Digestive Lemon Pickle

In August, our lemon tree in the front yard was laden with spongy, shiny and beautiful yellow lemons.  I made lemonade of some but a lot more were still left so I decided to venture out to make lemon pickle.  My mother used to make this digestive lemon pickle which worked like a magic in any stomach disorder situation.  This pickle had zero oil and could be preserved for years.

This lemon pickle is very easy to make.  Moreover, unlike store bought lemon pickles, this one has no oil and is not overloaded with spices.  This pickle is tart and chewy and it is ready in 15 to 20 days.  It just requires a few spices, generally available in any Indian kitchen.  It just has black salt, black pepper, ajwain (carrom seeds) and hing (asafetida):  all these spices aid in the digestion.

Ingredients:

24 big and small size lemons, 2 tbsp black salt, 3 tbsp table salt, 4 tsp ajwain (carom seeds), ½ tsp hing (asafetida), 1 cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup white vinegar.

Method:

Put lemons in a colander and wash them thoroughly under the running water.  Let water drain for half an hour.  Spread the lemons over a kitchen towel and put them in the sun for drying.  Lemons should be completely dry before pickling.
Once lemons are dry, wash and wipe your hands dry.  Cut the lemons into quarters or eight wedges, depending on the size of the lemons.  Remove as many seeds as easily possible.  Transfer the cut lemons into a big glass bowl.
Add salts, ajwain, and hing and mix well.  Put these in a glass jar and pour lemon juice and vinegar over the lemon pieces.  Shake well.  Cover the jar.  Now tie a muslin cloth over the lid.
Put the jar in the direct sun for 4-5 hours every day for next 15 days.  Everyday shake the jar before putting in the direct sun.
In next 15-20 days lemon wedges will turn soft and buff in color. 
Enjoy the pickle with rice, dal or pulao.

Samosa: the most delectable appetizer

The samosa is a delectable Indian pastry, quite similar to the Greek spanakopita. Normally the samosa is made in a triangular form with pastry crust or dough. The interior may be stuffed with potatoes, peas, shredded lamb or chicken, and spices. They are generally fried producing a delightfully crispy exterior, though some varieties may be baked to reduce fat content. Often the samosa is eaten with mint sauce called chutney.

The Samosa probably originated in the Middle East where it was called sambosa.  It was mentioned by an Iranian historian in the 10th century in his book Tarikh-e-Beyhaghi.  Samosa traveled to India along ancient trade routes from Central Asia.

By the early 14th Century, it was not only a part of Indian cuisine but also food fit for a king. Amir Khusrao, prolific poet of Delhi royalty, observed in 1300 that the royal set seemed partial to the "samosa prepared from meat, ghee, onion and so on". In 1334, the renowned traveler Ibn Battuta wrote about the sambusak: "minced meat cooked with almonds, pistachios, onions and spices placed inside a thin envelop of wheat and deep-fried in ghee". And the samosa obtained a royal stamp with its inclusion in the Ain-i-Akbari which declared that among dishes cooked with wheat there is the qutab, "which the people of Hind called the Sanbusa.

Samosa is one of the most popular Indian appetizers served all over the world today.  Every region in India makes Samosa different way with varied fillings from spicy potatoes to dry fruits but the basic triangle shape stays the same.
Since Samosa is a fried food, it is not one of the best options for a health nut.  One regular Samosa has 308 calories with 52 percent fat, 42 percent carbohydrate and 6 percent protein.  However, when you are having this comfort food just forget about calories and enjoy every bite of it.

Ingredients for the pastry:

2 ½ cups white flour, 1 tbsp rice flour,  1 tsp carom seeds (Ajwain), salt to taste, 4 tbsp Ghee or clarifying butter.  Oil for deep frying.

Method:

In a big bowl sift flours, add salt and carom seeds.  Add ghee and make crumbs with your fingers.  Then add water little by little to make hard dough.  Cover the dough with wet cloth for 10-15 minutes.

Ingredients for the filling:

4 big or 5 medium potatoes boiled and mashed or cut into small pieces, 1 cup peas boiled, salt to taste, 1 ½ tsp dry mango powder, 1 tsp ginger grated or paste, 2 tbsp ghee or clarifying butter, 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp red pepper, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds, 1tsp dark colored anardana (dry pomegranate seeds).

Method:

Roast whole coriander seeds and anardana together and grind them a bit with the rolling pin. Make sure it is not too fine.  Keep them aside.
Heat the ghee; add cumin seeds, when crackling add ginger and sauté.  Add potatoes, salt, dry mango powder, red pepper, coriander powder, garam masala and mix everything well.  At the end add roasted and ground spices and sauté for another five minutes so that all the spices are well blended.  Turn off the flame and let it cool off.

 
Divide the pastry dough into lemon size round balls.  Roll each portion of the dough into 6 inches diameter.  Cut circle into two halves. It will look like a semi circle.  Take a semi circle.  Apply little water on the straight edge of the semi circle.  Hold the semi circle in your hand, fold the straight edge, bringing together the watered edges, seal the watered edges into a triangular pocket or funnel.  Stuff the cooked potatoes and then seal the upper edges with water.  Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.

 
Deep fry in oil till golden brown.  Once oil gets heated reduce the flame to medium.  If you fry samosa in very hot oil, it will become soggy.
Now enjoy hot with chutney over a cup of tea or coffee.

Spicy and sweet Karahi paneer with bell pepper

A kadai or karahi is a type of thick, circular and deep cooking pan used in Indian cuisine.  Traditionally made out of cast iron, karahi looks like woks with steeper sides.  The advantage of cooking in a karahi is that heat spreads evenly.  It retains heat for a longer time and that helps with the cooking.

