Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Burdock Root Thoran - Burdock Root Stir Fry(Sabzi)


Burdock Root is yet another vegetable I buy from Asian/Korean Market and my family love it especially my two year old daughter. Once cooked it taste really good, a bit chewy and crunchy and the taste is almost like 'Vazha thandu(Kambu) - Banana Stem(tube, the inside part of banana stem which is white in color)'. I'm just trying to make you feel the taste of it and I felt it is just close to the 'Vazha Kambu -Banana Stem' especially because of its chewy and crunchy nature.

As I mentioned in my earlier posts I just try different veggies from Asian markets and try it my own way. Some turns out really good, some of them I feel just reasonable and I post only those recipes which really satisfy mine and my family's taste buds. I try to get the nutritious info online and these are the nutritional facts I found about 'Burdock Root', a really healthy and nutritious vegetable.

Information Source : LiveStrong.com http://herbalmusings.com/

Health Benefits:  Extract derived from the root of the burdock plant has been used historically to help reduce blood sugar and remove excess fluid from the body. Burdock root may also reduce symptoms associated with inflammatory skin conditions, such as acne or psoriasis. Additional health applications include treatment of HIV/AIDS, cancer and gout; however, additional human clinical research is necessary to support these purported effects of burdock root.

For centuries, the root of burdock has been used as a blood purifier, helping the liver and kidneys to eliminate waste. There is also a strong belief that the root stimulates the gallbladder and encourages the regeneration of liver cells. An infusion of the leaves, taken as a tea, or used as an external wash, is reputed to be excellent for skin disorders. Fluid extracts made from the fresh root, which also contains inulin and at least 14 different polyacetylene compounds, have genuine beneficial application in the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, and other skin disorders. Two of these compounds possess antibacterial and antifungal qualities; the commercial dried root, however, has considerably less quantities of each. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that inulin serves to correct irregularities of the immune system and inflammatory mechanisms, and checks microbial activity which lead to staph infections, all of which are conditions typical of eczema sufferers. 




Find more info related to Burdock see the following link.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/367175-burdock-root-information/
http://herbalmusings.com/Burdock.htm

These are pictures of the Burdock Root which I bought from H-Mart. So next time you guys find it in any store grab one or two of them and try this at home.

 

Now Let us make the awesome Burdock Root Thoran/Sabzi, Quite Ezee and Simple


Ingredients:-
  1. Burdock Root - 1or 2 lbs(I used around 1 1/2 lbs Burdock)
  2. Chopped onion - 1 
  3. Chopped Green Chilly - 3
  4. Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
  5. Oil - 2tbsp
  6. Par-boiled Rice - 1 tsp
  7. Chana dal - 1 tsp
  8. Urad dal - 1 tsp
  9. Curry leaves a sprig
  10. Dry Red chilies - 2
Preparation Method:- 
  • Peel off the skin of the burdock root and cut into three/four pieces length wise to make the chopping easy. Chop them into small pieces.
   
  • Soak them twice in water for 10 minutes each and wash them well to remove the stain.
  • Toss together the chopped burdock root, onion, green chilies, few curry leaves, salt and turmeric. Set aside.
  • Heat up a kadai/pan pour oil and crackle mustard seeds. Add in the parboiled rice and stir for few secs till they start expanding.
  • Add in few curry leaves, dry red chilies, chana dal, urad dal and saute for few seconds. Add in the tossed vegetables and saute well to mix.
  • Sprinkle a handful of water, stir and cook it covered for 10-12 minutes in medium heat. Open the lid in between for couple of times and stir so that they do not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
  • Open the lid and check if it cooked, check on salt and adjust accordingly. This will not be very soft when cooked mostly bit crunchy and chewy but the raw smell should vanish.
  • Once cooked switch off the stove and add more curry leaves if desired. Moving to a serving dish and serve warm with Boiled Rice/Roti.

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen Event hosted by Kaveri @ Palakkad Chamayal and New U event hosted by Vardhini @ Zesty Palatte
  

Monday, January 9, 2012

Lemon Rice and Awards


Lemon Rice is one of the most comforting one pot meal, I mostly make this for my hubby's lunchbox. This can be made quick when you are in a jiffy and whenever you have any trip this is really wonderful rice to carry since it doesn't need a lot of labour to make them and they stay fresh for a very long time. This can be made with any left over rice as well and the rice gets a wonderful makeover. I made it with leftover parboiled Rice. So Enjoy having this ezee Lemon Rice served with Raita/Lemon pickle or just as it is :)

