In A Pickle

 Tender Jackfruit Pickle

 We have never used bought pickles in our house as my Mum was an expert in making a variety of them every year during summer.  We always had a vast selection of pickles, relishes, chutneys and what not to suit every palate.  One of her specialities was the Tender Jackfruit Pickle which was a hit with everyone who tasted it.  Every summer my Mum would start her pickling and gift bottles to her friends and family.  If you are able to get a couple of tender jackfruits, try this recipe and enjoy the result.

The Recipe:

1 medium sized tender jackfruit.  Rub cooking oil lavishly all over your hands and the knife you will be using  to cut the jackfruit.  This will save you a lot of time and effort after wards when you have finished cleaning , coring and cutting the jackfruit into half inch pieces.  Steam in idli cooker for 15 to 20 minutes depending on tenderness of the fruit.  To test insert a metal or wooden skewer into a piece.  When it goes in easily, it is ready.  Keep aside.

Masala:  1/2 tsp jeera; 1 tsp pepper; 1 tsp mustard;  Stir fry in hot pan without oil  for 10 minutes until dry and crisp. .  Cool and grind with 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 3 tbsp chilli powder to taste.  Keep aside.

Seasoning:  1 tsp mustard; 1 large pod garlic (about 1 handful), minced; 1 large sprig curry leaves; 1/2 cup gingelly oil.  Salt to taste.

Heat oil and add the mustard seeds.  When it spurts, add the curry leaves and stir fry a minute.  Add the garlic and brown on medium flame.  Remove from fire.  When cool, stir in the steamed jackfruit and ground masala and additional vinegar if required.  Add salt to taste.  Store in the refrigerator as it does not last long when stored at room temperature.  Enjoy with rice and dhall or curds rice or eat it by the spoonful like we did as kids.

Omlette In Mango Sauce

Moz San Go

I was very excited when my recipe for Mango Sauce was published in the Eve's Weekly years ago.  I have always loved experimenting in the kitchen and the Mango Sauce I made is today a household favourite.  I always have a bottle handy and use it with fried eggs, omlettes, chaat, bread and butter and plain boiled vegetables as well.  I gave it a fancy name because that's just what it is- a delectable figment of my imagination stored in a long glass bottle.

The Recipe:  

One  2 egg omlette cut into 3 pieces.  Keep warm

For The Sauce:  2 cups water; tamarind to taste; 4 country mangoes, skinned; 3 dried red chillies, broken into bits; a pinch of mustard; a sprig of curry leaves; 1 tsp ginger garlic, minced; oil for frying; jaggery or brown sugar to taste; a pinch of salt.

Soak the mango skins and tamarind  in the water for twenty minutes.  Squeeze and keep aside.  Heat the oil and add the mustard.  When it spurts, add the curry leaves and broken chillies.  Add the minced ginger garlic and stir for a minute.  Lower heat and add the tamarind water and the mangoes, jaggery and salt.  Bring to the boil.  Lower heat and simmer till sauce consistency is reached.  Cool, remove mangoes (can eat them) and bottle.  Keep in the refrigerator and use as and when desired.

A Very Special Treat

Sweet Mango Curry

My visit to Bangalore this year was spent catching up on all my favourite childhood recipes made to order  by my Mum .   During summer in Mangalore, the market would be flooded with all kinds of mangoes and the kaat or country mango was always destined for the Sweet Mango Curry, which I loved.  I would sit at the table for hours gnawing on the fibrous fruit and savouring the thick, aromatic curry.  It is quick and easy to prepare and one cannot help smacking one's lips in anticipation of yet another tradional favourite.

The Recipe:

10 country mangoes, skinned; 3 dry, red chillies broken into pieces; large sprig  curry leaves;  lime sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1 cup water for 15 minutes; jaggery or brown sugar to taste;  2 tbsp oil for cooking.  and a pinch of salt.


Soak the mango skins in 1 cup water for 15 minutes and squeeze all the juice out.  Discard the skins.  Heat oil in a deep pan.  Add mustard seeds.  When they splutter add the curry leaves and stir fry a minute.  Next throw in the broken pieces of dried red chilli and stir till crisp and colour intensifies.  Add the tamarind water, the mango water and the peeled mangoes with the jaggery to taste and a pinch of salt.  Bring to the boil, lower flame and simmer till thick.  Can be eaten plain or with rice.  Either way, this is one dish guaranteed to warm the cockles of your heart.

