Pudina Pulao / Mint Rice Recipe

A bunch of you have been complaining about the rice recipes I have been posting over the last couple of weeks saying if I post all the rice recipes, then what do you all send me for The Monthly Mingle :D Its a good point, but don't hesitate to send me the same dish. I am sure that the same dish can me made a zillion different ways and it will be interesting to see that too.


Anyway, I made this mint rice about a month back because I got a huge bunch of mint leaves from the Indian vegetable market and had no clue what to do with it all. There is only so much you can use up to make mint chutney, right?

The rice came out super nice and since TH is a huge mint fan, he loved it too!

Pudina Pulao / Mint Rice
Serves : 2 to 3

What I Used:

2 cups rice (I used basmati rice)
2 cups fresh mint leaves / pudina, lightly packed
1 onion, chopped fine
3 to 4 green chillies
¼ cup grated coconut (fresh works best, frozen will do too)
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
4 cloves
4 green cardamom pods
1" piece of cinnamon
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp ghee
12 roasted cashews for garnishing (optional)
Salt to taste

How I Made It:

1. If using basmati, soak the rice in 4 cups water for half an hour and cook in pressure cooker for 1 whistle. Once pressure leaves the cooker, spread out on a plate and let it cool without clumping. If using rice cooker or any other method, cook until the rice is done yet firm.

2. Grind the mint leaves with the coconut, green chillies and ginger / garlic (if using fresh) to a paste.

3. Heat ghee in a pan and roast the cashews until golden brown (if using) and drain. Add the spices - cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and star anise - and saute for about a minute, taking care not to burn them. Then add the chopped onions and saute unil it turns transparent.

4. Add the ground paste to the pan and fry for about 2 to 3 mins until it turns fragrant. Again, take care not to burn! Add salt.

5. Mix in the cooled rice without breaking it too much. Garnish with the roasted cashews and serve with a raita of choice.

Rush in your rice recipes (mixed rice, biryani, pulao, poha, rice flour, etc) for this month's Monthly Mingle - Ravishing Rice event at Edible Garden. Last date for entries is June 15, 2009.

Snow!

I just wanted to say that it snowed 2 cms today. That's just not right.

Vegan Brunch: An Unsolicited Review

Although I am still convinced that vegan cupcakes will indeed take over the world, I am now starting to think that vegan brunch is also key to global domination. Case in point: the Mother's Day brunch I hosted was enjoyed by vegan and non vegan alike (even the tofu!). So, I was very excited to hear that Isa had a new brunch book, and was even more excited when it came in the mail last week. First off, let me say this is probably the prettiest book Isa has put out--lots of great pics, soft pastel colour schemes on the pages, and multi-colour text. The layout and design are also nicely done, with most recipes taking up one page so they are easy to follow while cooking. But the real test, of course, is the food.
First up: pancakes and pumpkin french toast. The pancakes are a repeat from Vegan With a Vengeance, but who cares? These are still the best pancakes around, vegan or not, hands down. The french toast was also spectacular--soft and moist with the perfect spice blend to complement the maple syrup.
Joining the brunch party were these baked hash browns. The great thing about these is that your house does not have to smell like frying oil, and you can put them in the oven and forget about them while you make the rest of brunch.
Finally, Tofu Benny. I have never had eggs benedict so I have no idea if this is a good likeness or not. But I also don't care. This dish is so amazing it has now become one of my brunch staples. Mine doesn't look half as nice as the picture in the book, but it tastes great. I am definitely going to use the hollandaise sauce for other things, too.

So from just this small sampling I am declaring Vegan Brunch a winner. I am looking forward to many awesome brunches to come.

Vidalia Onion Relish

Let the canning begin! My plan this summer is to can and preserve as much as I can so we can rely less on canned food. Fresh and local is the way to go, right? The grocery store has had Vidalia onions on for real cheap lately (not even close to local, I know) and that got me thinking about the Vidalia relish I used to buy at Trader Joe's. Man, that stuff was good. With a little Googling I found this recipe, which seemed pretty much like the relish I used to buy. It is easy to make (if you have a food processor to chop the onions), and taste so good it will make even the lamest veggie dog a real treat.

Speaking of veggie dog-like things, let's not forget our good friend the homemade veggie sausage. I recently made the bratwurst version, grilled it, and was reminded of how quick, easy, and tasty they are.

Click May - Cookies

Didn't have time to click anything new though I had a few ideas in my head. Sending my eggless chocolate melting moments instead.

