Geetha's Kitchen

As delicious as they are, I am usually reticent about making Poori as they are deep fried. But when I do make them, the trick to keeping them from being too oily is to keep the oil hot enough (but not smoking) to cook them quickly so they don't sit in the oil and absorb much of it. Although Pooris are eaten all over India, they are paired with saucy potato curry, chana/chole (garbanzos cooked with spices), Halwa , Aamras (Ripe Mango puree), etc depending on the region. The usual family favorite at our house was the potato curry. Try pooris with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup too for satisfying a sweet tooth! Makes 16 Pooris - About 4 Servings Ingredients: 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour 1 Pinch of Salt Water, about 1/2 cup Oil for deep frying Method: Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl; add water carefully to form a stiff dough. Flour tends to dry up or absorb water so when making the dough add about 3/4 of the water at first and then add more if needed by tea...

Mushroom Methi Malai is pretty easy and quick once you have the masala ready, see note below. It is quite mild but can be spiced up - a little more red chile or a tiny - and I do mean TINY - smidgen of ground Bhut Jolokia or Ghost Pepper will do the trick; start with 1/16 teaspoon or less! Be careful when handling Bhut - it is a very potent pepper albeit tasty. Earthy succulent mushrooms brighten up with a little touch of chile heat! Kasuri Methi is dried fenugreek (methi) leaves which add an amazing aroma to this curry; in fact it would only be Mushroom Malai without it! Fresh chopped methi leaves may be added instead of the dried if available.  NOTES : Biriyani Masala may be used instead of the freshly ground spices. If fresh tomatoes are not an option, canned will work very well. Use about half of a 14 1/2 oz can. Canned tomatoes are great when good fresh ones are unavailable. Any type of mushrooms may be used; I have used button type - white or cremini or baby Portobel...

Young and tender jackfruits are used to make this biriyani; although fresh is prefered, canned ones do when fresh jackfruit is unavailable. Flavorful and filling, Jackfruit Biriyani can be spicy or mild. If you really like it spicy, add half to one teaspoon of cayenne/red chile powder when adding the biriyani masala during cooking. All one needs to complete the meal is some fresh crunchy chopped salad, a green or coconut chutney, and fried or roasted papadams. Jackfruit Biriyani INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups Basmati rice, soak 2-3 Tbsp Oil 1/4-1/2 cup Cashew pieces  1 Bay leaf  2 Green Cardamom Pods 2 Brown Cardamom Pods Cinnamon - 1 inch piece  Cloves - 2  1 large Onion, thinly slivered 1-2 cloves Garlic, minced (optional) 1/2 - 1 inch piece Ginger, finely minced 3-4 Hot/Mild Green chillies, minced OR 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced 1 Tomato, chopped 1 can Green jackfruit, drained well, and torn into small pieces 1/2 tsp Turme...

Biriyani Masala is a must in the pantry if you love biriyani or pilaf. This spice mix is not limited to flavor biriyanis only; it is a fantastic way to flavor and spice up curries also. Start with a teaspoon of the mix to spice a curry to serve four and adjust according to your taste. Although commercially prepared biriyani masalas are available for purchase, there is no comparison to the freshly ground flavor of the homemade one. This will make enough masala for a couple of months. The masala will stay fresh and flavorful stored in an air-tight jar. NOTES: If Indian bay leaves are not available, leave them out of the masala; instead add a regular bay leaf or two to the dish during cooking. Kashmiri/byadagi chiles are milder than the regular ones and also lend a vibrant hue to the dish; lesser amount of regular chiles may be used instead along with a tablespoon of paprika. Biriyani Masala INGREDIENTS: 7-8  one inch Cinnamon sticks, preferably Indian type 4 T Cor...

