Buddha Bowl

 Sunday night - and we are already primed to be in the "back to work tomorrow" mode.  All I wanted was something to eat and sit down to watch my current favorite show on TV.  As I was forgaing in my fridge, I was thinking of the Buddha Bowl I picked up for lunch at work last week.  Some brown rice, and a series of colourful vegetables, some bits of roast chicken - and some beautiful tahini dressing. I was lucky I had all the ingredients in my fridge and pantry.

So, Buddha Bowl it was and it was just perfect and satisfying! Pretty as a picture - who wouldn't want to eat this?

Frouta Ke Yaourti - Greek Fruit Salad

 Onions, tomatoes and green chillies - such a varied team, right?  Each of these vegetables have their own individual flavours and strengths. Too much of one or the other and your dish can turn really bad. But in the right measure, they make the perfect base for so many curries. It depends on the chef and his skills to know when to add more and what to add less of. Similarly, working in a team, we have so many different skills and strengths. If the manager doesn't recognise your skill set, then you end up feeling frustrated and the project will probably fail.  But in the right measure and with the right team members, you can turn out a dream project and get the recognition that is due.  

But we are not here to talk about work - though it is good to have an analogy and today's fruit salad is just a mix of different fruits - all with their own special qualities, coming together to create a dream dessert with the help of yoghurt. 

The original recipe used lemon rind but I happened to have oranges, so I used the rind of an orange - it reminded me of the lovely orange tree lined streets of Athens.

This dessert is healthy and tasty - healthy as there is no sugar and it is mostly fruit and if, like me, you are avoiding the temptations of the holiday season, then, it is perfect as a summer dessert.

Pantzaro Salata - Roasted Beetroot Salad

Ever since I was diagnosed as having high blood pressure, I have become a close buddy of the beetroot.  According to Dr. Michael Mosely, the humble beetroot is good for the heart, it can help reduce blood pressure and keep the brain healthy.  As I started to consume more beetroot, I realised that this vegetable is also very tasty and it is so easy to consume on a daily basis.  So I try adding beetroot in different forms and ways into my diet and this is the Greek way. I first had a taste of the Pantzaro Salata in Athens - but a very no frills salad with what seemed like just a beautiful mix of yogurt and beetroot.

After arriving in Melbourne and researching on this salad, I came across the recipe for a sexier version in this site: https://www.foodbymaria.com/ 

This recipe is adapted from Maria's, and I added a little bit of something - and took away the garlic. The garlic was omitted for a guest who was allergic to them.

Aval Vilayichathu - Candied Rice Flakes

 A popular tea time snack in Kerala, candied rice flakes or aval vilayichathu is also one of my favourite "travel" and/or hostel snacks. Long train and bus journeys often called for snacks that could be easily stored and consumed.  The same held true for the hostel - except when you took snacks back to the hostel they would last may be a maximum of two days.  Those were the days! I hardly make snacks at home these days as I am mindful of my health and my weight.  However, I have been having massive cravings for this dish so I decided to indulge myself.

Usually this snack has a couple of tablespoons of sesame seeds.  I ran out of them so I used a tablespoon of cumin instead. And the sultanas are optional.

Baked Bitter Melon Crisps

 I am addicted to salty food.  Its easy for me to say no to chocolate, but give me an olive soaked in brine or a mango pickle and I cannot resist. I am now trying to cut out the sodium in my diet and consciously trying to avaid salt for health reasons. I happened to see this recipe on a reel in instagram and decided to make my own - salt and oil free. 

I made it today and though the salt is missing, the crunch factor is big and for that this will be a regular in my cuisine from now on.  Simply because it adds the interest to my bland meals of late., I guess.

Though I say it is salt free, I must admit there is a tiny bit of salt in there and also a tiny bit of oil.  But it is better than the amount of salt I normally add and definitely better than deep frying.

Idichakka Thoran - Green Jackfruit Stir Fry

 A few weeks ago, the family and I visited a "New Age" cafe where they were spruiking "pulled jackfruit" burgers as the new vegan go to food - that tasted even better than meat. The Keralite in me came out - and I decided I was going to order that, against my husband's wise advice. The pulled jackfruit was extremely disappointing leaving me craving for the real thing. I find it really annoying that people, including me, fall for such marketing ploys and then end up hating a perfectly great dish.

