Spread the Bounty

Hello foodies,

The final haul from one of our trips. And this was just half of it! We ran out of buckets and had to empty the fruit into a trunk of a van to be hauled out. Orange, blood orange, grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, lemons, Meyer lemons, pomelos.

Nope, this was not a pick your own farm loot :) The last few weeks I've been spending my Saturday mornings volunteering for a wonderful organization called Harvest Crops. They work to bridge the gap between the haves and have not's of fresh fruit. Its a great cause and I am glad I am able to contribute.  Its a win-win situation for everyone involved and that's the beauty of it. Every resident we have helped is happy to have us there and welcome us into their homes and backyards. They are happy to see their fruit picked at its peak and taken to those who need it most. It just amazes me each time to see how many buckets we fill up from one tree. Even the barest of trees yields no less that 4-5 buckets of fruit. The best part of it all though is the last bit of delivering the fruit to those who need it. It leaves me with a smile that lasts through the whole week. This past week we picked just three trees but ended up with 20-25 buckets of fruit that would serve many many families. As a volunteer I am just having fun. I get to explore the city, meet new people and also sample some fabulous organic fruit. So to leave with so much more than what you put in is gratifying.

Meyer lemon blossom                                                                                                              Orange blossoms

California is known for its citrus harvest. The markets are usually stocked with multiple varieties of citruses all through the year, even the winter months, or should I say specially the winter months. Right now the farm stands are bursting with blood oranges, grape fruit and many lemon varieties  - meyer, eureka, sweet lemons and a few more names that I don't recollect right now. Drive out a few miles from the city and you are bound to come across orange orchards lining the road. But right here within the city almost every house that has even a few feet of open yard has a citrus tree or two that is bursting with fruit.

They all start green                                                                                        Orange bunches everywhere

Overloaded with Meyer Lemons!

The famous California Meyer lemons have a floral aroma and are sweeter than regular lemons. I've made lemonade, salad dressings, muffins, cupcakes and currently have a batch of preserved lemons curing in the refrigerator. The lemons from this tree are probably the juiciest and sweetest I've had till date. The tree was brimming with fruit but did not want to let go of them either. The fruit were nestled among the inner branches that had huge thorns! I was lucky we had gloves but that did not help us for long. We eventually just started jerking the branches to loosen the fruit and luckily for us it worked out.We got close to 10-12 buckets of fruit from this one.

Grape fruits!

This grapefruit tree was in a mini orchard that a resident had. From the outside the tree looked like it did not have much fruit. But once we took a peek behind the outer leaves, this is what we find! We got close to 6-7 buckets of fruit from this one alone. They were huge and juicy. But this was the day I also realized I have a very low tolerance to grapefruit. Its way too acidic for my throat, just a few drops and I was left with a soreness that lasted a whole day.

Ponderosa lemon blossom                                                                                  Ponderosa lemon

The shocker from last week was discovering Ponderosa lemons. Looking at how big the fruit looks in the photograph you might think the photo angle is odd. But nope, these lemons are enormous! The fruit were easily 7-8" in diameter. I initially mistook them to be grapefruit until the kind lady who lived there told us about these special lemons.

That's a blood orange for comparison alongside one of the smaller lemons on the tree. And if that's not big enough these lemons are still just half their size at this point! The wiki link tells that they taste exactly like lemons just a looooot bigger. More about blood oranges in the next post :)

Peach blossoms!

These flowers in pretty pink are peach blossoms I was told! Looks like we might go back to this place in a few months for another harvest :) Take a few minutes to see if such an organization exists in your neighborhood and I can promise you'll have a wonderful time.

