ABCD\'s of Cooking

Curried Mustard Oil Potato Tostadas

July 11, 2018 Chitra Agrawal

I’ve always wondered why when people talk about tacos they are usually referring to soft tacos. Growing up we always ate crispy tacos, often filled with rajma and topped with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, diced onions and lots of cheddar cheese. The crunchy texture of the taco was crucial to the mix, which is why when asked if I want a soft or crispy taco I will always opt for the later (except when the soft taco has a crunchy element like fried plantain which I am saving for another post;)

I think I learned this from watching my brother but I have a tendency to break my taco in half and then pile on as much filling as I can because the small taco opening can be a tad limiting to someone with my appetite. It was my husband Ben who first started bringing home tostadas or flat tacos that are made in Brooklyn (yes one of the reasons we are married:) I had eaten tostadas before but only in restaurants so this was a complete revelation to be able to have these flat tacos available to me for eating at home at my leisure.

Since that fateful day, there has been somewhat of a tostada renaissance taking place in our kitchen from simple nachos to papri chaat to ones topped with Indian-style black beans, rajma (of course), chickpeas, even dal, broccoli and feta (ode to No. 7’s broccoli tacos). Most recently we topped our tostadas with some sweet and savory potatoes cooked in mustard oil with cotija cheese, yogurt and tomato achaar.

Before I share this recipe, I do want to address some controversy surrounding mustard oil. On bottles of mustard oil sold in the US, you will find the warning: For External Use Only.

The reason for this warning is that in the US, Canada and the EU, mustard oil is not allowed for consumption due to its erucic acid content. Truth be told, mustard oil has been used in cooking and pickling in India and neighboring parts of the world for centuries.

Mustard oil has healthful benefits for the body (circulation, heart health, anti-inflammatory, relieves congestion, used in pickling for its anti-bacterial qualities etc.) when consumed and can also be used as a massage oil that benefits your skin and hair. It imparts a pungent, yet rich flavor to certain foods, potatoes in particular are outstanding cooked with this oil – think of potatoes cooked in olive oil, but with way more complexity and depth in flavor. I’ve found the spices that complement mustard oil best are cumin and nigella seeds, sometimes referred to as onion seeds because of the oniony flavor they impart when fried in oil (no relation to onion though).

This recipe is also Alok-approved. I served him the potato curry on top of the Creamy Yellow Lentil Dal with Tomatoes and Ginger (Thovvay) from my cookbook along with rice/quinoa and yogurt and he loved it!

Curried Mustard Oil Potato Tostadas
serves 4

Ingredients
1 sweet potato
2 russet potatoes (or any other variety will do)
2 tablespoons mustard oil
pinch of hing or asafetida
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, grated
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
salt

tostadas or taco shells
cotija cheese
plain yogurt or sour cream
Brooklyn Delhi tomato achaar
lime
cilantro, chopped (I didn’t have any:(

Method
Boil potatoes in salted water until cooked through but not breaking apart – about 20 minutes. Drain water and when the potatoes are cool enough to touch, chop them into bite-size cubes.

Heat a skillet (with lid and preferably not non-stick) on medium-high heat. Add in mustard oil. Add in asafetida, cumin seeds and nigella seeds. When the cumin seeds start to brown, add in onions. Turn the heat to medium. Stir fry for a few seconds and then add in the turmeric powder and stir again. Fry the onions for about 5-7 minutes, stirring them from time to time so they do not burn but brown a bit. Add in the garlic and ginger. Fry until fragrant, a few seconds. Next add the coriander, chili powder and garam masala. Stir and fry for a few seconds.

Add the boiled and chopped potatoes. Sprinkle salt on top and give them a good stir. Cover the potatoes and turn the heat to low. Check back in about 5 minutes. There may be a crust forming on the bottom of the pan (that is good). Scrape the pan down to get the good bits free. The interesting thing about potatoes is they have a lot of moisture in them so when you cover them they steam naturally. Cover again, repeat the first step a couple times until the potatoes are nice and soft and there are nice brown bits here and there. Turn off the stove. Add a squeeze of lime and taste for salt.

