Geetha's Kitchen

This sweet potato curry is delicious and quick. It is a versatile side dish to accompany your favorite main dishes. I like using both the cream-colored and orange fleshed sweet potatoes. And I used one of each color of the bell peppers - yellow, orange, red, and green. Sweet Potato Curry 6 Servings Ingredients: 1 Tbsp Oil 1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds 1 Tbsp Chana Dal 2 Tsp Urad Dal 1 pinch Asafetida 1/2 Tsp Turmeric 1 stem fresh Curry Leaves, leaves sliced 1 - 2 Green Chiles, minced 1 large Onion, diced 2 - 3 Bell Peppers, any color, diced 1 - 2 Tomatoes, diced 4 - 5 Sweet potatoes, diced 1 tsp Sea Salt 4 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro Method: Heat the oil in a kadai (Indian wok) or skillet and add the seeds and dal; when the mustard seeds pop, reduce heat, cover and add the asafetida. Stir in the curry leaves, green chiles, onions and bell peppers along with the turmeric and a pinch of the salt; cook stirring until softened a little. Add the tomatoes and the sw...

These potatoes satisfy my craving for French fries! These are easy to prepare, very flavorful and absolutely delicious. Any leftovers may be promptly saved in the fridge and reheated before serving. NOTE : if the garlic is added at the beginning of roasting it tends to get too browned and bitter; I like to add it towards the end of cooking. Roasted Potatoes 4 Servings - may be :-) Ingredients: 6 medium Potatoes, any type 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes 1/2 tsp Kosher or Sea Salt A few turns of freshly ground Black Pepper 1/4 tsp Turmeric 4 cloves Fresh Garlic, finely minced 3 - 4 sprigs of fresh Rosemary Method: Preheat oven to 425 degree F. Prepare a large low rimmed baking pan with a light coat of oil or cooking spray. Scrub the potatoes well, rinse and drain. Peeling is not necessary. Cut into large pieces and add to a the baking pan. Sprinkle salt, pepper flakes, pepper, turmeric and oil over th...

Pumpkin Pie Soup is a hearty and flavorful soup that is guilt free! It is a light soup which has all the lovely aromas of a pumpkin pie! It is a warming soup especially for an autumn  or winter day or night.  Although the soup is wonderful just on its own, croutons and/or roasted pumpkin seeds make really tasty garnishes. Pumpkin Pie Soup Ingredients: 1 small Pumpkin, Kabocha, or Butternut squash 1 tsp Oil 1 red onion, chopped 1 small clove fresh Garlic (Optional) 1 large Sweet Potato (Yam), peeled and diced 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1 Tbsp Indian Jaggery or Brown Sugar 1 tsp Sea Salt 1 one inch piece Fresh Ginger, sliced 5 whole Cloves 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 1/4 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg 1/4 cup Coconut Milk 1/4 cup Chilled Coconut Milk for serving Method: Peel the pumpkin or squash and cut into chunks; the size/shape does not matter since the soup will be pureed. Heat a soup pot with the oil and add the onions with a pinch of salt; co...

Bitter melon is an acquired taste - some take to it right away and others take time. Once you have a taste for it, it is absolutely delicious however it is prepared. The Indian varieties of bitter melon tend to have a stronger bitter flavor sometimes; but the pale green and smoother-skinned Chinese varieties are milder. Simple Sauteed Bitter Melon  When we were young children, my baby sister took to it immediately and enjoyed bitter melon as though she were eating candy! Just to make sure we were not missing out, the rest of us would sample a piece or two and decide that it tasted bitter still :-).While we were not crazy about simple sautes and curries, we did love chips and  Pitla , a classic South Indian dal stew with bitter melon. Without further ado, here is Simple Bitter Melon or Parikkai Mezhukuvarati (=saute). I used the pale green Chinese variety for this; but any type may be used. If the bitter melons are very bitter, my mother often sprinkled a littl...