Fennel Salad with Chaat Masala

Dear foodies,

This year is in a rush to get done. I planned to share this recipe in early January and now we are into March already. So let me get to it right away - this is the best salad I've made, ever. It was only after I came to San Diego that I started noticing fennel bulbs in produce aisles almost all through the year. I love flavor of fennel seeds (saunf), specially in the form of addictive mukhwas. As kids, my brother and I would hoard the bowls placed on the table at the end of meal in restaurants. While my father took care of the bill, we took care of the saunf bowl! We'd fill our tiny mouths with as much as we could and then stuff the rest into paper napkins for later. Though not at the same level, my fascination for anisey flavored food is not lost. And so when I saw huge white bulbs labelled fennel at the store I had to give them a try.

Fresh fennel has a crisp, refreshing flavor unlike any other raw vegetable. Initially, it took a few tries to get used to the concept of eating my favorite mouth freshener in vegetable form. But since then it has become a regular in my shopping list. Fennel has been used in Mediterranean cuisine for a long time. It can be eaten raw, cooked into stews and soups, braised and even roasted. I've tried all these methods and enjoy eating them raw the most.

When buying look for plump bulbs with fresh, healthy fronds on top (fennel greens). If the outer layers look blemished, give it a good wash and shave away a thin layer using a vegetable peeler. Slice off close to where the greens begin and the tough bottom core. I reserve the fronds to use as a herb.  If roasting fennel, retain the core and cut the bulb into quarters so they hold their shape. Otherwise slice the bulb in half, splitting through the tough core and cut a deep wedge to remove the core. Once this is done you can slice it lengthwise or across based on the final dish. For maximum crunch I prefer cutting thin slices across the bulb instead of lengthwise.

If you have a mandolin, this would be a perfect place to use it and make thin half moons of fennel, onions and matchsticks of carrot. I don't have one and doing it by hand takes only a few minutes longer and you have one less gadget to wash :) You can also use a serrated vegetable peeler for the carrots which gives a slightly similar texture.

I think I go through more cilantro than any other herb and the same goes with chaat masala in the spices section. I periodically get rid of all the other masalas that rarely get used but that's never the case with chaat masala. A little sprinkle on salads and fruits is a sure way to make me eat them with relish. In this salad though fennel is the show stopper - chaat masala, cilantro, limes - combine to make it an instant hit. They add to make it super refreshing and the khatta meeta balance of flavors is amazing.

Fennel Salad with Chaat masala

Prep time: 20 mins
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients 

• 1 - Fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 - Carrot (medium size), sliced into thin matchsticks
• Quarter of a red onion, halved through the root end and thinly sliced into half moons
• 1/4 cup - Cilantro leaves, washed and roughly chopped
• 1 - Lime, juiced (~ 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 tsp - Chaat Masala
• 1/8 tsp - Red chilli powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp - Salt
• 1/4 tsp - Pepper, freshly cracked

Method:

1. In a bowl, toss together sliced fennel, carrots and onions. Sprinkle salt, lime juice and combine well using your hands, rubbing the salt into the veggies. Add chaat masala, red chilli powder, pepper and mix well.
2. Next add chopped cilantro and some of the reserved fennel fronds. Combine and taste for seasonings adding more as needed.

Note: Make the salad at least 30 mins before serving to soften onions and allow time for flavors to combine. That said it could be made well in advance and refrigerated as it does not loose its crunch even after a few hours or up to a day. I tend to enjoy extra lime juice and chaat masala in this salad. I can assure you that the raw onions will not leave you with bad breath since they are softened by the salt and lime juice but feel free to exclude them.

The only confusion with fennel salad is if it should be served as a first course or last :) I've served it to friends and family and they've all loved it. If you never tried fresh fennel before this is a perfect first bite. Like any addictive chaat item, this salad has contrasting colors, textures and flavors that are in perfect harmony. I use it in tacos as a slaw, a side salad when serving heartier stews and its been a perfect addition to potluck fare. Give it a try and let me know what you think. It could be a great pick me up in the cold weather.

