Olive Tapenade

Olive Tapenade, the name sounds so exotic! And the ingredient list is mouth watering. The first time I tasted it I fell in love. I had never used capers at home back then but I wanted to try the tapenade. My homemade version came out pretty good. And then I forgot all about it. A couple weeks back my daughter came home for summer. I spent a good deal of time listing all the dishes I would cook while she was home. I came across this old recipe and decided it had to go on the list.

As it happened I made sourdough crackers the day I made the Tapenade. It made the perfect spread for the crackers for an afternoon snack. I am glad I got all my pictures before I let the family eat it because there wasn't enough left for pictures!

When my daughter was little I worked hard to help her broaden her palate. Living in the US we have access to a variety of foods from all over the world, both restaurants and grocery stores. Luckily for me most Moms I interacted with were like me and that made it so much easier. Today she can appreciate a variety of tastes and foods. She is always excited to try something new and that makes it a pleasure to cook.

 You will need
6 oz Black medium olives
6 oz Green medium olives
5 tbsp. capers
1 clove garlic
2-3 sprigs flat leave parsley, I used cilantro
fresh ground black pepper

Mince the olives, capers, garlic and parsley. Combine with the other ingredients.

Update: I tried this again with a few variations and liked it even better. Added 1 6 oz. can of black and 1 6 oz. can of green medium sized pitted olives. These were minced and added to the recipe. Instead of 2 tbsp. capers I used 5 tbsp. of capers. The rest of the ingredients remained the same. This added a lot of depth to the Tapenade as the flavors of the different olives and finally the capers and garlic unfolded with each bite. I have updated the ingredient list.

Enjoy!

Green Bell Pepper Chutney

One day when I was looking up bell peppers I saw a chutney made with not red but green bell peppers. It looked amazing and I loved its texture. I was not very sure about the taste. I have a lot of recipes using red bell pepper on this space but I use green bell pepper sparingly. It is not my daughter's favorite so I usually use it with other vegetables, not as the star of the dish. But I knew I had to try this Green Bell Pepper chutney someday. Well, last week I was reading the Blogging Marathon group blogs and I saw this chutney on Nisha's space. She blogs at the Magic Saucepan and has some awesome recipes. I bookmarked it and asked Alexa (Amazon Echo) to add green bell peppers to my grocery list.

On Memorial Day, my daughter and I had to run out for some errands and when I got back it was too late to cook my planned lunch menu. I made a quick mixed vegetable rice and needed something to go with it. This bookmarked chutney seemed perfect and it was done while the rice cooked. I made one change to the original recipe. I added lime juice to it. The taste profile was perfect.

You will need
1 green bell pepper
1/4 white onion
a handful of roasted unsalted peanuts
1 tbsp. tamarind paste or pulp of a quarter sized ball of tamarind
2 dried chili peppers
salt to taste
1 tbsp. oil, I used olive oil
1 tbsp. lime juice

Tempering
1 tsp. oil, I used olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 small dried red chili pepper
2-3 curry leaves, I ran out so skipped them

If using tamarind pulp, soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water for about an hour. Squeeze out the pulp from the soaked tamarind and discard the seeds and skin. Keep aside.

Dice the onion and separately, roughly chop the green bell pepper. Keep aside until needed.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the tamarind and onion. Let it cook for a 4-5 minutes on medium heat until the onion is cooked. Remove the tamarind and onion from the pan and keep aside to cool. Add the dried red chili pepper and return the pan to heat for about a minute or two. Remove the chili pepper and keep it aside with the onion. Add the green bell pepper and roasted peanuts. Let them cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until they change color. Turn of heat and let all the ingredients cool. When cooled grind them all together to a coarse paste. Do not leaves any chunks but do not grind it to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Heat the oil for tempering in a small pan and add the mustard seeds and urad dal. When the seeds sizzle and urad dal starts to turn color. turn off heat. Add the asafoetida, chili pepper and the curry leaves. Let the pan cool. Add the lime juice and tempering to the dal and mix it well.

Enjoy!

Red Pepper Hummus

We love the flavor red bell pepper brings to any food it is added to. I am always trying to find, create and make recipes with this vegetable. The family loves it. A couple years back we went to Disney World. We had dinner at a restaurant called Sanaa in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. There we ordered a platter of flatbread and were served red pepper hummus as one of the dips. We fell in love with the hummus and I wanted to recreate it at home.

