New South Indian Dish

Recently, I have been putting together a cookbook on bread. I love creating my own cookbooks, though none are commercial. I just love getting things together in one place. My first cookbooks were of "Favorite Recipes." Another was of Guatemalan Recipes and a Memoir for my oldest daughter who remembered her life in Guatemala. Another of Vegetarian Recipes for a friend. One is of sweets of all kinds. And on and on and on goes my story. This latest is all on breads.  I love the challenge of all the organizing, making it look great, detail work is just my thing.

As I am at the stage of proofreading, and while looking more closely at the recipes, words, descriptions, I came to the chapter on Indian breads, and there are many. Many I have made, and there are so many more I have not made but want to. So in reading a few of the recipes I had written out for myself but not actually put to the test, I came across one for Neer Dosa. For those who are not into Indian food as I am, apparently "neer" means water. Dosa is a very flat, crepe-like bread, often made from leftover Idli batter, but Neer Dosa are purely soaked, then ground, rice and water. They are bland, taste like rice, and as such are meant to accompany well-spiced foods, for breakfast, lunch or snack. One of the suggestions I'd seen on websites was to serve these with a Mangalorean Egg Curry.

Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat

I have seen recipes for egg curries, from the earliest times of my interest in all things Indian. To date, I had never made one. Made with hard boiled eggs, essentially the eggs are placed into a well-spiced "gravy" of some kind. Depending on region the type of flavors in that gravy or curry mixture will vary. I was intrigued by the use of the word Mangalorean. I'd heard it used, and even looked it up, but couldn't quite place it. According to Wikipedia, Mangalore (also "Mangaluru") is a major port city on the western coast in the Indian state of Karnataka, in southern India. Being a coastal city, coconut based foods are common.

I found very few recipes while searching "Mangalorean Egg Curry." In general, what I found is that this curry is common in the Konkan region of Mangalore, and is called Ande Ambat, so far as I can tell. Information is sketchy, but "ambat" appears to be a curry mixture, since it is used for other things like prawns, fish, etc. Only when "ande" (or "anda") is added does it refer to an egg curry. Essentially, no matter which recipe you look at, most of the ingredients are the same, with varying amounts. After looking through more recipes under that title, I realized that there was really not much new. The ingredients are the same and methods and amounts differ. 

After making my version of this dish for dinner last evening, my husband and I both truly loved the flavors, and the Neer Dosa paired exceptionally well with the dish, though I felt my dosa weren't yet made with any proficiency. Sadly, there are quite a few steps to this recipe, though some of them can be made ahead. The spice mixture ("masala") can be made and stored. The sauce (curry) can also be made ahead. Assembling in a hurry is then a snap. Making it all in one go, I had 2 skillets and 3 different saucepans dirtied, along with the blender, before I finished. 

Mangalorean Egg Curry and Neer Dosa

Still, it is so very tasty, I would truly suggest trying it out. Some ingredients may not be available, unless you are really dedicated to Indian cuisine, as I am. Ajwain or Carom seed is used in just a tiny pinch and can be optional or substituted with a small bit of thyme (thymol is the smell one associates with thyme herb, and ajwain or carom seed also contains thymol). Curry leaves, while they are available fresh by mail (when they arrive, I put them into a zip-top freezer bag and straight into the freezer), aren't on everyone's list of staple items. I love the flavor of them and use them often, but they can be omitted. Tamarind isn't in everyone's pantry either, but can easily be substituted with a squeeze of lime juice, or simply omitted. Dried red chilies aren't on everyone's shelf, and are also a matter of taste. Some cannot tolerate the heat, and others can't get enough. I used two dried red chilies, breaking them open and discarding the seeds before using. If preferred, use dried red chili flakes to your own personal preference, or in a pinch, simply use a tiny bit of cayenne, to taste. Not everyone keeps a fresh coconut lying around, either, though I found that I can buy a whole, ripe coconut, open it and remove all the coconut "meat," and then grate it on a small-holed grater and freeze it, well wrapped. Easy to grab a little when needed.

Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat

Based on 1 egg per serving: 6 servings. Based on 2 eggs per serving: 3 servings.

Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat

DRY MASALA MIX:
2 (or up to 8) dried red chilies, with or without seeds
1-inch soft cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/8 teaspoon carom/ajwain seeds

CURRY or GRAVY:
2 - 3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 medium shallots, chopped
12 - 15 curry leaves
3 - 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 large red bell pepper
1 - 2 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon-sized piece of seedless tamarind
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or use water)
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
6 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled
1 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed

TEMPERING:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 small shallot, halved, sliced
8 to 10 curry leaves

MAKE THE DRY MASALA MIX: Heat a dry skillet over medium to medium high heat, then toast the spices, one spice at a time (different sizes will toast for different times), just until fragrant, removing each to a single plate to cool. Once cooled, grind the spices in a spice grinder and set aside, or cover tightly and store in a cool, dark place until needed.

MAKE THE CURRY: In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add in the coconut oil and then the shallots with the curry leaves and saute, stirring often, until the shallots soften and start turning a golden color. Add in the garlic and ginger  and cook 3 minutes, then add in the red bell pepper and tomatoes with the turmeric powder and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and the tomatoes broken down. Stir in the grated coconut and cook one minute. Pour the ingredients of the skillet into a blender container, along with the cilantro, the spice Masala mixture, and with either the coconut milk or water (from "other ingredients") and blend smooth. The curry can be refrigerated, tightly covered, until later if needed. 

When ready to make the dish, cook the cubed potatoes until easily pierced with a knife. Drain the water from the potatoes. Have the curry in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add in the potatoes and 1 1/2 cups of water, stirring well. Make shallow cuts in the hard-boiled eggs, then add to the curry. If the mixture is still thick, add more water as needed. Let the mixture simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes to meld flavors.

TEMPERING: In a small skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon coconut oil and saute the sliced shallot with the curry leaves. When the curry is ready to serve, pour into a bowl, then pour the tempering ingredients from the skillet over top. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

NOTES:  If desired, 3 eggs may be whisked together and stirred into the simmering curry sauce before adding the potatoes and tomatoes.

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.

Venturing Afield with Indian Recipes

Last year I created for myself a cookbook of Indian recipes I had made, plus adding in some that I wanted to try. Of course, with as much as I love Indian foods and flavors, I am constantly finding new things to try. And so it was that in the course of researching Indian food, or spices or whatever of the moment took my interest, I discovered recipes for Bisi Bele Bath.

You might well be saying "Bisi . . . . .what????" That is pretty much what I did. 

Bisi Bele Bath

Many, many Indian recipes call for a pre-made spice mixture. Of course, many households make up their own, but in this day and age, pre-mixed spices exist in packets, boxes or jars, and many Indians choose to go this route. It certainly would cut down on the amount of different spices one must keep in the home. Making from scratch means a very long list of spices needed to be on hand. As it happens, I have an amazing amount of Indian spices on hand! 

Bisi Bele Bath

So when I came upon recipes for Bisi Bele Bath, a vegetarian recipe of rice, lentils and vegetables from the Indian state of Karnataka, of course it called for a spice mixture. Some recipes online had all the spices listed and created the mixture as with any recipe: get out the spices, measure, toast, grind (or not). Other recipes I encountered called for using a Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix, with their own recipe available on their site. And some few other recipes called for a particular favorite brand of Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix. Reading all these recipes, it became a personal challenge then, to make up my own spice mix for this dish.

Coming back to the unusual name for this dish, it is explained everywhere online that Bisi = Piping Hot; Bele = Lentils; Bath = Made with Rice. So, in essence, Bisi Bele Bath means "A Piping Hot Lentil and Rice Dish." Paraphrasing. The addition of vegetables to this dish is optional. Vegetables can be added to the meal in other ways, if you choose.

Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix 

Makes enough for a few recipes of Bisi Bele Bath

4 dried red chilies (with or without seeds)
-----
4 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
-----
1½ tablespoons channa dal (Bengal gram/desi chickpea)
2 teaspoons urad dal
-----
4 whole cloves
3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
4-inch piece soft (true) cinnamon, or 1-inch piece of cassia bark 
1 - 2 pieces mace blades* (see Note)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 Kapok buds (Marathi moggu)* (see Notes)
-----
1 tablespoon white poppy seeds
-----
4 teaspoons dried unsweetened coconut
-----
1 teaspoon asafetida
-----
10 - 12 fresh curry leaves

Heat a dry skillet over medium to medium high heat. Have a wide plate or bowl ready to hold the hot spices for cooling, after toasting. Each section of the spices will be toasted separately, turning out to the plate to cool. Toast until the spices are fragrant, but in no way burnt.

1. First, toast the dried chilies. If you wish less heat, break them and remove seeds, along with stems. Toast the chilies until they begin to change color; turn out to the plate to cool.
2. Add in to the skillet the coriander, cumin and fenugreek seeds and stirring constantly, allow them to change color slightly and smell wonderful, then
   turn out to the plate to cool.
3.  Now add in the two dals (dry, uncooked) and stirring constantly, allow them to become golden brown, but not burnt. Then,
   turn out to the plate to cool.
4. Add to the skillet the cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon pieces, mace blades, black peppercorns and Kapok buds, if using. Toast them until fragrant, how long will depend on how high the heat. Stir constantly until colored, then turn out to the plate to cool.
5. Pour in the white poppy seeds and keep them moving, just until they start to change color, then turn out to the plate to cool.
6. Add in the dry coconut and stir quickly, it will go from white to blackened in seconds! Once the coconut turns golden, turn out to the plate to cool.
7. Add in the asafetida and stir quickly, just until it smells of onions, then turn out to the plate to cool.
8. Add in the fresh curry leaves and toss, stirring until they are completely dried and crisped, then turn out to the plate to cool.    

Allow the spices to cool to nearly room temperature, then grind them to powder using a spice grinder/coffee grinder used only for spices. This may require grinding in various batches. Once ground, stir well to distribute evenly, then keep stored in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dark place.

NOTES:  If mace blades are not available, substitute by adding in about ¼ teaspoon ground mace at the end, after all spices are ground to powder. Kapok buds, or Marathi moggu, are a new spice for me. I ordered them and used them as the recipes say this is an authentic flavor. If you do not have or cannot get them, just omit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the U.S., we don't often go for, or even think of, mixing up lentil and rice dishes, unless you are vegetarian, and then it is important because rice and lentils combined make a complete protein. Simply cooked rice and lentils are not much of a draw, as they haven't much flavor. All I can say is that this dish does not lack flavor! It is a thick, soft mixture, which may not seem to appeal. But flavors are wonderful, so despite what your eyes may tell you, it is worthwhile giving this dish a try.

Bisi Bele Bath

Bisi Bele Bath

Serves 4 to 6 

¾ cup toor dal (aka ardhar dal)
¾ cup long or short grain rice
5 cups water
-----
¼ tamarind, from a compressed block 
1 cup water, hot
2½ tablespoons Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix
-----
1 tablespoon ghee or oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
-----
½ cup cubed carrot
½ cup green peas
½ cup potatoes in small cubes
½ cup green beans, cut in little pieces

TEMPERING / FLAVORING:
1 tablespoon ghee or oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
10 fresh curry leaves  
1 dried red chili, whole
10 cashews
½ teaspoon asafetida/hing 

Before beginning any prep, rinse the toor dal in copious quantities of water, until the water runs mostly clear. Then, cover the dal with water and set aside for ½ hour. At this time also, set the tamarind chunk to soak separately, in the hot water.

Once dal has soaked, combine the dal with the rice in a pot of adequate size, cover with the 5 cups of water and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until the rice and dal are both very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Use a spoon or a potato masher to mash up the mixture. Set aside.

