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Delectably crisp crepes! - The penta-grain dosa

I started this blog because I am so interested in adapting traditional Indian recipes to make them healthier, tastier and easier-to-make. During the course of my writings, I have started to solicit reader recipes, since many minds work better than one! Here is a post written by my mother, Madhuram - recipe courtesy, my sister, Indu Sundaresan, author of four books - "The Twentieth wife", "The Feast of Roses", "The Splendor of Silence" and "In the Convent of Little Flowers" with a fifth on the way.
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Every culture in the world has some sort of crepe or pancake in its recipe repertoire. In South India, it is the ‘dosa.’ Served in almost all Indian restaurants the world over, the dosa is a fermented batter of rice and a dal (lentils), served usually with sambar (a stew of vegetables and lentils) and different types of chutneys.

When I was young, my brothers and sisters (I come from a family of 10 children!) would wait eagerly by the stove as our mother or grandmother made us piping hot dosas, swept off the pan, crisp, golden and crunchy. When I had children, and learned to cook, dosas were a favorite Sunday treat for them.

Now my daughters make this for their children and below is a recipe concocted by my daughter Indu—more tasty and nutritious than the usual recipe—for her daughter.

The original recipe has only two grains in it—rice and urad dal (black lentils). My daughter’s recipe has five grains to increase the nutrition content of the original dosa—white rice, brown rice, mung dal and whole urad dal and pearl barley in center (shown below, clockwise from white rice on top right corner).

Brown rice is a good source of minerals such as manganese, magnesium, also contains Niacin and has a lower glycemic index than white rice. Barley is loaded with fiber, has no sodium, is very rich in iron and has hardly any fat. Mung dal (split yellow lentils) is rich in protein, dietary fiber and minerals like magnesium, phosphorous and potassium, and urad dal is full of protein.

Here’s the recipe for this Penta-grain Dosa. This can be served with any chutney or even folded with scrambled eggs, or spread with cream cheese, or hummus, or stuffed with mashed potatoes.

Here is what you need:

1/2 cup white rice
1/2 cup brown rice
1/4 cup pearl barley
1 1/4 cup yellow mung dal (equal to the mixture of the brown and whiter rice and barley)
3/4 cup whole urad dal (husked black lentils)
3/4 tsp salt

This will make about 12 to 15 dosas of about 8"diameter. If lesser quantity is needed, use less ingredients, but in the same proportions.

Here is how you make the batter:

Combine the white and brown rice, barley and mung dal in a big bowl and fill with water. Swirl water around and drain to wash the grains. Repeat twice more until water runs clean. Then fill enough water in the bowl to cover about 2 inches above the grains, and let the mixture rest thus overnight.

Put the urad dal in a separate bowl and follow the washing and soaking instructions as above. Fill the bowl with water at the end and let it rest overnight also.

In a blender, grind the first grain mixture with a little water—should grind fine and to a thick batter consistency. Set aside in a large steel bowl or an oven-proof deep dish.

Grind the urad dal with some water also, again to a thick batter consistency. Stir in the urad dal batter with the grain batter. Mix well. Add ¾ to 1 tsp of salt and mix again.

Here is how you ferment the batter:

If the kitchen/room temperature is below 70 degrees F, heat oven to 140 degrees, switch it off, let cool awhile until inside of oven is warm and set the batter bowl inside. Make sure you cover the bowl well with aluminum foil or an oven-proof lid.

Let the batter ferment for 6-8 hours. Upon uncovering the bowl, the batter should have risen an inch or so and become foamy on the top.

This batter can now be refrigerated and used when wanted, or used immediately.

Here is how you make the dosas:
Heat a frying pan or a pancake griddle until hot (but not smoking). Pour a big ladleful of the batter and spread immediately into every widening circles with the flat side of the ladle.

Drizzle a little oil around the edges of the dosa and a little in the center. Keep the flame on a medium to medium high so that the dosa does not burn. When the edges begin to look golden and curl up from the pan slightly (about a minute or so), flip the dosa over to cook the other side for another minute or so.

Take off the griddle—the dosa should be crisp and gold on the edges, a little softer in the middle. Serve with coconut chutney, spicy tomato chutney, sambar, or any of the other accompaniments suggested above. Enjoy!

Jack of all fruit!

The luscious Mango is generally referred to as the King of all fruit in India. If there is a King of fruit, stands to reason there must be a Jack of all fruit - behold the Jackfruit! This fruit is a particular favorite in India with its buttery yellow, smooth tasting, deliciously sweet sections and large oval crumbly pits, which taste really yummy when smothered in spicy sauces. On the outside the jackfruit looks like a huge prickly pear, hanging low from the trunk of a large perennial tree. Each tree bears many Jackfruit every season. And generally the fruit is so large that one family cannot consume it, so it is usually sold cut. In India, the jackfruit is eaten both ripe (as a fruit) or raw, as in a curry.

