GYO - Methichi Dushmi

 

 

 

Dushmi is a Maharashtrian flatbread. My grandmother used to make several different dushmies like rajgiryachi dushmi, jwarichi dushmi, bajrichi dushmi, and of course, methichi dushmi. Each dushmi has some different ingredients which make them unique in taste from the rest, but the common factor that gives them the name "Dushmi" is that milk is used to knead the dough instead of water. Hopefully, I will cover all the rest of the dushmies as the time permits. But today, let's devour Methichi Dushmi from my homegrown Methi or fenugreek leaves.

Ok, here's what I did -

I just threw some fenugreek seeds in the soil.


Just some sunshine, water and voila!!! My own methi plant was ready to be harvested.
Here it is - Methi Plant 2008.
I am a very amateur gardener. I do not yet have a vegetable patch (in the soil) in my backyard. Somehow, I am really intimidated. I do only container gardening. Sometime, in future I wish to start digging. Let's plan it for 2009.


Methichi Dushmi - makes 9 flatbreads

मेथीची दशमी 

Fenugreek Leaves Flatbread
Ingredients
1 bunch fenugreek leaves/methi, rinsed, chopped approx 1 1/2 cups
1 1/2 cups cups wheat flour
1 tbsp besan
1 tsp mild chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
A pinch of ajwain/owa (Optional)
salt to taste
A pinch of sugar
1/2 tbsp oil

Milk to knead the dough - as needed
oil for roasting

Method
1. Mix flours, methi/fenugreek leaves, salt, chili powder , besan, turmeric powder, & owa - if using.

2. Add milk as needed to make the dough. Add 1/2 tbsp oil and knead again. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes.
3. Make around 9 uniform balls, roll into a thin disc.
4. Shallow fry using few drops of oil till brown spots appear on both sides.

5. Serve hot with plain yogurt (dahi), achar (lonache) or subzi (bhaaji)

Dushmis are kept in an aluminum foil.

Note -
1. More the fenugreek/methi, better is the taste.
2. Use full fat or at least 2% milk for better flavor.
3. Generally, these flatbreads are larger in diameter. I have made them not too large.
4. Dushmi is a singular form. For plural, we say - मेथीच्या दशम्या/ Methichya Dushmya.:-)



This post is my entry for Grow Your Own - hosted at Jugalbandi
GYO event is started by Andrea of Andrea's Recipes.

Using Lemongrass

We Maharashtrians and Gujaratis use lemongrass leaves instead of the lemongrass roots as  the Thai cooks do. We add it to flavor our tea. It gives a unique refreshing flavor. It also soothes sore throat.

So far, I used to bring a bunch of lemongrass from the farmers market, put in water for some time to force roots and then I used to plant. This time, I have just kept my bunch of lemongrass in a flower vase. It has roots now. It sits pretty in a corner, as if it's a flower vase.

I think it looks great. I clip the leaves for my tea as needed, and the leaves grow right back.



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Tamarind Leaves Chutney

Yesterday, I plucked some more tamarind leaves. Winter will be here soon.  My beloved Tamarind plant will not survive the harsh winter. The perennial plant/tree of India is very much an annual plant in my neck of the woods. Sigh!!

Since I had already blogged about daal, I thought of making a simple chutney to go with Idlies. I didn't add any cilantro to retain that delicate green hue of the tamarind leaves.


Tamarind Leaves Chutney
Ingredients
1/2 cup tender tamarind leaves
1/2 cup freshly scraped coconut
1/2 cup puffed chana daal/Pandharpuri DaaLe
salt to taste
A pinch of sugar
3-4 green chilies
Water as needed for grinding

Method
1. Add all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Grind to a smooth paste.
3. Serve with idlies.

Note -
1. Use more green chilies if you prefer heat.
2. Tamarind leaves had enough tang so I didn't add any souring agent. Adjust per your liking.
3. I didn't add any tempering. But you can always temper the chutney by heating some oil and crackling some mustard seeds, asafetida and red chilies.

Idlis with Tamarind Leaves Chutney

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Tamarind Leaves Daal

Sometimes in life - especially during your impressionable age, you meet someone and their ideology stays with you for the rest of your life. It happened to me when I had gone with my maternal cousins to their paternal aunt's home. I know it sounds little tricky. But if you ponder, your maternal cousins' paternal family is not really your own family. They can be considered a part of extended family if you are in good touch.

I met "Kaku" for the first time. She was an old lady compared to my mom. I was under 10 for sure. I followed her everywhere, especially in and around her kitchen. Her huge house on Maharashtra border was a novelty for me. One day, Kaku said that she would make Matkichi Usal. But I observed something totally different. She washed Matki in the backyard above some soil. Then I observed, she would rinse any grain/beans in the backyard. I was totally intrigued. She had a kitchen sink. Why would she go all the way to the backyard to rinse the daily grains/beans. I asked her so. She replied,"They're seeds of life. However much care I take to rinse, some of them fall down. If they are washed in kitchen sinks, they are wasted in the drain. When I wash it in the backyard, even if they fall, they go to the soil. They would grow. I am not wasting them."

