A Narrative on our Lasagna From Scratch

First thing's first. I'm not putting up a recipe for this because to be totally honest, I'm not sure if I could replicate what happened. So here's a good old fashioned prose-style story about what took place yesterday. I missed my mom's lasagna. Its not the authentic masterpiece of Italian grandmothers everywhere, rather it is an improvised layering of mixed vegetables and "enhanced" canned tomato sauce topped with cheese and baked in the oven until you start begging for it. I love it. So I cleared it with my hubby, and by that I mean telling him that lunch would be a surprise, and set about making the lasagna sheets.

This was trickier anticipated. I've made tortellini from scratch before, so I figured that my homemade pasta formula would hold in this case, and it did. I used 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp of butter, and a pinch of salt. Then I added as much water as would allow me to knead this into a somewhat tough and elastic dough. Mistakenly, I threw some corn flour onto the granite for rolling and put a large pot of water to boil. The sheets formed easily enough, accepting a trim here and there to keep them rectangular. I gently placed the first one into the boiling water and waited for it to rise. It emerged covered in a slimy gel that would only wash off under running water. Oops - the corn flour. 

No worries! I put aside my rinsed sheet (because I'm greedy and I hate to waste,) and set about rolling out the remainder using all-purpose. This is definitely the way to go, and I curse my laziness for using what was cheap and at arm's reach when I should have bent over, opened the cupboard and taken the proper flour back out from it's inconvenient location. I made enough sheets for a two layered lasagna, which is 6 in my case (with 1 extra for good measure and possible patching.) Now for the veggies. These were onions, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes - not adventurous by any standard, yet not conventional. I cooked them together in a little olive oil with salt and pepper, all the while envisioning my perfect tomato sauce and the way it would perfectly coat every layer to perfection. 

Three large tomatoes were boiled until their skins split. Together with 3 cloves of garlic, a healthy sprinkling of Italian spices, extra basil and a pinch of salt, I blended them with 1/4 cup of tomato puree for 15 seconds. I have to admit, I'm one of those who likes to find a chunk of tomato in her food, so I never blitz until totally smooth. I began the layering process by first pouring enough sauce into the base of my dish. After that, came layer one of pasta, then veggies, then cheese. I probably should have been using ricotta and parmigiana, or at the very least mozzarella, but these are kinda hard to come by here. So in went the cheddar (Italians, kindly stop screaming.) I repeated the layering process once more and topped off the lasagna with generous spoons of sauce and healthy handfuls of cheese over the final layer of pasta. Pop! Covered with foil and into the oven for 15 minutes of baking; then, another 7 on broil for the top to get crusty.

Here she is: our lunch (and incidently, dinner as well.)

"Once there was a time when the whole world was enamored of the fragrance of Kerala" - Sugathakumari

Last weekend, Pranav and I spent 3 days in Kumarakom. This tourist village in the Kottayam district is a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake in Kerala. Resting along the Malabar Coast of India, Kerala is a tropical region made up almost entirely of inland waterways, spice plantations and coconut groves, and it is famous for its long history of trading spices - turmeric, black pepper and cardamom to name a few. As I've taught my geography students many times, Kerala has the lowest brith rate, and highest literacy rate among both men and women in all India. Finally, Kerala is the first place in the world to have elected a communist government, though it was voted out less than a decade later. And now for the food.

In a traditional festive Kerala dinner or Kerala Sadhya, the dishes are served on a giant fresh banana leaf. This environmentally friendly platter allows for direct contact with the food - a risky business for the unaccustomed. You eat with your right hand, mixing wet items into dry and incorporating pickles and chutneys as needed. Usually it's rice before roti but in the end, all that matters is that you've eaten both multiple times. Yoghurt is always on hand to cool fiery curries, as well as a selection of crisp savories for added texture. Coconuts grow in abundance in Kerala and consequently, coconut milk and grated coconut are popular and essential ingredients. Bananas also appear in many of the dishes from breakfast through dinner as Kerala has over 250 varieties. The meal is topped off with traditional warm desserts served on, yes you guessed it, the banana leaf.  

Our dinner was hosted by the fabulous chefs of the Zuri Kumarakom, Kerala Resort & Spa. For 3 days they delighted us with one culinary masterpiece after the next, but I would have to say that the Kerala Sadhya was by far the meal to remember. And what dishes were served in this fabulous dinner? I'm glad you asked. Here's a breakdown of the largest meal we've eaten (and will eat) in a very long time. 

Kerala Sadhya

• Rasam - This thin spicy broth can be enjoyed with rice, but was served to us at the very beginning as a soup. It relies heavily on tomatoes for its tangy flavour.
• Mixed Vegetable Thoran - This dry dish can be made using peas, carrots, cabbage, unripe jackfruit and grated coconut. A traditional component of the sadhya its trademark spices are mustard seeds, curry leaves, and turmeric powder. 
• Pineapple Kalan - A popular summer dish, this kalan is made of sweet pineapple cooked in a yoghurt based gravy. 
• Kerala Dal Curry - Lentils cooked in ghee.
• Kerala Mezhukkupuratti - This spicy concoction is made up of just about any vegetables you might have on hand. It uses both fresh chilies and chili powder for that extra kick.  
• Paal Kootu Curry - Another mixed vegetable dish, this time they are combined with Bengal gram  and grated coconut.
• Kerala Parotta - A popular South Indian bread not to be confused with the North Indian parantha. These are typically made from maida, or white flour, and use more ghee than you can imagine but the taste and texture are heavenly. 
• Sambar - An essential part of any South Indian breakfast, lunch or dinner, sambar is thicker than rasam and often incorporates vegetables. It is made from toor dal and depends on tamarind for its tangy sweet undertones. 
• Avial - A thick mixture of vegetables, yoghurt and coconut prepared in coconut oil with curry leaves. Commonly used veggies include yam, plantain, carrots, beans, pumpkin and eggplant. 
• Pazham Pradhaman - Made from ripe plantains cooked with jaggery and coconut milk. 
• Payasam - A dessert similar to North Indian Kheer where rice and broken wheat are boiled with milk and sugar. The dish is flavoured with cardamom and saffron, and sometimes garnished with slivered pistachios and almonds. 

And yes, believe it or not, Pranav and I ate all of the above. 

It's not really Phad Thai

Bangalore has seen unrelenting heat in the last week as Pranav and I suffer through humid days and dry nights. I didn't think I'd be blogging again so soon, but after the performance I gave last night (all night) with my coughing, I feel the need to unburden myself by cooking something comforting. I should probably state here that my husband deserves a medal for waking up like his usual loving self this morning, and agreeing to accept my peace-offering of paranthas for breakfast.

Aneela's taste buds water hopefully. "By comforting do you mean fattening?"

"No, tastebuds. I don't mean fattening. I mean something yummy that can be enjoyed warm or cold, and especially light for this summer heat."

"Oh, okay."

The other day as I meandered through my local grocery I came upon a single packet of "rice sticks." I didn't think twice about getting them because it had been a very long time since I made Pad Thai noodles and the craving was instant. Now here's the thing: when I say Pad Thai noodles, I really mean Pad-Thai-inspired-noodles. Being a vegetarian I can't very well add the fish-sauce or all the other things that I'm sure the Thai love about this dish. But let me tell you, my knock-off is pretty damn tasty. Here it is:

Not Pad Thai Noodles (serves 4-5)

• 10 oz. rice noodles
• 1/2 cup of soft tofu cut into chunks or strips
• 4 cloves of garlic mashed and minced
• 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup french beans slit lengthways and then cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup carrots thinly sliced 
• 1/2 cup button mushrooms coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp chili sauce or 2 minced fresh red chilies
• 1 tsp peanut butter
• 2-3 tbsp brown sugar or 1-2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3-4 tbsp sesame oil or peanut oil for stir-frying
• salt to taste
• 1/3 cup fresh coriander 
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• lime or lemon wedges for serving

Soak the noodles in hot water for 10-15 minutes. They will be ready to drain when they're soft, but not completely cooked. It might require more or less time depending on the brand of rice noodles you're using. Rinse them in cold water and set them aside for later. In the hot water, add the tamarind paste, soy sauce, chili sauce, peanut butter and sugar. Keep stirring these together until the sugar and peanut butter are totally dissolved. Give it a taste to determine if you need to add a little more of one ingredient or another. This mixture should taste tangy, salty, spicy, and sweet all at the same time. No one taste should overpower the other. Keep it aside.

In a wok, on medium flame, heat 2 tbsp of sesame oil (reserving 1 tbsp for later) and stir-fry the garlic and onion together. After a minute or two, add the crunchier items like the carrots and french beans. Allow these to cook until they become bright in colour and just slightly softened. This might take another 2 minutes after which you should push everything aside, pour in the remaining tbsp of sesame oil and add the tofu chunks/strips. These will need only a minute to cook and then you should add the mushrooms. These will release some juice as they stir-fry and the tofu and mushrooms cook very quickly which is why they should be added last.

Turn the heat down to lowest possible as you gently add the noodles and about half of the sauce you prepared in the beginning. Toss everything together and be mindful that you keep it all moving (so nothing sticks to the wok.) Slowly continue to add the remainder of the sauce while you stir-fry for another 2 minutes and while the noodles soften up. Finally, turn off the gas and give it a little taste. If you need more salt, feel free to add it at this stage. Just before serving, toss in the fresh coriander and sprinkle the roasted peanuts and toasted sesame on top to garnish. Don't forget the citrus wedges (if you like that extra sourness here and there) and enjoy!

