Kaakdi Koshimbir - Cucumber salad

 Kakdi Koshimbir

One of my favorite ways to eat cucumber. 

Ingredients :

Cucumber (Grated)  - 2 

Green Chillies - 2 ( or 1 jalapeño to substitute)

Peanut powder or crushed peanuts - 1 or 2 tablespoon

Salt to taste 

Sugar to taste

Oil  - 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds, turmeric (1/2 teaspoon)

Cilantro - finely chopped

Yogurt to garnish

Procedure:

Grate the Cucumbers.
Squeeze the water out.
(Side note: You may drink this cucumber water separately, may be with crushed pepper, makes excellent summer drink)

Tempering:
Heat oil on medium high in a small pan.
Test a few mustard seeds to see if they splutter. That is a good sign to put the rest of the seeds in.

Add Green chillies and sautee them for a minute. Add the turmeric.

Turn off the burner. 

Add the cucumber, salt, sugar, and stir in the peanut powder.

Allow to cool. Add in finely chopped cilantro.

Serve with yogurt.

Kande Pohe

Staple dish at a Maharashtrian household. Breakfast or evening snack. Enjoy it with a cutting chai. One of my good friends loves making this dish and here is the recipe in her own words. Thank you Akanksha :)

Ingredients: Jaad pohe, hirvi mirchi, cilantro, onion, mohri, jeere, hing, halad, lemon, salt, sugar.

Optional- Kadipatta (not really optional but we don’t usually have it), peanuts, potato, any other vegetables, grated coconut, sev or farsaan.

Deep and swad are tried and tested brand. Don’t buy dagdi pohe. Just regular jaad pohe.

Pohe recipe:

1. Most important step; how you soak pohe. I put pohe in a colander, let warm water run through it until they are mushy and then keep aside.

2. In a kadai, give tadka of jeere, mohri, hing, kadipatta. Add peanuts, and if raw, let them cook. Next add hirvi mirchi and onion. Sauté. Mag add any other vegetables. I usually add potato (that has been microwaved for 2 mins) and carrots. Peas are a Maharashtrian fav but I don’t like them as they are a little sweet. Add cilantro. Let the onions turn brownish and the other vegetables cook a bit.

3. Lower the flame. Check on the pohe and if they appear too dry, give them a splash of little water. If they are ok, add to the kadai. Mix all the ingredients. Add halad, salt and a little sugar. Mix everything well. If you like it a little spicy, add red chili powder.

4. Garnish with cilantro, sev/farsan, grated coconut, and squeezed lime juice.

5. Pohe goes best with a cup of chaha 

Soul Food - Cream-of-mushroom soup Rice

Rob made this the other day, utilizing can of mushroom soup from the pantry, making space for newer items. The idea was to make a chicken-rice-parmesan cheese casserole (in the oven) and it ended up being even more delicious one-pan-meal (on the stove-top). He usually wings his recipes, so I had to dig in to know how he cooked it, and document it in the blog so it serves the memory. 

Here it goes -

Ingredients:

Cream of Mushroom Soup - 1 can (Campbell brand was used)

Rice (washed and drained) 1 cup 

Onions, Mushrooms, Garlic, Spinach - As per taste

Paprika, Pepper, Salt, Olive oil

Chicken thighs - 2 thighs cut into bite sized pieces

Method:

Heat Olive oil in the pan. Add garlic, onions, chicken thighs for a pan sear 2-3 minutes. Fold in the rice, spices and spinach. Add the can of mushroom soup and some water. Add in the salt and spinach.

Let the rice cook, keep stirring. Adjust with water if the liquid is not enough.

Once the rice cooks, the bottom layer forms a sear-crust. I love eating that part. If you don't like it, keep stirring so the rice doesn't stick to the pan. Once the grains of rice look cooked, turn the heat off. Cover and let it sit for few minutes.

You don't have to yell out to kids and rest of the family to come eat. The aroma of the rice has reached their rooms, and they will slither out of there, joining you at the dinner table for this soul-warming treat. Family will return for seconds and thirds. Thank you Rob!

He wanted to make a casserole, but controlling the flavors and varying cook times for chicken and rice talked him out of it. 

May be, you can finish it in the oven, by spreading some parmesan cheese over the rice and baking for a few minutes, until the cheese browns. We may also try it with the can of French onion soup we have in our pantry. Possibilities are endless, but creative juices rarely flow, when they do, I'll be sure to tap them. 

Matar-Mushroom Sabji

One of my favorites, it is the easiest sabji to make with least amount of prep work. Recently came across another soul who was as much in love with it, as myself. Jotting down the steps, for filing it in my blog bible.

Ingredients:

Mushrooms: 2-3 cups, stems included.

Peas: 1-2 cups. Frozen. I usually thaw it in hot water for 5 minutes.

1 Onion or scallions (Optional)

1 Tomato or (Maggie Hot n Sweet tomato sauce)

Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon 

Kasoori Methi - 1 spoon (Optional)

Masala: Pav bhaji masala or Kitchen King masala, desired spice levels. 

Oil, Salt as needed. 

Dahi or sour cream (Optional while serving)

Method:

Heat Oil, add kasoori methi and onion. Sautee onions (A lot) until they become translucent.

Add Tomatoes and sautee some more. (skip this step, if you plan to use Maggie hot n sweet sauce)

Then add peas, let them cook for 4-5 minutes until you start seeing wrinkles on them. Then put in the mushrooms, let them steam for 2 minutes. They cook a lot faster than peas.

Add the salt, Masala of choice and the maggie sauce.  

Cover with a lid to let the steam marinate all of it together. The heat is on medium. It is a good idea to leave the heat on medium, or low, so it doesn't burn the masala which gives the sabji a burnt food taste. 

