Indian Food Updates and New Recipes

I am planning another Indian meal for two of my sisters next week. Some recipes are ones I have made before, like Kachche Gosht ki Biryani, and some I have made many, many times before, like Palak Paneer. I will be serving an array of chutneys, such as Dhania Poodina (Mint and Cilantro Chutney), Khajur Imli Chatni (Date Tamarind Chutney) and Am Chatni (Mango Chutney). One of my sisters in particular, really loves turning up the heat, so i returned to a recipe I had made in past, called Allam Pachadi, a Ginger Tamarind 'Pickle.'

Allam Pachadi / Ginger Tamarind Pickle

So, looking back over that recipe I used for Allam Pachadi, I thought maybe I should change some things. First off, while I like heat, sometimes it's just heat with no perceptible flavor, while your taste buds try to crawl away screaming, and hide. So I went back to look through the internet and some of my favorite Indian blogs, and others that are new to me, to see what other ingredients or methods might be used for this 'pickle.' I am putting that word in quotes, as these in no way resemble what we know here in the U.S as pickles. They fall more in the category of chutney, and some blog writers seem to use these words interchangeably for the same recipes. 

Looking through recipes then, I stopped at one that seemed to be very interesting, both for the change of ingredients as well as the method of making the pickle. In the first attempt for this pickle that I made some years ago, the main recipe I used, and made a few alterations to, called for 6 TABLESPOONS of Indian powdered chilis. Yikes! I reduced that to 2 tablespoons, substituting paprika for the remainder, but even so, it was too screaming hot for me to do anything but taste. When I encountered a recipe that sounded like it had promise, it was at the blog site called Hebbar's Kitchen. I used that recipe as a starting point, altering a few things as I went. I added more red chilies, more mustard seeds, more sugar. I added in some asafetida and turmeric. What I liked best was the method, which was simpler, IMHO.

As it turned out, while quite hot, this pickle is not as screaming hot as the last one, and it had flavors I could actually taste. I love it!

Allam Pachadi

Makes about 14 ounces

Allam Pachadi

Small ball of "seedless" tamarind
Boiling water for soaking the tamarind, about 3/4 cup
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 1/2 tablespoons channa dal
1 tablespoon urad dal
1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafetida/hing
8 dried red Kashmiri chilies, broken
15 to 20 curry leaves, depending on size (mine were small)
2.5 ounces / 75 grams ginger root (about 4+ inches worth), peeled, in small chunks
4 cloves garlic, in small chunks
2 - 3 tablespoons jaggery or light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

TEMPERING:
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
4 - 6 curry leaves
2 whole dried red Kashmiri chilies

Soak the tamarind in boiling hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet and add in the channa and urad dal with the first half teaspoon mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Stir constantly until the dals just start to turn golden (not brown) and everything is fragrant. Add in the curry leaves, broken chilies (I did not use the seeds that fell out), the ginger and garlic. Cook this, stirring quickly until the garlic no longer smells raw, just a minute or two, then pour all the contents of the skillet into a blender container. Add in the turmeric powder and salt.

Separately, pass the softened tamarind through a sieve, pressing it through with the back of a spoon to get as much pulp as possible, using some of the soaking liquid to facilitate the process. Keep remaining soaking liquid aside. Add the tamarind pulp tot he blender, and blend the whole batch to a puree. You may need to add some of the reserved tamarind soaking liquid in order to puree the pickle. I had to use the better part of the entire 3/4 cup of liquid to blend the mixture down. 

Separately, heat the tablespoon of oil for tempering (meaning added flavors) and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and the two dried whole chilies and toast briefly. Pour this over top of the pickle when serving. Or, just stir it into the mixture. Store the pickle in a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate up to 3 weeks. 

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Another thing I am working on for this dinner is dessert. I truly despise deep frying, so I am not making Gulab Jamun, and I do not want to make more paneer, as it has become nearly impossible, what with the ultra-pasteurization that has become so rampant, so I am not making Rasgulla, which now that I went to paste in a link, I realize I never posted my recipe! 

