Kele phodi ( Pan-fried Sweet Plantain); 3 ways! Meatless Mondays!

Fried plantain is common not only in Hispanic cuisine but in the Caribbean and Indian cuisines too!  Almost all of the South Indian states make does sweet plantains in one form or the other. They are usually eaten as a snack with a cup of tea but may be also served as a side with a meal.

Where I am from, we make it in three different ways. My mother never deep-fried the plantains. She always pan-fried it with very little oil. Specific plantains are used for this recipe. They are called as Nendrabale.

I am going to show you all three ways to make fried plantains. I like them all, depending on my mood.

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

Ripe plantains: 2
Salt: as per individual taste
Coconut oil: to grease the skillet/ tawa/ griddle

For the plain version:
Red chilli powder: 1/4 tsp

For the rice flour version: all the above ingredients +
Rice flour: 2 tbsp

For the sooji rava version: all of the above +
Water: 2 tbsp
Cream of wheat/sooji rava or/cornmeal: 1/4 cup

Method:

Peel the plantain. Slice them horizontally into 3 equal pieces.

Now vertically slice each individual piece into 3-4 slices depending on your desired level of thickness and the thickness of the plantain. You don't want the slices to be too thin.

Arrange the slices on a plate.


For the plain fried plantains:

Mix together salt and chilli powder. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the plantain slices, on both sides.

Heat the skillet/tawa on medium heat. Grease it using coconut oil.Once the skillet is hot, place the plantain slices on it.

Cook on low flame until lightly golden brown( around 3-4 minutes on each side).

Serve hot.

For rice flour coated fried plantains: 

In a shallow bowl/ plate, mix together rice flour, salt and red chilli powder.

Dip the cut plantain slices into this mixture.

Heat the skillet/tawa on medium heat. Grease it using coconut oil.Once the skillet is hot, place the plantain slices on it. 

Cook on low flame until lightly golden brown( around 3-4 minutes on each side).

Serve hot.

For the sooji rawa coated fried plantains:

In a shallow bowl/ plate, mix together rice flour, salt, red chilli powder and water to make a paste.

Smear this paste on both sides of the plantain slices.

Take the sooji rava/ cornmeal in a plate.

Roll the batter-coated plantain slices into this mixture so that it is coated with rawa/ cornmeal.

Heat the skillet/tawa on medium heat. Grease it using coconut oil.Once the skillet is hot, place the plantain slices on it in a single layer.

 Cook on low flame until lightly golden brown( around 3-4 minutes on each side).

Serve hot.

Enjoy! I am bringing this to Fiesta Friday & Saucy Saturday. The co-hosts this week at Angie's Fiesta Friday are two excellent bloggers  Sonal @ simplyvegetarian777 and Laurie @ ten.times.tea. I know I am late for all the parties, but I truly believe in the adage, " better late than never!"

Cooking made easy:

Whenever you want to pan-fry something and use  less oil, make sure that the skillet/ griddle is hot enough at the beginning, but after that maintain a constant temperature that does not cause the food to burn but cooks it well. To much fluctuations in the temperature might prove detrimental to effective cooking.

Tip for healthy living:

While cooking, always look for healthier ways to cook any given recipe. Steaming/ broiling/ baking is better than frying . Pan-frying is better than deep-frying.

Food for thought:

One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. Hellen Keller

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Fall/Winter Fruit Salad; Meatless Monday.

Happy New Year Everyone! May 2016 bring much happiness to each one of you. I wanted to start off the New Year on a healthy note. Hence, I am bringing to you this recipe that I was part of the spread at the parties in my home.

For me, any party is incomplete without some fruits on the table. Whole fruits can be kept handy but they are merely decorative as most people don't reach out and eat an entire fruit during a party. However if you keep a platter or bowl of cut fruits, they are more likely to be consumed, at least 50% if not more! Fruits make for a great choice for guests who are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or have nut allergies and you weren't aware of it beforehand!! They will have something to eat! Fruits are healthy and make for a great dessert choice . You can make serving fruit even better by making a fruit salad; without ice cream of course!! Here is a fruit salad recipe that uses fruits available during Fall/Winter. Hence, I decided to name it " Fall/Winter Fruit Salad". It is a very easy recipe that everyone will enjoy!