Chocolate Melting Moments

Click - Cookies, May '09

Sri Lankan Beetroot Thel Dala Recipe

Thel Dala refers to a dry stir-fried dish in Sri Lanka. Usually this is made with Potatoes and called ala thel dala. The book I had mentioned in my previous post on Sri Lankan Mango Curry, Sri Lankan Flavours by Channa Dassanayaka, actually details a thel dala using beetroots.

I have been quite hooked to the book and reading up on differences and similarities between Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines. I really want to try using their salted chillies in my cooking too. The book mentions how they marinate chillies in salt water and use that in their curries. The use of coconut milk is also quite extensive in their recipes.

Beetroot Thel Dala Recipe

Serves: 2-3

Source: Sri Lankan Flavours by Channa Dassanayaka

What I Used:

2 medium-sized beetroots, peeled and diced

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup tomatoes, chopped

10 curry leaves or 2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

2 cloves garlic sliced

2 green chillies sliced

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 teaspoon chilli powder

salt to taste

How I Made It:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, curry leaves, cinnamon and garlic and saute until golden brown - about 1 to 2 mins. Then add the beetroot and toss for another 2 mins.

2. Add the tomatoes, green chilies, curry powder, turmeric and chilli and stir until spices are mixed through.

3. Add 1/4 cup water, bring to boil then simmer until the beetroot is tender - about 7 mins. Mix in salt to taste and remove.

Note:

Instead of thel dala, you can also make a curry with the same recipe by adding coconut milk. At step 3, instead of adding water, add 1/4 cup light coconut milk and cook till beets are tender. 2 mins before removing fire, add 1/2 cup thick coconut milk, simmer and remove.

Serve with rice.

This too goes to A.W.E.D Sri Lankan Cuisine hosted by Siri, conceptualized by DK.

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Have you mingled yet? Make sure your yummy rice recipes reach me before June 15th. Event details here.

Rhubarb Walnut Bread

I throw this one out as a recipe/idea you can play with. I was thinking of ways to use up the rhubarb that is growing like crazy in the backyard. After a few rhubarb crisps I thought I would try to make a rhubarb bread. I really liked the end result: a dense but moist bread with that trademark rhubarb tang. And, because it has whole grains and rhubarb, there is enough fibre to totally clean your clock. I based the recipe on Peter Reinhart's whole wheat cinnamon bread, so I apologize for the wonky mix of measurements.

INGREDIENTS

Rhubarb Mix

- 2 1/4 cup chopped rhubarb

- 1/4 cup water

- 2 tbsp minced ginger

- 2 tbsp sugar

Dough

- 18 oz whole wheat flour (plus up to 1 cup more)

- 6 oz oat flour

- 1 tbsp instant yeast

- 2 tsp salt

- 1/3 cup brown sugar

- 3/4 cup oat bran

- 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

- 6 oz soy milk, warm

- 1/4 cup oil

- 2 tbsp ground flax seed

- 1 cup chopped walnuts

- 1 cup dried cranberries (soaked in hot water for 10 mins, then fully drained)

METHOD

1. Place ingredients for rhubarb mix in a saucepan and bring to bubbling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 mins, until rhubarb is very soft and mushy. Remove from heat and let cool down to room temperature.

2. Place rhubarb mix in a large bowl and add all other ingredients (except the extra 1 cup of whole wheat flour). Bring together into a dough with your hands or with a stand mixer. Let sit for 5 mins (the bran will soak up some water and firm up the dough). Add in as much of the extra flour is needed to make a soft and slightly tacky dough. Knead of a floured surface for 10 mins, until smooth.

3. Place dough in a large, clean bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 90 mins, until doubled (or as near doubled as you can get it).

4. Divide dough in half and shape into loaves. Place in lightly greased loaf pans, cover, and let rise until loaves crest the top of the pan.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place loaves on the middle shelf of the oven. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 20 mins. Rotate pans 180 degrees and bake for another 25-30 mins, until loaves are a nice golden brown and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. Let cool on racks.

Thenga Sadam / Coconut Rice Recipe

Thenga sadam is probably one of my favourite mixed rice dishes. I had it the first time at my sister's in-law's place around the time her wedding got fixed. Amma had never made it before at home (even though we were in the land of the coconuts!) but after that day, this became an occasional treat at home. Its really a simple rice dish and something you can whip up in 10-15 mins if you have cooked rice ready. 

