Deepavali Greetings to all!

 

On this Deepavali (Diwali), we hope that you are surrounded by the warmth and love of your family and friends. 

May you feel the joy and happiness in your heart. May you have a blessed and blissful holiday. 

Indo-Chinese Bitter Melon and Egg Stir Fry

I'm a big fan of bitter melon? Can you tell? It's an acquired taste, but it's really good for you. Bitter melon is high in Vitamins A and C. There are 2 types of bitter melon - Chinese and Indian. I'm more familiar with the bitter melon from India which is called Karela. Karela is more narrow and has jagged spikes on the rind and pointed ends. 

On the other hand, the Chinese variety is long, pale green, and covered in bumps. The Chinese bitter melon pictured below was grown in my container garden. 

Homegrown Chinese Bitter Melon

I didn't know about the Chinese bitter melon until my mother-in-law gave me a few of them from her garden. She has a magic thumb when it comes to growing vegetables. Check out my Instagram post to see how big hers are compared to mine. I'm so jealous. 

We recently went over to my in-law's place for dinner and my mother-in-law served this Chinese dish made with bitter melon and eggs. Typically she stir-fries the bitter melon with meat. I think she made it with eggs because she knew I was coming.  I liked it so much that I decided to re-create it at home with Indian flare. Check out my recipe below and let me know if you try it. 

Ingredients

• About 11.5 oz Chinese bitter melon (remove seeds, slice, and chop into 1" pieces)
• 1-2 tsp Dry Garlic Chutney (depending on your spice level)
• 2 eggs, whisked and seasoned with salt and pepper
• Salt as per taste
• Crushed black pepper, as per taste
• 1.5 Tbsp. Vegetable oil for frying
• Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Procedure

1) Heat oil in a medium-sized sauté pan, and when you feel the heat on your palm, add the bitter melon and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook on low-medium heat for about 10 minutes.

2) Remove the lid and test by breaking a piece with the spatula. If it breaks, the melon is cooked. If it doesn't, cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust the heat to make sure you don't burn the vegetable.  (Note: once the bitter melon is cooked, it will turn dull green. 

3) Once the bitter melon is cooked, remove it from the pan and aside in a bowl. Add half a tablespoon of oil to the hot pan and then add the whisked eggs. Keep mixing the eggs, until they become scrambled and lightly toasted. 

4) Next add the cooked bitter melon back to the pan. Add the dry garlic chutney powder and mix well.  Taste and adjust salt. Garnish with fresh cilantro. 

 The Bitter melon and egg stir fry is ready to be served and enjoyed with quinoa, rice, or roti.  

If you like Chinese bitter melon as much as I do check out the recipes below:

Chinese Bitter melon and potato stir fry, Chinese Bitter melon Chutney

And if you crave more bitter vegetables, check out the Indian bitter melon recipes below:

Creamy Tofu and Karela Curry, Karela Curry, Stuffed and Stir Fried Karela

World Eggplant Day - Is Eggplant a Fruit or a Vegetable?

Did you know the eggplant is a fruit? Eggplant is a berry by botanical definition. It is related to tomato, chili, pepper, and potato.  Like the tomato, its skin and seeds can be eaten, but, like the potato, it is usually eaten cooked. I can't imagine biting into an eggplant like an apple or a peach. I always thought it was a vegetable and used it as such.

Photo by Nina Luong on Unsplash

In other parts of the world, eggplant is known as brinjal, aubergine, or baigan. In honor of World Eggplant Day which was last week, we compiled the dishes we love for all of you.  Have you eaten these dishes before? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments. 

1) Eggplant Pizzettes - When we are tired from cooking all the time, we like to switch it up and make these mini pizzas. The base is naan, topped with eggplant bharta and mozzarella/pepper jack cheese. 

Eggplant Pizzettes

2) Eggplant Raita - If you enjoy yogurt dips like Babaganoush and artichoke dip, then you have to try Indian yogurt dips or raitas. We make them with all sorts of vegetables like eggplant, green bell pepper, tomato, cucumber, long squash, beetroot, etc. This eggplant raita is great with toasted naan, pita, or with rice. 

Eggplant Raita

3) Stuffed Chinese Eggplant - My husband loves this dish. He can eat all of the pieces on this plate. I love it too because it is so easy to make. The secret is to buy fresh long eggplants. If they are too old or wrinkly, it will take for the eggplant to cook. I stuff the fried eggplant with dry coconut, spices, and fresh cilantro. You can serve it as a side dish or eat it with rice/quinoa. 

Stuffed Chinese Eggplant

5) Eggplant Bharta - This is another one of my favorite dishes because after I make the bharta, I use it on the pizzas as well as grilled cheese. If you haven't tried this combination yet, what are you waiting for? I love the sweet, tangy, and spicy flavor combinations. 

Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Eggplant Bharta

6) Guttivankaya (Stuffed Indian eggplant) - This is a typical Andhra dish and the masala is key. It tastes good with potatoes as well. Bagara Baigan and this dish are popular in South Indian restaurants.  

Gutti Vankaya (Stuffed Indian eggplant)

7) Eggplant Pulusu (Roasted Eggplant Stew) - This dish is made using the American eggplant variety. Traditionally, the eggplant is roasted over a fire, then the flesh is removed and cooked with spices and red onion. Our recipe is much easier. 

We hope you enjoyed reading about the various dishes we make using American, Chinese, and Indian eggplant varieties. What other eggplant varieties have you cooked with or eaten? Lastly, whether eggplant is a fruit or not, we leave it up to you to decide. Happy eating!

My Sister's Favorite - Eggplant Pulusu

We all have things we don't like eating. Whether it's an allergy or you just don't like it. I had a couple of things I didn't like eating when I was younger like cooked peas, chopped nuts in desserts, and elephant yam. As I got older, I was able to eat those things again. 

However, my sister has always disliked eggplant. And it's not a specific type of eggplant. She doesn't like all types of eggplant: Chinese eggplant, American eggplant, white eggplant, or baby eggplant. Over the years, we tried many ways to get her to eat it but all failed. I always tease her whenever I'm cooking eggplant, that I'm making her favorite. I wonder what she will say when she reads this post. 

I don't get why she doesn't like eggplant. I LOVE eggplant. I love it whether it's made into a dip like babaganoush or eggplant raita, stuffed eggplant, or stir-fried eggplant. There are so many ways to cook it. It's the sweetness that makes me go crazy for it. 

Today, I'm sharing a recipe to make Eggplant Pulusu or Roasted Eggplant Stew. It's sweet and sour and delicious as a side dish or when served with rice. 

Ingredients

• 1 large Eggplant (American variety), peeled and chopped into 1 cm pieces
• 1 red onion (medium size), chopped
• 4 to 5 green chilies, chopped finely
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• size of a large lemon of dry Tamarind, soaked in warm water
• 2 Tbsp jaggery or brown sugar

Ingredients for Seasoning

• 1½ Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp jeera (or whole cumin)
• 5 to 6 curry leaves (optional)
• A pinch of Hing (Asaphoetida)
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped for garnish (optional)

Procedure

1)  Heat oil on low to medium in a non-stick pan (large enough to hold the eggplant pieces). When you feel the heat from the oil, add mustard and cumin. When they start to sizzle, add curry leaves and Hing. Mix well. 

2) Next, add the chopped eggplant, green chilies, and salt and mix well. Cover the pan and cook the mixture until the eggplant is soft. Mix intermittently. 

3) In a blender, pulse the soaked tamarind with 1½ cups of water a few times. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove the fiber. 

4) Mix the tamarind juice into the cooked eggplant mixture. Next, add brown sugar, turmeric, and chopped onions. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

 

5) Remove from heat. Taste and adjust the salt and sweetness to your liking. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy it with rice, quinoa, chappati, or naan. 

