Potato Curry with Kale, Green Pepper and Tahini

The other night, my friend Alana came over to make dinner. We had decided to raid my fridge since I have so many vegetables from the CSA and the farmer's market that I needed to finish before leaving on vacation to CA this week. We had limited time because we had tickets to go see a musical parody of the Golden Girls (I know you are all jealous!). We were having a jolly time pre-partying by watching copious amounts of Golden Girls episodes on my DVR, but before we knew it, it was almost time to go and we had not made a thing. I think that Golden Girls is probably my #1 reason for being late to places - the episodes are like quicksand!

Anyway, we somehow managed to get ourselves away from GG and each ended up making a dish. I made this potato curry that I will share and Alana made a squash curry that was oh so yummy. We were running so late that we just put some of each of the curries into tortillas with some yogurt and shared halfies in the taxi. All in all, I think it took us under an hour to make both and we made the show too so I can tell you this recipe is quick and tastes really good.

I love Middle Eastern food and when possible try to mix it with Indian recipes as I feel the two cuisines complement each other nicely. For this recipe, I have added some tahini paste and lime for a different variation on a typical North Indian curry. Tahini is ground up sesame seeds and I learned that it is very good for you because it is one of the most calcium rich foods. I try to incorporate it whenever possible because it adds a nice nutty flavor and smooth texture to a lot of dishes.

Ingredients:

1 medium size red potato boiled and chopped into small cubes

1/2 medium onion fine chop

1 small green pepper cut into medium size pieces
6 stalks of kale leaves chopped (stems removed)

3 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

pinch of asafoetida

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

3 teaspoons coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste

good pinch of crushed red chili peppers

1-2 teaspoons salt depending on your taste

1 tablespoon tahini paste

juice of 1/2 lime

cilantro for garnishing

Method:
Boil the potato in salted water until cooked but not mushy. (You can start chopping and cooking the other veggies while the potato boils to save time.) Drain and pour cold water over the potato to stop it from cooking further. Chop the potato with the skins on. (Oddly, potato skins contain a lot of iron and protein, so no more peeling potatoes you!)

In a large pan under medium heat, put 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, put in the cumin seed, asafoetida and mustard seed. Shake the pan a bit so the seeds mingle. Once they start to brown and crackle, put in the chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala and mix the spices together so that they are all coated with oil. After a few seconds when the spices become fragrant, add the onions. Once the onions start to turn a golden brown, put in the ginger and garlic paste. Mix well and cook for a few seconds and then add in the kale and green pepper. (If vegetables stick at any time, just add a few drops of water)

Once the kale starts to get a nice bright green color and a bit wilty, make a spot in the middle of the pan and pour in 1 tablespoon of oil with a pinch of crushed red chili pepper. When warm, throw in the potato pieces. Fry a bit and then mix everything up with the salt. Put in the tahini paste and combine well with the vegetables. Cook for a few minutes and turn off the heat. Pour the lime juice on and stir it all up. Garnish with cilantro.

I ate this in a whole wheat tortilla with a little bit of yogurt.

Khitchadi (Lentil/Rice Stew) and Kadhi (Yogurt Sauce)

I just started taking an Ayurvedic cooking class last week which definitely comes at a good time. My last few posts have focused on foods that can help lower acidity in the body, which is quite related to the practice of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is an ancient medical science from India and it literally means "life knowledge" (ayu = life; veda = knowledge). It is founded on the belief that healthy living and balance in the body is promoted through such things as diet, herbs, mind/body practices. The philosophy is actually quite present today with the popularity of yoga, meditation, body cleanses, herbal supplements, wellness centers with a focus on alternative practices, etc.

According to Ayurveda, everyone's body is unique so certain foods may be good for you and not so good for others. This would explain why when I did research about what foods reduce acidity, there were so much conflicting information. My doctor told me that lemons are bad, while others said that lemon juice is actually alkanizing to the body. What I have figured out is that I need to try the foods out on my own and see what works for me. I have been slowly re-introducing foods back into my diet and apparently lemons+me=friends.

