Choode Matar ki Tehri (Beaten rice, peas pilaf)

Choode Matar ki Tehri

Chooda or poha in Hindi or beaten rice, flattened rice is eaten all over India. It is widely available at Indian stores in the US. It comes in two varieties..thick and thin. Kande pohe (onion beaten rice) is a very popular snack in Maharashtra, India. Choode matar ki tehri is more like a delicacy eaten in Uttar Pradesh(Benares or Varanasi region to be more specific) when the fresh peas are harvested. It is similar to poha yet has a very distinct Uttar Pradeshi stamp on it:). One should use thick poha to make the Maharashtrian version. In Uttar Pradesh, the thinner kind was more widely available, hence even thin beaten rice can be used to make this but one has to be very careful with the thinner ones as they tend to stick to each other. So, anybody trying this for the first time should go for the thicker poha.

The Recipe:

• Beaten Rice/Poha/chooda : 2 cups
• Milk 1 cup
• oil 1 Tbsp.
• Asafoetida/ Heeng powdered 1/2 tsp.
• Cumin seeds/ Jeera 1 tsp.
• Turmeric powder 2 tsp.
• Red Chili powder 1/2 tsp.
• Rai / mustard seeds 1/2 tsp.
• Ginger 2″ piece minced or grated
• Green chilies 2 minced (can be adjusted as per taste)
• Green peas 1-1/2 cups
• salt to taste
• Garam masala 2 tsps.
• Fresh Cilantro leaves/ Dhaniya 1/2 cup chopped
• Lime juice 2 tsps.

Soak the beaten rice in 3/4 cup of milk for 10 minutes. Keep fluffing every 2-3 minutes to avoid them sticking together.

Heat oil in a saucepan and add asafoetida, cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When you hear the mustard seeds popping and cumin seeds sizzling, add half the ginger and the green chillies.

Saute briefly and then add the green peas.  Cover the pan and lower the heat. Add half the salt. Frozen peas are ideal as they tend to be really fresh. Contrary to popular belief, frozen peas are actually better than supermarket peas in the pod. If you grow your own or buy fresh from a farmer, its a different story. But, in general, peas tend to lose the fresh flavor quite quickly , the companies which freeze the peas, do it quite quickly to retain the flavor. Hence, the frozen peas are quite fresh, in general. So, stop feeling guilty when opening the freezer pack:).

When the peas have turned to a fresh green color, add the soaked beaten rice and sprinkle turmeric, red chili powder and rest of the salt on top. Mix well, with a light hand, making sure that not a lot of beaten rice is broken. If the mixture looks too dry, sprinkle some milk on it and cover again. Work on a low flame. In about 5 minutes, the tehri is ready.

Garnish with cilantro leaves and half the ginger that we saved. Sprinkle the garam masala on top. I like to cover the pan again for 5 minutes after putting the gas off for the flavors to mingle. The ginger added in the end and the cilantro adds a lot of flavor to the dish.

This is distinct from the regular poha we make cause 1) it is soaked in milk instead of water. 2) Traditionally it does not use onion or potato. 3) The main flavors are that of asafoetida and garam masala and a lot of peas are used. 4) no curry leaves are used.

Do try this version. Even though I love the quick regular poha, this is a delicious change and loved by all at home. When you would want to reheat (if there are any leftovers) use 2-3 tsps. of milk before heating so that it doesn’t taste dry.

Enjoy!

I couldn’t miss the SWC- Uttar Pradesh, hence, here’s my entry on the final day. This is also my entry to WBB -Express Breakfasts……heading to Raaga in an express…………

Amuse Bouche: Apple Peanut Canapé

A moniker in my name for a city
A phrase with me will make you cherished
I am so good for you in my utter simplicity
In Medical dictionary the fact so furnished

I am so famous in the world of bytes
Known for many aspects of usage
I am fat and rotund and make crunchy bites
My fame known from many religious traditions – right from the old age

Am, I forbidden? Or mystical ?
or the eternal giver of Youth
I consists of five internal carpels
Am good for good health of your mouth

I am as basic a fruit as you can think of
Or as hard if you don’t try enough
If You eat me on a day to day basis
Then you don’t have worry about anything – be it cold or dry cough

Answer to Open Sesame 2: The Apple

Ever since my high school days when I meddled, a little, into French, I was captivated by their food and , of course , mon Paris:)). After marriage, in the US, I have eaten a few fine French meals, each of which I can recall accurately…..when and where, I ate what. It’s a different matter that my choice is quite limited being a vegetarian:). A restaurant ,rather, a Creperie which is a big favorite near Detroit is Josephine. Excellent food and that is where I came across the term ‘Amuse Bouche’ .