Quick and Easy Korma really is pretty easy and fast as it doesn't require undue attention of sauteing or stirring; a great recipe for a busy day or evening. Just layer all the ingredients in the pot and in minutes delicious korma will be ready to go with your favorite grains or breads! Omit or add tomatoes depending on what other dishes are being served at the same meal; if other dishes include lots of tomatoes, leave them out. Cooked chickpeas - tan or brown type - make a nice addition to the korma; add them along with the potatoes and carrots. 4 Servings INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil ½ tsp Fennel Seeds 1 small piece Cinnamon 1 Bay leaf 1 medium Onion, finely chopped 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (optional) 1-2 green chillies, cored and minced 1 medium Potato, diced ½ cup Green Beans, diced 2 Carrots, diced ½ cup Corn Kernels, fresh/frozen ½ cup Coconut Milk  ½ cup Green Peas, fresh/frozen ½ cup Chayote/Zucchini, diced (optional...

Mor Kuzhambu is a classic South Indian coconut and cumin seed scented stew of vegetables with yogurt. It is another one of our family favorites from my childhood days. I had missed this delicious recipe as a vegan; when I figured out that if tofu can be substituted for the yogurt just like in " Yogurt" Rice and Non-Dairy Kadhi , life is good again :-)! Mor Kuzhambu over plain rice and a simple vegetable stir-fry - to live for! Non-Dairy Mor Kuzhambu with Rice & Okra-Capsicum Stir-fry Choose your favorite vegetables similar to the original Mor Kuzhambu ; some favorites are winter melon (ash gourd or elavan), okra, moqua/chayote/opo squash, taro root, cucumbers, Jack fruit seeds, ripe or green mangoes and green or ripe plantains. Green mangoes may be added to any vegetable; mango-cucumger or mango-squash is a delightful combo. When using green mangoes, adjust the lime/lemon as the mangoes may contribute to tanginess also. If you like to avoid soy, omit the tofu an...

A very flavorful and satisfying curry, it is even better the next day; so plan to make enough for fabulous leftovers! Another option is to use chickpea tofu or seitan/vital wheat gluten instead of regular tofu. You may use purchased Butter Chicken Masala spice mix instead of the individual dried spices and garam masala; but proceed with caution and use less at first as ready-made mixes may be heavy on hot pepper. Ingredients: 1 lb Extra Firm Tofu cut into bite-sized pieces 2 tablespoons oil 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tsp Salt & Freshly ground Pepper 1-2 garlic cloves, minced 1 Hot Green Chile, Serrano or Jalapeno, core removed and minced ½ - 1 inch fresh Ginger, grated  ½ tsp turmeric 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp coriander powder ¼ - ½ tsp cayenne 1 tsp garam masala 1 Red or Green bell pepper, diced into big pieces 3-4 ripe Tomatoes, finely chopped or 1 (15 ounce) can crushed or pureed Tomato ½ cup coconut cream 1-2 T...

My family adores meals that can be ladled or piled into bowls whether they be Indian, Mexican, Thai, etc! Here is another do-it-yourself Mexican-style meal to suit a family or a crowd and one of our all-time favorites! Have all the ingredients ready and let everyone serve themselves in a bowl/plate in layers or on crisp tortillas for tostadas, soft chapatis/tortillas for wraps/roll-ups, in fact any which way is perfectly delicious. The beauty of this fabulous meal is that most of the ingredients may be made at least a day or two ahead; warm the rice, beans, and veggies just before serving.  The veggies may be roasted in a 400 F oven for about 30 minutes if you wish instead of pan-toasting; I like either way depending on the moment. 8-10 Servings 1 recipe Frijoles de la Olla or   Black / Pinto  beans 1 recipe Cilantro Lime Rice OR Mexican Salsa Rice 1 recipe Pan-Toasted Veggies, recipe below Shredded Romaine Lettuce to serve Radish slices, chopped Onion...

This simple and wonderful recipe, a simpler version of the Indian Lime Rice , is fabulous to serve alongside Mexican or Indian meals! Some of our favorites to pair with cilantro lime rice for a Mexican meal are  Frijoles de la Olla  or Cooked   Black / Pinto  beans; and if you add  Guacamole , diced Avocados,  Salsa I ,  II , OR  III   and  Escabeche (Pickled Jalapenos & Veggies) , etc, then you have a feast! Cilantro-Lime Rice is delicious with any Indian curries, chutneys, as well as any type of stews, Vegetable Chili, etc too! Note: Some people do not enjoy cilantro; in this case, add a generous pinch of crushed dried oregano and substitute a mixture of finely sliced green onions and parsley for the cilantro. Variation: Saute 1 finely chopped onion, 1 minced Serrano or Jalapeno chile, and 1 minced clove of garlic in 1 tbsp oil; add boiling water and rice and proceed with the rest of the recipe. About 6 Servings Ingr...

