For the Love of Podis - Chutney Powder

It's been a month since my ammamma (maternal grandmother) passed away.  The last time I visited her in India, I could already tell her health had deteriorated. She was barely able to move around and was mostly in her wheelchair or in bed. Although I am sad that she is longer with us, I know she is at peace now.  

My ammamma was a storyteller, a grandmother, a mother, and a daughter.  Although she was a housewife, she was very knowledgeable about the world, very sociable, and a philanthropist.  

I will miss her stories, our conversations about cooking and recipes, and our Telugu/English lessons. 

I found the video above of my ammamma cooking while I was looking through all of my photos and videos. This is how I want to remember her. She enjoyed cooking and helped my mom in the kitchen whenever she had time. In the video above, my ammamma is roasting spices and lentils together to make chutney powder. 

Chutney powder is a mixture of various spices and dal (lentil) that are roasted and then coarsely powdered. We use chutney powder as a condiment for idli, uttapam and dosa. It is also one of the ingredients for making the stuffing for Gutti Vankaya (stuffed eggplant). 

You can also add it as a seasoning when making vegetable curries. I sometimes add this spice mix when I'm making baked penne pasta with vegetables. It adds more flavor to the pasta dish.

So you see, chutney powder is one of the essential podis found in a South Indian kitchen. Below are the ingredients that we need to make this podi (or spice mix):

Left to Right: Urad dal (black lentil), Coriander seeds, Channa dal (Indian chickpea), black peppercorn, dry Tamarind, dried red chilies and in the center are cumin seeds

Ingredients
- 2 cups coriander seeds
- 1.5 cups urad dal (black lentil)
- 2 cups channa dal
- 1/4 cup Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 12 dry red chilies
- 1 Tbsp black peppercorn
- small lime size of dry Tamarind
- a handful of curry leaves (optional)
- 2 Tbsp salt (or per your taste)
- 1.5 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
- 2 Tbsp oil (or per your taste)


Procedure

• The dal (lentils) and spices have to be roasted in a particular order. 

After you roast the channa dal (Indian chickpea) and then ural dal (black lentil), you have to roast the spices in the following order:

Now add coriander seeds, dried red chilies, tamarind (see the quick tip), cumin, and lastly black peppercorn. 

• Roast the spices and lentils for about 15 to 20 minutes on low-medium heat.

• When you start to smell the aroma of roasted lentils and spices, turn off the heat, and let the mixture cool down. After it cools down, grind it coarsely with salt and brown sugar. Adjust the salt and sugar accordingly to your taste. 

• The chutney powder is now ready to be used any way you like. The ingredient quantities above are enough to make 940 grams or about 2 pounds. If this quantity seems like a lot, just reduce the measurements by half for your comfort level. We make it in large quantities and store it so we can use it whenever needed. 

Quick Tips:

Sometimes you will find fiber strings in the tamarind. It is best to remove these before using them.

Reflections on Our Travel to the Motherland - Sightseeing in Aurangabad, Part Two

I wish I could escape to another place and time with all that's going on with the current COVID-19 pandemic. I would travel back in time to when my husband and I were in India last November. We enjoyed traveling to various cities as well as the nice weather.

One of my favorite places was Aurangabad. We saw so many historical sites in two and a half days. In my previous post, I covered the Ajanta caves we visited. In this post, I will cover the Ellora caves.

Overall, I am so glad we picked the Lemon Tree hotel for our stay while we were in Aurangabad. The Lemon Tree Hotel had a warm ambiance, a huge pool, and a nice breakfast spread which included Indian and "American" dishes.

Lemon Tree Hotel, Aurangabad

Our second day in Aurangabad, we explored the Ellora Caves. Although our travel agent said one day would be sufficient for both caves, we decided to take a more relaxing tour and split the caves into 2 days. It was exhausting enough just exploring one set of caves each day. That's our advice to anyone thinking about exploring these caves. 

After an early breakfast on day 2, we headed out to the Ellora caves. We recommend booking a local driver with a car versus going out on your own. The drive to the Ellora caves was not as far as the drive to the Ajanta caves.

The most popular cave (Cave 16) at the Ellora caves is the monolithic Kailasha Temple. We were in awe of the sight and how well preserved it was. Below are some pictures:

Entrance to the monolithic Kailasha Temple

When you enter inside, you can walk around the temple structure

I hope you enjoyed the various views of the Kailasha Temple. We really enjoyed exploring these caves and learning more about the culture.