The jackfruit is native to southwestern India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Sri Lanka and possibly, east of the Malay Peninsula. It is said to be the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, with its diameter being at least 25 cm. There can be jackfruit measuring as much as 36 kg (80 lbs) weight, 90 cm in length and 50 cm in diameter. The best part of the fruit is that even its seeds have been found to have a high nutritional value. Jackfruits are rich in potassium, phytonutrients, isoflavones, antioxidants and vitamin C with health benefits ranging from anti-cancer to antihypertensive. It is also believed to have anti-ageing properties since the fruit can help slow down the degeneration of cells and make the skin look young and supple.

My trip to Delhi resulted in one of my favorite jaunts, a visit to the local "haat" or weekly market. These haats are the best way to get produce from market to table - direct from the farmer, something like our local farmer's markets. Only, they seem larger than the ones I have attended in the US. Not only that, the haats are almost full to bursting with so many fruit, vegetables, sundry toys, goods and other items that are sold in carts, that they become almost like a trade fair.

During one such visit to a haat, my sister-in-law Kavita, bought some raw jackfruit from the local vegetable vendor who had large, raw, jackfruit in carts. The vendor would cut, weigh and wrap portions of the fruit in old newspaper for each customer. The raw jackfruit is generally used in curries or pickled. I will post my mother-in-law's raw jackfruit pickle recipe in another post.

This is Kavita's recipe for raw jackfruit curry- I can vouch for the yummy taste. I just loved it and thought I would share with my readers so you try this if you ever have an opportunity to buy raw jackfruit.

Here is what you need:
20 2" pieces of raw jackfruit
3 medium onions (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil

Here is how you make this very easy dish:
Steam jackfruit pieces with the turmeric powder until soft - about 10 minutes. In a pan, heat oil. Fry the finely chopped onion. Dissolve chilli powder and coriander powder in 2 tsp water and set aside. Add the steamed jackfruit and the dissolved spice powders. Add salt and saute on slow fire for about 15 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis or rice.

Mung dal bites - Healthful Indian snacks

I have been sporadic in posting on this blog this past month. That is because I have been planning my sojourn to India, packing and arriving first at New Delhi and then at Chennai. I have many interesting stories to relate, but I first need to get this off my chest: Indian restaurants and eateries have exploded in numbers in both the cities I am visiting. There are all kinds of eating joints: small roadside carts (with dubious hygiene, so please avoid if you visit India), small restaurants (again, eat at your own risk), medium sized ones (a definite yes, you may find a gem), large, opulent, Maharajah style restaurants complete with turbaned waiters running to fulfill your every command, starched lily white tablecloths and napkins, wonderfully cooked meals, fabulous menus....India has become a gourmet delight in all respects.

Leaving aside all those eating places, my vote for the best eating place is at the place I am staying while in Chennai. It is at the home of a friend who has a full-time cook. The cook is a young woman called Ammu, who keeps complete control of the household kitchen. She comes in each morning to whip up delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Ammu's cooking has the guests and family members charging in unseemly haste to the dining table in eager anticipation of every meal. Every dish that she makes is a gourmet delicacy that leaves one feeling completely content, replete and prosperous.

In the next few posts I plan to post some of her recipes. Here is a recipe from Ammu - a very healthy snack made of ground and roasted Mung beans. This is very easy to make and is absolutely delicious. Try it - it stores well unrefrigerated for over a week and is a great snack for your school going child.

Here is what you need:
3.5 cups green Mung beans with skin (great if you can get Mung flour, otherwise, powder the beans as fine as possible in your blender)
3 tbsp brown rice flour
1.5 cups powdered sugar (white or brown, your preference)
Scant 1 cup Ghee or olive oil
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup raisins
7 cardomoms (remove peel and powder fine)
pinch salt

Here is how you make this:
Heat and pan and dry roast the Mung flour and rice flour for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool. Heat the pan again and add 5 tbsp ghee or oil. Fry the cashews golden brown and drain on a kitchen towel. Now add the raisins in the same oil. Fry until golden brown and set aside. Cool the cashews and raisins. Chop the fried cashews into small bite-sized pieces. Cut fried raisins in half.

To the roasted Mung flour, add the powdered sugar, powdered cardomom, salt, fried raisins and cashews. Mix thoroughly.

Heat the rest of the ghee or oil in a pan until slightly warm. Pour in a little at the time in the flour mix. Mix and shape into small balls. Set aside. Add more oil or ghee as needed and make the Mung bites until all the flour is used up.

Makes 50-60 Mung bites. Store in a tightly closed container for upto a week.

Green Cabbage and Edamame - Cooking on a Shoestring Budget

My guileless childhood and callow youth was spent immersed in books. Glorious home spun tales, soaring visions, untraveled lands and boundless imaginations captured my every waking moment. I remember spending an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom and being yelled at by my sisters who were waiting for their turn because I had a book in my hand and couldn't set it down for long enough to get out the bathroom. :)

Books, and their authors, spoke to
me in vivid pictures. My mind wove and embellished the tales I read. I saw, heard, felt and smelled every single event in the book. Thus it was, that the descriptions of the smell of cooking cabbage was always associated in my mind with poor households.

This was because then, as now, the humble cabbage is one of the cheapest vegetables you can get. Humble it might be, in terms of cost, but there is certainly nothing humble about cabbage's nutritional profile. It is the star of nutrition and you would do well to incorporate it routinely in your diet. Cabbage has cleansing and cell detoxification ability, promotes cardio vascular and gastro intestinal health and is a huge powerhouse of Vitamin K.

