Author: saltasne

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MASHED POTATO FRIED DUMPLINGS WITH A SPICY PESTO SAUCE

One of Thanksgiving’s staple sides is the omnipresent mashed potatoes. We make ours with red potatoes with a healthy dose of roasted garlic and heavy cream. It works well with our main dish, the Cornish Hen Murg Mussallam (recipe on saltasneeded.com), adding a nice backdrop to the spicy Lamb mince stuffing in it.

But one of the side effects of an elaborate holiday dinner are leftovers , and finding different ways to serve them . Today I share with you my recipe of a lunch I served using leftover mashed potatoes over the weekend, to a family that insisted I share it with my readers.

These fried dumplings are a common street food found in the western part of India and are called BATATA VADAS. They are usually served as a sandwich in a soft dinner roll like bread called Pav, with a generous spread of a spicy red garlic chutney.

The Spicy Pesto is very versatile and can be served as a dip or spread and stores well in an air tight container, in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Ingredients

DUMPLINGS

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes ( makes 16-18 Dumplings)

2 Serrano peppers finely chopped

10 Curry leaves

Juice of 1/2 lemon.

Oil for Frying

Salt as needed

FRYING BATTER

1 cup Chickpea flour (Besan)

1/4 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Paprika

Salt as needed

Mix all ingredients for the dumplings . Take small portions and shape them into balls and keep aside.

Add enough water to the Batter ingredients to make a semi-thick paste. It should be thick enough so it coats the potato balls well.

Heat the oil on high till smoking. Dip the potato balls individually in the batter and gently drop them into the oil. Reduce heat to medium and fry stirring gently, till they turn a golden brown color. Drain on paper towel.

PESTO SAUCE

1 cup chopped Cilantro

4 Serrano Peppers

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

4 pods garlic

1/4 cup Extra Virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Blend the first 4 ingredients in a food processor while slowly pouring in the EVOO. Taste before adding salt. Store in an air tight container.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

As an appetizer on its own with a little chili oil drizzle and the pesto as a dipping sauce.

Cut open a dinner roll, spread some of the pesto on both sides and place a dumpling in between and serve as a sandwich.

HAPPY COOKING!

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SEYAL BREAD – A Sindhi Breakfast for Election Night Dinner

SEYAL BREAD – Bread in an onion and tomato gravy

Come election night, no matter who we voted for, we are all going to need some strong sustenance to get through it. The first dish that came to mind when I conjured something warm, spicy, sour and comforting was a childhood favorite, SEYAL DABROTI (bread). I promise this dish will satisfy your insides and help get through the long night.

I am part Sindhi and part South Indian so growing up our kitchens emanated heavenly smells from both parts of the country. SEYAL in the Sindhi language refers to the browned onion and tomato mix that forms the base for this almost chili consistency dish. As in most traditional dishes, every family has their version of it. It can be red in color from the browned onions or green when prepared in a coriander paste.

Over the years, this dish has evolved into a Red/Green combination. My family loves it as a Sunday Brunch and is definitely on our list of comfort foods. My feeling is this dish was invented out of a need to use bread that had gone hard. All of us hate to throw bread away when its a little stale and really cannot be used in a sandwich. The gravy or SEYAL that is the base for this dish is an extremely versatile one and you could pretty much add any type of bread or fish and it would blend beautifully.

I have used 2 day old baguette that had gone hard so I broke it up into rough pieces before adding it to the gravy. You could even use old Rotis or naans if you would rather avoid bread. And just an FYI, stale bread absorbs liquids better. Here I share with you my version of a Sindhi staple.

Ingredients

6-7 slices of stale bread (white or brown) or a 1/2 baguette cut into 1” cubes or Rotis shredded up.

3 tbsp oil

1 bay Leaf

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1tsp Red chili powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsps Coriander powder

14 oz can Crushed Tomatoes

Toppings

1/2 tsp Chaat Masala

Crushed potato chips or Sev ( Crunchy noodles made from chick pea flour)

Chopped cilantro

Salt as Needed

Green paste

1/4 cup Cilantro

1 Serrano pepper

1 clove garlic

3-4 Mint leaves

Blend all green paste ingredients and keep aside.

