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer while stirring frequently for about a minute, and then remove from heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then add minced basil. Place in a jar or other airtight container and allow to cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is preferred).

2. In a blender or food processor, add the chopped strawberries and balsamic vinegar to blend into a puree. In pitcher, add chilled basil syrup and strawberry-balsamic puree. Mix  in the club soda and stir well before pouring into glasses. Serve over crushed ice to be enjoyed on a hot summer day.

..Cheers everybody to glorious (not too hot) summer days ahead...


This is Recipe 18 for my The 100 Recipe Challenge for Year 2013. Check out the rest of the recipes posted so far...

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March 16, 2013

{Healthy Recipes} Vegan Red Bean and Oats Burger with Sweet Potato Fries


To make home-made burger patties was on my to-do-list for a really long time. Basically I wanted to have a healthy alternative for my "junk food" cravings when I tend to pick up a Mc Aloo burger from Mc Donalds near by, though its a known fact that those patties were frozen for atleast 3 months before they are microwaved and served up - as fresh to the hungry customers!

I truly believe, a burger can be healthy and tasty and a meal by itself. Its beauty lies in the fact that how fresh are the "ingredients", not just loaded with easy carbs from boiled potatoes and extra calories from melted cheese. Intentionally I avoided both those ingredients in today's recipe. Yes, there is no potato and no cheese or diary. How would have these tasted, you ask? Let me tell you that the proof is my mother who in general avoids all kinds junk food (unlike me) devoured on the burger I made for her, fresh out of the pan. :-). That for me, is an ultimate testament that these were tasty will be made again..and again..


Usage of rice bran oil is not new in our household. Since we moved to India from US, I have started to incorporate more of rice bran oil (+ olive oil) and stopped cooking with any other refined oils. I tasted it for the first when a good friend of mine made some bhajjias at home, using rice bran oil. There was not even a hint of after taste and I couldn't even spot any difference. Its high smoking point 490°F (255°C) makes it well suited for any kind of frying, roasting etc. An added advantage is also that compared to other vegetable oils, foods fried in rice bran oil tend to absorb up to 20% less fat during the cooking process. I like that!. :-)

..spill the beans...
Now, without any further ado, lets jump into today's recipe - Vegan Red Bean and Oats Burger with Sweet Potato Fries. Shall we? Below are few action shots and then comes the recipe.. Enjoy!


.....beans mashed, veggies cut.. 


..this is a cool trick to make perfect, round patties.Oil lightly insides of a cap, press the bean mixture and unmold. 

...shallow fry them on low heat until both sides are crisped up...
Sending this as an entry to Healthy Vegan Fridays and The Wellness Weekend.


{Recipe} Vegan Red Bean and Oats Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

Makes 8 to 9 medium sized patties




Ingredients:

2 cups of boiled/canned red beans (rajma beans) - Any kind of legumes work for this recipe. If using canned, thoroughly wash and rinse the beans.
1 medium green bell pepper
1/2 onion
1 tomato
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 green onions
2 small carrots
1 bunch of fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
1/2 cup of instant oats
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 (or more) tsp chilli powder (or 1-2 tsp sriracha/hot sauce)
salt - to taste
few tbsp of rice bran oil - for shallow frying

Preparation:

1. To cook any dry beans, soak them overnight in filtered water. Then pressure cook them on HIGH heat for 10-12 minutes (or) until cooked. Let the pressure be released and drain the water. they must be fork tender.

2. In a bowl, mash the beans.

3. Cut the veggies - bell pepper, tomatoes, onion and green onions (both white and green parts) into very fine pieces. If you have a food processor, dice them all in 1 or 2 turns. Peel and shred carrots. Chop cilantro leaves.

4. Add these cut veggies to the beans and oats. Mix well and season with chilli powder (or hot sauce), cumin powder and salt. Refrigerate for atleast 30 mins for the flavors to blend. A cool trick to make perfect, round patties is to - lightly oil the insides of a bottle cap, press the bean mixture and shake a little to unmold. Since we are not adding any binding agent such as eggs or flax seed water, freeze the bean patties for atleast an hour or until ready to use. these can be easily frozen in plastic containers for many months, if you wish to make a big batch.

5. Once ready, heat few teaspoons of oil in a pan and cook each patty on low heat for 5-6 mins on each side. Carefully flip them on each side once or twice for even cooking. Drain them paper towels.