I roasted the bell pepper and used it in my recipe for hummus. The result was tasty, fresh hummus. If you like red bell peppers and you like hummus then try this combo.

You will need
1 red bell pepper (small to medium)
1 cup garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt to taste

Soak the bean overnight in water. Pressure cook the next day for 10 minutes. When depressurized remove the beans and let them cool. 

Wash and dry the red bell pepper. Stick a fork into it and place directly over the flame of your stove. Keep rotating the pepper as it is charred. When it turns black on all sides wrap in an aluminium foil and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile roast the sesame seeds, cool and grind to a powder. Peel the garlic pods and roughly chop them. 

In a food processor combine the cooked beans, garlic, lime juice, sesame seeds and olive oil. Remove the pepper from the foil and rub gently to peel off the skin. Cut it open and remove the seeds. Chop coarsely and add it to the food processor. Grind to a fine paste. 

Roast the cumin seeds and pound to a powder. Mix in the cumin powder, paprika and salt to taste.

Enjoy!

Chinchechi Chutney / Imli Chutney / Tamarind Chutney

A very versatile chutney that is used to flavor chaat. It has a tangy sweet flavor that makes it finger linking good. I have wanted to add a separate post for this chutney for a while now but every time I make it I forget to click pictures. Today I finally decided to take picture with whatever was left over.

I used dates and jaggery in the tamarind chutney. I like the thick sweet texture and taste of the dates. You could add sugar if you did not have dates on hand.

You will need
1 orange size ball tamarind
12 dates
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin powder
1/4 tsp. kala namak or rock salt
salt to taste

In a microwavable mixing bowl bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Break up and add the tamarind to the water. Keep aside for 30 minutes. In another microwavable bowl bring a cup of water to a boil. Add the dates and let them soak for 5-10 minutes. Blend the dates to a puree in a blender. Keep aside.

After 30 minutes rub the tamarind in the water to squeeze out all the pulp. Pour the liquid through a strainer and discard the pulp. In a pan bring the tamarind juice to a boil. Add the date puree, paprika, cumin powder, rock salt and salt. Add half a cup of water.

Let the chutney cook until it thickens and the flavors blend together. Adjust seasoning. If the chutney is too tart you may add a little sugar. Turn off heat and cool completely.

 

Enjoy!

Pudina Chutney / Mint Chutney (2)

Chutney with the fragrance of mint or pudina is very refreshing and adds a lovely flavor to chaats. I already have one recipe for pudina chutney in this space. This is a variation without peanuts.

You will need
1 bunch pudina (mint) leaves

1 bunch cilantro leaves

1 Serrano pepper (or more if you like it really hot)

salt to taste

In a blender grind the pudina, cilantro and Serrano pepper with a little water. Add salt to taste. This chutney should be a little watery so it can be mixed into the bhel.

Tomato Salsa

This is a very quick and easy spicy tomato salsa that can be used as a dip or as part of a meal to add zing to a bite if needed.

Boil 2 tomato and a Serrano pepper together. Mash or puree with a one clove garlic and 2 tbsp. onion. Add salt to taste.

Hummus

Homemade hummus has such a refreshingly fresh taste! All it takes is chickpeas that are soaked overnight and ground to a paste with spices. Hummus is high in protein and flavor. It makes a great snack with baked pita chips (chips made with pita bread). That is my daughter's favorite snack when she gets back from school. In fact I had to bake chips with my fresh made pita bread so she could have pita chips and hummus.



Hummus spread in a pita with vegetables and or falafel is a favorite in my house. If you have never tried it you really should as you are missing out.

You will need
1 cup garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt to taste

Soak the bean overnight in water. Pressure cook the next day for 10 minutes. When depressurized remove the beans and let them cool. Meanwhile roast the sesame seeds, cool and grind to a powder. Peel the garlic pods and roughly chop them. In a food processor combine the cooked beans, garlic, lime juice, sesame seeds and olive oil. Grind to a fine paste. Roast the cumin seeds and pound to a powder. Mix in the cumin powder, paprika and salt to taste.