Thenga Sadam / Coconut Rice

Serves: 2

What I Used:

Cooked rice : 4 cups

Grated coconut - 1 cup (frozen works too)

Salt - to taste

For spice powder:

Chana dal / kadala paruppu - 1 tbsp

Urad dal / uzhunnu parippu - 1 tbsp

Dry red chillies - 2 to 3

For tempering:

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp (or any oil you have in hand)

Chana dal / kadala paruppu - 1 tsp

Hing / asafoetida / perungaayam

Dry red chillies - 1, halved

Curry leaves - a few

For garnishing:

3 crushed appalam / papadom (optional)

How I Made It:

1. Dry roast the ingredients for spice powder until the dals turn golden and the red chillies are nicely browned. 

2. Cool and powder coarsely with salt. 

3. Heat oil in a pan and add ingredients for tempering along with the coconut. When it turns golden brown, remove from fire. 

4. Add the roasted coconut mixture and the spice mixture to the cooked rice and mix well. Adjust salt. 

5. Add crushed fried appalam or papadom before serving. 

Rush in your rice recipes (mixed rice, biryani, pulao, poha, rice flour, etc) for this month's Monthly Mingle - Ravishing Rice event at Edible Garden. Last date for entries is June 15, 2009. 

Mexican Fast Food

Son #1 wanted to play soccer this summer, so I am now officially Vegan Soccer Dad. Of course, I totally forgot about his first practice and stayed later than usual at the office figuring I had all the time in the world to make dinner when I got home. Upon arriving home I was reminded of the error of my ways and suddenly had to get everyone fed and Son #1 to practice in one hour. I kicked into high chopping gear and made this. The kids adore all Mexican food, but having tortilla chips makes it all the more special (bags of chips are a rare commodity in this house). They think they are having a treat and are getting nutrition at the same time.

There is no real recipe tonight since topping are really up to you. This plate has:

1. Tortilla chips

2. Tofu (fried in a bit of oil, then seasoned with one of those Old El Paso taco seasonings packs (the shame! I told you I was in a hurry!) and mixed some water to coat the tofu.

3. Chickpeas cooked in some chipotle salsa.

4. Chopped veggies: onion, romaine lettuce, tomato, avocado.

5. Salsa

6. Chili Lime Yogurt: about 1 cup of plain soy yogurt mixed with juice of 1 lime, large pinch of sugar, salt to taste, and 1/4 tsp chili powder.

Lemon Rice Recipe

Lemon rice always reminds me of train rides. I am sure some of you associate the two as well because in most cases, whenever we go on an overnight train journey, a small bundle of lemon rice wrapped in wilted banana leaf will be handed over to everyone. We have always had lemon rice with chuttaracha chammanthi, thick coconut chutney ground with smoked red chillies, and curd/raita. 

I also have another distinct memory associated with lemon rice. One of eating it at a temple when I was very little. I forgot where or when but that was probably the best lemon rice I have ever tasted. Its been ages since I have eaten from a temple but if I see it when I pass by, I am grabbing some!

On to the recipe now. 

Lemon Rice

Serves: 2-3

Preparation time: 30 mins

What I Used:

4 cups cooked rice (leftovers work perfect)

3 tbsp raw peanuts

3/4 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tbsp juice of lemon or lime

Salt to taste

For tempering:

2 tbsp gingelly oil / nallennai / sesame seed oil (Indian version)

2-3 red chillies torn into halves

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp chana dal / kadala paruppu

A generous pinch of hing / asafoetida / perungaayam

A few curry leaves

Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing (optional)

How I Made It:

1. Heat oil for tempering in a pan and add the peanuts. Roast until nicely browned. Drain and set aside. 

2. To the hot oil, add the ingredients for tempering. Take care not to burn the chillies. When the mustard seeds start to pop and the dal has turned a golden brown, add the turmeric powder and salt. Now add peanuts, mix well and remove from fire. 

3. Add cooked rice to the above mixture and mix well. Squeeze lime on the rice and mix again. Depending on the lime / lemon you use, the sourness will vary. Make sure you make it slightly more sour than you need it because when you let it sit for an hour or two, the rice will absorb the flavours. 

4. Garnish and serve. 

Notes:

- Lemon rice is fantastic to carry with you on a trip. Wrap in banana leaves or pack it in your throwaway containers with some chuttaracha chammanthi and you are set! 

- The rice tastes just fine when it turns cold but if serving at home, serve warm. 

