Geetha's Kitchen

Happy New Year Everyone! May your lives be blessed with good health, peace, love, joy and laughter everyday of the new year! Here is a delicious Black-eyed peas dish to begin the New Year! Szechuan pepper (Fagara) is not really part of the pepper family but the berries from prickly ash trees. Japanese sansho is a close relative of fagara. Fagara is not hot like pepper but has a pungent flavor. It is used in Indian, Nepalese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisines. This stew can be made two ways - with or without garlic. Fagara is available for purchase in Asian and Indian markets. If fagara is not readily available, it is no matter; just omit and proceed with the rest of the ingredients and you will still have a fabulous stew. Dessicated (dry, unsweetened) coconut may be used instead of fresh or frozen; use about half as much as the fresh. 4 Servings Ingredients: 1 cup dry Black-eyed peas 1 tsp instant Tamarind paste 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut (or frozen) 2 dried Red Chile 1...

Ma Ki Dal is an amazing partnership between two legumes: whole urad and rajma or red kidney beans! It is also known as Kali dal (black dal) or Dal Makhani (buttery dal); but I like the name Ma ki dal = Mama's lentils :D. It is traditional, common fare in Punjabi cuisine and may be served with rice or breads. Black whole urad and red kidney beans are simmered slowly for a rich, buttery tasting thick stew. Even though this is a very simple dal with minimal number of spices, the slow simmering produces exquisitely delicious succulent dal. Adjust the amount of chiles up or down for spicy or mild dal. Although soaking is not essential, I soak the beans for at least 30 minutes; a longer soak is even better. Ma ki dal provides yummy, rib-sticking abundant protein and is served with the grains (rice or roti). All you need to complete the feast are some green veggies, like cucumber and tomato salad . 4-6 Servings Ingredients: 1 cup Whole Urad beans with skin 1/4 cup Red...

Rajma II  Rajma II or Red Kidney Beans is a very traditional Punjabi stew - sans all the veggies I typically like to add :D. It is really quite simple to make and a real winner! Slow simmered and saucy, it is usually served over rice - "rajma-chaval"  is a famous combo - but is equally delicious with other grains or roti and other Indian breads like naan. Just as I do with the other rajma , I often like to serve this one also on its own with a side of salad or raita . Rajma-Chawal For more information on bean facts and preparation, read this post. Beans of all kinds freeze beautifully; so I always cook a double or triple batch so that one or two portions can be added to other dishes and/or frozen for another day. Canned beans and tomatoes may be used to make Rajma. 4 servings Ingredients: 1 cup Red Kidney Beans (rajma) 1-2 Dry Red chiles 1 Bay Leaf 1 Black Cardamom, crushed slightly 1 thin slice fresh Ginger 1 Tbsp Oil (Optional) 1...

The mushroom sauce with spinach is delicious and easy to make. Although I have used spinach here, other greens such as Swiss chard or kale may be substituted. Kale would need a bit more cooking time; so it may be steamed until tender and stirred in. Perfect over freshly cooked long, wide strands of pasta like linguine or fettuccine; but other shapes of pasta or grains will work fine too. Topped with Roasted Tofu , it makes fabulous eats; all you need for a complete meal is some crisp green salad and a crusty loaf of bread! Cashews make a wonderful vegan yogurt or sour cream substitute! Simply soak 1 cup of raw cashews for about 5 or 6 hours or overnight in plain water. Drain, rinse, and process using a blender with just enough water and a pinch of salt. Scoop out into a clean container ad stir in a Tbsp of lime or lemon juice. Yummy! 4 Servings Ingredients: 1 oz. dried Porcini Mushrooms (Optional) 1 lb White or Brown Mushrooms, thickly sliced 1 large Red Onion, thickl...

Here are a few amazingly simple snacks that take hardly any time to put together. Everyone needs a nice pick-me-up now and then if not daily. Just plan ahead to stock your fridge and pantry with the necessities. Instead of reaching for a bag of chips or cookies laden with tons of unwanted calories and hard to pronounce chemicals and fillers, these hip yummy snacks will fill the bill without contributing to expanding hips or other parts of one's anatomy - been there and done that :D. 1. Yogurt with Honey and Poppy Seeds: One of the delicious Turkish treats that we loved was a plate of thick, creamy yogurt with toasted poppy seeds and honey. It is so simple and yet really amazingly delicious! Place half a cup of plain yogurt in a bowl, drizzle a little honey, and sprinkle with toasted white poppy seeds. Other nuts or seeds may be used instead of the poppy seeds. Serve immediately. Afiyet olsun! 2. Sprouted Peas/Beans Salad : Sprouted bean salads are wonderful as appetize...

