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.

Collar the Collard!

If you are not like my husband, :) you'll probably love to eat your salads. And if you are like most people (including me!), you'll also probably smother those salads with dressings to mask the taste of raw greens and console yourself that some nutrients are getting into your body! :)

Now, there are some greens that I cannot eat raw in a salad. One of those are the Collard greens. I love them, but simply cannot eat them raw, even if smothered with the aforementioned dressings. I especially love them because they are chock-full of nutrients.

Collard greens are rich in sulfur containing phyto-nutrients that help prevent cancer and produce detoxifying enzymes in the body. These enzymes also cleanse the system. This vegetable is a calcium, vitamin K, A, C and Manganese-laden antioxidant-rich member of the cabbage family.

What more can one want?... hmm... Maybe that it tastes fantastic when eaten?

So here is a Jaya's original recipe, just for you. This recipe is very healthy - made with just 1 tsp oil. The combination of habaneros and cranberries in this recipe makes it a naturally sweet, partially tart, partially spicy, smooth tasting dish. The perfect, authentic, sweet and sour dish!

Please feel free to share this recipe. As noted in the copyright listed on the site, all I ask is that you indicate the source and share the link to this site. :)

Here is what you need:
1 bunch fresh Collard greens
1 habenero pepper (chopped finely)(I use the orange variety, but feel free to substitute with red or chocolate habaneros)
2 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oil
1 tsp sour cream (optional)

Here is how you make this:
Wash and chop the Collard greens. Blanch in hot water. Drain. Place in a blender with salt and blend until smooth.

Heat a pan on the stove and place the 1 tsp oil. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and brown lightly. Now add the chopped habanero and fry until crisp. Tip: Fry the habanero really crisp if you just want the flavor but not much of the spice. Frying well will make it less spicy. Now add the cranberries and stir fry for about a minute. Now add the Collard green puree and simmer for a few minutes.



Garnish with sour cream and serve hot over brown rice.