What do Elephant Yam, Potato and Taro have in common?

They can all be fried, seasoned and enjoyed just like fries! We celebrated National French Fries Day yesterday with our own version of fries. 

Hello Everyone. When I say, Elephant yam, what comes to mind? A yam that's really big, right? It is really big and is sometimes called Elephant foot yam because it looks like an elephant's foot. It is a tropical tuber crop grown primarily in Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and tropical Pacific Islands. 

However, I know this yam as suran  or kandagadda and it is widely consumed in Southern India. In Kerala, they steam this tuber and serve it with various chutneys. In Andhra, we cook this tuber in couple of ways. One way is to make pulusu (stew) with it. The other is to fry it. 

I love fries! However, we eat our "fries" in a different way. The fries we make with potatoes, sweet potatoes, or taro (arvi) are eaten with rice. We call this type of fries, vepudu in Telugu. 

You can find this tuber in most Indian grocery stores but we normally buy it frozen because it is much easier to cook with this way. It has been peeled, chopped and sold in packets. 

Check out the recipe for Suran fries below: 

Ingredients

- 1 (12 oz, Swad brand) packet of frozen Suran 

- 1/4 tsp garlic powder

- 1/4 tsp red chili powder

- 3/4 tsp Salt (or per taste)

- oil for frying

Procedure

Transfer the frozen suran pieces from the packet into a microwaveable container. Sprinkle some salt and water on it. Mix well. Next, microwave it for 5 to 6 minutes under closed lid. Take it out of the microwave and discard any water that's in the container. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.  

In a flat skillet, heat a 1/4 cup of oil on low-medium flame. Add the suran and stir fry until suran is fried to golden brown color. Remove the fried suran with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle garlic powder, red chili powder and a pinch of salt over the suran. Mix well and serve hot. 

________________________________________________________________________________

Have you tried Elephant yam before? How do you cook it? Please share your cooking stories with us. 

Paneer Bhurji with Sweet Peppers

Is it possible to dream about a dish? Every time I see pictures of this dish, I start drooling. My family thinks I have issues but I cannot help it. Of course I am talking about Paneer Bhurji!

Ever since my sister and I ate at Ganesh Restaurant in Jaipur, I've been craving it. It's the perfect combination of spices, vegetables and cheese. Don't take my word for it, just take a look at the picture of this yummy dish below:

Dhaba Style Paneer Bhurji from Ganesh Restaurant in Jaipur

The guy at the restaurant topped the curry with fresh butter and more paneer. Just look at how the butter is melting on top of the warm curry. I'm drooling again. We enjoyed this curry with freshly made garlic naan. What more can you ask for?

I've eaten this dish again a few years back at this Indian restaurant that used to be close to my parents' place but it's not there anymore. Why does it have to be so hard to get what you LOVE? 

My mom made tofu bhurji but it wasn't the same for me. Whenever, I look back at our vacation pictures from Jaipur, I think about the food we had and how much we really enjoyed it.

I started craving it again this past weekend and decided enough is enough. I'm going to make it. I researched online and found a few recipes and realized I didn't have the exact ingredients. However, I didn't let that deter me from making it.

There are two "parts" for making this curry. First is making the paste or base and then adding the paneer and other spices and cooking it all together. Below is the list of ingredients with some substitutions since I didn't have all the ingredients from the original recipe:

Ingredients for making the paste or base of the curry:
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 to 1½ tsp crushed red peppers, seeds removed
- 3 cloves
- 3 whole peppercorns
- 2 green cardamom
- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
- ½ inch ginger, chopped
- ½ tsp of red chili powder
- 2 to 2½ cups wine tomatoes (ripe but firm), chopped


Other ingredients:
- 1½ cups grated Paneer (I used Nanak brand), grated or crumbled
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp whole cumin
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- ½ to 1 tsp red chili powder (or as per taste)
- 1½ tsp dhanjeera powder (coriander and cumin powder)
- ½ to 1 tsp salt (or per taste)
- 2/3 cup of red and orange sweet peppers, finely chopped (1cm size pieces)
- ½ to 1 cup Water
- 1 tsp Kasoori methi, crush between your palm
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 Tbsp coconut milk*
- fresh coriander, finely chopped for garnish

Procedure
1) Heat oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Once you feel the heat on your palm, add in the spices (bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, red chili powder and crushed red peppers). Saute for a few seconds and then add the ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute. 