Of course, I could never hate the jackfruit - it is one of my favorite fruits.  And I know exactly what it could taste like if done properly.  

On that note, as I walked past my green grocer a couple of days back, I spotted green / unripe jackfruits. I immediately picked up a piece and brought it home. Finally my craving could be satiated.

On that note, let us move on to the Idichakka Thoran. Sure, it looks like pulled pork.  But this dish has been around for decades before pulled pork became fashionable. Most people in Kerala have a jackfruit tree in their back yard - and we did too. And this dish has been a staple of many households for decades.

Soy Garlic Tofu

I got addicted to this dish at a cafe in my place of work.  For the last few times, whenever we went there I would choose the tofu with garlic and soy along with fried rice. My friend Fiona is a great cook and when I asked her if she could give me the recipe for this particular dish, she pointed me to the site https://thefoodietakesflight.com/ and this recipe. I had all the ingredients in my pantry so I decided to try it out.

Making this dish at home is so much better - you can control the oil and salt that goes into it. And if you have the ingredients ready, the actual cooking takes less than 30 mintes.  You need pre cooked and chilled rice to make the fried rice - but the rest of the cooking takes a very short time.

My family loved the tofu - and I think this is one of those recipes that I will keep making over and over again. The sauce is so fresh and garlicky - it is delicious with the right blend of sweet, sour and hot.  Along with the fried rice, it was a satisfying meal 

Rizogalo - Greek Rice Pudding

 I tried my hand at making a very traditional rice pudding for my daughter's Greek family. I read a lot of recipes online, but this recipe from themediterraneandish.com rang true and authentic and I am so glad I trusted my instincts. Ruth Bardis is an Australian of Greek ethinicity and I must say that her recipe got me a lot of compliments from all the people who tasted it.

The only effort required for this recipe is to whisk the milk / rice mixture consistently and almost constantly.  It takes around 45 minutes, but the results were awesome. 

Kesari or Semolina Halwa

 Both my husband and daughter love this simple Indian dessert that can be served at weddings or at home.  When it is served at weddings or functions, it is made with ghee and saffron (kesar) - and hence the name Kesari. It is usually made with an orange food colouring but I try to refrain from using food colouring unless it is natural.  So though my kesari looks quite brown, but you can definitely taste the saffron.  It is entirely up to you if you wish to use food colouring and I will include it in the recipe as an option. The beauty about this dessert is that you can make it vegan very easily too.

Falooda

Indian Summers are oppressively hot and humid. And kids and adults would do anything to keep cool. Falooda is sold as THE thing to cool your body down and it is freely avilable in all the iceream shops, bakeries and street food vendors. It was introduced to India by the Moghuls - so it is a Middle Eastern dish except the Indians added their own twist to it.  The twist is the secret syrup - called Roohafza that you will find in all sorts of soft drinks, lemonade, fizzy sherbet drinks and so on. I tend to use Roohafza very sparingly as it is extremely sweet. But it has an amazing smell of roses and a bright pink colour that looks great on desserts.

To explain the Falooda to Aussies - it is like an Eton Mess - a jumble of things put together with different textures and flavours. I made this for my birthday last week but the pictures taken at night were not particularly good.  Luckily I had the ingredients so I could make it again for the photograph.

Ajvar - roasted capsicum and eggplant dip

 I got introduced to Ajvar a while ago by a Macedonian colleague. Her husband grew bell peppers at home and he would preserve them after harvesting them. The smoky peppers, the vibrant colour, the smooth and tangy after taste - these were all the things that made sure I got addicted to it. For several years I just bought a jar of Ajvar - it was so convenient.  But today I decided to try to make it - and as expected, it tastes so much better when it is home made!

The cherry on top was a Macedonian friend of my son's - I heard him saying to my son "Is your mum making Ajvar? I can smell it!" I must have done something right!