Tips & Tricks | Baking Tools & Ingredients

Dear Foodies,

I've started a small tradition over the last few years. Each year, around Christmas I bake sweet treats and mail them to some of my dear friends. It started as a one time thing to try some of the recipes I had bookmarked. The joy it brought to them and in return to me was so enriching that I now look forward to it each year. But I am no baker, even after multiple batches of cookies, cakes, bars I am still learning and its a touch and go process. Cooking comes easy to me as I can taste test and make adjustments at any point. It is a still a science but a friendlier one :)

I've picked up some tricks, honed my methods and figured out some things that always work and help make things go smooth. The kitchen is still a mess and covered with flour or sugar or butter but as long as I have a sweet treat in the end, all is good.

Baking is all about measurements, you need to have all your ingredients to come together in the perfect ratio in order to make a good end product. And so having measuring cups and spoons is vital. I don't own a kitchen scale as yet but its on my list for sometime soon. For now though, I rely heavily on these little cups and spoons. I've picked up many variations because they look good or are cute, but the ones I reach for the most is the simple plastic cups and my ceramic and stainless steel measuring spoons. I have them hung on the wall right next to my counter so they are right where I can use them easily. If not I would go back to my old ways of guesstimating 1 tsp which definitely does not work.

Leaveners - Baking soda & Baking powder - are key ingredients in most sweet treats. Make a not of the  expiration dates on these and keep them sealed air tight for the best results. They cannot be used interchangeable in all recipes as they react very differently. But once you understand how they differ you can certainly use judgement. Baking soda is activated by liquid or acidic ingredients to release carbon dioxide which in turn lifts the cake or cookie. So its essential that you bring together the two ingredients right before it goes into the oven. Delaying this will cause your cake to drop or turn out dense. Baking soda also reduces the sharpness that ingredients like sour cream or buttermilk bring to the dish.

Baking powder on the other hand is a combination of baking soda and 2 acidic ingredients. So it doesn't necessarily need a additional acidic ingredient. It would still need a liquid to begin the aeration though. The first stage happens when it comes in contact with a liquid and the second stage is heat activated, and hence is also referred to as double-acting. Recipes using baking soda need to be baked immediately, but those with baking powder can be allowed to rest for a while. Do keep in mind that the longer it sits lesser effect it will have.

Sugars - White, brown, light brown, dark brown, granulated, powdered and many many more. Once you get baking you will soon see your pantry fill up with all these different kinds. If you are lucky enough to have a store with bulk bins, use it to your advantage and buy just the quantity you need. In some cases the kind of sugar called for cannot be substituted for another kind 1:1. The texture, density and quantity vary with which kind you use. But there are still some tricks that are good to know. If you have regular granulated white cane sugar you can whiz it up in the blender to make your own powdered sugar instead of buying a separate box. Light/Dark brown sugar is granulated white sugar + molasses. The amount of molasses dictates if its light or brown. So by having a bottle of molasses will be useful not just in recipe for molasses but to also use in recipes that call for brown sugar.

Turbinado sugar has bigger granules and to me tastes similar to what I was used to having as a kid. I use it on a day to day basis for coffee/tea and desserts. It had a mild caramely, deep flavor that is great in Indian desserts as well. Crackle cookies that are really popular these days get the 'crackle' part from a light coating of this sugar. The bigger granules don't disintegrate in the high temps of the oven and lend a desirable crunch.

I can't leave out butter in a post about baking, can I! This is the first ingredient to set aside and a very important one at that. There are many varieties out there and I don't intend to go into which is better. The one thing to pay attention to is if its salted or unsalted. Adding a little bit of salt is always desirable even is a sweet dish as it brings out the flavors of all the ingredients, exaggerating them even. Now a days you will notice a pinch of salt in most ingredient lists and unsalted butter. You can always use salted butter but make sure you skip the additional salt. I am not going to get into salts in this post since that will take up a lot more space :)

Its important to have your ingredients at room temperature before you begin. This will allow them to combine very easily and react as expected to give you good results. Set butter, eggs and other ingredients like sour cream or cream cheese at room temp for atleast 3-4 hours. But like me, if you decide to bake something last minute and haven't done this then don't fret. If you have an hour to spare, cube the butter into little chunks to speed up the process. Less than that, microwave the whole stick, with wrapper for 10-15secs at a time, rotate and repeat 4-5 times until you feel it warm up. Or cut it in cubes and place is a warm glass bowl.

