THE RECIPE LARDER

Amla Chutney

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Amla Chutney
Print Recipe
A quick, easy and healthy chutney, to serve with - everything!!
Servings Prep Time
100 gms 10 minutes
Passive Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
100 gms 10 minutes
Passive Time
5 minutes
Amla Chutney
Print Recipe
A quick, easy and healthy chutney, to serve with - everything!!
Servings Prep Time
100 gms 10 minutes
Passive Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
100 gms 10 minutes
Passive Time
5 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: gms
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a grinder and grind to a paste
  2. Serve with lunch, dinner, pakodas, snacks, etc.
  3. Refrigerate for up to 4/ 5 days in a closed container
Recipe Notes

Bangalore is always a green and refreshing break for me. This time I was there only for a day, but I took the time to wander around in the garden. My friend Nishi and me saw our Amla tree flourishing with green gorgeous star shaped fruits.

The ones we have growing in our garden are not the traditional variety of Amla. We have a variety called Harpharouri in Hindi, or Malay gooseberry or Tahitian gooseberry. But as tasty and as edible.

 

You can of course and must use the Amla found in market. No point going on a hunt for this particular kind!

We had met after a long time, so we spent the entire day with each other. It was time for some drinks and snacks, and I must say that the Amla Chutney went well with everything - masala papad, pakodas, rice crisps, chips. We had some of it for dinner too, with our chapatti and veggies.

It's really simple to make. Takes only a few minutes. The only time consuming part would be the de seeding of the Amla. It's healthy. The Amla gives you a shot of Vitamin C (who does'nt need an extra shot of that huh?), the sesame seed has calcium and the chillies build immunity not to mention add a super zest to the whole thing.

Do send me comments. What did you eat it with? How did it taste? 

Cheers and Ciao till we meet again.

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Guacamole

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avocado and all other ingredients ready and prepped for mashing

To be very frank, I’m not a huge fan of Guacamole. Actually not a huge fan of Avocado either. The son, daughter and husband love it though!!

My son is on a full blown -I am going to build my body, and eat healthy – kind of streak, and he makes a lot of Guacamole, or Guac as the kids call it.

This here, is his recipe. Quick and super easy, and very filling. He made it for me last winter when he was here on holidays, and though my eyes don’t start shining in emotional gratefulness at the sight of Guac, I did dip a couple of nachos into it and I must say I was thoroughly impressed with it.

Avocado is not easily available where I stay. It grows in abundance in Bangalore, but the taste, texture and flavour is not as good as the one available in California.  When I went to spend sometime with my daughter in San Jose – California, I accompanied her to the super market. My eyes popped out, seeing the gigantic heaps of Avocado, spilling on to the floor, overflowing from their baskets. And the price!! Oh! Boy, it was being sold for peanuts.

I wanted to take back a few with me to India, but my kid gave me a fairly accurate description of the way it would get squashed and then get in between my clothes and when I would try to pull them clothes out, I would have slimy, gooey flesh smeared on my hands ….. you get the gist, don’t you?! Disheartened I gave up the idea, but began a hunt in Bombay for good Avocados. It was quite a task. They would be either underdone or over ripe and always, always very expensive.

I finally found a store, and now I get ripe to be eaten – the day I want – type of Avocado whenever I so please. It’s still a tad expensive, but it’s exotic fruit (yes Avocado is a fruit!) in India, and we pay for the glamour.

Do try out this recipe. It’s super easy and actually mashing the fruit – I found it kind of stress relieving.

avocados

Storage

Guac gets black very fast, as it starts oxidising when exposed to oxygen in the air. Lemon helps keep its colour, but it still needs further help. As such it’s best to make Guac just before serving, but it’s not always possible. To store Guac without letting the exposure affect it, store in a air tight box, or in a bowl, and cover with cling film, letting the cling film stick right on top of the guac. When you serve the guac, you will have to scrape the guac off the cling film, but it’s worth the effort.

If you want to use only one half of the fruit, retain the stone (seed), push it back into the cavity of the left over half, and cling film it tightly and keep refrigerated. This helps to a certain level, but eventually you better consume the fruit as soon as you can.

Cheers! to good fat!