Do you like eggplant? Let us know in the comments if you try this dish. We love hearing from our readers. 

A Celebration of Mangoes - Green mangoes

Photo by Shraddha Kulkarni on Unsplash

According to Narayana Health, raw mangoes are rich in antioxidants, including lutein and zeaxanthin, which improve vision and eye health. Polyphenols (a group of powerful antioxidants) present in raw mangoes reduce inflammation and decrease cancer risk. Green/raw mangoes are rich in nutrients that promote collagen synthesis and improve skin health. To read more benefits of raw mangoes, click here. I'm gonna eat more green mangoes from now on. 

Have you eaten raw mango before? It has a tangy and bitter taste. My mom loves cooking with green mangoes. She buys them from the Indian grocer close to festival time. At times, if the green mango is already starting to ripen, she chops it up and serves it with chaat masala. The slightly sweet mango goes well with the tangy and spicy masala powder. If you do not have chaat masala, you can also mix salt and chili powder together and try it. Let us know what you think. 

Below are some recipes for you to try:

1) Spinach and Mango Dal - in South India, pappu/dal/cooked lentils are very important in our diet. We usually cook dal/pappu with vegetables like dosakaya (yellow cucumber), spinach, Gongura, and green mango. It is healthy and great with rice.  

2) Green Mango Chutney - we love our fresh relishes or chutneys. We enjoy eating it with warm white rice. 

Tangy Green Mango Chutney

3) Mango Pulihora - this rice dish is typically made for festivals. It's a family favorite. 

Green mangoes are also sought after when it is summertime in South India.  Families buy 'sour' mangoes, get together, and make mango pickles at home. I remember this fondly because we used to go to my ammamma's place and help her peel and chop mangoes, and prepare the spices to be added to the mangoes to make the pickles. After all of the mango pieces are mixed with the spices and oil, the ladies would bottle them up or seal the pickles in plastic packets and every family got some.  

We enjoy eating Mango pickles with warm white rice or rotis. If you haven't tried mango pickles before, buy one. They are available in all Indian grocery stores. 

How do use mangoes in cooking? Share with us in the comments. 

A Celebration of Mangoes - Mango Pulihora

I hope you enjoyed reading about our love of mangoes. We like eating both ripened and raw mangoes. We love cooking with raw mangoes as well. For most South Indian festivals, we make dishes for the occasion. One of the dishes that is common is pulihora. There are different types of pulihora. My sister's favorite type is made with raw mango. It is tangy and spicy because of the spices used in the seasoning of this dish. 

Are you dying to find out how to make it? Check it out below. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups Basmati Rice (or any kind that is not sticky)
• 1/3 cup chana dal (split chickpeas)

Ingredients for seasoning

• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup peanuts
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp Asafoetida (also known as Hing)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Fenugreek (also known as methi powder)
• 1 large raw mango, peeled and grated
• 6 small green chilies*, sliced into half
• 8 to 10 curry leaves
• 1-½ tsp salt to taste
• ½ tsp citric acid* (optional)

*Quick Tips

1. You can substitute 3 red chilies if fresh green chilies are not available. Break the red chilies into 1-inch pieces. 
2. If the mango is not very sour, you can use citric acid. 

Procedure

1) Cook rice and dal together with slightly less water (1:1-½ ratio rice dal mix and water) so that the grains are separated and not sticky. Then immediately transfer into an open dish, add a tablespoon of oil, and spread it to loosen the grains. Cool it for a minimum of 30 minutes. 

2) In a small skillet, add oil and heat it on medium heat. Hold your hand above the skillet and feel the heat. When it feels hot, add peanuts and fry for 3 minutes.

3) When peanuts start to turn golden, add mustard and cumin and fry until the seeds start to splutter.

4) Next, add green chilies and a pinch of salt and fry for 2 minutes. Then add hing, turmeric, and methi powder. Then add curry leaves and red chilies and mix well for 30 seconds.