Rasgulla, recipe soon

At one of my Indian dinners I had made Gajar Burfi, a carrot fudge. This may sound strange, carrots in fudge, but after living in Guatemala as a young wife, and finding how many veggies went into desserts, I was no longer fazed when reading about carrots in fudge; it is absolutely delicious! So I thought I would return to that. But then again, I can never leave well enough alone, so I went looking at some Indian sweets recipes I had looked at before but never made. I opted then, to make an assortment of small batches of sweets, so we can all pick and choose. My first new recipe is called Badam Katli (Thin Almond Fudge). Since I used the recipe mostly as I found it, from Swasthi's Recipes, at Indianhealthyrecipes.com, while I will post what I did here, please read her recipe, made the long way.

My one error was cooking the mixture just slightly too long, as it really dried out. Good, in a way, because it is certainly not sticky, but I could absolutely not get the nuts to stay adhered to the top. I used almonds, since it is almond fudge, instead of the pistachios used in Swasthi's recipe.

As most of these sweets are festival or holy day treats, they are often made truly special by gilding with edible silver or gold foil. I happened to have silver foil on hand, so I used it.

Badam Katli / Thin Almond Fudge

My understanding of the word 'katli' is that it means thin, as with rolling out the fudge into a thin layer. The meanings of different words gets mightily confusing at times, and I have seen this recipe, nearly identical, called Badam Burfi or Badam Halwa.

Trying to tease out the meanings and differences, Wikipedia had some things to say that made sense. I know these will not apply in every instance, but in this case, I'm just going with it. Any 'Burfi" (sometimes "Barfi" but I prefer the other spelling for obvious reasons) type fudge candy is made using milk, whether Khoya, plain milk, condensed milk or powdered milk (and sometimes all of them). My Carrot Burfi recipe in its original form, would use khoya or a cooked down milk, which can take literally hours and hours of stirring. Not gonna happen! I used powdered milk and it came together in minutes. Yum!

Halwa, on the other hand does not use milk, but generally uses a sugar syrup to create the mixture, but without milk.

Similarly with any recipe for laddoo/laddu/ladoo, whether deep fried or made quick cooked or simply ingredients mixed together (similarly to Bourbon Balls at Christmas time), are always made into round balls. Laddoo made with cooked semolina is on my list of things to try for this upcoming dinner as well.

On to the recipe. Simple and delicious. I doubled the recipe as it stood on Swasthi's site, but I did not quite double the amount of sugar. They are delightful.

Badam Katli

Badam Katli or Thin Almond Fudge

Made about 20 - 25 pieces

2 cups fine almond meal with no brown skins
1 cup + 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup water
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Almond slices or pistachio pieces for decoration

In a medium skillet over high heat, place the sugar and water and bring to boil. Stir, and once the sugar is all dissolved, add in all the almond meal and cardamom. Lower heat and while mixing, it is best to take the skillet off the heat. Mix well with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until all the almond meal is evenly distributed, with no lumps. Return the pan to the heat and keep it at a simmer, because the mixture, as it boils, sends up geysers akin to watching lava burst from a volcano and with similar effect. You WILL get burned! Stir, quickly and constantly, to keep this from occurring. It will take about 6 to 8 minutes of stirring before the mixture comes together as one mass. Pour out onto a greased plat until it cools slightly.

Do not cool too long or you will not be able to knead the mixture. Knead the mixture until it comes together smoothly (I used a silicone spatula to do this, lifting, turning and forming over and over until smooth - it was just too hot!)), then place the mixture onto a piece of parchment and roll with a rolling pin to flatten. Place sliced almonds or pistachio pieces on top and roll again to make the nuts set evenly with the top of the fudge, which should be no more than 1/4-inch thick. With a sharp knife, trim edges neatly, then cut into about 1-inch wide strips. Separate the strips and cut into small squares or into diamond shapes. Store in a tightly sealed container. 

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Cauliflower Cabbage and Potatoes Oh My

Unlike some, my husband being one, I love cauliflower and cabbage. Potatoes are really good too, though I try not to eat plain white potatoes too often. I ran across some recipes while researching Indian recipes from different parts of India, and one of them jumped out at me. Whenever I take a recipe, I invariably change it. Either because some Indian recipes call for sometimes up to a half cup of hot  powdered chilies - sorry, no can do - or just that some parts appeal, but I prefer a different amount. I prefer a larger amount of cabbage to potato in a dish, but that is just me and my own preferences.
 