In a skillet, heat the ghee and add in the chopped onion and salt to cook until soft. While onion is sauteeing, break apart and strain the tamarind in a strainer over a bowl, to catch all the liquids. Press to get as much from the tamarind as possible, then discard the seeds and fibers. Add the Bisi Bele Bath Spice Mix to the tamarind and stir. Once the onion is nicely soft, add the tamarind liquid into the skillet, along with the carrots, peas, potatoes and green beans, then cook the vegetables until tender, adding water if needed for cooking. Once done, pour the contents of the skillet into the rice and lentil pot.

Set the skillet back on the heat and add in the ghee for tempering. Once ghee is very hot, add the brown mustard, until the seeds begin popping. Quickly add in the curry leaves, dried chili, whole cashews and the asafetida/hing. Cook for just a few minutes, until everything is very fragrant. Pour half of the contents of the skillet into the pot with the lentils and rice, stirring well, then pour the mixture into a serving bowl, garnishing with the reserved tempering mixture for presentation.


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 Long Awaited Recipe

Guatemalan Pan Frances

On a Guatemalan theme here, I have been making breads I haven't tasted for 38 years, two of which I showcased in the last couple of blog posts. I haven't posted all the bread recipes I made, but those will be coming, including Guatemalan Pan Frances, their version of  French Bread. Pan ("bread") Frances ("French") in Guatemala is made with divisions easily visible and easy to separate into serving portions without the need for a knife. I will get to that recipe soon, but meanwhile, this is what it looks like.

Another food that I haven't made in what seems like forever, but in reality, I had made at least twice since returning to the U.S in late 1981 is Paches, Pronounced PAH-chez, the "e" with a short ĕ sound, as in set, or let. Before getting into Paches, a little background. 

Disambiguation: 

Guatemalan tamales are not at all like the Mexican tamales one finds in the southwest U.S and other places where pockets of Mexican communities take root. I have nothing against Mexican tamales, and buy them often enough as they are delicious, but the closest thing to a Mexican tamal (Tamal = singular form) found in Guatemala is called a Chuchito (literally translated to small dog, or puppy). Chuchitos, also wrapped in dried corn husks as with Mexican tamales, are made quite similarly to Mexican Tamales, but Guatemalan Tamales are a different thing altogether. 

Clockwise from top: Sweet Tamal - Chuchito - Savory Tamal

At left is a photo courtesy of Rudy Giron at Antigua Daily Photo, showing Guatemalan Tamales and a Chuchito. Read more about Rudy's daily photos here.

For one thing, Guatemalan Tamales (Tamales = plural) are large, and are usually eaten as a meal alone, or with a side of eggs or black beans, or both. Some Pan Frances on the side and you are all set. These tamales are a huge process to create, and well-worth it, particularly with some help. They are made with a base of corn masa, or rice flour, or a combination of both. Topping this is a sauce ("recado") that can be savory and tinted with annatto seeds - or - lightly sweetened, with chocolate added to the sauce. In the center is a piece of meat (chicken, turkey, pork, even duck), and stuck in around the periphery are 1 prune, 1 raisin, one olive, one caper, a slivered almond, and over top of all a strip of red pimiento pepper (not everyone uses all these extras, called "adornments" - some use only 1 or two). These are wrapped in a green leaf called Maxan or Mashan. Many places say that these are wrapped in banana leaves, and while they can be, banana leaves are far more fragile and tear too easily. Maxan leaves are stronger, tear to size easily and do not need to be immersed in boiling water to make them flexible.

And now, on to the Paches

Paches, while made the same size as a Guatemalan Tamal, have their masa base as potatoes. Instead of having the sauce poured over top of the base as with tamales, it is mixed right in. Generally made with a piece of pork inside, it can also be made with chicken. And, instead of the many additions, just one olive is inserted alongside the meat. Sometimes, a single, whole, long, fresh green chili pepper is laid over top before wrapping. Paches have similar flavor to tamales, but are far less work to make. Somewhere I read that they originated in Quetzaltenango, as potatoes are a crop there. Somehow, along the way, Thursdays became Paches Day, and most often they are found sold from huge baskets on street corners, in the markets or outside of grocery stores. Only on Thursdays.

One of my Paches served on its parchment wrapper

I loved paches while living in Guatemala, and still do, although I hadn't made them for many, many years. And, I have no ready access to Maxan leaves. Instead, I used parchment paper, something I have also done when making tamales here in the U.S. with no access to Maxan leaves. The final outcome lacks that green flavor from the leaf, but the pache is still tremendously tasty. 

Peel cooked potatoes, pass through food mill,
add in recado and mix

Making Paches

To make Paches, there are three main steps:

1. Make the "recado" or sauce
2. Cook the pieces of meat
3. Cook the potatoes whole, peel and rice them or pass through a food mill

To save time, I made the sauce a couple of days ahead. It doesn't take long to make, but when doing all three steps on one day, on one's own, it gets more time consuming, and I am all for making "lighter days." I also cooked the meat ahead of time and stored it, in its broth, in the fridge till I needed it. When it came to making the paches a couple of days ago, I set the potatoes to cook, whole, in their skins, for about an hour, then went ahead with the recipe. I peeled all the potato skins off, then passed the potatoes through a food mill. Using a food mill or a ricer is important; at minimum, use a hand potato masher, though this will not give a smooth outcome (texture is a matter of preference anyway). To try and whip the potatoes would turn them gluey, not a good consistency.

Once the potatoes are ready, add in the butter (a mix of butter and lard is also good) and the recado/sauce and stir well. Taste for salt. Despite cooking the potatoes in salted water, they need salt to make the taste right. Amount is subjective; start with a teaspoon of salt and add little by little until it suits your taste, mixing well between additions.

And then Comes the Wrapping

Maxan Leaves - Calathea Lutea

If one is lucky enough to have maxan leaves for wrapping, you will need sections at least 12 to 14-inches square (more or less square). On top of this wrapper piece of leaf, a second, smaller "serving leaf" is set atop the first. This second serving leaf is generally smaller, a minimum of about 9-inches squar-ish. It can be as large as the first leaf, but does not need to be. Once paches are wrapped, steamed and ready to serve, the packet is unwrapped, and the inner leaf, along with the pache, is slid onto a plate for serving.  

Steps 1 to 3 of wrapping Paches

To make the packets using parchment, no inner "leaf" is needed. 

• Step 1: lay out the parchment square at an angle with one point towards you. Set an amount of the pache mixture, at least a cup, but preferably 1½ to 1¾-cup worth in the center of the paper. Add in one chunk of meat and one olive.
• Step 2: If the potato mixture is very stiff, pat the mixture to cover the meat. 
• Step 3: Fold the bottom point upwards to cover the mixture.

Continue with folding:

Steps 4 to 6 of Wrapping Paches

• Step 4: Neaten edges of parchment, pressing in around the mixture, then fold the right point left, across the mixture.
• Step 5: Neaten the edges, tucking in close to the pache mixture.
• Step 6: Take the left point and bring to the right, across the packet. If the point is too long, simply fold it around to the under side of the packet.

To finish with folding the packet:

Steps 7 to 9 of Wrapping Paches

• Step 7: At this point, the packet can remain on the flat surface, or it can be lifted in hands.
• Step 8: Take the top point and neatly fold it downwards to cover the whole packet.
• Step 9: Flip the packet so the last point is now pointing upwards. This is the orientation of the packets to place into a pot for steaming.

Preparing a pot (or two) for Steaming

To steam tamales, tamalitos, chuchitos / Mexican tamales, it was explained to me thusly: The bundles can be tied closed, to prevent the packet leaking. 

Or. 

The bundle can be placed with the last fold upwards and leaning one against the next, keeping them at an upwards slant, that last fold will contain the mixture and prevent leakage. I have seen photos of batches of leaf-wrapped tamales, all tied neatly, and haphazardly placed in a pot. Instead, I was taught by various Maya ladies that the goal is to keep the center of the pot open, so steam can hit all the tamales evenly. To do this, they all need to be placed neatly around the edge of the large pot, on a rack, or a rack made from various thick stems or vein pieces of the Maxan leaves, to keep them off the bottom of the pot and out of the steaming water. If your pot is very large, you may be able to fit a second row of paches (tamales, chuchitos) inside the first, while still maintaining a small center hole for steam. Top the standing packets with another leaf, tucked down around the edges, cover tightly with a lid, and steam for an hour, checking often to ensure there is water in the pot, adding more if needed.

I have round racks for cooling cakes. They are about 9-inches diameter and fit neatly into my soup pots. Lacking the leaves and their thick veins to use, these racks are perfect. I used a small jar to lean the first packet against, keeping it mostly upright, following around the perimeter of the pot, leaning each packet against the last, until reaching the first one. Remove the jar and set the last packet in. I have not bothered with covering the top with another piece of parchment, though when I do have leaves to hand, I do tuck the leftover pieces over top of the standing packets before covering with the lid. Partly, this helps with not steaming the pot dry, as the condensation collecting inside the top leaf just slides back into the pot. If not using the extra precaution, do keep a sharp eye and ear out for the pan running dry - add in more water before this happens.

The recipe: 

Paches Quetzaltecos

Makes about 15

1 to 1¼ pounds pork roast, cut in 15 - 18 pieces
5 pounds potatoes, cooked whole, peeled, passed through food mill

Pache for breakfast with egg, beans and pan frances

2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
8 ounces butter or lard
1 bunch maxán leaves for wrapping, washed (or 14 x 14-inch parchment)
15 olives
15 long, thin green chiles, optional

FOR THE RECADO (SAUCE):
1 cup tomatillos, broiled, blistered/charred
6 Roma tomatoes, broiled, blistered/charred
1 onion, quartered & separated, broiled until charred at edges
2 garlic cloves, broiled to light brown
1 chillie guaque or guajillo, seeds removed, soaked in boiling water
1 pasilla chile, seeds removed, soaked in boiling water
1 ounce pumpkin seeds (3 TB)
1 ounce sesame seeds (¼ cup)
5 whole allspice berries
10 whole black peppercorns
1 (2-inch) piece cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
½ ounce annatto seeds (1½ TB) OR -
1½ teaspoons annatto powder

4 pieces French bread, soaked in water

Place the cubed meat into a pot with water to just cover. Add in about 1 teaspoon of the salt and a bay leaf and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes. Use immediately or cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

For the sauce: If using whole annatto seeds, heat the annatto seeds in a tablespoon or so of oil (or water), as needed and then press them, rubbing against a sieve, getting as much color out into the oil as possible. Pour this oil in a blender container with the charred tomatillos, tomatoes, onion, garlic & soaked, drained chilies. Squeeze out the soaked bread slightly and add to the blender. Toast the pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds separately in a dry skillet, then remove to the blender. Toast together in the same dry skillet the allspice, peppercorns, cinnamon and cloves until fragrant, then add to blender and puree the mixture until fine. (If preferred, grind these last 5 spices in a spice grinder, then add to the blender.) In a frying pan, heat 2 oz of the butter or lard and pour in the blended ingredients and fry, stirring, until slightly thickened. Once thickened, mix the sauce with the riced or milled potatoes, add in the remaining 6 ounces of butter and check the flavor for salt, adding the second teaspoon of salt, plus more if deemed needed for flavor.

Clean and cut the leaves to about 14 x 14-inches (or use similarly sized squares of parchment). If using leaves, have a second, smaller leaf set in the center of the larger leaf, for serving, later. Hold the square of leaf/parchment in hand (or set on a flat surface), diagonally, with a point towards you and place a large spoonful (at least 1½ to 1¾ cups worth) of the mixture in the center; set a piece of the cooked pork into the center of the potato mixture, add one green olive (typically with the pit). Make sure the meat is covered with the potato mixture. If available, set one long, thin, green, whole chili pepper on top, then wrap, folding as shown above: bottom point upwards, right point over to the left, left point over to the right, then top point down. Flip packet vertically, so final point is now upwards, and set at an upright angle in the prepared pot with rack in bottom. The packet should be placed so that the last folded point is angled towards the bottom, thus keeping it closed and intact, pressed against the previous one. Once the packets make a ring around the outer edges of the pan, leaving a center hole, pour 2 cups of water into the pot into the center hole, cover with a tight fitting lid, bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer, then time for one hour, keeping watch that the water does not all boil out, adding more if needed. The paches should not be setting IN the water, but be steamed only.