Onam 2023

 Another Onam marked off in my calendar! This one was special because we had a non traditional "Thums Up" drink with our meal. Kind of like Indian Cocacola - that the kids found in the Indian store in Melbourne.  

The day started off with setting up some floral arrangements inside the home - the all important Atha Poovu or flower carpet:

Normally this is actually done on the floor of the home - but I do not find the time to devote for elaborate floral decorations on the floor - not to mention the cleaning up after!

Makki Ki Roti - Cornmeal flat bread

 Sadda Pind is a cultural museum in Amritsar, India. On our recent visit we got to experience some amazing rustic food in the museum. Sadda Pind means "My Village".  The museum is set up amongst beautiful mud cottages, colourful artwork across the walls - artisans busy working on their craft and women of the village gathering together to cook food.  yes, its true, I did not see any men of the village cooking!  But anyway, I got to experience life in a village all in one day, tried my hand at weaving, embroidery, listened to music, saw dances - and tasted some amazing food.  As you walk into Sadda Pind you are welcomed with a glass of lassi and as you go past each mud hut there is something new to taste in each home.

One of the things I tried was Sarson Ka Saag and Makki ki Roti. Mustard greens with cornmeal flatbread.This is an iconic Punjabi dish - and its essence is to take you to the lush fields and farmlands of Punjab and remind you of the hardworking farmers and the delicious food from the fields to your plate, literally. 

A couple of years back I actually grew mustard in my back yard so I could experience the authentic flavour of the leaves. At that time, I did not make the cornmeal rotis. I used tortillas instead.  This time I thought I would try my hand at making the rotis because the ladies in the Pind (village) showed me how to do it. This recipe is completely vegetarian and gluten free.  If you want to make it vegan, just use oil instead of butter.

The ladies in the Pind simply used the palm of their hand to get the dough into shape - but I was not able to do it as well as them.  So I have used a rolling pin instead.

Black Sesame Seed Chutney - Ellu Chutney

 Today's recipe is a flavour bomb - I have never had it before and I happened to see it paired with urid dal rice - and it happens to be a speciality of Tirunelveli, apparently.

I say apparently because I have never had this rice or this chutney in Nagercoil - which is my town, further South from Tirunelveli by about 80 kms.  Anyway, the bottom line is I am glad I discovered this chutney because it is just awesome!

And not just that - it is full of antioxidants, iron, manganese, calcium and was popularly served to girls who reached puberty and lactating mothers. I also read that black sesame seeds have a compund in them that can inhibit the onset of Alzhiemers (courtesy: Nut Market, James Street, Brisbane and the site refers to medical journals)

The thing is, in India black sesame seeds have been used for centuries. The oil from black sesame seeds is even called "Nalla ennai" - good oil; and most households cooked with this oil. We did this simple because we followed traditions, but it is good to understand how good this "good oil" is, really.

This chutney combines the goodness of sesame seeds with jaggery, chilli, coconut, curry leaves, tamarind and garlic to create a sweet and sour protein ball that really does burst in your mouth. You can get the beautiful umami of the ground up toasted sesame seeds giving a tingling, happy sensation all over!

Venn Pongal - Savoury Rice with Dal

 It was the 80s and I was in a hostel along with about 500 students.  we were slogging to get through our examinations. And every other day, breakfast used to be Venn Pongal. I cannot begin to tell you how much I had come to hate this dish! Every semester break I would rush home and eat my mother's home cooked food - especially the breakfast items and complain to her about how bad this venn pongal was!

The cook in my hostel, bless her, was known as Narayana amma - no one knew her real name.  She was just Narayana's mother.  And Narayana who must have been in his early 20s used to help get grocery and generally help his mother in the kitchen, It was not Narayana amma's fault of course, but she negotiated the best deal for herself and making venn pongal was one of the simplest breakfast things.  She also didn't use ghee as it was too expensive, and cashew nuts were far and few. 

