Plantains on a hitchhike!

Plantains on a hitchhike with Haricort Verts in Ginger Tomato Sauce.

 

Years ago, I lived in another town & made some very special friends. Most of them were from Southern part of India & introduced me to their style of cooking, a style that was very different from what I was used to and so were the ingredients.  Even within that region, flavors & ingredients used can vary tremendously depending on how close to coast you lived.

One such ingredient is Plantain. This vegetable looks like unripe Banana, but it's not. Unlike banana, it's a vegetable.It is a very rich source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B complex, especially B6, and Potassium. It also provides abundant Magnesium, Iron, and Phosphorus, and daily fiber. Needless to say as compared to Banana, it also packs more calories but It can easily replace Potatoes. In fact, Jain Community from India uses it in all sorts of dishes as a replacement to Potato.

As I had never cooked with Plantains & am so used to my own flavors, I came up with my own recipe. I paired it with Haricort Vert beans &  filled with flavors I chose. One can use green beans or Chinese beans instead of Haricort verts. It can be served with Indian roti, naan, tortilla or on a bed of rice. Here is the recipe:

 

Ingredients:

3 Plantains firm, peeled & cut in big chunks.

8 oz Haricort vert beans, chopped.

8oz Diced tomatoes,

1/2" ginger peeled & mashed in morsel,

few finely chopped green chili, if desired,

3Tbsp Coriander powder,

1tsp Garam masala,

1/4 tsp Turmeric,

1/4 tsp Green Mango Powder aka Amchur (can be replaced with juice of 1 lime),

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds.

a Pinch of asafoetida aka Heeng (optional)

1Tbsp Olive oil,

Salt to taste.

 

Method : Heat olive oil in a saute pan. When warm add heeng & cumin seeds. As seeds splutter add green chili, ginger, tomatoes with turmeric, and green mango powder. Once tomatoes look cooked & give a consistency of coarse sauce, add Plantains, Beans &  rest of spices with salt. Cover & let it cook for about 15-20 minutes depending on firmness of Plantains.  Cook it such that Plantains are just tender but not mushy. As plantains soften, it would soak up the flavors of spices. Pair it with Naan or Brown rice & Voila, Plantains are ready to be served.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Roasted Okra with Chunky Tomatoes

 

 

Roasted Okra with Chunky Tomatoes.

 

Growing up, I hated to eat Okras while my sister relished them dearly. If allowed, she could have it with each meals. Now, that she lives thousands of miles away whenever I make this recipe, I think about her, wishing to make it for her one day when she would visit or may be next time when I'm home. Until then, I can enjoy it with my friends. So for all of you Okra lovers,  here is the recipe. Happy Cooking!

 

Ingredients:



1 lb cut Okra, cap discarded. (Secret: I have successfully used Whole Foods Frozen Okra. Contrary to belief, it works just as beautifully).

3 Medium Roma Tomatoes, cut in Chunks.

1Tbsp Olive Oil,

1Tbsp Fennel Seeds,

1tsp Cumin seeds,

1/4th tsp turmuric,

1/2 tsp Chilli pwder/ Cayenne

1/2 tsp Garam Masal / curry powder.

2Tbsp Coriander powder.

Zest of 1 lime.

Juice of half lime.

Salt to taste

 

Heat oil in a saute pan. When warm, add Cumin & fennel seeds. When seeds splutter, add Okra, turmeric, zest of lime and lime juice.  DO NOT COVER THE LID. As Okra cooks, it will loose water & become quite sticky. Don't worry & Let it be. Gently suate it few times while it's cooking to prevent charring at the bottom. As it cooks, it will soak the water back up & will start becoming crispier. Add rest of the spice masala & saute. Cook for couple more minutes and then add chunks of Tomato & salt. Gently saute it all together.

 Garnish with Cilantro, if you want & Voila, Okra is ready to be served!

 







 

 

 

Papaya gone Infidel!

Well, here is one salad that many of you have enjoyed & asked me for recipe. I'm such a lover of food made with fresh ingredients that if I could, I'd like to pick from my own garden & cook. Well, short of that, Grocery store will have to do. As many of you know, due to an illness that no Physician seems to have no answer for,  few year ago I needed to change my dietary habits. As stubborn as I'm, I was not willing to give up my love for salads. So I had to come up with my own solutions. This salad is one such. Here is what you need :

1 ripe Papaya, peeled, diced.

half head of lettuce chopped fine,

A small shallot diced,

Roasted corn ( frozen from Trader's Joe will do),

1 can of Black beans, washed

5-6 Zesty Papadew peppers, chopped fine,

1 medium Avocado, firm, diced.

Mix all these in a bowl. Keep aside.

Dressing : 1Tsp Olive oil, 1TSp Champagne Vinegar, Juice of half orange, black pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, salt to taste, Agave Nectar, if papaya is not very ripe.

When you are ready to serve, Mix the dressing. Garnish with pumpkin seeds, if you have handy. May add finely chopped Cilantro.

 

 

 

Voila!! Papaya has new company.....

Thank you!

Thank you to all my friends who have given me such a heart warming response to my few posts at YumMasala group on Faceboook. It's  everyone of you who makes me want to cook, create and share. My story about being a foodie is simple. Grown up in a house with tens of family members, our day went around food, our stories were shared at dinner and values were passed down, albeit unknowingly, thru all those simple meals. Growing up,I  didn't realize how that was carving me. Today, for me cooking is therapeutic. After a long day of work, I like to take few ingredients, concoct my recipe and viola, Dinner is ready. It's not that things always turn out great.Food has taught me to be forgiving, to be nimble & more than anything, to be giving.

While today at work I see the consequences of food addiction tearing people apart leaving lifelong consequences, the Foodie inside me wants to prove to the Physician inside me that there is a better way. Food does not have to take someone on a guilt trip, that cooking is an art & can be therapeutic, that we can raise our families with healthy habits, hand down our culture, and share our values around dinner table while enjoying a Yum Meal. Hence the group, YumMasala.

Hope that on this journey as I share my love of cooking through my recipes, I'll make new friends while my old friends will continue to share a bite with me.