I wanted to share the 2 recipes from my class that I tried out. My teacher, Nalini Mehta, kindly allowed me to publish them here. Both are traditional North Indian dishes made in Ayurvedic fashion in which the six tastes (sweet, sour, pungent, salty, bitter and astringent) are all represented. Khitchadi is actually a dish that is made when you are feeling under the weather so it is very comforting to eat and kadhi is a spicy yogurt sauce that you make with chickpea flour. You can top the kitchadi with some of the kadhi.

Moong Dal and Zucchini Khitchadi, courtesy of Nalini Mehta
serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup moong dal
1 1/2 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup ghee, butter
1 whole dried red chili
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
8 whole cloves
4 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon asafoetida

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 medium sized zucchini chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
2 small carrots chopped in half moons (my addition)
small yellow button squash chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (my addition)
6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 inch piece ginger (no need to cut it, but you can if you prefer)
1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Method:
Combine the dal and rice in a bowl and add cold water to cover. let soak 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat the ghee, then add red chilies, cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, turmeric, asafoetida and black pepper in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the onions and cook, stirring until they begin to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add vegetables and saute for another 3 minutes. Add the rice and split peas mixture and saute, stirring gently, about 1 minute.

Add the water, salt, ginger, and garam masala and stir gently to mix. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer very gently 20 minutes. Stir gently. Then continue cooking, covered, until the rice and lentils are tender and the mixture is still wet, like a very thick, savory porridge, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and serve hot.

Kadhi, courtesy of Nalini Mehta
4 servings

Ingredients:
4 cups yogurt (blended)
2 tablespoons chickpea flour
2 tablespoons ghee
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 pinch asafoetida
2 cloves
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 inche piece ginger
2 green chilies
1 sprig curry leaves
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cilantro

Method:
Blend the yogurt and chickpea flour (helps to use a sieve when pouring the flour into the yogurt) to a smooth consistency using a spoon or whisk.

Heat ghee in a heavy base pan and add cloves, cumin and mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to crackle, lower the heat to minimum and add the asafoetida powder, fenugreek seeds, ginger piece, green chilies and curry leaves. Now add the cayenne pepper and stir for a second - then immediately add the yogurt mix. Stir constantly on a medium flame with a whisk until it comes to boil so that the yogurt does not curdle. Let the Kadhi soup simmer on low heat for another 10-15 minutes stirring it occassionally. Add salt to taste and garnish with cilantro leaves and serve piping hot.

Beet Palya (South Indian Stir Fry)

Palya is the name for a dry stir fry curry that's made in the southern Indian state of Karnataka where my mother is from. She gave me this recipe, but I have modified it a bit to tone down the spices for my tum. This style of curry usually consists of seeds and dry dals that are fried with chili and curry leaf.

chana dal

Beets are another vegetable that I love and they also happen to lower acidity in the body. Beets are just really good for you in general and if you are vegetarian they are even more important because they include a great deal of iron.

urad dal

The beets that I got from the CSA this time were so small. They looked like little radishes. They were very cute until I realized that I had to peel them. It was not too bad but what a mess of beet juice all over the place.

mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chili

Since I was very young, I always enjoyed and was intrigued by this vegetable because of the coloring it would leave behind on my plate. The coloring is so strong that you can actually dye fabric with it and apparently a lot of items in my kitchen (cutting board, dish towel, floor, stove, etc.).



Here is the recipe:

Beet Palya

Ingredients

3 cups beets, cubed

2 teaspoons oil

pinch of hing (asafoetida )

1/2 teaspoon mustards seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon urad dal

1 teaspoon chana dal

2 fresh curry leaves (I usually freeze my leaves to keep them longer)

1 dry red chili (optional)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

salt to taste

1-2 tablespoons frozen fresh grated coconut (optional since beets are pretty sweet)

lemon (optional)

cilantro for garnish

Method

Cut beets into small cubed pieces. In a pan heat oil under a medium flame. Put in a good pinch of hing. When it is golden, add the seeds and dal. When the urad dal starts to become brown, add the curry leaf and the chili broken in half. To this add the cut beets and turmeric. Mix it all up and continue to cook.

Cover and check on them every few minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water to make sure the beets do not stick to the pan. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes until they are tender. Turn off the heat and add salt, lemon and coconut and mix. Garnish with cilantro.

I ate the beets with some quinoa.

Papaya Lassi - Not 4 Me, But Maybe 4 U?