Heat your tostadas or tacos in the oven at 350 until nice and sizzly. Take them out and let them sit for a minute so they crisp up. Pile on some of the potato curry, top with copious amounts of yogurt, cotija cheese, Brooklyn Delhi tomato achaar and squeezes of lime and cilantro.

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Posted in Autumn, Curry, Dinner, Easy, Favorites, Gluten-Free, Mains, North Indian, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter | Comments Off

Chana Masala with Feta & Herbs

June 22, 2018 Chitra Agrawal

Hello again! I’m back with a confession. I hate to admit it, but I have succumbed to the Instant Pot. I’ve always been suspect of kitchen gadgetry but for some reason after reading this article by friend Priya Krishna I was sold. I also bought the book mentioned in the article but have not yet used it since I’ve just been making plain beans or lentils in it so far. What I like about the Instant Pot is that I don’t have to babysit it (in addition to a real baby:) like I do a pressure cooker or even a pot on the stove. Plus it’s like a slow cooker on steroids and cooks everything super fast. You just literally press a button and walk away, which right now is all I can handle.

And I know it’s quite easy to just buy a can of beans and call it a day but when you cook beans from their dried form, the taste and texture is 100 times better (not to mention it’s way cheaper to buy dried beans than canned)! Also the broth really is a great way to further flavor your dish and it’s very protein rich. I find that I usually throw away the chickpea liquid from the can because the gelatinous texture kind of urks me though I know that making aquafaba is all the rage.

My routine now is to make either kidney, chickpea or black beans or even lentils in the Instant Pot on Saturday or Sunday. After the beans have cooked, I salt them and either just throw them in the fridge for quickly flavoring during the week or if I have a bit of time I will make a recipe with them right then. I’ve only done this once but you can also saute in the Instant Pot and make the dish all in there but for some reason I have not gotten my act together enough to do that – just making the beans is a victory for me currently.

This last weekend, I made a quick and dirty version of my Great Aunt’s chana masala, adding some leftover feta we had in the fridge. That salty bit really set this dish off. I served it with a dollop of yogurt (have also done sour cream when I’m feeling decadent), some of my roasted garlic achaar and chopped cilantro. I fed the same thing to Alok with a little tomato achaar and it was a hit (not starting a baby food blog anytime soon but just saying you can feed yourself and your baby at the same time SUCCESS!)

And on a related bean note, my friend Lukas Volger wrote a recent article on a very pressing issue surrounding the legume. According to Lukas’s findings on the matter, the more you eat beans the less you fart so go ahead and enjoy beans to your heart’s content:)

This recipe is one I often double nowadays.

Chana Masala with Feta & Herbs

Ingredients
1 cup dried chickpeas, preferably soaked at least 4-6 hours (equivalent to 2 15 oz cans of chickpeas)
3 cups water
2 tablespoons ghee or oil
1 stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 cardamom pods, cracked
2 cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
pinch of asafetida
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon Indian chili powder or cayenne (or to taste)
feta, cubed
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

Method:

If you have soaked your chickpeas, drain them and then add 3 cups fresh water to the chickpeas. Put the stopper in the sealed position on top and pressure cook on high for 12 minutes and then let the pressure naturally release (meaning do nothing). If you have not soaked the beans, just add the chickpeas and water and then press the Bean setting with the stopper on the sealed position on top. When the chickpeas are finished cooking salt them generously.

While the beans are cooking, heat ghee or oil in a pan under medium heat. Add in cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom pods and cloves. When they start to sizzle, add in the cumin seeds and the asafetida. Shake the pan so everything mingles. Once the cumin seed starts to brown, put in the onions and mix them around. Add the the turmeric powder and and fry the onions until translucent.

Next put in the ginger and garlic and mix and fry for a few seconds. Next add in the diced tomatoes and cook until it separates from the oil. Add in the coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, chili powder and salt and mix well. Cook for a few minutes.

When the chickpeas are done cooking, add them and the cooking liquid (as much as you like if you want it drier or more of it if you like it to be more soupy). Simmer for about 10 minutes and then add the feta and simmer for a few minutes until softened but not breaking apart. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and taste. You want just a bit of tang. Add more if needed. Taste for salt. Slottica bahis giriş adresinde sizler için çok güzel hediyeler bulacaksınız! Hemen girin

Garnish with a sprinkling of garam masala and cilantro (or herbs of choice).

