Green Mango Pickle (fresh)

Here is the second recipe that I used for my green mangoes. I have never made a fresh pickle before, one that goes with a curry, or dosa, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.

I wanted to make one that you was fairly easy and all you had to do was put it in a jar and refrigerate it, not "can" it in a sterilized jar.

This is what I came up with adapted from Show Me The Curry
Fresh Green Mango Pickle

• 1 raw green mango
• salt to taste
• 2 teaspoon cilantro
• red chili powder to taste
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 - 2 tablespoons black vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon onion seeds, (or poppy seeds or black sesame seeds) 

Directions: Wash, peel and chop mango into small a dice, place it in a bowl, add salt, chopped cilantro, red chili,  and onion seeds. You can leave the skin on if you like, but discard the core. I had some carrot left over from the green mango salad so I added a little of the carrots too.

In a tiny skillet heat up the oil on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds until fragrant and start to pop, add cumin seeds, stir about 30 seconds, add asafoetida, fenugreek, and turmeric. Turn off the heat and stir it to mix. Pour over the mango and mix well, add the vinegar, stir to combine and garnish or top with black sesame seeds. 

When cool store in airtight jar for 4-7 days.

This is a great condiment with Indian food. It is also yummy served with flat breads, hummus, or add it to couscous! It was nice warm...I couldn't wait for it to cool before I tried it.

So what kind of fresh pickles have you made?

Quinoa, and Brown Rice Dosa

I am very fond of dosa, and since my family likes it and it's healthy, I like to make it often...what better way to get grains in their diet. Dosa make a good breakfast and we also like it for lunch, it is plenty satisfying. Plus I am having fun with wraps and crepes and such...hmmm, maybe I should make a new chapter in my blog hehe!

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup Quinoa
• 1/2 cup urad dal
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• handful of cilantro
• sea salt to taste

Wash and soak brown rice and quinoa in different bowls for about 6 to 8 hours, soak fenugreek seed with one of them. Later grind them together into a fine paste. Add some water to dilute it and make into batter of pouring consistency. Add salt as required and mix well. Set aside, add the chopped cilantro right before cooking.  Note: This batter doesn’t require to be fermented. The batter can be used immediately for making dosas after you prepared it.
Heat a non-stick pan. Take a ladleful of batter, drop in the center of the pan and quickly spread into a thin circle. Pour little oil around the dosa and allow cooking. Later flip it over and allow cooking on the other side too. Finally transfer to a serving plate.
Serve it with any chutney of your choice.

I like a dosa that is crispy like this one is.

I have not made any chutney yet, but would like to make a coconut chutney soon. I filled it with potato masala, and this is so filling, and yummy! Greek yogurt makes it a complete treat! It is a plus that my daughter loves it.

Bringing back some dosa to Our Krazy Kitchen

I have been extremely busy this month, with family visits, work, and the added pressure that I put on myself. I have not spent the time that I would like to on my blogs, and visiting others. I am not out yet, and when spring break comes around...which is early for us this year in March, hopefully I'll get a chance to catch up. My other two blogs have been sadly neglected. :( sorry!

Anyway...this is the third Saturday of the month which means....it's my turn to post on Our Krazy Kitchen Cultural Connections. I decided to pull out an old recipe that I love... Moong Dal Dosa with Potato Masala. This is an easy dosa and is so tasty. Now that I see it again, and I have some moong dal in the pantry and I'm going to make some this weekend. Perfect brunch food in my opinion!


So come on over and join us at Our Krazy Kitchen and pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee and stay awhile! ENJOY!

Potato Masala

I've made this before and really enjoy it with my dosa. My daughter will eat it too with sour cream on top! As long as she eats this healthy meal I don't mind. I don't have an exact recipe but will try to give it to you as close as I can.
Ingredients:

- 3 potatoes already boiled and cubed

- 1 shallot or 1/2 onion (I have been using mostly shallots lately)

- 1 green chili or to taste (I used serrano chili because it is mild enough for my family)

- fresh grated ginger

- 1 tsp turmeric

- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

- 1/2 tsp red chili powder or to taste

- pinch of hing (asafoetida) this is optional, but I really like to add this

-salt and pepper to taste

- 1 sprig curry leaves

- cashews

- green peas

- cilantro to top

In a "tiny skillet" or any pan that will hold all the potatoes...heat it up and add a little butter, you can use olive oil or both if you prefer. Add the mustard and cumin seeds until they sputter, I added all the seasoning and the cashews next, then the potatoes and mixed them up until the seasoning was all over everything. Add the peas and cook until they are warmed all the way through. Of course as always the seasoning is all adjustable to your taste!

