[Recipe] Tomato garlic chutney

Damn, it was nearly 7.40pm and I hadnt cooked dinner yet.. Did a mental run through of all that I had and after a short debate I knew what I was going to make for dinner. I had decided to make Pongal for dinner. Wanted to make it with Saamai but noticed there were bugs in the unopened sealed packet [had bought two packets a few weeks ago, was done with one and now this second one was goner], dumped it and went with rice option. 

Phew, the main was decided, but what about the side? This is when I walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge and stood staring at it as if an idea was going to spring at me. Kaboom.Well, it kinda actually did. 

Here is what I made,

Spicy Tomato Chutney:--

Tomato     2  roughly chopped
Dry Red Chillies    3
Garlic      4 cloves
Tamarind    a tiny piece
Salt     to taste
Water- 1 tsp just to get the blender going

For tempering:
Oil  1
tbsp
Mustard seeds      1/2 tsp
Urad dal    1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Hing      a pinch

In the blender, add all the ingredients and make into a thick puree. If needed, add the water.
In another pan, add the oil and do the tempering
Now add the puree to the tempering and allow it to cook well for a good 5-8mins till oil starts coming out on all sides.
It is now ready to be devoured..

Perfect for any plain rice, dosa, and was good with pongal as well.. Spicy and tangy, with strong garlic flavour..

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Japan Fruit...

Me: Is it a different kind of tomato?

Gramma: No, it looks different... I havent seen this kind of tomato before

Me: Hmm.. it is in the fruit section.... Do you have any idea what it could be?

Gramma : [She looked at me perplexed...]

I then turned to the salesman behind the Apples counter and asked him what fruit it was..

Salesguy: Japan Fruit madam.. See that box next to it, it has the chopped fruit as well..

I instantly tweeted asking the kind souls out there if they had seen/tasted this fruit. Within few minutes, one of those souls replied saying "yes, have seen this before, it is also called Persimmon"

From Wikipedia- They are high in glucose, with a balanced protein profile, and possess various medicinal and chemical uses. Like the tomato, it is not considered a "common berry", but is in fact a "true berry" by definition.

We were tempted to buy one and try, but put it off for another day... I got home and did some snooping around on the net... What i found had me curious.. 

Health benefits of persimmon fruit

[Source:http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/persimmon-fruit.html]

• The fruit is low in calories (provides 70 cal/100g) and fats but is rich source of dietary fiber.
  
• Persimmons contain many health benefiting phyto-nutrients flavonoid poly-phenolic anti-oxidants like catechinsand gallocatechinsas well as important anti-tumor compound betulinic acid. Catechins are known to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents bleeding from small blood vessels) properties.
  
• Fresh permissions contain anti-oxidant compounds like vitamin-A, beta-carotene, lycopene,lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. Together, these compounds functions as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that plays a role in aging and various disease processes.
  
• zeaxanthin,an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions; thus, helps prevent "Age related macular disease"(ARMD) in the elderly.
  
• The fruits are also very good source of vitamin-C, another powerful antioxidant (especially native Chinese and American persimmons; provide 80% of DRI). Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
  
• The fruit is good in many valuable B-complex vitamins such as folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), thiamin...etc. These vitamins act as co-factors for numerous metabolic enzymatic functions in the body.
  
• Fresh Persimmon fruits also contain healthy amounts of minerals like potassium, manganese (15% of DRI), copper (12% of DRI),  and phosphorus. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as cofactors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Copper is also required for the production of red blood cells.
  

You bet on my next sighting of this fruit, i am going to grab one!!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Pudina Peas Pulao with Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy

Today, i bring to you flavours from our home kitchen :)

It was nearly midnight and i was sitting in grandparents room having random conversations while flipping through Good Housekeeping magazine. The last few pages had a bunch of recipes and i was randomly reading out the Vegetarian ones. The last recipe was "Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy".. Read it out loud, we deliberated on how it would taste, what it would go well with, etc etc...

The next day was Monday, i was all set to attack the day early on, and went over to gramma who was in the pooja room.. The conversation went something like this-

Me: Aarthimma, so whats the plan for lunch?
A'mma- Something interesting.... Are there veggies at home?
Me: yes, there are a whole bunch of veggies.. There is also spinach wilting away
A'mma: Can we make what you read out last night? Maybe have that with Chappatis?
Me: Sure thing...

Few mins passed.... it was 11am, i was prepping up for lunch, when she came into kitchen and said "Dont think we can make Chappati for all for lunch, lets make rice instead, what say?"
Me: ok, whatever you say aarthimma :)
[my head had started to play around with ingredients available at home]... Thus was born a YUMMMY lunch...

Pudina Peas Pulao

2 cups Basmati rice
2 tbsp Pudina paste[ i had made a paste of pudina leaves few days ahead, which was sitting pretty in the freezer]
2 green chillies
100 gms fresh peas
3-4 cloves
3-4 cardomom
2- cinnamon sticks
small bunch of fresh pudina leaves [for that zing]
Ghee or oil
Salt to taste
 
Method:
In a pan, saute the spices without any ghee or oil.
Add ghee or oil, saute the Green chillies for a few mins
To this, add fresh pudina leaves and the paste and slightly let them warm up...

In the Rice cooker-
Pour the required amount of water
Add the spices, green chillies, and pudina paste+leaves
Add the peas
Add salt
Add a spoon of ghee or butter [optional]
Shut the lid and allow it to cook...Stir occasionally so the spices, peas and rice mix well..

Voila, in about 25-30mins, the Pulao is ready....

Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy
2 bunches Spinach leaves [ chopped up roughly]
Water [to cook spinach in]
Cheese [ about 2-3 tbsp]- i used Kraft Pepper flavoured cheese[the only one i found at home]
Cornflour- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method:
Boil and cook the spinach with very little water
Drain off water, and roughly blend it in a processor or with a spoon
Drain excess water and set aside
To this, add the shredded cheese and Cornflour
Add salt and mix all the ingredients well
if you feel it is wet, add more cornflour or maybe a boiled potato

Make sure the oil is hot in the Pan
Add the Spinach kofta gently and allow to get golden brown
Drain off excess oil, and place them on tissue

Tomato Gravy:
4 Tomatoes[ chopped and cooked to a pulp/puree]
Ginger
Salt to taste
1tsp Cumin Seeds [jeera]
1tsp Cumin Powder
1tsp Coriander Powder
a pinch of Turmeric Powder
Oil

Other optional ingredients*
3 Onion
4-5 cloves of Garlic
1 tbsp Coconut/Cashew paste[ optional]
*- I dint use these are grandparents dont eat onions or garlic

Method
In a pan, add wee bit of oil, and put in all the ingredients.
Allow it to cook for a few mins till all flavours blend in well.

Finale-
Now, put the Kofta into the gravy gently and allow it to come to a boil...

Bon Appetit!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad