Eggless Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Most kids seem to like pancakes anytime, anywhere ! There is just something alluring about the small stack of round (or mostly round! ) goodies often studded with fruits , chocolate chips , even nuts !
My children definitely enjoy pancakes. I try to keep it relatively healthy by adding whole wheat flour, vegetable or fruit puree , fresh fruit and nuts.
As an ode to the looming  holiday season and as much to try out a new breakfast recipe, I searched around for a pumpkin chocolate chip pancake and landed here. It was an easy recipe to adapt to my needs (wheat flour , eggless , etc. )

Ingredients:
½ C unbleached A.P flour
½ C whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp allspice powder
1 C buttermilk (I added a tsp of apple cider vinegar to 1 C of soymilk)
1 Tbs ground flaxseed
¼ C plain pumpkin puree
½ C chocolate chips of choice

Method:
1. Mix the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, brown sugar and spices and whisk thoroughly.
2. Add the pumpkin puree and the flax powder to the buttermilk and mix well.
3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and mix in gently until no dry areas remain. Dont mix vigorously.
4. While the batter rests for a little while, heat up your griddle and coat with a very thin layer of butter or oil.
5. Pour a quarter C of batter for each pancake and spread slightly. The batter is quite thick. Sprinkle the surface of each pancake with as little or as many chocolate chips as you want !
6. When you start seeing bubbles on the surface and the edges start setting up, gently flip and cook for a couple of minutes more.
7. Stack them up and serve 'em hot!

Notes:
1. Since I used sweetened soy milk, I decreased the amount of sugar added.
2. I could probably have used a little bit more of the spices to get a more flavorful pancake.
But the kids didnt seem to mind !
3. The recipe made 10 medium sized pancakes.
4. You could easily double the recipe, make them all and then store the cooled pancakes in an airtight container in the freezer. Put them in a toaster and they are good as fresh.
5. The whole wheat pastry flour did not affect the taste of the pancake at all.
6. Except for the chocolate chips, everything else in the recipe is vegan (if you use the soymilk - vinegar combination). If you want to make it completely vegan, use dairy free chocolate chips.

Make these for your children and see them light up :)

Red Chori Curry

I have always wondered why it's assumed that people following a vegetarian/vegan diet must find it difficult to fulfill their protein requirements. One look at the lentil / bean section of any Indian grocery store would have you gaping at the sheer variety of products available. There are several kinds of whole beans, lentils, legumes , nuts to create a variety of dishes that will not only satisfy your palette but also provide excellent nutrition.
Any of the beans can be paired with a myriad of vegetables to create soups, stews, curries, salads and even rice dishes, so that you wouldn't need to repeat any dish for quite some time.
On a recent visit to my local Indian grocery, I picked up a packet of chori beans.
I am always interested in trying out new ingredients and new recipes (much to my husband's woe) and the little red beans seemed very promising.

One search on the internet and a whole slew of recipes showed up. These dark red beans are also known as Adzuki or Aduki beans and are widely used in Japan. They are very rich in soluble fiber and are also a good source of minerals and high quality protein.The beans have a subtle , sweet taste which is why adzuki bean paste is used in desserts in East Asian cuisine. These beans sprouts very easily and can be used like moong sprouts in salads and curries.

In making the red chori curry, I sprouted beans for a couple of days and then cooked them in a pressure cooker before using them in the curry.

As with all beans, it is best to soak the beans in plenty of water. Soaking decreases the cooking time and makes the beans more digestible.

Recipe : Red Chori / Adzuki Bean curry

Ingredients:

3/4 C dried adzuki beans - soaked and sprouted.
1 medium onion - finely chopped
2 tomatoes - chopped
2 green chilis
2 pods garlic - finely chopped
1/2 inch ginger root - finely chopped
2 tsp oil of choice
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder / paprika
2 tsp half and half or coconut milk (optional)
salt and black pepper to taste
chopped cilantro leaves for garnishing