See...it's so quick and easy. This is good as a side dish or enjoy it with any dosa or roti or any Indian breads and chutney that you like. The cashews added a nice crunch to it.

I drizzled some yogurt and Wade had some creme fresh on his. I tell ya....we know what we like!

From the street in front of our yard..Florida afternoon skies.

Adai-Lentil Crepes

We like to have a big breakfast on the weekends when we have time to sit down out by the pool enjoy it. I also can take the time to try something new. I like to catch a video on how to make something that I haven't don't before...or lots of pictures. That's what I did before I attempted my moong dal dosa. That turned out so well and we all enjoyed it, but I wanted to try some with rice. I was told I had to try some of the other dosas too. I saw this on Show Me the Curry and I like the ingredients and I had most of them so here I go... just a few changes, but I wanted to keep it pretty true...

- 1/4 cup Rice
- 1/4 cup Whole Green Mung (I used split mung beans)
- 1/4 cup Channa Daal (I used urad dal)
- 1/4 cup Toor Daal
- 1 shallot (good size)
- 1 Green Chili - to taste (I used Serrano chili)
- 5 sprigs Cilantro Leaves
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- 1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing)
-Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2" piece Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds (optional)

Oil – for pan-frying

Wash and soak the following in in 4 cups of water for 3-4 hours – Rice, Green Mung, Toor Daal & urad Daal. Drain out the water.

Add the rice and daal mixture and all of the remaining ingredients (except for oil) in a blender, I used my food processor and grind using a little fresh water. The consistency should be that of pancake batter.

I had to push the cilantro and curry leaves so you could see the rice and daal.

Just the right consistency...I wasn't really sure about pancake batter since I've only made it once. I figured if I had too I could add more water.

Heat pancake griddle to medium to high heat. I used a non stick pan so I didn't need to use any oil at this point. With a half cup scoop or ladle to pour the batter in the center of the griddle.

Place the bottom of the spoon or ladle flat on the center of batter. In an outward circular motion, spread the batter evenly.

When the outer edges start to dry drizzle oil on adai sparingly and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Run the tip of your spatula around the outer edge of the Adai allowing it to flip over easily.

Flip the Adai to the other side. It should be golden-brown in color.
Cook for another couple of minutes and serve immediately with a blob of butter or chutney.

I served some with potato masala, we all enjoyed that with the moong daal dosa.

They are the softer crepe, not crispy like the moong dal dosa. This is good for breakfast or lunch, and has so much flavor. It filled me up. Wade and I had ours with a little yogurt and coconut chutney. Maranda of course had hers with sour cream. I will post the potato masala and coconut chutney recipe soon!

This was added to Meatless Mondays over at My Sweet and Savory.

Moong Dal Dosa

When I was searching for a variety of recipes on moong dal I ran across Manjula video on how to make moong dal dosa. I still had about a cup of split mung beans leftover just enough to try making this.

I did it pretty much to the recipe, with just a few changes...or additions. This is what the mung beans look like before they are soaked.

They don't change too much just plump up a little. I did add some garlic cloves to the beans as they soaked, and I soaked them overnight just because of the timing. You can soak them for the four hours.

I did mine in the food processor just because it was already out when we made Maranda's peanut butter. In the food processor you add the beans, about a quarter slice of ginger, chili pepper (depends on how spicy you what it to what kind you use or not) 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp salt and some water, about 1/2 cup but add it as you go until you get the right consistency. I added a little dill and the garlic that was soaking with it.

To a sauce pan I added a tablespoon of oil about 2 medium boiled potatoes diced, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup green peas. In a tiny skillet in a little hot oil add a pinch of hing, 1/2 Tbsp black mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds until it sizzles and pops. Then add to the potatoes and sir in 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice (I just squeezed some over it) and some chopped cilantro.

I took about half a cup of the bean puree and ladled (or poured) it on large non stick skillet. It worked well with the back of a large plastic spoon to spread it circular and outward motion, smoothing as you go. When it starts to brown a little around the edges and firm up you drizzle a little oil around the edges and over the top. You don't need much oil. Then with the back of a pancake flipper, just spread the oil over the top, like Manjula did.