Kobi Bateta nu Shaak or Cabbage & Potato Dry Curry

One recipe I found intriguing is called Kobi Bateta nu Shaak, and I did look at many different iterations of this recipe for comparison. The recipe is from Gujarat, and all I can say is that I made a version of it yesterday for my lunch, and it is just delicious. If I had thought up this idea on my own, I would have titled it Patta Gobi Aloo Sabzi, as I am more familiar with Hindi words, having cooked a whole lot of Indian so far. And I made it again today, but this time with sweet potato instead of white potato. I think I liked it even more this way.

Cabbage & Sweet Potato Sabzi

Okay, enough with my rambling on over Indian terms. I guess I was just writing to straighten it all out in my mind. But this dish is amazingly delicious. The best of all is that unlike most Indian dishes that take a whole lot of steps and various and sundry pots and pans and other utensils, this is a one-skillet meal (or side dish, if preferred). 

Kobi Bateta nu Shaak

(Cabbage & Potato Dry Curry)

Kobi Bateta nu Shaak

Serves 2 (as a meal) or 3 (as a side)

1 - 2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, whole
½ teaspoon asafetida
1 medium onion or 1 large shallot, chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green chili, minced (remove seeds for less heat)
2 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed about ½-inch diameter (for quick cooking)
½ - 1 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
2 medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
½ teaspoon ground black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 - 4 tablespoons cilantro, minced

Heat a large skillet with the oil. Once hot, add in the mustard seeds until they begin to crackle, then quickly add in the cumin and asafetida and stir. Add in the onion, garlic, ginger and green chili and cook until partially softened. Add in the potatoes and salt; toss well, then lower heat and cover to cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes. The potatoes should be mostly tender before adding the cabbage. Add in the cabbage and tomatoes with the crushed coriander seeds, ground peppercorns and turmeric powder. Stir well, cook, tossing often, until the cabbage is tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add in the potatoes and cilantro and stir well. Serve this meal with bread of choice, and with rice, kichdi and yogurt.
 
NOTES: To make with sweet potatoes, simple substitute them for the white potato. Sweet potatoes cook a little more quickly than white potatoes, so the initial cooking will likely be less.

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I have in past made Cauliflower with Indian Spices, which I would then term Gobi Masala Sabzi (Gobi = Cauliflower / Masala = Spices / Sabzi = Dry Mixture).

Gobi Masala Sabzi

Gobi Masala Sabzi

(Dry Spiced Cauliflower)
 
Serves 3 to 4, as a side dish

1 pound cauliflower, grated / shredded on a larger holed grater
2 tablespoons ghee
2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 - 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon coriander seed, crushed
½ teaspoon cumin seed, crushed
2 teaspoons chaat masala + ¼ teaspoon salt, OR 1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon garam masala

Heat the ghee in a large nonstick skillet. Add in the mustard seeds and stir until they begin to pop and sputter. Add in the cauliflower and toss occasionally, about 7 to 10 minutes on medium high. Add in the ginger and garlic, coriander and cumin and toss for another 2 minutes. The cauliflower should have started to brown in spots. Add in the chaat masala and salt (or the garam masala and salt) and toss to combine.

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Another dish with potatoes was one I created within the last year or so, and it was exceptionally good. Totally my own creation, I put in spices I felt would be good with potatoes and cauliflower. Potatoes and cauliflower, whether separately or together, are a part of a lot of Indian meals, added to wet and dry curries alike. This is just an idea that came out so very good. 

If you like cauliflower, leave the florets a bit larger and visible (in case you look at my photo here and say, "But I don't see any cauliflower!" For this dish, I grated the cauliflower, as I was hiding it in a potato dish so my husband would eat it without knowing 😁

Aloo Gobi Masala

(Indian Spiced Potatoes & Cauliflower)
 
Serves about 4

Aloo Gobi Masala

 

1 - 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
1 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoons cumin seeds
½ teaspoon asafetida / hing
1 medium shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 smallish potatoes, peeled, in ½-inch cubes
1 cup cauliflower florets, cut small½ - 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Sambar Powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon Kalonji/onion seed/nigella
½ teaspoon amchur powder, optional

Heat a skillet and add in the oil or ghee. When hot, add in the mustard and cumin seeds. When they begin to pop, add the asafetida and stir, then add in the potatoes and cauliflower with the salt. Toss to coat in oil and spices and cover, cooking over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to cook evenly. 

