Coconut Coriander Chutney

I am so excited about this post, because of all the foods I tasted abroad, this is the one that brings back some of the warmest memories. It is a true comfort food in taste and thought.

Chutney definitely has a presence in the US - I've seen it in Indian restaurants as well as in other restaurants that just offer it as a kind of dip. Coconut coriander would probably come off as more exotic or innovate though in the US, while in India, this was the staple kind of chutney. "Plain chutney" basically implied that it was made with coconut and coriander. I ate this for breakfast often with idly, and sometimes if we had leftover I would have it at dinner too. I could expect to see it at every hotel I stayed at in India, as well as at any wedding or group festivity. Everyone eats this stuff, and I totally understand why.

So after learning from the expert (my amma), I took her recipe back to my kitchen in New Jersey and tried to recreate the chutney, I think successfully.

Ingredients:

• one whole coconut, shredded
• whole coriander leaves (lots of them, leave stem on)
• pinch of rock salt (or some variety that is more of a crystal than a powder - I used sea salt)
• 2 small pieces of tamarind (not paste) (I didn't use this in my re-creation)
• 1 green chile, sliced into 3 pieces
• 2 small chunks of fresh ginger
• sprinkle of compounded asafoetida powder*
• water as needed (approx. 1/2 cup)
• 1T olive oil
• 2T black mustard seeds
• 1T yellow dal

1) Crack open the coconut. I read extensively online about how to do this, but none of the methods (back of a knife, hammer) seemed to work for me. I ended up taking it out to my front lawn and throwing it on the sidewalk, which did the trick even though I lost the fresh coconut water inside, which I was looking forward to drinking. I'll try the hammer technique again next time.

2) Shred the coconut. My host parents in India used the shredder you can see in the picture below, and the one after that is my host dad hard at work scraping away at the inside of the coconut. In my world, I used a watermelon scooper and a knife. When you think you've shredded about as much as you can, throw it in the blender.

3) Add the other ingredients to the blender, and blend it all together, stopping to add water as needed.

Look at the fresh green chiles and ginger from my host mom's kitchen...

4) Ok, last step has to be done in a skillet. Heat the olive oil on medium heat, and toss in the black mustard seeds and dal. Let them cook for about 2 minutes, until they get a little toasty and fragrant. Pour the chutney from the blender into a bowl, and stir in the black mustard seeds and dal.

I understand that these are the two ingredients least likely to already be in an American kitchen, but you cannot forgo these when making the recipe. They are the secret ingredient. The mustard seeds add this little crunch, and true Indian chutney is just not the same without it.

For the record, Whole Foods sells whole coconuts. Trader Joe's failed me this time around.

See if you can guess which pictures are from India and which are from the US!

One last anecdote: My host parents from India were in Boston for two months, the first of which overlapped with the end of my trip abroad. They went back this past weekend and I didn't get to see them. I had gotten in contact with them and tentatively planned to go up last Tuesday, but my plans fell through and I was pretty upset that they were going to fly back across the world without getting to see them for a hug and a meal. I know that if I had gone up to Boston, my host mom would have made me this chutney. So instead of being in Boston on Tuesday, I stayed home and made this. Nothing could have made me feel better. I miss India a lot, but all of these flavors brought me right back to the dinner table in Chennai.

*My host mom used this ingredient (asafoetida powder) in everything and I bought some at an Indian food market in New York, but I still can't figure out exactly what it is. If anyone knows, please enlighten me!

South African Baked Beans

My host mom in South Africa made this dish for me and my homestay partner, both vegetarians, a few times while we were there, and it was our favorite. So much flavor and kick, yet still familiar and easy to make!

Ingredients:

• Onion
• Peas
• Carrots
• Corn (I didn't have any, but they should be used!)
• Baked Beans, with sauce
• Chili Powder
• BBQ Spices
• (Or if you don't have a bbq spice mix like me, some variation):
• paprika
• onion powder
• salt and black pepper
• cayenne pepper

How to Make It:

In a pot, put a little bit of olive oil just to keep onions from sticking, and sauté onions until almost cooked. Add in carrots and let them cook, then add peas and corn. I used frozen peas, so I let them defrost in the pot. When the onions are cooked and carrots have softened, add the baked beans. Add the spices and stir. Let cook until heated throughout. Taste and adjust spices accordingly.

Eggplant from India

I'm home!! It's been over four months, but I have finished my study abroad semester and am back in the US of A. My time abroad was incredible, mostly because of the wonderful students I was traveling with and the people I met along the way.