Before we departed from Aurangabad, we also visited Daulatabad Fort and Bibi ka Maqbara. Stayed tuned for more posts about our trip.

Yogurt - A Probiotics Boost For Your Health!

What do Red Mango, Pinkberry, Yoplait GoGurt, General Mills Natural Valley Yogurt Bars, Chobani, Oiko, Fage have in common? 

All of the above are YOGURT based products. 

Here are some reasons why eating yogurt is good for you:

• It is a good source of probiotic cultures, which are good microorganisms that benefit our digestive system, boost immunity and help the absorption of certain minerals like calcium into our system.
• Yogurt is a good source of protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, zinc, and vitamin B12.
• If eating plain yogurt doesn't sound pleasing, then give the following recipes a try. They are all healthy and gluten-free: 

Eggplant Raita (yogurt dip)

Other raitas or yogurt dips to try are Eggplant, Beetroot, LongSquash, Spinach, Tomatoes, Tomato and Onion, Bell Peppers, or Cabbage. 

One of my favorite rice dishes to eat as a child was daddojanam or seasoned yogurt rice. When I was 2 or 3 years old, I used to give her a hard time at mealtime. She used to make this dish, make yogurt and rice balls and feed me while I was playing. She used to sneak some veggies too. I was hooked since then...

Spiced Yogurt Rice (Daddojanam)

My husband loves Dahi Vada. I like it too; it is vada soaked in seasoned yogurt. It tastes so good topped with tamarind chutney, coriander chutney and sev. 

Dahi Vada

Buttermilk is a more liquid version of yogurt. We use buttermilk to make Spinach and Potato Kadhi. It's nice to eat on its own or mixed with rice. 

 Do not be afraid to try new things. Try to incorporate yogurt into your diet. It is better for you in the long run.

Let us know how you enjoy eating yogurt. We would love to hear from you. 

Moong Dal Kattu - Green Gram Soup

Moong dal is also known as green gram or mung bean and is widely eaten in Asia.  It is used to make savory (soups and dosas) and sweet dishes (laddu, halwa, Lunar New Year cookies, and sweet soups). 

One of my favorite ways to eat this lentil is kattu or soup.  It is comforting and nutritious. Let's see how to make it...

Ingredients
- 1 cup whole moong dal (green gram)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 to 3 green chilies, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 to 3 cherry tomatoes (optional)

For seasoning
- 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp whole cumin
- a pinch of Hing
- 4 to 6 fresh/dry curry leaves, chopped (optional)


Cooking Instructions
1) Place the moong dal into a pressure cooker/ pan and add 2 cups of water, pressure for 6 to 8 minutes or until you get 5 to 6 whistles. (You can also cook the moong dal on low/medium heat with 2-½ cups of water in a small Dutch oven until the dal is cooked to a soft texture.)

2) After the pressure is released, open the cooker and lightly mash the dal. Add more water to the required consistency. Then add salt, turmeric powder, and the seasoning (see instructions for seasoning).

Instructions for Seasoning

• Heat oil in a small skillet on low heat. Hover your palm over the skillet to see if you can feel the heat. When you feel the heat, add mustard and cumin seeds. When the seeds splutter, add Hing and then the chopped onions and garlic. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until onions are transparent and garlic gives out its flavor. Next, add the curry leaves, stir for another 20 seconds and then transfer the seasoning into the cooked dal to cook them together. 

3) Next, bring the mixture to a boil for 1 minute and turn off the heat. The kattu or soup is ready to be enjoyed.  

Quick Tips:

You can eat the moong dal kattu on its own like lentil soup or like I do with warm Basmati rice. I also munch on fryums while eating it. 

 

The fryums on the left are what they look like in the bag. The fryums on the right are what they look like puffing up in the microwave. We suggest 30 to 60 seconds depending on the number of fryums.

Reflections on Our Travel to the Motherland - Aurangabad Caves, Part One

Almost 770 miles southwest of New Delhi is a place called Aurangabad. Have you ever heard of this city? If you haven't, you should add it to your list of places to visit, next time you are planning a trip to India.

Besides visiting the Taj Mahal and the palaces in Rajasthan, my husband and I were curious about other gems in India. We came across the Ajanta / Ellora caves (UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Aurangabad.