Servings: 8-10 ( 1 cup per person)

Ingredients:

Clementines/mandarins: 4, peeled and sections removed.
Pomegranate seeds: 1/4 cup
Apples: 2 medium-sized, peeled, cored and diced.
Pears: 2 medium-sized, peeled, cored and diced.
Craisins: 2 tbsp
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Orange juice: 1 tbsp
Sugar: 2 tbsp
Chat masala: 1/2 tbsp

Method:

Take all the ingredients listed above in a bowl. Mix well.

Serve chilled. I am bringing this to Throwback Thursday , Saucy Saturdays & Fiesta Friday #101. Fiesty Jhuls and the calm Mr Fitz are co-hosting!!

Cooking made easy:

To prevent cut apples/ pears from becoming dark, squeeze a little lemon/orange juice and mix well.

If you don't have chat masala, you can add 1/4 tsp each of  cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder. This gives it a nice flavor.

You can add more or less fruits based on availability and individual preference.

Tip for healthy living:

Fruits are not only a great source of daily recommended vitamins and minerals, they are also a great source of much needed fiber.It is recommended to included 4-5 servings of fruits a day.

Food for thought:

We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe. John Henry Newman

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Quick Masala Eggplant

Navratri is a nine-day long festival that is celebrated in India with much pomp. Navratri  literally means Nine- nights." Nav" means nine and "ratri" means night. This is a festival that is celebrated for 9 days and 10 days . This festival is celebrates the Hindu Goddess (Devi) in her varied forms. You can read more here.During these days there is lot of festivities, fasting and prayers. You can read more in detail here. Different parts of India celebrate it differently with varied levels of fasting. It is believed in the Hindu religion that fasting is a form of cleansing and also that of self-discipline. The levels of fasting vary from complete fasting wherein the individual does not eat or drink all day and consumes a satvik vegetarian meal to an individual who only observes a vegetarian diet for nine days. Some only eat fruits and drink milk all nine days.Fasting is completely voluntary. It is perfectly ok if one chooses not to observe any of this and continues to eat a non-vegetarian meal.  Now, what is a satvik meal? A satvik meal is one that is without meat, eggs, fish, rice, onion and garlic . Are you surprised?? Well, you will be even more surprised when I tell you that all our weddings and other auspicious occasions have meals that are satvik , except that rice is served. And it is truly delicious. Coming back to the fasting: the North Indians follow a different kind of fasting while the South Indians follow a different kind of fasting. You can check the North Indian style of fasting for Navratri here. I am a South Indian and therefore I am familiar with only how fasting is observed  in the Southern Indian state of Karnataka. The other South Indian states like Tamilnadu and Kerala have a different way of fasting. You can check how the different states celebrate this festival here. I have only discussed the fasting part of this festival as this is a food-related blog.

Now,as for me personally, I used to not observe fasting during my younger days. Now for around 18 years I have been observing fasting during Navratri. This is how I do it. I take a bath first thing in the morning. Then I light a lamp in front of the altar. I then  eat breakfast in the morning which is usually a satvik meal with one cup of coffee. I do not eat anything all through the day. In the evening I eat another Satvik meal. That's it. Nothing in between or later. This for me is a great way to cleanse myself and to exercise my self-determination. It is also a great way to control your senses.

Happy fasting and praying to all those who celebrate Navratri. May you and your family be blessed.

On the occasion of Navratri I will be bringing to you one satvik recipe each day. Today I bring to you this dish which I prepared on a whim..

Sometimes you crave for certain flavors, certain tastes.. Sometimes you want to rustle up something different from the mundane... Sometimes, you want something really quick and easy... Sometimes, you want something that you can just leave on the stove and will transform to a delectable dish. This eggplant dish can meet all the above criteria. Honestly, I didn't know what to name this dish!! This is something that I came up with and created on a whim. I didn't follow any specific recipe and yet, here is a dish that you will want to make over and over again. It is finger-licking delicious! The addition of peanuts is completely optional, but I must say that the peanuts give the dish a nice texture and crunch that makes the dish even more delightful. Therefore, avoid adding peanuts only if you or a family member is allergic to it.