When a dear friend made this delicious cake, all who tasted it wanted the recipe - and she graciously passed it on - sweet! She said this was a favorite frugal family recipe from the 30's and 40's when times were tough and butter, milk, eggs etc were scarce or pricey. Even though neither cake nor the frosting uses any dairy products or eggs, a reflection of the times, the results are quite amazing. I love to serve Blo's Whacky Cake without the frosting - who needs the extra empty calories, right? - but for company add a little whipped coconut topping (homemade or purchased) and fresh berries, cherries, etc; the beautiful jewel-like fruits brighten up the cake as well as make it more delectable! Although the cake may be mixed and baked in one pan, I prefer to prepare the batter in a bowl and transfer it to the oiled pan for baking especially for company. For a lower calorie treat, replace all or part of the oil with mashed bananas, unsweetened apple sauce or pureed f...

         Indian Aloo/Batata Roast     Patates Fournou Roasted potatoes are irresistible whether they are prepared the Indian or Greek way. In India this is Aloo or Batata Fry/Roast, in Greece, Patates Fournou. Patates Fournou is so like this  Indian  one - only the choice of oil and spices are slightly different. Which way to go? - a tough choice - but both are delicious. Although I like to use small potatoes - red, white, yellow, blue or brown - any type will work very nicely. Garlic may be added to the Aloo/Batata Roast as well if you enjoy garlic. 4 Servings   Ingredients: 2 lbs Potatoes Salt & Pepper 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1 Lemon/Lime 2-3 Tbsp Fresh Spearmint, finely sliced - for garnish Extra Lemon/Lime wedges, as needed for serving Indian:  2-4 Tbsp Coconut or other oil, 2 tsp coarsely ground Cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp ground red pepper. Greek:  2-4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3 cloves f...

Povetica/Potica ("Poveteetza/Poteetza") is a delicious nut filled Eastern European pastry. It takes a bit of planning and work, but very much worth the effort. Just watching it being made was so very intriguing that I couldn't wait to make it myself! Vegan Povitica - My first one! This is a veganized adaptation of a recipe from Paul Hollywood of The Great British Bake-Off fame. I substituted ground almonds for the walnuts and used other vegan ingredients but have tried to keep it as close to the original as possible. I have left the measurements in weight as the original as weighing gives more precise results. Notes: Aqua Faba is the fancy name for the cooking liquid from garbanzo bean; if it is not handy, use other egg replacers. I added a generous pinch of Turmeric for adding a healthy golden hue as eggs are eliminated in the dough; it is not necessary for the filling. Good vanilla extract or paste may be substituted for the vanilla bean. I omitted the salt a...

Bright sunset colored Carrot Halwa or Gajrela is a delicious dessert - another one of the ingenious Indian desserts based on vegetables. It can be served in soft scoops or cut into fudgy pieces depending on the amount of sugar and length of cooking. Shorter cooking time with less sugar will yield a soft result whereas longer cooking with more sugar will result in a fudgy, chewy, candy; both are good! I thought lovely carrot halwa would be wonderful as the Post # 501 in memory of Amma and as a tribute to her! When Amma first presented it, my grandmother and other family members in the rural South were very skeptical as they had never seen carrots let alone carrot halwa! But one hesitant taste, and everyone was hooked! Gajarela will last for a couple of weeks in the fridge; for longer storage, it may be frozen. Ingredients: 2 lbs Carrots 1 cup Coconut Milk Or 1/2 cup Coconut Cream 1/2 - 1 cup Sugar 1/2 cup Dried Coconut, finely grated (Optional) 3 Tbsp Earth Balance 5-7 ...