Category Archives: India

Watermelon and Tomato Chaat Salad

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Salad of watermelon and tomatoWalking through the narrow lanes of Old Delhi in the summer heat is a tiring affair. Rarely, I would visit Old Delhi in the summer but when I did I was always on the lookout for something to drink or eat to help cool down and rehydrate.  Most of the time it would be some sort of lassi. One day walking down the main road, Chadni Chowk, I saw a streetfood vendor selling watermelon chaat.  Large chunks of watermelon were sprinkled with some chaat masala, chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime juice. It was simple, refreshing and satisfying. The following recipe, inspired by this street side delight, is my own, but in the form of a salad. It is easy, quick, requires no cooking and, thus, perfect for those extremely hot days of summer. Cut and prepare this salad at the last minute as once it is mixed it tends to give off some liquid. It goes well with any type of grilled meat, fish or seafood.

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Watermelon and Tomato Chaat Salad
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 6 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 2 cups (2 medium sized) heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes (or substitute cucumber)
  • 1 medium sized red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
  • 1 generous cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 generous cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp, or more to taste, chaat masala, store bought or home made
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper
  • A couple of garden radishes, thinly sliced for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Place watermelon, tomatoes, red onion, herbs in a large bowl. Sprinkle with chaat masala, pinch of salt and lime juice. Mix well.

Place in serving bowl and garnish with a few twists of the black pepper mill and sliced radishes, if using.

Serve immediately.

NOTE: This was originally posted on my blog India On My Plate on July 22, 2011

Garlic Scape Chicken (Lasuni Murgh)

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garlic scapes

Last week we had somewhat of a bittersweet Delhi reunion.  It was fantastic to get the old gang together, particularly since the McW’s were visiting from Australia and the ever growing teenagers were excited for the opening of the newest Harry Potter.   But it was also sad knowing that it would be a long while before we would all be together again as others were preparing for imminent postings to Africa and other adventurous locals.  In planning the menu I decided to have at least one easily recognizable item that everyone would enjoy.  Lasuni Murgh, or garlic chicken, is a standard cocktail item on the diplomatic circuit in Delhi. I thought it would be fun to use the coiled garlic scapes, which snaked their way into my Teamwork CSA box, with the Mariposa Farms chicken I had purchased.

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Garlic Scape Chicken (Lasuni Murgh)
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • One 1.2 kg whole chicken or 750 grams boneless chicken breasts
  • 4 tbsp garlic scape puree (recipe below)
  • 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), made into powder in spice grinder or mortar/pestle
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
Remove skin from chicken and cut into 8 pieces (4 breast and 4 leg pieces).

In a large bowl, place the garlic scape puree, ginger, fenugreek powder, cumin, turmeric, and lemon juice. (Note: if you are only using regular garlic puree add 2 tbsp vegetable oil to the marinade).

Place chicken pieces into the bowl with marinade, season lightly with salt and pepper and mix well. Place in a separate container or large Ziploc bag to marinate, at least two hours or overnight.

Preheat barbeque. Remove chicken from marinade and season with salt and pepper.
When grilling meats with Indian marinades I like to cook them on the upper rack. I tend to have the flame around medium. I find that this helps in having a slower cook and prevents from flare ups affecting the meat. Lightly oil your grill to prevent the meat from sticking. Grill the chicken on each side until fully cooked (approximately a total of 15 minutes depending on the degree of heat you are using and which grill level you decide to use- this will be less if you are using boneless chicken breasts).

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Garlic Scape Puree
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups, finely chopped garlic scapes
  • ⅔ cup vegetable oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup of water
Instructions
Place chopped garlic scapes, vegetable oil and salt in a blender. Puree. If the mixture seems rough and chunky, scrape down the sides of the blender. Begin to puree and slowly add some of the water. Add only enough water to get the mixture moving. You may need to stop and scrape the inside of the blender a couple of times. You should have a mixture that is somewhat smooth and pureed.
Notes
The puree can be kept covered in the fridge for a few days. You can also freeze it in small batches (such as in ice cube trays) and then store in a plastic bag to use at a later date.