2) Mix in the tomatoes and cook them till they are soft. Remove from stove and let the mixture cool down. Then puree the mixture. 

3) Wipe down the saucepan and bring it back to the stove. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat. Once it reaches the temperature, add whole cumin. When they splutter, add the onion. Cook the onion until it's translucent in color. 

4) Then mix in the tomato puree mixture. Cook until all the moisture evaporates. Stir intermittently so the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. It should start leaving the side of the pan. 

5) Next add red chili powder and dhanjeera powder. Mix well and cook for another minute. Then add sweet peppers. Mix well. Add water to make the gravy consistency. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes so the peppers get cooked. 

6) Then add garam masala and kasoori methi. Mix well. Next add the paneer and mix again. Simmer for a few minutes. Add more water if needed. 

7) Add the coconut milk. Mix well and cook for another minute. Remove from stove and garnish with fresh coriander. Paneer bhurji is ready to be served. Can be enjoyed with naan, chappati, rice or quinoa. 

Not bad for the first try. I made this for dinner tonight and my husband really liked it. It wasn't dry and was good with garlic naan. It brought back memories from my family's Jaipur trip. Looking forward to visiting again sometime and relive those memories.

Quick Tips
- I think the hardest part of this recipe is that you need all the spices and herbs. It seems like a lot but it makes a difference in how the dish will taste.
- I didn't have heavy whipping cream or malai so I used coconut milk.  I also made a paste out of soaked cashews to give a richer flavor.
- You can also substitute paneer for tofu or scrambled eggs. Check out our recipe for tofu bhurji.

Instant Tapioca Kheer

"Do you remember
When we fell in love
We were so young and innocent then
Do you remember
How it all began
It just seemed like heaven so why did it end?"

This first verse from the song, Remember the time by Michael Jackson is exactly how I feel when I think about the wonderful taste of kheer (payasam/pudding). It takes me back to my childhood when everything was simple and sweet. 

Back then, I didn't know I had an issue with regular milk. That's why I am so glad that my mom made it for me again after all this time with Lactaid milk. Same great taste. 

Ingredients

- 1/2 cup of mini sabudana (tapioca pearls/balls), soaked in 1 cup of water for 2 to 3 hours. 

- 2-1/2 cups Lactaid milk (regular milk can be used as well)

- 1/2 cup water

- 1/2 cup plain sugar

- 3 to 4 cardamom pods, seeded and powdered

Procedure

Transfer the soaked Sabudana into a non-stick saucepan, add water and heat on low, stirring intermittently until it starts bubbling and the pearls turn transparent. Add milk and cardamom powder and continue to cook until it thickens somewhat. Now add sugar, mix well for 1 minute and remove from heat. The kheer or pudding may look slightly runny but it will thicken in time. Serve hot.

Quick Tips & Facts

- Milk amount can vary depending upon the desired consistency of the kheer. 

- A cup of sabudana or tapioca pearls has about 1.5 grams of dietary fiber. 

Quick N Easy Desserts - Mango Mousse

Summer is here and everyone is in the mood to party and making plans for a party. Every party needs to be planned. Whenever my mom and I plan parties, we brainstorm ideas for the menu as per the occasion and the company. Sometimes when the menu has a lot of dishes, we make sure the dessert is simple enough so we don't stress out. 

My favorite part of every meal is the dessert! I will sometimes even eat the dessert before the actual meal if I can't wait. 

Mango and mousse is always well liked, so why not put them together? We searched online and found a couple of different recipes for Mango Mousse. We combined the recipes and below is the result of our efforts.  