5) Now add grated mango, citric acid, and salt. Mix well. 

6) Carefully mix the seasoning into the rice using a spatula or wide serving spoon. When cool to the touch, mix well using your fingers if possible. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Mango pulihora is ready to serve and enjoy.

A Celebration of Mangoes

HAPPY NATIONAL MANGO DAY!

Photo by HOTCHICKSING on Unsplash

Mangoes are one of my favorite fruits. Besides the obvious yummy flavor, mangoes are a rich source of critical vitamins and minerals that have many positive effects on health. Did you know there are 55 varieties of mangoes in the world?  Alfonso, Kent Langra, Chaunsa, Raspuri, Keitt, and Gir Kesar are just a few types. I probably consumed only 2 or 3 varieties ever. What is your favorite type?

Photo by Rajendra Biswal on Unsplash

Whenever my family and I visited my ammamma in India, she had ripe mangoes picked from the tree in her backyard for us to enjoy during our visit. The mangoes she grew were the kind where you squeeze the juice out and enjoy. Those were good times!  

How are you enjoying mangoes on National Mango Day? There are so many ways to enjoy them like eating fresh, ripe mango slices or indulging in a range of mango-based meals including mango salsa, mango smoothies, mango lassi, and mango ice cream. 

Below are desserts we love making with mangoes. We used mango pulp for many of these recipes. You can use fresh, ripened mango as well; the taste may vary depending on the sweetness. 

1) Mango Mousse is a crowd-pleaser; you only need 4 ingredients to make this easy dessert. 

Mango Mousse

2) Mango Pistachio Kulfi (Indian ice cream) -- When I visited one of our family friends, she taught me how to make this dessert. She enjoys cooking just as much as I do. This dessert has 6 ingredients and is also easy to make. Great for parties, dates, or if your in-laws are visiting. Surprise them with your culinary skills. 

3) Mango Lassi - I love this drink because not only is it delicious but full of probiotics. We blend together mango pulp, Desi dahi (yogurt), and ice to make this drink. This is the best for those hot, sweltering summer days. 

4) All of the aunties in my family always call this dessert mango pie but it tastes like cheesecake. Don't get hung up on the name, just make it and indulge!

Is it a pie or cheesecake? I leave it up to you to decide.

Don't forget to check out 'Celebration of Mangoes - Part 2', where we share recipes using raw or unripe mangoes. 

Hello, hello everyone! Did you miss our posts? It's been a fun and busy year for us so far. We've been spending more time with family and enjoyed discovering foodie delights outside of our kitchen. Thank you for following our blog and trying our recipes. 

Happy Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand and Sajibu Nongma Panba!

May the flavor of raw mangoes, raw neem, and jaggery remove all bitterness and add sweet flavors to your life. Let's put the shadows of the past behind and look forward to a new beginning. Happy Ugadi!

If you follow the Gregorian calendar, you celebrate the New Year on January 1st. Did you know there are many people around the world that celebrate the New Year on a different day every year? 

My family follows the Lunar calendar and our New Year (Ugadi) was today, March 22nd. Ugadi is celebrated by Hindus from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Goa. 

On Ugadi, we celebrate the New Year by drinking Ugadi pachadi which is made with different ingredients, such as green mango, tamarind juice, fresh or dried neem flower, and banana. 

I made the 'pachadi' with the ingredients I had at home and then my husband and I drank it. It was more sour than sweet. 

We also make some dishes on the occasion. My mom made Halwa Puri, Mango Pulihora, and Sabudana Pakora. I am looking forward eating these yummy foods when I visit my parents in a couple of weeks. 

Mango Pulihora, Sabudana (Tapioca) Pakora and Halwa Puri

Did you know that a new year also started today for:

- Marathi people from Maharashtra and they know it as Gudi Padwa

- Sindhi people and they know it Cheti Chand

- Manipuris and they know it as Sajibu Nongma Panba

I love learning about new cultures and traditions. How did you celebrate the new year today? Share with us.