Then when it's ready...flip it...easy breezy! After a little while, flip it again so the pretty side shows after you fill it, and finish.

Place the potato mixture in the center like you would fill a crepe.

Flip one side over it, then the other side, and there you have it.

Ta-da! You can serve it with some sambal, or your favorite chutney. Traditionally it is eaten with coconut chutney, but I didn't learn how to make that yet. It's next on my list. (I know I did this backwards). Of course Maranda ate hers with sour cream!

I will definitely make this again, everyone liked it. I was able to bring out my Indian Spice Box, which I just love, it comes in so handy.

We had it for lunch, but it would be a great dish for breakfast too. You can seal the mixture in a airtight container use it at a later time, like breakfast!

Split Mung Beans (Moong Dal)

I like having split mung beans and red lentil on hand because you don't have to soak them and they don't have to cook in a pressure cooker or cook for a long time. So if I think about it, or crave it that night I can usually whip some up. It is so nice to have a dish of this when you had a long day at work. I even brought some for lunch today, it warmed up nicely. It seems like a lot of work, but if you have a tiny skillet or two it comes in handy!!!

Moong Dal with Coconut Milk

Revised From: Jordan Kelley - Canada

serves 3-4 , cooking time 45 mins or so


1 cup moong dal (split mung beans)
4-5 cups of water
1/2 tsp of turmeric
2 tsps of coriander seeds
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp of sesame seeds
3 whole cloves
4 cardamon pods
5 white peppercorn
1/2 tsp of fennel seeds
1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp of chili powder
pinch of cinnamon, asafetdia, salt
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 shallot
2-3 gloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp of minced ginger root
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1/4 cup of coconut milk

1.Rinse split peas; soak in 2 1/2 cups water for 30 minutes.

2.Add moong beans, turmeric, 1/2 a chopped garlic, shallot, chili powder, and dab of butter to pan and saute 3-5 minutes. Add water on medium heat boil mixture until beans have broken down and have created a thick soup.

In a frying pan, dry roast coriander, cumin, sesame, cloves, cardamon pods and peppercorns for 3-5 minutes on medium heat. Seeds will darken and crackle. In a coffee grinder, chop seeds into a fine powder. Dry roast fennel and mustard seeds separately and add to mixture whole.

Then take the other 1/2 of chopped garlic, ginger and saute them with olive oil for 3-4 mins.


Then add powder, mustard seeds and asafetdia to sauteed mixture and continue cooking for 3-4 mins more.


Finally, add mixture to soup. When all is well blended add lemon juice, cinnamon, and coconut milk and stir.


Let mixture sit for a while to let all of the flavours blend together.


Garish with chopped cilantro. Serve over rice.

I know, I know, the photo could really use the cilantro! I had some but it wilted, and for some reason I just can't grow it. Now if you were talking about rosemary, or sage, or dill, I have a ton of that growing...I can just run out in the yard and snip some. How do you keep you cilantro from going bad so quickly?

Indian Dal Masoor (Red lentils)

Indian Dal is an easy comfort food for me. There are many good recipes, and it's easy to find one that you will like. My daughter likes this one a little.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups red lentils
6 cups water or broth or mix half/half (I used veg broth)
1 small onion finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
4-cloves of garlic whole
1 Cinnamon stick whole
3 slices of ginger
1 bay leaf
sea salt and pepper to taste
dash of Cayenne or I used several dried whole chili peppers to get the flavor without so much heat. I sprinkled a little whole celery seeds in there too and It added a nice touch, just a tad.

Rinse massor dahl thoroughly, until water is clear. In pot saute the onions in small amount of butter until soft. Add seasonings and stir. Add the broth, dal and remaining ingredients. Bring to boil, then lower to a simmer cook until thickens about 45min to 1 hour. Salt and pepper at the end before serving, some recipes heat whole mustard seed, cumin seed, and asafoetida in some ghee in small pan then drizzle on top before serving. Be sure you fish out the whole peppers, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, garlic and pieces of ginger before you serve it or at least warn them. I brought this to work once and didn't get all the chilies out and someone ate it. She didn't let me hear the end of it. At least she knew me well.



You can adjust the liquid the way you like it. I like mine a little more soupy. Some like it thicker. Top with fresh chopped cilantro and yogurt,(my daughter ate hers with sour cream) and serve with a nice bread. Here it is with my Olga's bread, and yes I see the chili pepper!