November - Week 2

Let me just say, it was the best soup I had ever tasted!!!

Chilly fall night Clam Chowder

Cook time - 30 mins

You will need :

Onion - 1 medium, finely diced

Celery stalks - 2 trimmed and finely sliced

Butter - unsalted, 2 tbsp

All purpose flour - 3 tbsp

Vegetable Stock - 2 cups

Heavy cream - 1 cup

Yukon gold potatoes - 1 lb, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Dried bay leaves - 2

Fresh sage leaves - 2

Chopped clams in juice - 4 (6oz) cans, juice separated and then rinsed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the butter in a thick bottomed, large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until softened, stirring often. Do not let it brown. Stir in the flour to distribute evenly. Mix well. Add the stock, clam juice, cream, bay leaves, sage leaves and potatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered for 20 minutes, stirring often until the potatoes are nice and tender. Add clams and cook just until clams are firm about 3 mins. Then season with salt and pepper. Serve steaming hot in deep soup bowls.

Makes 6 servings.

Festival foods

I had been looking for a project to keep my brain occupied in between the numerous feedings, diaper changes, homework and story sessions. Tomorrow is Ganesh chaturthi and before i got married, it was a big deal in our household, especially in my ajji's house. And that got me thinking about, what else ?, food! Specifically, special food made during festivals. So I have decided to collect recipes from the various regions of India (and if possible outside too) of dishes that are made specially during special occasions or festivals. I think starting with "modak" for ganesh chathurthi will be a good idea. I will try to make it this weekend and post it.

Hara Dhania

My favourite herb.

Before there was basil, there was dhania (coriander). Growing up, I remember chopping up umpteen bundles of this fragrant, verdant ingredient to add finishing touches to my aai's fabulous cooking. Indian dishes of any sort are incomplete without the garnish of finely chopped hara dhania. It is also used to make chutneys and as an ingredient in koshimbir ( a maharashtrian variant of salsa or mixed chopped salad). This herb is also an essential ingredient in Latin American cuisine.

Here, I have 2 recipes where hara dhania is not used as a garnish but as an ingredient in the cooking. One of them is a variation of my aai's chicken recipe and the other is a simple dish introduced to me by my sasuma. Both of these showcase the versatility of this traditional herb.

Hariyali ghosht.

To make the masala:

Grind to a paste in the food processor,
1 large onion
10-12 medium cloves of garlic
2 inch piece ginger
2 green chillies(use less or omit completely as desired)
1/2 cup cleaned and chopped hara dhania (fresh coriander)

Clean and pat dry
1 - 1 1/2 kg mutton pieces

In a heavy kadhai(wok), heat
2 tsp oil (safflower, sunflower, canola or vegetable)

To it, add the masala and fry well till the aroma is released and the oil separates. To this add
1 tsp jeera powder (cumin powder)
1 tsp haldi (turmeric)
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp garam masala powder

Fry with constant stirring for 3-5 minutes. Then add the mutton pieces and coat with masala and fry for at least 10 minutes.

When the oil has started to separate from the mixture, add
1 cup yogurt, lightly beaten
salt to taste
Mix very well and then add
2 cups water.
Let it come to a boil and then simmer covered for 30-45 minutes till the mutton pieces are fork tender. (TIP : Ideally, this should be cooked in the kadhai itself, but if you are pressed for time, go ahead and transfer it to a hot pressure cooker and add 1/2 cup of water and let it cook to4 whistles)

Serve hot with raita and white rice.

My aai made this recipe mostly with chicken and she would make it with just the green masala. It is an awesome chicken dish that can be served as the main course or as a first course since it does not have a lot of gravy.The minute I put the masala in the oil, I am transported to my childhood, when every Sunday we used to have a non-veg lunch.
I have added the garam masala as I am using mutton (red meat) instead of chicken. The key step in making this dish as in all lamb/mutton recipes is to fry the spice mixtures and the meat very well. That helps to infuse the meat with the aromatic flavours and fragrances.


Masur Dal

Cook in the pressure cooker till completely done, (4-5 whistles)

1 cup masoor dal (red lentils) with
3/4 cup water

For the tadka:

In a hot kadai, add
1 tsp oil
To it add,
1/2 tsp kalonji
2 green chillies, finely chopped
cooked dal
1/2 tsp tumeric
salt to taste

Add just enough water to cover the dal and mix it well. when the water starts to boil add,
1 cup finely chopped hara dhania

Let the mixture simmer for at least 3-5 minutes. Serve with hot rice and fish fry.

This extremely simple dal dish has become one of my most favourite in the world. When served with fish fry and /or aloo-bhaja( bengali version of french fries - round instead of long and seasoned with turmeric and salt), it symbolizes the simple yet intense flavour of an everyday Bengali lunch for me. Adding hara dhania at the end of the recipe while the dish is cooking, helps to release the intense fragrance of the herb and gives this humble dish a whole new perspective. Thank you, Sasuma for introducing me to this way of food.