Two-minute Ginger Pickle
Its been a really really long and hectic fortnight. I moved from my university to my new place of work....an exhausting and scary event. I relish the fact that I have attained a milestone and am moving on to another phase of my life.........but that doesnt mean that its not scary! I really like the new place where I am at......but I miss familiar faces , places and friends like crazy. Am back here to visit them all this weekend.......But once that craving got satisfied, another arose- I miss home! I want my mommy!
But since mommy can not be had right now, a close substitute is something she makes for me. Continuing my series about my favourite things that I am fed before I leave home for here.....here comes Two-minute ginger pickle! Super-simple and great to eat with ANY kind of food (I have even mixed it in pasta!).
Ingredients: Fresh Ginger, lime/lemon juice, salt, red chili pwd, green chillies (chopped fine)
1. Scrape the skin off the ginger. Trick: use a spoon! Saves precious ginger and juices.
2. Cut the ginger into small pieces. Can make them thin and long (juliennes) or small cubes....whatever you like.
3. Mix the cut ginger with chopped green chillies, salt, red chilli pwd and lemon juice. keep tasting and adjust these ingredients till to achieve a taste you like. Really, its that simple and that individualistic. Just remember that the main taste is that you ginger and lime. This can be eaten now and it tastes better and tastes better and better with time. Can be stored in the fridge for 10-14 days.
Variations: Can put in some white vinegar for an additional kick. Also, can do all this with julliennes of 'mooli' (horse radish).
Now that I am living on my own, I have discovered that I dont like cooking for myself! I am soooo used to cooking for at least 6-8 people that it seems pointless doing it for one. But I do know that I need to eat properly so I am hoping that this blog provides me the excuse to continue cooking and experimenting even on my own.
Ciao from the middle of the country.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
I am back in the US after 7 weeks at home....and am struggling with a major bout of homesickness :( . It seems so pointless being so far away from family sometimes. Anyway, now I will count days till december and cook my heart out.
The last few days at home were really really crazy food-wise since one person after another was vying to feed me their goodies! So one recipe at a time, I will share with you some of my most favorite recipes. Today, I wanted to try out 'kachori'. Basically it is a stuffed, fried bread. The stuffing can be ANYTHING that you want....as complicated or as simple as you want to make it. The easiest stuffing is potatoes or peas. Mom makes a stuffing out of soaked, ground dal.....she will post that recipe soon.
Note: these are fried....but I am in need of major comfort food right now.
The simplest order of move that I follow is
a. Make the stuffing first. b. While this cools, put the oil for deep-frying on medium heat. c. While the oils heats up and the stuffing cools, make the dough. d. Make stuffed dough-balls and deep fry.
Ingredients:
For the stuffing:
Boiled, roughly mashed potatoes 4 (or boiled mashed peas)
Red Onion, chopped finely 1
Green chillies chopped 4-5
Oil 1 tblsp
Corriander leaves chopped to taste
Corriander pwder 3tspn
Red chilli pwd 1 tsp
Amchur 1-2tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Take 1 tblsp on oil in pan. Once it is hot, put in some jeera seeds. Once they pop, saute the chopped onions and green chillies for 1-2 mins. Now put in the mashed potatoes (or peas). Saute for 1 min. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until integrated. After another 1 min, the smell will tempt you to eat the stuffing right there and then! Remove this mixture from the heat and let cool.
Note: A 'healthier' way will be to simply put all the stuffing ingredients together without sauteeing them. A slightly different taste. Also, you can use any leftover veggies for the stuffing. Further, you can add or leave out any ingredient for the stuffing.....no hard and fast rules.
For the bread:
Flour 500 grams
Oil 4 tblsp
Salt to taste
Ajwain seeds 3 pinches
Water
Mix the flour, salt, oil, ajwain. Use water to make a dough (just like roti dough). This dough should be relatively flexible or loose since we need the elasticity in order to put in the stuffing. Make small balls of dough, diameter apprx 1inch.
Pulling it all together:
To make the actual kachori, take a clean dry rolling surface and brush it gently with oil. Now roll out one of the dough balls until it is big enough to the stuffed (do not make the this too thin, otherwise these are hellish to deep fry).
Take 1 tblsp of stuffing, put in the middle of the rolled out dough and pull together the edges of the rolled out dough until you get a round smooth ball with no trace of the stuffing showing outside. (I need to buy a camera soon! It is so hard to verbally describe some things!).
Now roll out this stuffed dough-ball into a small, round disc.
Note: this is a slightly tricky part. If the disc is too thin then the stuffing might spill out into the oil while deep frying. If it is too thick then the taste after frying is predominantly of the dough, not the stuffing. A little experimentation is needed until you find what works for you.
Deep fry this stuffed disc in hot oil on medium heat until it is golden-brown on both sides. Repeat until you run of the stuffing and the dough.
