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!

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!

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.