Indian Salad for the Summer

Salads are not as prominent in Indian cuisine as they are in European cuisine. However, Indians do eat raw vegetables that accompany their main course. The most common ones are: onions, tomatoes, cucumber, radish, and carrots.

Here is a simple salad that uses the best seasonal ingredients in California to make a delicious salad.

Ingredients:

• 2 Medium onions
• 1 bunch red radish, daikon would work too
• 3 Tomatoes
• 4 Cucumbers
• 2 Limes (prefer limes over lemons)
• Black salt

Delicious onions fresh from the market. I cut them in to rings for the salad.

  Heirloom tomatoes: Beautiful and delicious, full of aroma and strong tomato flavor.

Reddish-green tomato is called the Brandywine variety.

Cut all the ingredients in to small pieces. I cut tomatoes in to wedges, and the cucumbers either in rings or sometimes in one inch pieces. Sprinkle black salt all over, mix it well with the ingredients, and then sprinkle some more. Wait for a few minutes and then squeeze two limes all over the salad. After 10 minutes or so the raw onions will become sweet.

Irresistible

Making Yoghurt, dahi(दही), or curd at home

I decided to make yoghurt at home because the yoghurt sold in grocery stores in United States is very different from the yoghurt that I grew up eating at home in India. The grocery store yoghurt in US tends to be pretty bland and homogenized, sometimes thickeners are added to prevent separation of the liquid. Yoghurt made at home tends to be tastier and tangier, I am guessing higher amount of lactic acid, but I don't know.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of Whole Milk [I used Horizon milk, although any other brand would work. I would recommend using non-homogenized whole milk if you can find one, Strauss is a good brand. Raw milk would also be a good option, although it is expensive.]
• 2 teaspoons of Yoghurt [I bought 2% Fage Greek Yoghurt, which is probably one of the best commercially available yoghurt and has no additives in it].

Recipe:

• Bring milk to a boil in a pan, I used a stainless steel pot but any pot should suffice. 
• Let it cool to the point that you can tolerate the temperature when you dip your finger in the milk. For the more scientifically inclined who own a thermometer, the temperature needs to be around 115 Fahrenheit or 45 Celsius.  
• Add the two teaspoons of yoghurt and mix it with the milk.
• Keep in a warm place. I used the inside of an oven where the pilot light keeps it warm. During the summer, one can leave it outside but if you have an oven with a pilot light, then that is perfect. 
• After six hours or so, the yoghurt is ready. You can leave it longer up to 12 hours, it will just taste tangier. 
• Refrigerate and consume in two to three days. 
• Set a small amount and use it to make another batch. 

I will let you know if something unusual happens to my tummy.

Update: Nothing unusual happened to my stomach!

Broccoli with garlic

There is real broccoli, which is mostly found in farmers markets, and then there is the standard broccoli commonly seen in the generic American grocery stores. I consider them to be two different vegetables. I urge you to try the real broccoli, although you will have to visit your local farmers market. Look for the ones where the flower is small and young. You will notice that the broccoli sold in grocery stores are giant flowers that have been allowed to grow to a point where they are tasteless, they are often yellowish and the green color is not deep.

Here I give a simple recipe to cook broccolli:

Ingredients: Broccoli, garlic, olive oil, and salt.

Wash the broccoli and strain it in a salad spinner to remove as much water as possible. This makes it easier to saute in oil. Heat olive oil in a pan at medium heat. Take three or four garlic cloves and crush them with the flat portion of a chef's knife or any other appropriate tool. Add the garlic to the olive oil and cook for a minute or so, this helps to get the garlic flavor in to the oil. Add the broccoli and stir constantly for about two to three minutes. Add about a quarter cup of water, cover with a lid and let cook for another three minutes or so. The broccoli will turn deep green. You may have to cook it longer depending on how well cooked you like your broccoli.

It is ready to be served and I can assure you that this dish will change your bad past experiences with generic store broccoli, at least it changed mine.

Bali: Recommendations on how and what to eat

Bali is a great place to indulge in some amazing food. You just have to be brave enough to step outside the joints that cater to the tourists from wealthy countries(Australia, Japan, Germany, etc.). The real finds are on the small restaurants on the street and the street hawkers. I asked the locals where they go to eat, and that included people ranging from the hotel receptionist, to the guys who constantly harass you by yelling "taxi". People were very forthcoming and that is how I ended up at some amazing eating places. The locals repeatedly asked me if I truly liked Balinese food, I said "Of course",  and they were surprised. It is funny because places like Ubud and Kuta are swarming with tourists, and during certain seasons apparently there are more tourists than locals, and it must be the case that not many tourists dive in to the street food. I would urge you to try the food that the locals eat, and also try to go to the inexpensive places, the food is generally better there.

Here is a list of specific recommendations:

• Jimbaran Bay Seafood Places near Kuta[Expensive]: Go to any of the outdoor seafood cooking places in Jimbaran bay near the Four Seasons Resort in Jimbaran, south of Kuta in Bali. You will be sitting on the beach, watching the sunset, sipping coconut juice, and eating fresh seafood from the ocean. You get to select the type of fish, tiger prawns, and several other bounty from the sea(many I didn't recognize), and you can request to have it cooked any style. I asked for the Bali style, they grill the fish on skewers over a bed of coal. Simply amazing, and worth the expense. 
  
  
• Ayam Goreng Asam Place in Kuta[Inexpensive]: There is stall on the beach in Kuta that opens at seven in the morning, and is next to the art market in Kuta, and I don't think that place has a name, but if you ask the locals they all know where it is. This is a shop that makes this amazing soup made with chicken pieces and a host of spices. I ordered some with fresh rice, and also they were deep frying some fresh fish that I alse ordered. My mouth is just watering as I type this. The meal was simple amazing, and you get to watch the ocean as you eat and savor this delectable meal. 
• Sate Kambing(Goat Satay) Place in Ubud[Inexpensive]: This is a total hole in the wall place and it seemed like I was the first non-Balian to venture in to this place. It is run by a family, very modest place, kids helping with serving etc. The goat satays are marinated in some amazing sauce, and then cooked over coals(it is a slender and tiny grill). The satays were served with peanut sauce. They also served me a goat stew with rice. Again, I don't know if this place has a name, it is located on Ubud Main Road. All of the locals know where it is and they were happy to point me in the right direction. I didn't take any pictures because that just felt anachronistic.
• Ibu Oka in Ubud for Babi Guling[Expensive]: This is the place that is famous for the suckling pig dish. It comes highly recommended in all guidebooks and even the locals like this place. I personally didn't find the food amazing, probably a matter of personal taste. It is very popular and packed with people. 
  
• Bebek bengil or Dirty Duck Diner in Ubud[Expensive]: This is another place that is popular for its deep fried duck. The food was delicious but again it wasn't mind blowing compared to the street food. The ambiance was great and it is a very comfortable place to spend a few hours on a hot afternoon. One thing I noticed was that every single person, that seemed local, only ordered the deep fried duck, even though they have an extensive menu. 
  
• Ubud Market Vendors[4 am to 8 am][Inexpensive]: The Ubud market apparently opens at 4 am, I have not confirmed the opening time, I just sauntered there around 6:30 am. The place is buzzing with hawkers selling everything from vegetables, live chicken, prepared food, to an amazing array of fresh fruit. I love the food being sold here by a group of old ladies. It was a meal with hot rice(the best Asian rice I have ever had), with an array of chicken soup and other ingredients that I have no idea what they were. It was all wrapped up in a banana leaf. I just looked at how the local ladies were buying their own meal. The procedure is to leave the money on top of the lid of one of the ingredient containers, and then somehow your turn comes up. That breakfast was 5000 rupiah(around 50 US cents) and this was hands down the best meal of the entire trip. I can eat this every single day. The old lady was just adorable, she was wearing tattered clothes, and had this sweet smile. I felt embarassed when she served me before my turn and gave me more rice than what she was giving the locals. I just accepted that as a gracious gesture on the part of the Balinese people towards a visitor. I paired it with a Cendol drink, and some fresh Mangosteens and Jackfruit.
  
  
• Street Vendors in Ubud[Inexpensive]: I ate the local food from two street vendors, the first one was serving tempeh and he made this little concoction with tempeh and some sauce. It was delicious and made me recognize that tempeh in US is a complete misnomer for the real tempeh. The other vendor was a lady carrying a large plastic container, she had twenty different things packed in small plastic bags. The content of the little bags ranged from different sea food to vegetables cooked in Balinese style, I have no idea what each one was and I bought one of each kind, they were simply amazing.
• Fresh Fruit at the Ubud Market: I was lucky to had a chance to indulge in Durian, it was in season. I ate one pretty much everyday, the locals are absolutely crazy about Durian, and they were happy when I offered them Durian. Other than that, there is Salak(snake fruit), Mangosteen, White Mango, Jackfruit, Dragon fruit, and some other unrecognized fruits. They all tasted wonderful.