I didn't meet Kaku very often later. She is no more. But that thought stayed with me. Even today, whenever possible, if I come across any seeds, I throw it in the soil. I feel it's better than throwing in the trash can. I live where it snows. So not necessarily every seed turns into huge plants/trees. But they grow. So when I get tamarind, I always throw the seeds in the soil. They give me fresh, tender tamarind leaves for making daal and chutneys.

Today's tamarind leaves daal is inspired by Andhra Pradesh's Gongura Daal. Since I had Andhra's Guntur Chilies, I used them. Please substitute any dry, red chilies you have in your pantry.

I looked up this name and found that it's called Chinta Chiguru Pappu. (Thanks to Sailu's Food)

Chinta Chiguru Pappu
Tamarind Leaves Daal
Ingredients
3/4 cup toor daal, pressure cooked, mashed
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafetida

1 cup tender tamarind leaves, torn from sprigs (I didn't chop them)
salt to taste

Tempering
1 tsp oil
1/ 2 tsp mustard seeds
2 Guntur chilies, whole
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced

Suggested Accompaniment
Plain Rice
Gongura Pickle

Method
1. Pressure cook toor daal adding turmeric powder, asafetida and adequate water.
2. Mash lightly and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a saucepan.
4. Add mustard seeds, chilies and garlic cloves.
5. Sauté till garlic aroma wafts through the kitchen
6. Add tender tamarind leaves.
7. Sauté quickly till they are wilted.
8. Add mashed daal and 1/2 cup water.
9. Add salt and bring to boil.
10. Simmer till the daal thickens a bit.
11. Serve with plain rice and Gongura pickle.

Note -
1. If you like, you can add more water and serve as a soup with broth.






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Thai Basil Fried Rice

Thai Basil plant comes back after deadly winter. Generally the plant dies but it sows its seeds. As spring arrives, tiny seedlings start sprouting out. I love the sweetish, fennel like flavor of the Thai basil. A nearby Thai restaurant serves delicious Thai Basil Fried Rice. Whenever I experiment with any recipe, I take liberties to make a healthier version that suits our lifestyle. Though we eat seafood, I am not particularly fond of the fish sauce which is a common ingredient in Thai cooking. I also add some turmeric powder to get the beneficial antioxidants. I throw in quite a bit of vegetables. So my experimental recipe almost always results in my own zany version, that differs substantially from the authentic one.

Thai Basil Fried Rice
Ingredients
1 cup Jasmine rice, cooked according to the instructions
2 cups mixed vegetables (I used a frozen packet containing green peas, carrots, green beans, corn etc.)
3/4 cup Tofu - bite sized chunks
salt to taste

Whisk
1 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Tempering
1 tbsp oil
A pinch of turmeric powder
A handful of Thai basil leaves

Garnish
3-4 Fresh Thai Basil leaves

Method
1. Cook Jasmine rice according to the instructions. Spread on a flat plate to cool down completely.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan or wok. Add turmeric powder and Thai basil leaves.
3. Add the vegetables. Sauté for 5 minutes.
4. Add cooled and cooked rice, vinegar mixture and salt. Sauté.
5. Add tofu chunks. Mix well without letting them break.
6. Garnish with Thai Basil leaves.

Note -
1. Use only Thai Basil leaves for this recipe, as they lend their signature aroma/flavor to this dish. Italian basil will surely change the taste.
2. Use only rice vinegar for this recipe.
3. If you prefer a spicier version, use Sriracha sauce in the vinegar mixture or add crushed red pepper flakes.

Thai Basil blooms

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Baked Potato

Chives is a wonderful herb that reminds you of garlic greens. It is probably milder than garlic. I love to garnish my baked potatoes with minced fresh chives.

 

Baked Potato is a classic American dish. Use only Russet, Baking or Idaho potatoes to get the real taste. This recipe can also be made in the microwave. A colleague at work, sometimes used to get a raw russet potato in a brown paper bag and for lunch, she would microwave. But I advise to bake it in the oven as the potato skins are roasted nicely and taste divine. Americans love their baked potatoes topped with cheese (of course!), sour cream or even chili (as in kidney beans stew & not red pepper!). I love to garnish my baked potato with a generous sprinkle of salt, pepper and freshly chopped chives from my kitchen garden.

 

Baked Potato

Ingredients

 

3-4 baking potatoes, such as Idaho or Russet

1 tbsp. olive oil

salt

 

Garnish

Grated cheese

Sour Cream & green onions, chopped

Butter

Salt and black pepper

 

Herbs

Minced Chives

or

Minced Green onion

 

Method

1. Preheat oven 400F

2. Wash potatoes and pat them dry.

3. Prick some holes all over potato using a skewer or fork.

4. Rub olive oil all over the potatoes. Sprinkle some salt.

5. Wrap each potato in Aluminum foil.

6. Bake for 1 hour.

7. Take out and open the foil. Be careful as it will be very hot.

8. Top with garnish of your choice.

 

Note -

1. Each person can open their own foil wrapped parcel, cut it into halves with knife and use the garnish of their own choice.