Heat oil in a sauté pan over a medium flame, add the bay leaf and the onions, cook till they turn a light brown. Now add the green paste and cook, stirring continuously till the oil starts leaving the sides. Add the turmeric, chili and coriander powders and sauté for another few minutes. Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes and add salt, 1 cup water and let it come to a boil.

Add the bread just before serving , mix well and cook for a few minutes.

Serve in individual soup plates and garnish with the Chaat masala, cilantro and the Sev.

I served it with beer but a hot cup of tea or a cocktail would go great too.

Like I said, use old rotis or naans instead of bread, if you wish.

Happy Cooking!

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Mango and Persian Cucumber salad in a Lemon Jalapeno Dressing

This is a great dish to make at home but also when you have to take something for a potluck. I use firm, almost green Kent mangoes which stay firm even after being cut up.

Salad:

3 Firm Mangoes, peeled and thinly sliced

3 Persian cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tomato , seeded and sliced

Handful pumpkin seeds

1/d Red onion, sliced (optional)

Dressing:

2 lemons juiced

2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped

salt as needed (sea salt)

Combine all the ingredients for the salad and keep aside. Now whisk together all the dressing ingredients, pour on the salad and toss lightly.

Serving Suggestions:

  1. As a salad.
  2. As a side to grilled chicken or steak.
  3. As a topping on cracker or toasted bread.

Happy Cooking!

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To Bodega, To Bodega to buy a fat………

This past Father’s Day , with the kids away, L&M wanted to spend it as per his choice. So we started the day watching an ICC World Cup cricket match. Then a moderately strenuous ( Bull S***) hike in the Mt Diablo State Park, which actually is amazing. The views are just breathtaking. If any of you are in the area (Danville, CA) please do visit. We rounded that off with a Burrito Supreme at the local Taco Bell , priceless !

What we did that evening for dinner is something I highly recommend to all you novelty seeking, fabulous cooks and foodies. So we met up with a friend who lives in the Mission District in SF and walked over to the local bodega. Did not have a menu or a shopping list so made it up as we walked through the produce aisles. The plan was to buy fresh groceries and come back to his kitchen and cook together. Picked up some assorted greens, peppers, jicama, mango, poblanos and cilantro. And of course fresh tortillas. This particular bodega did not carry fresh fish or meat so we improvised. Next door was Rosamunde , a restaurant / deli that serves and sells the most delectable, juicy , fat sausages. Everything from duck, rabbit, lamb, pork… you name it. We picked up some Merguez (lamb with Moroccan spices), duck, rabbit and the hot Italian. Again , highly recommended.

Rosamunde’s
Rosamunde
Sausage Galore

Once back the first thing we did was pour ourselves a drink (wine and scotch) and started cooking together. The kitchen was very well appointed with every gadget and cooking tool a cook could imagine, so off we went.

The menu developed organically ; with such fresh produce and meat definitely did not want to do many spices. To start, a fresh salad with greens, jicama, oranges (from his tree), avocados (also from his tree), peppers and onions drizzled with a dressing made from reduced balsamic vinegar , chaat masala ( mixed spice available in Indian stores), EVOO, Pepper and of course, salt as needed. Next, a mango salad made with thinly sliced mangoes, red onion, jalapeños ,cilantro, lime juice and a pinch of sugar. Additionally, I sautéed some onions, poblano peppers (de-seeded) and tomatoes for a couple minutes as another side, served warm. Then in a heavy bottomed pan we sautéed the sausages till brown and kept them warm on the side. To finish off, I prepared the tortillas like a Baida (egg) Roti. It’s simple- beat a couple eggs with salt and pepper. In a pan, a little oil, then the tortilla, pour a couple tbsps of the egg, place another tortilla on top and cook both sides. Sprinkle mango powder and chopped cilantro.