Servings: 3-4 ( serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients:

Eggplant: 1 medium-sized, diced large.
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Roasted Peanut halves: 2 tbsp
Sambhar powder: 1 tbsp ( I used MDH brand sambar powder, any brand can be used).
Tamarind pulp: 1/4 tsp
Salt: to taste

Method:

Dice the eggplant into medium pieces and keep aside.

Heat oil in a frying pan or a sauté pan. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the chopped eggplant & salt. Reduce the flame, cover and cook until the eggplant reaches the desired level of tenderness. 

Add the Sambhar powder and sauté for 30 seconds. 

Add the tamarind pulp and peanut halves and mix well. Turn off the flame.

Serve hot with rice, roti, bread.

Enjoy. I am bringing these goodies to Throwback Thursday #10, Fiesta Friday # 90 and Saucy Saturday. At the Fiesta,Effie @ Food Daydreaming and Lindy @ Lindy Mechefske are co-hosting this weekend.

Cooking made easy:

If you are out of Sambhar powder or don't have Sambhar powder, you can use any spice mix that you have on hand like rasam powder, curry powder.The taste will be slightly different than what you would get when you use Sambhar powder, but the dish will still be delicious as every spice mix is usually geared to making a flavorful dish.

Tip for healthy living:

For vegetarians,surreptitiously adding nuts, lentils and beans into dishes made with vegetables  is a great way to add protein into your diet.

Food for thought:

A champion is a dreamer that refused to give up. Unknown

Bhajile Idli (Fried Idlis)

I have fond memories of my childhood associated with fried Idlis. My mother used to make them as a snack when I came home from school.Even today, fried idlis are one of my favorite evening snacks with a cup of tea. I also like it for breakfast. It is a easy-breezy breakfast item as the idlis are already made. All you have to do is slice them and fry them. There are many variations of fried idlis. One of my aunts(Pushpa Mahve)  fries them with chutney powder.

I mostly do mine the way Amma makes it, using asofoetida powder/solution. I am partial to the smell of asofoetida.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Idlis: 6 nos
Oil: 1 tbsp ( I use coconut oil, any vegetable oil can be used)
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Asofoetida powder: 1/8 tsp

Method:

Slice idlis horizontally into 2 equal pieces and keep aside.

Heat skillet/ griddle on medium heat. Smear oil. When the skillet is hot, place the sliced idlis in concentric circles. Sprinkle little salt and asofoetida. Let it fry for 3-4 mins on low flame.

Add some oil to the skillet and turn the idlis over and repeat the same process until they are golden brown.

Serve hot right off the skillet with some wet chutney or by itself!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

Like I mentioned earlier, there are other ways of making fried idlis. My aunt sprinkles dry chutney powder over the idli slices and lets them roast. I guess any dry chutney powder would work.She also makes another variation by  slicing the idlis into small cubes instead of slicing them horizontally. That too tastes good.

 When your idlis don't turn out soft and fluffy, don't be disheartened. Fried idlis are a great way to make use of idlis that didn't turn out that great. This is what I call " best out of waste".

Tip for healthy living :

Frequent small meals is better way to eat than large infrequent meals. When you eat frequent small meals, you keep the blood sugar level, thereby preventing spikes and dips. This in turn translates into better energy throughout the day and greater productivity. Another benefit of frequent small meals is that it boosts the metabolism thereby burning calories throughout the day and hence preventing weight gain.

Food for thought:

Hope keeps the world going.( unknown).

Quick Egg Curry

When I used to live in a shared apartment , one of my flat mates, Aleyamma was from Kerala. I had the good privilege of learning some of the dishes from the Malayali cuisine through her.One of my favorites was the egg curry that she used to make.It is simple, easy to make and requires very few ingredients.Here is the recipe for Aleyamma's "motta curry" as she used to call it.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Eggs: 4 boiled and peeled.
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp
Mustard: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Garlic: 4 cloves,chopped fine
Ginger: 1 inch, chopped fine
Onion: 1 medium, chopped fine
Haldi( turmeric) powder: 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder(cayenne pepper): 1 tsp
Garam masala: 1/4 tsp 
Water:1/4 cup
Coconut milk: 1/2-1 cup ( as per your taste).( I used canned coconut milk).
Salt to taste
Cilantro/ coriander leaves

Method:

Heat oil in a wok/ sauté pan on medium heat.Temper mustard. Once it splutters, add curry leaves, garlic.Sauté for few seconds.