The Ajanta caves are 30 rock-cut Buddhist caves which date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 CE.

Below are some pictures from our recent visit:

Panoramic view of the Ajanta Caves from outside

A warm welcome from local residents (Langur monkeys) at the Ajanta caves

Close up view of the caves from outside as we are walking along the path

Take care when walking along the path to all the caves.
It is a steep fall to the ground. Be aware of your surroundings.

There are porters and palki (carrying structure)
for older tourists to be carried up to the caves (as shown above)

The caves are comprised of paintings of Buddhist legends and carvings.

Flash photography was not allowed in many of the caves with paintings on the walls. Also, limited number of tourists were allowed inside of the caves at a time to help preserve the condition. Humidifiers were placed in all the caves for continuous air circulation and to control humidity.

Can you make out the bull painting on the ceiling? Our guide told us that it seems as though the bull's eyes are looking at you regardless of where you are standing in the cave? It was remarkable. 

Below are the pictures from inside Cave 1. This was one of the last caves to have been excavated. You can see the Buddha statue through the hallway of the cave. It is truly amazing that even after all this time, most of the paintings are still intact and clearly visible. 

Cave 1, interior; Buddha statue visible from inside room

 The paintings inside this cave are in pretty good shape considering how old these caves are. The scenes depicted are mostly devotional and ornamental, with scenes from the Jataka stories of Buddha's former lives as a bodhisattva.

Cave 1 - Buddha statue

Cave 1 - Padmapani Bodhisattva Painting

Bull painting on the ceiling

At Cave 19, a 5th-century Chaitya Hall 

 This exterior of Cave 19 loosely resembled the caves in Petra, Jordan for me. My husband and I were both in awe of the intricacies of this site. We were happy that these caves were not vandalized and history was preserved.

Cave 26 - Interior of Chaitya Hall (house of the stupa)
The Ajanta caves follow the Cathedral -style architecture.

Some takeaways from our visit:

• Tourists are shuttled by buses to these caves and you have to pay a small fee for the shuttle service; about 40 rupees per person. Make sure to have exact change. 
• It may be better to hire a guide before you arrive at the caves. It was difficult to find an English speaking guide who we could understand. 
• Wear comfortable and well-circulated clothing as well as sturdy shoes. 
• Carry bottled water with you as it is a long walk because there are a lot of caves and we suggest one day for each set of caves (meaning one day for Ajanta caves, and one day for Ellora caves). 
• Also, carry or wear a hat and sunglasses with you. It can get hot depending on which part of the year you are visiting these caves. 

***All the pictures in this post are my own and shot with my Samsung phone. Please send a request if you would like to use the pictures. More in-depth information about each of the caves is available on Wikipedia.

Stay tuned for more posts on our trip to India, coming up next - Ellora Caves...

Chikkudukaya (Broad Beans) Stir Fry

Ingredients

- 1 lb Chikkudukaya* (broad beans), remove the fibers from the sides and snap into 1" pieces

- ½ tsp Red chili powder, or to taste

- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder

- 1 tsp brown sugar

- ½ tsp salt, or to taste

- 1 Tbsp Roasted Sesame powder (optional)

Seasoning ingredients

- 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil

- ½ tsp mustard seeds

- ¼ tsp whole Cumin

- ½ tsp Urad dal (Black gram lentil)

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a pressure pan or saucepan on medium heat, add ural dal and toss it until it becomes golden brown. Add mustard and cumin seeds, when they splutter, add turmeric and chili powder and stir for 10 seconds. 
2. Immediately add the chopped chikkudukaya (broad beans), salt, and brown sugar. Sprinkle some water and if using a pressure cooker, place the lid and the weight and pressure cook under low to medium heat until to hear two whistles. 
1. If using a saucepan, cook under a tight lid until the beans are cooked (turns bright green to dull green and soft to touch), maybe 10 or more minutes. Sprinkle more water as needed. 
3. When the beans are cooked (pressure is released from the cooker), on low heat stir until any remaining moisture is gone and oil comes out. Add sesame powder and mix well and remove from heat. 
4. Serve hot with white rice. 

Quick Tip

- These beans are typically available at Indian grocers: Patel Brothers, Subzi Mandi, Delight Bazaar (in NJ). Search for local Indian grocers in your area.