Chettinad Tomato chutney

Tangy and spicy tomato chutney can be used as an accompaniment to a lot of different dishes. There are so many variations of this chutney. I have already posted two variations a basic tomato chutney and a tomato chutney with peanuts. But I could not resist the temptation of trying this Chettinad Tomato Chutney after I saw it last month on Usha's blog My Spicy Kitchen.

This chutney uses tamarind and chilies and is fairly easy to put together.

You will need
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, shelled and minced
1 tbsp. channa dal
2 tbsp. oil
3 Roma tomatoes or 2 salad tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp. paprika
salt to taste
1 tsp. tamarind paste

For the tempering
3 tbsp. oil
1 dry red chili pepper
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1/4 tsp. asafoetida
3-4 curry leaves

Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions, garlic and channa dal until soft and slightly brown. Add the tomatoes, paprika and salt to taste. Cook until the tomatoes are mushy.

In a blender combine the cooked tomato mixture and tamarind paste. Blend to a paste. In a separate pan heat oil for the tempering and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle turn off the heat and add the other ingredients. Pour it over the tomato paste. Mix well.

Enjoy!

Podanlangkai Chutney (Snake gourd Chutney)

Today I am posting a recipe from Pondicherry. Every day this month I will post a recipe from a different state in India.

Pondicherry is a little Union Territory on the eastern shore of India in Tamil Nadu. It was once a French colony and some people like to continue to keep the French influence in the former colony.

When I finished grad school I took a job in Bangalore and lived with my uncle and aunt. My aunt was very active in the local Marathi Mandal (club). I helped with their annual play and got to know her whole group. Every year her group went on a trip and that year they picked Pondicherry . I was asked if I would like to go along and I jumped at the chance.

Pondicherry is a pretty place and we were there for only a day and a half. One of the things I distinctly remember is going to the beach to watch the sun rise over the water. I had to keep reminding myself that the sun was rising and not setting. Having grown up in Goa on the western coast I had never seen the sun rise over the sea.

I had trouble finding recipes for Pondicherry. I found a Google book and really liked the mango chutney but decided not to replicate those recipes. Then I found a piece in the metro section of the newspaper Hindu. They were featuring a series of recipes from Pondicherry and that is where I found this recipe.

My first question was what is snakegourd and how will I find it? As luck would have it my next visit to the Indian store solved that problem. They had a fresh shipment of snake gourd and I realized after looking at it why it is called snake gourd. I picked up the smallest of the lot.

You will need
1 snake gourd
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. urad dal
5-6 curry leaves
1 dried red chili pepper
1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
1 1/2 fl. oz. coconut milk
salt to taste

Wash and peel the snake gourd. Cut it in half and remove the seeds. Julienne the pulp. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and the red chili pepper.

When the mustard seeds crackle add the snake gourd and salt. Cover and cook until tender but not mushy.

Add the coconut milk and tamarind paste and bring it to a boil.

Turn off heat.

 

Serve hot.

Chivda Chutney

Chivda Chutney is a classic chutney made with Maharashtrian favorites peanuts, sesame seeds and dry coconut flakes. It is used as a condiment and adds a special flavor to any meal.

I had never tasted this chutney before. I found it in an old cook book. The combination of the ingredients made me want to try it.

You will need
1/4 cup roasted ground peanuts
1/4 sesame seeds
1/4 cup dry coconut flakes
1 tsp. lime juice
1/2 Serrano pepper, deseeded and minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste

You will need peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut flakes in equal proportions. You can increase or decrease the amount.

Add the olive oil and lime juice to a pan and heat it. When heated add the Serrano pepper.

Now add the peanuts, then sesame seeds and lastly the coconut flakes. Season with salt. Roast on low flame until they turn crispy.

Turn off flame and transfer contents from the hot pan.

Cool completely before storing. This chutney can be stored for about a week.

Ambal (Yellow Pumpkin Chutney)

Today I am posting a recipe from Jammu and Kashmir. Every day this month I will post a recipe from a different state in India.

Ambal is a dish made mainly by the dogra people from Jammu and Himachal Pradesh. It is made with yellow pumpkin and has a sweet and sour taste. This recipe has been adapted from here.