Then add ginger, sauté for few seconds. Now add the chopped onions. Sauté until the onions turn golden brown. 

Now add haldi( turmeric powder), chilli powder, garam masala and sauté for a minute.

Add 1/4 cup water. 

Add the coconut milk and simmer for 2-3 mins. 

Slice the eggs into two and drop it in the above sauce. 

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice/ idlis / bread.

Cooking made easy:

The ideal method of boiling eggs to perfection is to drop them into boiling water, let it boil for 10 minutes. Then turn off the stove, cover the pot with a lid for another 10 mins. Promptly cool it in a bowl of cold water and peel it.

Tip for healthy living:

A lot people tend to eat egg whites alone, throwing the yolk away. They do this believing that the yolk in the eggs will lead to increased cholesterol and heart disease.Egg yolk is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and is beneficial to the body.Most of the nutrients in the egg is concentrated in the yolk.The yolk is rich in minerals like calcium and magnesium and important vitamins like RIboflavin, folate,vitamin B6, B12, vitamin A & E.Harvard School of Public Health states that eating one egg per day will not increase the risk of heart disease in healthy individuals.Of course, people with established heart disease and diabetes have to try and be cautious with egg yolk consumption.

Food for thought:

Necessity is the mother of all inventions. ( Plato)

Garlic Sautéed Beets With Leaves.

I have to have some greens everyday.  While I was familiar with the greens available in India , and often cooked it,here availability is a issue as these are only available in Indian grocery stores.During winter,my trips to the Indian store are rather infrequent. This got me on an adventure experimenting with the greens available in the vicinity.We have a  farmer's market nearby which I often frequent and came across fresh beets with its leaves. 

Back home we use the beets alone and throw the leaves. I decided to try and use the leaves. It came out yum. 

Here's the recipe:

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Beets with its leaves: 4 nos
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp
Garlic: 4 cloves, chopped and lightly crushed
Dried Red chillis: 4 nos
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the beets with leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. This allows the sand / mud settle at the bottom. Separate the leaves and stem from the beets. Now chop the beet leaves and keep aside. Peel the beets,dice them and keep aside.

Heat oil in a sauté pan/ wok on medium heat. Add crushed chopped garlic, sauté  until you smell the aroma of garlic. 

Add red chillies/ chilli pepper flakes.Add the diced beets and the chopped stems, lower the flame, cover and cook for 5 -7 mins. 

Now add the chopped leaves, salt  and cook on low flame until done without covering, approximately for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot with rice/ bread/ baked chicken/ baked fish.

Cooking made easy:

The above recipe can also be made with other greens like spinach, broccoli rabe. The only additional ingredient to be added is 1/2 tsp jaggery/sugar. This combats the bitterness of the greens. Beets being naturally sweet, does not require additional sugar/jaggery to be added.

Tip for healthy living:

Beets are great for good health. They are supposed to support anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and detoxification effects in the body.Beet is a liver-protective food and apparently helps reduce blood-pressure.Beet is a favorite part of raw-food diet and beet juice is very popular.

Food for thought:

An idle mind is a Devil's workshop.(H.G.Bohn)

Beans Upkari (String Beans Stir-fry)

For some period of my life, I lived with my uncle Nammi mam and Lata aunty. They have a cook whom we fondly call "Namma",who cooks excellent Konkani meals. Anything she makes tastes delicious. She can infuse deliciousness into the simplest of dishes. One of the dishes she made is green beans upkari. The beans are chopped fine and cooked to a crisp finish. They look like bright green emeralds and taste great. Her dish calls for more oil. Being health conscious, mine has little oil and at times I also garnish it with freshly grated coconut. I absolutely love the taste of freshly grated coconut and find reasons to put it in my dishes :).This is a great side-dish for weeknight dinner.Here's the recipe:

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Fresh green beans( string beans) : 1 lb (450 grams). Chopped into 0.5 cms length pieces.
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp( can use 1/2 tbsp for even more healthier version.) ( Any cooking oil can be used, I prefer to cook in coconut/ olive oil).
Mustard seeds: 1/4tsp
Dried Red chillies: 2 nos
Freshly grated coconut: 1 tbsp ( optional)
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat a sauté pan/ wok on medium heat. Add oil and mustard seeds. 