Rush in your rice recipes (mixed rice, biryani, pulao, poha, rice flour, etc) for this month's Monthly Mingle - Ravishing Rice event at Edible Garden. Last date for entries is June 15, 2009. 

You may also wish to check out Sia's version of Lemon Rice recipe over at Beyond Curries. 

Ultimate BBQ Tofu

If you follow this blog you know that I have made BBQ tofu before. So, what makes this "ultimate?" Good question! It's all about the method. I noticed that freezing tofu makes it rather like a sponge; much more able to soak up sauces. So, I thought I would try freezing the tofu in BBQ sauce, thawing it, then throwing it on the grill. The experiment was a success--full of flavour and with a great texture. It does takes some planning to make this dish, so consider throwing a few batches in the freezer at the beginning of the week.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 pkg firm or extra firm tofu, sliced into 8

- 1 recipe Sweet and Sticky BBQ sauce (but finely dice the onions)

METHOD

1. Bring ingredients for BBQ sauce to bubbling in a saucepan. Add tofu, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins.

2. Remove tofu and place in a Pyrex dish (or whatever you use to freeze stuff). Cover with sauce, cover, and place in the freezer. Let freeze completely.

3. The day before you want to eat said tofu, place in the fridge to thaw. Or, just thaw in the microwave before grilling.
4. Grill tofu on a hot grill 3-4 mins per side, then rotating 90 degrees and repeating. Baste regulalry with the BBQ sauce. If you like, set aside some sauce and thicken in a saucepan on the stove, then slather over the grilled tofu.

Bon Appetit's Orecchiette Carbonara / Self-discoveries via Food

I think this recipe might be a turning point both in this blog and my relationship with food as a whole. I KNOW. I need to step back and sleep on it (vague reference to act one of this amazing episode), but I'm just going to barrel through. It all starts with the fact that I chose to make this dish for part of Matt's birthday present. Matt really likes heavy pasta dishes. I usually turn my nose up at them saying, "But Matt, it's sooooo heavy."

Thus begins, the tale of pasta carbonara. Here is B.A.'s version:

And here is mine:

I started off slicing some leeks. By the way, did you know that the best way to get the grit out of them is to give them a 5-10 minute water bath? I didn't, but it's true. The dirt and what not just falls to the bottom.

I don't eat a lot of meat, especially bacon and so, I didn't know what I was missing out on in the cooking process. There is something really satisfying and almost magical about watching these fatty two-toned strips turn into the crispy, glistening pieces of food I'm familiar with.

On their way:

I guess I'm just (the last person on earth to be) impressed with bacon as a cut of meat. Look how pretty it is next to the parsley.

And hey, it's not done, let's use its fat to sauté the leeks:
Here's where things got really WEIRD for me. I always assumed carbonara was made of cream, but NO, it's just eggs, and almost raw eggs at that. Here's me beating the room temperature, raw eggs with parmesan cheese:

And then, and this is where I mentally gave up on the recipe, you pour the egg/parmesan mixture over the bacon fat, leeks, and cooked pasta while the heat is off. I kept rereading the recipe, asking, "Really? Bon Appetit? With the heat off?"

I was completely convinced that I wanted nothing to do with this dish on a food source level--as much as bacon impressed me, I had to be honest with myself. The sauce was made from bacon fat, barely cooked eggs and cheese. whaaaa?

On top of that, I was even more convinced that I was doing it wrong. I was positive that either the eggs were going to be runny or that they were going to curdle/ chunk up on me.

I added the bacon and parsley and though it looked prettier and the eggs weren't chunky, I was still very, very skeptical.

But then, something happened to me. I took a bite...
and it was amazing. I think I ended up eating almost as much as Matt did.

To review, the lessons learned:
1. don't judge a recipe by its ingredients.
2. I do like fatty, meaty foods.
3. i'm not as bad of a cook as I thought I was/ used to be. thanks, BLOG.

PETA's Vegan College Cookbook: A Review

I wasn't a vegan as an undergrad, a fact I am sometimes grateful for when I see the food offerings on campus these days (and when I think of how hard it was even to get a decent vegetarian option back then). While things are getting better these days, vegan options are still few and far between. To make matters worse, dorms have pretty much restricted cooking appliances to a microwave and a kettle (unless you want to use the communal kitchen at the end of the hall, which no one ever does). So, until you can get an off campus house with your own stove, what's a college vegan to do?

