Stuffed Bitter gourd /Karela

My mom makes these often , so i have had them for my whole life... but there is something to this recipe that never let the flavors out of fashion. Gourds for some do not ring appetising but i'll say try this family favorite  and maybe you discover your refined palate finally :)

Tamarind chutney

The soul of Indian chaat is how i'll describe this chutney. Mostly used as a dash of garnish, the tang in the tamarind brings together the flavors unlike any other. And the innate versatility of the same lends to it's wide usage.   

Ingredients:

100gms Tamarind 

11/2 tsp roasted cumin powder

1/2 tsp  black salt/ kala namak

1/2 tsp red chilli pwder

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground ginger powder

 salt and granulated sugar to taste

Soak the tamarind in some water and microwave for 2-3 mins. Let it cool and strain the pulp out.

To the pulp add rest of the spices and bring to one boil.Add some water to loosen consistency.

Use it to garnish over samosa chaat , dahi bhalle/ bade and the likes..i  lately tried some over nachos too.

Pineapple fried rice

A sweet and savory ten minute fix.

Ingredients:

¾ cup rice, cooked (texture : light and fluffed)

scallions / green onions - 3

red bell pepper small, 1

garlic 3-4 cloves, grated

1/4 tsp grated Ginger 

10 oz pineapple chunks (grilled or otherwise)

1/4 tsp chopped jalapeno

Spices:

2 tsp canola oil

½ tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Scallions to garnish. 

Put oil, add grated garlic and ginger, sautee . Further add scallions. Stir till translucent , Add pineapple pieces and red bell peppers .sautee for a minute.

Add spices and saute some more. Add cooked rice and lightly mix .Server with garniosh of scallions.

You'll be blown away with the surprising flavors.

Spinach with cottage cheese ~ Palak paneer

A favorite North Indian main course eaten with naan or roti. .

Recently i had my cousin cook this for us. The extra love to his recipe was the use of nutmeg powder and here's my take on the dish very much inspired by him.

Serves- 8

Ingredients:
2 Fresh bunches of spinach, cleaned blanched and grounded
2 big red onions, halfed and then cut in thirds
6-9 cloves  of garlic, sliced thin
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 green chillies , slit and quartered
2-3  roma tomatoes, cubed
1 tsp tomato ketchup
Paneer/ cottage cheese, cubed and sauteed
1/2 a lemon. deseeded

For the masala/ gravy :
1/2 tsp ghee / clarified butter
2 tsp canola oil
11/2 tsp nutmeg powder
half a stick of cinnamon
1-2 green cardamoms
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ground roasted cumin powder
3/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander powder
salt to taste
4-5 tsp half and half cream

Take a small pan with the ghee and heat. Add whole cumin seeds,cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick , cardamoms. Let the cumin splutter, remove from heat. Take a deep bigger pan now and add onions, garlic , ginger and  chillies - saute on high heat till brown and caramelized.Mix nutmeg powder. Add the small pan whole masala to the bigger pan.Now to the bigger pan add the cubed tomatoes , mix and simmer. After 5-10 mins , add ketchup. Now add rest of the spices. Mix and cook for 10-12 minutes till a film of oil surfaces adding a sprinkle of water in between if needed.

Mix cooked grounded spinach and sauteed cottage cheese pieces. Add half and half cream and mix. Cook till  a boil and remove from heat. Add lemon juice.

And vala, the dish is done.

Fragrant and worth the effort. Yum.

Tip : To keep spinach or any other vegetable green -- make sure as the chlorophyll cooks , the carbon dioxide filled steam so created either escapes the pot by keeping the lid open or u blanch  in loads of salted water ( 1oz of salt per 4 cups of water) as the salt creates a wall around the spinach and thus stops the carbon dioxide from interacting with the vegetable.

Stewed apples with light cream

Farewells are never sweet. This dessert warms sweetens and soothes your palate after a heavy main course. So simple yet so sophisticated.

Ingredients:
2 granny smith apples,thinly sliced (or any tart and sweet apple)
1 tsp low fat butter
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
11/2 tsp cinnamon powder
4 tsp brown sugar (depends on how tart the apples are)

Granish:
silvered almonds
3 tsp half and half or light cream

Take a nonstick pan, add butter. Once the butter melts, add the spices and sugar. Stir for a minute. Add the  freshly sliced apples and stir again to coat. Cover and let them simmer for 10-15 mins(thinly sliced apples cook faster). Sprinkle drops of water instaed of additional butter, if it gets sticky.

Serve hot with a garnish of almonds and chilled half and half in individual bowls. Awesome !!