6. How to assemble the burger: Spread some eggless mayo on the bottom of a burger bun, then place the bean patty, some mayo again, spinach or lettuce leaves, onion, tomato and top with other half of bun! Tadaa!.. the ultimate red bean and oats burger is ready to be be devoured.

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...a burger is never complete without some (sweet potato) fries on the side..Isn't it?


Here is a simple recipe for Golden Sweet Potato Fries to go along with the burgers -

Ingredients:

6-7 sweet potatoes
rice brain oil - for frying
salt and red chilli flakes to sprinkle on top

{Optional sprinklers} - garlic powder, onion powder, dried/fresh herbs such as rosemary, basil, thyme, sage etc.

Preparation:

1. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them lengthwise into thin strips. Place them in water. If you want to use them after a few hours (like I had to), cover and refrigerate the entire contents along with water.

2. Heat oil in a kadai. Once its hot, reduce the flame to LOWand add the sweet potato strips. Fry them in small batches for 5-6 minutes. Once they are light golden in color, drain onto paper towels to remove excess oil and immediately sprinkle some salt & red chilli flakes on the top. Serve.



This post is a part of Healthy & Tasty Recipe Contest with Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil & BlogAdda.com


This is Recipe 17 added to my 2013 Recipe Archive. Check out the rest of the recipes too!

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until next recipe,

March 11, 2013

{Amma's Recipes} - Andhra Style Kanda Bachali Koora | Suran (Elephant Foot Yam) and Malabar Spinach Curry Recipe

 
Amma's recipes is a column on this blog, which is very close to my heart. These are the recipes which my mother perfected over many many years and reflects how awesome a cook she is. It is also fun to just photograph once in a while, without thinking about what and how to make a recipe, worrying whether it would turn out well or not. She Cooks, I Photograph. That is the deal. :-) If you guys have any question, do drop in a line or comment on this post. My mom will be more than happy to answer all of them.


It's been a while since I featured any of the mother's signature recipes here, on the blog. Life has been busy for her and for me too. Now, we rarely get time to meet let alone cook together except for Sundays.


Malabar Spinach (Bachali in Telugu) creeper from my mom's backyard.
My father, just like TH is an avid gardener. He has planted so many varieties of flowers, vegetables, greens etc in our backyard. The malabar spinach leaves used in today's recipe are from the same garden. Its a recipe very close to my heart as it depicts my childhood. Till today, whenever my mother makes this curry,  little sister and I fight for our share. :-)

All my andhra readers would vouch for the nostalgia associated with this simple koora. :-) If you ever find elephant foot yam in your grocery stores (fresh or frozen), don't just pass it on. Grab it at once and make this recipe. You can also try substituting with spinach leaves, if the malabar spinach leaves are not available.

Enjoy!

the time consuming part - to clean & cut the kanda (suran). It tougher than any other root, but its worth  the effort!

{Recipe} Andhra Style Kanda Bachali Koora | Suran (Yam) and Malabar Spinach Curry 

Source: My mother
Serves: as a side dish for 3-4 people

Ingredients:

about 1/2 kg Kanda (Elephant Foot Yam) -  In US, these are also available as frozen, cut pieces in Indian grocery stores.
about 50 bachali aaku (malabar spinach) leaves
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
2 green chilies
few pinches of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
salt - to taste
1 tbsp oil

For tadka - 1 tsp urad dal, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 2 tsp chana dal, 3 red chillies and a pinch of hing

Preparation:

1. Peel and cut the yam into equal sized cubes. Boil them for 20 mins and cover for 10 more minutes.

2. Wash and chop malabar spinach leaves. Keep aside.


3. Heat oil in a kadai and add all the ingredients listed for "tadka" one-by-one along with green chilies. Let them splutter a bit. Then add spinach leaves and cook until they are wilted. Add tamarind pulp.

4. Season with salt, sugar, turmeric and red chilli powder. Mix well.


5. Now add the boiled yam cubes. Mix everything until blended. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10-15 mins. Remove from heat and add some cumin powder. Stir and its ready to serve with hot rice and ghee.


Sending this dish as an entry to Healthy Vegan Fridays and The Wellness Weekend.



This is Recipe 16 added to my 2013 Recipe Archive. Check out the rest of the recipes too!

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until next recipe,


 
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