Grapes and Raisin Chutney

Being a student couple, we have every possible constraint on Earth applied to our lives. Don't believe me? Well, you better do :D I absolutely abhor whining, and I am not going to list out what I feel lacks in my life, coz its MY LIFE! And I wouldn't have wanted it any other way! Mmm maybe a few tweaks here n there, that's all ;)

And it has made me a more conscious human being, for the better. I am extremely grateful for that. I have seen people who have a lot of disposable income and splurge and waste like there is no tomorrow and feel entitled because of their money. Well, to each his own. We are (try to be, at least) extremely thrifty and minimalist, stick to our budgets most months, and try to never waste any foodstuff.

I got a bunch of green grapes last week from the vegetable vendor, and they turned out to be extremely sour! SS is not fond of sour fruits as it is, and I couldn't eat them too. But I didn't want to waste them as well - so I put on my lab coat and experimented with this tangy n sweet green grapes and raisin chutney! 

You will be licking the stirring spoon, I bet! I was ;)

Ingredients

Green grapes, slit in half - 200 grams (or as many as you have)

Chopped Raisins ~ 10-15 

Cumin Seeds (zeera )- 1 tsp

Fennel Seeds (saunf) - 1 tsp

Turmeric (haldi) - 0.5 tsp

Table salt - 0.5 tsp

Rock salt (kala namak) - 0.5 tsp

Sugar / Jaggery - as per taste

Optional:

Red chilli powder (lal mirch) - 0.5 tsp

Dried mint powder - 0.5 tsp

Directions

1. In a pan, heat some oil / ghee.

2. Sizzle fennel seeds and cumin for ~10 seconds.

3. Pour in the grapes and raisins together in the pan.

4. Add salt and turmeric. Cover the pan and let the concoction cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

5. The grapes would have released their juices by now. Uncover the pan, add rock salt and red chilli powder.

6. Cook the mix further for a few more minutes. You will notice it dehydrating and coming together in a jam-like texture.

7. When the grapes and raisins have almost cooked, add sugar in the end. Keep the heat at medium all this while and keep checking if it needs any more water.

8. Give one final stir, add dried mint powder.

Tangy finger licking chutney ready!! Easy peasy!

Notes

If your grapes are very sour, you might need to add more sugar or jaggery. 

Keep an eye on the consistency of the chutney all the time -- we don't want it to burn yet don't want it too watery. It should be like the raw mango chutney made in summers

The inspiration for this chutney comes from the raw mango chutney called "launji" often made in our homes during summers! I figured I can substitute the tartness of raw mangoes with green grapes -- you can follow the exact same procedure with any other fruit too! Tomatoes, kiwis, oranges maybe as well?

Sangeeta from one of my favourite blogs "banaras ka khana" also makes this sans raisins - http://www.banaraskakhana.com/2013/03/angoor-ki-chutney-green-grapes-chutney.html

Tastes best served with theplas, stuffed parathas, pooris!

If you try this, do let me know! I would love to hear from you :)

Savory Oats Porridge

SS is a kid at heart. No, I really mean it! I love it for the most part coz he is a gentle giant, but that also translates to having certain culinary likes and dislikes, sigh. Give him potatoes and rice any day, and he is a happy camper.

Gradually, he has changed to a considerably flexible eater though still not as easy-going as I am. Some of it has been by force, some by choice !! Though it has made me more relaxed, but has also forced me to be more innovative to find new ways to present stuff which will appeal to his eyes and taste buds. Hence, the loaded-with-veggies dishes that I make often to incorporate all the variety that I can for him! No complaints though, I am indulgent about it -- slow progress is still progress! :P

I often tell people I already have 2 kids -- SS and my brother AG, and these two I pamper the most. This recipe is the culmination of one such experiment; to try something non-sweet for breakfast, hoping it will appeal to both of them :)

Ingredients

Quick cooking oats - 1 cup (I used Saffola quick oats)

Onion - 1 medium

Tomatoes - 1 medium

Carrots - 0.25 cup

Peas - 0.25 cup

Green chilli - 1, finely diced

Water - 2.5 cup

Cumin Seeds (jeera) - 1 tsp

Turmeric - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Recipe

1. In a frying pan, heat some ghee. Fry some cumin seeds for a while.

2. Add onions and saute them till translucent. Do not turn them pink.

3. Add tomatoes, and fry them together till a little mushy. Add some salt to expedite the process.

4. Add peas, carrots and any other seasonal vegetables you would like to incorporate.

Fresh green peas are a delight to cook with :)

5. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes till the vegetables turn soft.