The first step is most recipes will be to cream butter and sugar. This part is essential as it creates little air pockets enveloped in fat which go on to create texture in the final dish. Starting off with room temp butter will help this step. Start on low speed and slowly increase the speed until the butter sugar mixture is pale, almost white and not as grainy to the touch. Its very hard to over beat but definitely possible. About 3-4mins with a handheld blender is a good reference point. The heat from over beating will cause butter to melt, thus breaking the bubbles we tried so hard to create. Once other ingredients are added there chance to create more bubbles is lost, so complete this stage before adding extracts or eggs.

Eggs are another ingredient that need to be a room temp, if you are running short of time, immerse them in warm (not hot!) tap water for 10-15mins. If a recipe calls for multiple eggs, add them one at a time after each previous egg is fully incorporated. When adding eggs to the butter-sugar mixture it is natural for it to look curdled since at that point there is a lot more fat in the batter, once flour is added, balance will be restored, so don't fret :)

Extracts give the distinct flavor of each baked treat, be it vanilla, orange, almond. They are the backbone of any cookie or cake. Vanilla is the most common of them all and to me is the cardamom of non-Indian desserts. Almost all recipes I've seen use it as it gives a depth of flavor and its signature fragrance is hard to beat. Making your own extract takes less that 10mins and the resulting liquid is sheer magic in your homemade treats. The aroma that fills up your kitchen will be amazing, I promise. You can use the same technique to create any flavor extract you want and control what goes into your baking.

Spices are another great complement to a sweet dessert as they break the monotony of sweetness. A little bit of ginger will give a warm, mildly spicy kick, nutmeg does the same by rounding out flavors. Cinnamon is a key holiday scent and the kind used for baking has a much sweeter smell and flavor compared to its Indian counterpart, cassia bark. I also have begun using allspice which has a musty, spicey flavor like cloves+nutmeg+cinnamon. When you are done baking don't let these fabulous power houses sit in the spice cabinet. I add a sprinkling of these to my evening tea instead of chai masala or use them instead of garam masala.

I have a set of three heavy nesting bowls that I've had for more than 5-6yrs. They are solid and work perfectly for my baking projects. I use the largest one for creaming butter-sugar since that is where the final mixing happens. The middle one holds the dry mix, and I've began sifting even if a recipe does not call for it. Sifting the dry ingredients helps blend all the spices & leaveners, break any lumps and distributes the ingredients evenly throughout. Sifting also incorporates some amount of air and this will also help in the final texture.

And finally, don't throw away the butter warppers, use them instead to prepare the ever important baking sheets/pans. Whats the point of taking pains to create a perfect batter if it won't leave the pan, right ? Even if its a non-stick baking sheet I like to use parchment as insurance. But paper doesn't really want to stay in place, so use the butter paper to grease the pan, this will ensure that the parchment sticks to the baking sheet. If using the baking tin with high edges for cakes, grease the pan and sprinkle a thin layer of flour and dust off any extra flour on the surface.

There you go! I did not know I had so much to share and I still have a lot more. I just realized I could go on about each of these topics for a lot longer, so there might be more posts in the future. But I hope these little bites of information will get you started on some of the seasons baking.

Please do share your tips and tricks as well so we can all benefit from our trials and tribulations :)

Here are a few recipes for the holiday season -
 

Simple meals | Orecchiette in Arrabbiata sauce

Dear Foodies,

I try to cook almost everyday since time in the kitchen helps me unwind and relax. Keeping track of what ingredient goes next, what needs to be washed, chopped, grated, pureed...enough salt ? spice ? With all that happening there's no choice but to throw out all of the days worries. At the end of it all there is a nice meal to enjoy as well, so its a win-win. That does not apply to the clean up that follows, but lets not go there. On days when I want a meal done asap all inspiration is lost on me though. I get into a mechanical mode reaching out for a few selective dishes. There is no energy expended in planning for them. Traditional Indian meals that my mom made fall under that category for the most part - Pappu or chaaru or sambar and plain annam (rice), a quick stir-fry of cabbage or beans, kichadi + kadhi are some of them.