Method:
1. Cook the bean sprouts either on the stove with plenty of water or in a pressure cooker. Set aside.Note that if you do not have the time to sprout the beans, you can also use them as is.
2. In a wide bottomed pan of choice, heat the oil and add fennel, cumin and mustard seeds.When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add the ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant.
3. Add the slit green chilies and onions and saute until onions are translucent. Add all the spice powders,except the garam masala and let cook for a minute or so.
4. Then add the chopped tomatoes, salt and black pepper and cook until the tomatoes break down and get cooked.
5. Add the beans and a 1/2 cup of water , mix well , cover and let simmer on a low flame until all the flavors come together.
6. Mash a few beans with the back of the ladle to thicken the curry, if required.
7. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
8. I added a little bit of coconut milk to get a creamy texture for the curry, but only because I had a can open that I needed to finish off. You could use cream / half and half or even a bit of evaporated milk instead. You could also omit it entirely.
9. Take the pan off the flame, stir in the garam masala powder and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve hot with Indian flat bread or steaming rice for a flavorful, nutritious meal !

Green Beans and Bell Pepper Subzi

In an effort to eat healthy and not tear out my hair in the decision making process on a hectic weekday, my husband and I have come up with a technique that we have begun implementing from last week. It remains to be seen if it will be effective enough to continue.
Every weekend, we go through the refrigerator and pantry shelves, check what is available and then make a list of what we would like to have for lunch and dinner, for every day of the coming week. Grocery shopping also becomes easier and less impulsive when I know exactly what I need to shop for. Evenings are less stressful too since I already know what I need to do to get dinner on the table in time. If possible, I try and do the prep work beforehand, like chopping vegetables or boiling dals and lentils.
My recent trip into the Sprouts Farmer's market had me coming back with a big bunch of fresh green beans and luscious red bell peppers or capsicums as they are known in India. I decided to pair it up with whole wheat chapaties for this evening's dinner.
Fresh green beans usually needs to be cooked for some time to get it tender enough to absorb all the flavourings. earlier, I used to prepare the seasonings, add the fresh beans , sufficient water, spices and just cook it till tender. But this time I decided to use as less water as possible. I decided to steam the beans instead of boiling and I liked the result !
Try for yourselves -




Ingredients:

Big bunch of fresh green beans
(I don't know what quantity it was, but it was enough to make 8-10 servings!)
1 medium sized bell pepper (any colour, I used red), finely chopped
1 tsp coriander seed powder
1 tsp cumin seed powder
1 tsp garam masala (or any other masala of choice)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper / paprika
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
pinch of sugar
2 tsp lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander/ cilantro leaves
2 tbsp peanuts, powdered


Seasoning:

1 tsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
generous pinch of asafoetida
2 -3 curry leaves (optional, but really enhances the taste)


Method:

Steam the fresh green beans in a double boiler. If you don't have one, improvise ! That's what I did..Brought a pot of water to boil. Put the chopped beans into the steamer plate that is included with any rice cooker. Placed the plate over the pot of boiling water and covered the plate. Steamed for about 15 minutes.

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and roast until the mustard seeds start popping.
2. Add the asafoetida and curry leaves and saute for some more time.
3. Add the coriander and cumin seed powders, cayenne pepper, salt and sugar and mix well.
4. Add the chopped bell pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, until the pepper starts getting tender.
5. Add the steamed green beans and mix well so that the spices coat the vegetable pieces well.
6. Add the garam masala and the peanuts and about a quarter cup of water.
7. Mix well, cover and let cook for about 5 minutes.
8. Take off from stove, add in the lemon juice, mix well and serve hot with chapaties, tortillas or as a side dish with rice !

This subzi also makes a wonderful sandwich or wrap filling.

Verdict:
The steaming retained the colour of the beans better than boiling. I liked that the beans were tender yet a little crunchy. The flavour from the spices was not overwhelming and complemented the beans quite nicely !
This subzi is sure to be seen on my cooking list often.

What methods do you employ to have a worry free week day ?