Add in the Sambar powder, turmeric, nigella seed and amchur powder (dried sour mango powder) and stir well. Cook for a few minutes longer to allow the spices to permeate the vegetables.

NOTE: Other options in this dish are the addition of tomatoes (add after the potatoes and cauliflower are mostly cooked through), the addition of minced ginger (about a teaspoon) along with the garlic, and the option of a squeeze of lemon juice over the whole, instead of the amchur powder, once the dish is done.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

South Indian Breads

I suppose the term "breads" could be disputed. Or maybe not. There are so very many types and styles of bread-like recipes abounding in India. A whole lot of them are specifically a breakfast type of food. Some are sort of sub-titled as "vegetarian omelets." This term is used since the bread is a breakfast food, often filled with vegetables of various kinds, sometimes few and sometimes many, and they are eaten as is with maybe one of the soup-like lentil dishes and some chutney. 

Akki Roti or Rice Flour Pancakes

To date, I have come across one bread using rice as the base, called Akki Roti ("roti" refers to a bread of some kind). Then there is another called Besan Chilla, using chickpea flour made from the Indian brown chickpeas, and I found that makes a difference. The third is one called Adai, and is made from a similar mix to the way Idli are made; a mix of rice and urad dal with a little moong dal added in. All three of these have some vegetables added, usually at least shallot or scallion, and maybe garlic, some with ginger, some with coconut, carrots, cilantro. Some may have tomato. I guess it all comes down to what one prefers in one's "omelet." 

"When making an Indian recipe that calls for Besan, or chickpea flour, the type of chickpea used to make Besan flour is not the large, white garbanzo bean  that we know in the U.S., but in fact made from Channa Dal or Desi Chickpeas, different from large white chickpeas. White chickpea flour does not act the same in Indian recipes. The flavors are very different in besan made from Channa Dal. If making something that calls for Besan flour in an Indian recipe, look for an Indian brand, or your recipe may well not come out as you expect."

BESAN CHILLA / CHEELA

Besan Chilla (or Cheela) uses besan (brown chickpea flour, read above). Brands I have seen on Amazon, and used are Taj, Laxmi or Rani, though there are other brands. All these state on the packaging that they are made with channa (dal), which is what is needed. 

Uttar Pradesh

Just used as bread alongside your morning eggs, these would be perfect, though they are so good, you would want them for any meal. These are also called Besan Puda in many places, and they are a northern Indian (Uttar Pradesh and places north) type pancake / vegetarian omelet preparation. Read the note below the recipe for other ideas to substitute for the carrots. But the flour used is also varied. Obviously, as they are called Besan Chilla or Besan Puda, Besan flour is the main flour used. However, some recipes call for substituting a small amount of the overall amount of besan flour (start with a quarter-cup) with oats ground to flour, semolina flour, rice flour and possibly others.

These come out about ⅛-inch thick or so. If you prefer, thin the batter a bit more with water and make them thinner, more crepe-like and crisper.

⇢ ⇢ Not everyone will have Carom/Ajwain seeds in their spice cabinet. If you find yourself in this situation, use a pinch of dried thyme leaves in the mixture, or 2 teaspoons if the thyme is fresh. As for asafetida, do click the link to read more about it. It is a dried resin and it stinks. . . until, that is, it is exposed to heat, whereupon it magically transforms into the smell of onions. Use it or not, as desired.

Besan Chilla or Chickpea Flour Pancakes with Carrot

Besan Chilla / Cheela

Makes about 6 to 8 unleavened pancakes
1½ cups besan flour (see above)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon carom / ajwain seeds
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of asafetida, optional
2 inch piece ginger, finely minced
2 scallions, minced
1 carrot, grated finely
1 green chili, de-seeded, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, finely minced
1 - 2 tablespoons ghee or oil

In a mixing bowl, stir together the besan flour, salt, carom/ajwain and cumin. Add in all the vegetables and mix together, then slowly add in 5 to 6 tablespoons of water, until the consistency is that of heavy cream. 

Have a skillet heating on medium to medium-low heat. Lightly brush the pan with ghee, and pour a ladleful of the batter into the pan, swirling the pan to get an even crepe / pancake about 6 inches in diameter. Cook for 35 to 40 seconds, then gently flip and cook the opposite side for 35 to 40 seconds. Repeat with the remaining batter.