Over the last few years I have added a few more dishes into this category. I make a mixed veg quinoa quite often throwing in any veggies I have on hand and the first masala I find in the spice cabinet. And then there is pasta...

it could be the new rice...the new guilty pleasure :) And I say that as I don't always be good and use whole wheat pasta. But whichever one you choose its always quick to make as most dry pastas cook in less than 10-12 mins. And more often and not that's how long I take to prepare a sauce to go with it. So with that I start this 'Simple meals' category which will make use of pantry ingredients and not take too much hands on time.

There is this tiny cafe next to the grocery store I shop at and they make the best gnocchi I've had. Its served in an arrabbiata sauce that has the right amount of heat and the gnocchi ...oooh the gnocchi. It just melts in your mouth and it has a snow like grating of cheese on top that seals the deal. This weekend when the weather was gloomy and cold all I wanted was a warm plate of pasta in a zesty sauce. I did not have gnocchi and so I used orecchiette but feel free to use any pasta you have on hand. Its the sauce that is the magic component here.

Orecchiette in Arrabbiata sauce

Cooking time - 20mins

Servings - 2 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups - Orecchiette (or any dry pasta) 
• 4 - Plum tomatoes
• 2 - Garlic, cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp - Red chilli flakes
• 1/4 tsp - Dried Oregano
• 2 Tbsp - Olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of sugar
• Toasted pine nuts
• 5-6 - Basil leaves, chopped
• Freshly grated Parmesan/Asiago cheese

Method:

1. Bring water to a rolling boil in a deep pot, add about a Tbsp of salt, dry pasta and give it a stir. Cook per package instructions.
2. In the mean time, add oil to a pan along with garlic and red chilli flakes. As they begin to sizzle add chopped tomatoes and a small pinch of sugar. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and break down. Crush oregano in your palm and add to the sauce and season with salt to taste.
3. Save about 1/2 cup pasta water and drain the pasta a minute or two before its done. Add it to the tomato sauce along with 1/4 cup reserved pasta water and continue to cook until pasta is al dente. Add more water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with chopped basil, toasted pine nuts and fresh grated cheese.

This is an uncomplicated, hearty meal for a cold, gloomy day. Arrabbiata is nothing but a spicy marinara and this sauce can be used as a dipping sauce or on pizza's as well. There are very few ingredients in this recipe and so each of them counts. Use plump, ripe tomatoes is available, canned tomatoes will also work. Fresh basil and toasted pine nuts complete the dish. I love pine nuts and usually add a few extra to my bowl. The basil, shockingly came from my ever-brown garden. I had given up on the basil and had even stopped watering the plants and surprisingly I saw it spring back to life. The cheese is optional but a light sprinkle on warm pasta is tempting. What are your go-to simple meals ?

Home-made Extracts

Dear Foodies,

Its December already and a year has flown by with its share of ups and downs. This space has also seen the ebb and flow of posts coming its way(or not!). Driving home from work today I almost contemplated closing this blog given the erratic updates. But something in me couldn't fathom not being able to log in and pen down my thoughts and recipes here. Its been over 6 years since I started blogging and it has slowly but firmly planted itself into my identity. I may not come here as often but I will never cut it off.

With my mind cleared out I was back to planning the 'butter+sugar' month. Though I come from a Hindu family, Christmas has always held a special place. I think its a combination of 12 years at a convent school, holidays around this time, having family friends who brought us decadent fruit cakes and home-made wine and the magic of experiencing an all-white Christmas in the US. I am not a baker and would peg myself into the cook category as I can never strictly adhere to a recipe. But come December I whip out the hand mixer, buy pounds of butter, sugar and flour and start compiling recipes to bake.