Sweet & Regular Potatoes with Green Chile Pesto I call this dish Kerala boil ( Kizhangu vevichathu/puzhungiathu - boiled tubers or root veggies) - it is one of life's simplest of pleasures; just gather together just one or as many types of root veggies as possible for their delicious diversity. Add the traditional pounded green chile chutney made in minutes to complete the meal and ah - a meal to please the hobbit in anyone!! The green chile chutney is similar to chimichurri. In Kerala, there are many varieties of root veggies which lend themselves to making Kerala Boil. The main traditional and inexpensive root veggie for this dish is Kappa, also known as marakizhangu or maracheeni (Cassava, Tapioca, or Yuca); but  Sweet Potatoes (both orange and cream colored), Chembu (Taro), and  various types and colors of  potatoes may be added for variety. The veggies are typically cut into thick cylinders known as chenda (drum). I do not limit it to starchy roots...

No-Cook Savory Aval Aval (poha in Hindi), made from rice, is an extremely user-friendly staple; it is similar to oatmeal. Parcooked or steamed rice in its husk is pounded flat to make aval. Although one can cook with it, aval is eminently edible without any cooking! Aval (poha) is an ubiquitous staple in a typical South Indian Home to be made into a number of quick and delicious recipes! It is very easy to prepare either sweet or savory dishes especially when it is hot and one does not want to venture anywhere near a stove for love or money :-). Notes:    Check the aval for any foreign or discolored particles and discard them. Place in a bowl and cover with water; swirl with fingers quickly to get any husk pieces to emerge and float up. Pour out all the water along with the floaters. The d rained aval is now ready to use in the recipes. Fresh coconut is best for these recipes; but frozen is acceptable. If only dehydrated or dessicated coconut is avai...

Achards de Legumes  This recipe is very similar to Hema's Vegetable Achar ; both are based on Mauritian fare. We love heaping up achards on toast or a roll for a very satisfying repast whether at breakfast, lunch, or a yummy snack any time. The pictures show Achards made without cauliflower but all the other ingredients - so you see that the recipe is quite flexible :) Cauliflower and turnips are good on an anti-inflammatory diet, so I thought of making the "Achards" (as it is called in Mauritius) with them instead of the cabbage. I was told that in Mauritius, they sell Achards de Legumes and freshly baked bread before the grocery stores open! What a great idea! A delicious peace offering to keep the waiting hungry shoppers from getting grumpy :)! Notes: * Use a non-reactive bowl and pan for making the achards (stainless steel, ceramic, glass). * I make a huge batch and keep the achards in 2 or 3 jars - easy to use as well as for giving as gifts. * I cut ...

This stew is so scrumptious and pretty easy to make - served over any grain or with some bread, it makes a lovely meal. The fragrant spices enrich the stew without making it overly spicy. I grow taro just for this purpose; leaves and stems are not always available in markets. But it is very easy to grow - see this post on How to Grow Taro . My grandmother used to prepare this dish using only the stems of the taro and called it "thalakam". You can make it with just leaves or both the stems and leaves. Other greens like amaranth, kale, collards, turnip greens, spinach, Swiss chard, etc may be used if taro leaves are unavailable in any combination. If you are using regular dried tamarind pulp instead of the concentrate, use about a 1" ball; remove seeds and any stringy fibers and soak in a little warm water; then add to the roasted spices and grind together. Taro Leaf & Red Lentil Stew With Basmati Rice, Taro Stem Thoran Ingredients: 1 cup Red Lentils ...

Gongura Dal or Dal with sorrel is a delicious dal (stew) to serve with chapati, naan, or other breads, any grains like rice, quinoa, couscous, etc. The gongura or sorrel leaves add a lovely lemony taste to the dal! I was fortunate to find gongura leaves at the Indian market since I had been wanting make dal, chutney, and thokku with it. Here is the dal - yummy! Gongura Dal with Quinoa Notes:   Other dals like red lentils, yellow mung dal, or split peas may be used instead of the chana and toor dals. A little lemon/lime juice may be added to the dal just before or when serving if you like. Ingredients: 1/4 cup Chana Dal 3/4 cup Toor Dal 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1 tsp Sea Salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground Cumin Seeds 1 small bunch Gongura OR Sorrel leaves (1 cup packed) 1 large Tomato, diced Thalippu: 2 tsp Oil 1/2 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds 1 pinch Fenugreek seeds 2 dry Red Chiles 1 pinch Asafetida 1 stem fresh Curry Leaves, sliced 2 large Shallots OR 1 small Red Onion, ...