Fantastic Fruit Series : Captivating Cantaloupe

Fruits were a big part of our meals growing up. More often than not, my father would come bearing some or the other seasonal fruit when he returned from office. Exotic fruits were not available then as they seem to be now, so apples, oranges, grapes , et all were familiar on the kitchen table. Come summer and the two oft seen fruits in our hands would be the cool, sweet watermelon and the luscious, almost fragrant musk melon. My mom would peel the fruit...the distinctive gray coloured peel with the rough lattice like ridges...would cut the sweet pale yellow to orange coloured fruit, divide it EQUALLY amongst 4 bowls and serve it to the family...we would devour the contents in no time ! Some times she would make a delicious coconut and milk based fruit salad with the musk melon ( we called it shikarni...or as the Maharashtrians would have it, shikaran :) ) ...on warm sultry nights...a bowlful of this cool delicious fruit salad would taste like nectar, straight from heaven!
Imagine my delight then when I saw the same fruit when I arrived in the States..only it was named differently...now known as a Cantaloupe ! (I do not know if there are any botanical differences in the two varieties of fruits...but I am assuming that they are the same) I don't remember seeing the honey dew melon ever in India...these are refreshing too..but thats for another post.
Regarding the Cantaloupe, it belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, to which belong illustrious members such as the cucumber, pumpkins and gourds. The fruit seems to have to be native to the region stretching from Egypt to Iran. The finest fruits are supposed to be the ones grown in Afghanistan and Iran.

Cantaloupe Fun Facts:
* As with the other members of the family, the cantaloupe is high in water content, making it a perfect fruit for the summer months and is low in calories.
* The more orange the flesh, the more carotene it has.
* Melon seeds are also dried and eaten in salads or as snacks.
* If the fruit is left uncut at room temperature for two to four days, the fruit becomes softer and juicier.
* One serving of the fruit is sufficient to provide a daily dose of Vitamin A and Vitamin C ! Amazing !!

Health Benefits:
* Cantaloupe has antioxidants that help us to fight various ailments such as diabetes, blood pressure, cancer and heart diseases.
* The fruit is a very good source of potassium, Vitamin B6, dietary fiber and niacin.
* It is fat free and cholesterol free ( magic words for all of us there looking for healthier snack and dessert options )
* Cantaloupe is a good source of folate, which is necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells

The following is a recipe that I got off a recipe card distributed in grocery stores. I tried it once and found it really really delicious.

Cantaloupe Sipper:




Ingredients:

2 C chilled cantaloupe cubes
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1/8 C apple juice
1 tbsp honey
a dash of ground ginger

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and and process until smooth and foamy.
2. Pour into your favourite glasses and serve immediately.

Verdict !
Refreshing and delicious. The ginger adds the zing and the lemon juice adds the tang.
Perfect complements to the sweetness of the cantaloupe !
( The recipe can be easily made vegan by omitting the honey)
I tried this with a watermelon too and that was good too..but if you like the taste and fragrance of the captivating cantaloupe, then you have to try this :)

Cucumber Tellavu and Carrot Chutney

It wouldn't be a surprise if I say that while growing up, my family consumed a whole lot of rice in the form of different kinds of bhaaths (spicy rice preparations), idlis and dosas.
My mother made delicious dosas and idlis. Whether crisp masala dosas with spicy potato filling or soft fluffy urad- rice dosas, enjoyed with a savoury chutney, she had a variety of recipes at hand and could whip up something when her hungry kids demanded appeasement !
One type of dosas that she would make were the tellavus. This name is uniquely Havyak. I do not know if other dosa experts use this terminology, but this was a common preparation at my house and at my relatives'. Probably Neer dosa would be the nearest cousin to the tellavus. These dosas are very thin dosas and are almost lace-like in texture. They can be paired up with any kind of chutney. TH likes to have his tellavus sometimes with a little maple syrup and ghee and it tastes delicious :) Little P also likes to munch on pieces of tellavu.
This is a great breakfast or evening snack item. The batter does not need to be fermented, so its quicker to prepare than standard dosas using urad dal.
The batter stays quite well in the fridge for up to a week.
I prepare this frequently and the last time I paired it up with carrot chutney.

Cucumber Tellavu :
Servings: Makes about 10 medium tellavus




Ingredients:
2 C rice
2 C chopped cucumber
1/2 C fresh or frozen coconut
1 tsp salt

Method:
1. Soak the rice for 3-4 hours.
2. Grind the rice along with coconut and cucumber until very fine.
You might need to do this in batches.
3. The consistency of the batter should be almost like buttermilk.
You should be able to pour it out of a ladle very easily.
4. Add the salt and mix well.
5. Heat a non stick griddle until sizzling and grease it with a cooking spray.
6. Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the griddle.
7. You will not be able to spread the batter around. If you need to make a bigger tellavu,
just pour the batter slowly in concentric circles.
8. Cover the tellavu with a lid and let one side cook until golden brown.
(I discovered that the tellavu cooks better when covered.)
9. Flip the tellavu onto its other side and cook for about another 2 minutes.
If the griddle is well greased, you should have no problems in flipping the tellavus.
Another tip that I read that you rub a cut onion onto the griddle before pouring the batter. This technique works well too.