Wrapped Paches leaning around inside of pot, then cooling on counter

Once the hour is up, use a flat spatula to remove the packets to a clean surface to cool, then store in the refrigerator.

To heat and serve, place a small amount of water in a skillet with lid, set in as many paches as will fit comfortable, then cover and cook for about 20 minutes. If frozen, do the same, but allow at least 40 minutes to heat all the way through. Unwrap and either slide off leaf or paper onto plate or set the leaf/paper on plate and fold large edges under themselves.


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.

Making Fish Palatable to a Non Fish Eater

My husband has never liked fish. 

He has managed to eat things like "fish and chips," where there is more greasy breading than actual fish, and he is more apt to leave chunks of fish on the plate and eat every last morsel of the greasy, fried breading. Getting him to eat plain fish on a plate has always been near-hopeless. It must be disguised in some way, so the flavor is not prominent.
 

Fish in Coconut Tamarind Sauce with Vegetables

And on to the next difficulty...

My husband has never liked cauliflower. 

Nor broccoli, nor cabbage except under very particular circumstances. He doesn't like radishes, or mesclun greens or parsnips or even carrots all that much... and the list is long. He has eaten some of these. The circumstance is generally very particular. Raw cabbage is totally out. He hates sauerkraut, and even more hates the home-fermented sauerkraut I have made.

But back to cauliflower. Some time ago, I was on a diet and tried making cauliflower "mashed potatoes." Real mashed potatoes, or potatoes served almost any way at all, EXCEPT if they have skin, are on the absolute "yes" list. He tolerated the pureed cauliflower but didn't necessarily go so far as to say he liked it. 

Fish in Coconut Tamarind Sauce with Vegetables

He has been having some pretty severe health issues over the last half year, and now it is becoming imperative that his diet expand into more healthy realms. And I have, so far, managed to get him to eat salmon and cod. Again, he does not say he "likes" the meal, but that it is "okay." 

Yesterday, I wanted to make some beautiful haddock fillets for lunch and was wondering how I could sneak in some cauliflower. I figured the only possibly way would be to shred the cauliflower and make it part of the scenery, so to speak. I found a recipe for fish in "My Indian Cookbook," by Amandip Uppal. It called for a marinade using tamarind and coconut milk. I love both of these, and while my husband loves the flavor of coconut milk (but won't eat coconut!), he doesn't really know much about tamarind, outside of the fact that it does go into many Indian dishes I have made. As for flavor, he is unaware.

I looked through the cookbook to see what might be done with cauliflower, and in general, it seemed that I could possibly get by if I added grated cauliflower (of late, it is often called "cauliflower rice") and other veggies to the recipe for the fish, since it would have a fair amount of liquidy sauce to it. And since runny sauces are another thing my husband dislikes, I thought if it was thickened up with vegetables, it might - just - work. It did, and with flying colors. The recipe is so extremely flavorful, I could have easily eaten the whole pan full myself, but I was good and shared 😇 - and he did actually say the words: "I really like this!"

I did follow the recipe from "My Indian Cookbook" fairly closely, up to the point where I added all the vegetables. In all, I added 1 cup of grated cauliflower, ½ cup of red bell pepper, ½ cup of tomatoes and ½ cup of frozen peas. This is in addition to the whole onion called for in the recipe. We had over 4 cups worth of vegetables altogether that were split between us for lunch. Granted, coconut milk is high calorie, but all the remaining ingredients were not. So it all balances out. And it tastes so very, very good.

