Geetha's Kitchen

There is no substitute for fresh home-made paneer especially for making Indian cheese-based desserts such as Channa Payesh , Ras Gulla, Ras Malai , etc or the quite popular savory dishes called Palak (spinach) and Mattar (peas) Paneer. Paneer can also be used in place of ricotta cheese. Making fresh paneer is not difficult at all; one just has to plan ahead and start the process a day or two ahead so that the paneer is recipe ready. The science of making paneer is pretty simple; heat and an acidic agent are utilized to denature and coagulate most of the proteins from the milk. Milk is heated first and lemon/lime juice or citric acid are used to coagulate the protein. Vinegar could also be employed for curdling the milk but it leaves behind its flavor which quite ruins the delicate taste of the paneer in my opinion. When the curds (paneer/milk protein) are strained out, the fluid left is called whey. The whey is still nutritious and can be used in cooking and baking. I recall that ...

Sweet Potato Soup is a hearty, comforting and nutritious soup aromatic with herbs, spices, and soffrito.The aromatic vegetable mixture known as soffrito is a melange of coarsely chopped onion, celery and carrots enrich the soup with flavor and color.  Baked, roasted, boiled - sweet potatoes/yams are good and good for you whichever way they are prepared. Here is a wonderful way to eat them in a soup. Leftover plain roasted/baked sweet potatoes can also be used to make this soup - if using leftovers, stir in after the dal is cooked. Mung dal adds body and protein to the soup and cooks quickly too. Blanch the tomatoes by immersing them in boiling water for a couple of minutes, cool, peel and strain out the seeds for a luxurious touch. The red pepper, sambar powder and lemon/lime juice perfectly balance the sweetness of the yams. 6 - 8 Servings Ingredients: 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 tsp Red Pepper flakes 1 Onion 2 ribs Celery 1 medium Carrot 1 cup Split, s...

I call these dainty cookies Snow Balls because they look exactly like little balls of snow. Not too sweet, they are still rich and delicious treats for special occasions or just any time really. Snow Ball cookies are wonderful little treasures quickly and easily made. The last couple of times I made them after the guests had already arrived - in fact I had the guests roll them into balls. The cookies baked while we had our dinner and were offered as part of the the dessert menu with steamy cups of Masala Chai . Snow Ball cookies can be made with your favorite nuts; almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, or peanuts. Use vanilla essence with pecans, hazelnuts, and peanuts. I have used butter; but one could use a good quality margarine to make this a vegan treat. Ingredients: 1 cup Almonds 2 to 4 Tbsp Sugar 1/2 tsp Almond extract 3 or 4 pods Cardamom 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (1 stick) 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 1 cup Whole Wheat flour 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar (for coating) Method: Preheat the oven to 300 ...

Another yummy potato dish from Paji's mom - very simple but very delicious! It is perfect with any type of rasam or Sambar . 4 Servings Ingredients: 2 large Potatoes (baking types, like Russet) 1 Tbsp Oil/Ghee 1 tsp whole Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp Turmeric 1/2 tsp Sea Salt Freshly ground Black Pepper Method: Scrub and wash the potatoes well; cut them in thick wedges. Heat the oil/ghee in a kadai (Indian Wok); add cumin seeds and stir until slightly browned and fragrant. Stir in the black pepper and stir well. Add potatoes, turmeric and salt and mix well. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender and slightly browned. Cook uncovered for a few minutes until potatoes are fully cooked and nicely browned. Serve hot.

Gongura plant Gongura, Roselle, or Hibiscus subdariffa is another wonderful herb/leafy green to grow at home. The leaves have a tart lemony taste similar to sorrel and are used in dals and chutneys especially in the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh - famous for Gongura Chutney. The dried calyxes or sepals are perhaps better known as Jamaican Sorrel, Flor De Jamaica or Mexican Hibiscus tea and are used to make delicious beverages in Jamaica, Central America, Mexico, Egypt and many African countries - more about that another day, another post. In addition to being so useful, it is also a lovely plant. The the red stems and buds, strikingly beautiful divided leaves with red veins and stems (petioles), and the pale yellow flowers touched with a faint blush are quite distinctive and ornamental. I grew mine from the stems from a bunch purchased at a grocery store. I was actuually trying to keep them fresh in a jar of water and lo and behold! they had rooted very quickly. They c...