A quick chimicurri recipe – 1 cup parsley, 1/2 cup EVOO, 2 pods garlic, 1 jalapeño, salt as needed , all blended together.

Viola the table was set ; Green salad, mango salad, sautéed onions and peppers, chimichuri sauce (homemade), sausages eaten street taco style with the Baida Rotis.

An Impromptu Meal

Wine Pairing: A Bordeaux goes excellent with the dense sausages, bringing out all the flavors while cutting through the fat. We had the 2016 Chateau Le Doyenne, cotes de Bordeaux. 90 points on Wine Enthusiast, rich, dark and full of fruit finishes with a hint of chocolate. Mid-priced, excellent buy.

Would love to know when you try it out!

Happy Cooking!

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Comfort in Food

So this past week the L&M had been down with a viral bug, aka, don’t know what’s going on. Cough, cold, fever, the works. The dutiful wife , aka me, has been at it, slogging it out in the kitchen, trying to please with delectable soups and stews. Must say I am very kicked by how good I am at said job. L&M is definitely on the mend, thanks for asking. Yesterday my clues to ‘ What’s for Dinner ‘ were something semi-mushy, meat based and tasty and specifically, NO SOUP! I set my cooking brain to work and came up with a combination of Turkey mince and rice and called it… drumroll please …..Kheema (mince meat) Rice!!. What ? Not fancy enough. Sorry I can either cook a mean meal or come up with fancy names, not both.

The L&M loved it, said it hit the spot so here I am sharing the recipe with you. Simple , comforting food. Even though cooked rice and mince meat are both soft , the difference in texture makes it a very interesting composition. The south has their Nawlins dirty rice which is very similar and this is my version of it.

I have also included a Veggie and a Keto option for you, my friends.

Kheema ( mince) Rice

1 lb Turkey or any mince of your choice (sitting in water)

1 cup rice soaked

1 large onion chopped fine

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp grated ginger

1 cup plain yogurt

3 tbsp oil

2 bay leaves

4 cloves

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tbsp amchoor ( dry mango) powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp Garam masala

Chopped cilantro

Salt as needed

In a non-stick Dutch oven take oil, add the bay leaves and cloves. When they get aromatic, add the onions and 1/2 tsp salt and sauté. When they turn light brown add the ginger and garlic. Continue cooking on a medium flame, stirring continuously.

Drain the meat and add to the onions all the while stirring to make sure no lumps are formed. When brown add the coriander , red chili, amchoor and turmeric powders. Sauté for a few minutes. Drain the rice and add to the pan, saute for a few more minutes, add the yogurt and Garam masala, continuing to sauté for about 5-6 minutes. Now add about 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. On a low flame cover and let the rice cook till it is nice and fluffy and all the water has evaporated.

Sprinkle chopped coriander and serve hot.

TIP – once the rice starts cooking stir using a fork so it doesn’t break.

Cooking options:

For a Veggie option substitute meat with Soy granules – 1 cup dry soy granules to 3/4 cup rice. Follow the recipe above but a couple things ; do not soak the soy, use 1/2 cup yogurt and start with 3/4 cup of water, add more if needed.

Keto option : cook the meat all the way without adding rice. When about 1/2 the liquid is absorbed take off the stove, add 1cup of Riced Cauliflower, mix gently, cover and let stay for 10 minutes.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve hot with a cucumber and yogurt raita or Dahii Wada (lentil dumplings in yogurt) with some papadums on the side.

Use it in a burrito. Line a wrap with lettuce leaves , put in the rice, add a little hot sauce (or not), fold tight and you have a meal in one.

Use left overs to make delicious Arancini. Add an egg, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs to the rice. Shape into balls and fry or bake.

Waiting for your comments.

Happy Cooking!

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Cauliflower crusted Whole Silver Pomfret Fish stuffed with a spicy peanut chutney.