6. Add oats, water, salt and turmeric. Bring to a boil.

7. Cover and cook for about 4 minutes or till oats cook. Make sure they do not stick to the bottom of the pan.

8. Add some more water and boil further if you would like a thinner consistency, else keep it as it is.

9. Voila! Savoury oats porridge ready!

Notes

Put in each and every vegetable you can lay your hands on -- with winters going on in India, it is a veritable wonderland of vegetables. It also makes for an extremely healthy and filling dish.

You can choose seasonings as per taste - oregano, thyme, Italian herbs, whatevers appeal to you and your family.

Oats are known to reduce cholesterol and are an extremely good source of slow digesting complex carbohydrates, which keep you fuller for longer. Combine them with vegetables and you have a power-packed meal - proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber!

This is also a very quick meal to prepare; as you would notice are most of the recipes on our blog!

How do you like your porridge? Savoury, sweet or both? Would you like to see more oats recipes? I would be very happy to hear from you!

Sending this recipe to Srivalli's event Come, join us for Breakfast ~ January Event Announcement! | Cooking 4 all Seasons. This will be my first blogging event!

Minimalist Tuesdays 2.0: Rustic Baingan Bharta (spicy eggplant mash)

Some recipes are like old friends; you don't bother about them for aeons but when you need reassurance and the feeling of security that all is well in the world, they come to your rescue. Simple, rustic, fuss-free, always there. Every. single. time.

This baingan bharta is one such unassuming dish. One can even wonder as to why should it have a place of pride on the blog. To me, this brings the comforting scent of childhood, the feeling of sitting with my parents around our small dining table, my mom and my amma (grandmom) making this for us. 

As such, there is no "one" recipe for any dish. Heck, what we often know as a "recipe" is more often than not one's own way of making their dish, which pleases their palette the most. Cooking a dish is intuitive, you make what you want to and like to eat -- and there is no formula. 

SS is not fond of aubergines/ eggplants. But then there are some things you need to do for yourself. For the days when nostalgia hits hard, this recipe can carry your through your day.

Deliciousness guaranteed! Minimal ingredients, maximum taste!

Ingredients:

Eggplants: 2 medium

Onions: 2 medium

Tomatoes: 3 large

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Turmeric: 0.5 tsp

Coriander Powder: 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Recipe:

1. Wash the eggplants and pat them dry. Apply a little oil on their outside, and poke several holes in them with a fork.

2. In a microwave safe container, put them in the microwave on its highest power setting (microwave mode). Time it for 8 minutes.

3. After 4 minutes, take out the container and rotate the eggplants a little for even roasting.

4. Take out after the next 4 minutes, and let them cool. They should be soft to touch, a knife will be able to go inside them easily. 

5. Peel them and mash them well.

6. In a frying pan, heat some oil.

7. Sizzle cumin seeds.

8. Add onions and fry them till pink. 

9. Add the tomatoes. Fry the mixture till soft and mushy.

10. Add the mashed eggplant.

11. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt as per taste.

12. Mix everything well and let it cook on medium flame for another 5-7 mins in the pan, with its lid covered.

Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot with chapatis!

Notes:

DO NOT forget to poke holes! You don't want a burst eggplant inside your oven now, do you ?!

You can also add garam masala and a little lemon juice in the end for a different taste.

Reduce/ increase the number of onions and tomatoes depending on your palette. I like mine tangy hence more tomatoes.

Traditionally, eggplants are charred over an open flame for that smoky flavour. I don't have an open flame, hence microwave roasting is the next best option.

To mash, some people also churn the peeled eggplant in a blender for a smooth texture. Your pick! Smooth or chunky, whatever floats your boat. As I said, no formulae :)

This is one of my favourite recipes. Simple and super easy. How do you like yours? We would love to hear from you! Please drop in a line in the comments below :)

Serene Saturdays: Semolina Toast

Weekends are for contemplation, weekends are for sleeping in and lazy breakfasts...weekends are for planning ahead to be able to eat healthily during the week, with a caveat....

SS & I refuse to go on a "diet". We absolutely refuse to eat tasteless, bland, insipid food in the name of health. Not for us the GM or the Atkins diet. A wholesome, fresh breakfast bursting with seasonal flavours is right up our alley, this is our idea of healthy!

This recipe combines my love for taste with health. Plus, it takes barely 10 minutes to make while you get ready. It goes well on days when you are in a hurry (who isn't?), are also super hungry, yet want to eat a quick home-made meal. Fold it up like a wrap in a tissue paper and rush out the door to your professor's office! 

It also serves as a good post-workout snack, or for those late night hunger pangs. Win win!

Ingredients:

Whole wheat bread slices: 10. We lost count :P

Semolina (sooji): 0.75 cup. Any measuring cup will do, make sure you keep the "cup" same for other ingredients too, for any given recipe.