Once they splutter, add the red chillies and the chopped green beans. Add salt. 

Reduce the flame, cover and cook until done, approximately 15 minutes, sautéing in between.

Note: If cooking in India, you can add 1/2 cup water while cooking. Vegetables in the US tend to have higher water content, hence additional water is not required while cooking. If in India( or you are in a rush),the above dish can be made in a pressure pan. After adding the water, let it come to a boil, now cover the cooker lid, let it cook until you get 2 whistles. Open the cooker lid only after the hissing stops completely.

Garnish with grated coconut( optional)

Serve hot with rice.

Cooking made easy:

The above dish can be made with several other vegetables like potatoes, Chinese potatoes, okra, long beans (alsande) to name a few.It is quick, easy to make and healthy.

Tip for healthy living:

In recent years, there was a huge uproar that coconut, coconut oil should be limited in your diet as it is a saturated fat and would increase the cholesterol in the body and clog your arteries. Many people either switched to "healthy" oils like canola or corn. I have always believed that the way our ancestors lived was a healthier way. They lived closer o nature, and had healthier eating habits. So I wondered could all our previous generations who cooked exclusively in coconut oil be all wrong? In fact, my mother exclusively eats food that has been cooked only in coconut oil . Any other oil upsets her stomach and makes her sick. We now understand that the whole"coconut oil is bad for you" was a myth propagated by the big companies who wanted to promote canola and corn oil industries. In fact canola and corn production is a big industry! Today, health proponents are strongly promoting the use of coconut oil and sing praises of the health benefits of coconut . People are even encouraged to eat dry coconut pulp as a snack! 

Coconut oil apparently has medium chain fatty acids that are healthy and whose breakdown helps the liver burn energy in an efficient manner.It also acts as an anti-oxidant in the body.

Food for thought:

What goes around, comes around.(unknown)

Loshne Chutney/Garlic Chutney

Every time my mother encounters a not-so-fresh coconut, she makes garlic chutney. I have continued the tradition. The garlic and red chillies help compensate for the coconut's lack of freshness. It's easy to make and is a great accompaniment to any meal. It can also be used as a dip.Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

Freshly grated coconut: 1 cup
Fresh garlic : 4 small cloves
Red chillies : 2-3 medium sized
Tamarind: marble sized ( if using pulp, 1/4 tsp).
Salt to taste
Oil: 1-2 drops
Water to grind: 1/4-1/2 cup

Method:

Sauté peeled garlic cloves in 2-3 drops of oil until slightly golden brown. Add red chillies and sauté for 5 seconds.Let it cool down. Once cooled, grind it to a fine paste with coconut, tamarind & salt, adding just enough water to help grind .

Can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Enjoy it as a dip with dosas, apply it on your toast, or use it while making sandwiches with butter/cheese or just eat it with rice.

Note:

If using slightly rancid( not-so-fresh) coconut, sauté it on low flame until it starts changing color. Make sure not to burn the coconut.

Cooking made easy:

Garlic can be easily peeled by :

• cutting off the small hard edge at the bottom of the clove. This automatically opens up the peel.
• giving the cloves a whack with the flat side of your chef's knife.
• heating the cloves in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.
• Personally, I prefer the first method. For Indian garlic, which are smaller, the third method is easier.

Tip for healthy living:

For time immemorial garlic has been used in Indian cooking and has been known for its medicinal properties. It is purported to have antiviral, antibacterial, anti fungal and cardiovascular protective functions. All these properties are attributed to "allicin" the active ingredient which gives garlic it's distinctive odor. Did you know that garlic is considered a superfood?

Food for thought:

Patience is a virtue.(unknown).