For this recipe I am using Silver pomfret but it works well with Pampano and Butter fish, too. Both of these are delicate fish but with a subtle non-fishy flavor. Ask your fish monger to Scale the fish, cut off the head and clean it from inside after slitting it. These fish don’t lend well to filleting as the pieces get too thin. If you want to fry them just have the fish cleaned and cut up into 1/2” steaks. There are some bones so be careful when eating or feeding kids.

Recipe:

1 large Silver Pomfret, Butterfish or Pampano , cleaned and slit.

4 Large florets cauliflower riced or grated

3 tsp Almond flour

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp oil

Salt as needed

Chutney:

5 -6 Serrano peppers

1/2 cup peanuts (no skin)

Juice of 2 lemons

Salt as needed

Marinate fish in salt , lemon juice and turmeric. keep aside for 30 minutes.

In a pan take a 1 tbsp oil, add the chilies and sauté on a low flame till nicely seared on all sides. take out and let cool. In the same pan, take the peanuts and roast till light brown. After the chilies and peanuts have cooled put them in a food processor with lemon juice and salt And grind to a slightly rough and thick consistency.

Put the fish in a lined or nicely oiled baking pan, leaving all the juices from the marination behind. Stuff the inside with the chutney spreading it nicely inside the slit.

Mix together the oil, riced cauliflower and flour with some salt and pat on to the fish for the crust. Do it only on one side.

Bake for 35 minutes at 375. Take out , let cool and serve whole or sliced.

Serving Suggestion:

With Roti or naan.

On a salad as your protein.

Happy Cooking! And keep the comments coming.

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From Katra, with love.

Hi friends, writing from sunny Florida.  The holiday season has begun and with it comes dressing up, meeting up and of course , eating up ! A celebration I participated in last week was one where women fast all day- sunrise to sunset-  praying for the long life of their respective husbands. It usually falls around the middle to end of October, depending on the position of the moon (fourth day of the waning moon).

I see that look of disbelief…. whaaaa, really? But you have to understand that a lot of these religious beliefs came out of a need for social connections between women. It wasn’t easy for them to just step out of their homes and visit one another on a whim. Thus came about  these social gatherings , in a safe place, away from prying eyes, cloaked under religious reasons.  Nothing like a few gossip sessions in lieu of therapy.

Now there are parties that start days before the actual day of fasting so women can meet and make merry leading up to it.  Got to roll with the times!!

So at said Pre – KC ( Karva Chauth) party, as it is called, I brought a dish to share with my girl friends. To my surprise it was such a big hit that I promised to share the recipe on my blog. This is a dish I first ate when I visited the Mata Vaishno Devi  Temple  located at a height of 5300 feet about 12 Kms from Katra in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.  Not to be glib, but truly, this trip was fulfilling spiritually as well as gastronomically.  I had a Potato curry that is served in all the roadside dhabbas ( restaurants) in the town of Katra, which is at the base of the hills, from where you start your trek up to the shrine.  A typical meal is  alu sabzi ( potato curry), choley (garbanzo bean stew), hot puris ( deep fried bread) served with a side of yogurt and mango pickle.

A hearty meal before and after you have made the long trek on foot which takes  about 5-6 hours each way. I have tried to deconstruct this potato curry and share it with you today. Please let me know if you liked it. Feedback is so important.

Potato Curry a la Katra

1 lb potatoes boiled and peeled

1  28 oz can tomato purée

3 jalapeños deseeded and chopped

3″ pc ginger chopped

3 tbs oil

1 tbsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)

pinch of asafetida ( hing)

10-12 curry leaves ( kadipatta)

1 tbsp fennel seeds, roasted and powdered ( saunf)

1 tsp turmeric (haldi)

1 tbsp red chili powder

2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves ( kasuri methi)