Serving size: 1/2 cup / Serves: 12 to 14 people 

Ingredients 

- 1 can mango puree 

- 1 can condensed milk (14oz)

- 1 packet, 6oz orange gelatin

- 10 oz whipped cream

Procedure

Dissolve gelatin in one cup of hot water and mix until it dissolves. Next, in a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together gelatin mixture, mango puree, condensed milk and whipped cream. Then pour the mixture into a clean air tighter container or glass baking dish. Cover with the lid or aluminum foil. Let it set in the fridge overnight. 

Once it was set, we scooped it into single serving cups and garnished it with Cool Whip and sliced strawberries. You can also top the mousse with chocolate chips or shavings and/or other fresh fruit. You can't go wrong with toppings. 

You'll guests will come back for more...

Simple Guvar Beans Stir Fry

I visited my parents this past weekend and enjoyed some good ol' home cooking. I love simple stir fry dishes especially if those stir fries are made with guvar, tindora or snake gourd. 

It can be difficult to find these vegetables in the fresh produce section in supermarkets. That's why we buy them frozen in the Indian supermarkets. Check out the recipe below for simple Guvar Stir Fry.   

Ingredients

- 12 oz packet of Cut Guvar beans (frozen)

- 2 green chilies or per taste, chopped finely

- 3 gloves of garlic, sliced finely

- 1 Tbsp brown sugar

- 1/2 Tbsp salt

- 2 Tbsp sesame powder (sesame seeds roasted and powdered)

- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Ingredients for seasoning

- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 Tbsp Urad dal (also known as black gram lentil)

- 1 tsp whole cumin

- 1 tsp mustard seeds

Procedure

In a small pressure cooker, heat oil on medium and when you feel heat on your palm, add the seasoning ingredients: urad dal, cumin, and mustard seeds. 

When the dal is roasted and the mustard seeds splutter, add the green chilies and garlic. Toss until the garlic aroma comes out (about 1 minute). 

Now add turmeric, guvar beans, salt and brown sugar. 

Mix well and add 50 ml of water and pressure cook on low to medium heat until 3 whistles. Wait until the pressure is released from the pressure cooker and heat the curry on low heat to allow the extra water to evaporate and then add the sesame powder. Mix well and serve hot. 

You can serve this stir fry as a side dish or with rice. I like eating it with warm rice, topped with ghee (clarified butter). 

Quick Tips

- If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can make this dish in a skillet as well. Cook under tight lid mixing intermittently until the beans are cooked well and soft. Add sesame powder, mix well and serve hot. 

Rice Crispy Snack Mix

Happy New Year everyone! I can't believe it's 2019 already. It's been over a year since I got married and settled down in my "new life". 

2019 - Is a new year of opportunities, possibilities, and of course recipes. We're starting the year off with a fun snack that is not only for children anymore. In fact, adults may jump up for joy for this snack as it's crunchy and has a bit of kick to every bite. 

We had so much fun making Indian snacks with corn flakes (corn flakes mixture), that we wanted to make more snacks with other cereals like such as Rice Krispies cereal.  You can use Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal or a generic brand. 

This snack mix is simple and easy to make. We took an ordinary cereal and kicked it up a notch with some spices. 

Ingredients

- 8 oz Rice Crispy Cereal or Rice Krispies cereal

- 1 cup peanuts

- 2/3 cup roasted chana dal

- 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

- 15 to 20 curry leaves (optional)

- 1 tsp citric acid

- 1 tsp chili powder (adjust per your taste)

- 1 tsp Dhan-jeera powder (ground coriander and cumin)

- 1 Tbsp salt

- 1 Tbsp Chat Masala

- 4 to 5 Tbsp vegetable oil

Procedure

1) Heat oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Fry the peanuts and then add chili powder, dhanjeera powder and fry the mixture for 15 seconds. Next, add curry leaves and fry until they are crisp. Then, add citric acid and salt and mix well for another few seconds. 

2) Transfer the rice crispies into a large microwaveable bowl, and then, add roasted chana dal, pumpkin seeds and all the fried ingredients. Mix well and microwave for 4 to 5 minutes based on the microwave oven power in 2 minute intervals mixing intermittently. Adjust salt and chili powder if needed and microwave for another minute. Sprinkle the chat masala and mix well. 