Tamarind

Tamarind Pods

Tamarind is a souring agent in many Southeast Asian and Indian foods and it also is used extensively in Caribbean cooking. I learned to use it to make a refreshing tamarind beverage while living in Guatemala. It is every bit as refreshing as a good homemade lemonade on a hot day. Tamarind pods grow on trees. The pods have a brittle shell and very dense, sticky, sour "fruit" inside that encloses black, shiny seeds. Using tamarind pods is simple enough: remove as much of the brittle shell as possible, along with loose fibers (seen in the photo at right), and soak the sticky insides in water for about a half hour or more. To make a sauce, simply squeeze and rub the softened fruit in the water, remove as many seeds as possible, then press through a larger holed strainer. It can be a very thick sauce or a very thin and runny sauce. For this recipe, a slightly thicker sauce is best.

I used 4 tamarind pods for the recipe, and my sauce was a little thinner than I wanted, but it can always be cooked down in the recipe.

Our local Walmart store is now carrying whole tamarind pods, and we are not in a large city at all. Granted, there are quite a few orientals up here. Tamarind pods are also found on Amazon. If you prefer, tamarind is often sold in a compressed "cake." The brittle shells are removed and the sticky insides are pressed together into a block and sold. Some packages say they are seedless, but do not take that for granted! To use this kind of compressed cake, simply cut off a chunk and soak it in water as for the fresh pods and proceed the same way.

Other Ingredients

Some other ingredients that some may not have in their pantries are things like brown mustard seeds or dried coconut milk powder. Again, Amazon to the rescue. Some groceries carry brown mustard seeds. If not, white mustard seeds can be substituted. Cumin seeds and coriander seeds are generally available in groceries, as well as cans of unsweetened coconut milk. My preferred brand is Thai Kitchen. 

Curry leaves are also used in this recipe, and while they give a slightly citrus-like flavor and aroma, there is no real substitute. These are also available on Amazon. I ordered fresh curry leaves (Ajika brand) and they arrived beautifully fresh and green. I promptly placed the bag into a zip-top freezer bag and placed them in the freezer. They turn black in the freezer, but regain some green color if left out to thaw. Remove one stem or a few leaves as called for in a recipe and return the remainder to the freezer.

The fish I used was haddock, but cod is also excellent for this recipe (and for my finicky husband's palate). It is very white and very mild and flakes beautifully when cooked.

Fish in Coconut Tamarind Sauce with Vegetables

Serves 2

Fish in Coconut Tamarind Sauce with Vegetables

2 white fish fillets such as haddock, halibut or cod

MARINADE:
4 tablespoons tamarind sauce (see above)
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon coriander seed, ground
¾ teaspoon garam masala
- pinch of salt
1½ tablespoons coconut milk powder
- pinch cayenne
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2 - 3 tablespoons cooking oil
¾ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
5 curry leaves, torn in small pieces
1 green chili pepper, slit down one side
1 onion, chopped finely
1 cup finely grated cauliflower
1 clove garlic, minced
½-inch fresh ginger, minced
½ cup red bell pepper, chopped in small pieces
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- pinch black pepper
- salt, to taste
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup frozen peas

Combine the marinade ingredients in a container that will hold the fish. Add the fish to the marinade and ensure all sides of the fish are covered with marinade. Set aside for about 30 minutes, while preparing the rest of the dish.

In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and the whole green chili pepper. Toss in the oil until all the mustard seeds pop. Add in the onion and cauliflower and cook, stirring, until the onion and cauliflower develop some brown spots. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook until the raw smell disappears. Add in the bell pepper and tomatoes and cook until mostly dry. Remove the fish fillets from the marinade and set aside.

fry onion & cauliflower; add pepper and tomatoes;  cook; set fish aside

Pour the marinade into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add in the cumin seeds, black pepper and salt and stir. Let this mixture simmer to break down all the vegetables, about 10 minutes, then stir in the second ½ cup coconut milk. Now, add the fish to the pan and nestle it in the sauce. Continue cooking until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Timing will depend on the thickness of your fillets.

add marinade to skillet; cook about 10 minutes;  add fish to pan;  cover the fish with the sauce

Once the fish is cooked, add in the peas and allow to cook until the peas are heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve with rice, if desired (I used red rice), or serve in a bowl as for stew.

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.