2 tbsp coarsely ground coriander powder

4 dry red chilies

chopped coriander leaves

#Salt as needed

In a large Dutch oven take oil and start the tempering process by adding the cumin  and fenugreek seeds, then the jalapeños and ginger, sauté for a couple minutes and now add the curry leaves and the asafetida.  Next put in the turmeric, red chili, fennel and  coriander powder. Sauté on a low flame making sure it doesn’t burn. Add a half cup water and let it come to a boil. Now add the tomato purée and let it cook for a few minutes.  Drop the dry red chilies in. When this mixture comes to a nice boil start adding the potatoes by crushing them with your fingers, one at a time, directly into the pot. Add salt as per your taste.  Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if needed keeping the consistency semi- thick.  Take off the flame and add the dried fenugreek leaves by crushing them with your fingers. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serving suggestions:

1. With hot puris , Rotis or naans.

2. As a topping on hot kachoris ( see note) garnished with sweet tamarind and mint chutney and chopped onions.

3. As a hot dip served with  baguette slices or bagel chips.

Notes: Kachoris are available fresh in all Indian stores but I always have a box of #Haldirams Frozen Kachoris in my freezer.

The sweet tamarind and the mint chutneys are also easily available in the Indian stores. (#Patel Brothers)

Ready to eat choley is available at # Trader Joe’s and Indian stores (# Patel brothers) n

Happy Cooking! Continue reading “From Katra, with love.”

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Fish and Foremost

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.  I would love to a go a step further and add ; Teach him how to cook it and the whole family eats well. This is an old Chinese proverb where men and women shared all kinds of household chores, so let us not get into the gender bias argument.  But seriously, so few people actually like fish that something needs to be done about it.  The kids, in particular, complain about the fishy smell and will not eat it unless its double dipped in flour and eggs and deep fried making the whole idea of eating the healthy option such a wasted exercise.  The Prodigal Kids (mine, for the uninitiated) love sushi, so go figure.

Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which is essential for development of the brain and eyes. Research shows that making fish a part of your regular diet, has been helpful for patients with diabetes, asthama and also cognitive dysfunction . The caveat being to mostly eat  wild caught as opposed to farmed fish. Rainbow trout, squid, salmon, walleye are some tasty and easily available wild caught fish. But as in anything in life everything should be done in a balanced way rather than take one thing and run with it. I get catfish and black pampano sometimes because they both take to Indian spices really well.

I make it a couple different ways: baked or curry.  In India some of the best fish preparations come from the coastal areas, be it the Macher Jhol from the east, the Meen Kuzhambhu from the south or my personal favorite  the Malwani masala fish from the west coast that is spicy and flavorful but bakes well and the masala translates well to the curry form , too. You could definitely shallow fry it too. Today I share with you a recipe for the masala, which stores well in an air tight container and the dish itself.

Malwani masala

5 tsp coriander seeds

2 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

7-8 dried red chillies

1 small star anise

1 inch pc cinnamon

2 tsp black peppercorns

5 cloves

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp mace

2 tsp dry dessicated coconut (optional)

Dry roast all the ingredients on a low flame till light brown. Cool off and then grind, store well.

Baked fish

1 lb fish (  salmon, black pampano or trout) or any fish you prefer.

1 tsp garlic and jalapeno and  paste (5 garlic pods and 2 jalapenos)

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp tamarind paste (bottled works well)

2 tsp malwani masala

2 tbsp oil

salt as needed

Wash fish well and pat dry. In a bowl mix all the other ingredients well and apply to the fish using your hands so it spreads nicely. Marinate in the refrigerator for about an hour. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, lay the fish out on a pan covered in foil and use a light cooking spray. bake for 20-25 minutes(depending on the fish).

Serving suggestions;

  1. With Dal and Roti with a side of an onion and tomato kachumber (salad)
  2. With Dal and Rice with a side of sliced onion and cucumber tossed in vinegar, sugar and salt.
  3. With  Gnocchi tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper.

Wine Suggestions;

A good rose will go well or a Gruner Veltliner which is an Austrian white that compares well with any good chardonnay.

Side bar:

This masala can used to make a curry using fish, shrimp, chicken or dried peas (soaked over night).