3) Allow the mixture to cool down for 10 minutes.The mixture is ready to serve. Enjoy on its own or with your favorite beverage. 

Throwback Thursday: Protein Packed Lentil Waffles

Still thinking about the pesarattu waffles my mom and I made last year with our waffle maker from Costco. Pesarattu is a type of dosa made with lentils. Instead of making it the traditional way, we kicked it up a notch and used the dosa dough to make WAFFLES!!!

Check out these crispy lentil waffles... 

Whole Moong waffles

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole Moong (mung bean) and 1/8 cup rice soaked for 6 to 8 hours 
• Onion, finely chopped
• Cumin seeds
• Salt for taste

Procedure

We used our stone grinder and ground the soaked moong dal and rice to a smooth consistency (consistency of dosa dough).  Once the dough is prepared, it's time to make the waffles.

As you will see in the video, we applied oil on the waffle grooves and then poured the lentil and rice batter. Make sure to evenly spread the batter in the waffle maker. (Please see video for details). 

The waffles can be enjoyed on their own or with your favorite chutney. 

How do you use your waffle maker? Do you make savory waffles too? Please share your comments with us. 

Quick N Easy Stuffed Eggplant

This may sound cheesy but I miss home. I miss my parents. I know they are just a bus ride away but absence makes the heart grow fonder. 

You don't really know what you have until you move away and become a grown up and have to do everything on your own. I miss helping my mom in the kitchen. I was her little helper...regardless of how old I got, that will always be the case. 

After work, I stopped by the local vegetable market and bought some Chinese eggplant and fresh coriander. Coriander, garlic, ginger and onions are a must in South Indian cooking. 

I knew exactly what I was going to do with the eggplant. It's one of my favorite ways to eat this type of eggplant and it's easy to make, as per my mom. I gave it a try last night and as you can see from the picture below, it came out well. I didn't burn it or over season it. 

The best part was that my husband really liked it. He ate more than half of the pieces in this plate. I am definitely going to save this recipe and make it as often as I can. 

If you like eggplant, give this dish a try...

Ingredients

- 4 long and slender Chinese eggplant

- 1/4 cup of fresh coriander, finely chopped

- 1/4 cup dry coconut powder

- 1 tsp dry garlic chutney*

- 1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil (for frying)

- Salt (for rubbing inside eggplant and seasoning) as per your taste

Procedure

Remove the stalk from the eggplants and then slit them longitudinally. (Caution: do not slit all the way through the eggplant so that it splits into two pieces.) Then rub salt lengthwise and apply oil on the outer surface with your fingers. Next, cut each eggplant into 3 inches long. 

Arrange the eggplant pieces on a microwaveable plate and microwave them with a cover for 4 minutes or until soft. 

Add tablespoon of oil to a medium saute pan on low-medium heat. Transfer the eggplant pieces to the heated pan and fry up to 5 minutes or until all the pieces have cooked through and browned. Remove the pieces from heat and place in a plate to cool. 

Scoop the coconut powder in a small cup, sprinkle some water and microwave for 15 seconds to re-hydrate it. 

Mix together the coconut powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, dry garlic chutney, and fresh coriander. Adjust salt per taste. Stuff a little bit of this mixture in between the slit of each eggplant piece. The stuffed eggplant is ready to be served. 

I love eating the eggplant with warm plain white rice mixed with ghee (or clarified butter). The flavor from the spices and the eggplant's sweetness complements the rice well. I feel right at "home". 

***Quick Tips

- You can use freshly grated coconut instead of dry coconut powder. 

- We like using the dry garlic chutney because it has all the ingredients (coconut powder, salt, and chili powder) in one.  You can buy it in a packet at any Indian store; it is also available on Amazon in a bottle. 

What dish reminds you of home? Leave us a comment. We love hearing from our readers. 

I'm Nutty for Pea'Nutty Pakoda

For father's day, my mom made one of my dad's favorite snacks, peanut pakoda.

Why?