Fast forward 35 years - and I find myself thinking of Narayana amma, Narayana, the patti (grandmother) whose job it was to help grind the dal to make the vadas. I found this amazing recipe by chef Dinu on instagram and decided to wake up early, motivate myself to make a Kings Breakfast on this long weekend and get the recipe  out.  So here I am!!!!  I am extremely pleased with my decision and my belly is thanking me too - :-D

Stir fried ivy gourd - Kovakkai Mezhukku Purattiyathu

 Today's vegetable, the humble ivy gourd, is one of my favourites. With ivy like leaves, small white star shaped flowers and a tiny cucumber like gourd, this plant used to grow wild in my mother's back yard.  Some of the fruit would ripen on the vines turning a beautiful shade of red, self seeding and carrying on the process seemingly on an endless cycle.  this vegetable was available freely and throughout the year and it was a favourite of mine as well as my dad's. 

Of course it wouldn't survive the cold winters of Melbourne and I never expected to see it here. Once in a way I used to but the frozen vegetable that was imported from India but the taste was just disappointing. 

Each time I visited India, I used to eat it by the kilo - stocking up until my next visit.

I was pleasantly surprised to see it at my local green grocers the other day - a treat, all the way from sunny Queensland! I was so excited I grabbed a lot - and for the next 3 weeks ate it to my hearts content.  Now that I know that it has gained popularity in Melbourne, I am sure I will see it more often.

It is a vegetable that is known by different names in different parts of India. I know it as kovakkai, but in the North of India they call it Tindora.  This time, in Delhi I found out that the Delhiites call it Kundru. A kovakkai - by any other name - still tastes divine - and by the way, the botanic name of this vegetable is Coccinia Grandis.

To make this dish, you need green (unripe) ivy gourd, about half a kilo.

I have got a picture of the plant - thank you Mary Matthews for 

Aloo Tikki - Spicy Indian Potato Cake

 Every holiday in India we try to go on a journey by train.  This time too, it was no different. The journey was special because we have never travelled on the Shaan-E-Punjab (The Pride of Punjab). All the way from Amritsar to Delhi on the Indian Railways. It was a 5 hour journey on the seater car of the train. The scenery was quite different to what I was used to down in South India where it is greener and with lots of bodies of water.

The food was also different - and just to be safe we ordered just vegetarian food. So it was vegetable biriyani and Aloo Tikki. I was not very impressed with the food in the train - (only because we had enjoyed three days of amazing local food in Amritsar) - and I didn't give it much thought until we arrived in Delhi.

In Delhi, we stayed at my friend's house and her maid was the one who really got us hooked into Aloo Tikkis. These delightful crisp skinned potato cakes with bits of peas and cauliflower, dipped in a sweet, tangy and sour tamarind sauce and a bit of mint chutney were just too good to stop at one.

The best part was you could make them and use them like burger patties and watch a game of footy while pretending to be in Delhi. So this is what I did today - to relive my holidays!

Baked Potatoes with Cream

 My son's absolute favourite side dish served with lamb chops. He makes it himself and has honed it down to an art form.  Browned evenly with the potatoes cooked in cream that has cooked and turned into a butter like consistency - this dish is very easy to pig out on! Using only 4 ingredients, you really cannot go wrong.

Pineapple Pudding

 My friend Anto introduced me to this pudding.  It is a quick one to make and only 3 ingredients are used.

When you are invited to a Christmas party and have to take dessert, this is an easy one to make and share.  It is not too heavy and is refreshing.  Needless to say, it is also a crowd pleaser.

Vallarai Keerai Sambol - Indian Pennywort Salad

 38 years ago, I met my buddy Yaso in college and we became fast friends.  We shared our dreams, hopes, frustrations, saris, food, notes and jewellery. When such a close friend travels 10,000 miles just to pay you a visit, you know it is going to be very special. We shared giggles, tears, so much love - and caught up with all the unsaid stories and for old times sake climbed trees and took a  selfie. What a surprise it was to the two of us to note that we pretty much sat on the branch the same way as we had - all those years ago.  Of course we still had and wore our best smiles - and our hearts felt young and all our worries dissolved away in our giggles. 

This dish was prepared by Yaso who picked the leaves from my garden and created the perfect salad for our dinner. The salad is fresh, tangy and complements a good rice and curry.