Jeerige Chutney

Child birth in India is probably a celebrated affair like nowhere else in the world. So many rituals, so many festivities and such joy no wonder we are the second most populous nation on this planet!!
It is also a critical period for the newborn as well as the new mother. A grueling experience for the mother, she needs to be taken care of the first few postpartum months. Back home, pregnant women go back to their maternal homes for the delivery and stay there for months where she is fed with special meals, giving elaborate oil baths and plenty of rest. It is a time of life except for the dietary restrictions.
I find the dietary restrictions rather strange. In my family, permitted foods include vegetables like carrot, beans, beetroot, Methi, dill, and rice & toor dal. No ragi, no wheat no other cereals. In my friend's family permitted foods include tomatoes, brinjal, bread, chapati and Moong Dal. In my co-sister's family it is brinjal, Cluster beans, Ridged gourd, Ivy gourd. No beans, no carrots. So postpartum or 'Banati' foods typically vary substantially. Universally accepted postpartum foods include garlic and Ghee.
My mother also tells me that folks back home have so much more to follow like having to wear warm clothing, consuming betel leaves after meals etc. All these are followed for anywhere between three to nine months postpartum. I wonder what my grandmother has to say to women here in the USA going back to work two weeks after childbirth!!!

I will be posting for a series of recipes that are specially served to new mothers in my family. I am sure there are new mothers out there who will find these recipes useful. Of course other folks can try these as well, for it is definitely worth the effort.



We will need,

Kopra/ Kobbari/ (dry coconut) 1/2 cup grated
Tili Saaru Powder 1 tsp
Garlic 4 large cloves
Jeera 1.5 tsp
Mustard 1/4 tsp
Tamarind 1/2 tsp extract
Jaggery 1/2 tsp crushed
Ghee 1 tbsp
Curry leaves 6-7
Salt to taste

Method:

• Roast kopra and Jeera separately till fragrant.
• Combine kopra, Jeera, Jaggery, tili saaru powder, tamarind and 1/2 a cup of water in a blender. Pulse till almost smooth.
  
• Add the garlic to the same blender and pulse till smooth.
  
• In a wok heat the ghee, drop the mustard seeds. Once it stops spluttering, add the the ground mixture and bring it to boil.
  
• Simmer for a 15 minutes and turn off the heat. Serve hot with rice and ghee. To make a fab meal serve it with Rasam, Rice, pickles and Papads.
  

Herekai Chutney

Herekai or ridged gourd is one my favorite vegetables. Though not as versatile as say the ash gourd, it is definitely something to have regularly on my shopping list. It is a vegetable which is quite popular back home. In fact i remember it growing in many a backyards just like that. So for a quick fix meal, just hop to the back yard, pluck a plumy gourd and bingo! dish out something truly comforting. It is generally considered 'sheeta' or 'cold' food therefore out of bounds for me. ( postpartum/ Bananti) Rest of my folks nevertheless enjoyed it immensely.

We will need,

Herekai/Ridged gourd 1 lb
Green Chilies 2 -4( adjust according to taste)
Dry chillies 2 (adjust according to taste)
Tamarind extract 1 tsp
Jaggery 2 tsp (crushed)
Oil 2 tbsp
Curry leaves a handful
Hing a dash
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Coriander fresh a handful
Salt

Method:

• Clean the ridged gourd. Give it a rough chop and set it aside.
• Heat oil in a wok. Throw in the mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves. Once they stop crackling throw in the chilles. Cook for a brief minute.
  
• Throw in the ridged gourd and cook covered till the vegetable is tender. Set it aside to cool.
• Once it is cool, combine it with the rest of the ingredients in a blender and pulse till the mixture is smooth.
  
• Serve hot with a dollop of ghee and rice or Mudde.
  

Apple Kosambari

Fall is synonymous with apples here in New England. They grow so many varieties here I did not even know existed. For me apples meant Simla apples, small sweet and dull looking. (I also remember the Golden apples, but do not quite remember how it used to taste). But here apples are huge, shinny (because they are waxed and yucky), anywhere between maroon-golden-green in colour, very sweet to very tart, soft to kind of woody in texture. In fact Granny Smith apples can be so tart that it can practically be substituted for raw mangoes in most of the dishes. We make chitranna, tokku and kosambari as well. This is mom's innovation and we all loved it.

We will need,

Granny Smith apples 2 diced
Salt
Pepper
Chilly powder 1/4 tsp
Sugar 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice to taste

Method

• Dice the apples into chunks. Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl.
  
• Toss well.Serve Immediately.

P.S : For an alternate dressing, substitute honey for sugar and sprinkle a pinch of Chat masala, it tastes heavenly.

This recipe goes to the FIL- fruits, Thanks a lot Sanghi for the idea :) Dedicating it to Mother dear because she is my 'personal mom'...