Note that while rolling out the dough we do not use loose flour to dust the dough. Instead, we use a little oil to grease this rolling surface so that the dough wont stick to the surface.
You can serve these as appetisers or snacks or a meal. Usual accompaniments are pickles or/and chutnies (corriander, mint, tamarind, 'saunth'....anything goes). Kachori's are also great as a picnic or travel food--easy to pack, taste good even when cold and do not need too many accompaniments to go along. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.
The last few days at home were really really crazy food-wise since one person after another was vying to feed me their goodies! So one recipe at a time, I will share with you some of my most favorite recipes. Today, I wanted to try out 'kachori'. Basically it is a stuffed, fried bread. The stuffing can be ANYTHING that you want....as complicated or as simple as you want to make it. The easiest stuffing is potatoes or peas. Mom makes a stuffing out of soaked, ground dal.....she will post that recipe soon.
Note: these are fried....but I am in need of major comfort food right now.
The simplest order of move that I follow is
a. Make the stuffing first. b. While this cools, put the oil for deep-frying on medium heat. c. While the oils heats up and the stuffing cools, make the dough. d. Make stuffed dough-balls and deep fry.
Ingredients:
For the stuffing:
Boiled, roughly mashed potatoes 4 (or boiled mashed peas)
Red Onion, chopped finely 1
Green chillies chopped 4-5
Oil 1 tblsp
Corriander leaves chopped to taste
Corriander pwder 3tspn
Red chilli pwd 1 tsp
Amchur 1-2tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Take 1 tblsp on oil in pan. Once it is hot, put in some jeera seeds. Once they pop, saute the chopped onions and green chillies for 1-2 mins. Now put in the mashed potatoes (or peas). Saute for 1 min. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until integrated. After another 1 min, the smell will tempt you to eat the stuffing right there and then! Remove this mixture from the heat and let cool.
Note: A 'healthier' way will be to simply put all the stuffing ingredients together without sauteeing them. A slightly different taste. Also, you can use any leftover veggies for the stuffing. Further, you can add or leave out any ingredient for the stuffing.....no hard and fast rules.
For the bread:
Flour 500 grams
Oil 4 tblsp
Salt to taste
Ajwain seeds 3 pinches
Water
Mix the flour, salt, oil, ajwain. Use water to make a dough (just like roti dough). This dough should be relatively flexible or loose since we need the elasticity in order to put in the stuffing. Make small balls of dough, diameter apprx 1inch.
Pulling it all together:
To make the actual kachori, take a clean dry rolling surface and brush it gently with oil. Now roll out one of the dough balls until it is big enough to the stuffed (do not make the this too thin, otherwise these are hellish to deep fry).
Take 1 tblsp of stuffing, put in the middle of the rolled out dough and pull together the edges of the rolled out dough until you get a round smooth ball with no trace of the stuffing showing outside. (I need to buy a camera soon! It is so hard to verbally describe some things!).
Now roll out this stuffed dough-ball into a small, round disc.
Note: this is a slightly tricky part. If the disc is too thin then the stuffing might spill out into the oil while deep frying. If it is too thick then the taste after frying is predominantly of the dough, not the stuffing. A little experimentation is needed until you find what works for you.
Deep fry this stuffed disc in hot oil on medium heat until it is golden-brown on both sides. Repeat until you run of the stuffing and the dough.
Note that while rolling out the dough we do not use loose flour to dust the dough. Instead, we use a little oil to grease this rolling surface so that the dough wont stick to the surface.
You can serve these as appetisers or snacks or a meal. Usual accompaniments are pickles or/and chutnies (corriander, mint, tamarind, 'saunth'....anything goes). Kachori's are also great as a picnic or travel food--easy to pack, taste good even when cold and do not need too many accompaniments to go along. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
One of my most favorite dishes is Rajasthani 'gatte'. These are basically gram flour nuggets cooked in a yogurt based gravy. These are really tasty, go well with rice or with any Indian breads and depending on the time available, can be made as complicated or as easy as one likes.
We make a lot of yogurt-based curries at home and I always feel that yogurt provides a good way to present strong, flavourful spices. Another reason is that yogurt is the most common souring agent used in Rajasthani cuisine (tomato and tamarind and relatively new entrants). No prizes for guessing that we belong to Rajasthan.
Mom: There is a scientific reason for the extensive use of yogurt in Rajasthan. The water contains a lot of flourides and the calcium in yogurt helps to precipitate this flouride and so helps in avoiding flourosis.
We wanted to submit this recipe for the Jivha for Ingredients event being hosted by Santhi of http://santhiskitchen.netfirms.com/nfblog/?p=78. I apologise-- I dont know how to put URL's within the posts yet. But I dont have a digital camera yet and no scanner either so I cant take a picture of this dish. But I do hope that some of you will try this great dish nonetheless and I look forward to joining the next JFI event.