NOTE: The kind of vegetable added can be many things: alternate the carrots with such things as chopped spinach, zucchini, bell pepper, tomato, or a smaller amount of all of these.

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ADAI

Adai

The only one of these three breads with any advance planning required is the Adai. It is simple to soak the rice and lentils overnight, then blend them in the morning, adding in whatever else is desired. Obviously, you will need to have short grain rice, toor/tuvar/ardhar dal (dried, peeled, split pigeon peas), urad dal (dried, peeled, split black gram) and moong dal (dried, peeled, split mung beans). Otherwise the methodology is simple. Adai are another of many, many south Indian unleavened bread / pancake-like breakfast or any meal treats, originating from southern India, Tamil Nadu and possibly Sri Lanka. They can be used as a mid-afternoon snack as well. Generally eaten with a chutney or soup to accompany, these are delightfully flavored. While these take some advance planning, they are simple to make, and are my personal favorite of these three, though they are all so very good.

Adai

Adai with accompaniments

Makes about eight (8-inch) unleavened pancakes

¼ cup idli rice (short grain white rice)
¼ cup pre-cooked, cooled rice 
¼ cup toor dal (dried, peeled, split pigeon peas)
⅛ cup (2 tablespoons) urad dal (dried, peeled, split black gram)
⅛ cup (2 tablespoons) moong dal (dried, peeled, split)
1½ cups water for soaking
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½ teaspoon salt
⅔ - ¾ cups water
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1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
½ - 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
½ teaspoon asafetida
⅓ cup minced shallot
8 - 10 curry leaves, chopped lightly
¼ cup cilantro, minced
Oil, for frying the adai

This recipe can be done in various ways. 

1. One way is to soak the rices and lentils (whether for 3 hours or overnight) and proceed with the recipe directly after the soaking time. 
2. If soaked overnight, it is easy to pick up making this for breakfast. 
3. Another way is to soak the lentils, drain and grind, and then let them “ferment” overnight before proceeding with the recipe. This would require the initial soaking to take place earlier in the day.

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and rinse repeatedly, stirring and agitating the grains, until the water runs nearly clear. Drain well, then add in the 1½ cups of water. Cover lightly and set the mixture to soak for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

To proceed, drain the lentil rice mixture well and pour into a blender container. Add in the half-teaspoon of salt and ⅔ cup of the water, reserving the remainder to use if needed. Blend the mixture to a thick batter, relatively smooth. If it is too thick, add some of the remaining water. Let the batter rest for about 20 minutes, or up to 2 hours, for more immediate use. If fermenting overnight, reserve the salt to add the next day.

When ready to make the adai, add in the remaining ingredients, except the oil, and stir well. Have ready a fairly hot skillet and add a little oil. It is good to have some of the cooking oil in a small bowl nearby with a pastry brush, also.

Pour a small ladle-full of the batter into the hot skillet, spreading the mixture slightly outwards with the back of the ladle, make a thin, but not too thin flat bread. Make a small hole in the center, about finger-width. This is said to help them cook more evenly, though some do this and some do not. Using the pastry brush dipped in a little oil, dab some oil into the center hole, then around the edges of the adai. Cook for about 1½ minutes on the first side, or until it gets golden browned in spots, then flip and cook for another minute or so, as needed. Serve immediately.

These are great served with unsalted butter, idli podi, tomato chutney, nariyal chutney, and/or one of the “soups,” such as Sambar.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Not Just Any Chicken and Rice

I keep posting Indian recipes, just because I love the flavors so very much. I do make other things in between, but often, if I have spent an inordinate amount of time researching a recipe, then setting about making it, getting all the "moving parts" moving as they should, executing the recipe, by the time I sit down to eat it, and gush over what great flavors . . .well, I just don't have it in me to do that all over again in a day or so. And, I just fall back on something regular that is tried and true.

I can't count the amount of times I have made one of my long-running best recipes, One-Skillet Hamburger Meal, just because it's easy and delicious. Or some pan-fried pork chops and Red Cabbage with Apples & Bacon. I have a lot of favorites.

So, if it appears that all I do is make Indian meals, that would be an incorrect assumption. 
 