Tomato Saaru

It is fall here and of course the onset of eating season! This time I am not doing much of baking because I am supposed to keep away from all such goodies for the next few weeks. So my baking season this time starts when the holidays are over. Till then it is just warm comfort foods that is easy to digest. Topping the list of such dishes will be Rasams and Tili Saaru of all variety. For me they are the ultimate comfort food. Here is mom's version of tomato Saaru


We will need,

Tomatoes 2 large
Tamarind extract 1/2 tsp
Jaggery 1/2 tbsp (crushed)
Tili Saaru Powder 3/4 tsp (adjust according to taste)
Ghee 1 tbsp
Mustard 1/4 tsp
Hing a dash
curry leaves
Salt to taste
Fresh Coriander a handful

Method:

1. Rough chop the tomatoes. Combine it with crushed jaggery and tamarind extract in a glass dish and pop it in the microwave for 4 minutes or till the tomatoes are mushy. Else cook the contents on the stove top till mushy.
   
2. Remove and transfer the contents to a saucepan. Add the Tili Saaru powder and 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer till the raw smell disappears, about 15 minutes.
   
3. Prepare the oggarane in another pan. Heat ghee, drop the mustard, hing and curry leaves into the hot ghee. Once the mixture stops crackling pour it onto the tomato mixture.
   
4. Simmer for a few more minutes, adjust salt and finish with fresh coriander.
5. Serve piping hot with rice, a dollop of ghee and Papad.
   

Averebele toge

Averebele is split dried Indian beans/papadi lilva/Avarekalu/Cow beans. It is such a delicacy back home that during winters (when the vegetable is in season) the vegetable finds its way into practically everything that comes out of the kitchen. During off season, the dried variety is used. Though the dried ones are no where close to the fresh ones in either flavour or taste, it is definitely something that can sooth a craving palate for the time being. I have never liked the dried variety despite my undying love for the fresh ones. That is till my mother made this dish.
She is visiting us from India. We are having a fun time here with all experimentation in the kitchen and of course long sessions of yapping.
I have been prodding her for old forgotten recipes. This is one of the results. I have a treasure trove to publish and hope I find time in between our yapping sessions to get on to my machine and do some writing!!!


we will need,

Avarebele 1/2 cup
For the spice paste
Garlic 2 cloves
Coconut 3 tbsp
Dry red chillies 4-5 (adjust according to taste)
Black pepper 1/2 tsp
Turmeric a pinch
For the Oggarane/Tadka
Oil 1 tbsp
Mustard 1/4 tsp
Hing a pinch
Curry leaves a handful

Method

1. Pick and clean the Avarebele washing it in several changes of water.
   
2. Drain the Avarebele and combine two cups of water and the Avarebele in a pressure cooker and cook till very soft. (About 5 whistles in my pressure cooker) Set it aside to cool.
   
3. Grind all the ingredients listed under the 'spice paste' into a smooth paste adding a little water.
4. Bring the spice paste to a boil and simmer till the rawness disappear about 20 minutes.
5. Mix in the cooked Avarebele and stir well. Add salt to taste and simmer.
6. In another pan, heat oil. Drop the mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves. Once they crackle, pour the mixture onto the simmer Avarebele-spice mixture. Mix and cover. Simmer for a few more minutes till the flavors are well combined about 10-15 minutes.
7. Finish with some fresh coriander. Serve hot with rice.
   

Tomato Cherry Pepper Tart

Fall is the season of Atlantic storms here on the East Coast of USA. That means a lot of rains. On one such rainy evening, I started craving for something rich but also spicy, also something that did not require me to stand in front of hot oil!! I did have a box pf puff pastry lying in my freezer and calling out for me!! What better day I though to bake some savoury puff pastry tarts.. We enjoyed this tart enormously



We will need,

Puff Pastry sheet 1 (or half a box)
Mozzarella Cheese ½ cup grated (or more if desired)
Cherry peppers in vinegar 2 diced
Tomato 1 medium diced
Onions 1 medium diced
Fresh coriander 2 tbsp Chopped
Green Chillies 1 minced (Optional)
Salt
Pepper to taste

• Follow the instructions on the puff pastry box, and thaw it on the counter for 15-20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 0 F. Spread the puff pastry sheet on a floured surface and cut it into six pieces.
• Lay the sheets on a cookie sheet. (grease the sheet if the instructions on the box calls for it)
• Spread the cheese on the pastry pieces, sprinkle the diced cherry peppers, tomatoes, onions, chillies and coriander on the cheese. Add a dash of salt and pepper on the topping and bake the Pastries for about 10-12 minutes. (Again follow the instruction on the box) Keep an eye on these tarts for they go too far very quick.
• Once the cheese is melted and the pastry is golden on the edges the tarts are ready.
• Remove from the oven and rest it for at least 5-8 minutes. Serve it with tomato/chilly sauce
  

Happy Deepavali

A very happy and prosperous Deepawali....