Flavor extracts are a key ingredient in many desserts, especially vanilla. Orange is another flavor that I find myself adding to most of my recent recipes. Its just as easy to add zest but having an extract on hand is convenient when you are out of fresh fruit or don't want to taint the color of a cream frosting or white chocolate etc.

There is not exact recipe for these -combine your choice of (prepped) flavoring ingredient + vodka (triple distilled, 80-100 proof) and allow it to steep in cool, dark place.

Homemade Extracts

Vanilla Extract

• 2-3 Vanilla beans, split lengthwise
• 3/4 cup - Vodka
• glass bottle with lid/cork

1. Pick a glass bottle that can hold a whole vanilla bean. Clean and dry completely. Place vanilla beans in the bottle and cover completely with vodka. Seal well and place in a cool, dark place in your kitchen. Give it a shake every day or so for the first week. 

Notes: Within 3 days you will begin to notice a light brown color and the extract was strong enough to use within 2 weeks. A month would be ideal but if you want to use it sooner start off with extra vanilla beans. I used 4-5 beans in my current batch and add more vodka as I use some of it. I buy my vanilla beans on Amazon from this supplier, its a great deal and the quality has been great. You can use vanilla beans in the extract for recipes as well. They will be super moist and you can squeeze out the seeds easily.

Lemon/Orange Extract

• 1-2 - whole organic lemons or 1 orange
• 3/4 cup - Vodka
• glass bottle with lid/cork

1. Wash and dry fruit thoroughly before peeling off the thin outer layer. If any white pith remains, slice it off with a paring knife as they tend to add bitterness. Fill the bottle with peels and cover completely with vodka. Seal well and place in a cool, dark place in your kitchen. Shake the bottle gently one a day for 2-3 days. Check for readiness after a week or continue to steep longer.

Notes: Use organic fruit or fruit not treated with pesticides or wax coating since we will be using just the peels here. I wanted the extract to have a strong citrus flavor and used a high zest to vodka ratio. Some recipes I saw online suggested straining the extract after a month but I've had mine steeping for about 3 months now it had not turned bitter on me. But do check on your batch and strain if needed after you are satisfied with the flavor.

You can apply the same method to make flavored liqueurs. Below are raspberry and lemon (my take on chambord and limoncello) liqueurs getting ready to do their thing. For the raspberry (which was my fav of the two), I used 2 pints of organic berries and 2 cups of vodka. After steeping for 2 weeks all the color from the raspberry transfers to the vodka along with the their fabulous flavor. Strain gently, and add equal quantity of cooled simple syrup to the flavored vodka. Simple syrup is a combination of equal parts sugar and water heated just  until sugar is melted. Allow it to cool completely before adding to your vodka. Store for another 2 weeks before its ready to be served. A similar process for limoncello as well - reference recipe.

These make perfect gifts to anyone who loves to bake or enjoys cocktails. They don't require much hands-on time once you have the bottles filled and stashed. I bought the smaller bottles at Michaels and the larger ones at Marshalls for a bargain.

These extracts will immensely improve the quality of your baked goods. The flavors are strong and provide a depth that can never be replicated by store bought ones. So far I've made - Cranberry Pecan Muffins using the recipe from America's Test Kitchen (register to read recipe + useful tips & tricks, or check this). These were perfect with a prominent cranberry flavor, just enough sweetness and a fabulous nuttiness from the pecans. The streusel topping stayed crunchy even the next day. Do give it a try before fresh cranberries disappear from the store aisles.

I attempted my first batch of macarons using Helene's tutorial. No two macarons were the same shape but they all tasted great :) Next on the list was replicating my favorite treat from Starbucks - cranberry bliss bars. I searched for recipes online and ended up with this one. I used vanilla and orange extract in the blondie batter. I made the frosting with 8 oz cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar and my vanilla and lemon extract. I also replaced the sugar frosting drizzle with melted white chocolate. The bars were a huge hit and the cream cheese frosting was amazing with that zing of lemon.