This dish has paneer which is a great source of protein and calcium.  It contains vitamin D and B complex.  Paneer in moderation reduces the risk of developing insulin resistance syndrome.  It is good for stomach as it is easy to digest.

Other important ingredient in this dish is bell peppers.  These peppers are a rich source of vitamin C and A.  They contain capsaicin which has anti bacterial, anti carcinogenic and anti diabetic properties.  They have adequate levels of essential minerals like iron, copper, zinc, potassium, manganese, magnesium and selenium.

This karahi paneer and pepper dish can be cooked in different ways.  There is no limitation to what spice or condiment can be added.  What is important is that end result should be lip smacking and make your family and guests take second helpings.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup Paneer(farmer’s cheese)cut into small cubes, 2 onions chopped finely, ¾ tsp ginger-garlic paste, 3 medium tomatoes( one chopped and two pureed), 3 green, yellow, red bell peppers washed and chopped into ½ inch pieces,  salt to taste, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp brown mustard seeds, ½ tsp red pepper powder, 2 tsp coriander powder,  ¾ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1/ 2 cup tomato ketchup, 1 ½ tbsp cooking oil

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai. Put cumin seeds and followed by mustard seeds.  When they stop spluttering add ginger garlic paste and then chopped onions. 

When onion turns light brown, add chopped tomato, turmeric, salt and stir.

After two minutes add chopped bell peppers to this mixture.  It is your choice if you want to add just green peppers or yellow and red as well.  Different color peppers add to the look and the nutritional value of the finished dish but I had only green peppers at home so picture shows just that.

Once bell peppers turn little soft, add pureed tomatoes and cover the lid for two minutes.  Add coriander powder and red pepper powder.

Now add cubed paneer and gently mix. Add garam masala and at last add ketchup.

This dish will have slight gravy and sweet and spicy kick.

Enjoy hot with rice, chapati or Nan bread.

Yogurt: healthy alternative for dinner

No Indian meal is complete without yogurt.  In North India yogurt is eaten in the form of raita by adding some vegetables and spices.  In South India yogurt is eaten with plain rice as a finishing touch to a spicy meal.  No wonder some wise guy has said India will come to a standstill without yogurt.

An American friend once asked me “Why do Indians eat so much yogurt with their meals?”  My answer was yogurt has a cooling effect after consuming the spicy hot curries and most Indians are vegetarians and yogurt contains the protein and calcium necessary for daily survival.

In India yogurt is consumed from plain to spicy form called Raita.  Raita is a Hindi word derived from Sanskrit meaning sharp or pungent.  Typical Raita is made from cucumber, onion, tomato, potato, carrots or even spinach.  These vegetables are then mixed with roasted and ground cumin, coriander, and brown mustard seeds along with black salt and red pepper.  In Northern India, boondi (tiny balls made from chickpea flour) raita is very popular.  In South India vegetables are boiled and then yogurt is garnished with oil fried mustard seeds, coconut, green chilies and curry leaves.  It is generally eaten with rice and lentil curry. 

Yogurt is popular not just in Indian but other cuisines use yogurt pretty generously too.  For example in the Mediterranean cuisine yogurt is used as a dip while in Africa it is called Amasi which has almost cheesy flavor.  Many cuisines around the world have traditional cultured milk dishes based on yogurt. 

Yogurt's popularity has multiplied in past few decades because researches have found its innumerable health benefits.

Yogurt is nutritionally rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and B 12.   It has nutritional benefits beyond those of milk. Lactose intolerant people can sometimes tolerate yogurt better than other dairy products, because the lactose in the milk is converted to glucose and partially fermented to lactic acid, by the bacterial culture.
Yogurt is a valuable health food for both infants and elderly. For children, it is a balanced source of protein, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals. For senior citizens, who usually have more sensitive colons or whose intestines have run out of lactase, yogurt is also a valuable food.  Yogurt may help prevent osteoporosis, reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Yogurt with active cultures helps the gut and may help one feel fuller.
No discussion on yogurt is possible without mentioning the sweet yogurt with fruits sold in the market as ready to eat.  Only problem is those commercial yogurts have white sugar which depress your immune system, contribute to infertility and increased blood glucose levels. 
The best thing would be to make your own yogurt at home and add either cane sugar or honey and eat that for health benefits.  My favorite light dinner is to eat home made yogurt with fruits and nuts and honey.

How to make home made yogurt:

Ingredients:
4 cups whole or two percent fat milk, ½ tsp starter yogurt, 1 ½ tbsp milk powder

Method:
Bring milk to a boil.  Transfer it to a pan with a lid.  My personal experience is that terracotta pot with a lid makes the best yogurt. Add milk powder to the boiled milk and stir well so no lumps are formed. Allow milk to come to lukewarm to room temperature.  If it is winter let milk come to lukewarm but if it is summer let milk come to room temperature.  Add starter yogurt to the cool milk and stir well with the same spoon. Close the lid tightly and keep it for five to seven hours in a warm place away from draft.  Once yogurt is set, store in refrigerator.

How to make Sweet Yogurt 

Ingredients:
2 cups of yogurt, 1 tsp of brown or cane sugar or honey, 1 cup of chopped pineapple, 1 cup of chopped apple, ¼ cup pomegranate seeds, and 10 almonds roasted and chopped into small pieces. (You may add any kind of fresh or frozen berries for added benefits)

Method:
Take yogurt in a small bowl add honey or brown sugar and whisk it. Add fruits and almonds and mix well.  Garnish with pomegranate seeds. Enjoy.
 This yogurt with fruits makes a good healthy dessert or you may serve it as an accompaniment to your dinner spread.  If you are into dieting this makes a very filling and healthy alternative.