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Walnut Chutney

 Chutney, Kashmir, vegan, Vegetarian  10 Responses »
Feb 152013
 
Kashmiri Walnut Chutney

Walnut is a significant part of Kashmiri culture. It is said that that the four kernels of the walnut represent – Dharma ( guiding principles by which we live life ) Artha ( Meaning of life ) Kama ( desires) and Moksha ( Nirvana). It is also believed to be symbolic of the four Vedas – Rig, Yajur, Atharva and Sama.

The whole walnut with the shell on is an essential element in all Kashmiri rituals and important religious festivals. The Festival of Herath ( Shivratri) – The celebration of the union of Shiva and Shakti – being the most important of them. An earthen pot is filled with water and walnuts and prayers are offered. Three days after the Pooja, the walnuts are shared with neighbors, friends and family. So while you are sending out the Prashad (sacred offering), more is coming your way too.

Kashmiri Walnut Chutney

Kashmiri Walnut Chutney

In Kashmir, walnuts are an essential part of Birthday celebrations, Sonth ( spring festival ) and the Navreh (New year ). And with so much emphasis on its use, it was kind of hard to not like them when I was young.

So if you are a Kashmiri, like me, you have a lot of reasons and ways  to eat walnuts – like this walnut chutney.  If you are not a Kashmiri, you still have a lot of reasons to eat walnuts and the walnut chutney.

They help with weight management : Even though walnuts are high in calories and contain fat, they can actually help you to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. The fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals can boost your health and help you to avoid eating too many other foods that are high in calories but low in nutrition. So munch on.

They help with diabetes - Studies have found that a diet supplemented with walnuts may positively impact individuals with diabetes.

Walnuts help improve Sleep :-  The body’s pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin that induces sleep and helps regulate sleep. This hormone is found in walnuts–making walnuts a great evening or bedtime snack for improving your sleep.

And I am sure you already know about the heart health benefits of walnuts  since they are a good source of  potassium, calcium, magnesium, vitamin E and omega 3 fatty acids .

Walnut is out ingredient of the week at 38 powerfoods blog group. Do visiit  Jeanette at jeanetteshealthyliving ; Martha at Simply Nourished Living ; Mireya at Myhealthyeatinghabits ; Alyce at More time at the table ;  Minnie at thelady8home.com , Casey at  Sweetsav to read their stories and recipes on walnuts.

 

 

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Walnut Chutney

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 8 minutes

Walnut Chutney

This is a quintessential chutney from Kashmir. There are many variations and this is a basic version.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 C mint leaves, rinsed and drained
  • 3/4 C walnut halves
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 4-5 thai green chilies ( adjust quantity as needed- this is HOT)
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tbs water

Instructions

  1. Place everything in a blender.
  2. Blend until very smooth.
  3. Use as a chutney with Indian meals or a dip with vegetables and kebabs
http://www.spiceroots.com/2013/02/walnut-chutney/
Bipasha Biswas, Shilpa Sehgal, Prakash Thawani, Harpreet Bedi Chadha, Subhadra Vemparala, Urmila De Banerjee liked this post
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Beetroot Parfait or raita if we may

 From Around the world, Healthy choice, Raita, Sides, Vegetarian  14 Responses »
Jul 062012
 
Beetroot Parfait

 

The Plot :  38 Power Foods Blog group

Summary : 38 Power Foods blog group will focus on one ingredient each week taking inspiration from the book ; Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients from the editors of the whole living magazine. Each week we all will come up with recipes, stories, articles to encourage eating nourishing food.

Co conspirators : ( it will be nourishing for your foodie health to visit these blogs and see what they have come up with)

Jill at Saucy Cooks;

Jeanette at jeanetteshealthyliving ;

Martha at Simply Nourished Living ;

Mireya at Myhealthyeatinghabits ;

Alyce at More time at the table ;

Sarah at everything in the kitchen sink;

Casey at BookCase foodie

Episode #4 – Beets.

 

This week I made beetroots in many different ways. I made the standard raita ;  recipe for which I have shared in a previous post.

I sliced them thin, infused them with fennel and baked them into chips. I also made the recipe that I am sharing today –  of a beetroot parfait;  which is kid tested and approved. My daughter loved it and ate it without any fuss. She usually stays away from beetroots in any other form.

Beets provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support. Traditionally, In India it is  given to expecting mother’s as part of their special diet. And is also suggested for people whose hemoglobin levels are low.  It truly is a power food with research backing up all claims, so it really is not a myth.

While reading up on the benefits of beets, I found out that the beet leaves were equally nutritious and hence a power food. Last week, I and my friend Jill from Saucy cooks  were making Samosa and we  added the greens to the potato stuffing. The result was super delicious. And It made us feel a little better about frying up the samosa.

I love the fact that you can go buy a bunch of beets and use up the entire plant. Super convenient, economical and in plain words – A real Power food!

 

The parfait style yogurt based beet dish was a wonderful addition as a side dish. We grilled some chicken using tandoori spices, and served this as a side dish. Instant hit!