Mild and delicious Farro is an ancient grain that is similar to wheat or barley. It may be served just like any other grain in addition to being used to prepare salads or soups. Try this easy recipe for a yummy salad. This salad is wonderful prepared with barley or quinoa also instead of the farro. Other greens such as kale or spinach may be substituted for the arugula. Farro Salad Ingredients: 1 cup Farro 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 cup Corn Kernels, fresh or frozen 1/4 tsp Turmeric 1 clove fresh Garlic, minced (optional) 1 large Shallot, thinly sliced 1 small bunch Arugula or other greens, sliced 1 cup Tomatoes, diced 1 small Cucumber, diced 1 Lemon, zest and juice Freshly ground Black Pepper 2 Tbsp fresh Italian Parsley or Cilantro, chopped Method: Cook farro according to package directions with the 1/2 tsp salt.  Drizzle the 1 tsp oil on top and let cool slightly. While farro is coolin...

Thenkuzhal is a delicious crisp snack made from rice and urad or mung dal similar to another favorite, murukku.  In the old days people did not buy snacks from outside; the ladies of the house prepared them for the family. After the midday meal was served and cleaned up and everyone had a little rest, snacks were prepared. Although these snacks are especially made for special holidays, they are often made as teatime snacks also :D. Thenkuzhal The Indians have a special machine made just for the purpose of preparing delicious noodle-like snacks from grains and legumes just like the Italian pasta machine which is used to extrude pasta in different shapes. The machine has many plates with different sizes and shapes to make different types of snacks. The dough is pressed through the machine into the hot oil and fried until crisp. As children, we loved breaking thenkuzhal to pieces to find the letters of the alphabet, shapes, or numbers! NOTE: As always, please be careful whe...

Janmashtami or Bhagavan Krishna's birthday is not complete without Vella Aval; at least some type of sweet aval was always made on the occasion of Janmashtami in our home. The main ingredient, the aval (Tamil), or poha (Hindi), is flattened rice similar to rolled oats. The humble aval is transformed into something truly divine in this simple dish! Vella Aval is also a favorite in many temples in South India - to be given as prasad for all visitors. The story associated with aval and Krishna is very sweet; it is about true friendship. We never tired of hearing this story as children. Here is the story for those who may not be familiar with it: Krishna and Sudama were school friends. They were best of friends and parted ways promising to remember each other always. Sudama wanted to visit his friend but was not sure he should. His wife knew of Sudama's friendship with Krishna and asked her husband to visit him. Sudama was delighted with the idea of seeing his childhood...

Dal Kachoris are delicious pastries similar to the ever popular samosas and are a great tea time favorite. They are quite simple to make but do take a bit of time; it is helpful to make the filling a day or two ahead. You can use any of the given legumes but can adjust the spices to your preference. The whole spices give a very pleasant taste treat as you munch these pastries that look like UFOs (Utterly delicious Filled Objects). :-) The store bought Kachoris typically have very little filling - the most flavorful part! I like to really fill them with a good amount; you may wish to use less filling. Also, my family likes the kachoris soft too - remove them sooner for soft or cook longer for crisp. They kachoris may also be rolled out thinner and cooked on the griddle for dal poori. 24 Kachoris Ingredients: Filling: 1 cup yellow Mung, Chana, or Urad dal or Split Peas 1 Tbsp Oil 1 tsp Whole Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds 2 tsp ground coria...