Dinner of Chicken Korma, Barley Khichdi and Chutneys

I do, however, have a fascination for Indian flavors, and I do spend a lot of time researching them. India is a pretty big place. It is about a third of the size of the United States, yet has more people! Netflix has a show called "Raja, Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan" that while subtitled (a problem for some), is a fascinating journey through India and how and why the foods are distinct in some regions, how they came to be there, the influences of differing ruling systems, etc. India has a lot of different food regions. Similarly to the U.S. with southern cooking, northeastern cooking, midwest styles and so on. Here in the U.S., we have mainly been introduced to northern Indian styles of cuisines in the restaurants, at least in buffets I have sampled. This style is delicious, no doubt about it, but recently I have been delving into other areas and searching for what other styles of cooking exist there, and what other foods or food combinations exist. 

Yesterday however, I fell back on north Indian style foods, and made a Chicken Korma. Korma, whether made with lamb beef may be substituted) or chicken, is made with a "gravy" thickened with ground nuts, usually blanched, peeled almonds, but sometimes with cashews. I have a Lamb Korma recipe that is truly exceptional, and this chicken recipe is not too far different - only just a little bit. Whole, cut up chicken could be used, though the cooking time would need to be far longer. I chose skinless, boneless chicken breasts, but skinless, boneless chicken thighs would work as well. And, I used cashews for this dish. It tasted so wonderful that my husband and I just kept commenting over it. Here is my recipe:

Chicken Korma

Chicken Korma

Serves 4 to 6 

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken, cut in cubes
¾ cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon rosewater
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
¼ to ½ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
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2 to 3 tablespoons oil or ghee, plus a bit more for cooking chicken
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 - 3 green chilies, minced (remove seeds for less heat)
¾ cup raw cashews
¾ cup water or chicken stock
3 to 4 teaspoons Garam Masala 
¼ cup heavy cream, optional

At least 2 hours before beginning the meal, combine in a large bowl the yogurt, 2 tablespoons water, rosewater, salt, white pepper, saffron and turmeric. Stir to mix well, then add the cubed chicken and stir to coat all the chicken pieces. Cover and set in the refrigerator for 2 or more hours.

Heat a skillet and add in the ghee or oil of choice. Add the onions and saute them over medium low heat until lightly golden, then add in the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Continue to cook, stirring, until the onions are nicely golden but not browned. Pour the contents of the skillet into a blender container and add in the cashews, water or stock and Garam Masala. Blend the mixture to a fine puree. This sauce can be made ahead, even a day ahead, then refrigerated until needed.

Heat a large skillet and add in more oil or ghee and pour in the blender contents, then the chicken with all its marinade. Stir well and bring the mixture to just boiling. Lower heat to just a simmer, cover the pan and cook, slowly for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through. If desired, add the heavy cream and stir in. Goes well with Chapatis, Parathas, Naan or rice.

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moong dal

My normal accompaniment to a dish with this much sauce is rice, whether brown rice or other. This time, I wondered what I could make different from just rice, and got thinking of barley. I hadn't come across barley in any Indian recipe I had seen, to date, yet when I looked it up, it appears barley (called "jau" or "jao") has been in or around India since prehistoric times, and was once a main staple. It has mostly been replaced with rice and millet, but is still around, most often as soup or cooked into a sort of khichdi or grain and lentil dish. I opted to use hulled barley. Most often the kind of barley found in the supermarket is "pearled" barley, and most commonly the "quick cooking" kind. "Pearled" means that the outer, inedible grain case, the inner hull and the bran have all been polished off or "pearled," so there is little fiber left to the grain. I look for ways to incorporate more fiber in our diets, so I found "hulled" barley, which has not had the bran or inner hull removed, but only the outer inedible hull or shell. It takes a little longer to cook, but since I always looked for the long-cooking pearled barley anyway, the time to cook is not much different. 

So, in creating a grain and lentil dish, I used hulled barley, moong dal (mung beans that have been peeled and split) and added in some cabbage. I look for ways to get cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables into my husband's diet without him really being able to pick it out (in the case of cauliflower, for example, which I shred) or truly taste it. In this instance, I got rave reviews from him on both the Korma dish and this Barley Khichdi. High praise, indeed!