Because my father REALLY likes nuts and nutty snacks. He has a Costco sized nuts box at work and at home. I've gotten his routine down packed: After he gets home from work, he usually gets a handful of nuts and eats them while he enjoys a hot cup of tea or coffee. He also likes cookies with nuts.

I wish it was daughter's day...I couldn't stop eating these pakoda. They were so good. Don't take my word for it, try the recipe for yourself and let me know.
 



Ingredients
- 1 cup peanuts (soaked for 2 hours and drained)
- 1 cup besan/chickpea flour (sieved to remove lumps)
- 1/3 cup rice flour
- 1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp crushed green chilies
- 1/4 tsp chili powder (as per taste)
- A pinch of hing (asafoetida powder)
- 1 tsp salt (as per taste)
- 1/3 cup fresh coriander, chopped
- 3 Tbsp oil (for forming dough)
- Water for forming dough, as needed

- 1 to 2 cups oil for frying (based on pan size)

Procedure

1) Using a medium size mixing bowl, mix together: besan, rice flour, chili powder, hing, and salt.  Warm the oil for dough (about 3 Tbsp) and add into the dry mixture and mix well.

2) Now add ginger-garlic paste, crushed green chilies, coriander, and drained peanuts. And mix well.

3) Add water little by little mixing the dough to bring it all together. The dough should hold all the ingredients and somewhat dry but not crumbly, like cookie dough. Taste a pinch of dough to adjust salt and chili powder to your liking. 

4) Heat oil for frying in a frying pan (or wok) on low to medium heat. When you feel the heat on the palm of your hand, test it by adding a small morsel of dough. If the bubbles start immediately and the dough floats to the top, the oil is ready for frying.

5)Take a lemon sized piece of the dough in your hand and bring small morsels of dough between your thumb, index and middle fingers and drop them into  the oil slowly. Make sure the peanuts are included in every bit. Add 10 to 15 morsels (pakodas) at a time and fry them on low heat until golden brown. Collect them with a holed ladle and drain excess oil. Next, transfer in to mixing bowl that has a paper towel in it to collect any extra oil.

6) Sprinkle some chat masala on the hot "peaNutty pakodas for a more chat-pata taste.

Allow these pakoda to cool down and enjoy with your favorite beverage like tea or coffee. The spicy and crunchy flavors also go well with cool drinks like beer.  I had to stop myself from eating too many of these since they were for my dad :(

Did you like this recipe? You'll go "nuts" for these other Indian snacks: Corn Flakes Mixture, Indian Trail Mix, Peanut poppers, Crunchy Cashews, Pappuchekkalu . 

Time for Reflection and Renewal

Happy New Year everyone!!

Date and Almond Laddu

I always take time to reflect on the past year and look to the new year for renewal. This past year so much has happened that I am truly grateful for. My toastmasters club (Open Door Toastmasters) elected me club President for the 2017-2018 year, I became Area Director (for 5 Toastmasters clubs in District 83), and got married to my longtime friend and college classmate, Michael. I'm also thankful for my parents and good friends who always supported me.

We wanted to start off the new year with a healthy, sweet treat: Date and Almond Laddu (balls). Below are the ingredients and instructions on how to make this yummy treat; enjoy anytime of the year.


Ingredients
- 10 oz / 285g Pitted dates
- 2/3 cup Almonds
- 2/3 cup Milk Mava powder
- 2 Tbsp ghee or melted butter
- 3 to 4 drops of Pure Vanilla extract

Procedure
In a food processor, add dates, almonds and blend them coarsely (approx. 6 to 8 pulses). Next add mava powder, ghee and vanilla extract. Pulse again 3 to 4 times until all ingredients are blended well. Remove the mixture from the jar and make 1" round balls or laddu. Mixture makes about 15 to 18 laddus.

Quick Tips:
1) If desired, roll the laddus in dry coconut. Food coloring can be added to the coconut powder for festive appeal.
2) If milk mava powder is not readily available, you can also use coconut milk powder.

Wishing all a very happy and prosperous new year. How did you celebrate the new year? Please share your stories with us. 

Indian Trail Mix

HUNGRY?  NEED A YUMMY SNACK? 