NOTE: This was originally published on my blog India On My Plate on July 20, 2011

South Indian Snap Pea Coconut Stir Fry

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Early summer snap pea coconut stir-fry

The annual abundance of snap peas has started. I love their crispness and versatility in that they can be used, either raw or cooked, in so many styles of cuisine. On a visit to Chennai I was fortunate enough to meet a fantastic cook and author, Viji Varadarajan.  She spent the afternoon with me explaining the subtle nuances of a pure vegetarian Brahmin kitchen and household. For lunch she presented a sumptuous feast of close to 20 different dishes served on a large banana leaf. There were so many standout bites but one in particular summarized her style of cooking.  A simple long bean kari, accented with curry leaves, grated coconut and a few spices. It was vibrant, full of life, understated yet complex- much like Viji herself. Although this vegetarian recipe calls for snap peas, green or yellow beans, snow peas, or many other vegetables can be used to prepare this quick and easy recipe.

snap peas, curry leaves, freshly grated coconut and spices

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South Indian Snap Pea Coconut Stir Fry
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound (3 cups) snap peas
  • 3-4 branches (36-40 leaves) curry leaves, julienned
  • 2 tablespoons grated coconut, fresh or frozen
  • ½ dried red chile
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • Salt, to taste
Instructions
Remove tip of each snap pea and pull string from side. Cut each snap pea into half inch pieces.

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an iced water bath.

As the water comes to a boil, heat ½ teaspoon of oil over medium high heat in a medium sized pan. Cook the chile for a minute or so until slightly crispy and toasted. Remove from pan and place the chile, coconut, cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon of water in a small food processor or mortar and pestle. Blend or pound to get a coarse mixture. Set aside.

Add cut snap peas to the water and cook for a couple of minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove from the pot and immediately chill in the iced water bath. After a few minutes, drain and set aside.

Heat the remaining ½ teaspoon of oil in the medium sized pan over medium high heat. Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to pop add the curry leaves, blanched snap peas, blended coconut paste and a pinch of salt. Cook for 30 seconds or until warm. Serve immediately.

NOTE: This was originally posted on my blog India On My Plate on July 7, 2011

What’s The Deal with Kohlrabi?

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young kohlrabi and attached greensKohlrabi again was a featured vegetable in my CSA basket from Hilary Chop and Teamwork CSA. Holding it in my hands reminded me of my semester as a student in Vienna and my visits to the famous central Naschmarkt and seeing a knobby light green tennis ball sized vegetable for the first time.  It was described to me as a ‘cabbage turnip’.  At that point in time I tended to stay away from onomatopoeic foods- in this instance to ‘ turn up’ my nose to this vegetable. I did not think of kohlrabi until a couple of years later while thumbing through Madeleine Kamman’s ‘When French Women Cook’ and decided to make a light creamed kohlrabi dish with dill. Since then it made an annual visit into my Canadian kitchen each July.  I would julienne it for salads; make a smooth puree to accompany pork; or simply include it in a seasonal stir fry.

That was until I moved to Delhi where it would greet me in late October.  I would discuss different uses of kohlrabi (known as knol knol in Delhi or gaanth ghobi in the southern states) with the vendors from my favourite vegetable stall at INA market. The two recipes in this post make use of the entire plant. A comforting moong dal uses the leaves while the other, a spiced kohlrabi mash, highlights the main bulb.

Ingredients for dal with kohlrabi greens

Ingredients for the yellow dal with kohlrabi greens

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What's The Deal with Kohlrabi
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 3 cups greens (kohlrabi, spinach, swiss chard, or kale), roughly chopped
  • ½ cup moong dal
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
  • Salt, to taste

  • For Tempering: Tadka
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 plum tomato, seeded and diced
  • 1 dried red chile, halved
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 shallots, finely sliced
Instructions
Bring water to boil. Add kohlrabi greens and cook for 3 minutes or so until tender. Drain.

Put moong dal and 3 cups of water in medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Add the garlic, ginger and turmeric. Partially cover and simmer gently over medium low heat for about 20 minutes. The dal should be soft. Add the blanched kohlrabi greens, fresh spinach and some salt and cook for another couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the tadka. In a small pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the cumin seeds and once they give off their aroma (about 20-30 seconds) add the shallots and cook for another 3 minutes or until the lightly brown. Add the tomatoes, red chile and cook for another minute or so. Pour the tadka over the dal and mix well. Serve immediately.
kohlrabi greens and yellow lentil dal

The finished dal: fresh, vibrant and alive with flavour

kohlrabi, tomatoes, onions, spices, garlic and ginger: ingredients for kohlrabi bharta

Ingredients for the kohlrabi bharta

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Spiced Mashed Kohlrabi "Kohlrabi Bharta"
Serves: 4
 
This recipe is a riff on the well known eggplant dish baingan bharta. This time I have used kohlrabi as the main ingredient. If you do not have enough kohlrabi you can add some turnip.
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ pounds (6-8 medium sized) kohlrabi, peeled and quartered
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 green finger chile, deseeded and finely chopped
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 plum tomatoes, seed and pulp removed, diced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons coriander, roughly chopped
Instructions
Place quartered kohlrabi in a medium sized pot with 1 cup of water and salt. Bring to a boil. !Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. The kohlrabi should be tender and easily pierced with a knife (like testing potatoes for mashed potatoes). Drain and set aside.