Milk cream (malai): 0.5 cup

Curd: 1 cup

Assortment of shredded vegetables: onions, shredded carrots, beetroot, capsicum, lauki, cucumber, go the whole hog!

Salt to taste

Recipe:

1. Make a mixture of curd, semolina and milk cream. If the mixture looks too dry, add some milk or water little by little.

2. Add salt as per taste and all the shredded vegetables.

3. Let the mixture rest for approximately 30 minutes.

This is an important step which allows the semolina to swell, and the vegetables to leave their moisture and get marinated.

4. You can adjust the consistency of the spread as per your preference. I keep it thick, like peanut butter. 

5. Heat the frying pan to medium heat. In our induction cooktop, it translates to ~700 W.

6. Apply the spread on one side of the bread slice. Put it spread-side down on the pan. I don't use oil to crisp it since milk cream releases its fats; you can use desi ghee/ canola oil as per taste.

7. Flip the toast after 2 minutes, and crisp the bread from the other side.

8. Serve hot with ketchup!

Notes:

If you are lactose intolerant or would not want to use milk cream, you can substitute it completely with curd.

Experiment with the toppings! Omit and include any vegetables you wish to. Just make sure they are finely diced. You can also put oregano, chilli flakes or any herbs of your choice.

This spread is delicious-er when kept overnight and made the next morning for breakfast. Make sure you keep it covered to prevent it from drying out.

The spread stays in the fridge safely for 2-3 days, but do not keep it for too long due to the presence of milk products. You can make it in a jiffy in 10 minutes.

Do you enjoy leisurely breakfasts or quickies like above? What are your favourite breakfast recipes? Let us know in the comments below! 

Sending this recipe to Srivalli's event Come, join us for Breakfast ~ January Event Announcement! | Cooking 4 all Seasons. This will be my first blogging event!

Minimalist Tuesdays 1.0: Hearty Egg Curry

We love eggs in this household. Herald of winters means a slew of cravings to constantly eat something hot; and this recipe comes to the rescue everytime. This is a staple in our home and we make it atleast once every week, sometimes even twice when we have leftover curry.

This is one of SS's favorites; also we being primarily vegetarians, this is a very good protein source! I had not eaten egg curry prior to marriage and now I cannot seem to get enough of it.

Goes well with both chapati and rice. We are chapati lovers to the core :) Egg curry + chapati with ghee = heaven!

Ingredients:

4 hard boiled eggs. Slit in half.

Onion: 2 medium

Tomatoes: 4 large

Green chillies: 4

Ginger: 1 inch piece

Garlic: 6-8 cloves

Cumin Seeds: 1/4 tsp

Turmeric: 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp
Coriander Powder: 1 tsp
Garam Masala: 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Milk: 1/2 tea cup

To garnish: Fresh coriander leaves, dry mint leaves

Directions

1. Finely chop 1 onion and 1 tomato, keep it aside.

2. Using an immersion blender, blend 1 onion, 3 tomatoes, green chillies, ginger and garlic together. 

3. In a frying pan, heat some ghee / butter / canola oil.

4. When hot, sizzle cumin seeds for ~10 seconds.

5. Fry onions till translucent and slightly soft.

6. Pour in the diced tomatoes. Fry the onion tomato mixture till mushy.

7. Add the blended tomato puree from step 2. Add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Fry, till the spices get imbued in the mix, and the masala looks a little grainy or "daanedaar".

8. Add salt and some water and bring to a boil. Adjust quantity of water as per consistency desired.

9. Add the milk. You can also omit it or add coconut milk as per taste.

10. Add slit eggs. Garnish with dry mint and fresh coriander leaves.

11. EAT!

Voila! Jhatpat (quick) egg curry, ready. This is a permanent in my repertoire, hopefully will be in yours too!!

Notes:

We always keep boiled eggs in our fridge for a quick snack. If you have them, this is a very easy recipe which requires no prior preparations. 

While boiling eggs, put a pinch of salt in the water. This prevents the albumin from leaking out.

Adding both the puree as well as onions and tomatoes separately ensures that the sauce has some "body", it is neither too runny nor too thick.

It is also a very robust and no-fuss recipe - you can have no idea of what to put beside onions and tomatoes, and it will come out delicious every time. No puree, no worry. Enjoy dry egg masala!

You can also tweak according to your taste; add coconut milk for a little extra sweetness or omit the milk entirely for a spicy, punjabi style egg curry.

Do you have any particular way of enjoying egg curry? Does this dish speak to you too? Share your story and tips in the comments!!

Last Meal On Earth

Apologies for the morose title. I assure you the post is anything but.

