JackFruit Curry / Panasapottu Kura

Panasapottu kura!!!

I’ve heard a lot about it! Never tasted it!

The other day I’ve been to Angadi and found it. Raw Jack Fruit.

I just wanted to confirm if that was a fruit or a edible thing to make a curry.

I had a malayali aunty, tamil uncle and our own hyderabadi vendor(his urdu was funny though) – explaining me on how to preserve it and started pouring recipes. Recipes in three heavy accents J

I wonder if anything like this would happen in America/ Sort-Of countries.

I thought I’d experiment on it. I’ve googled a lot and finally thought of doing a lil customized version.

I’ve added onions & instead of mustard paste (which should be freshly made) – I’ve added a WeikField one. So do you find it in the picture.

I overdid curry leaves and coriander as usually.

Chopping that sticky – funny looking jackfruit was a challenge.

We should shop it into tiny miny pieces.

Let me quickly write it out

Ingredients:

· Oil – 3-4 Tb Sp

· Mustard Seeds – 1 Tsp

· Jerra – 1 Tsp

· Broken Red Chillies – 3

· Urad Dal – 1 Tbsp

· Green Chillies – 4

· Onion – 1 Medium

· Curry Leaves

· Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 Tsp

· Turmeric – 1 Tsp

· Coriander Powder – 2 TbSp

· Dry Coconut Powder – 2 TbSp

· Weikfield Mustard Paste – 2 Tbsp

· Salt – Acc to taste

· Red Chilly Powder – ½ Tsp

Method:

· Chop/Mince jackfruit (just like cabbage)

· Pressure Cook along with ½ Tsp Turmeric Powder, 1 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste.

· Pressure Cook for around 2 Whistles.

· Pour out in a colander – make sure you let go excess water.

· Heat a pan – add oil – mustard, jeera, urad, curry leaves, broken red chillies.

· Once they splutter – add green chillies, onion

· Let the onions turn lil brown.

· Add ginger garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chilly powder: Mix well.

· Now add boiled jack fruit.

· Cover for around 5 mins – let the jackfruit sink-in all the spices.

· You might want to do a quick taste-check and take a decision if you’d like to extend the cover.

· Add coriander powder, dry coconut powder – stir.

· Leave uncovered for another 5 mins.

· Put off the stove – retain the pan on the stove.

· Add mustard paste and freshly chopped coriander: Stir well.

· Let it sit on the stove for around 15 mins.

· Squeeze in lemon juice before serving.

It was just about good. People who’d love mustard – this is great. I had no patience to make a paste of mustard seeds – hence I’ve used the sauce.

Actually to accelerate the taste – I’d try using mustard oil the next time.

I’ve prepared menthe sambhar to go along with this. Recipe for menthe sambar will be posted tomorrow. I’m hungry – gotta drive home and have yet another serving of this strong mustard-jack-curry. PERIOD!