Ingredients: -
  1. Cooked Rice - 2 cups
  2. Lemon Juice extracted from 2 or 3 fresh Lemon
  3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  4. Urad dal - 1 tsp
  5. Chana dal -  1tbsp
  6. Cashews - 1/4 cup
  7. Peanut - 1/4 cup
  8. Dry Red chilly - 2 broken into halves
  9. Shallots chopped - 1/2 cup(or 1/2 onion finely chopped)
  10. Green chilly - 3 slit into halves(optional, I prefer adding green chilly but I didn't use it here since I didn't have them)
  11. Curry leaves a sprig 
  12. Oil - 2 tbsp
  13. Salt to taste
Preparation Method:-
  • Heat up a wide pan, pour oil, add mustard seeds. When they start to crackle add urad dal, chana dal, cashews, peanut, dry red chillies and curry leaves and saute for a minute in medium heat till they start becoming light brown.
  • Add the shallots and green chilies and saute till onion turn light brown. Add the lemon juice and salt, add boiled rice when the lemon juice starts to boil from edges. 
  • Saute well till to mix everything and till the raw smell of lemon juices vanishes. Check for salt and adjust accordingly. Switch off the stove and move to a serving dish and garnish with coriander leaves if desired . Serve warm with Raita and pickle of your choice.

Sending this to Let's Cook # 11 ~ Rice event hosted by Radhika @ Tickling Palates and Cooking with Leftovers hosted by Veena @ Veg Junction

   

Now coming to awards, I have been honored with a couple of awards again with some of my wonderful blogger friends. Thanks a lot to one and all who passed this awards to me. I was confused whether to post some of those awards since I have already posted couple of them before, but then I decided to post it as I wanted to pass it over to few of my new blogger buddies. So here goes the list of awards and friends please grab it and pass it over to your favorite blogger friends :)

1. I was honored with 'Liebster' award again by Faseela at Good Food Ends with Good Talk and Ann at Anzzcafe . They both are extra talented people who own a wonderful space with lot of great recipes, please visit their space and encourage them with your valuable comments. Thanks a lot Faseela and Ann once again for this cute award. 

'Liebster' means favourite or dearest in German. Rules for accepting the award: 
- Thank the person who gave the award and link back to their blog.
- Copy and paste the award to your blog.
- Reveal the 5 blogs you have chosen to award and let them know by commenting on their blog.
- Hope they pass it forward by accepting and awarding it to bloggers they would like to honour
I would like to share this award with my blogger friends, I really wanted to pass it over to many more but since I am suppose to pass it over to five of them I felt hard to choose five here.
1.Pushpa of Taste as you Cook 
2. Anita of Recipe with Pictures
3. Nisha at Nisha's Kitchen
4. Sangeeta at Sangeeta's Kitchen
5.Shilpa Kiran of Cook With Fun
I'm extremely happy to receive this 'Fabulous Award' from Teena of Teenz' Yummy Delight. She posses a  wonderful blog with very innovative and fabulous recipes. Check out her space and discover some of her wonderful recipes as well and leave your valuable comments as well.

Let me pass it over to the following wonderful blogger friends.
I was once again honored with the following wonderful awards and I'm really grateful to Nalini at Nalini's Kitchen for passing on these awards to me. Thanks once again dear Nalini for this award, she owns a fabulous blog with great pictures and step wise instructions. I admire her for her passion towards cooking, friends please visit her space and explore her culinary talent. 

             

Now Let me pass it on to these blogger friends.
Julie Christmas Delicacy Event was a great success with almost 243 entries for the event and I'm really happy to be a part of it by sending in few of my entries. I'm extremely happy for her success and wish her many more success for her future. Julie is a really talented lady who own's her wonderful blog 'Erivum Puiyum' with great innovative ideas and recipe. So friends why wait check out her blog as well and do not forget to leave  your valuable comments at her space as well. 

This is my Proud Participant Award and Thank You Note from Julie @ Erivum Puliyum

Friday, January 6, 2012

Kerala Meen Curry(Kannur Style) - Fish Curry in Coconut Gravy


As I mentioned in my earlier fish recipe posts, Fish is a kind of staple food for Keralites especially in the coastal area of Kerala like Kannur(Malabar). I remember our Meenkaran(fisherman) who brings fresh fish daily to our door steps. Our grandma makes fish curry or fry almost every day and I always feel she makes the best fish curry ever. We were quite happy even with the simple fishes like Mackerel and Sardines if we  get to eat it daily. King fish(Ayakkoora) and Pomfret(Avoli) were our favorite fish and I still continue to buy these fishes here in US even though I feel it do not taste as great as the fresh fish we get in India. This recipe is my grandma's way of making Fish Curry which I absolutely love to have with Boiled Rice and this tastes great after 6-8 hours of preparation.  

