Category: Vegetarian Entrees

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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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CALAMARATA PASTA in a RED PESTO SAUCE

On a recent evening when I was flummoxed with the age old question of ‘what to cook for dinner’ , I chanced upon this recipe from BON APPETIT for spaghetti in a Red pesto sauce. It looked like a quick, simple make but they had used anchovies, which I don’t like. So I needed something salty and earthy, with a similar flavor pattern as a substitute and decided to use Miso instead. I recently discovered this versatile condiment and have been using it off and on in my savory dishes that need a nutty and salty flavor. Miso paste makes a great soup , of course, but is versatile enough to be used in dips, vinaigrettes, hummus or a pesto. It’s Umami flavor works well with savory dishes.

The pasta I used was Caramalata, which looks very much like squid rings and is traditionally made with squid as they are more or less the same shape and size. I picked it up at Eataly but is easily available elsewhere too. You could use any wide, tube shaped pasta, such as rigatoni or ziti because the thickness of the sauce works well, getting into those crevices of tube pastas.

Here I share with you my version of the Red Pesto Sauce.

Ingredients

1 lb calamarata , ziti or rigatoni pasta

1/2 cup walnuts

4 garlic pods

1/2 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon crushed chilli flakes

2 Fresno chillies, seeds removed

*1 tablespoon Miso paste

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1/2 cup grated Parmesan and some for garnish

1/4 stick butter, chopped up

Salt as Needed

Preparation

In a pan, take the oil, add garlic and walnuts and sauté on a low flame till they turn a light brown color. Now add the tomato paste, chilli flakes, Fresno chillies and the miso paste and sauté for a couple minutes more till the pastes are nicely mixed up in the oil. Cool for a bit and transfer into a food processor, add lemon juice and Parmesan cheese and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pulse till it is a smooth mixture.

In a pot boil salt and water for the pasta. Prepare as per instructions on the bag. Drain pasta. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta liquid.

In a serving bowl, place the butter at the bottom, now add the pasta, pesto sauce and reserved liquid and toss gently.

Divide the pasta in bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Serve hot.

Wine Suggestion

This dish pairs well with a Chianti or Super Tuscan, lending its bold taste to the earthy and spicy flavors of the Sangiovese grapes.

*Miso paste is available in Asian stores and keeps well in the refrigerator for a long time.

HAPPY COOKING!

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Butter and spice and everything nice

Greetings from sunny Florida once again! There is something to be said about being around good weather, it makes you a nicer human being.  Really, I feel mentally upbeat, I have been working out and eating healthy. All of this positivity brings my thoughts to the matter of making a lifestyle change and settling into a regimen that is sustainable for me.  Easier said than done because I haven’t found one yet, so instead I get to wax eloquent on the subject in my blog today. Authorship has it’s privileges.

There  are quite a few diets making the rounds , right from utter starvation (fasting diet) to intermittent eating ( 8/16 formula) to the Keto diet( no sugar or carbs). I personally have not been able to stick to any of these but have friends, bravehearts actually, who are doing a bang up job on them. Only time will tell if these can be sustained but for now, boy do they look like a million bucks. There are studies out there extolling the virtues of one as opposed to the dangers of others, but at the end of the day if any of these diets can be used as an initial weight loss tool on the path to maintain a better body/ weight/ fat index, I say so be it.

The Keto diet according to me is one of the more fun diets to be on as you are allowed all the meat and fats in the world. That brings me to the world famous Indian chicken dish Butter Chicken, which is loved by kids and adults all over and is tailor made for Ketonians. It’s origins can be traced to a restaurant in Delhi  called Moti Mahal and was the brainchild of the three owners who came up with the recipe. Folklore goes that they wanted to do something with all the tandoori chicken that they would have left over every night and needed to put it to good use. So they basically took the left over chicken mixed it up in a rich tomato gravy , rich in butter and cream.  Their version of the hundreds of recipes that sprung out of a need to use left over turkey after Thanksgiving.

I  have come up with my own easy, breezy version of that dish which I kid you not, touches the soul. It’s a hit with all my guests and so I share it with you today(It comes with a vegetarian / vegan option too).

Butter Chicken / Paneer/ Tofu

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (whole not cubed)

Or 1 lb paneer ( cottage cheese) or extra firm tofu

1 tbsp garlic and red chili paste ( use 3 dry red chilies soaked for an hour in warm water and then grind with the garlic)

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 stick Butter

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

2 tsp dry fenugreek leaves ( kasuri methi)

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 28oz can San Marzano crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp honey

1/2 cup whipping cream

#salt as needed

Marinate the chicken for about 4 hours in the garlic- red chili paste, lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil , turmeric and salt. Pre- heat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for about 40 minutes or till chicken is cooked but still moist. Cool on a rack and cut up into 2″ pieces. Set aside. If using paneer or tofu use pre- cubed and the baking time would be about 15 minutes.

In a heavy bottom pan on medium flame take the butter and  2 tbsp olive oil, when heated add the fenugreek leaves crushing it with your fingers as you drop it in. Sauté for a minute on a low flame, now add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes.  Next put in the red chili  and coriander powder, cook for a couple minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes  and salt and let it come to a boil. Next add the chicken/ paneer/ tofu and gently stir.  Now put in the honey and after a few minutes add the cream ( save a tbsp for the garnish). Let the cream just about warm up and then take the pan off the  stove.

Just before serving garnish with a spoon of cream and chopped coriander leaves.

Serving Suggestions:

1. With Naan or Rotis

2. On al dente Penne Pasta or Fettuccine

3. As a Tapas in a small earthen dish with dipping bread on the side.

Wine Pairing: I think this dish would go great with your favorite Zin. I love the 7 Deadly Zins from Trader Joe’s .

Notes:

1.For Vegan substitute tofu instead of chicken and use full fat coconut milk instead of cream.

2. Paneer is available at all Indian stores and Costco. Tofu and coconut milk can be bought at ant local grocery store.

Happy Cooking !!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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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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!