Barley Khichdi

Barley Khichdi

Barley Khichdi

Serves 3 to 4

½ cup hulled barley
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ cup moong dal
1 tablespoon oil or ghee
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, whole
½ teaspoon asafetida
1 - 2 shallots, minced
1 - 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1½ cups finely shredded cabbage
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch Kashmiri red chili powder, or more if you like heat

Place the barley into a large saucepan with 2 cups water and bring to boil. Add the turmeric and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Rinse the moong dal in water repeatedly until the water drains off mostly clear. Drain well and add to the barley, with a little more water only if needed. Cook for about 10 more minutes, until both the barley and dal are tender, not mushy. If there is still water in the pan, either drain it, or if it is very little, simply turn off the heat and leave the pan on the burner to dry out.

In a skillet, heat the oil or ghee and once hot, add the cumin seeds and asafetida and let them sizzle for a bit. Add in the shallot and saute until the shallots are well softened. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two, until fragrant, then add in the cabbage, salt, pepper and chili powder. Saute, stirring until the cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes, then add the contents of the skillet to the saucepan of barley mixture and stir well. Garnish with cilantro or curry leaves, if desired. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Wonderful Chutney Recipe

I am not Indian, nor do I have any link to India in any way. But, I just love Indian food. I continually try out new recipes, and search and research to find what is common to an area. India is a large country with wide ranging climates, so foods eaten up in the northeast of the country will reflect the cooler climates, particularly in the foothills of the Himalayas, whereas southern climes feature fish, coconut and lots of chilies. 

Palak Paneer

When Indian food began creeping into America, the most popular type of food featured was in Mughlai style from the northern areas of India. This style was born out of the Mughul reign and was prominent in the royal households. Mughlai cuisine features lots of bread (roti) varieties, such as naan, parathas, and chapatis, among others, and many rice based dishes such as pulao or biryani. Sauces made rich with spices and nuts make many curries a delight to eat, vegetable dishes and things like Palak Paneer (creamed spinach with paneer cheese) are common (and found on nearly every Indian buffet I have frequented) and Garam Masala is the main spice mixture. Saffron is used widely, Ghee is used very often, dried fruits are used in many dishes. Amchur (dried green mango powder) is used as a souring agent.

Chapati - Paratha - Naan

Back some 15 or 20 years, few in the US seemed to know much about anything so exotic as Garam Masala, and while I had seen and tasted paratha and chapati, it was naan breads that seemed to take everyone's taste buds by storm. Nowadays, most groceries carry Garam Masala in little spice jars as a matter of course, and naan breads are available fresh or frozen. We've advanced far beyond Chicken Tikka. All those years ago, I lamented the lack of ingredients to make some of the recipes I wanted to try, and still, at that time, north Indian cuisine seemed to be all-encompassing. Little did I know!

It wasn't until about 10 years ago that my husband and I went to an Indian restaurant while on vacation, and as I perused the menu, saw some things I was unfamiliar with. Our server asked what kinds of things I liked to eat, and when I mentioned some that were particular favorites, he asked if I had never tried southern Indian cuisine. I asked what that meant - what is different? He laughed and said just about everything! I asked him to suggest something for my meal then, and he did, and it was delightful, though at this remove I cannot recall what it was. But that was the very first time I encountered an indication that all Indian food was not that northern Indian Mughlai style. It was still many years until I found enough of recipes and information to educate myself a bit more on southern Indian cooking.

Meanwhile, I have learned that southern Indians prefer lots of lentils and dal dishes, Idli and crepe-like dosas and appam (instead of parathas, chapatis or naan). Lentils, dal or other soupy style dishes are most common, and are also breakfast fare. Many dishes are made in a very thin soup style, rather than the richer, thickened sauces of the north. Other oils are used for cooking, and mustard oil is common. Tamarind is a common souring ingredient, and curry leaves are often used in dishes.

Last year, I read Padma Lakshmi's book, "Love, Loss and What We Ate." I have

My S.E. Indian Green Mango Chutney

seen Padma Lakshmi on some travel shows and always thought her exotically lovely. I never watched Top Chef, as we never got that channel, but that kind of show does not at all interest me. Knowing Padma was Indian, though not anything more than that, I delved into her book with interest, as I do with any reading material on India. Happily, throughout the book, she talks of her childhood and the things she ate, growing up in Tamil Nadul, furnishing recipes for many of the dishes she describes. I busily scribbled down the recipes that called my attention. One that I made was something she called Kanchanomer Tok. If I misspelled what she wrote, I apologize. It is a mango chutney or "pickle," which appears to generally not be cooked, but packed into a jar and put in the sun, normally. Padma's recipe did cook the chutney, briefly.