Ingredients
For nuggets:
Gram flour 100 grams
Oil 2 tbsp
Saunf pwd 1/2 tsp
Ajwain seeds 1 pinch
Red chili pwd 1/2 tsp
Corriander pwd 1/2 tsp
Garam masala pinch
Salt to taste
Turmeric pinch
Warm water
For gravy:
Yogurt 100 grams (beaten gently with a spoon)
Turmeric
Corriander pwd 1 tpsp
Saunf (fennel) pwd 1/2 tsp
Red chili pwd 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Instructions:
1. Set some water to boil.
2. For the nuggets, roast gram flour slightly till the raw flavor goes away. Take it off the flame, add oil and mix well. Add all the dry spices listed above and mix well.
3. Use a spoon to stir the mixture (in a folding motion) while you gradually sprinkle warm water over this mix. You need to do this until it is lightly bound (not watery and not totally bound like roti flour).
A word of warning here: Do NOT knead the flour mixture since we need for air to be present in the mixture in order to get soft nuggets.
5. Use wet hands to shape the mixture into long cylinder (diameter approx. 1/2 inch).
6. The water must be boiling by now. Drop in these long cylinders gently into the water and simmer till the cylinders turn white and float up in the water.
7. Remove the cylinders from water ( do not throw the water away) and cut them into bite-sized nuggets.
8. For the gravy, take 1tsp of oil in a vessel and do the 'tadka' with cumin seeds, heeng (asafoetida).
9. Once the seeds have popped reduce the heat, add the yogurt and continuously stir this mixture. Add the dry masalas (not the salt) and keep stirring till fat seperates from yogurt.
Note: This may take some time but it is worth it. Also, if you dont stir then the yogurt might seperate. That is also the reason why on most yogurt based curries, we add salt right in the end. Salt encourages the yogurt to seperate and the resulting mixture is not pretty.
10. Add the water left over from boiling the nuggets. You can add more water if required. Bring the mixture to boil and then keep it on a low flame for 5-7 minutes.
Note: This is another trick to keep the yogurt from seperating. Basically, the leftover water from the nuggets contains some gram flour which also acts as a binding agent in the gravy.
11. To pull everything together, add the nuggets to the gravy and bring to boil. This is the stage to season with salt. Garnish with corriander leaves and green chillies.
A richer version of the gravy involves onion-garlic paste. In a vessel, heat 1.5 tsp oil and do the tadka with jeera and heeng. Once seeds have popped add 2 tblsp of onion-garlic paste and roast slowly on a low flame. Once the oil seperates from the paste (when you can see lace-like formations aroung the paste in the vessel) then follow the instructions from step 9.
Some people also like to fry to the nuggets once they are boiled. We dont do that at home for everyday eating.
And in my version I do a seperate 'tadka' with jeera and red chilli powder on top of the dish right before serving. Its a great dash of color on the yellow dish and an extra layer of spice.
Ok, so it seems long and complicated. But I swear to you that its not! I have made it n-number of times in about 15-20 minutes after a long hard day struggling with my thesis! If I can do it, so can everyone else! The burst of protein (from the gram flour) and spices gives a great feeling that even removes despair arising from feeling that you are going to be in grad-school for the rest of your life!
We make a lot of yogurt-based curries at home and I always feel that yogurt provides a good way to present strong, flavourful spices. Another reason is that yogurt is the most common souring agent used in Rajasthani cuisine (tomato and tamarind and relatively new entrants). No prizes for guessing that we belong to Rajasthan.
Mom: There is a scientific reason for the extensive use of yogurt in Rajasthan. The water contains a lot of flourides and the calcium in yogurt helps to precipitate this flouride and so helps in avoiding flourosis.
We wanted to submit this recipe for the Jivha for Ingredients event being hosted by Santhi of http://santhiskitchen.netfirms.com/nfblog/?p=78. I apologise-- I dont know how to put URL's within the posts yet. But I dont have a digital camera yet and no scanner either so I cant take a picture of this dish. But I do hope that some of you will try this great dish nonetheless and I look forward to joining the next JFI event.
Ingredients
For nuggets:
Gram flour 100 grams
Oil 2 tbsp
Saunf pwd 1/2 tsp
Ajwain seeds 1 pinch
Red chili pwd 1/2 tsp
Corriander pwd 1/2 tsp
Garam masala pinch
Salt to taste
Turmeric pinch
Warm water
For gravy:
Yogurt 100 grams (beaten gently with a spoon)
Turmeric
Corriander pwd 1 tpsp
Saunf (fennel) pwd 1/2 tsp
Red chili pwd 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Instructions:
1. Set some water to boil.
2. For the nuggets, roast gram flour slightly till the raw flavor goes away. Take it off the flame, add oil and mix well. Add all the dry spices listed above and mix well.
