Archives for March 2013

Banana-Spinach Smoothie – Tasting is Believing

March 27, 2013 By iladori Leave a Comment

Wait, don’t go away! You’re going to be surprised, I promise.

I was.

I never thought I’d ever like a green smoothie. Really, I didn’t.

Until I tasted this one.

It’s made up of just two ingredients: Banana and Spinach.

The banana (one per serving) can be overripe. This might even be recommended – so a great way to use up old stock. For those in Bangalore or near-about, the regular variety is better than the Yelakki types for this.

As for the spinach, a handful of crisp, young leaves should do it. Freshly picked from your home garden is even better! Imagine the “Prana” potency of that!

Blitz it all in a mixie jar.

And it’s done. That’s it!

The consistency will be naturally like that of a perfect smoothie.

And taste? Just like bananas! So if you like bananas, you will like this.

I did.

Such a delicious way to consume raw food – especially something like spinach greens, all the nutrients, great taste! If not for the colour, you wouldn’t even know it had spinach in it!

I especially love it because a glass of this smoothie not only keeps me energised and nourished, but also pretty satiated.

Recipe Source: Sharan India‘s program on Peas Vs. Pills.

Did you see how little there was in the mixie jar above, because one serving is just barely enough volume to churn around in it?

That was because everyone at first politely declined my offer of this so utterly healthy and rejuvenating drink. Can you believe that? They did.

But when it was ready, after tasting some, everyone (one by one!) said they’d like to have some more, please. So I ended up making it several times.

Well worth it, in my opinion. Even if I had to can my Palak Paneer plans thereafter.

It is now well accepted by all. Suddenly the grass is greener. Simply ~~bovine~~ divine.

Serve immediately. Watch out for halos.

Adrak (Ginger), Aam Adrak (Mango Ginger), and Haldi (Turmeric)

March 24, 2013 By iladori Leave a Comment

Ginger (Zingiber Officinale)

From the ginger plant family, Zingiberaceae, hail two plants which give us those well-known rhizomes so famous for their culinary and therapeutic properties – Ginger and Turmeric (did you know they’re related?).

Besides these, there is a third one, not as famous, but quite delicious in it’s own unique way, called Mango Ginger (or Aam Adrak), which looks deceptively like regular ginger, but is more closely related to its other cousin, Turmeric. It is, in fact, referred to as “White Turmeric” or “Mango Turmeric” in some of the Indian dialects.

The family list is longer, with Galangal, Cardamom (the seeds in this case, not the rhizome) among other notables belonging to it as well, but more on those later.

Ginger is pretty much a common and everyday spice in our house. I can imagine nearly everyone would know its use in at least one home remedy or the other, besides as a spice in food or beverages.

The mature rhizomes tend to be a bit fibrous. It is usually scraped or peeled before use, then generally either chopped fine, julienned, grated, or ground into a paste, the last often along with other spices.

Sonth or dried ginger, pictured below, is also quite widely used.

Dried ginger tends to be somewhat light and cork-ish in texture.

In the picture below, the broken pieces and rough powder on the left side are what I made by pounding the above dried Sonth in a mortar and pestle. It will thereafter be ground fine in a mixie jar.

The powder on the right, is a readymade, commercial one. It is quite easily available in the local markets.

Sonth can replace fresh ginger in many cases, (and will possess quite a few of the same medicinal properties as fresh), but the flavour is somewhat different.

Mango ginger, on the other hand, is not a good substitute for ginger, as it tastes very different.
Fresh rhizomes are usually available in season, but might need to be sought out.

Can you tell the difference between the two types of ginger below?

The one on the left is the regular ginger, and the one on the right is Mango Ginger, or Curcuma Amada.
Not quite as sharp-tasting as ginger, it has a distinct, though mild, flavour of raw mango.

It is also not as fibrous, nor as ‘claw-like’ in appearance as regular ginger. In fact, other than in colour and taste, looks more like turmeric.

Here they are, sliced CS, LS and all.

Mango Ginger, or Curcuma Amada

Ginger, or Zingiber Officinale

And here are some fresh rhizomes of Turmeric, pictured below. Another genus of the same plant family, also well known for its culinary and therapeutic properties.

Turmeric (Curcuma Longa)

Mostly used in dried, powdered form, as below, right . Dried turmeric is quite hard, much harder than dried ginger.

Although the dried powder is the most common form of usage, if available, fresh turmeric can be used too (grated or chopped).

Expect yellow stains.

An easy way to get rid of unintended yellow smears on clothes or plastic-ware that won’t wash away, is to expose it to the sun for a few hours, since it is fugitive to sunlight.

If you have any of these fabulously golden yellow rhizomes on hand, try this delish relish with just grated turmeric, chopped green chillies, plenty of lemon juice and some salt. Pungent, loaded with medicinal and nutritional value.

A similar recipe is good with the two gingers as well. It will keep for several days in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Leaf Subzi

March 2, 2013 By iladori Leave a Comment

Did you know pumpkin leaves are edible?

They are, too. And quite delicious and nutritious as well. I always knew that pumpkin flowers are used in cooking, but this was an interesting new discovery for me, and one that I lost no time in trying out!

Recipe Source: The friendly and down-to-earth Priya, whom I met during a homestay holiday last year in Kerala, where this dish was served during one of the meals. She is also, in this case, the supplier of the primary ingredient: tender pumpkin leaves, generously picked from the vine growing in their property and handed over to us as we left, along with last-minute how-to’s and tips on usage. Pictures are above. Can you spot the river flowing by in the bottom-right corner? Amazingly, they survived, wrapped in just a newspaper in a plastic bag, and were duly converted into this dish close to thirty hours later.
Here is Priya, being herself.

Ingredients:
(All organic, except the matta rice in this case.)
Tender Pumpkin Leaves (flowers and tender stalks can be included) – A large handful, freshly picked. Choose the youngest, most tender ones.
Grated Fresh Coconut – 3-4 Tablespoons (TIP: Give one quick additional whizz in the mixie jar to further ‘crush’ it)

Oil – 1 teaspoon (I used cold pressed, organic coconut oil)
Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
Raw Rice grains – 1 teaspoon (This can be any variety. I used Matta rice, which is often used in Kerala.)
Jeera (Cumin seeds) – 1/4 teaspoon
Garlic – 2-3 flakes chopped
Haldi (Turmeric) – a pinch
Salt – to taste

Method:
1. Wash and clean the pumpkin leaves, removing the larger veins. This is quite a fibrous leaf ( a bit like Amaranth, though even more so.).

If you have the patience, you could probably leave the veins on, and simply remove the thin film that covers the larger veins, and also the tender stems, which are easily peeled off.

I chose the faster option by tearing off the larger veins, resulting in a rather shredded lot! But not to worry, it needs to be chopped fine, anyway. The pile of veins on the left gets discarded. The remaining leaves as on the right, are what we use.

If using any flowers, remove the calyx, etc, keeping just the corolla (petals).

All ‘de-veined’ and finely chopped.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan or kadhai. Add the mustard seeds. When they start spluttering,
add the raw rice, which will also splutter and puff up.
Also add the red chilly here, if using.