Feasting for a good beginning - Urad Kokum Chi Dal

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Growing up, very little was known to me about these tangy, purple berries called "Kokum" which are native to India and very widely used in Konkani cooking. It was only until, Manisha blogged about this 'tadpole-like' guessing game, I came to know there existed such a thing called Kokum.

Since then, my hands were itching to get hold of these tiny  beauties and finally I did. A little google search would enlist the numerous medicinal properties that this fruit has. :-)

Kokum can be added to our regular dals, vegetables or curries, as a healthy replacement to tamarind or lemon, due to its high antioxidant properties. It is also very colorful when added as strips to salads or any yogurt-based dish(es) and renders a little tangy flavour along with the reddish purple colour.

If you wish to know more about this fruit, you should read this fantastic post by Shilpa.

Kokum is now readily available in most of the Indian stores, here in US.

...and here is how it looks -

dried kokum phool

According to this article on epicurious, lentils are one of the lucky foods to be consumed for a good new year start -

"Legumes including beans, peas, and lentils are also symbolic of money. Their small, seedlike appearance resembles coins that swell when cooked so they are consumed with financial rewards in mind. In Brazil, the first meal of the New Year is usually lentil soup or lentils and rice, and in Japan, the osechi-ryori, a group of symbolic dishes eaten during the first three days of the new year, includes sweet black beans called kuro-mame." .. read more

So, Today's recipe features lentils (so that we too can have a lucky start for 2011) - "Urad Kokum Chi Dal" is adapted from the curry bible - 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer. This is a delicious accompaniment to both fluffy rotis & a bowl of hot rice. The creaminess of urad dal intermingled with tartness from kokum and a slight hint of chillies play very well. Our taste buds were very happy when I had this with brown rice on one of those chilly weeknights.

Urad Kokum Chi Dal

Adapted from Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries

Ingredients -

1 cup urad dal (cream-colored, split black lentils)

4 pieces of dried black kokum pieces

1 tbsp ghee or oil

2 tsp cumin seeds

4-5 fresh green chillies (I used the Thai variety, stems removed & thinly sliced. add more if desired)

3 large cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 large tomato, finely chopped

1/4 cup shredded coconut (I used frozen, thawed slightly and then MW for 20 secs. fluff with fork)

salt - to taste

1/4 tsp turmeric

fresh curry leaves - 10-12

Preparation -

1. Place the lentils in a medium sized sauce pan, rinse & drain them thoroughly until the water is relatively clear. Add 3 cups of water and  Bring it to a boil (uncovered) over medium heat. Skim off and discard any foam that forms on the surface. Stir in turmeric and kokum pieces, cover the pan and cook on a medium-low heat for abotu 20 mins, until the lentils are a little tender.

2. Meanwhile, heat ghee or oil in a skillet, add cumin seeds, until they start to sizzle. (~ 10 seconds). Add in green chillies, garlic and saute until lightly browned. (~ 1 to 2 minutes). Mix in tomato pieces, shredded coconut, salt & curry leaves. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are completely mushy, but slightly chunky. (~ 3 to 4 minutes). Set aside the skillet.

3. Now, once the lentils are ready, add the sauce prepared in Step 2 and Stir. Pour 1 cup of water into the skillet to get those extra bits stuck at the bottom, ( I love those, they taste so yummy!) and pour the water back into the lentils. Cover the pan and simmer on medium heat until the sauce is thickened. (~ 10-12 minutes). 

4. Remove the kokum pieces and it is ready to serve with rotis or brown rice.

Check out how other blogger friends say about our *kokum* -

Nupur's Masoor Shengdana Amti (Lentil stew with Peanuts)
Musy's post on Kokum with links to many other ways to use Kokum
Red Chillies - Sol Kadi/Konkani style Kokum Kadi
Manasi's Kulith Pithla
Deesha's Kokum Tambli

Hope you are all ready for a fun New Year's Eve tomorrow. Don't forget to have one or more of these lucky foods on Jan 1st so that you can a good (read lucky) start to 2011.

[Update] - Sending this bowl of piping hot dal to Priya's MLLA 30 event, originally started by Susan of "The Well Seasoned Cook".

until next time,
Siri

My Life, in the Year 2010 (Part 2)

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Here is the Part 1 of the 2010 (January to May)  year-end wrap up.

June

"Belief in karma ought to make the life pure, strong, serene, and glad. Only our own deeds can hinder us; only our own will can fetter us. Once let men recognize this truth, and the hour of their liberation has struck. Nature cannot enslave the soul that by wisdom has gained power and uses both in love."
 ~ Annie Besant

Some experiences have the power to bring a drastic change in the overall perspective of one's lives. My service at Karma Kitchen DC was one such sort. In a nutshell, adhering to its motto, "Growing in Generosity", the concept of KK is quite fascinating to me. In their own words -

"Imagine a restaurant where there are no prices on the menu and where the check reads $0.00 with only this footnote: "Your meal was a gift from someone who came before you. To keep the chain of gifts alive, we invite you to pay it forward for those dine after you."...