Turn it off and let it sit. If you made it spicy, add lemon squeeze for the lip smack. 

I fold in the sourcream or dahi while serving, gives it a fuller body. Delicious with phulkas or rotis. 

Chai ho jaaye!

Chai or Indian tea is the caffeine that runs in the desi bloodline. Whether early am, or afternoon siesta or just any'o'clock - there is always time for chai.

Holding the cup of chai is calming and gives you the peace of mind, that everything will be okay. As the hot sip of chai makes it way from your mouth to the stomach, creating a warming sensation while passing through the heart. Friends relax over making of chai, it is the comforting element that anchors you to the present moment.

Chai with Khari and Marie

Making of Chai is an art to be perfected. The chai-wallahs that offer a cutting chai in small glass cups got it covered. Some women got it under control, and one of the very few guys - like Jatin got it down to a recipe that never fails.

The color of chai determines everything - too dark and you have tanine taste, too light and it leaves a creamy taste in your mouth, just the right kind of brownish-maroonish-whitish goodness and you have yourself a treat from heaven.

I visited one of my close friends in Canada after almost 8 years of her marriage. Her husband made me the first cup of chai, which was very good. The next day, I expected average tasting cup, and he surprised me again, with the same intact taste. It was hard not to notice how the chai tasted good, no matter what time of day he made it. Every single cup was perfect, like a science experiment, he would bring the same taste, color, quality - I sipped it enough to leave the taste in my mouth like no other chai. I knew what was the secret of my friend's marriage - a solid cup of chai , two times a day!

Fast forward to 4 years ahead. I was working on my yoga certification project and I wanted to make Chai, real Chai for my class. (none of that chai-latte crap they make, and earn $$ with). 

Of course I sent a hurried text to Jigna and Jatin who came to my rescue. I am attaching the text exchange we had along with blogging the recipe. I was not able to make the Chai for my project (ended up making misal-pav instead, Nov 2019 bog) but nevertheless, the effort led to getting the perfect chai recipe, from the duo, eventually making it to the blog.

Some day, I'll make misal-pav + chai for a wonderful evening reminiscing memories of Bombay and good friends.

Ingredients :

Milk                       1 cup (whole milk preferred)

Water                     1 cup

Sugar                     3-4 teaspoons (Per taste)

Black Pepper         2-3 corns

Cardamom             2-3 count

Ginger                   Grated or smashed

TEA Powder          2 teaspoon (Wagh Bakri Chai powder)

Mint Leaves           2-3 (Optional)

Chai ka bartan      The pot that you make chai in.

Tea strainer           metal or plastic is fine

Chai masala       1 teaspoon (use this instead of above spices, if in a hurry, MDH chai masala reco.)

Procedure:

Add all the ingredients in blue (above) in the pot and let it come to a boil.
When it boils thoroughly, add milk and boil again, for 7-8 more minutes.
Once you see the bubbles rise and change in color to dark-brown, chai is ready.
Turn off the gas and use the strainer to pour the tea into your favorite cups. Enjoy it when it is super-hot with cookies and snacks.

Pictures for soothing your eyes:





I'll admit I am not a avid chai-drinker, because of two reasons, one - I don't make it perfect all the time and two - "I" don't want to make it all the time. Blessed with husband who makes coffee instead, the snob in me wants chai, but the lazy in me settles for coffee. If I have to make two cups of chai, this is the recipe I'd recommend.
Do not fall for the chai-latte crap (real chai does not have Cinnamon, no offense to cinnamon, but no, you do not add cinnamon to chai, the judgmental b*tch in me will never forgive you).

Back to sipping chai, hope you enjoy the chai ka chuska with your favorite people around!

Jigna and Jatin enjoying their cuppa of chai on their back-porch, Ontario, Canada

Having Chai with close friends - Circa Jan 2016, Gorai, Bombai, India

THANK YOU JIGNA AND JATIN FOR THE LOVELY RECIPE.

Biryani - Greean Beans and Chicken Thighs

#QuarantineCooking
One of the recipes we made and liked during the lockdown.

Marinate the chicken thighs with Shaan Tandoori Masala and Garlic Salt, for 5-6 hours.
Sautee Onion/ fresh Green beans/ nuts separately.
Sautee the Chicken Thighs and keep separately.
Make a whole-spice mix in cotton cloth (Coriander Seeds, Elaichi, Peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, fenugreek seeds).
Heat some ghee, add badishep (fennel seeds), potatoes and add the spice-mix cloth and some water. After the potatoes are half-way cooked, add in Basmati Rice and hot water. Let it come to a boil.
Remove the spice-mix cloth.
Add in the chicken thighs at the bottom of the rice-potatoes mixture.
After the rice grains look cooked, spread the green-beans/onion/nuts mixture on the top.
Take it off the heat and let it sit for 15 min and let the flavors marry.

Serve it with Raita or just cool cucumbers.

Beans Pizza

#QuarantineCooking

Pizza Base: Readymade dough from Publix, leave it to rise on the counter for 6 hours.

Flatten it when ready to prepare.

Toppings:
Colored Bell 

Peppers 2 cups,
Onion (Half),
Black beans 1 can drained,
Any cheese grated 2 cups,
Paprika/ Salt/ Garlic powder for seasoning,
Green Salsa (for dipping)

Method:

Heat Oil, saute onions on high, constantly stirring. (Do not move away from the stove, else it will burn)

Add peppers, paprika, salt. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the beans, little more salt, turn off the heat.

Let it cool for 15-20 min.

Pre-heat the oven at 425 degree F. 

Spread the above mixture on flattened pizza dough. Spread the cheese.

Bake it for 20-25 min, check for browning.

Cool it, cut it, dip it in salsa. It is gone before you know it.