Continue making tellavus in this way and then enjoy them with your favourite chutney.


Carrot Chutney:
Source: Tarla Dalal
Servings: 4 -5



I adapted this recipe from a Tarla Dalal recipe that I had read a few years back.
This chutney tastes really good with chapaties, dosas and idlis. The fact that you are eating healthy carrots is an added benefit too :)

Ingredients:

1 C shredded carrots
4 tbsp peanuts
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
5 curry leaves
2-3 red chillies (or according to taste)
2 tsp salt ( or to taste )
pinch of asafoetida.
1 tsp canola oil ( or any oil of your choice)
small piece of tamarind soaked in water.

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds and coriander seeds. When the mustard starts sputtering, add the asafoetida and the curry leaves.
2. Add the peanuts and fry until the peanuts are golden brown.
3. Add the red chillies.
4. Add the shredded carrots and mix well and stir fry, stirring occassionally, until the carrots lose their raw smell.
5. Remove from heat and cool.
6. Blend the carrot mixture along with the tamarind water and salt until desired consistency is reached. Add a little water if chutney is too thick.


Result:
The tellavus have a subtle taste of the cucumber and go very well with any kind of savoury side dish, be it chutney or sambhar. The carrot chutney on the other hand can be made as spicy as you like it, it has a hint of a sweetness from the carrots and a little tang from the tamarind. It is a perfect companion to the tellavu. Needless to say these items have become a hit at my kitchen and hopefully will find a permanent place in yours too !

An Evening in Frisco

As evenings went, there wasn't anything extra special about this one..It had been an ordinary day replete with the usual chores and toddler management experiences at my end :D ..Nothing worth celebrating or making a fuss about, really..But if you get down to it,almost every day is like that, isn't it ? Except for the occasional birthday or a festival..But why wait for a day circled on a calendar to bring out the special china or do something nice and special with your family ? I think we should try and celebrate every day for what it is worth ! Doesn't have to be extravagant or anything that requires a lot of advance planning..Sometimes all it takes for a day to be special are simple touches..like maybe a special meal with all the family members present, gathering everyone and taking spontaneous pictures, sitting together and playing board games (any games, for that matter !) and talking and laughing !!
Its true that we remember the big bashes for a long time, big gatherings, lot of people, rich food...they are the big pearls that adorn the golden chain of life..but the other moments,spent in the warm company of close family, where you feel safe and loved and contented, these are the moments that make the strands of that golden chain!
TH and I decided to make such memories for ourselves and our toddler P. We decided to
have a small celebration on account of P's 18 month birthday :)
I baked a cake from this recipe..It turned out great..although I made modifications to substitute the eggs..Along with the cake, I also made an easy savoury snack..no drum rolls needed here ...A snack made with puffed rice and grated carrots might not sound very appetizing , but once you eat it..you will be tempted to make it every day !
Healthy, easy to put together, delicious ! What else could I want from a snack !


Healthy Puffed Rice Snack







Ingredients:

2 C plain puffed rice
3/4 C grated carrot
1/2 onion, diced small
finely chopped coriander
1 small tomato, diced (optional)
cayenne pepper and salt to taste (very little salt is needed)

Tempering:
1 tsp canola oil
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 C unsalted peanuts
pinch of asafoetida

Method:
1. Take a wide mouthed bowl and put in the puffed rice, carrots, onion, tomato, cayenne pepper and salt. Add a little sugar (optional). Mix well.
2. Prepare tempering by heating the oil and then adding the mustard, coriander seeds and peanuts. Once the mustard seeds start sputtering, switch off the heat and add the
asafoetida.
3. Add the tempering to the puffed rice mixture. Mix well.
4. Garnish with the chopped coriander.

This dish is best eaten fresh. The puffed rice tends to get soggy if kept too long.

Variations:
The same snack can be made by substituting puffed rice with puffed wheat or even
cheerios or any combination of the three.
For added crunch and colour, sprouts or even boiled corn will be a nice touch.