Basic  Malwani  Curry

3 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp ustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 onion chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 tsp malwani masala

1 tbsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chilli powder

5-6 curry leaves (important but optional)

2 tsp tamarind paste (4 chopped tomatoes for chicken)

salt as needed

Add mustard and cumin seeds to 1 tbsp oil, when they sputter add the curry leaves and turmeric. Add  onions and saute till light brown and then add  ginger garlic paste. Add the malwani masala, coriander powder. Saute well, cool and grind to a paste. Take 2 tbsp oil in the same pan and add the ground masala to it , saute. Now add the tamarind paste (or chopped tomatoes ) and salt. Saute well till  oil appears on the sides. Now add your protein and cook. If using dried peas, soak overnite and pressure cook before adding it to your curry.

HAPPY COOKING FROM KAVITA ATUL!

 

 

 

 

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OF LOSSES AND MEMORIES

 

My apologies on being MIA for so long.  A couple of months ago, in the middle of giving thanks for everything my family and I have, we received the shattering news of my mother passing.   I went numb, but the world went on like it always does; the earth kept moving on it’s axis. How was that possible? How dare everything go on like nothing had happened when I had lost one of the most important people in my life?  Loss and the aftermath, stages of dealing with grief, trying to get through these devastating times, that is what the past few months have been about.

One stage is memories; Memories of my Mother, her gorgeous face, her expressions, her kindness to people less fortunate , her words of support no matter how difficult the times were.  All these memories come rushing back and hit me at the strangest of times.  The smell of certain foods, especially, trigger such intense memories it is almost unbearable.  One of the more vivid memories  is of her standing over the stove  preparing a meal along with her sous-chef(maid),  admonishing her on the untidy kitchen one moment  and enquiring about her kids the next.  She was a great cook, even if she kept it simple.  Back then it wasn’t fashionable but I remember our meals still being healthy and nutritional.  She personally went grocery shopping every day and the  menu  only consisted of seasonal foods, something every nutrionist recommends today .  My lunch box (tiffin) that was delivered to school, always had a 3 course meal with a  loving note on top . I miss her so.

One of her signature dishes was a Spinach and Lentil entree called Sai Bhaji. This is a terrific one pot dish that can be served with Indian Bread or a  simple Pilaf.  It originated in Sindh, Pakistan, but my mother who hailed from Southern India took it and made it her own. I share with you this versatile dish from my childhood that I continue to make to this day and is a family favorite in my house too.

SAI BHAJI (SPINACH AND 3 LENTIL DISH)

2 bunches fresh Spinach or 16oz frozen spinach.

1/4 CUP Bengal Gram dal (soaked for an hour)

1/4 cup Split Black gram (soaked for an hour)

1/4 cup split Green gram (soaked for an hour)

2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste

2 green chillies finely chopped

4 tomatoes

1 potato chopped

1 large onion chopped

1 small eggplant chopped

1 carrot chopped

1/2 tsp Turmeric

2 tbsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Dry mango powder

SALT AS NEEDED

Tempering:

2 tbsp oil or ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp asoefitida (hing)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

  1. In a pressure cooker or insta-pot combine all the ingredients other than the ones for tempering, and cook so the lentils are done.
  2. Mash the lentils nicely with a spoon and remove in a serving dish.
  3. In a small pan prepare the tempering by heating the oil, addding the cumin seeds and when they start sizzling take it off the fire and  add the hing and chilli powder. Drizzle this over the Sai Bhaji, sprinkle some chopped cilantro and serve.

A perfect plating of this would be Sai Bhaji, Roti, Jeera Pilaf (Cumin flavored basmati rice), Papad and Boondi or Cucumber Raita (beaten yogurt with grated cucumber or Boondi -available in Indian stores) .

HAPPY COOKING!