Here is a tangy chutney to spice up a simple meal! You can make it mild or as hot as you like by adjusting the number of the dry red chilies. It is a classic thogayal (thick chutney) that usually accompanies mild curries or dals like Molakootal , Molagushyam , or Simple Dal . Sauteed sorrel or gongura leaves may be used instead of the tamarind. Other tasty additions are fresh garlic cloves or sauteed onions. Puli Thogayal is wonderful mixed with hot steamed rice, with roti or toast, in sandwiches, etc. Puli means tamarind or sour and the 'l' is pronounced as in 'pole' and not as in 'peel'. Ingredients: 1 tsp oil 2 Tbsp Chana Dal 2 Tbsp Urad Dal 1 Tbsp Whole Coriander Seeds (Dhania) 1/4 tsp Whole Fenugreek Seeds (Methi) 1 pinch Asafetida 2 or more Dry Red Chilies, to taste 1" ball Dry Tamarind Pulp 1/2 cup Fresh Coconut, grated or chopped 1/2 tsp Sea Salt or to taste Method: Heat the oil in a small pan and add the dals, seeds, and...

Roasted Pepper Boats & Vegetable Roll-ups are a delicious and healthy appetizer/snack; they could also make a nice side dish or a light lunch. They are very easy to make especially if you have a pesto or chili-tomato sauce on hand. They can be prepared a day or two ahead of time but allow them to warm up to room temperature on the day of serving. Some people recommend salting the eggplant to draw out bitterness; I don't find it necessary. If you wish though - just lightly sprinkle a little salt over the slices and put aside for about half an hour, rinse and blot dry with paper towels before proceeding with the recipe. The veggies may also be grilled or browned on a griddle. For a vegan option, fill the veggies with a soft spreadable vegan cheese or Greek style thick "yogurt". Serves 4 - 6 Allow 2 pieces of each type of vegetable per person. Ingredients: 2 Red or Orange Bell Pepper 1 Japanese/Chinese Eggplant 1 or 2 Zucchini 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Oliv...

I was very fortunate to receive a grand gift of a citron (Citrus medica) which is an enormous citrus fruit. It was my first encounter with this citrus giant. Aside from knowing that it grew in the Mediterranean region and was valued by the Romans of antiquity, I had no idea on its usage. I also had heard that it is used ceremonially for Jewish holidays but my Jewish friends had no idea how to incorporate it into any recipes; they had only seen it being used ceremonially to "just parade and wave around" according to Brett and Wendy :D. Citron at the top Lower row from left: Lime, Meyer Lemon, Regular Lemon Since Citron is a rare acquisition, I took a lot of pictures of it. I included the regular lemon (thick rind), the Meyer lemon (thin deep gold rind), and a Tahitian/Persian lime for comparison. At the time I did not have Key limes which are about half as big as the Tahitian limes. Longitudinal sections What does one do with citron anyway? I cannot imagine ...

I have posted recipes for Garlic ,  Cilantro Pesto , and Pistachio Pesto but not the basic pesto thinking that everyone would be familiar with it already. But since some have asked for the basic pesto recipe, here it is. Notes: Be careful not to add too much salt; more can be added later if needed especially when using cheese. I omit the cheese as the pesto lasts longer without it and makes it dairy-free.  Ingredients: 2 cups Fresh Basil leaves, packed 2-4 fresh Garlic cloves, peeled 1/2 tsp Sea Salt About 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 cup Pine Nuts 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese (Optional) Method: Place the garlic in the food processor bowl fitted with the metal blades; process until garlic is chopped. Add the salt and pine nuts and process until the nuts are minced. Put in the basil leaves and replace the lid. Start the processor and slowly pour about half of the olive oil through the top opening while the motor is running. ...

Chayote squash is a wonderfully versatile vegetable delicious in salads, curries, kootu, soups, or casseroles. Pronounced "chay-yo-tay", it is also called Bangalore/Seeme kathirikai, chow-chow, etc in India and vegetable pear, Buddha's Hand squash, christophene, choko, mirliton, etc in other countries. Natives of Central America, chayotes belong to the cucurbit family which includes cucumbers, melons, and squashes. Although the chayotes themselves are available pretty much year-round, the leaves are not available for purchase. So in my quest for edible leaves (don't mind a few fruits too :}), I have been trying to grow it for years but alas have not succeeded yet in establishing it outside. Every time I have planted it outside, the whole thing is gone overnight without a trace in a disappearing act. I am determined to find a way to get past the chayote thief, oh yes. The best time to start growing chayote is probably just before spring so that as soon a...

