Geetha's Kitchen

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Ripe Mango (Mampazha) Pulisseri (Ripe Mangoes In Yogurt Curry)

April 14, 2008

Here is a Kerala classic that is at home with fancy feasts or modest meals. My sister won a prize when she entered this recipe at the Mango Festival! According to my sister 'Parikkai Fry' (Bitter Melon Stir Fry ) is the perfect dish to balance and accompany the sweet Mango Pulisseri :). Mangoes are returning after a long winter and now is the time to try this recipe. No feast in Kerala is complete without Mango Pulisseri especially during mango season! Another one of our childhood favorites that we were always happy to eat! Firm mature mangoes work best for this curry. Whether or not you add sugar depends upon the sweetness of the mangoes and/or how sweet you like the curry. Taste a piece of the uncooked mango first to decide. We like the pulisseri tart or sweet. With the sweet one it is nice to serve parikkai fry ; with the tart one I like to serve some type of paruppu usli curry (sautéed vegetables with steamed and seasoned dal). Note: For a dairy free...

Brown Rice-Barley Pongal With 5 Dals (Brown Rice Porridge With 5 Kinds of Lentils)

April 14, 2008

Brown Rice and Barley Pongal is a very healthy and delicious food. I make it nonfat (see the directions below) so that individuals can decide to add ghee/butter if they choose. I love to include barley in everyday cooking as much as possible. Pleasant tasting barley grains are a good source of B vitamins and soluble fiber that helps reduce cholesterol and lowers your risk of heart disease. According to Ayurveda principles, barley is good for the reproductive/urinary tract health especially in women. Barley tea or water is a highly recommended beverage to prevent swollen legs and feet for pregnant women in Southern India. 6-8 Servings Ingredients: 1/2 cup Brown Rice 1/2 cup Barley 1 handful each : Chana Dal, Toor Dal, Masoor Dal, Split Mung Dal with skin, and Red Chori (Karamani) beans 1 tsp Turmeric 2 tsp Salt or to taste Thalippu/Tadka: 2 Tbsp Oil, Ghee or Unsalted Butter 1- 2 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns (Mulaku) 1 Tbsp Whole Cumin Seeds (Jeera) Method: ...

Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches

April 13, 2008

Assorted Roasted Veggies The roasted vegetables make for wonderfully tasty and nutritious sandwiches and wraps especially with homemade Pesto . If you roast a few extra veggies, they can be used to make the delectable Tricolor Pasta with them. Use your favorite breads and cheeses to make the sandwiches. Some of my favorite breads are Chapatis(whole wheat tortillas), ciabatta, sourdough, or French rolls, and lavash. I vary the cheeses each week; Cheddar, Jack, Cream Cheese, Goat Cheese, Feta Cheese and fresh Mozzarella among others - all are delicious :). These make great school lunches along with some crunchy sprout salad or chopped salad and a fresh fruit; I put the pasta, salads or veggie slices in a leak-proof resealable plastic bags and include a fork/spoon. Bon apetit! In answer to a good question that came up about the use of cheeses in vegetarian cooking: I am a vegetarian too and use the specific cheeses mentioned in this recipe - they are made with only mi...

Amma's Godumai Bajji (Spicy Whole Wheat Flour Fritters)

April 13, 2008

These are not true bajjis; they probably belong to the pakoda category. Traditionally bajjis are vegetable slices or pieces dipped in batter and deep fried whereas pakodas are made from a dough formed by mixing all the ingredients including finely chopped veggies. I made these recently for teatime to celebrate congenial company. It is an old recipe from Amma and it is absolutely delicious. I have only eaten them at our house so this recipe seems to be another one of Amma's clever creations. Amazing to say the least, Amma was incredibly inventive; if one ingredient was not available, she found a replacement that worked just as well or even better. It is my guess that perhaps she substituted the whole wheat flour for the traditional besan for some reason - I am glad she did :)! Using whole wheat offers a delectable change from the typical bajjis made with besan (chick pea or garbanzo flour). Do include the rice flour for crispness; otherwise the bajjis will be softer....

Tricolor Pasta (Pasta with Greens and Red Bell Pepper)

April 03, 2008

The white pasta, delectable bright red roasted bell pepper, and the succulent greens make a lovely presentation of the Italian flag colors but includes an international cast of vegetables such as Italian Zucchini, Japanese Eggplant, and Chinese Bok Choy :)! The fact that the vegetables can be prepared ahead of time makes it very convenient. The bell peppers, eggplant, broccoli, and zucchinis can be roasted one or two days before and refrigerated until ready to use. In fact you can bake extra veggies when preparing Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches and save the extra for this dish or vice versa. Wash, dry and slice the greens and herbs one day before. Then on the day of serving, cook the pasta, the garlic and tender greens, and combine all together. Use gluten free pasta if you wish; cook them according to package directions. 8 Servings Ingredients: 1 lb dry pasta, any type 1/2 lb Baby Bok Choy 2 large Red Bell Peppers 2 medium Japanese or Chinese Eggplants ...

Sprouted Bean Salad (Salad with Sprouted Legumes With Lime Dressing)

April 03, 2008

Mixed sprout salad As the season warms I am longing for lighter foods like simple, crunchy, munchy, sprout salad that is not only healthy, but also delicious. Makes a wonderful snack for lunch bags too! Snacks like these are sold by street vendors all over India. There is absolutely no cooking involved - the sprouts are raw! so the salad goes together very quickly. You can use homemade sprouts or buy them from the store. If you are not a fan of raw sprouts, steam them lightly. Chat Masala is readily available in Indian Grocery Stores. You can use just salt and pepper and a little ground roasted cumin seeds or other herbs/seasonings instead as another option. 4 servings Nutrition Information (As prepared below): 38 Calories, 1.6 g Protein, 5 g Carbohydrates, 0.15 g fat Ingredients: 1 cup fresh sprouts , any kind or a mixture 1 medium Carrot, diced 1 small Red Bell Pepper, diced 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro(Coriander Leaves) and/or Italian Parsley, chopped 1 small cucumber, diced 1/2 sma...

Sprouts (How To Make Sprouted Beans or Peas)

April 03, 2008

Lentils, Peas, Red Chori, Mung, Brown Chick Peas Dry ones in the foreground; soaked ones behind It is very easy to sprout various dried beans and peas. Sprouting does take a little planning though; it takes about 2 to 4 days from start to sprout (in warmer weather the seeds sprout quicker). This is also an educational and fun "cooking" activity for children - they can eat their experiment :) !! As you probably know, children will most likely eat what they help prepare. You don't need any special equipment for sprouting; just any bowl and a clean piece of cloth will do. I like using glass jars for my sprouts; I love watching the progression from seed to sprout. It is fun to have a few types going at the same time. I sprout and store the different types of beans in their own containers and mix them for specific dishes as needed. Sprouts make a nice addition to all types of dishes - salads , Chundal , Bajji , Adai , Corn Cakes, Molakootal, Kootu, stir-fries, c...