I owe all this to my dear blogger friend - Sala of Veggie Belly. It all started as a mere bloggers meet (before I left DC for good) and during our conversation, she said - "Lets meet up at KK". I immediately jumped at the opportunity and truly truly cherish it forever. There are many days where I wish, I knew about KK a lot earlier and spent many more Sundays like this volunteering there. Sigh!

Anybody can volunteer at Karma Kitchen and they are based in three locations- Berkely, Washington DC and Chicago. All you have to do is fill out this form.

Favorite recipes for the month of June - Orange Pecan Cookies and Paneer Schezwan Rice

July

I am Bay Area baby! Yippee. :-). After some looong, sad, a zillion adieus later, I finally said goodbye to my beloved DC and landed in San Francisco-Bay Area which is (acc to me), very different for east coast. People here are much more casual and informal both in-person & at work, me think. It is also definitely a playpen of many many countercultures.

Our first trip together as soon as I landed (and while the summer lasts) was to the beautiful, picturesque Half Moon Bay. OMG! everything about it is just perfect - the drive, the beach, the fresh fruits and vegetables, the people, the sunshine - everything. and the best part, it is so close to our area. just 12 miles and there we are, at Bay Area's one of the most beautiful places. ..above pic was taken at HMB. :-)

Favorite recipes for the month of July - Makhani Dal, Mashed Amaranth and these two raitas.

August

I have a new priced possession this month - my 8 inch cast iron skillet. I love it soo much. :-). This is how my grandmom(s) used to cook, before the non-stick pans took over the world. there is still some rustic beauty attached to these and one skillet will last for ages. I have know people who get the iron pots & pans as their family inheritance. Read this post, some do's and don't about a cast iron skillet, if you wish to own one.

Favorite recipes for the month of August - Hotel style sambar and Skillet Banana Bread

September

Fall or Autumn is almost here and this which skies turn gray, leaves start to fall, people wake up late & mostly stay in-doors.

..one of the famous German poets - Rainer Maria Rilke, aptly describe 'FALL' in his famous poem - Herbsttag which translates to "Autumn Day"

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

this mood doesn't last long for me atleast, as I celebrate my birthday at the end of the month. Yey :-)

Favorite recipes for the month of September - Minty Peas Soup and Ma Choleyan Di Dal

October

No matter when you visit, Yosemite Valley has always something offer - to everybody, from hiking to camping to beautiful water falls.. Its grand majestic and breath taking views are to die for. But, the best time to visit here is definitely the springtime, that is when (as we came to know a tad bit late into our trip) the roaring waterfalls welcome you, coming from the snow melting on the High Sierra.

If you happen to be in or around Bay Area, I highly recommend to add a trip to Yosemite in your travel plans. Hey even Oprah & her best friend Gayle couldn't stop themselves from admiring this beautiful place.

Favorite recipes for the month of October - Wheat-free Chocolate chip cookies and Dahi Vada (Perugu Garelu)

November

photo taken by one my colleagues at work. (the Diwali and Halloween party)

It is November already and that means a holiday mood has started to set in in-and-around-me. The skies are getting darker by 4-5pm every day and the holiday gift season began, for me with that extra hour of sleep, thanks to the daylight savings ;-).

To celebrate the occasion of both Diwali & Halloween, we had a lovely party at work where there was lots of singing, dancing, loads of games and yummy potluck food.

..there could be no better way to set a good moods for the upcoming holiday season.

Favorite recipes for the month of November - Perfectly Baked Brown Rice and Eggless Blueberry Coffee Cake

December

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home! 

~ Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836

My little blog has got a new name and a new avatar this month. After blogging in the name of "Siri's Corner" for 3 long years, I have got a new name and a new .com domain, finally!. From now on, it is - "Cooking with Siri". :-). (www.cookingwithsiri.com)

It is holiday time - so my kitchen is brimming with loads of cakes and cookies, with friends coming in, with gifts pouring in,  - it is definitely the best time of the year!!!!!.

Favorite recipes for the month of December -  Barley Lentil Chunky Soup and  Brown Rice Bisibelebath

..it is hard to believe 2010 is almost over and am glad I survived it & as I say year after year  -

Another fresh year is here..
Another year to live..

To banish worry, doubt and fear..
To love, laugh and give.
This bright new year is given me

To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree, And sing more joyful songs!

~ Original quote by William Arthur Ward

Image Credit 

I know, I am a week early. but -

Wishing everybody a belated Christmas and a very very Happy and Prosperous 2011. Hope all your wishes come true in this coming year. :-)

Sending this Part 2 of my 2010 wrap up to Valli's Best of Year 2010 event.

until next time,
Siri

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Thank you and Happy Holidays!
Siri