Can someone pinch me please? Is it February already? Where did January go? 2016 has started on such a busy note for me. As usual things were super crazy on most of the days and in the little free time I got, all I wanted to do was slouch in my couch and read books of all kinds - a simple and uncomplicated way to relax. But, honestly a corner of my heart was also longing to sit up, write a few words and publish a blogpost. So, before that feeling of enthusiasm goes away; before am swayed into the monotony of everyday activities that constantly need my attention, here I am sitting in a coffee shop, enjoying a cup of coffee with warm blueberry scone on the side and typing this super quick and easy black eyed pea curry recipe for you all. I make this dish often, on a weekly basis and sometimes substitute with other kinds of beans such as pinto, black bean, red beans and even chickpeas. Either way, it serves as a healthy side dish to a bowl of rice or for a bread/roti. Enjoy!
* This "Pressure Cooker Recipe Series" is dedicated to my awesome project manager at work Robin and to the glee on his face when he cooks something delicious in his new pressure cooker. He especially loves to make Dhal with geee (that's how he says it for ghee!), ginger, tomatoes and spices * :-)
It has been a tradition since past few years to welcome a New Year with a black eyed pea post. Last year it was scrambled eggs, the year before with some fried fritters (still a popular one for New Year's) and a curry with coconut, the year before that. The reason is simple - in some cultures, black eyed peas symbolize good luck due to their penny-like appearance. They also signify abundance and if there are any left overs for the day after, it is meant to demonstrate frugality and prosperity in the coming year! Don't get me wrong. I am not a stickler when it comes to any kind of customs or superstitions but it is always a good feeling to start something on a good note. Isn't it? Today's recipe is a vegan curry made with coconut milk and some aromatic spices. New Year's or not, this recipe comes together in a giffy, any kind of beans like red, garbanzo etc can be substituted instead of black eyed peas and it will still taste heavenly. Enjoy.
Learn how to make a quick black eyed peas recipe adapted from Raghavan Iyer's very popular book - 660 Curries. I have earlier made Makhani Dal (Whole Black lentils with Ginger, Garlic and Butter) from his book with splendid results and is to this date my favorite way to eat whole lentils. Both the recipes have one thing in common - simplicity with ton of flavor. On busy weeknights, pre-made rotis with easy side dishes like these are a real saving grace.
"Tomorrow [January 1st] is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one." ~ Brad Paisley
I simply love making new (plus some old) resolutions on New Year's eve, even though am unsure on how many I would be completing by the end of that year. But, the tiny things-I-wanna-change jotted down in my little book gives me that much needed kick - to be happy and hopeful for coming times. This year though, instead of clinking champagne glasses or letting the colorful confetti shower down from the roof, I have decided on a quite New Year's Eve with a book by my side. That is how I envisioned the night of December 31st few days ago as one of my goals for the year 2014 is to -read more and blog more!.
While I was in US, I learnt from my office colleagues that eating black-eyed peas as a part of the Southern Tradition on New Year’s brings in good fortune for the coming year. Well, we wouldn't want to miss that. Isn't it? Since then, it has become kind of a tradition on this blog as well to kick off the year with a black-eyed-peas recipe. Last year, I made these fritters and the year before this curry with coconut.
Will 2014 be lucky for me? Only time will tell. But, meanwhile make this this scrumptious Scrambled Eggs with Black-Eyed Peas and Potatoes, for that perfect January 1st morning. Serve with a toast and coffee/orange juice to make it a filling breakfast. Before I jump into the recipe, I just want to -
"Thank you for the love & support in the past year. May the coming times bring in lots of joy and beautiful moments that can be cherished long after the year is gone! Wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy 2014."
"According to the Spanish proverb, four persons are wanted to make a good salad: a spendthrift for oil, a miser for vinegar, a counsellor for salt and a madman to stir it all up." John Gerard
Salads are great meals. They are quick, easy to assemble with almost anything that's readily available in the refrigerator and magical as well, especially when fresh vegetables are at their peak during the season.
But, unfortunately - "A lot of people get into what you'd call a salad rut, making the same salad over and over, or using one type of dressing for every type of leaf" says Chris Mayhew, director of marketing at Dole. (Source). I think that's partially true when we attempt to make a salad in its true definition - a green, veggies, protein and a dressing. Its fun to think out of the box and mix & match sometimes.