Indian Trail Mix or poha mixture is just the snack for you. This snack has everything: nuts, dry fruit, spices, potato wafers, and flattened rice. And, it's easy to make. Check out the recipe below:

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 lbs Thin Poha (Flattened Rice)
• 1 cup Peanuts
• 1/2 cup Roasted Chana dal
• 1/2 cup Craisins or raisins
• 1-1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 1-1/2 Tbsp Dhan-Jeera powder (Coriander/cumin powder)
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Citric Acid Powder
• 2 Tbsp Confectioner’s sugar
• 1 cup Potato wafers (fried or microwaved), optional
• 2 Tbsp Salt
• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

Procedure:
Heat oil in a big wok or skillet on medium heat. Add peanuts and fry them for 5 minutes. Then add dhan-jeera powder, chili powder, turmeric, citric acid and salt. Stir for 30 seconds and then add poha or flattened rice. Mix well and continue to roast the mixture on Low/ Medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until the spices and turmeric are mixed uniformly.

Transfer the mixture into a big microwavable glass container, add Chana and microwave for 5 minutes at 70% power level (for 1100 Volts unit, adjust time based on your microwave voltage). Remove and mix well and microwave for another 3 minutes.

Remove the container and sprinkle the confectioner’s sugar using a tea strainer for uniform distribution. Mix in the sugar and finally add craisins and potato wafers. When the mixture cools down, store in an airtight container and use within 3 weeks.


LOVE SNACKS? Check out our Corn Flakes mixture as well.

Tofu Bhurji with Coriander Naan

I'm reminded of our trip to Jaipur whenever my mom makes this dish. We ate at this local dhaba popular with tourists (and recommended by lonelyplanet) called Ganesh Restaurant. The best dishes were paneer bhurji (pictured below) and garlic & coriander naan. 

We loved eating this dish with freshly made naan 😀. As heavenly as this dish was, it's not the healthiest, considering all the butter that went into making it and floating on top. 

BUTTER MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER, RIGHT? 

It does but you shouldn't eat it everyday. And it's not like we can just swing by this dhaba on our way home. So we decided to make this dish at home.  

Our local Indian grocer, started stocking spice mixes for various dishes. While browsing through the aisle, we found the spice mix for paneer bhurji by Rasoi Magic. My mouth started watering just thinking about it. Since we're cautious of what eat now, we decided to buy firm tofu instead of paneer (Indian cottage cheese).  

I know you're dying to know how we made it...so let's get to it. Here's what you need:

Servings: 4 to 5 

Ingredients

- 1 packet of Rasoi Magic Paneer Bhurji spice mix

- 250g firm tofu, chopped 

- 1 medium onion, finely chopped 

- 1 medium plum tomato, finely chopped

- 1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped

- 1 to 2 green chilies, diced

- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil

- 1/2 cup of milk

- a small bunch of fresh coriander or cilantro, finely chopped

Procedure (on the back of the Rasoi Magic packet)

Mix the entire pack of spice mix with the milk to make a paste and put aside. Heat the oil in a pan on low to medium flame. Then add green chili, onion and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Next add green bell pepper (also known as capsicum), tomato, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the spice mix paste, and fry till the oil separates. Add two tablespoons of water and cook for one minute. Then add the tofu and mix well. Finally add coriander and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot with roti or naan. 

The tofu bhurji tastes just as yummy as paneer bhurji with less calories.  

Rasoi Magic Paneer Bhurji Spice Mix Review: This dish came out really well and it was quite tasty even with the tofu substitute. We found this spice mix very convenient and easy to use and would definitely recommend everyone to give it a try. 

Deep Foods Frozen Chili Coriander Naan: We wrapped the naan in foil and toasted them in the toaster oven. They tasted like they were fresh out of the "clay oven". The naan were fluffy and flavorful. We would definitely recommend all to try. 

I am looking forward to trying more recipes with Rasoi Magic's spice mix now. Have you used this spice mix before? How do you like it? Please share your thoughts. 

Karapappalu - Crispy Ragi and Kale Patties

It's surely been a healthy ride these past couple of months...and still going! We're ending National Nutrition Month with a "Krispy" twist; scroll down for more details...