Creamy Mushroom Sauce is wonderful to serve over rice dishes, pasta, Roasted Tofu , polenta, casseroles, steamed vegetables, nut/lentil loaves etc. Delicious served as a gravy over biscuits or mashed potatoes too - mmm, yummy! If fresh herbs are unavailable, use a couple of pinches of the dried herbs instead. Makes 4 servings Ingredients: 8 oz. White or Brown Mushrooms, thickly sliced 2 Shallots, minced 1 small clove Garlic, minced 1 pinch ground Red Chile (cayenne) 2 Tbsp Butter 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 2 Tbsp Whole Wheat/Brown Rice Flour 1 cup Milk, any type 1 small sprig fresh Sage leaves, minced 1 sprig Thyme leaves, minced 1 small sprig Marjoram leaves, minced 1/2 cup Cream, half and half or vegan alternate Freshly ground Black Pepper Method: Heat a skillet or sauce pan and add butter, shallots, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until shallot softens and colors slightly. While the shallots are cooking, strip the leaves from the herb sprigs; discard the stems and mince the leav...

Making upma with couscous is really fast - it is easier than reading the directions :D! Cooking Couscous Upma is very similar to regular Upma except for substituting the couscous for the rava (suji or cream of wheat). Also, couscous does not require cooking on the stove - just stir it into the boiling water, wait for a few minutes, and Voila! the upma is ready to serve. There are numerous types of couscous available - I used whole wheat couscous for the upma; follow the directions on the package for the right amount of water for the particular type. Couscous is available at most grocery stores; dals and spices are available at Indian markets. If couscous is not readily available, bulgar (middle eastern cracked wheat) may be used instead. Bulgar need not be cooked but soaked in hot water as is done in Tabbouleh which is really upma with raw veggies! Someone asked where couscous can be purchased in India; according to Shobhaa it is available in all the major cities. Here...

"Kappa Puzhukku" Woody looking cassava, yuca, or tapioca roots (Manihot esculenta), are marketed as yuca (yoo-ka) in the U.S.; they should not be confused with yucca (yuk-ka) which is an unrelated plant altogether. Cassava originated from South America and traveled with the explorers to other tropical and subtropical areas of the world. In India cassava is known as tapioca (in English), as kolli, kappa, marachini, marakkizhangu, etc in Malayalam and Tamil, and manioc or mandioca in other countries. Cassava/tapioca has a unique and delicious flavor and is utilized in various ways in Kerala - freshly boiled/steamed, in curries and stews, as chips and papadams. Kappa Puzhukku is a tasty traditional offering in Kerala homes and snack shops. The bland starchy roots cook up translucent and buttery tasting; they readily absorb whatever seasonings they are cooked with and provide delectable and filling fare. Puzhukku means boiled or stewed; they are simple curries t...

A delicious stew from Kerala, Erisseri is a traditional dish for major holidays and feasts. It can be prepared with flavorful ripe pumpkins or green immature ones! My favorite erisseri was my grandmother's green pumpkin erisseri with green and shelled karamani beans. But do not , I do mean do not make it with the Jack-O-Lantern type of pumpkins whether they are orange or white as they are not flavorful at all - been there, done that :D. Pumpkins, unripe Jack Fruit, Moringa pods, Elephant Yam, etc are traditional veggies used to make this delicious stew. Yard Long beans are also added to pumpkin or yam erisseri when available. Various winter and summer squashes and chayote also make good erisseri veggies. Karamani are red cow peas labeled as "red chori beans" at the Indian markets. Black eyed peas or Azuki beans may be use instead of red chori beans. 4 - 6 Servings Ingredients: 1/2 small Pumpkin (about 2 cups) 1/2 cup Red Chori/Azuki Beans/Black-eyed peas 1 tsp Sea Sa...

If you like chocolate pudding, you can whip up a delicious batch within a few minutes. All you need are a little cornstarch, sugar, a little milk or milk substitute, and of course some cocoa; you don't have to settle for packaged mixes with a long list of ingredients that one cannot even pronounce. Although it is not instant, this pudding is very quick and easy to make - just like our favorite Vanilla Pudding - something everyone can enjoy without a lot of work or guilt. So, it is guilt-free, gluten-free, and can be vegan too. This is a great project for children too; they can do all the measuring and initial stirring. But once things get heated up, the adults need to take over for safe handling of very hot stuff. The pudding offers another bonus - a fantastic opportunity for practicing delayed gratification as the children have to wait patiently for the pudding to cool before enjoying the fruits of their labors :D. I prefer making the pudding in the microwave as it is a very...