One answer is PETA's new Vegan College Cookbook--275 recipes all made (well, almost all) in the microwave. Written with wit and flair, the book makes no apologies for what it is: a collection of recipes that make liberal use of fake meat, dairy, eggs, and cheese (there is even a comprehensive mini encyclopedia of all the vegan alternatives available). The recipes are comprehensive, including the expected lunch, breakfast, and dinner; but also with sections devoted to salads, soups and stews, drinks, dips, snacks, and desserts. If you've ever been a student you will appreciate the special spotlight on ramen noodles.

For those of us with access to a stove, this book is probably of limited use (though there are some good ideas for quick and easy snacks and drinks), but I think the book is perfect for college students (and I should know--I teach them!). While I would like to see more focus on fresh veggies and perhaps some raw dishes, let's not kid ourselves: cleaning out the crisper is not high on the "to do" list for freshmen. The great thing about the book is that you don't have to be a culinary wizard to execute these recipes. So, kids, if you are college-bound (and if your parents are wondering what you will eat whilst at school), consider PETA's Vegan College Cookbook.

Sri Lankan Mango Curry Recipe

When I saw the annoucement for the May edition of A.W.E.D on Siri's blog, I was thinking atleast this month I should send in something. Due to work, some personal stuff and more work, I forgot about it until the weekend when we visited the library. Guess what stuck its head out of the cookery bookshelf? This book!

I picked it up and once glance through it made me realize how similar Sri Lankan cuisine is to Indian cuisine as well South East Asian ones. I was amazed to see that Pandan leaves, that are a very common flavouring ingredient used in South East Asian cooking, are a staple in a Sri Lankan kitchen too, just like curry leaves are to Indians. In fact, they use curry leaves quite extensively too. I was also surprised to see Kerala aappams, they call it hoppers, as a common street food in SL. They call idiyappam string hoppers, so cute!

Fresh Pandan Leaves

I could go on and on because I am quite smitten by this cuisine. Similar yet so different from what I am so used to.

The first dish I tried from the book is this Mango Curry. Its similar to our mango pachadi recipe but has its subtle differences. I was diappointed to see that the author hadn't mentioned the local name for this dish. I did a search and the closest dish I could find online was Amba Maluwa but the recipe is significantly different from this.

The mangoes I used were semi-sweet semi-sour

Sri Lankan Mango Curry

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 30 mins

Source: Sri Lankan Flavours by Channa Dassanayaka

What I Used:

1 raw mango

1/2 onion, chopped fine

2 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp crushed ginger

(or use 2 tsp ginger garlic paste)

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tbsp vinegar

4-5 curry leaves
1 pandan leaf cut/torn into bits

a 1" cinnamon stick

1/2 cup thick coconut milk

1/2 cup light coconut milk

1 tbsp oil

How I Made It:

1. Peel mango and cut into long, thin pieces. I made the mistake of not peeling the mango and the curry came out slightly bitter. So please take the time and do it!

2. Grind mustard seeds and vinegar together to form a paste.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and cinnamon. Saute until onion turns golden - about 5-7 mins.

4. Add the mango, light coconut milk, pandan leaf bits and the mustard seed mixture and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat and simmer until mango is cooked and tender. Add the thick coconut milk and simmer for another 10 mins. Add salt.

Notes

- You can use store-bought coconut milk for this recipe. I used it and to get the light coconut milk, I added equal amounts of water to the coconut milk. It won't curdle if you cook it in very low fire. 

- The dish will taste just fine without pandan leaves. It will be like making an Indian dish without curry leaves - a certain flavour will be missing but that won't break the dish totally, so don't worry :)

This side dish is usually served with rice and some meat curry during a typical Sri Lankan lunch.

Needless to say, this goes to A.W.E.D Sri Lankan Cuisine hosted by Siri, conceptualized by DK.

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Have you mingled yet? Make sure your yummy rice recipes reach me before June 15th. Event details here.

Fire Roasted Pepper and Mushroom Salad

This is a pretty easy dish to make if you already have the BBQ on. Fresh thyme really is a must here so you get those wonderful bursts of flavour when you bite down. I didn't even try to get the kids to eat this one, what with Son #1's professed hatred of both peppers and mushrooms.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

- 1 red pepper

- 1 yellow pepper

- 1 orange pepper

- 10 large white or cremini mushrooms

- juice of 1/2 lemon

- olive oil

- salt and pepper to taste

- fresh thyme sprigs

METHOD

1. Roast peppers on the BBQ over med-hi heat for 12-15 mins, turning regularly, until skin is blistered and wrinkled. Place in a large bowl, cover with a plate, and steam for 10 mins.