So I have been eating loads of papaya because it's supposed to be really good for neutralizing acid in the stomach. I used to actually hate the fruit, but after eating it everyday from my parent's tree in India during visits, I learned to love it. I think it probably had a lot to do with how nicely my father cuts papaya. He takes such great care to peel the fruit so that hardly any of it is wasted and then he cuts it into such neat pieces. Its also hard to resist because I see how much he enjoys eating it himself.

I thought that papaya would be a really nice substitute for mango in a lassi and I also wanted to incorporate other ingredients that help with acidity like honey and banana, but it just didn't suit my taste. The saffron I included does not help to neutralize acid, but apparently it helps with balding for those of you who are looking for the miracle spice! I wanted it to taste good so bad but it was just so bad. It may have been improved if I put some sugar in there too, but I think I'm going to stick to mangos. For those who may like it, I am including the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup of cubed papaya
1 cup of yogurt
handful of ice
strand of saffron
3 teaspoons of honey
half a banana

You just put all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. I topped it with sliced almonds.

Moong Dal with Coconut, Ginger and Peas

the pic is a bit fuzzy but you know what dal looks like - mush!

In the past few years, I've become more interested in how certain foods and spices promote health in different ways in the body. While growing up, I followed many of my parent's daily regimens - like eating a few soaked and peeled almonds in the morning, finishing a meal with rice and yogurt, but I really didn't think twice about their significance. Apparently, eating almonds in the morning reduces acidity in your stomach so that you break down proteins better throughout the day and eating yogurt rice aids your body in digesting oily and spicy foods. What is nice about Indian cooking is that each spice that is used can be connected to benefits to the body in addition to making the food taste really good. For instance, turmeric, which gives curries that yellow coloring is really good for keeping cholesterol low. Who knew?

Recently, my doctor prescribed some antibiotics to me to lower the acidity level in my stomach. I am not one to treat an ailment with just medicine so the first thing I did when I got home from the doctor was to start talking to friends and family and research what foods could decrease this acidity. I found out that I would have to stay away from certain foods that I love - tomatoes, cheese, orange juice, french fries (NO!), chocolate to name a few. I learned that papaya, almonds, cumin seed, apple cider vinegar (wierd right?), milk, fennel, etc. are helpful in combatting acidity. I guess not the best time to start a food blog, but I was surprised to see that some of my favorite foods and recipes survived this test. In the next few entries I will share some of these.

I wrote this recipe down from my aunt's Madhur Jaffrey cookbook and have tweaked it quite a bit by adding coconut, ginger and peas and making lemon and chili optional to reduce the acidity. Rarely, do you find a dal recipe that cooks in 15 minutes so this was quite a find. You do have to soak the dal though for a few hours, but it's nice not to have to use a pressure cooker or slave over a pot for hours on end.

Ingredients:
Dal
1 cup dry moong dal
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen peas - thawed
~1/2 inch cube ginger - thinly sliced sticks
lemon juice (optional)
3/4 cup fresh grated coconut - I use frozen and thaw it out
chopped cilantro

Chaunk (spices fried in oil that you pour over the dal at the end)
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 whole dry chili (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of chana dal, urad dal, mustard seed
pinch of hing

Method:
Wash the moong dal in water, until the water is almost clear and drain. Add 4 cups of water to the dal and soak for a minimum of 3 hours. I usually soak this overnight so that I can just cook the dal whenever I want the next day.

Drain the dal and get 1 cup of water ready.

Combine coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne (optional) and 1 tablespoon of water.

Heat the oil over a medium flame and when it is hot put in half of the ginger sticks and a few seconds later pour the spice mixture from the cup and stir once. Quickly put in the drained dal and mix it all up. Add the salt and 1 cup water. Once the dal is boiling, cover it and turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The dal should be tender. To this add the peas, coconut and ginger and cook for 5 minutes or so. If you want the dal to be thinner, just add some warm water while cooking. Turn off the heat and at this point you can add some lemon juice (I highly recommend this, but I just can't have lemons right now!).

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil with the seeds and optional chili. Let the urad dal brown a bit and pour this over the moong dal. You can also fry onion with this, but this adds acidity as well. Garnish with cilantro.

I like to eat this dal with rice and yogurt.