It is indescribably cold where we currently reside. And though both of us have been born and brought up in north India, every year it only seems to get colder in winters and I have to acclimatize from scratch. Brrrrrrrrr.

Seeking refuge in heavy blankets and multiple layers of clothing is, well, not always prudent. When such bleary days strike and I am chilled to my bones, the only thing I want to eat is comfort food - something which goes from one's tongue straight to the soul :) 

And if my faculties will allow me to control it, I would want this to be my very last meal on Earth. Here is my favourite recipe of all times and food I consider fit for the Gods! Rajma Chawal!

Without much further ado, here it goes.

Dry Rajma Beans (Red Kidney Beans): 3 fistfuls per person

Dry Ingredients:

Heeng (Asafoetida): A Pinch

Zeera (Cumin Seeds): One teaspoon (tsp)

Tejpatta (Bay Leaves): 2, broken into small pieces

Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp or as per taste

Haldi (Turmeric Powder): 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Garam Masala - 1/2 tablespoon (tbsp)

Amchoor Powder (Dry Mango Powder) - 1 tsp

Dhaniya Powder (Coriander Powder) - 2 tsp

Ghee (clarified butter): 3 tbsp

For the puree:

Tomatoes: 4

Onions: 1 medium

Garlic: 7-8 cloves

Garlic: 1 inch piece, cleaned and cut small

Green Chillies: As per taste. I took 5 for a mild curry.

In a blender, blend the above to a smooth puree, keep aside

Recipe:

1. Soak the beans overnight, for 7-8 hours at the very least. 

If making in a hurry, or for sudden guests, you can soak them for 2 hours in hot water.

2. Soaked beans will be a little soft to touch after 8 hours. Drain the water, rinse again.

3. Take as much water as you want for the curry's "thickness". I take almost a litre of water for 6 fistfuls of beans. Add salt and turmeric.

4. Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles - 1 high, 5 medium (should take about 20-25 minutes on an induction cooktop), more if soaked for less time. Let the pressure release on its own. 

Rajma should be soft to touch but not squishy; we will cook it more.

5. In the meanwhile, take 3 tsp ghee in an iron pan. Heat it, not to smoking.

6. Sizzle a pinch of heeng.

7. Immediately add bay leaves, fry them enough to release aroma.

8. Add cumin seeds and red chilly powder. Let them sizzle, in hot ghee this takes around 10 seconds.

9.  Pour this concoction in the pressure cooker, on top of the rajma.

10. Mix the tomato puree in the beans, directly in the pressure cooker. 

Conventional method by my mom and mom-in-law says you should saute the puree before adding to the beans. I have a small iron pan fit for my induction cooktop and the puree splutters when I try to saute it, creating a mess! Not sauteing the puree does not take away from the taste, in any way (IMHO). I also prefer milder curries.

11. Add dhaniya powder, garam masala, amchoor powder.

12. Close the lid of the cooker. Cook for 6 whistles - 1 high, 5 medium.

13. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, when pressure releases.

Enjoy with hot rice, roti or parathas :) We prefer rice. It makes for a nice one pot meal - eat it while editing a paper! 

We also make enough curry to last us one more time with roti.

Dig In! No better food to chase away the blues! 

What would YOU want to be your last meal on Earth? We would love to hear your stories :)

Hello From Us to You :)

Click on "create"...no no, be practical..but I really want to do this :o

No! Are you crazy! At the fag end of your thesis, you sure want to do this?

Yeah...I ..umm....Eff it, let's do this!

Above is the snippet of a conversation between the practical me and the foodie me. Former attempting to bring me back from the brink of insanity and the latter asking me to take a leap of faith. Yes, we like to use big words and dramatize :D

Hello, blogging world! Even though extremely late to the party (called blogging), we are very happy to be blogging finally. I will admit, "I" am very happy. The husband SS is just plain skeptical. Hmph to him.

We are a student couple, pursuing our theses currently. As much as we enjoy researching (or not), we enjoy eating, cooking, and travelling as much if not more. Football and food are religion in this household. Since we both are students, we are also broke! At the same time, eating healthy and working out is non-negotiable to the both of us; hence we attempt to cook everyday in our small studio apartment, a few utensils keeping us company and a trusty old induction cooker wheezing its way through! Not to forget a very abused yet loyal microwave.

We cook to please ourselves. Being well-fed keeps us happy and kicking! In our mostly chaotic lives, cooking in our uber-small kitchenette keeps us sane and connected. Lucky to have been blessed with moms who are exceptional cooks, we think we have big shoes to fill. I hope they too will grace the blog sometime in the future!

As much as this is cathartic for me, I hope this is enjoyable to you too. Let fun times begin!

-- SS & TG