Every year my mom and I try various ways to eat better and stay healthy. Rice is our staple and we ate a lot of it. Alas, that has come to an end. Instead of eating rice heavy meals, we switched to salads for dinner. Don't get me wrong, I still eat rice but not as much as before. 

Does judge me when I say this but I love shopping for food items more than clothing. I love the aromas of different spices, herbs, fruits and vegetables. Our local farmers market has a good stock of vegetables and that's where we got the KALE. 

Didn't realize it at the time but I think we bought too much. So we started using it in everything. Even kale in Karapappalu! 

Karapappalu are crispy rice and moong dal patties that are a popular Telangana snack.  We got soo bored of eating salads few weeks back that we got creative and made Karapappalu with kale and other healthy ingredients. Check out the recipe below and tell us what you think:

Ingredients

- 1 cup Ragi flour

- 2 cups Rice flour

- 1 long squash

- 1 cup kale, finely chopped

- 1/3 cup moong dal, soaked in water for 30 minutes

- 1/2 Tbsp chili powder

- 3 Tbsp sesame seeds

- 2 Heaved Tbsp cornmeal

- 1/2 Tbsp Salt (or as needed)

- 2 to 3 cups Vegetable Oil (for frying)

Procedure

Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium to large bowl and mix well. Then add all the vegetables and soaked moong dal to the dry mixture and mix well. 

Slowly add water to the mixture and knead until it is of dough consistency. (Note: raw vegetables release water after few minutes of taking in salt, so keep the dough somewhat dry).

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Shape (lime size) dough balls into round flat ½ cm thick patties.

Quick tip: To avoid dough from sticking to your fingers, slightly wet your hands.  You can also use wax paper or plastic bag to press the dough into patties as shown below.

Transfer each shaped patty into hot oil and fry to golden brown/reddish color. 

For best results:  Use a steel skimmer to turn each patty in-between for even frying. Then use it to transfer the fried patty into a metal sieve resting in a bowl so that excess oil can be drained. After that, you can transfer the patty to a serving bowl (see video for for clarification). 

After the patties were ready, we served them with a dipping sauce we made with sour cream and crushed dried mint. You can use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream too. 

March Lentil Madness Continues with Chayote and Moong Dal

ARE YOU GETTING YOUR NUTRITION ON??

MARCH IS NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH

This year's theme is "Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle" which focuses on fitness and making good food choices. 

We're definitely on board with not only the message but also doing our best to stay fit and eat better. We've already kick started our fitness by replacing rice at night with healthy salads and/or smoothies. We also incorporate lentils wherever we can so we can get our protein intake. 

Lentils such as chickpeas, black beans, masoor dal, moong dal, etc. are a good source of protein. This week we cooked chayote and moong dal. Moong dal has a high source of nutrients including manganese, potassium, magnesium, copper, and dietary fiber. 

Let's check out the Chayote and moong dal recipe:

Chayote and Moong Dal

Ingredients

- 2 Chayote, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces

- 1/4 cup Moong dal (mung), soaked for 30 minutes to 1 hour

- 1/2 tsp crushed green chilies  or 2 chilies, finely chopped

- 1/4 cup dry shredded coconut

- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

- 1/2 tsp whole mustard

- 1/2 tsp whole cumin 

- 1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped (optional)

- 1/8 tsp turmeric powder

- 1 tsp salt

Procedure

- Heat oil in a a two quart saucepan and season with whole mustard and cumin. When they splutter, add green chilies and turmeric. Stir for 30 seconds.
- Now add chopped chayote and drained moong dal. Next add salt and half cup of water. Cook on medium heat under closed lid mixing intermittently until he chayote and dal are soft. (Add more water if needed).
- Remove lid and stir until remaining water is dried. Then add dry coconut and stir for one minute. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh coriander and serve.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Quick Tip: If chayote is not readily available, you can use spinach, carrots, long squash, or even kale. Try our other dishes with moong dal, such as Carrots and moong, South Indian Khichdi, and Pongali