 

 

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Beetroot Raita or Parfait if we may

51

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 small parfait glasses

Serving Size: 1

Ingredients

  • 1 medium size beetroot
  • 2 Cups beet root greens chopped
  • 1/2 C plus 1/2 C yogurt divided
  • Salt ( only if you really want)

Instructions

  1. Wash the beet well and make some deep incisions in it with a sharp paring knife
  2. put it in a microwave proof dish and cover with a plastic wrap.
  3. pop the plastic wrap with the knife once or twice
  4. cook on high for 3 - 5 minutes
  5. when it is done , it will be soft and buttery
  6. peel off the outer layer and discard it ; chop the rest of the beet
  7. take 1/2 C yogurt and put in the blender along with the beet and blend them well -almost like a puree
  8. Now blanch the beet greens and shock them in cold water
  9. Put the greens into a serving bowl, layer with some plain yogurt and then top it off with the beet root yogurt mix puree.
  10. Serve with any grilled spicy dish. Or serve as a parfait for a snack.
http://www.spiceroots.com/2012/07/beetroot-parfait-or-raita-if-we-may/
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The humble Dill Potato and a rambling mind

 Sides, vegan, Vegetarian  3 Responses »
Jun 282012
 
dill and potatoes1

 

 

Since June 9, 2012 Colorado has been witnessing wild fires. Hundreds of homes destroyed , healthy green forests under ash, thousands of people evacuated – Colorado is burning. The forecast for the week does not bring any relief. The temperatures are going to be soaring thus making the fire fighting much more harder than it already is.

I know most of you have seen the photos on the Internet and watched it on TV. I know everyone who saw or heard about it has said a prayer and felt sorry for the people who are going through a tough time right now.

If there is something I have learned from my experiences in extremely difficult situations it is this : We, the human race, are a resilient and determined lot. We survive. We move from despair to hope. We slowly rebuild our communities, we count our blessings, we say Thanks.

We are a fascinating lot. For the rest of the world, the life goes on as usual. Nothing stops for anyone. I wonder if that is part of our survival. To keep doing what we are doing and keep oiling the machine called life. With prayers on our lips and faith in our heart, we busy ourselves with doing.

I am praying and sending thoughts to all people fighting the fires and all the people whose lives have been disrupted by it. But I needed to DO something positive. I needed to feel hope. I needed the courage to take a deep breath and think everyone and everything will be OK soon.

So I set out to bake with my daughter. We made chocolate lava cakes & tried our hands at making a blueberry jam. Both of them were not great successes, but it was something to do together with my daughter and it made me realize that it was ‘doing’ that gives us courage and hope and that is how we survive.

Here is a humble recipe that I want to share with you all today.

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Dill Potatoes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Dill Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 med size boiled potato
  • 2 tbs fresh dill chopped
  • 1 Thai green chili, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp oil
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Slice boiled potatoes in rounds
  2. Heat oil and add in the chopped chili
  3. add in the sliced potatoes and turmeric if using
  4. Fry until the edges crisp up.
  5. Sprinkle salt.
  6. Add in chopped dill - mix in..switch off the heat. cover and let it sit for a bit to let the flavors seep in.
  7. Enjoy with roti and a bowl of dal.
http://www.spiceroots.com/2012/06/the-humble-dill-potato-and-a-rambling-mind/

 

 

 

 
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Fire Roasted Tomato Chutney (Chokha)

 Appetizers, Bihar, Chutney, Healthy choice, Regional Cuisine, Salads, Sides, vegan, Vegetarian  7 Responses »
Jun 072011
 
Fire roasted tomato chutney

Summer – the time when the monumental amount of yard work done during the spring begins to show results! The story is no different at our home. The spring blossoms are almost gone .The summer blooms are setting in and the backyard is slowly seeing more of us after being abandoned for almost all winter. The guy waits for this season. Bike rides with the setting sun, a long walk by the lake or an afternoon siesta under the Aspen tree – all of these are his cherished things to do. However there is something he would rather not do on a weekend during summer. Guessed it? Oh yes! It IS the lawn mowing thing! And then this girl doesn’t like it any better!

To make things interesting, we treat ourselves to a nice BBQ lunch after the yard work is over. There is something very comfortable and peaceful about the hum of the lawn mover and the sizzle on the grill going side by side. He gets the engine going on the mower, I start putting together Ingredients for the menu of the day. He is manicuring the front yard, I am firing up the grill. He finishes up the trimming of the edges and I am checking the temperature on the grill. The kid gets the lemonade ready and sets up a spot for relaxing and may be throw in a game of scrabble too.

The smoke from the grill mixes in with the scent of fresh cut grass. The summer blooms add in the fragrance and the bees and birds are the beautiful company. The food is ready and so are we!

Here is something wonderful to make on the BBQ Grill for a summer afternoon. If you live in places where summer means more heat than you can handle and you cant even think of looking at a BBQ grill – then  you just do it on an open flame on the stove or in the oven.

This dish of fire roasted tomato chutney is  from the state of Bihar in India and is called a chokha instead of chutney.  The locals usually add raw mustard oil to enhance the flavor. I use cold pressed organic Olive oil. I do love the mustard oil flavor too, but the guy in my life doesn’t.