Lauki Dho Peg Dhoodh Sa

What the heck !!! Does that even sound like a recipe / a dish.
For me it does!
I’m inspired /influenced by many things around me while I cook.
I’ve been to Angadi this Sunday.
Scorching sun – oil dripping over my face – dusty roads.
I could forget all these – as the fresh greens, reds and yellows were smiling at me.
I could ignore all that heat and irritating oil in my hair.
I bought a lot of vegetables then – all freshhhhh , fressshhhhh , freshhhhh.
Its then I took this nascent, baby looking lauki(sorakaaya/ aanyapkaaya/bottlegourd).
Monday mornings are always so sick and painful. To make it exciting I had to cook something exciting.
Its been loooooong since I’ve prepared “sorakkay paalu posina kura”. I’ve learned it from my cousin. She lived in Sreekakulam(interior Coastal ). Shez got influenced by those recipes. Its creamy, thick and very spicy curry.
I’ve started my preparation with that. But; halfway once I added this “southy tampering ingredients” to oil – I’ve changed my mind. As; it’d be a thick curry – I will be forced to prepare dal. Naah! Been too much of dal these days. And; moreover I’ve already made a dough to prepare rotis. So I’ve rather decided to make a watery and yet creamy/milky lauki.
Once I’ve added mustard, broken red chillies, jeera – I’ve decided to make it rather a watery/light-flavored dish. Hence; I’ve added a tea spoon more jeera. Preparation time was 10 and cooking time was 20. It was an experiment. Wow! What a way to start a week.
Let’s go to the name; why Peg & Dhoodh Sa.
I used a “Peg” as a measure to add milk to the curry. And; with these Star Plus serials (Marwari bhaay sa; maa sa; jaisan, waisan) glaring in the background – hence the name J . Well! In-a-way isn’t it exciting to name your experiment in a different way.
Will not dole more – lets get to cooking.
Oops! I’ve almost forgot. I didn’t have oil in the tumbler – so I’ve used 2 Tb Sp of ghee too cook around 400 gm of Lauki. Healthy is’nt it
Ingredients
1. Ghee – 2 Tb Sp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ Tsp
3. Jeera – 2 Tsp
4. Dry Red Chillies – 2
5. Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 Tb Sp
6. Onion – 1 Medium – Finely Chopped
7. Lauki – 400 Gm
8. Salt – 2 Tsp
9. Red Chilly Powder – 1 Tsp
10. Coriander Powder – 1 Tsp
11. Coriander – Finely Chopped
12. Milk – 2 Pegs
13. Water – To Boil
Method:
· Place a pressure cooker on flame
· Add ghee.
· Once it melts and smells heaven – add jeera, mustard seeds & broken red chilies.
· When the lil rascals splutter – add chopped onions
· Let the onions turn pink and turn translucent – add turmeric powder & ginger garlic paste.
· Mix well – wait for 2 mins
· Add lauki cubes, salt, chilly powder.
· Add water to the cooker – drown the lauki cubes.
· Remember I wanted it water/soupy.
· Close the cooker – high flame – wait for 2 whistles.
· Let the cooker settle down – take out the cover – add 2 pegs of milk and coriander powder.
· Simmer for another 5 mins – till the required consistency is achieved.
· Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
Serve hot with roti. Believe me! It was yum! Slightly creamy/saucy – jeera and mustard flavors, the fresh tender sweet flavor of lauki – it was heaven :-)

Easy Rasam - No Boiling & No Peeling

One of the quickest and tantalizing.
Pepped up for obvious reasons of so much of pepper.
Its garlicy - brings best out of spices.
Tangy - with all the tomato, tamarind.
Fresh Greens - Curry leaves and coriander.
This is a wonder recipe.
Its got all the health benefits and my version of Rasam hardly takes 5 mins of preparation time.
Yess! 5 Mins of preparation time and 10 Mins of cooking time.

Ingredients:

Spice Bowl:

Coriander Seeds - 1 Tb Sp
Mustard Sees - 1 Tea Sp
Jeera - 2 Tea Sp
Pepper - 2 Tea Sp
Red Chilly Flakes - 2-3

Main Ingredients:

Garlic Pods (Crushed) - 5-6
Curry Leaves(Shredded) - 10
Tamarind - 2-3 Flakes
Tomato(Chopped) - 1 Big one / 2 Medium
Chopped Coriander
Salt - 1 Tea Sp
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 Tea Sp
Coriander Powder - 1 Tb Sp
Oil - 1 or 2 Tb Sp

Preparation :

Yeppers!!! I use that freaking oil very sparsingly.
I hate that hot oil smell.
Hence i don't prepare any deep fries .
Yep that means most of the southy breakfasts like dosey, vada , puri are out of my kitchen
Hate that smell - Period!!!

Head a wok - add oil to it.
Keep the flame as high as possible.
Once you're sure its enough hot - thrown in spices.
Tip: I usually collect all the spices in a bowl - to avoid any fumbling.

Once they splutter - add in garlic, tamarind, tomatoes.
Add salt, red chilly powder, curry leaves and cover.

Tip: I add curry leaves at this juncture as against to traditional procedure.
i.e., at the time of tampering.
That would deprive curry leaves off its fragrance and freshness.

After two minutes check if the tomatoes have cooked to mushy state.
Once they turn mushy its about time to add water.
Hmm! one more strange thing - i use beer-glasses to add water.
Hence my two glasses of water are a lil more than 2 glasses :P :P

Bring to boil - once you see notice a boil - add coriander powder.
Simmer for another 5 mins.
Add chopped coriander, pepper powder - mix well.

Vroooooom!!! I'm done.

Hot piping rasam with over cooked rice - yum, yumm, yummm.