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A match made in heaven

After a hectic festivity laden week of gluttony and gastronomy (in that order) my brain feels the need to go easy on my body. Must eat healthy I say to myself, of course still thinking of food as always.  There has been a lot of talk lately of the health benefits of the simple “KHICHDI” the quintessential comfort food , with every region in India having it’s own version of it.  Ayurveda (a system of medicine with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent)  describes khichdi as the perfect food  which resets the body with it’s ability to balance all the forces – air, heat and water- that exist in the human  body.

 

I have a hankering for something sour, spicy , hot and meaty, all in a one pot dish. So I decide to combine my southern roots together with the “Khichda”, a Bohri  Muslim version of the khichdi. Their version uses Barley and Rice and most important chicken or goat meat. Yummm!  What a perfect way to end 5 days of eating vegetarian foods (Diwali) by gorging on some hot non-vegetarian  comfort food . In the south the very popular Bisi Bele Huli Anna that literally means Hot  Dal (legume) Sour Rice, is one form of khichdi, though not the simple  kind that Ayurveda talks about,  delicious nonetheless.  I started with wanting to have a  simple and “sattvic” meal,  but let us save that for another day.  Today I will serve my concoction with a nice piquant Pico de Gallo, bringing  some Latin influence onto the table. Try it at your next party and I guarantee some very satisfied guests.

 

Friends, I present to you my version of a ‘ Perfect Sunday afternoon meal’ with family and friends, on a  cool Fall Day, with suggested accompaniments.

BISI BELE CHICKEN KHICHDA served with a PICO DE GALLO

1 cup any short grained rice

1/2 cup pearl barley

1/2 cup  pigeon peas (tur dal)

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs

6 pods garlic

6 jalapenos

1 tsp grated ginger

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

3 tbsps lemon juice

4 tbsps oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

4 dry red chillies

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp urad dal (split black lentils)

pinch of asafoetida

few curry leaves

1 onion cubed

1 potato cubed

2 tbsps tamarind paste

1 tbsp garam masala (all spice)

SALT AS NEEDED

PICO DE GALLO – Chop onions, tomatoes, cilantro and a jalapeno and mix in lemon juice and Salt as Needed

Wash and soak the rice, barley and dal for 2 hours.

Grind or pound the garlic, ginger, cilantro and jalapenos along with the lemon juice and marinate the chicken in this paste  with 1 tbsp oil for 2 hours in a non-stick pan. Add Salt as Needed.  

Cube the onions and potatoes.

Cook the rice mixture in  a pressure cooker  with turmeric and Salt as Needed for about 2-3 whistles.

Place the pan with the chicken on the stove on a high flame and brown the chicken well on both sides. Cook for a few minutes more till the meat is nice and crisp on the outside and soft but cooked on the inside. Shred with a fork.

In a shallow bottom pan take  3 tbsp oil , keep flame at medium. When the oil is hot add the mustard and when it starts to sputter lower the flame and add cumin seeds, red chillis, curry leaves, turmeric, urad dal and asafoetida.

Now add the onions and saute for a couple minutes.  Next the potatoes and cook till they are soft.  Mix the tamarind paste in a couple tbsps of water and add to the  mix along with garam masala and Salt as Needed. When it comes to a boil add the rice mixture and mix well.  Cook covered on a low flame for 10 minutes. Taste to make sure all tastes are nicely balanced (secret of a good cook).

Serving Suggestion:

In a shallow platter place the rice in the center and cover with the shredded chicken and all the drippings from the pan.  Distribute the pico de gallo all along the side of the platter. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the khichda and serve hot.

HAPPY COOKING FROM KAVITA ATUL!

Wine Suggestions :

This dish has strong spicy flavors with the dal and barley giving it a hearty robust texture and taste. I would serve it with a chilled  Rosé. The rosés of Provence  go very well with tangy bouillabaisse type stews which are hearty  and tangy  which make them a perfect match for our Khichda too. 

Another wine I like with this dish is an Australian Semillon which is a sweet , dry white with not too much acidity, that balances the robust flavors in this dish.

Side Bar:

  1. If you want to make this a vegetarian dish you could use Paneer(cottage cheese) or baby corn instead of chicken.