 

This is not an exact recipe. So go with your instincts.

 

Plan:

  • 3 Vine ripe tomatoes cut into two pieces each
  • 1 tsp olive oil (use the best you can)
  • salt to taste
  • 1 Thai green chili chopped
  • ¼ C chopped cilantro
  • ¼ C finely diced onions
  • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder

 

Procedure

  1. Get the grill going. Brush some oil to the cut side of the tomatoes and place on the grill. Hear the sizzle.
  2. Cook for about 5 minutes or until you can get the skin off the tomato with a slight touch.
  3. Peel the skin off, chop the tomatoes and place in a bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix.
  4. Chill before serving.

 

Serve this as salsa with chips or as a relish with a spicy burger or as a chutney with Indian main dishes.

EDIT 1 :One of the friends of spiceroots has sent in some wonderful suggestions. Please check the comments from Sonal

Edit 2:How to make this in an oven or over open flame stoves

For oven :

  • Set the temperature to about 400*F , pre heat.
  • Put the tomatoes , cut side down an a baking tray that has been greased with a bit of coconut oil (preferable) or any other oil.
  • Cook the tomatoes for about 10 min or until just about done. Now broil for a minute or two on high to get that charred effect. Rest of the recipe is the same.

Open Flame :

  • You may need a vegetable grilling basket to do this .
  • Place tomatoes in the basket after punching in a few pokes with the knife.
  • cook on medium flame until done.
Congratulations Ruchi!

Beetroot Raita

 Healthy choice, Raita  4 Responses »
Mar 032010
 
beetroot raita

 

The sweetness of the beet, the gorgeous color and not to forget the amazing health benefits makes beetroot my favorite root vegetable. This recipe uses beetroot as a side dish with spicy meals.

Plan:

  • 1 medium beet root bulb
  • 1 C yogurt
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper powder
  • Salt as per taste [ try to keep it mildly salted]

Procedure : ( Microwave Method)

  1. Peirce the beetroot bulb all over with a sharp kitchen knife .
  2. Place in a microwave proof bowl , cover with a cling wrap.
  3. Make incisons on cling wrap, thus creating a vent for steam to escape
  4. Place the beet in the Microwave for 4- 5 minutes [time varies as per beetroot size]
  5. Test for doneness by inserting a fork. What you are looking for is tender but not mushy texture
  6. Peel off the skin, when it cools down
  7. Finely chop the bulb
  8. Whisk the yogurt, add some salt and the pepper
  9. Add in the beetroot. Mix well. Chill before serving.

Stovetop Method

  1. Peirce the beetroot bulb all over with a sharp kitchen knife .
  2. Place in a deep pan and cover with water.
  3. simmer on medium heat until tender.
  4. This method takes longer than the microwave method so patience is the key, but the texture and taste is really worth the wait.
  5. Once it gets tender, allow it to cool, peel – chop and follow the recipe from above!

 

Serve as a side dish.

Note: Replace whole milk yogurt with a no fat yogurt for a low fat choice.

Tamarind and Date chutney – Sweet & Tangy

 Chutney, Sides, Vegetarian  3 Responses »
Feb 192010
 
Dates and Tamarind chutney

One fine balmy day, at a girls tea party, the hostess had made this delightful Tamarind Date chutney. It had a thick texture, great color and tasted just like an Imli chutney should. A couple of email exchanges later, I asked the gracious hostess for the recipe. She obliged and I made the chutney with the addition of ginger powder. This recipe is dedicated to you, Sarab.

Tamarind and Date chutney

Tamarind and Date chutney – tangy and sweet is like a sweet and sour dipping sauce, only that it is not too tart. The addition of jaggery and dates to the Tamarind makes it pleasantly sweet and sour.  It is an essential condiment for Indian Chaats, Samosa or deep fried fritters, along with the cilantro chutney .  

 

Plan:

  • Tamarind:200 gms
  • Jaggery: 200 gms
  • Dates : 8 Medjool Dates , finely chopped
  • Salt : 1 tsp or as per taste
  • Red chilli powder : 1 tsp
  • Ginger powder : 1/2 tsp
  • Raisins: 5 – 6
  • Water : 3 cups[ more if the Tamarind is too dry]

Procedure

  1. Boil the water. Break the pack of Tamarind into small sections.
  2. Soak the Tamarind in the boiled water for 30 minutes
  3. Once cool and completely soaked, mash the Tamarind and water to a pulp
  4. Now strain the Tamarind juice from this mix, leaving behind the seeds and other solids
  5. Put this juice  in a heavy bottomed, non reactive pan and add the jaggery.
  6. Cook on high until it starts to boil, then lower heat to medium low
  7. cook for about 30 minutes, stirring once a while
  8. Now add the salt, dates, chilli powder, ginger powder & raisins. Mix
  9. Cook on medium low for another 20 minutes until the chutney is thick
  10. Let it cool before you store the chutney

Note: This makes about two jars of 13 oz each.   Store in the refrigerator for a month. When you have to use some of the chutney, transfer as much as you need to a separate bowl, add a dash of water to thin it down and your chutney is ready.
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