One of the things I missed most while abroad was cooking in my own kitchen. At first, it was definitely  nice to have my host parents to always cook for me - it felt kindof like I was back in high school when I would come home to my mom's home cooked meals every night. But by mid-semester there were dishes I craved that I knew I could only make for myself, and so I have been very entertained cooking up new fun dishes and old classics since I've been back.

While abroad, one of my goals was to learn how to make at least one dish in each country and homestay. I was successful (except that I lost one of my notebooks so I'm missing one of the recipes!). On my quest to now recreate all of the dishes at home, I started by making this simple eggplant dish that I learned in India. I made it here for myself for lunch one day, as a test try before I make it for my family to taste. I used a different kind of eggplant than my host mom in India used (she used little eggplants, definitely will be looking out for them at farmers markets). There are also certain ingredients that Indians use in every dish (black mustard seeds and dal), that I don't have in my kitchen yet, but I'm going to stop by an Indian food store in New York or Iselin so that when I make this recipe again it will be really authentic!

I was also super excited about this recipe because I always fail at making eggplant, and so maybe I've learned the secret!

This picture is of the version I made with my host mom in India (and a picture of my Indian kitchen - so many spices!):

And then this is the version that I made back home:

Ingredients:
(This is what I used in my American version. I'll put up the Indian version ingredients next time I make it).

• Olive oil or sunflower oil (that's up to you how much you want to use)
• 1 large eggplant or several small eggplants, sliced into small pieces
• salt
• 3 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp chili powder

How to Make It:

Soak the eggplant slices in a bowl of water. While they are soaking: In a pan that's large enough so that all eggplant can fit in one layer, heat the oil on medium to high heat. You want a good bit of oil, and you want that pan to be HOT. When the pan is really hot, drain the eggplant and sauté/fry it on the pan. Let them cook for a really long time. (Remember when I mentioned the secret to making eggplant? Well this is it - hot pan, long cook time). When they start to brown/look cooked maybe after 5-10 minutes, add in the salt, coriander powder, and chili powder. Stir, and add water or more oil as needed. Let them brown and cook even more. The eggplant should be a little mushy. Enjoy with rice or naan!

Sweet Kale Salad

I was sauteeing some kale in butter for lunch. I love kale and butter. Actually, I love all dark leafy greens and butter. The greens kindof have a sweet side that comes out, that doesn't work as well and just stays bitter when cooking in oil. Anyway, I realized that eating kale alone doesn't count as lunch, and that in order to call it a "salad," it needed a few more components. Playing off the sweetness, I added in more light and fruity flavors - chopped pear and dried cranberries. They were all very nice compliments.

**This is tagged as vegan - the butter I used was earth balance vegan buttery spread.

Guac-a-holé-molé

I'm kindof shocked that this is the first time I've ever posted guacamole on this blog. It's one of my "specialty" things to make. In fact, my brother and I have this secret plan that if all fails for us in life, we will open up a guacamole shack. Ok, so maybe we made this plan like 6 years ago, but hey, there's still a chance that my life will fail, so I'm going to keep the option open.

This is a pretty simple guac. Sometimes I make fun variations. This is not one of them.

What's Inside:

• 1 avocado, mashed but leaving some chunks (I like it chunky)
• Splash of lemon juice
• Splash of orange juice (who said lemon juice is the only acidic liquid that can be used in guacamole?)
• Chopped tomatoes
• Chopped raw onions
• Basil

Just mix it all together! Don't mash too much! Eat with tortilla chips, in a quesadilla, or I guess if you want to get really crazy, just eat it by the spoonful. Maybe you can even find a bowl that matches with the guac better than mine does!

Farmers Market Salad

This is just a salad that I threw together from lots of fresh ingredients from the farmers market! The lettuce is both mixed greens and fresh frisé. Then it's topped with avocado, chopped cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sliced mozzarella cheese, and ground black pepper. I enjoyed it with an oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.

Israeli Salad

After going to Trader Joe's, the next foodie thing I did in DC was go to the farmers market! (I'm so predictable). I bought cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions, and realized I had just bought the ingredients for the most perfect summer dinner - Israeli salad! Typically, Israeli salad is chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, tossed with lemon juice, a tad of olive oil, salt and pepper. I also added chickpeas into this version, for some protein.