Regardless of its fantastic nutritional profile, the reason cabbage is generally disliked is because it is cooked so much out of recognition that it loses its texture, taste and color and ends up looking and tasting like a mish-mash of a foul smelling goulash.

So here's a well known secret tip about cabbage: dont overcook or over boil then you wont have to deal with the smell of cooking cabbage, the smell that has been described and immortalized in many many books by many many authors!

The cabbage recipe that I provide today is, in my opinion, the ultimate in culinary perfection. The taste, the color, the crunch and above all the enhanced nutrition because of being combined with fresh edamame beans makes this dish a gourmet addition to your dinner. Best of all, this is one of the easiest and quickest dishes to make. So go ahead and give it a shot. Next time you go grocery shopping, succumb to the temptation of the fresh green cabbage. Buy a whole head and indulge!

Here is what you need:
1/2 head of fresh green cabbage (washed, drained thoroughly and chopped fine)
handful fresh, frozen edamame beans
1 green jalapeno pepper (chopped fine)
1 tsp Olive oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 pinch asofoetida powder
1 tsp skinned, split black lentil seeds (optional, to provide extra crunch!)
3/4 tsp salt

Here is how you make this:
Heat olive oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to crackle and add the asofoetida powder, green chili and lentil seeds. Brown lentil seeds until they are crisp and golden brown. Add the chopped cabbage and edamame beans. Add salt. Cover for no more than a couple of minutes. Remove the cover and stir fry on high heat for another couple of minutes.

Remove from pan and serve with spiced yogurt rice or spicy tamarind rice.

Cost:
Cabbage: $0.60
Edamame: $0.15
Oil : $0.05
Spices: $0.10
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Total : $0.90

Makes 6 servings.

Cost per serving: $0.15

Kohlrabi and lentil stew (Kootu) - Cooking on a Shoestring Budget

Austin, Texas prides itself for being a weird city. In fact, the residents even host an annual event called "Keep Austin Weird". It is a vibrant city, filled with an exotic, eclectic crowd of people. It is a fun city, because there are lots of things to do. Whether you are the stay-at-home mom, lugging around 2 toddlers or the high flyin' corporate executive used to having power lunches, or the keep-it-cool, meditative kind who is in eternal search of nirvana, you'll always find people to hang out with in Austin. The sheer cultural diversity, the fun crowd, the vast open Texas spaces, the hills and plains, the beautiful brush, the cacti, the deer, the throbbing city life, the green farmlands, the farmer's markets - there is always something for everyone in Austin.

You guessed what is in it for me: the wonderful sights, sounds, colors, aroma, the life and the fun of checking out the Saturday Farmer's markets! The opportunity to chat with the local farmers, check out their wares, admire their new recipes, buy their products and support them... all of it makes for a fantastic start of the weekend.

Last weekend, I attended the Sunset Valley Farmer's market. The site mentions that this Farmer's market has been voted at one of the top 5 markets in the US by Eating Well magazine. I believe that may well be true, because when I spoke with the Market Director, Salila Travers and her husband Jim Moore, I realized how particular she was with what was served at the market and how careful she was about reviewing all the produce and prepared food that was served at the market. The market was well-run, large, thriving and bursting with shoppers and vendors. Everywhere around me were people - people with dogs, people with children, and people with dogs and children. Most people sampled the vast array of international food, bought locally grown fresh vegetables, sat around listening to the music and generally had a fun morning in the bright Texas sunshine.

I too, bought stuff. I bought a loaf of organic bread made with spelt flour, seeds and nuts. Then I went to the stalls I love the most - the vegetable stalls. There were many farmers who brought their harvest: fresh greens, roots and tubers, milk, yogurt and meats. I bought a bunch of fresh Kohlrabi and made this very easy to make Kolhrabi and lentil stew with it. It goes very well served hot over brown rice.

Here is what you need:
1 bunch fresh Kohlrabi (cut the leaves and set aside for another dish)
1/2 cup yellow tuvar dal (lentils)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
For the masala:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh grated coconut
4 dry red chili
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
For the garnish:
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 pinch Asofoetida powder
1 stalk fresh curry leaves


Here is how you make this:
Wash, peel and cut the Kohlrabi into small cubes. Place in a pan with sufficient water, sprinkle turmeric powder and bring to a boil. Boil until the Kohlrabi is partially cooked and crunchy. Remove from the stove and set aside.

In another pan, boil the lentils until soft and cooked. Mash with a spoon. Add the boiled Kohlrabi to the boiled lentils. Add salt and simmer.

In a non-stick pan, heat the oil to fry the masala. Add the ingredients in this order: first the cumin seeds and the coriander seeds. Fry for a minute until brown. Now add the dry red chili and fry until roasted. Now add the grated coconut and fry until brown. Remove from the pan, cool, and place in a blender with sufficient water to blend to a smooth paste.

Add the masala paste to the Kohlrabi and lentil stew. Simmer.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan for the garnish. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. Wait until they crackle. Now add the asofoetida powder, cumin seeds and the washed and dried curry leaves. Fry until the leaves are crisp. Pour over the stew.