I somehow still had a half jar of that chutney left tucked in a back corner of my fridge, when I made an Indian meal for the three fishing buddies that came to stay at our place last week. One of the guys was most particularly taken with that chutney (his palate may be more Indian-aware, as he has Indian neighbors, and opportunities to sample!), and when the meal was done, he kept serving tiny portions more of that chutney and eating it with my naan bread. I finally told him to please just finish it off, as it was really time to start a new batch. He gladly complied! So now, with no chutney left, I felt it was time to look over the recipe and try it again. 

Mango Chutney British Style

One thing about this particular chutney / pickle, is that it is supposed to be made with green mangoes; actual green mangoes, so green that the fruit is crisp and the skin is often left on the fruit when making this chutney. In the US, short of living somewhere where mangoes grow, getting mangoes that green is not really an option. I look for the hardest mangoes available in the stores, but they are rarely completely green in color, being blushed with red already. Still, making do with what I have, the past year's attempt was very good, though very different than the northern Indian / British style Mango Chutney I had made in past. 

Panch Phoron Spices

For starters, southern India uses a spice combination called Panch Phoron, sometimes called Bengali 5-Spice. The seeds are all left whole, instead of ground, as with Garam Masala. Where Garam Masala has "sweet" spices mixed in, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves, Panch Phoron does not, instead using brown mustard seed, cumin seed, fennel seed, nigella seed and fenugreek seed. This makes for a completely different and more pungent flavor profile. 

When researching Kanchanomer Tok, I found almost no mention of this mixture coming from anywhere other than Bengal, and the spelling has so many variations it is hard to keep track. Kanchan Aamer Tok. Kancha Aam er Tok. Kancha Amer Tok. Kanchan Amer Tawk. You get the picture! But apparently, it is made in other areas than Bengal, since Padma is from Tamil Nadu. In looking at the recipe, I chose to do a couple of things differently.

S.E. Indian Green Mango Chutney

Since the mangoes I was using are far from the very green ones called for, I added in both lime zest and juice to add a sour note. I added in some ginger, though I saw it used in only one recipe I saw online. Some recipes I read used only brown mustard seeds, and some used Panch Phoron, as did Padma. Some added in more chili, some less. This time, since this chutney will not quite do for my husband's palate anyway, I added far more chili to the mixture. This is, of course, always optional. Some people used hing / asafetida, and others do not. Sugar is used, though usually jaggery. Brown sugar may be substituted. Though sugar is used, it is still not of the type of sweetness as of my former Mango Chutney. Some people add in a lot of water, making it a soupy mixture, and others use very little, if any. So, finally, here is what I did:

S.E. Indian Green Mango Chutney

S.E. Indian Green Mango Chutney

Makes about 2 - 2½ cups 

1¾ pounds green mangoes
1-inch piece fresh ginger, cut in tiny julienne
1 lime, zest and juice
¼ teaspoon black salt (or regular salt)
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon hot pure chili powder, or cayenne
1 tablespoon mustard oil, or other cooking oil
1½ teaspoons Panch Phoron
1 dried red chili pepper, whole
½ teaspoon asafetida/hing, optional
¾ cup jaggery, palm sugar, or brown sugar

Wash and peel the mangoes. Slice off the flesh and cut into long strips, or into small cubes, as desired. Place in a bowl along with the ginger, lime zest and lime juice. Sprinkle on the black salt, turmeric powder and hot chili powder (NOT the chili powder used for making chili con carne). Stir and set aside while preparing the remainder of the recipe. 

Fruit - Spices - Mixing

In a skillet over medium high heat, add the mustard oil. Allow the mustard oil to come to smoke point before adding the Panch Phoron. If using regular cooking oil, do not bring it to smoking point, but add in the Panch Phoron as soon as the oil is hot. Allow the seeds to splutter and crackle. A lid may be needed to prevent them popping out all over the stove. Once the crackling has subsided, add in the asafetida and the whole red dried chili pepper and stir briefly. Pour in the mango mixture and stir. Add the palm sugar and stirring constantly, let the mixture boil and cook quickly for 5 to 7 minutes. The mango will have softened slightly and the sugar will be completely dissolved.

Pour the mixture into a very clean glass jar and seal. Once cooled, store in the fridge. My first batch lasted perfectly for about a year, though this is probably not recommended. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.