 

 

Pretty Chives Bloom

 

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Lima Beans Usal -1

There are many varieties of "paavte" or Lima Beans in India. For making this usal, you can use dried white lima beans, frozen baby lima beans or freshly picked lima beans.

Paavtyachi UsaL
ओल्या पावट्या ची  उसळ 
Lima Beans Stir Fry
Ingredients
16 oz. frozen baby lima beans or about 2 cups fresh lima beans or 3/4 cup dry lima beans - soaked and sprouted as instructed here.

1 potato, peeled & diced
1 tsp jaggery
salt to taste
1/2 tsp chile powder

Tempering
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic, peeled & minced
1/2 tbsp. goda masala

Garnish
2 tbsp. freshly scraped coconut
2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
Freshly squeezed lemon

Method
1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add spices. As they sizzle, add onion and garlic. Sauté till onion is soft.
2. Add goda masala and keep sautéing for about 2 minutes.
3. Add potatoes and lima beans. Add Chile powder. Sprinkle some water if needed. Cover with a lid and pour some water on the lid. Let it cook on medium flame till potatoes and beans are soft.
4. Add salt and jiggery.
5. Garnish with coconut and cilantro.
6. Just before serving, drizzle some freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Note -
1. If using dry lima beans, follow the instructions to sprout them before using.
2. Also you may pressure cook the sprouts to expedite the process.

Freshly harvested lima beans from my kitchen garden

Fresh Christmas Beans

Fresh Christmas Beans - just picked

I love gardening. but my kitchen garden is as whimsical as I am. I love to throw beans that I find around my kitchen and see how they turn up. Some beans like these Christmas Beans taste amazingly delicious when they are freshly picked.



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How I grew my Malabar Spinach this summer

Malabar Spinach goes by three names in my family. Depending on the person with whom I am talking, I call the same Malabar Spinach as "MayaLu" (Marathi), "VaaLi" (Konkani) or "Poi" (Gujarati). My favorite Vietnamese farmer sells Red stemmed Malabar Spinach at our local Farmers Market and our Indian stores has recently started carrying green stemmed - the one I am familiar with - Malabar Spinach.

If you want to grow your own Malabar spinach from scratch, here are the steps.

1. Get some healthy stems of Malabar Spinach from your local Indian or Farmers' market. The stems don't need to be too long, but just make sure that they are not bruised or broken.
2. You can use the leaves for cooking, but save the stems in a glass full of water.

3. In about a week or so, you will notice that the stem now has roots. Let it grow some strong roots in water.

4. Now, plant the stem in a container or your veggie patch.
5. Very soon, the plant will grow and will have its own black seeds.
6. Sun dry those seeds and use them to plant next year!

7. Happy Gardening!

Note -
I use this same method (forcing the stems to root in the water and then plant them in soil) to grow my own mint and lemongrass.

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Banana Peppers

 

Banana Peppers from my kitchen garden

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Rajgira

Homegrown Rajgira - ready for picking

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Perennial Turmeric

Perennial Turmeric

After successfully growing turmeric in my container garden for several years, I planted some fresh turmeric roots in a small patch in our backyard. I loved those beautiful leaves that I used for making various GSB delicacies. But I didn't know that this turmeric would come back to life in spring. This is the second year now, when those dormant and almost dead turmeric plants during winter, bloom back.

Here in the United States, plants are divided into two categories - Perennial and Annual. These categories vary based on the geographic zone/location and corresponding weather conditions. For the tropical zones where it never snows, most of the plants are perennial. But for the rest, some plants die during winter and never come back so they are annuals and those which go dormant but come back are perennials. I never thought that our very own, tropical turmeric would survive the harsh winter and promptly start growing once weather has improved.

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Mogrichi Bhaaji - Radish String Beans

 

It's been ages since I ate mogri. I have seen it in the frozen section of the Indian stores. But I was craving for the fresh ones. The only way to achieve this, especially when you are away from your native land is grow it yourself. Our local nursery sold white and red radish seeds. So I planted those hoping to get green and purple string beans. My container garden produced enough harvest to make this bhaaji.  I decided to make this bhaaji - Konkani Talasani style.

 

This bhaaji is relished in my Maharashtrian, Konkani as well as Gujarati families. So I will blog more recipes using this bhaaji soon.

 

Mogri chi Bhaaji

Radish String Beans Stir Fry

Ingredients

2 cups Radish string beans/Mogrichya shenga, remove both ends, tear into 1-2" pieces

salt to taste

 

Tempering

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp asafoetida

2-3 dry, red chilies, halved

 

Garnish

1 tbsp freshly scraped coconut

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a wok or kadhai or bogaLe (Konkani word!)

2. Add mustard seeds. As they splutter, add asafoetida and chilies.

3. Add rinsed and drained mogri. Stir fry.

4. Cover with a lid. Add water on the lid.

5. Let it cook.

6. Add salt and coconut.

 

Note -

1. If mogries are too short, just remove both ends and use the whole string bean.

Mogrichya Shenga

 

 

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