Serve hot with brown rice.

Cost:
Kohlrabi: $1.99
Lentils: $0.80
Oil : $0.50
Spices: $0.70 (including grated coconut and curry leaves)
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Total : $2.99

Makes 6 servings.

Cost per serving: $0.50

Spicy Tomato Chutney - Cooking on a Shoestring Budget

There is something very basic and wholesome about tomatoes. The acidic, tangy taste, the thick pulpy flesh, the gorgeous red color, and last but not the least, the awesome nutritional profile - every single aspect of the tomato makes it a much-valued addition to every meal.

Tomatoes are known for their high Vitamin C, A and K content. The lycopene is tomatoes is cherished for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cancer preventing properties. Most importantly, lycopene has been known to be very beneficial in promoting prostrate, colon and pancreatic health. Regular intake of tomatoes also reduces the risk of heart disease, cholesterol, migraines and diabetes.

In the west, tomatoes are generally used in salads, as a base for soups, gazpacho, and as a sauce in chili and other dishes. In India, tomatoes are eaten during every single meal: as a base in gravies, in sambar and rasam, as chutneys to be used as an accompaniment to nearly every main course. This tomato chutney recipe is very easy to make and very popular in India. In the summer, when there is an abundance of fresh tomatoes, the Indian housewife always makes this chutney. It stores well - for a couple of weeks (if you make large enough quantities and it is not polished off the first day!), and is a handy accompaniment for any main course. It goes well with rice, chapathis, tortillas, idly (steamed rice cakes), dosa (Indian version of crepes!), oothapam (Indian version of pancake) or even smothered on a slice of whole wheat bread!

Here is what you need:
8 tomatoes (medium size)
1 tbsp red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
handful fresh garlic pods (peeled and washed)
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
Pinch asofoetida powder (optional, if you cannot source it, but very good for health so try to incorporate - available at any Indian grocery store)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup roasted, unsalted, chopped peanuts (optional)

Here is how you make this:
Wash and chop tomatoes into small cubes. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seed and wait until they crackle. Now add the cumin seeds and roast for 10 seconds. Add the asofoetida powder. Immediately add the garlic pods and roast for about 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes, salt and chili and turmeric powder.

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the juice evaporates and the tomato chutney takes on the consistency of a thick paste.

Remove from fire and garnish with roasted, chopped and unsalted peanuts. Store in the refrigerator for upto a couple of weeks. Serve with any main dish.

Cost:
Tomatoes (about 1 lb): $1.49 or $3.99 (if organic)
Oil : $0.50
Spices: $0.20
Peanuts: $0.30
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Total : $2.49 or $4.99 (if organic)

Makes 15 servings of 1 tsp each.

Cost per serving: $0.16 or $0.33 if organic tomatoes are used.

Curried Yellow Pumpkin - Cooking on a Shoestring Budget

One good thing about the Pumpkin is that while it is abundantly available during the harvest season after Halloween, it is almost as easily available throughout the year. One more good thing is that it is quite inexpensive and easy on your pocketbook. And yet another reason to incorporate pumpkin into your diet is that it chock full of goodness. Not only is pumpkin loaded with vitamin A and antioxidant carotenoids, particularly alpha and beta-carotenes, it’s a good source of vitamins C, K, and E, and lots of minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and iron.

If you've only eaten pumpkin in a pumpkin pie during Halloween, here is a fabulous recipe that will entice your tastebuds and satisfy every craving. This Curried Yellow Pumpkin dish is a wonderfully sweet and spicy dish that will go very well with hot parathas (Indian whole wheat flat bread) or phulka (Indian whole wheat puffed bread). The natural sweetness of the pumpkin is enhanced by the spicy red chili powder. It is a simple dish - a two-minute dish that you can whip together after a long day's work. It is a winner, in terms of taste, nutrition and cost.

You won't believe that it costs so little. I bought a piece of fresh yellow pumpkin at my local supermarket for just $0.99! It served 6.

Here is what you need:
1 large piece (4" X 4") yellow or orange pumpkin (washed, peeled and chopped)
2 tsp red chili powder
1 pinch turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
Couple of stalks green onions (washed and snipped for garnish)

Here is how you make this:
Heat the olive oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the black mustard seeds. Wait until they crackle and add the chopped pumpkin. Add salt, chili powder and turmeric powder. Coook over low heat until the pumpkin is cooked and soft. Remove from pan and garnish with chopped green onion.

Serve with hot phulkas or parathas.

Cost:
Pumpkin: $0.99
Oil : $0.20
Spices: $0.20
Green onion: $0.10
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Total : $1.49 - Serves 6

Fusion Garden Omlette - Cooking on a Shoestring Budget

Sunday mornings are meant to be for lazing, relaxing and recuperating after a strenuous week. And so it was almost a family tradition that Sunday breakfasts were eaten out. It seems like Sunday breakfasts at restaurants is a family tradition for many, because the restaurants I frequent are filled to bursting on Sundays. :)

When I used to live in India, our Sunday breakfasts consisted of Idly (Steamed rice cakes) and Vadai (Crispy fried lentil doughnuts!) served with Coconut chutney, Sambar (Spicy tamarind lentil sauce) and a spicy tomato onion chutney. We used to stand in line for a table at some of the popular joints in Chennai for this breakfast. By the time we finished, it was usually noon and we would be replete and more than ready for a siesta. I know, I know, eating heavy meals and sleeping it off sounds indolent and slothful, but I do think that we sometimes need days like this when we do nothing other than eat and sleep! :)

Since we moved to the US, Idly-Vadai-Sambar-Chutney is a distant dream, unless I am willing to spend a couple of hours in the kitchen preparing all this. So, we've substituted our Indian breakfast with our 2nd favorite breakfast, the Omlette. There are many mom and pop or family restaurants sprinkled all around the US, where you can get a delicious omlette. The scene is pretty much the same: you have to wait in line for a table at some of the good restaurants. The difference between the breakfasts, though, is that for one, it is relatively simple and quick to make an omelette at home, while, like I mentioned before, the Idly-Vadai is quite a big production of pre-preparation. In addition, the cost of an Omlette breakfast in a restaurant can run into nearly $6 or $7 per person, while the effort of making an Idly-Vadai breakfast will easily justify the cost of eating this meal at a restaurant.

So, continuing with our series of Cooking on a Shoestring Budget, try out this Fusion Omlette at home. Breakfast can be served within 10 minutes, you can control the butter in the dish and best of all, the whole breakfast, including coffee, will cost less than $1.50 per person.

Here is what you need:
2 eggs or 2 egg whites and 1 yolk
1/4 red onion (chopped fine)
1/4 green pepper (chopped fine)
1 green chili (chopped fine)
couple of sprigs of cilantro (washed and snipped fine)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
Pinch turmeric powder
Grated cheese (optional)

Here is how you make this:
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. In a bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric beater until frothy. Add salt, pepper and turmeric powder and yolks. Beat for a few more minutes.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. When the oil is hot, add the beaten egg. Sprinkle chopped onion, green pepper, green chili and cilantro. Sprinkle cheese if desired. Cook on one side and fold over and cook the other side.

Remove from pan and serve with pan-toasted whole wheat or 7 grain bread.

Cost:
2 eggs: $0.20
Oil : $0.10
Filling (veggies): $0.20
Cheese: $0.05
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Total : $0.55

Add a couple of slices bread and coffee and your meal is less than $1.50! Better still, use organic or cage-free eggs and your meal is still much less than a restaurant breakfast.

Black Sesame Seeds and Sugar Beet Whole Wheat Fusion Bread - Cooking on a Shoestring Budget

There can be nothing more satisfying than breaking bread with a group of your friends to seal the camaraderie. From time immemorial, breaking bread signifies a shared bond, a sense of togetherness and every warm, fuzzy and friendly feeling.

Baking bread is my favorite pastime. The aroma of freshly baked bread must surely be one of the very best olfactory enticements for a human being. In fact, let me modify that: not just for a human being. The smell of fresh baked bread also entices my normally aloof cat, right onto my lap, licking his chops, smacking his whiskers and staring unblinkingly at my mouth, hoping to grab a fallen crumb!

When I bake, I love to experiment. Mostly, I use a basic bread recipe but will work with a plethora of ingredients, vegetables and spices so I can blend the eastern and western cuisine. And ever since I've switched to whole grains and unrefined carbohydrates, I try to bake bread at home so I can bake with my favorite King Arthur whole wheat flour - so yummy, tasty and oh, so satisfying!

Home-baked bread has many advantages: the aroma of the bread that fills the house for at least a day, the satisfaction of being an "artist" and a "creator", the knowledge that you can control what goes into your body, and best of all, since we are on our Shoestring series - the cost of the bread!

So go ahead and try this wonderful Fusion recipe of Black Sesame seeds and Sugar Beet Whole Wheat Bread. The grated sugar beet makes this bread moist and soft, the black sesame seeds add the crunch, and the whole wheat gives it bulk and texture.

This bread will assault all your senses - visual, olfactory and sensory. It looks enticing with the glorious red of the sugar beets, the shiny black of the sesame seeds, and the earthy brown of the whole wheat. It smells simply heavenly. And it is tasty and filling. In addition, it is healthy and low-fat. What more reason do you need to try this out on a Sunday afternoon?

Here is one more: it costs $1.40 and makes about 25 - 27 slices. Each slice is so filling that you can only eat a slice for each meal. That makes it $1.40 for 25 servings!

So without more ado, let's start.

Here is what you need:
3 cups King Arthur whole wheat flour
1/4 cup + 1 tsp sugar (brown sugar, if you want to ensure the bread has no whiff of refined stuff!)
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium sugar beet (peeled and grated fine)
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 cup water
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 egg white

Here is how you make this:
Heat one cup water in the microwave until warm. Test the temperature by dabbing a drop onto your wrist. The water should be just warm and bearable. Add 1 tsp sugar, salt and active dry yeast to the water and let sit for about 10 - 15 minutes in a warm place until the water froths up.

In a large bowl mix together the whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup sugar, olive oil, grated sugar beet and 1/4 cup black sesame seeds. Slowly add the yeast mixture and knead thoroughly. Cover with a clean, wet kitchen towel and let sit on your warm countertop for a couple of hours. Punch down, knead, and cover once every hour.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Shape the dough into a loaf. Brush the top of the loaf with beaten egg white and sprinkle with 1 tbsp black sesame seeds.

Bake for about 40-50 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven, cool and slice. Store wrapped in an aluminum foil for upto a week.

Cost:
Whole wheat flour: $0.60
Oil : $0.20
Sugar : $0.10
Beet : $0.30
Sesame seeds : $0.10
Yeast : $0.10
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Total :$1.40 - Serves 25 - about $0.05 to $0.06 a slice!
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Spicy Okra in yogurt sauce - Cooking on a Shoestring Budget

The great city of Chennai, in Southern India, has its own very unique culture. Chennai has a churning, roiling, ebbing and flowing mass of humanity, which manages to co-exist in relative peace. Like every other large metropolitan city in the world, Chennai too has its class divide between the rich and the poor. In addition, it has a unique class divide that is not based on economic strata. This class divide is based on India's ancient culture of caste system. However, I like to think that the caste system boundaries have slowly eroded and no longer do people identify themselves as belonging to a certain caste.

Despite all that, there is one way of identifying people of a certain caste: their eating habits. Based on whether they are Hindus, Muslims or Christians, people in India have varying dietary habits. And amongst the Hindus, various castes have different methods of cooking, utilizing spices, and different favorite foods. The distinction is so great, that sometimes, the Chennai-ites refer to people of a certain community by the name of their favorite dish! This is usually done with friendly banter and in a teasing manner. The targets of the banter also take it in the spirit it is meant and do not mind being referred to by the name of a dish!

And so it was, that when I lived in Chennai, I was fondly referred to as "Thair Sadam" or Yogurt rice by my friends. I belong to a community which HAS to end its 3-course meal with Thair sadam. Yogurt is such an integral part of the meal that it is considered a panacea for all illnesses. It is a ubiquitous, favorite food. And any dish made with yogurt is a hot favorite.

Here is one such dish - so very easy to make, so yummy and such a fabulous accompaniment with any main dish - rice or chapathi. The recipe for Spicy Okra in yogurt sauce is one of the series of Cooking on a Shoestring budget. You will see just how easy this dish is on your wallet. Enjoy!

Here is what you need:
10 fresh Okra pods (washed and chopped in about 1/2" pieces)
1 cup fresh homemade yogurt (if you cannot make yogurt at home, buy Stonyfield low fat or whole milk yogurt)
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder (reduce as necessary)
1 tbsp olive oil

Here is how you make this:
Heat a pan and add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped Okra, salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Stir fry on high heat until the Okra is fried crisp and nearly blackened. Remove from the stove and cool.

In a dish, lightly beat yogurt with a fork. If you are using Stonyfield yogurt, add half cup of water to the yogurt and then beat with a fork. Add the fried Okra into the yogurt.

Serve with Rice, chapathi, or Edamame and Green Onion Rice Pilaf.


Cost:
Okra: $0.50
Yogurt: $0.90 (for Stonyfield yogurt. If you are using homemade yogurt, it will probably cost $0.15)
Spices: $0.10
Oil : $0.10
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Total : $1.60 - Serves 4
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Calabaza Squash Chutney - Cooking on Shoestring Budget

It seems like everyday brings us bad news about our economy. Jobs lost, businesses floundering, people on unemployment, children displaced...Even if you are not directly affected, someone you know might be. I know it is easy to be disheartened.

But, at times like this, it is even more important to stay healthy, focused and strong. And you can do it - you can keep your family healthy on a shoestring budget.

Here begins a series of posts of dishes that cost very less, are healthy and easy to make and keep your family not just fed, but fed with wholesome, enticing, satisfying food on a shoestring budget. The dishes that I plan to post will average around $3-$4 and will feed a family of 4. Most dishes will be served with rice, whole-wheat chapathis (Indian flatbread) or regular whole wheat bread. You can keep the cost of each meal (including rice or bread) to about a $1 or $1.50 per person - sure beats McDonalds dollar menus - in terms of taste, nutrition, variation and satisfaction.

Here are some tips to lower grocery bills - yes, you can still eat fresh!

1. Buy local and seasonal vegetables and fruit. For instance, buy squash and pumpkin in fall. Fresh cauliflower and peas in winter. Watermelon in summer.
2. If your family likes bananas, ensure that you have them at hand. They are cheap - generally about $0.40/lb, available year round, very healthy and wholesome. Try to get the kids to eat at least one banana or some other fruit each day, instead of eating chips and salsa or cookies.
3. Supplement vegetable dishes with canned beans. You can buy canned black beans, garbanzo beans, red kidney beans when they are on sale and stock up. When you are in need of a quick meal, you can whip up a fantastic tasting dish with these beans.
4. Many people end up buying much more than they can consume in a week. Vegetables and fruit are usually fresh only for a week or so. So plan your menu beforehand. When you visit the store, resist buying more than you need. Otherwise, a large part of the grocery bill will go towards wastage. I follow the maxim - "Waste Not, Want Not".
5. Patronize your local farmer's market. You will help your local businesses survive during the downturn, while getting fresh, possibly organic produce at low prices.
6. Especially if you are a vegetarian, stock up on a variety of lentils. They average around $1.50/lb and are protein rich. You can also sprout some of them at home for an extra helping of nutrition.
   

This week, I found fresh Calabaza Squash in my neighborhood grocery store. They were priced at $1.29/lb. I bought a pound and made them into this easy, goes-with-everything chutney. Serve with rice, or chapathis (Indian flatbread) or even with pan-toasted bread.

Here is what you need:
1 lb Calabaza squash
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tbsp skinned, split urad dal
4-5 dry red chili
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp olive oil

Here is how you make this:
Wash and peel the Calabaza squash. Chop into cubes. Heat a pan. Add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. Wait until the seeds crackle and add the dry red chili and urad dal. Stir fry until the chili and urad dal are brown and crisp. Add the Calabaza squash and salt. Stir fry on high for a couple of minutes. The squash will start to extrude some juice. Keep stirring until some of the juice has evaporated. Remove from the stove. Place in a blender with tamarind paste and blend until smooth.

Serve over rice, or with chapathis or on toasted bread along with some sprouts for a full meal.


Cost:
Calabaza squash: $1.29
Spices : $0.25
Oil : $0.10
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Total : $1.64 - Serves 6

February 2009 Roundup

February has been a month of many delicious new trials and some hot favorites. With the winter snow blanketing the ground, and the slushy, slippery streets to deal with, it has been a month of warm, cozy meals by the fireside, safely ensconced in the family home.

We started the month off with the Goat Cheese Salad with Couscous - an easy and quick dish to put together when you are back home tired after a long day at work. Goat cheese gave this salad that gourmet touch, while the Kalamata Olives provided that tangy, salty taste. All in all, it was a healthy, low fat, and satisfying meal.



The Brain food - Stir fried Curried Okra added that crisp, crunchy flavor to any meal. This accompaniment is the enticing pick-me-up to keep your family's intellect sharp and incisive. :)






If you ever needed to entice your taste buds and ensure that you have something at hand to smother over warm bread to make an easy meal, make the Sweet Green Chili pickle. Stock your refrigerator with this pickle and you can lay your hands on a yummy meal in a snap.




For a replete Sunday lunch, after a day spent on the snowy slopes sledding with your children, make the Radish Greens Stuffed Whole Wheat Bread. Serve with the Sweet Green Chili Pickle or with warm jam. Nothing like greens camouflaged in warm, homemade bread to welcome kids home from a long, rambunctious morning of play and fun!



Make the Crisp, Curried Kovakkai, if your family is tired of the same ole' potatoes, peas and cauliflower. Watching your family down the vegetable without any proddding will be a reward in itself.





Fasting one day a week? Don't forget to take a swig of the Fresh Homemade Vegetable and Fruit nectar to keep you alert and hydrated.






When the sweet tooth beckons, make this wonderful, healthy Sugar Beet payasam. No trans-fat laden, unhealthy, artery-choking dessert for you and your family! Enjoy every sensation with healthy, wholesome ingredients!





Cold winds howling outside your window panes with sleet and snow bearing down? Eat this satisfying, sweet and spicy, Sweet Potato Spicy Soup to warm the cockles of your heart.






There are days when you crave a delicacy and all you can think of is to visit the local ethnic restaurant for a meal. Resist that feeling and make this wonderful Edamame and Green Onion Pilaf at home to assuage that craving.





And finally, round up your snack attack with this wonderfully healthy Jicama Mint cutlets.

Jicama Mint Cutlets

It is a well known fact that the musical score for the song "Jai Ho" in the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" won the Oscar for its creator, A. R. Rahman. But it wasn't just the musical score of the song that made it so popular. It was also the fact that the words of the song were so apt. The word "Jai" (pronounced with a "J") means victory. The song bursts onto the screen as the hero of the film, Jamal (pronounced with a "J") wins the million rupees and his girl. And my name "Jaya" is a derivative of the word "jai". Again, pronounced with a "J"!

It was only after my arrival at the US, I realized that some people, especially those of Mexican origin, either didn't seem to have a "J" in their alphabet or wrote "J" when they actually wanted to say "H". And so it was not Jose, but "Hose' ", not Jesus, but "Hesoos" and now I learned, that it is not "Jicama", it is "Hee ca ma"!

Well, I sure am amenable to saying "Hose'", "Hesoos" and "Heecama". Only don't call me "Haya"! Indian languages do have a "J" so I am still "Jaya"!

Jicama is a tuber that is mostly grown in Mexico. The great thing about this vegetable is its low calorie count and very high Vitamin C. It is tasty, crunchy and flavorful. Although some sites mention that Jicama lasts about 2-3 weeks, my personal experience has been that it doesn't seem to have a long shelf life, so try to use it up as soon as you buy it. I read that it is generally eaten raw in salads, but I wanted to experiment with it and see how it tasted in a variety of dishes. So I combined it with fresh mint leaves and made it into really flavorful, fantastic tasting cutlets.

In these days of recession, you can still eat healthy without affecting your pocketbook too much, if you buy local produce, eat most of your meals at home and reduce the frequency of going out to eat. These cutlets that I made cost just under $2. And I made enough cutlets to feed a family of four. Place the cutlets between two slices of whole wheat bread, top with lettuce, tomato and mayo, and Voila! You have a healthy value meal. Sure beats McDonalds!