Amuse Bouche (French: amuse mouth) is/are small one bite morsels served before the first course. In restaurants, it is the signature dish of the chef, and which is not charged for. I can still recollect the cucumber slice served with a creamy topping with minty undertones served at Josephine. That was sheer  perfection:). Amuse bouche is different from hors d’œuvre, in that it is only one or two bites. . Amuse Bouche is something that will leave you feeling “Aw, I wish the chef had sent me a couple more slurp, slurp, slurp:) ” . So, this home chef, that is me, tried my hand at amuse bouche too. Keeping the same tradition at home also, I prepared only 3 bites, one for each.

A canapé or canape (French for couch and known in Italy as tartina) is a small, prepared and usually decorative food, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite. Source: Wikipedia. It is in general salty but I think mine fits the bill too. Yes the name was learnt at Josephine as well:).

I chose a tart, firm, granny smith apple.I love eating apples just the way they are WITH the peal:). So, I created this for Open Sesame 2. This is a very simple and elegant way of enjoying the fruit. Guess what, the husband, after eating my apple peanut canapé said ” I could have eaten a couple more” and Aaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeeee was smiling cheek to cheek:).

The Recipe: (4 servings:)

• Lite cream 1 Tbsp.
• Chunky Peanut butter 1 Tbsp.
• Sugar 3/4 tsp.
• Butter half a pinch
• Honey 1 tsp.
• Lemon juice 2 drops
• saffron a pinch

Whisk together lite cream, peanut butter and sugar till it blends well and gets a little airy. In a separate cup, first mix the tiny speck of butter with saffron. Add honey and lemon juice and whip. Even this small amount can be whipped:).

To assemble, cut the apple longitudinally into 4 thin slices, so that you avoid the seed portion completely. Spread approximately 2 tsps. of the cream and peanut butter mixture on top of  the apple slice. Top it with 3 drops of the honey mixture and swirl ever so slightly, with a sharp edge, like an end of a fork.

Voila………here it is

It can be prepared and refrigerated. Just make sure it covered airtight so that the apple doesn’t oxidize.

Tingle your taste buds with Apple Peanut Canapé

This is my simple entry for Open Sesame -2 hosted by Siri and Dhivya . Don’t make a lot, just make a little, leaving people asking for more;)

I would like to send this to Sweetnick’s ARF/5-A-Day a day too as it has the antioxidant rich granny smith apple.

Tried and Tasted : Ambe dal & Rainbow chard Mushroom Sandwich

I like  Nupur’s One Hot Stove. She has a very nice blog with again very nice recipes AND nice knitting and crochet work. I conclude, its nice:).

Zlamushka is showcasing Nupur’s work this month in  “Tried and Tasted”  and I have to give credit to Nupur as well from what I have learnt from her. I have made:

1. Ambe dal (Recipe in the link)

Nupur says “In the summer months, when the sweltering heat overpowers the afternoons, people are not often in the mood for hot tea. Panha, the mango drink that I wrote about in the A-Z of Marathi food, is often served in place of tea at afternoon events during these months. The traditional snack that accompanies the panha is this ambe dal. A cool, spicy, tart relish, ambe dal provides a great counterpoint to the sweet panha. Dal-Panha events are something to look forward to!”

I made it in the month of April , here in Michigan, we still had our heaters on and there was obviously no Panha. I ate Ambe Dal as a snack and it pairs fabulously with paranthas. One does not need anything else. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Unfortunately I do not have a picture.

2. Rainbow Chard Mushroom Sandwiches (Recipe in the link)

I made this sandwich when I was in the mood for a sandwich and I had to finish up my red chard:). So, I used red chard instead of rainbow and normal button mushrooms instead of cremini and dried basil instead of fresh. Yet the sandwich tasted very good.