Enjoy and Hope you make good memories for yourselves today :-)

Lauki Kofta (Bottle Gourd dumplings in Tomato gravy)

Many a times when I returned home from school, I used to see my mother at our doorstep waiting for us to return home, chatting away with our neighbour, who was waiting on her doorstep for her children...Our neighbours had become an extended family for us, since our own immediate family was nowhere in the neighbourhood..we celebrated festivals together, played games with the children, shared our successes at school and generally had a good time.
Its only after coming to the US that I realize how important those relationships were and how much I miss them here...For the past few years that I have been living here, I never had neighbours at my front door, coming in to chat about inconsequential matters, inquiring after me, my work or my kid, sharing food or sharing some new recipe...
But all that changed when we moved into our home..I discovered to my delight that my next door neighbours were a full fledged Indian family, complete with kids and in-laws :D. Their kids come to my house and play with my toddler, the mom-in-law (henceforth known as Aunty-ji) comes in to talk and the lady of the house is also very friendly..It reminds me of what would have been if we were living in India and makes me less homesick...Its just good to have a nice relationship with your neighbours, because you can then be there for each other in times of need! The fact that they keep plying me with home grown fresh squashes is not that bad either ! (Just kidding, am not that selfish ! )
But its true that they have been offloading some extra produce this year, in the form of the bottle gourd (lauki, sorekaayi, haalu kumbalakaayi, doodhi).Initially I used them in subzis and sambhars. I even made a lauki halwa one day.
Then I remembered that Aunty-ji had mentioned that they made koftas with it and had even rattled off the recipe..Well...that was it then...I would try my hand at making koftas...

Recipe for Lauki Kofta











Source:
1. Aunty-ji (Elderly Neighbour)
2. Adapted from this recipe.

What You Need:

For the kofta:
1 medium bottlegourd
2 tsp salt
3 tbsp All Purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp chile powder
2 tbsp bread crumbs
1 cup gram flour (besan)
oil for deep frying

For the gravy:
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup Finely chopped Onion, almost pureed
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Cumin Powder
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp chile pepper (add more for increased heat)
1 cup Tomato Puree
1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
1 tsp kasoori methi (Dried Fenugreek leaves)
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

How to proceed:

Kofta:

1. Peel the gourd and grate it.
2. Put the gratings in a paper towel and give it a slight wring to take out excess water, if any.
3. Add the salt, A.P flour, baking soda, chile powder to the grated bottle gourd.
4. Sprinkle in the bread crumbs. Mix well
5. Let stand for 15 minutes.
6. Make balls, roll in dry gram flour.
7. Deep fry the koftas in hot oil over medium heat until golden brown.
8. Drain on paper towels.
(Note: Use a small - medium pan for deep frying and use only the optimum amount of oil. That way you can minimize the use of the oil.)

Gravy:
1. Add the oil to a pan. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and saute until onion is translucent.Make sure that the garlic doesnt burn.
2. Add the turmeric poweder, cumin and coriander powders and the chile powder. Stir fry for a couple of minutes, taking care that the spices dont burn.
3. Add the tomato puree, nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder, kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves). Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer on medium heat for about 7 - 8 minutes.
5. Add the water and bring to a boil again.
6. Adjust the seasonings according to taste. Add more water if consistency is too thick.

Add the koftas to the gravy and simmer for an additional 2 -3 minutes.
Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and serve with any kind of indian bread.
(rotis, naans or parathas)


Verdict :
The koftas were delicious(if I say so myself ! ). The thickness and the flavour of the gravy complemented the creamy flavour of the koftas. Mind you, these koftas are nothing like the malai or paneer koftas that are served at restaurants. Nonetheless, these taste good when accompanied with bread and can be savoured with rice as well !
Although I loved the outcome, I am not sure I will make these very often. But that is only because I detest deep frying ! The dish itself is quite simple and finger-licking good, if a tad time consuming !
(Aunty-ji was quite gratified that I had made good use of both her produce as well as her recipe ! )

A Very Berry Tofu Breakfast !