2. While peppers are roasting, toss whole mushrooms in a bit of olive oil and place cap side down on the grill. Roast for about 10 mins, until mushrooms release most of their water.

3. Skin and seed peppers when they have cooled enough to touch. Dab off excess water and cut into chunks. Thickly slice mushrooms. Place peppers and mushrooms in a bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil, add lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Place in serving bowl and top with fresh thyme. Serve.

Ennai Kathirikkai Kuzhambu Recipe

This is an authentic Tamil Nadu kuzhambu recipe and its sometimes a bit overwhelming for lazybones like me. That is not to say this is a difficult recipe. There is a bit of roasting and grinding and soaking and frying to be done. My grandmom would have said "these days girls have it easy, you have the mixie!" She is right, of course!

Make sure you pick out nice and small brinjals of more or less similar size. Its okay if they don't stand up straight on the plate though, 'cuz mine didn't either!

If you have some time on your hands and are craving some comfort food, a homemade meal, something like what your mom/grandmom would have made you if she were with you, then this one's for you. I made it on a Saturday morning and it lasted till Tuesday the next week. I had it with rice, dosa, chappathis, more rice and more dosas!

I am also planning to make this when my amma visits me. She is going to be sooooo impressed ;)

Resist the temptation to stare at the pretty stuffed brinjal. Atleast try!

Ennai Kathirikkai Kuzhambu Recipe

Serves: 4

Preparation time : 45 mins

What I Used:

A lime-sized ball tamarind

8-10 small aubergines

1/4 cup sesame / gingelly oil / nallennai

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp powdered jaggery / sugar

For Spice Powder:

1 tbsp oil

2 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp hing / asafoetida / perungaayam

8 dried red chillies

2 tbsp chana dal / kadala paruppu

2 tbsp toor dal / tuvaram paruppu

2 tbsp urad dal / ulutham paruppu

1 tsp salt

For Tempering:

1/2 tsp mustard seeds / kaduku

1 dry red chilli

1 sprig curry leaves

How I Made It:

1. Heat oil for spice powder and add all ingredients except salt. Fry till spices are fragrant and dals turn a golden brown.

2. Remove from heat, mix in salt and grind to a powder.

3. Soak tamarind in 1.5 cups warm water and extract juice.

4. Wash the aubergines and make criss-cross cuts into it from the base almost upto the stalks.

5. Stuff the aubergines with enough spice powder and set aside the remaning powder.

6. Heat gingelly oil in a large pan and fry the aubergines till cooked through and semi-soft. Take care not to break them. Drain and set aside.

7. To the above hot oil, add the ingredients for tempering. When the mustard seeds popping, add the tamarind juice, salt, jaggery and the remaining spice powder. Simmer for about 10-12 mins.

8. Add aubergines to the above and simmer for another 5-7 mins.

9. Serve hot with plain rice and any thoran / mezhukkupuratti / poriyal dish.

Note

This kuzhambu keeps well for upto 4 days at room temperature. Make sure that you bring to boil each time before serving. It tastes best the day after its made. I love it with dosai!

Rice Vegan Cheese: A Product Review

I was contacted by the folks at Galaxy Foods to see if I would like to sample some of their new rice cheese. I'm really not one to turn down free food, but I will admit that I am skeptical of vegan cheese. The kids like it, but I would rather just do without for the most part. Despite these caveats, they still sent me the cheese. There are three flavours: Pepper Jack, Cheddar, and American. So, I put the cheese to the test. First up, classic grilled cheese with the cheddar. The flavour was good (for fake cheese), and it melted quickly and easily (which is a big plus).
Next up, potato quesedillas with the pepper jack. I did sample some of the cheese before cooking and, quite frankly, the texture was terrible: grainy, yet pasty. But, when melted in the quesedilla, it was much better.

Lastly, Tofu English Muffin Sandwiches for brunch with the American flavour. This one actually does not taste too bad uncooked and it was a nice addition to the sandwich.

So, in the final analysis the cheese was better than I expected. On the plus side, it melts well, is soy free (if that matters to you), and tastes better than most vegan cheeses. On the downside, it has a lot of packaging since each individual slice is wrapped in plastic inside a plastic package. It would be nice to see this as a block to cut down on the plastic.