As Nupur puts it ” The verdict: This simple sandwich made for a memorable lunch on a hot and sunny day. The mushrooms and greens are a terrific combination. The whole sandwich comes together very well, and tastes like something you would eat at a nice bistro.” No better way to say it.

Thank you Nupur!

Baked Rice Wrapper Rolls with Peanut Wasabi Sauce

Baked Rice Wrapper Rolls with Peanut Wasabi Sauce

No, I have not told you the entire recipe in the title:). More to it;) , I am telling you…..you will have to read the whole post for the recipe. OK, on to the topic, fresh spring roll wrappers are widely available at Oriental stores. These are predominantly Vietnamese & Thai, I believe. These use the rice based wrapper (Banh Trang: Vietnamese) and it is served fresh and generally not fried. There is a tapioca variety as well and well! I ended up with one which had both rice and tapioca starch:). So these rice wrappers do not need a lot of cooking , just slip in hot water and they are ready. 2 good recipes I found for them are Vegetarian and with shrimp. BUT, in our house, the husband is not particularly fond of the fresh ones.

So, now I had rice wrappers AND Wasabi paste ( about to expire in August, cause I got it at Thanksgiving;) ) and I had to make something before all of this went waste…………I KNOW. Then Kay announced Think Spice, think Wasabi event, brainchild of Sunita. I knew I was going to make something sooner than later. My first stint with wasabi were the wasabi peas which I fell in love with. Then I first used them in these won tons…………of course mine were filled with Tofu and the Husband’s were imitation crabmeat.

I have not had the courage to make sushi yet……..looking forward to some great ideas at the Think spice event. So, to make full use of the stock in my pantry, I baked the rice wrapper rolls and made a sauce with wasabi.They turned out deliciously crunchy , heavenly with the peanut wasabi sauce.

The Recipe:

For the Rice Wrapper Rolls:

• Rice wrappers 25 sheets
• Nutrela granules 1 cup, soaked in salted water and drained
• Garlic 2 cloves minced
• Ginger 1″ piece minced
• Green beans 1/2 cup french cut or julienned
• Carrot 1 cut lengthwise matchsticks
• Red bell pepper 1 julienned
• Napa cabbage 1/4 cup sliced thin
• Cilantro/ coriander leaves 1/4 cup
• Oil 2 tsp.
• Soya sauce 1 Tbsp.
• Rice Wine Vinegar 1 Tbsp.
• Black pepper powder 1 tsp.
• Salt to taste

For the Wasabi Peanut Sauce:

• Garlic 2 cloves minced
• Peanut butter 2 Tbsp.
• Soya Sauce 3 Tbsp.
• Sugar 1 tsp.
• Wasabi 2 tsp.
• Sambal Oelek/ red chili paste 1 tsp.
• Water 2 Tbsp.

Since I made this recipe up, the vegetables can be varied as per one’s liking.  Heat the oil in a wok and add ginger and garlic. Saute for 30 seconds and then add the carrot, green beans and bell pepper. Saute further for a couple of minutes and then add cabbage. Stir fry further for a minute and then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Preheat the oven to  400 degrees F.

Heat 2 cups of water in  pan and put off the heat. When the water temperature becomes tolerable, dip each rice wrapper in it , turn and dip the side you were holding and spread it on a plate.

Then put  about 1 Tbsp of filling and fold and roll as shown below.

Spray a little oil on aluminum foil and place the rolls on them. Spray some oil on the rolls as well and they all go in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes and then broil for another 2-3 minutes. When they are crisp all over , take them out of the oven.

Mix all the sauce ingredients and the peanut wasabi sauce is ready. Tastes great with the rolls. In fact, the sauce is so good, tastes great on plain rice noodles or even boiled eggs.

This recipe is on its way to Sangeeth for the eat healthy….. protein rich event as well. Rice vermicelli could also be used in  the rolls but I chose nutrela cause it’s full of protein and delicious too.

YELLOW Ice Cream Shake

Mangoes

I have been wanting to post since a long time ( as usual) but I couldn’t. Since I started writing this blog, I have been wondering that why do I blog about food? Instant gratification if somebody praises is Great! And, on the other hand, its a lot of fun to be talking about the stuff that you are passionate about and discussing it with people having similar interests. Why do we read other food blogs? Because we love sharing and reading about food!! I have been stating the obvious so far but what I am getting at is the wonderful community we have created in the process!  We are making so many friends as we go about our own ramblings! Somebody unknown……..but there to listen to us!!