I was really surprised when I checked my archives that I'd never made this before and posted it - Israeli salad is literally one of my favorite dishes. It is so light and refreshing and always a pleasure. My favorite is from Hummus Place in New York. It has become absolutely mandatory that I get at least a side of it every time I eat there. My own salad needs some more practice before it can be as good as theirs!

Summer Salad

Oh right, I have a blog. Sorry for forgetting about you my little readers. I have been living in DC for a little over a month now, and I am having a great time here. I've met really cool people living in my building, and I also really enjoy my internship.

Because of the internship though, my eating patterns have definitely changed a bit. I've had to come up with meals that are more packable, for the sake of bringing food for lunch to work, and I've had to come up with quick bites for dinner, since I'm always super hungry when I get home. I am also working at a vegan restaurant down here, so I have some weird inspiration going on... Between all of the changes I thought I didn't have that much to post, but I just went through my camera and noticed that I've actually cooked a lot! So it will all be up here in the next few weeks, pictures and all.

Anyway, this is the first salad that I made, the day I moved in to DC after I went to trader joe's (obviously, that's the first thing I would do when I move to a new city). There is only one picture, because just when I was snapping it, my roommate walked in, and it was the first time we were meeting. Considering that would be a slightly awkward first impression, me taking a picture of my food, I threw the camera down and exchanged it for a happy greeting smile. I explained the food blog to her later, but for the time, I just ate my salad and got to know my cool roomie.

Stay tuned, I promise there is more to come! Oh and this salad is literally just arugula, feta, and blueberries. and oil and vinegar dressing. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Brussel Sprouts and Leafy Greens Salad

aaaand I'm back! I know I've been away from the blogosphere too long because blogger didn't even remember me :( I went to click "new post," and Mr. Blogger was like, "umm, who do you think you are and what do you think you're doing? SIGN IN!"

ok, that was a little dramatic. but then again, so is this salad (can you call this a salad?) This is basically the result of boredom and a hungry stomach one lovely summer afternoon trapped in my house. My mom had bought a huge bag of brussel sprouts, so I sautéed those in a little oil. And then it didn't look like it was going to be enough for lunch, and I wanted some more flava flave, so I added in some dark leafy greens from a TJs mix (I think it was collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, and something else?) Anyway, all these greens have kick-ass health benefits, even though kale wasn't in the mix and that's the mother of all of them.

When the greens were all sautéed, I whisked together a dressing (olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and mustard), poured it on top, and also mixed in a chopped apple and a small handful of pine nuts.

It looked pretty narsty. I usually try to defend my pictures, but I would say they're pretty accurate this time. But then I bit in, and I was like, oh.my.god. And I called my mom on the phone at work and told her about the delicious "salad" (still not sure if I can call it that) I was eating for lunch. Something about the bitterness of the mustard mixed with the bitterness of the greens, alongside the sweetness of the apple, was just PERFECT. I can't explain it, but this was awesome.

Anyway, I am all settled in DC and did end up cooking just a little bit while I was home the past few weeks, so I'll be posting those recipes the next week or so, and then I will start posting DC deliciousness!

Salad Time

Salads are so hard to photograph. I'm making a mental note for the future to always take a picture before I mix up the salad, so that then you can see what's actually in it! But let me tell you, this one had some pretty good ingredients...

What's Inside

• Arugula
• Avocado (a perfect avocado, might I add)
• Warm Chickpeas
• Pine Nuts
• Feta (tj's lowfat)

See, I told you it has some good stuff.

Tortillas Two Ways: Savory

At night, especially when I'm staying up late to get schoolwork done, I always crave a late night snack. I usually try first to have fruit, like maybe an apple or some berries, and a cup of tea; but sometimes that still isn't cutting it.

"Tortillas two ways" was a creative attempt to make a more filling late night snack, without a lot of extra calories (this is much healthier AND tastier than a bag of chips or a tub of ice cream). Today I'm showing the savory tortilla I made, and tomorrow I'll feature a sweet variation!

What You Need

• one corn tortilla (only 60 calories!)
• olive oil
• feta cheese (mine is TJ's light feta)
• zatar (green spice)

What To Do

On a skillet, heat the tortilla. It is up to you if you want to put oil on the pan first or not, to make the tortilla extra crispy. Drizzle the top of the tortilla with olive oil. Then, as the tortilla is heating, crumble feta and sprinkle zatar on top. The feta will melt, and the zatar will stick to it. When it's all heated and the tortilla is a little crispy, take it off the stove, eat, and let your cravings be filled!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm celebrating over here with some heart-shaped polenta.