In the same pot or in a medium sized frying pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Add the onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until lightly golden. Add the garlic, ginger, chile, spices and tomato. Cook for 1 minute. Add warm kohlrabi and roughly mash, ensuring that there are still nice big chunks. Cook for another couple of minutes until the ingredients are well mixed and the kohlrabi is hot. Adjust seasoning if need be. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve immediately.

 

Kohlrabi bharta as a finished dish

The finished kohlrabi bharta

NOTE: This was originally posted to my blog India On My Plate on July 9, 2011

Maple Walnut Kulfi

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maple walnut kulfiI like ice cream. No. I LOVE ice cream.  So much so, that I cannot keep it in my house.  I have been known, on too many occasions, to wake up in the middle of the night for a small taste and then realize that I have finished entire pint. Perhaps that is why I like kulfi, also known as ‘ice candy’, the Indian version of ice cream.  Kulfi is made by evaporating the water from milk, then sweetening and flavouring it before it is frozen.  This process creates a dense frozen dessert which thaws much slower than traditional custard based whipped ice creams. In the street, the kulfiwallah serves it on a stick, like a popsicle, but in high end restaurants it is offered as an element of a dessert.

When living in Delhi I was asked to cater an event which highlighted Canadian products. The warm season had arrived and I felt that a uniquely Canadian kulfi needed to finish the meal. Maple syrup and walnuts came to mind and so maple walnut kulfi was created.

With milk being the key ingredient I think it is important to use a reliable, full flavoured product. Recently at work, I was introduced to the fantastic milk of a cooperative dairy, Laterie de l’Outaouais, located across the river from Ottawa in Gatineau.  This employee owned dairy focuses on purchasing quality milk from farmers and then minimizing pasteurization to get a full flavoured, rich tasty product.  By far the best milk I have tasted in a long time. The maple syrup also comes from a nearby sugar shack in the Gatineau Hills.

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Maple Walnut Kulfi
 
Ingredients
  • 3 litres (12 cups) full fat milk
  • 1 cup maple syrup, amber or dark
  • ½ cup walnuts, toasted and then finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Instructions
Make the rabarhi (homemade evaporated milk)
Place milk in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer gently for about 45 minutes. Occasionally, whisk milk and bottom of pot to ensure that the milk solids do not catch and burn on the bottom. Reduce the milk by two-thirds until you have 1 litre. The reduced milk will be a light brown colour and have some small chunks of milk solids. Pour the reduced milk into another container to let cool to room temperature.

Place the reduced milk, maple syrup and , chopped walnuts and ground cardamom in a blender and puree well.

Pour the mixture to almost the top of each popsicle mould. Cover the top of the mould tightly with a piece of aluminum foil. Carefully press on the top of the aluminum foil to carefully see the outline of each popsicle filling. Using a paring knife pierce the aluminum foil in the center of each mould. Insert a popsicle stick fully into each opening (see photo below). Place in a freezer and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours or preferably overnight. (Most recipes suggest placing the popsicle sticks in when it is semi-frozen. Doing it the way I suggested means you can simply walk away and not worry about when is it semi frozen).

To unmold the kulfi, quickly run the sides of the moulds under warm water and carefully put out the frozen kulfi.
Notes
I have seen many recipes which suggest using canned condensed milk to make kulfi. Condensed milk is often sweetened with additional sugar and in the case of this recipe will make the final product too sweet. Similarly, in other recipes you most likely will need to reduce the sugar added when using canned condensed milk. My personal feeling it to make the rabarhi in order to produce a more natural less sweet kulfi.

Inserting popsicle sticks into moulds for maple walnut kulfi

Placing aluminum foil over the popsicle moulds and lightly press down. Make small slits with a paring knife in teh centre. This will help keep the popsicle sticks in the middle of the kulfi.

NOTE: This was originally posted on my blog India On My Plate on July 6, 2011