I bake these goodies and share them with my colleagues at work. What should I try next, any suggestions ?

Friday Frames | Treasure Hunt

Dear Foodies,

Under the gorgeous pinkish red skin are delicious, juicy Lychees

I'd hoard these like chipmunks do acorns if I could! If you can still find them at the store, grab a few bags.

third eye ?

Don't these look gorgeous! Rambutans taste just as stunning as the look ( but I like lychees more)

Both these fruits are a perfect summer treat. Its nature's way of giving us a refreshing burst of hydration when we need it the most.

Dondakaya Nuvvula Kura| Ivy Gourd with Sesame Seeds Powder

Dear Foodies,

I've written about ivy gourd being one of my favorite veggies in the past and how I'm trying to make up for all the lost opportunities to enjoy this dish. But looking at the recipes list I found just one recipe for it and was surprised they weren't more. The fast is I rarely find fresh, tender ivy gourd here and when I do I gravitate towards my mother's way of cooking them. After all the prep work to get the sliced, her recipe is quick and hits the spot. It's a wonderful side dish with chapati's or rice paired with sambar/rasam/pulusu.

More often that not, I slice them in rounds as they get really tender when cooked that way, almost melting away in your mouth. When sliced lengthwise though you get to enjoy a completely different texture of ivy gourd. It holds its shape over longer cooking times which lends to pilaf style rice dishes. Either way the prep time is probably the most time consuming part of cooking this vegetable. If you take the short-cut and buy the frozen pack instead, you'll just be wasting your time and ingredients.

Dondakaya Nuvvula Kura

Prep time: 15-20mins

Cook time: 20mins

Servings: 3-4 (side)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups - Ivy Gourd, washed & sliced lengthwise
• 1 Tbsp - Oil
• 1 tsp - Urad dal & Channa dal
• 1/4 tsp - Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp - Cumin seeds
• 2 - Dried red chillies
• 6-8  Curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp - Turmeric Powder
• 1/8 tsp - Asafoetida/Hing/Inguva
• 2-4 Tbsp - Sesame powder (Nuvvula Podi)
• Salt to taste
• Cilantro leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wide skillet, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad and channa dal. When the seeds begin to pop and the dals turn a deep red, add broken red chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric. 
2. Add sliced ivy gourd next and sprinkle a little salt over them. Cover and steam for 8-10mins until tender, turning them over every few minutes. Sprinkle water if it the veggies look dry.
3. Once the pieces are tender to touch, sprinkle sesame powder starting with 2 Tbsp and adding more based on taste. Mix well to incorporate the spice mix and cook covered for a few more minutes on low heat.
4. Transfer to a serving dish with a garnish of cilantro. It goes really well as a side dish for roti's or warm rice.

Note: If you don't have pre-made sesame powder, make a quick version by toasting 1/4 cup sesame seeds, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, 1-2 red chillies in 1 tsp oil and blend to a fine powder. -- To make the dish more special, add cashews along with the dals.  -- Adjust the amount of salt added in step 2 according to the saltiness of the sesame powder. -- The same cooking method can be used for potlakaya (snake gourd), beerakaya (ridge gourd), vankaya (eggplant) and sorakaya (bottle gourd).

I made tomato rasam and rice to complete the meal and it was a perfect Sunday lunch. Sesame powder adds a earthy flavor to the vegetable and its addictive. When I have a fresh batch of the podi I add it almost every dish I make. Its used as a staple seasoning used in many Andhra dishes and makes vegetables extra special. Fresh farm ripened tomatoes that are in season now are perfect for the rasam and you won't need any tamarind. Its good enough to have as a soup on its own and that's exactly what I did. If I stick to my plan I'll have another recipe for ivy gourd coming up next. Hope you've had a good start to your week.