Hope everyone has a great day!  :]

(polenta was nommed on along with a spinach, mozzarella, and avocado quesadilla)

Koconut Kale

One of my good friends A recently spent three months in Indonesia. When she came back to America and visited me in New York, she found an Indonesian restaurant among the myriad ethnic restaurants here to fill her cravings.

Everything we ate at the restaurant was delicious, but A mostly pointed out how the dishes are hard for her to replicate at home, because they use hard-to-find ingredients. However, when I mmmmmed at one particularly delicious side dish, A said, "oh, that one I make at home all the time." It was collard greens, simply sautéed in coconut milk, which gave them a creamy delicious taste.

I tried to replicate the same at home, but with kale. It didn't taste quite like the greens in the indo restaurant, but it was still a good side dish.

I went back to school today and start classes tomorrow. I have one more post to share of stuff I made at home, and then I'll be back to good ol' cooking in the small kitchen!

Lentil Hummus

I had a lot of pre made lentils around from TJ's, and was looking for some unique recipes to use them up. I found this recipe for red lentil pate, and decided to try it out. Although I do think that lentil "hummus" sounds much better than lentil "pate." The recipe was really easy to make, especially since the lentils were already cooked. I basically threw the ingredients in a food processor and it was ready. I served it with pita chips, which were a great addition.

Early Thanksgiving

One of the clubs I'm involved with on campus had a potluck Thanksgiving dinner for its board members, before we all go home for Thanksgiving break. The requirements for my dish - something vegetarian, since I didn't know if anyone else was bringing something vegetarian. Something free of nuts and fish, because of allergies of other people at the dinner. And in the end, it had to be something I could make in less than 30 minutes, because of course, that's how long the procrastinator in me left to put something together.

With 30 minutes to spare, I ran to the supermarket and bought a bunch of asparagus, and tossed it in olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper (sound familiar? cough brussels sprouts cough...). Then I baked them in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until they were softened and starting to crisp. People enjoyed them, and I think enjoyed having something green on the table!

Brussels Sprouts

I'm always impressed when people can take the vegetables with the worst reputations, and make them taste delicious. One such case was a year or two ago when I was at Ssam Bar, a restaurant downtown owned by David Chang, where I had the most delicious brussels sprouts of my life - the were perfectly cooked, were spicy, and had a bit of a crunch to them. Now every time I make brussels sprouts I try to remake those as much as I can.

What I Used
Brussels Sprouts (mine are from the farmers market)
EVOO
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
pepper

How To Make It
Cut the brussels sprouts into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Then toss in the other ingredients, and let marinate for at least a few hours. When you're ready to make them, set the oven to 350, and let them cook until the outsides start to crisp, and they are soft on the inside.

S'mashed Potatoes

Did you know that the difference between mashed potatoes and smashed potatoes is that smashed ones have the skin on them? Hence the s? I didn't know this until I was looking through recipes yesterday to make some of this deliciousness!

I bought the potatoes from a local farmers market, and this dish was perfect to eat on a snowy day. After a long recipe search, I settled on using this recipe from Food Network, except I substituted skim milk for the half & half it calls for. I ate my mashed potatoes along with a veggie burger!

Asparagus & Israeli Couscous

All summer I loved grilling and broiling asparagus, but now that it's fall, I decided a change was in order, and made it a little differently. First I chopped the asparagus into smaller pieces, and then I marinated the pieces in olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and chopped garlic. When it was dinner time, I sauteed the marinated asparagus with onions, and ate over Israeli couscous!

I think what I liked best about this was how the vegetable was the main feature of the dish, and the grain the supplement. However, I have to say that I still prefer my asparagus broiled or grilled, and will probably switch back to that next time I make it!

Parmesan Crusted Polenta

Mmmm, I don't think I can describe how much I love this dish and how easy it is to make! If you've never had polenta, it is a must try. Polenta is made from cornmeal, and has a creamy texture that is very comforting. Polenta can be made in a soupy way, almost like grits, or like this, where you buy the polenta in a log-shape. I usually buy it this way because it's super easy to cut up and prepare!

What You Need
Polenta (1 log)
olive oil
Parmesan cheese

How to Make It
Cut the log of polenta into thin slices. Lay the slices out on tin foil on a broiling sheet, in a single layer. Brush the top of each one with olive oil, and the sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Then broil for about 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the polenta get crispy.

You can also make this on the grill in the summer, or on a frying pan.

I enjoyed my polenta for dinner with an organic tomato and roasted red pepper soup!