The Jugalbandi team has this month organized a special edition of CLICK in which they are fundraising for Briana Brownlow of Figs with Bri.   There are raffle prizes as well.

Briana was diagnosed with breast cancer two and half years ago. A mastectomy, chemotherapy and two years of relatively good health later, the cancer is back. It has metastasized to other parts of her body. This  fundraiser will help Bri and her family meet her out-of-pocket medical costs for ONE YEAR.  I think  Briana is an extremely brave girl and needs all the support that we can provide. So many more good wishes on your way girl!! Just keep up that spirit!!

What is amazing is that 92% of the $12000 has been collected as I write this post. Only $907 left!  I wondered what would really be the point of my writing all this when so much has been done by bloggers more widely read than me. But the reason I am writing is that even if one more person comes to know   of this through me……….my job is done. Kudos to Briana Brownlow & to the Jugalbandi team!!

Next comes the mango ice cream shake.I can barely make anything with fruit in my house! I am definitely not a better creator than nature!! Fruits are mostly eaten raw here………..and mangoes!!!! I will not be allowed to touch them but to remove the peel! “We don’t own a mango orchard………..don’t cook with them!” (Do you think my husband & son dislike my cooking so much, they don’t let me cook with mangoes?)  Anyway’s, we ended up with a box of mangoes that did not taste very good:(. It is very difficult to please people coming from

the land of Langda, Dashehri & Aphonso (names of Indian mangoes). But , the box in my house really wasn’t good enough to eat raw. So, I substituted tomatoes with mangoes in all my salads! Worked fabulous with the tomato scare around that you should not be eating raw these days! And one day I made the Mango ice cream shake. Now why??? Oh cause I absolutely love Cold stone ice cream shakes!! Just don’t look at their nutrition content!! So, I made mine up with the fabulous mango flavor (something even they don’t have;))

Make a speedy ice cream in a ziploc bag. This is so much fun with kids! My son thought he really made a great ice cream for Dad on Father’s day ! And then Mom blended it and made a shake out of it! Am I glad he is only 2 and a half:).

Here is my quick recipe for Mango Ice cream shake.

The Recipe:

• Half & Half 2 cups

• Sugar 1/2 cup
• Crushed ice 6 cups
• Salt 1 1/2 cups
• Mangoes (the small ones) 5 seeds removed and chopped
• Skim milk 2-4 Tbsp.
• Rose essence 1-2 drops (no more!!)

So, make the speedy ice cream as given here if you want to make the shake in 30 minutes. Or if you have time, put half & half, sugar and mangoes in the freezer to set. You would not need the salt and ice if using the freezer method.

Once the ice cream has set (don’t let it set too hard). A soft ice cream is good. Remove it and put in a blender with 2 Tbsp. milk and 1 or 2 drops of rose essence,just to give it some underlying fragrance. Blend , and the shake’s ready! You can add a little more milk if need be. I absolutely love it cause its rich and creamy, with a faint rosy undertone and not watery at all, cause I don’t even add ice. Its delicious , do try it, when in the mood to indulge!

YELLOW, My entry to CLICK

I like mine with a spoon……….Mango Ice Cream Shake!

And , don’t mind the yellow pictures scattered throughout the post, its ok !!:)

Oh! I would like to send my ice cream shake to Meeta who writes the beautiful blog What’s for lunch, Honey for Mango Mania. Cheers!!

Update: Just cleared up the photographs cluttering the post. I couldn’t stand them, even though I asked you all too. Thanks for your patience…….:) .

Where’s the Roti?

Fresh Rotis pampered with a little ghee

I know that there is a “Roti Mela” going on at Srivalli’s Cooking 4 all seasons. There are some fabulous stuffed paranthas , pooris and all sorts of exotic rotis on their way there to be displayed.  But where is our humble, simple, everyday roti? That thought led me to repost my first post ever. It talks of the basic North Indian phulka that is made in our households everyday. The post is quite detailed with instructions on how to make it on an electric coil.