You will need
1 cup cubed yellow pumpkin
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1 dried red chili pepper
a few drops of tamarind paste
1/2 tsp. jaggery
salt to taste

Heat oil in a pan and add the fenugreek seeds. When they start turning color add the red pepper and turmeric powder. Add the cubed pumpkin. Cover and cook on low heat until the pumpkin is soft. Ensure it does not burn.

Add tamarind paste dissolved in a 3 tbsp. water to the pan. Add the jaggery and salt to taste. Bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat.

Enjoy!

Uddamethi

Today I am posting a recipe from Goa. Everyday this week I will post a recipe from a different state in India.

Goa is very dear to me as I spent my childhood there. A quiet place where life moved at a very slow pace. A place where store owners downed their shutters at noon to take an afternoon break. A place where everything closed by 7 pm as people headed home to spent time with family.

The beaches were beautiful with very few people around. The sand was clean and invited everyone to build sand castles. The dog chased after the little crabs that ran all over the sand. The water was clean and lovely for anyone who wanted to swim. An evening stroll on the beach could mean watching the local fishermen cast a net in the shallows to bring in a catch. The day ended with a glorious sunset that turned the sky a brilliant red. This picture of a fisherman's boat beached at Bogmalo Beach was taken in the 70s.

Lots of kids took a boat ride across a river or river estuary to get to school/collage. The picture below overlooking the harbor shows the Zuari river estuary. We took a boat across to Dona Paula to get to college. If you were lucky you would see dolphins swimming alongside the boat.

Everywhere you looked everything was green. When I moved to Arizona I truly appreciated the greenery we so took for granted. The tall evergreen trees, cashews, mangoes, jackfruit and banyan. The picture below is the famous deepmal at Mangeshi temple. It is lighted up to the very top during the holidays and looks lovely in the night sky.

Goa is very different today. It has grown very fast and has a lot more people than there used to be when I lived there. The days when everyone in town knew everyone else are long gone but the people are just as easy going and helpful as they were. That has not changed at all.

Authentic Goan recipes in Hindu homes are very different from the non-Hindu homes. The Hindu recipes have little or no influence of the Portuguese culture. It is admirable how these families in defiance of the Goan inquisition practiced and preserved their culture and cuisine.

The recipe I picked for Goa is Uddamethi. This recipe comes from the Hindu households in Goa and is finger licking good. Uddamethi, the name refers to the urad dal and methi seeds used. But the jaggery and the raw mango all add to the flavor.

I got this recipe from a family friend, a Goan and a very good cook. She also cooks awesome human (who-mann) or fish curry.

You will need
1 raw mango
3 tbsp. jaggery
1 tsp. mustard seeds
4 curry leaves
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp. asafoetida
4 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste

Masala
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1 tsp. urad dal
1 tsp. coriander seeds
2 dried red chili pepper
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

Wash and peel the mango. Slice off the sides as close to the pit as you can. Save the pit with the pulp around it to make panha. Chop the slices into cubes. Keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and roast the first four masala ingredients, fenugreek seeds, urad dal, coriander seeds and red chili pepper. Drain away the oil and along with the coconut and turmeric powder grind to a paste. Keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. Heat the oil and add mustard seeds. When they crackle add the crackle add the curry leaves, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida.

Now add the mango, jaggery and salt. Mix together.

Add enough water to just cover the mango cubes. Cook on high until the mango is tender but not mushy. There will be a distinct change in the color of the mango and most of the water should have evaporated.

Add the masala paste and mix together. Bring to a boil and simmer on low high for a couple of minutes.

Turn off the heat and serve with rice.

Jaggery Mustard Instant Mango Pickle

Over the last couple months I have noticed the logo of the Indian Cooking Challenge but never dug deeper. Finally last month I asked Srivalli what the ICC was about. ICC is where a group of ladies challenge themselves to prepare an authentic Indian dish every month. When I decided to join the group Valli asked me to suggest a recipe for my first month with the group.

The recipe was for the month of February and this is the month raw mangoes start trickling into the market. My mother and the generations before her got busy pickling the mangoes into sweet and savory pickling liquids to last the whole year. While the flavors of these preparations filled the house the pickles themselves would not be ready for a few weeks. In this interim period instant pickles ruled the roost. One such pickle is the jaggery mustard mango pickle.