Kurma (Korma or Qorma) is a fragrant stew enriched with aromatic spices, nuts and poppy seeds. It is a full flavored and rich tasting curry with all the roasted spices, nuts, coconut, etc and is typically on the mild side. This classic kurma from Chettinad cuisine is known as White (Vellai in Tamil) Kuruma as the veggies and the gravy remain whitish as there are no tomatoes and barely a pinch of turmeric. It is delicious served with rotis or rice dishes, and also dosas, adai, etc. White kurma uses Indian cinnamon bark which has a slightly different flavor compared to the commonly used cinnamon sticks. Use cinnamon bark for the authentic flavor but if it is not handy, regular cinnamon stick will do quite nicely. Typical Chettinad Kuruma does include garlic; so if you like garlic, saute a couple of cloves of it along with the spices and proceed as per the masala instructions. I use a Serrano or Jalapeño chile and remove the core with the seeds and whitish parts so that you...

This simple traditional dry curry is a Kerala classic. I was very fortunate to find some jack fruit at the farmer's market and saved the seeds for this. Jack fruit seeds have a taste similar to chestnuts; they are also delicious in Molakootal, Molagushyam, Aviyal, etc. Both bananas and Jack fruit seeds are a bit starchy and benefit from abundant hydration to make them soft and tasty. Hence the traditional method of cooking them in water before seasoning them. Any kind of green bananas (plantains, large or small eating ones, etc) may be used; the only requirement is that they be green and not at all ripe. Since the mezhukkupuratti (often called "fry") is not particularly spicy, it goes well with Sambar , Rasam , or other spicy curries. If you don't have any Jack fruit seeds, no problem - make the curry with bananas alone or with yard long beans, cooked adzuki beans, black-eyed peas, etc. You might not want to use an unseasoned iron wok as the bananas will turn quite...

Pumpkin Bread Pudding is a toothsome and luscious dessert. I really like all the crispy, crunchy, crusty bread; in fact the crusty bread is what makes it truly delectable. Even though the recipe called for canned pumpkin, I used a fresh pumpkin since that's all I had in my pantry; but then I always have a pumpkin or a winter squash of one kind or another waiting in the wings :D. These wonderful veggies last for days or even weeks without getting spoiled. I adapted this recipe from Smitten Kitchen's pumpkin bread pudding; I really liked her lazy method :D. I have tweaked it to reduce the amount of fat and have included the vegan option! I also used fresh and whole dry spices; but dry and purchased ground spices may be used instead. Oh, and make sure you do use a crusty bread like Italian, french, or a baguette - preferably a day old; it will be lot easier to cut. Of course it does not mean you cannot use a fresh bread; as you would expect, I ended up using a fresh french ...

Kozhakattais & Sweet Potato Chutney This deeply sunset colored chutney is a delicious addition to any meal; it is a very gratifying result of my experiments to incorporate more veggies into chutneys in place of coconut. I love coconut, but am trying to cut down fats. The dals add toasty flavor and richness to the chutney. The fresh red chiles available in autumn impart zing and enrich the color of this beautiful chutney made with the deep orange colored sweet potatoes sold as "yams" in the United States. If fresh red chiles are unavailable, use dry red ones; if using dry chiles, add them to the hot oil first and toast along with the dals. You can spice it up by adding more red chiles if you wish. About 2 cups Ingredients: 1 medium Sweet Potato (Yam) 1 tsp Oil 2 Tbsp Chana Dal 2 Tbsp Urad Dal 1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds 1 pinch Asafoetida 3 stems Fresh Curry Leaves 1/4 cup fresh Coconut (or 2 Tbsp dry, unsweetened) 4-6 fresh hot Red Chiles 2 marble-sized lumps dry Tamarin...

Autumn Splendor! Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I hope that you are blessed with abundance, peace and joy on Thanksgiving day and everyday! Autumn splendor roasted veggies will remind one of the gorgeous deciduous trees whose leaves exhibit brilliant colors in the fall - they are beautiful! Roasting the veggies seem to concentrate their sweetness and flavors. I add some roasted tofu to make it hearty. I use both cream and orange fleshed sweet potatoes for this colorful dish. Absolutely delish! This wonderfully trouble free dish never ceases to amaze - everyone loves it! Served with a bowl of Butternut / Pumpkin soup or Broccoli / Corn chowder, it makes a very filling and nutritious meal. The last time I made it, Keeshu even made a wrap with the leftovers!! Ingredients: 1 recipe Roasted Tofu (optional) 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 tsp Turmeric Freshly ground Black Pepper Cayenne (red Pepper) (optional) 4 Fresh Rosemary sprigs 6 Fresh Thyme sprigs 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 2 Sweet...