Nendra pazha pulisseri is another delicious Kerala classic to rival the popular Mango Pulisseri . Both are family favorites and quite easy to prepare. The naturally sweet pulisseri gets its sweetness from the ripe plantain - Nendra pazham in Malayalam! It is divine when paired with the Bitter melon fry ... I could wax poetic about the incomparable deliciousness about this combo. A bowl of freshly cooked hot rice with pulisseri and bitter melon fry .... yum! This delicious pulisseri could do double duty as a pachadi (sweet side dish) in a feast menu during Onam festival or other special occasions instead of mango or other pachadi.  This pulisseri is vegan and gluten-free too! Although traditionally pulisseri is made with yogurt, I used cashews to give that rich creaminess to this dish and did not miss the yogurt at all. If you like a little tartness, a squirt of lime or lemon just before serving will do the trick. Pulisseri with its perfect complement of Bitter melon fr...

Veggie Sheekh Kababs are amazingly delicious and make quite an entrance when presented to family and friends! W ith  the colorful caramelized veggie topping, they are irresistible!!  These Kababs are so delicious, we make a meal of them! Serve them as starters or with a meal.  I had them in a restaurant and the presentation was fabulous; the kababs were topped with sauteed onions and brought to the table sizzling on a hot cast iron platter! I have recreated them here for everyone's enjoyment; I added the succulent caramelized veggies with an eye for color. Veggie Sheekh Kababs Notes:   1. For nicely browned and crispy kababs, deep fry them. Alternately the kababs may be cooked in a skillet with a drizzle of oil. 2. Unripe green bananas make the best kababs - but potatoes will do if the bananas are not available. The dough may be formed into patties also and cooked in a skillet with a little oil. 3. The dough may be prepared a day or two...

We adore the pickled veggies often served in Mexican restaurants; the canned ones are too soft and just not the same. So I made our own. These pickles are very easy to make and you can adjust the heat by adding a little or lot of Jalapeno peppers. The traditional pickles usually contain carrots, onions, garlic, and the Jalapenos; but cauliflower florets, radishes, jicama, chayote squash, zucchini, green beans, etc are welcome additions. If the amount of veggies is increased, the amounts of the seasonings and vinegar need to be increased as well. These Mexican style pickled veggies are so delicious that we cannot stop eating them; in fact they get eaten right out of the jar before they have a chance to properly marinate! They are great as nibbles or starters, on nachos, as a side with any Mexican food, or great to snack on any time. Ingredients: 2-4 Jalapenos 2 Carrots 2 Onions 1 Turnip 2 cloves Fresh Garlic 1 tsp Coriander seeds 3-4 sprigs Oregano 3-4 sprigs Thyme ...

Creamy Sunflower-Pepita Butter is delicious and good for you too! I love serving it with raw veggies, chips, toasted bread; serve it any way you like it. A friend makes it and serves it with slices of carrots, celery, and a few chips for a perfect snack! The herbs may be varied - using whatever is fresh - cilantro, parsley, basil, etc. I have recreated it from the taste and here it is for you to try and enjoy! I process this spread in a high speed blender to get the ultra-smooth texture; you may process in a food processor also but you will have a slightly chunky version. Both are great but different. Notes:  When made with fresh basil, the spread started to turn brown right away on the surfaces exposed to air. Some fresh herbs tend to oxidize and turn a little brown on the exposed areas when cut or ground; although it might look a bit unappetizing, it does not change the taste and is still quite safe to eat. Blanching the herbs produces a bright green spread that does not br...

Colorful and nutritious, Quinoa Pulav is delicious! We love it with fresh and juicy  chopped salad  or sprouted bean salad . Serve with curries, a raita and chutneys or Indian pickles too if you like. Papadams (Indian lentil wafers) go well with this pulav also.  This is a basic recipe; the veggies may be varied according to availability, the season, or individual preferences. I change it up a bit by using diced zucchini, colorful peppers, corn, etc in addition to or in place of some of the veggies in the recipe. Here is a picture of the pulav with sprout salad; it is not a great one but gives one the idea. Quinoa Pulav with Sprouted Bean Salad 6 servings Ingredients: 1 cup Quinoa 2 tsp Oil 1/2 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds 1 Tbsp Chana Dal 1 pinch Asafetida 1 small Onion, finely diced 1 Tbsp Ginger, finely minced 1 Green Chile, cored and minced 1 stem Fresh Curry Leaves, leaves sliced finely 1 big pinch Turmeric 1 tsp Sambar...