I am sure there are tons of other wonderful places to eat that I missed, but that is the beauty of travel, it is an adventure and the real joy is in the journey of discovering new places. Be brave, make an effort to learn about the local culture and food, and you would be rewarded with amazing experiences.

Namaskar(नमस्कार)

Black Beans with Rice: Cuban

This is a really simple and delicious recipe for black beans and rice. The key is to buy dried black beans and soak them overnight. This will ensure that you get the best possible taste from the black beans.

Ingredients: 


1 cup dried black beans(soak overnight with ample amount of water)
3/4 cup brown basmati rice(any other rice would work too)
Olive oil(4 tablespoons)
1 medium onion
4 cloves of garlic
Water 1.5 cups
1 teaspoon coarsely ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne or any red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper(coarsely ground)
1 teaspoon salt

Black beans dried

Black beans, soaked overnight and strained

Heat the pressure cooker along with the oil at medium heat, add the cumin to the oil when the oil is hot enough such that the cumin sizzles. Add the finely chopped garlic, and stir for a minute or two. Finally add the chopped onions and sauté until the onions are brown, 6 to 8 minutes, or longer depending on how much water is in the onions. Add the rice first and sauté for a few minutes along with the remaining spices. Finally add the beans.  

Add 1.5 cup of water and raise the heat, bring pressure to first ring on the Kuhn Rikon Duromatic pressure cooker. Reduce the heat and cook for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pressure drop naturally.

Enjoy!

Misr with Brown Basmati Rice: Healthy Meal for 70 cents

Here is a simple and quick recipe that I often cook when I don't have time and I want to eat something warm. It is my own creation using Misr(Malka, pink lentils) and Brown Basmati rice. The recipe uses a pressure cooker to cut down on the cooking time. I know that this is an amazing meal because I typically don't feel hungry for at least six hours. In my personal experience, the higher the nutrition is in the food you eat, the greater the degree of satiety.

Nutrition Information:

•  Total Protein: 36 grams (26 grams from Malka and 10 grams from Rice)
•  Total Fiber: 35 grams
•  Total Calories: about 700 calories.

Other than that, this meal has 120% of folate, 80% thiamine, 60% Iron, 50% Zinc, and the list goes on.
Cost of the Meal: 70 cents; I hope McDonald Corporation goes to hell.

This is a complete meal because the rice adds the two essential amino acids that are missing in Malka.

Ingredients:

• One tablespoon olive oil(regular) or sunflower oil.
• 1/2 cup Misr, Malka, or Pink Lentils(100 grams)
• 1/2 cup Brown Basmati rice(100 grams)
• Two teaspoons of Berbere.
• 1/2 teaspoon korarima(optional).
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or adjust according to taste.
• 2 Cups of water.

Instructions: Heat the olive oil in a pressure cooker at medium heat, add berber, followed by korarima. Mix and cook for 30 seconds. Add rice and malka, along with salt. Mix for two minutes. Add two cups of water. Close the pressure cooker lid and bring pressure to the second line(14 psi). Lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes. The meal is ready.

Modifications:

• One can also use white basmati rice, or any other white rice. Reduce the cooking time to 5 minutes instead of 10 minutes for brown basmati rice. Also, raise the amount of water to 3 cups instead of 2 cups, and increase the amount of berbere to 3 teaspoons.
• Add your favorite greens or vegetables. If you plan to add vegetables then use white rice because the vegetables will be destroyed if cooked for too long. The pictures below show some variations using vegetables. 

 

 Mysterious greens from farmers' market

Mystery of Korarima

Are the Korarima spice used in Ethiopian cuisine the same as the Badi Elaichi(large cardamon, बड़ी इलाइची)? The seeds resemble and there is an overlap in the aroma, but not entirely identical. I am sure I will eventually find the answer, but for now I know that the Ethiopians grind the seeds of the korarima and use in making different types of wots. The picture below shows the seeds of korarima:

In contrast, the black cardamom is mostly used in meat dishes in India as far as I know. The picture below shows the black cardomom and its seeds:

Here I compare the seeds of korarima and black cardamom, they have the same shape and size, however there is a subtle difference in aroma. My suspicion is that they are related but they are different.

Korarima(upper left), Black Cardomom from India(lower right)