Variations for Health and Taste

Ideally, you should garnish this dish with chopped green onions. These are a scarcity in Bangalore, but if you have access to them, they will add much needed authenticity to this recipe. Also, if you're an ovo-lacto vegetarian like me then you'll love the taste of scrambled eggs in this dish. The egg can be added in place of the tofu, or in addition to it. The perfect time to do this would be after the carrots and beans have lightly cooked, and everything is pushed aside for the remaining tbsp of oil. Scramble the eggs in the wok at this stage, just before adding the tofu. I guess you could make this dish in oil much healthier than sesame or peanut, but I guarantee you it wont taste the same. Good luck with that. Finally, the more vegetables the better so feel free to add anything that you think will taste good. If I had baby bok-choy, there's no way I wouldn't include it. Dig in!

Yoghurt and Mint Mediterranean Dip

Here's a dip that goes with anything. I found this recipe in a cookbook by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, but added my own little touch in the form of spice. I enjoy it with fresh veggies, but I imagine it could go with just about anything. 

Yoghurt and Mint Mediterranean Dip

• 1 cup yoghurt of any kind (preferably low fat, but balkan style is tastiest)
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 handfuls chopped fresh mint
• 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (you can do this on the stove yourself, just be careful that they don't burn.)
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 freshly ground black pepper
• salt to taste.

In a small bowl, combine all the above ingredients in the order that they're listed and enjoy this dip with veggies, chips, nachos, nuggets, potato wedges, pita, etc. Good eats!

The Sooji Omelette

Here's a recipe I invented for Pranav who does not eat eggs. 

"He don't eat no eggs? What do you mean he don't eat no eggs? Oh, that's okay. I make you omelette."

I decided to make uttapam one morning. Well, any South Indian chef worth a salt knows that the batter for a good uttapam should be prepared the night before. Clearly I am not South Indian, nor is my sodium high enough to be worth anything. I quickly searched my brain, and reached the very borders of my imagination to find a substitute. The solution: sooji, or semolina as my friends in the West call it. I threw in a little yoghurt and water, and thus the sooji omelette was born. 

At least, that's how MY version of the sooji omelette was born.  I have since discovered another version called the "semolina pancake" by Tarla Dalal. Her recipe can be found here. I think mine is better; not just because it's mine, but because it's spicier, doesn't include corn, and I put the fresh coriander right where in belongs - in the dish. Mr. Raj and I enjoy sooji omelettes at least twice a month and usually in the morning, but they make a good afternoon snack as well. The ingredients are many but don't worry. This dish is actually very simple, and remarkably difficult to mess up. Today, they are my brunch.

Sooji Omelettes (serves 2-3)

• 1 cup of sooji
• 3 tbsp yoghurt of any kind
• 2/3 cup water (+/- a bit)
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 medium tomato chopped
• 1 green or red chili chopped (remove the seeds if you don't want all the kick)
• a hanfdul of fresh coriander chopped
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 coriander powder
• salt to taste

You will need a non-stick pan or skillet, and a silicon spatula. In addition, a little ghee for brushing on the non-stick pan, and on top of the omelets can make life easier. 

First thing's first: wash whatever needs to be washed, and chop whatever needs to be chopped. This is a no-stress dish, so don't be too concerned if your onions are chunky, or whether the tomatoes aren't firm.  It's all getting mixed up, and in any order that you like. I tend to mix the sooji, yoghurt and water first, but I've also put my chopped ingredients in a bowl and added everything else on top. It really doesn't matter, but what you should end up with is a medium thick batter that slides of the spoon, and doesn't splash. After adding all the ingredients and thoroughly combining them, let the batter sit for about 5 minutes. 

In the meanwhile you can heat up your pan on medium, and brush a little ghee into the centre - emphasis on little. The ghee is just to help brown the bottom of your omelette. It's not a major contributor to the taste of texture of this dish. When the pan is ready, add the batter. My omelets are round, and usually comprise 3 tablespoons of batter, but you can make them any size and shape you like. I have been known to make them in Mickey Mouse format for my nieces. 

Cook each side for about a minute. You'll know it's ready when it can slide around the pan but still hold its shape, and when you can easily flip it over (either with the help of the spatula, or a good hand toss.) Some parts of the omelette should look brown for example, pieces of onion or tomato. Sometimes the edges get nice and crispy. This is a good sign. You can enjoy these on their own, with ketchup, yoghurt, or any chutney that you love. 

Variations for Health and Taste 

Sometimes when I make these, I substitute jeera for the black mustard seeds, and chopped curry leaves for the fresh coriander.  In South Indian cooking, the mustard seeds and curry leaves belong together, but I've mixed them up in different combinations, and come to the conclusion that whatever I have at home is what's going into the dish. The greatest benefit of cumin seeds is iron. Not only is iron an integral component of hemoglobin, it's essential to keeping your immune system healthy. Besides that, these tiny unassuming seeds pack a mean punch when it comes to flavour. On the other hand, curry leaves serve to strengthen the digestive system. Their mineral contents are calcium, phosphorous, vitamin C and, you guessed it, iron. Finally, if you're super health conscious, brush the pan and omelets with olive oil and forget the ghee. Good eats amigos!