Jack (Fruit) Of All Trades

Tender Jackfruit

As a child, whenever my Mother cooked vegetables like jack fruit, pumpkin, ladies finger, greens and what not, we turned our noses up and surreptitiously dumped our portions in the dustbin. Last week my brother bought some tender jack fruits and requested my Mum to cook it.    I was aghast!  Memories of my childhood bete noire surfaced and I wrinkled my nose in disgust.  I liked the pickle but the vegetable was a different matter.  To cut a long story short, I liked it and am sharing the recipe today.


The Recipe:

1 small tender jack fruit, cleaned and chopped (this is an art; rub oil all over your fingers before you even attempt to cut it); 1/4 coconut, grated; 1 tsp mustard; 1 large onion, sliced fine; 3 dried red chillies broken; 1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds) powder; a few sprigs curry leaves; salt to taste a pinch of haldi (turmeric); a pinch of mustard and 2 tbsp oil for stir frying.

Grind the coconut and mustard together.  Keep aside till required.  Heat the oil in a non stick pan and add the mustard seeds.  When they crackle add the curry leaves and broken red chillies.  Stir fry a minute.  Now add the sliced onions, lower flame and cook till golden brown.  Add the ground coconut and fry for a few minutes till a delectable aroma arises.  Lastly add the turmeric, jeera powder and the tender jack, stir fry a minute, lower flame and cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Add water if required.  Serve hot with rice or chappathis.

Odds And Ends

Mixed Pasta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While cleaning the kitchen I came across some odds and ends of different kinds of  pasta and decided to use it up and make a medley of sorts.  It turned out to be an extraordinary lunch and we had fun naming the pasta as we ate. It's a great way to use up those odds and ends.

The Recipe:

2 cups mixed pasta, cooked – follow instructions on the bag; ½ cup grated cheese; 1 cup shredded, cooked chicken, 1 cup beans, carrots and cabbage, cut large and boiled; salt & pepper to taste; ½ tsp mixed Italian herbs; 3 tbsp olive oil.

Mix all the ingredients and place in serving bowl.

For sauce:  1 cup milk; 1 cup chicken stock; 1 small onion chopped; 2 tbsp wheat flour; salt and pepper to taste; 2 tbsp olive oil;  1 egg.

Heat oil in a non stick pan.  Turn to medium and add the chopped onions.  Fry until glazed and turning transparent.  Add the flour and stir till crisp for a minute.  Lower flame and pour in the stock and milk, stirring all the while to avoid lumps.  Add the egg and keep stirring till thick and sauce consistency is reached.  Adjust seasoning.  Pour over the mixed pasta.  Serve hot or cold.

De Light Full

Pumpkin Soup

Summer in Bangalore is here in all it’s glory and the fruits galore everywhere are a proof of that.  It’s a lovely feeling to eat light meals and enjoy the fruits and vegetables of the season.  Light meals are in and they keep you full and on the go.  De Light Full in short.

The Recipe:

¼ kg orange pumpkin,  washed, skinned  and cut into chunks; 1 large onion, skinned and quartered;  3 large garlic flakes; ½ inch piece of ginger;  4 cups chicken stock or two soup cubes;  coriander for garnishing; salt and pepper to taste ; 1 small onion minced and fried in 1tsp oil for seasoning; a dash of milk per cup.

Pressure  cook the pumpkin, onion, garlic and ginger for 10 minutes in 1 cup water.  Cool and puree.  Transfer to a large sauce pan and add the stock, beating well with a whisk till smooth.  Boil till thick and creamy,  adjust  seasoning and serve hot with rusks or garlic bread  in individual bowls with a dash of milk and garnished with coriander leaves. 

Nothing But Breadfruit

BreadfruitLast week while shopping for vegetables, I was very excited to see a large, green vegetable that looked very familiar.  It turned out to be one of our favourite childhood vegetables - breadfruit -  and so we bought it. The vendor had no clue as to what it was and was quite pleased when we told him the Kannada name for it.  Bread fruit is a smaller cousin to the jack fruit, usually eaten as a vegetable and can be used as a replacement for potato, in curries, cakes and dough nuts and also as a substitute for flour.  However we like it fried or dipped in batter and fried.  A delicious snack for all ages at any time.

The Recipe:     

1 breadfruit; oil for frying

For Batter :        1 cup water; 1/4 cup gram flour; salt to taste; chilli powder to taste; 1 tsp rice flour; 1 tsp cornflour; 1/2 tsp baking powder.  Mix all ingredients to a smooth liquidy batter. 

Cut the breadfruit in half, quarter it and remove the pith in the middle .  Slice into large pieces and soak in salt water for 5 minutes.  

1.  Drain thoroughly and deep fry half of the slices to a golden brown.  Serve hot with sauce  or as it is.

2.  Dip the remaining breadfruit slices in the  batter and deep fry in hot oil  till crisp and brown.  Serve hot with sauce or just as it is.