 

 

 

 

Guacamole
Print Recipe
Quick and easy recipe for a healthy snack.
Servings Prep Time
3/4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3/4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Guacamole
Print Recipe
Quick and easy recipe for a healthy snack.
Servings Prep Time
3/4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3/4 pax 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: pax
Instructions
  1. Cut the Avocado from the stem to the root, slicing the fruit into two
  2. Pull apart the two ends, and scoop out the seed with a spoon.
  3. Using a sharp knife, make horizontal and vertical slits into the flesh of the fruit.
  4. Now scoop out the flesh with a spoon, scraping into the skin of the fruit.
  5. Put all the flesh into a bowl.
  6. Add all the ingredients into the bowl with the avocado, and start pulverising with a fork. First break down the fruit and then start mashing the rest of the ingredients with the avocado.
  7. Lastly add the lemon juice and mix some more.
  8. Voila - it's ready to serve with nacho chips.
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Hummus Beiruti

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I had Hummus for the first time as an adult. It picked up as a rage, and every party had a bowl of Hummus, with Pita. Then came the Lavash. Crisp flat wheat savouries topped with seeds.

Hummus with Lavash.

Hummus with Lavash.

I had Hummus for the first time some 20 years ago, in a restaurant called Olive. They had the typical platter of Baba Ganoush, Hummus and Tzatziki. At that time – I thought it was made with magic. How could something so tasty, so creamy be so amazing and healthy? When I learnt to make hummus, I was amazed at how easy it was, but I never seemed to like it as much as I liked the ones in a restaurant.

The fact is – I used terrible shortcuts. Sesame instead of Tahini. Sacrilege!! (my logic – Tahini is made out of sesame right??) Too much garlic, not enough creamy texture — blah blah!

I thought I would never be able to replicate the hummus, we have in good Mediterranean restaurants.I love the Hummus Beiruti. Its creamy with a mild tang of spice. Polishing off a small bowl is no big feat.

Hummus Beiruti

Hummus Beiruti

I tried Hummus again, (after my many not so good tries) and this time I used the proper Tahini. Another thing a chef friend of mine suggested was using cold water.

In this recipe, I use a little leftover water after boiling the chickpeas. I like to soak the chickpeas at night, and cook it the next morning and make the Hummus a few hours later. The water left over from cooking the chickpeas and the chickpeas itself are cooled down and refrigerated.

The hard work is soaking and cooking, after that its the quickest recipe you can make.

Serve it with a Rocket and cucumber salad, over toast with Avocado, obviously with Pita and Lavash. So many ways!! Do write in and tell me how you like to present it.

Hummus


                                                                               Hummus

I made Hummus for my son last evening, thinking he could have it with Avocado. Confidently, I also made a small olive oil, garlic and Sumac drizzle for the top. Failure of failures! – the Avocado was not ripe enough and we had to chuck it. (Once cut it turns black quicker than a piece of charcoal rubbed on a face!) Then he suggested that we caramelise some onions, and top it with the same. Bigger flop. I had no brown sugar with me, and any case something made in a hurry not always turns out good. It was sticky …. basically – a flop!! I was flapping around about what he would eat, but he said the Hummus was good enough to eat on its own.. YAAAY!! Hummus saved the day!

hummus

hummus

hummus

 

Hummus Beiruti
Print Recipe
A Meditteranean staple, creamy and yummy!
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
15 minutes 12 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
15 minutes 12 hours
Hummus Beiruti
Print Recipe
A Meditteranean staple, creamy and yummy!
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
15 minutes 12 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
15 minutes 12 hours
Ingredients
Garnish
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Soak the chick peas over night.
  2. Wash and cook till its soft. It should not disintegrate. It should retain its shape. I like to use a pressure cooker for this.
  3. Drain the water, cool and refrigerate.
  4. Cool chick peas and refrigerate.
  5. After a few hours, add all ingredients in a blender and blend till you get a fine paste. Keep opening the jar and spoon the mixture stuck on the sides back into the jar. PS: if you use the Tecnora brand of mixie (available on amazon) which comes with a very handy stirrer in the jar. While blending, one can keep stirring the mixture, so that it blends easily. You don't have to keep opening the jar.
  6. Once you have the consistency you want, plate it and garnish with olive oil, sesame seeds, parsley and mint leaves.
  7. Serve with Pita, Crisp Pita and Lavash.
  8. NOTE ON TAHINI: When using Tahini, please stir well and take from the bottom of the jar, as the solids settle way down.
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