Here is what you need:
1 large Jicama
1 cup breadcrumbs (make your own and save money: see instructions below)
4-5 sprigs fresh Mint leaves (chopped fine)
1-2 green chilis (chopped fine)
1/2 tsp red chili powder (optional)
3/4 tsp salt
Oil to shallow fry
1 egg white

Here is how you make this:
Wash, peel and grate the Jicama with a hand grater. The tuber is soft and will grate easily. Squeeze out the juice. I hate to waste any food, so I used the juice in my lentil soup.

To make breadcrumbs: Tear 4-5 slices of whole wheat bread into small pieces. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Toast for about 5-7 minutes until the bread pieces are crisp. Remove from the oven, cool and place in a blender to powder fine.

Add 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, chopped mint leaves, chopped green chilis, salt and red chili powder to the grated Jicama. Mix well. Shape into cutlets. Beat the egg white with a fork. Dip the cutlets into the egg white and then coat with the remaining breadcrumbs.

Heat a non-stick pan on the stove. Place the cutlets in the pan. Drizzle olive oil around the cutlets. Cook until crisp and brown on both sides. Remove from pan and serve hot.

Edamame and Green Onion Rice Pilaf

I first heard about Edamame beans from a colleague a couple of years ago. Until she mentioned about her love for Edamame, I had never heard about or seen fresh or frozen Soybeans (Edamame). When I lived in India, I used to make dishes with the dried soybeans, but was not aware that fresh beans are also available. So I looked up its nutrition facts online and found that Edamame would be a great addition to a vegetarian diet because of its high protein content. In addition, it is a good source of dietary fiber (32% daily value per serving), Vitamin C, Folate and Iron.

If you are not sure what Edamame is, look for it in the freezer section of your local grocery store. You will find both shelled and unshelled Edamame. I generally buy the frozen shelled Edamame, because I like to add it to most vegetable dishes and it is good to have it on hand. As long as you are careful not to overcook it, it adds a great crunch and texture to your dishes. You can also buy the unshelled Edamame - simply steam it in salt water and you can serve it as a snack or appetizer.

I have to confess, like my colleague, I have developed a taste for Edamame. And so I tried it in this rice pilaf dish with green onions and it tastes simply fabulous! The best part is that this dish is so quick and easy-to-make: just 15-20 minutes and your hot, fresh, yummy dinner is ready.

Here is what you need:
1 cup basmati rice
2 handfuls frozen Edamame
3 stalks green onion (remove stalk and snip fine: I used scissors to snip fine)
3/4 tsp salt
2 green cardamom
1/2" piece cinnamon
4-5 cloves
1 brown cardamom
1 small bay leaf
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups water
Here is how you make this:
Wash and drain the basmati rice. Set aside. In a large pan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf) and brown lightly. Now add the Edamame beans and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add the rice. Fry for a minute. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Boil for about 15-20 minutes until nearly all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Now add the snipped green onion and stir lightly. Finish cooking until all the water is absorbed. Serve hot with any side dish. While eating, set the whole spices aside. They are added for flavoring and add a delicate taste to this pilaf.

I served the Edamame and Green Onion Rice Pilaf with a spicy Okra yogurt pachadi (sauce). Check back later for the Okra yogurt pachadi recipe.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Spicy Soup

Winter days always bring to mind, images of my older sister, wrapped cosily in a blanket, on a "charpoy" (rope cot) placed on the lush green lawn, sunning herself after a wonderful lunch.

Those were the days we used to live in Jodhpur, a city in the desert state of Rajasthan. Summers in Rajasthan were usually spent indoors to avoid the frequent sandstorms and blistering heat. But we invariably spent the winters outdoors taking in the sun!

The winter sun in Jodhpur was warm without being too hot and bright without being too dazzling. And Sunday afternoons in winter were meant for dozing in the sun, replete after a great meal. Winter meals too, were different from summer meals. Summer meals were light and cooling with lots of liquids and juices. In winter though, we could indulge in the winter vegetables that were available in plenty: the squashes, pumpkins, the gourds and the sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes were our favorite dish for the winter. They were usually brought in fresh from the fields with the mud still sticking to them, by the local farmers pushing their hand carts.

Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. They contain almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C, four times the RDA for beta carotene, and when eaten with the skin, sweet potatoes have more fiber than oatmeal. All these benefits for only about 130 to 160 calories!

In honor of my sister, here is a recipe for a sweet and spicy winter soup: this is a low calorie, zero fat meal by itself. It is also very quick and easy-to-make. Serve with bread or just eat it hot off the stove!

Here is what you need:
1 large sweet potato
1/4 cup pink lentils
1 habanero or jalapeno (optional - beware the habanero is very spicy!)
2 medium sized tomatoes
2 - 3 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder (if you are omitting the habanero or jalapeno)
1 tsp turmeric powder

Here is how you make this:
Wash and chop the sweet potato. Do not remove the skin. Wash the pink lentils. Add everything in a large pot and cook until the sweet potatoes and pink lentils are soft. Serve hot.