Today's recipe - Black-Eyed Pea and Stewed Tomato Salad is a little unconventional when it comes to how its made. You don't need always a heavy blue cheese or ranch dressing to bind everything together. Some tomato juice from the stewed tomatoes is heated up with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper which makes up the dressing. Its just d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s. Black eyed peas (or any type of beans) are used for that protein kick. Best of all, its completely vegan and kid friendly. :-)
Enjoy and make some today!
peeled, stewed canned cherry tomatoes.
boiled black eyed peas
the dressing - olive oil, tomato juice, salt and paprika
..salad is ready..who wants to eat some!...
This is Recipe 13 added to my 2013 Recipe Archive. Check out the rest of the recipes too!
This is my first recipe of 2013 and I sure wanted it to be a lucky one! Noone has an inkling on how the coming year's gonna be. Good, bad, ugly? All we can do is hope for the best to happen and to have enough courage to face any challenges thrown upon us. :-)
Since way back from Civil war days, eating black eyed peas on New Year is considered to brings loads of luck and prosperity. In the South, serving these beans show humility and thus they say invites good fortune. Whether we choose eat them as a tradition or not, these are a very good source of fiber, iron and low in fat with almost no cholestrol. For last year's New Year, I made a Black eyed Pea Kootu recipe and now, I chose a dish called "Accara" from Senegal cuisine. These immensely flavorful fritters are a very popular street food along with Pastels, tiny empanadas stuffed with fish and onions. When accompanied with a hot sauce, these make a delicious appetizer not just for New Year's but perfect for any time of the year.
Enjoy!
perfectly golden fried fritters!
Black eyed peas - for lots of luck.
{Recipe} Accara (Black-Eyed Pea Fritters)
Loosely Adapted from Saveur Makes around 20-25 fritters (depending on the size)
Ingredients:
1 cup dried black eyed peas
1 tsp baking soda
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1 fistful of mint, washed, finely chopped
1 tsp green chilli-garlic paste
salt - to taste
oil for frying
Preparation:
1. Wash couple of times and soak the black eyed peas overnight or atleast 8-9 hours. Drain and rinse again.
2. If you wish to remove their outer skins, immerse the peas in water and rub them gently between your palms. The skins will break away from the peas. Let peas sit until skins float to top of water. Slowly drain water from peas, allowing skins to drain with water; add more water if necessary, and repeat rubbing and draining process until all skins are removed from peas. I did this step just once and moved on to next step.
3. In a blender, grind the peas into a coarse paste scraping down sides of blender if necessary. Don't use any water while grinding. Transfer it into a bowl and add finely chopped onion, mint, salt and baking soda.
the batter has to be a coarse paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Make small lemon sized balls out of the batter (using hand or two spoons) and working in batches, drop them into hot oil and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
5. Transfer fried fritters on to paper towels to drain excess oil and Serve with ketchup, green chilli sauce or any other condiment.
It feels like just yesterday I posted my step by step Sabudana Khichdi recipe with an intention to master it and proudly share with you all. (I had quite a few disasters with this dish before). Well, that's happened for last Dussehra. This year, things have changed quite a bit on personal front - am a new city, living with in laws and enjoying the pleasures of having parents two lanes away. :-)
With just 10 days away for Dussehra festival (its on October 16th 2012), am sure you all are gearing up to be in a festive mood, like me.. Like last year, am planning to post some of the very popular recipes especially made during this festive season in coming few days.
Here is a quintessential Sundal recipe. - Navadhanya Sundal, which is super easy to make and super healthy to eat otherwise. Enjoy!
2 cups in total i.e few tbsp each of any 9 kinds of beans (legumes) I used:
red kidney beans (rajma)
raw peanuts
dried chickpeas
black eyed peas
dried green peas
whole green moong dal
whole black urad dal (sabut urad)
pinto beans
dried field beans (lilva)
1/2 cup fresh coconut, grated
few curry leaves
2 green chillies, slit in the middle
2 tsp of oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
salt - to taste
1/2 lemon juice
Preparation:
1. Wash, rinse and then Soak all the beans together in a bowl overnight.
2. Drain water and place them in a pressure cooker. Add water until beans are immersed and cook them until slightly soft (not too mushy) for 2-3 whistles.