Oats Pongal is a hearty and delicious alternative to pongal prepared with rice. It is just as easy to prepare especially using a pressure cooker as the traditional pongal . What could be better than combining two ingredients rich in heart-healthy fiber? Both oats and mung dal are rich sources of fiber and the combination of oats and dal provides a hearty rib-sticking meal. 4 Hearty servings Ingredients: 1 cup yellow Mung dal 1 cup Steel-cut Oats 1 tsp Sea Salt or to taste 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds 1 tsp Whole Black Pepper, or to taste 1 Tsp Ghee or oil Method: Toast the dal in a dry skillet until slightly golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Rinse the toasted dal well and drain in a sieve. Toast the oats in the dry skillet lightly. Place the oats, rinsed mung dal, salt and the turmeric in a 3 quart pan with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 - 40 minutes or until soft. Stir occas...

Plain green leaves of Sorrel (in the foreground) happily growing with Red Chard Sorrel or French sorrel is a wonderful herb and does well in a pot or in the ground. It has a lovely acid flavor that works well in salads, soups and curries. For those who love Gongura, sorrel is a fabulous alternative as it is available quite readily as plants or seeds in most nurseries. It is a perennial plant that tolerates some cold weather and is available year around in mild winter areas. Harvest leaves by carefully breaking off the stems from the base. Tender young leaves can be added to salads. Add a few leaves of finely chopped sorrel to soups, dals, or kuzhambus to add a delicious piquancy. I like to chop them finely so that the leaves can mix in thoroughly in whichever dish they are added because they turn a dark olive green upon heating. Try cooking the leaves in: Mung Kuzhambu , Mor Kuzhambu , Mor Kootu , etc.

This week I see red everywhere - food that is :-)! Since I have a humongous red cabbage sitting in the fridge waiting to be eaten, I thought I would make some salad with it. Perhaps Waldorf salad with apples and walnuts. Or I could make a really red salad with beets, fennel, and capers. A rainbow salad! Or a spicy Indian relish salad. Or may be a warm slaw with the Bengali spice mix "panch phodan" = "five poppers". So many possibilities ....... so little cabbage ...... :-). Whichever of the above recipes you choose, you will be rewarded with a yummy salad/slaw loaded with nutrients - especially anthocyanins. For info on anthocyanins, click here . These recipes guarantee chewy/crunchy satisfaction while filling the tummy with wholesome and flavorful food. Here is a recipe for Really Red Cabbage & Beet Salad: This salad is fabulous after a couple of days if you can wait that long :P. 4 - 6 Servings Ingredients: 1 small Red Cabbage, shredded 1 Medium B...

Beans are perhaps one of the most overlooked foods even though they are probably the most cost effective foods known to man! Legumes are versatile super foods which make great additions to our diet as they are powerhouses of good nutrition and good taste. They are readily available everywhere and can be stored for long periods without any special equipment like freezers or refrigerators. The benefits of beans are as numerous and varied as the number of types of beans - let me count the ways :D. I will try my best to list as many as I can. Congenial gifts of bounteous beans Nature-cooked into glorious grains; Conjured by her the riches so held Pretty and plumb in their various shells. Nurturing all with fiber and more Filling us with good health to the core; With antioxidants, anthocyanins, Bringing sweet healing to cure evermore. And still more, with iron and vitamins galore Without any fat ne'er cease to amaze; Oh, eat them daily as never before ...

It is no wonder that many cuisines use legumes - they are economical as well as healthful for everyone, very tasty and satisfying. Legumes also are full of fiber - both soluble and insoluble - which helps in keeping our digestive system working in good order in addition to controlling cholesterol. Even the plants themselves are good for the earth in more ways than one: the plants make oxygen as all plants do in addition to producing wonderful food, fix nitrogen in the soil (leguminous plants are famous for this), and the plant material after harvest makes good compost. Legumes are a gift that keep on giving! Lentils belong to the legume family; lentil soups are classics in many cuisines and this particular one is often served for breakfast, lunch or dinner in countries around the Mediterranean. We enjoyed this one in many of the cities in Turkey; it is pronounced "merchimek chorba" - you are right, here the c is pronounced as ch! With some fresh crusty bread and a gree...