3. Use a spoon to stir the mixture (in a folding motion) while you gradually sprinkle warm water over this mix. You need to do this until it is lightly bound (not watery and not totally bound like roti flour).
A word of warning here: Do NOT knead the flour mixture since we need for air to be present in the mixture in order to get soft nuggets.
5. Use wet hands to shape the mixture into long cylinder (diameter approx. 1/2 inch).
6. The water must be boiling by now. Drop in these long cylinders gently into the water and simmer till the cylinders turn white and float up in the water.
7. Remove the cylinders from water ( do not throw the water away) and cut them into bite-sized nuggets.
8. For the gravy, take 1tsp of oil in a vessel and do the 'tadka' with cumin seeds, heeng (asafoetida).
9. Once the seeds have popped reduce the heat, add the yogurt and continuously stir this mixture. Add the dry masalas (not the salt) and keep stirring till fat seperates from yogurt.
Note: This may take some time but it is worth it. Also, if you dont stir then the yogurt might seperate. That is also the reason why on most yogurt based curries, we add salt right in the end. Salt encourages the yogurt to seperate and the resulting mixture is not pretty.
10. Add the water left over from boiling the nuggets. You can add more water if required. Bring the mixture to boil and then keep it on a low flame for 5-7 minutes.
Note: This is another trick to keep the yogurt from seperating. Basically, the leftover water from the nuggets contains some gram flour which also acts as a binding agent in the gravy.
11. To pull everything together, add the nuggets to the gravy and bring to boil. This is the stage to season with salt. Garnish with corriander leaves and green chillies.
A richer version of the gravy involves onion-garlic paste. In a vessel, heat 1.5 tsp oil and do the tadka with jeera and heeng. Once seeds have popped add 2 tblsp of onion-garlic paste and roast slowly on a low flame. Once the oil seperates from the paste (when you can see lace-like formations aroung the paste in the vessel) then follow the instructions from step 9.
Some people also like to fry to the nuggets once they are boiled. We dont do that at home for everyday eating.
And in my version I do a seperate 'tadka' with jeera and red chilli powder on top of the dish right before serving. Its a great dash of color on the yellow dish and an extra layer of spice.
Ok, so it seems long and complicated. But I swear to you that its not! I have made it n-number of times in about 15-20 minutes after a long hard day struggling with my thesis! If I can do it, so can everyone else! The burst of protein (from the gram flour) and spices gives a great feeling that even removes despair arising from feeling that you are going to be in grad-school for the rest of your life!
New beginings.......and Happy Birthday!
Hi All!
After many many months of thinking about it and trying to get up my courage, I am starting a blog....that too on my birthday! But of course, being the baby that I am, I am doing it with my mom. I am Gunjan and my mom's name is Vinita, hence Vyanjanaa.
We are two very very different people, living on two different continents. One a scientist, another an economist. One a total spice freak, another more balanced. One in Delhi, another in the US. One with 4 servants, another with none! But we both love food, love the theories and the science behind food, love the almost house-to-house variations that exist, particularly in Indian cooking. We hope to share a little bit of our love of totally 'desi', down-to-earth, vegetarian 'ghar ka khanaa'. Much as we love 'makhani' paneer and 'malai' kofta curry, we dont (and cannot) eat it everyday. And there is SOOOOOO much more to north indian food than these. In fact there is so much more to Indian food now with previously "exotic" dishes now a part of everyday menus. Be it pizza, pasta or burger, once your neighbourhood "thele-walla" starts selling it.....you know its here to stay!
So welcome to our blog! This is a chronicle of experiments in trying to create totally new tastes as well as to recreate the illusive ones that always remain on your tongue and remind you of home.
After many many months of thinking about it and trying to get up my courage, I am starting a blog....that too on my birthday! But of course, being the baby that I am, I am doing it with my mom. I am Gunjan and my mom's name is Vinita, hence Vyanjanaa.
We are two very very different people, living on two different continents. One a scientist, another an economist. One a total spice freak, another more balanced. One in Delhi, another in the US. One with 4 servants, another with none! But we both love food, love the theories and the science behind food, love the almost house-to-house variations that exist, particularly in Indian cooking. We hope to share a little bit of our love of totally 'desi', down-to-earth, vegetarian 'ghar ka khanaa'. Much as we love 'makhani' paneer and 'malai' kofta curry, we dont (and cannot) eat it everyday. And there is SOOOOOO much more to north indian food than these. In fact there is so much more to Indian food now with previously "exotic" dishes now a part of everyday menus. Be it pizza, pasta or burger, once your neighbourhood "thele-walla" starts selling it.....you know its here to stay!
So welcome to our blog! This is a chronicle of experiments in trying to create totally new tastes as well as to recreate the illusive ones that always remain on your tongue and remind you of home.
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