Now that since I have mentioned Kannur Style I'm sure many of you might be wondering as to why since the ethnic Kerala Meen(Fish) Curry should be made just one way. Not at all, Fish Curry have a lot of variations even in the uniqueness of flavor and I found difference with in Kannur(A city in Northern part of Kerala) even though the ingredients are almost the same. Kannur Fish curry is made with mild spices taking care not to overpower the flavor of fish and another significant difference is the usage of tamarind(Valan puli) over Gambooge used in most Kerala Fish Curry recipes. 

Another important factor that uplift the taste of any fish curry is the Earthenware/Clay-pot commonly known as Manchatti/Chatti. Every Kerala house have at-least one of this Clay-pot which brings the taste of Fish curry to perfection and I have grown up seeing my granny, mom and aunts making fish curry in Manchatti. So when I was heading back after my first vacation I brought back a reasonably big Manchatti with me and I'm so happy I did that. 

Before using a new Earthenware/Manchatti for cooking you have to soak it overnight with few cups of Kanji Vellam(Rice stock got while cooking rice) or water. Then Manchatti is kept on top of Aduppu(Fireplace-A square herth used in olden days instead of stove/oven) and the rice soup or water is boiled for sometime swirling the water by picking the vessel(Chuzhattuka) and this process is called 'Chatti Mayakkal' which helps to make them strong and open up the pores. I did this process on the stove top and started using this for cooking all kinds of fish but with utmost care not to break my golden treasure. So let me post this fish curry recipe for all my readers, Try this simplest fish recipe and let me know how it turned out buddies :)

Ingredients: -
  1. King Fish - 1 lb(can use fish of your choice)
  2. Onion or Shallots - 1 finely sliced
  3. Tomato - 1 Finely sliced
  4. Ginger finely chopped - 1 tbsp
  5. Green chilly - 4 split into halves
  6. Curry leaves a sprig or more
  7. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
  8. Chilly powder - 2 tbsp
  9. Salt to taste
  10. Grated coconut - 1 1/2 cups
  11. Jeera/Cumin - 1tsp
  12. Dry Red Chilli - 3
  13. Tamarind/Vaalan Puli - a lemon size ball
  14. Water - 2 cups or more
  15. Oil - 2tbsp(optional, to slightly fry the fish- u can make it without frying the fish as well)
                                                  
Preparation Method :- 
  • Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water for atleast 10-15 minutes. Squeeze out all the tamarind pulp juice out of it and set aside.
  • Wash and clean the fish gently and marinate it with Turmeric powder, Chilly powder and Salt. Keep it for 30 minutes if possible.
  • Grind grated coconut, jeera/cumin and dry red chilies by adding few dr.ops of water to a very smooth paste. Set aside
  • Drizzle some oil in a pan and fry both sides of the fish till they turn light brown color and set aside. This is optional, frying helps the fish not to break the fish while cooking. You can use the fish without frying as well :)
  • Put the sliced onion, green chilies, tomatoes, ginger, few curry leaves and tamarind water preferably in an Earthen vessel/Manchatti. Cover and cook it till it get to boil and Onion-tomatoes  are tender.
  • Add the fried fish and ground coconut paste and mix gently with a spoon. Cook it lid open till everything reaches boiling point. Now simmer the flame to medium and let it boil for four-five minutes.
  • Switch off the flame and add some generous amount of curry leaves. This curry tastes better after five-six hours of cooking. Serve with boiled Rice/Puttu/Dosa or anything of your favorite choice.
Note:-
1. Instead of Tamarind/Vaalan Puli you can use Gambooge/Kudam Puli, it is your personal choice. I feel mostly Northern Keralites use Tamarind and I'm used to that taste and prefer Tamarind over Gambooge where as many of my friends from Southern Kerala was surprised about me using Tamarind in Fish Curry.

2. Like wise you can use Shallots instead of Onion, my mom always used Shallots where as my granny uses Onion. Both tastes good, maybe Shallots tastes a bit better. If using Onion try to slice them very finely, I believe the way you cut/chop veggies definitely makes a difference in the taste.


Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen event hosted by Kaveri @Palakkad Chamayal


Thursday, January 5, 2012

Achinga-Vanpayar Thoran/Red Chori-Yard Long Beans Stir fry(Sabzi)


Ingredients:-
  1. Vanpayar/Red Moong Dal/Red Chori - 1/2 cup
  2. Achinga Payar/Yard Long Beans - 1 small bunch(around 1/2 lb, oru kettu)
  3. Onion - 1 finely chopped
  4. Green chilly slit into halves - 4
  5. Curry leaves a sprig or more
  6. Dry Red chilly - 2(broken into halves)
  7. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp 
  8. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
  9. Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
  10. Coconut oil - 2tbsp(preferably or oil of ur choice)
  11. Water  around 1/2 cup to cook the vanpayar/red moong
  12. Salt to taste.
Preparation Method:-
  • Wash and drain the red moong and soak for 30 minutes. Cook it till tender by adding  1/2 tsp salt (give it a whistle or two in pressure cooker or cook it covered till soft -don't overcook). Set aside.
  • Wash and pat dry the yard beans, chop them and set aside

  • Heat up a kadai or non-stick pan, pour the oil and crackle mustard seeds. Add in curry leaves and broken red chilies and saute for few seconds.
  • Add in the onion, green chilies, salt and saute for a minute. Add the chopped yard beans, turmeric powder and saute well to mix everything. 
  • Cover and half cook the yard beans in medium heat without adding water. Stir in between so that they don't stick onto the pan and burn
  • Add the cooked red moong/red chori and stir well to mix everything. Cover and cook for some more time say five-seven minutes till yard bean and red moong blend well and is cooked properly. Check for the salt and adjust accordingly.
  • Add the grated coconut and more curry leaves and saute to mix well. 
  • Switch off the flame and serve warm with Rice/Roti. Enjoy!!!!!!

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen event hosted by Kaveri @ Palakkad Chamayal and New U hosted by Vardhini a@Zesty Palatte


I am really honored and happy for receiving the 'Top Contributor Award'  and 'Participation Award' from Ramya of Ramya's Recipes for the participation in her Cakes for Christmas Event. Thanks a lot Ramya for this cute awards.

                        

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Mattar Paneer Masala/Green Peas-Cottage Cheese Masala


Mattar Paneer is one of my family favorite dish, my kids love the paneer-green peas combo a lot. Paneer is one thing for which my kids never say 'no' and so I'm always happy to make this Mattar Paneer for dinner with Roti/Rice and my hubby also love it. I prefer to puree the tomatoes and add them since it gives a vibrant color to the gravy and kids will not go picky on tomatoes and put them away. If you wish you can add the chopped tomatoes instead, it still taste great. So Enjoy making Mattar Paneer this ezee way :)


Ingredients:-

  1. Green Peas/Mattar - 1 cup
  2. Paneer/Cottage cheese cut into small bite size squares - 1 cup
  3. Onion - 1(very finely chopped)
  4. Ginger-garlic finely chopped or crushed well - 1 tbsp
  5. Fresh Tomato pureed - from 2 tomatoes
  6. Green chilly finely chopped - 1 or 2
  7. Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1 tsp
  8. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
  9. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
  10. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
  11. Coriander leaves finely chopped - 2tbsp + 1 tsp(for shallow frying paneer)
  12. Dry Fenugreek leaves/Kasoori Methi - 1 tbsp
  13. Oil - 1 tbsp
  14. Salt to taste
  15. Cream/half n half cream - 1/4 cup(optional, you can use milk if you don't have cream)
Preparation Method:-
  • In a non-stick pan drizzle a tsp of oil and fry the paneer pieces on both sides for few minutes till both sides turn light brown color(you can use the paneer without frying as well, if fried a bit paneer pieces becomes little stiff and will not break easily while cooking). Set aside.
  • Heat up a deep kadai or pan, pour oil and crackle the Jeera/Cumin
  • Add crushed ginger-garlic and give it a stir for few seconds. Add in chopped onion, salt and stir till onion turn light brown.
  • Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and 1 tbsp coriander leaves and saute for a minute.
  • Pour the tomato puree and add green peas. Stir to mix, cover and cook for around five minutes till green peas become soft and is half cooked.
  • Add the paneer pieces, stir, cover it and cook for another three-five minutes.
  • Add the garam masala and stir gently. Rub the kasuri methi/fenugreek leaves under your palms to powder it and add it to the paneer-mattar masala and mix gently
  • Pour the cream and switch off the flame. Stir gently to mix(don't boil it again). Add more chopped coriander leaves if desired. 
  • Move to a serving dish and Serve warm preferably with Roti/Naan or boiled rice.
Note:- 
1. You can use 2 tbsp thick yogurt if you want matar panner little bit sour, since I used tomato puree I felt my gravy was sour enough.
2. You can add 1 tbsp lime juice as well at the end if desired but I prefer it this way.

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