3. Drain and keep the cooked beans aside.
4. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds with green chillies and curry leaves. Once they start to splutter, add the beans. Mix everything. After 4-5 minutes, season with salt. Turn off the heat and add lemon juice.
5. Transfer in a serving bowl and top with grated fresh coconut. Simple and Delicious!
Just pinch me Will ya? I can't believe its been 5 years since I started this little blog of mine. 5? Are you kidding me? that is like half-a-decade!. Every single moment, every single recipe and every single thought I put in here is so worthwhile and so exhilarating & relaxing at the same time. How can such feelings co-exist? Well, I am still figuring that out. :-)
Right now as I look back, its not the numbers that matter to me but the evolution and the experience itself. I got to know an amazing bunch of people through blogging. They inspire me. teach me and be there during my happy times and also at the times of despair. Some live in various parts of the world, many whom I never met but they are just a phone call or an email away!. Wow, can such virtual relationships sustain over time? Apparently yes. I am eternally grateful to God for sending them to me. You know who you are and Thank you for your love and for just being a part of my life.
A birthday is never complete without a cake. Isn't it? But, for today I made few quickJalapeno Corn Bread Muffins served with Vegetarian Chilli. It is a combination I very much miss since we moved back to India, so I thought what better occasion do I need to feature these two recipes on the blog. As a way to say Thank you for your affection and support over all these years, I planned a few exciting giveaways for you all. Enjoy!
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup tightly packed herbs - mint & coriander/cilantro
2 tbsp chopped jalapeno peppers
1 egg
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup milk (or buttermilk)
Preparation:
Step 1: Pulse cornmeal until smooth texture. In a mixing bowl, add cornmeal, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix.
Step 2: Add herbs and jalapenos to it.
Step 3: In an another bowl, beat together - egg, olive oil and milk.
Step 4: Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and gently mix everything.
Step 5: Preheat oven to 180 C or 350 F. Grease ramekins with olive oil and pour 3/4ths with batter. Top with some chopped jalapenos if desired. Bake for 18-20 mins until a toothpick or skewer when inserted in the center comes out clean. Rest for 10 mins.
Step 6: Run a knife around the edges and carefully unmold. Serve as a side accompaniment with soups, stew or chilli (recipe below). Wrap the rest of the muffins in a plastic cling to prevent from drying out. Microwave for few seconds and they are as good as fresh.
I won this set of ramekins as a giveaway from Divya's blog. :-)
{Recipe} Easy Vegetarian Bean Chilli
Ingredients:
3 cups boiled beans - I used chickpeas, black eyed peas, pinto beans and soya beans.
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 cups water
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
grated cheese, for topping
Preparation:
1. In a big pot, heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic for few minutes. Add carrot and peppers. Cook until soft.
2. Stir tomatoes and beans. On a low heat, cook for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt, chilli and cumin powder and pepper. Add water and continue cooking by stirring once or twice in the middle for 30-40 minutes.
3. Top with grated cheese and Serve hot with cornbread. Save left overs in refrigerator or freeze.
Now for the fun part. To celebrate the blog-o-anniversary, I have some goodies for you all. Just like before, there are two giveaways. One for Indian readers and other for rest of the world.
Eat poor that day, eat rich the rest of the year. Rice for riches and peas for peace. ~ a Southern saying on eating a dish of Hoppin' John on New Year's Day.
I'll be honest with you guys. I heard, for the first time only about a week ago - about the Hoppin' John & the tradition of serving black-eyed peas for New Year...and the legend of the Hoppin' John dish goes something like this -
"It was the custom for children to gather in the dining room as the dish was brought forth and h op around the table before sitting down to eat. A man named John came "a-hoppin" when his wife took the dish from the stove. An obscure South Carolina custom was inviting a guest to eat by saying, "Hop in, John". The dish goes back at least as far as 1841, when, according to tradition, it was hawked in the streets of Charleston, South Carolina by a crippled black man who was know as Hoppin' John."
Picking up the fact that the black-eyed-peas especially when served on New Year bring good luck, I made a very delightful black eyed peas kootu.
Well, following the tradition, I made sure this year we had black eyed peas & rice on the table. I hope this would bring us truck loads of luck and good health. :-)