Roasted Tofu is wonderful by itself or can be added to other dishes like mattar paneer , Sag Paneer , Spring Rolls , Pasta , Autumn Roasted Vegetables , Fried Rice , etc. Tofu ready for roasting Ingredients: 1 block Firm Tofu (14 oz) 1/2 medium Red Onion 1 clove Garlic (optional) 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 tsp Turmeric Freshly ground Black Pepper 1 -2 pinches Cayenne OR Red Pepper Flakes 2-3 Fresh Rosemary sprigs 4-5 Fresh Thyme sprigs 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce, or to taste Method: Drain the tofu well and cut into bite-sized cubes. Place in a rimmed baking pan coated lightly with oil. The baking pan should accommodate the tofu in one layer. Mince the onion and the garlic if using, and sprinkle over the tofu. Sprinkle the salt, cayenne and turmeric, and a generous grinding of black pepper. Drizzle the oil and soy sauce all over; toss to coat evenly and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes (tofu may be marinated overnight also)....

When we have a thogayal for a meal, one of the frequently asked questions is "whose tholi (skin or peel) thogayal is it today?" ;D. Luscious thogayals are often made with tender skins or innards of veggies when a recipe calls for peeling or hollowing them and you don't want to throw away perfectly good and nutritious scraps. Today's thogayal utilizes the skin of peerkankai; when the ridge gourds are peeled for dishes like masiyal , some of the flesh is peeled away as well - what a waste of good food! This tasty thogayal is very similar to Pumpkin Thogayal . Of course, it goes without saying that the whole veggie may be used to make the thogayal as well. Other vegetables that make great thogayal are carrots, eggplants, various winter/summer squashes. We love to spread this chutney (and others) on toast; it makes a wonderful savory breakfast or snack. It is also great as a sandwich spread and a delicious dip for fresh breads. Ingredients: Peels of 1 or 2 Peerkankai ...

I often use both the dark red and the lighter red colored beans for this deliciously colorful dish. Rajma is traditionally served with a simple Pulav but is equally delicious served with plain rice or rotis. It also makes a lovely meal just by itself with a dollop of plain yogurt. You can substitute Sambar/Rasam powders, Pav Bhaji Masala or Chana Masala spice mixes for the Garam masala; I have tried them all and all are good. 8 Servings Ingredients: 2 cups Red Kidney Beans 1-2 Tbsp Oil 1 Red Onion, finely chopped 1 Red Bell Pepper 1 Carrot, diced 2 - 3 Tbsp fresh Ginger, minced 1 or 2 Jalapeño or Serrano Chile, minced 11/2 tsp Sea Salt or to taste 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1/2 - 1 tsp Ground Red Pepper (cayenne) 1/2 tsp Paprika 4 ripe Tomatoes, finely chopped 1 Tsp Garam Masala (optional) 4 Tbsp fresh Cilantro, Garlic Chives or Green Onions finely chopped Method: Soak the beans overnight, drain, rinse and cook in fresh water to cover until soft but not mushy either in a pot or using a pressu...

My grandmother made Mango Kadi (also known as molagushyam) with green and/or semi-ripe mangoes - to use up all the windfalls of mangoes from the orchard - and the simple but delicious taste is unforgettable! And depending on the mangoes, the kadi could be tart or sweet; a little jaggery or brown sugar may be added if the kadi is too tart for your taste. Kadi may be served as a chutney-like side dish with mild flavored curries like poricha kuzhambu , molakootal , simple dal , etc for a nice contrast in flavors. Since I prefer eating most fruits, especially mangoes, fresh rather than cooked, this kadi is an exception if and only when there is an abundance of mangoes and if they are unripe or under-ripe. Kadi, Pulisseri , or Pachadi are the perfect dishes to make if the mango is too tart for eating fresh and/or too ripe for making pickles . Ingredients: 2 green/semi-ripe mangoes 1/2 tsp Sea salt or to taste 1 pinch Turmeric 1 - 2 Tbsp Jaggery (optional) 2 or 3 dry red chilies 1/4 tsp fe...

Kabocha Squash Roasted Pumpkin soup with coconut milk is to live for! I wanted to use up the huge Kabocha squash; seemed like a good idea to roast it. When I spotted the can of coconut milk, the inspiration to make this soup dawned :D. This spicy soup wakes up taste buds! While Jaffna Curry Powder lends the unforgettable taste and zing, coconut milk adds to the mellow sweetness. For more about Jaffna curry powder check here . Adjust the curry powder according to your own taste and tolerance. Any winter squash may be used to make this recipe; I have used Kabocha as well as Butternut squash, small Pumpkins, or a combination. Roasting brings out the wonderful flavor of the squash; it can be eaten as a dish in its own right. Bake two - one to eat as is and one for soup - leftover roasted squash is perfect to make this soup - yum! This soup tastes even better the next day; reheat just until hot and steaming and serve. 6 Servings Ingredients: 1 medium Winter Squash or Pumpkin 1 tsp Sea...