So , here is the link to the post……Beginning with the staple : the Roti. Srivalli, please accept my second entry to your fabulous event.

Peethi ki Paronthi (Lentil filled Flatbread)

Peethi ki Paronthi & Aam ka Achar (Mango Pickle)

Paronthi is the Parantha’s younger sister OR………. who knows………. maybe Parantha is the husband and Paronthi, the wife. Well, the relationship is quite hazy here. But, as the wise have said……….”Don’t go where you are not required to go” All I can tell you is that the Paronthi is smaller and thinner than the parantha, (may I add , a little more delicate there;) ).

Peethi is a filling made with Urad Daal (Black gram lentils). I have heard that there was a time when people in Northern India would only eat Pooris and Kachoris at every meal. For the longest time, my husband’s Grandmother ate Poori or Kachori, she was not a Roti, Phulka liking person. She was a fabulous cook and would work very very hard to cook good food. I have been fortunate enough to taste her handmade Mungodis which absolutely melted in one’s mouth when cooked. I am mentioning Kachori several times cause a very similar filling is used in traditional North Indian Kachori. But for the faint of heart like me, making a paronthi with peethi is good enough. It’s made very rarely at our place and it is such a treat, that we all end up eating way more than we should.

The Recipe: (For 18-20 paronthis)

For the Dough:

• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 3/4 cups water

For Filling (Peethi):

• Urad daal/ split black lentils without skin 1 cup
• Ginger 2″ piece chopped fine or grated
• Oil 2 tsp.
• Green chili 2 chopped fine
• Red chili powder 1 tsp.
• fennel seeds/saunf 1 Tbsp.
• cumin seeds/jeera 2 tsp.
• Fenugreek seeds/methi 1/2 tsp.
• Garam masala 1 tsp.
• coriander powder/dry cilantro powder/dhaniya 1 Tbsp.
• Asafoetida/heeng powdered 1/2 tsp.
• Dry mango powder/Amchur 2 Tbsp.
• Salt to taste

Make a dough with whole wheat flour and water. More about the dough can be found in my post here.

In the plate (clockwise) green chili, red chili powder, fennel seeds,cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, Garam masala, coriander powder, asafoetida powder, dry mango powder, ginger minced and salt in center. Soaked and ground black gram also in picture.

To prepare the peethi for the filling, soak urad daal overnight or at least 4-6 hours. Grind it coarse in a grinder the next morning. In a wok or sauce pan (preferably non-stick), heat 2 tsp. oil and add the rest of ingredients except salt and dry mango powder. Add the ground urad daal and fry a little till it dries. Next add salt and dry mango powder. Mix well.

Peethi is ready!

Make balls of the whole wheat dough of the size shown below.

Whole wheat balls with dry flour for dusting

Flatten the dough balls with a rolling pin and fill the peethi as shown below.

Whole wheat dough flats and the filling

Pull the whole wheat edges and form a ball again. Dust a little flour and roll out the Paronthi. Heat a cast iron griddle. Oil the griddle a wee bit and then put the rolled out paronthi on the griddle. Make sure you put the paronthi only when the griddle is sizzling hot, that is you should be able to throw some drops of water and they should first sizzle and then evaporate. If they evaporate right away, the griddle is too hot. Turn the paronthi over when you start seeing tiny bubbles on the surface. Spread a little oil on the surface of the paronthi and apply a little pressure with a spatula to ensure uniform cooking. Turn it over once more and apply pressure gain. A well made paronthi will puff up on all sides.

Peethi ki paronthi on the griddle

A paronthi well cooked should not have doughy edges and should be uniformly cooked. Peethi ki paronthi tastes fabulous with achar, dried potato curry or my all time favorite Masaledaar Aloo ki Sabji.

Have a bite!!

Peethi ki Paronthi is off to Srivalli for the Roti Mela. Looking forward to a variegated collection of flatbreads there.

I was making paper fans for my son and he was scribbling on them. A few minutes later he comes to me & asks me to make a paper AC this time……….ha. I could only look at him in astonishment! Now, if we could all make paper AC’s , wouldn’t that solve India’s energy problems!  I asked my son to grow up and do something about alternative energy as I have little hope from myself. That certainly left him content with paper fans………..for now.