This is a simple Maharashtrian recipe and is very tasty. However, it does not last very long. It should be finished within 15-20 days.

You will need
1/4 Kg or 1/2 lb raw mango
1/2 cup red mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1 cup jaggery
1/2 cup red chili pepper powder
1/4 cup salt
1 tbsp. turmeric powder

Tempering
1/2 cup oil
1 tbsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. asafoetida
1/2 tbsp. turmeric powder

Wash and peel the raw mango. Remove the seed and dice. Alternately using a wide tooth grater grate the pulp. Keep aside.

Heat the oil for tempering in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle add the other ingredients for tempering and turn off heat. Let it cool completely.

Grind the red mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder with 1/2 a cup of water into a fine paste. Blend in the jaagery and the salt.

Mix the ground masala with the diced or grated mango. Pour the cooled tempered oil mixture over the top.

The pickle is ready. Keep it overnight and it will be ready to eat. It will last about 15-20 days.

Note:
This pickle is usually made when raw mango are easily available as this pickle cannot be stored long term. The smaller the pieces of mango the quicker the masala seeps through. Dicing or grating the mango helps the flavor to be absorbed quickly. This is my mother's recipe. In the US I usually reserve a tablespoon of salt to keep the pickle from getting too salty. Adjust the red chili pepper according to taste. Or use paprika for a milder flavor.

Pudina Chutney (Mint Chutney)

This chutney is not usually on a Maharastrian thali. You generally see cilantro chutney. Pudina chutney may be included for special occasions. Pudina or mint leaves have a very refreshing taste.

This chutney takes only a few minutes to make with a blender. I remember when I was a child the maid used to grind the chutney using a grinding stone. Most homes including mine do not have a grinding stone anymore.

You will need
1 big bunch of cilantro
1 small handful of pudina (mint) leaves
2 tbsp. dry roasted peanuts
salt to taste

Grind all the ingredients together in a blender to form a thick paste with as little water as your blender will allow.

Tomato Chutney

Today I was in need of a quick chutney and I had juicy tomatoes on hand. Everyone in the family loves tomatoes coked or raw so I decided to make this South Indian version of tomato chutney. To add flavor to the chutney the curry leaves are blended with the cooked tomato. This chutney is finger licking good.

You will need
2 tomatoes coarsely chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 serrano pepper, deseeded and minced
1 tsp. turmeric powder
7-8 curry leaves, divided
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 dried red chili pepper
1/4 tsp. asafoetida
olive oil
salt to taste

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add 5 of the curry leaves, turmeric powder, a third of the red chili pepper and the onions. Saute for 5 minutes on medium heat. Next add the tomatoes and let them cook for 5 minutes.

Once the tomatoes are cooked add salt to taste and blend smooth in a blender. Transfer the chutney to a serving bowl. In a small clean pan heat olive oil and add mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle turn off the heat and add asafoetida, remaining curry leaves and red chili peppers. 

 

Pour over the top of the chutney and serve.

Tomato Chutney with peanuts

Chutneys and pickles have a special place in the Indian meal. They add a little tangy, spicy flavor to the food. Chutney is served with a meal or a snack. This chutney goes well with savory pancakes or dhirdi. Roasted peanut powder is added to a lot of Maharastrian dishes. The peanuts in this recipe give it a nutty texture and complete the medley of flavors. When I first posted this recipe I paired it with  wheat flour dhirdi for a quick lunch.

I was very new to blogging then and I always felt the pictures did not do this recipe justice. Four years later I have updated this post with new pictures. I got a chance to make a very flavorful and easy chutney again. This time I paired it with poli/bhaji (Indian flatbread and vegetable side).

You will need
3 medium sized salad tomato, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 serrano pepper, deseeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. asafetida
1 tsp. turmeric powder
3 curry leaves
1 tbsp. roasted peanut powder
salt to taste
olive oil

Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle add the asafetida and turmeric powder. To this add the serrano pepper and garlic. Sauté for a minute and add the onions. Let the onions cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the curry leaves and saute for a couple minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, turn up the heat and let it cook.

Stir frequently to avoid burning. Once the tomato juice evaporates the chutney will begin to come together.

Add the roasted peanut powder. Turn off heat and mix well.

The chutney is ready.

Enjoy!