I think every nutritionist and diet advisor must concur that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day..one should have a nutritious, healthy and filling breakfast within an hour of waking up..The body gets a chance to refuel its glucose levels, you jump start the day with good calories and you are less likely to have a hunger pang in the middle of the day ! Many experts have also said that eating a good breakfast can also aid in weight loss, the key word here being "good"...I am sure the good doctors would not look too kindly upon chocolate covered doughnuts on the breakfast plate !
But the following options are healthy and can be quickly assembled for the busy working people out there :

* Ready-to-eat whole-grain cereal topped with fruit and a cup of yogurt
* Whole-grain waffles topped with peanut butter, fruit or ricotta cheese
* A whole-wheat pita stuffed with sliced hard-cooked eggs
* Hot cereal topped with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice or cloves
* Peanut butter on a bagel with fresh fruit (banana or apple wedges) and low-fat milk
* Breakfast smoothie (milk, fruit and teaspoon of bran, whirled in a blender)

Other than these, there are scores of Indian breakfasts that you can whip up in the kitchen, some of them need preparation and a little bit of work and others can be made very easily if you have the right ingredients at hand:

* The ubiquitous idli, dosa and other fermented breakfast goodies.
* Upma (made out of roasted semolina and made healthy by adding veggies)
* Poha
* Parathas and chapaties with a side of vegetables
* .....and so many more...

A pat on the back for all those who regularly make good choices for their breakfasts and a simple advice to those who don't: Its not very difficult to incorporate breakfasts into a busy day...there are many grab and go healthy options and if you can do a little prep work the night before, it makes it all the more easier the next morning ! The benefits of breakfast are too important to eliminate it from our routines..

Here's an easy smoothie recipe that can be made in advance and the prep work is really very negligible :-)

Very Berry Tofu Smoothie





Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen berries or berry juice
1 package soft tofu ( I used the Mori Nu silken tofu that comes in an aseptic pack)
2 tbsps honey
1 banana (any fruit can be used...I used a nectarine that was stashed away in the fridge...)
1/4 tsp each cardamom and clove powder (optional)

Method:
Whiz all the above ingredients in a blender.
Pour into container of choice and sip away !


Result:
The glass of smoothie was very filling...the tofu was virtually undetectable, but provided the protein nonetheless ! This is a very forgiving recipe, because any blend of fruits can be used..Its a simple, delicious and healthy breakfast idea !!!
Also, the recipe can be made vegan easily by substituting the honey with either maple syrup, or by omitting sweeteners altogether !

Heerekaayi Sippe Gojju (Ridgegourd Peel Gojju)

Like in most south indian families, my mother is at a complete loss of ideas if she doesnt have the omnipresent coconut in her kitchen...I think there are a very few recipes in her repertoire that do not call for coconut in some form or the other...She maintains that all recipes can be made with little or no coconut, but then they wouldnt be authentic havyaka recipes !
I adore my mom's cooking( this, I guess is a universal phenomenon...almost everyone praises their mom's cooking and I am no exception)..My efforts at cooking began in her kitchen where I was just the sous-chef, helping in the cooking preparations (peeling, cutting, chopping,slicing, etc.) and never actually cooking myself..It wasnt until I got married and had a kitchen of my own, per se..that I started cooking in earnest and began enjoying it too :D
Although I have learnt different dishes through friends and the internet (!!), my main source of recipes for traditional havyaka recipes is still my mom..This is one such recipe that I relish and would like to share with my online readers.

Hirekaayi Sippe Gojju (Ridgegourd Peel Gojju)





Ingredients

1 medium sized ridge gourd (Heerekaayi / Beerakaya / तुरई )
4 tbsp freshly grated coconut
2 green chillies
1 marble sized ball of tamarind
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp canola / vegetable oil
(traditionally, my mother would probably have used coconut oil for this,
but I havent graduated to that....yet )
2-3 curry leaves
generous pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp urad dal



Method

1. Peel the ridge gourd, making sure that the peels are thick.
Boil the peels in water along with the green chillies, tamarind and pinch of salt.
The number of chillies can be adjusted according to taste. The water should just cover the peels.
2. Meanwhile, fry all of the coriander seeds and 1 tsp of mustard in 1 tsp of oil until the mustard seeds pop. Add the curry leaves and the asafoetida. Let this cool for a little bit.
3. Grind the peels along with the coriander-mustard seeds. Also add the coconut to this mixture and grind to a thick consistency.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl and adjust the salt according to taste.
5. Add a seasoning of urad dal and mustard seeds and a pinch of asafoetida to the gojju.
6. This can be served as a side dish and can also be savoured with rice.


Result
The gojju is a slightly tangy and spicy preparation and makes good use of the peels which would otherwise have been thrown away !
For those who like it spicy, this dish is a must try !