Serve with rice, yogurt (or sour cream if you are feeling decadent), and achaar.

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Posted in Curry, Dinner, Easy, Favorites, Gluten-Free, Mains, North Indian, Vegan, Vegetarian | Comments Off

Vibrant India Cookbook Launch Party

March 19, 2017 Chitra Agrawal

Many of you have been reading this blog since I first started writing it in 2009. As a special thank you I would love to have you join me at the launch party for my cookbook Vibrant India. We’ll be serving appetizers featuring Brooklyn Delhi achaars and recipes from the cookbook. In addition Greene Grape Annex will be hosting a special happy hour including a Vibrant India cocktail. I’ll do a short reading and sign copies of books. Books will also be on sale at the event. Fleas are making all your family members go crazy? Just keep reading to get yourself the best flea fogger on Pestmash . Can I get rid of fleas at home using the best flea bomb?…Having your house infested by fleas is a real nuisance. Get fast and effective home pest control products for indoors and outdoors, including bug spray, bait, traps, repellants for animal control and rodent control.

March 22 @ 7-9PM
Greene Grape Annex
753 Fulton St
Brooklyn, NY 11217
RSVP

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Vote For Me: Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Competition

March 14, 2017 Chitra Agrawal

Chitra Agrawal: Tory Burch Foundation Fellow Finalist

Me and my staff at St. John’s Bread & Life

As many of you know, in 2013, I took a leap of faith to start Brooklyn Delhi, my Indian condiments company. It was my first foray into becoming an entrepreneur, one that has been exciting and liberating and at times downright scary. There’s been lots of ups and downs but in general I feel the business is slowly but steadily moving onwards and upwards. And today, I am happy to share some exciting news with you, but I will need your votes to help make it a reality.

I was just chosen as a finalist in the Tory Burch Fellows Competition for women entrepreneurs and need your support to make it to the final round. The fellowship would provide me with valuable mentorship, education ($10K worth) and capital ($100K!) to help scale Brooklyn Delhi and bring Indian flavors to a wider audience.

You can vote for me once everyday starting today until April 4th here: http://bit.ly/2mj5ipH

Why vote for Brooklyn Delhi:
• We are making the grocery aisles more diverse with Indian home cooking.
• We support local farmers.
• We produce our batches at St. John’s Bread & Life, the largest soup pantry in Brooklyn and provide work opportunities for their staff.
• We are a majority-owned minority and woman business.
• Our products are delicious and made with all natural ingredients and no preservatives.

Please share widely and don’t forget to vote everyday!

Here are some ways to share:

Facebook: Brooklyn Delhi owner Chitra Agrawal is a finalist in the Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Competition for women entrepreneurs! Vote now to help her become a #ToryBurchFellow http://bit.ly/2mj5ipH
Twitter: Vote now for @brooklyndelhi owner @abcdsofcooking to help her become a #ToryBurchFellow. http://bit.ly/2mj5ipH
Instagram: Vote now for @brooklyndelhi owner @chitra to help her become a #ToryBurchFellow. Click the link in bio to vote [place http://bit.ly/2mj5ipH in link in bio]

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My Cookbook: Special Pre-Order Price + Bonus Recipe Bundle

March 8, 2017 Chitra Agrawal

I still can’t believe it was March of 2014 when I announced I would be writing a cookbook and 3 years later, we’ve finally arrived at pre-order time! And after several title changes I am happy to present Vibrant India: Fresh Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Brooklyn, now available from Penguin Random House. (33% off at select booksellers for limited time, plus get a special bonus recipe bundle available when you pre-order – details below).

The stunning photos were shot by Erin Scott and styled by Lily Kang. Interwoven throughout the book are exquisitely intricate illustrations drawn by my talented Aunt Karen Vasudev in a traditional Madhubani style, an ancient Indian art form.

Writing this manuscript has been a real labor of love for me. I devoted myself to gathering, documenting and meticulously testing my family’s recipes passed down through generations (some in the language of pinches and handfuls and others transcribed from fading Aerogram letters). I worked hard to adapt them to be accessible for the home cook while still maintaining their integrity. The 80+ recipes, which are all vegetarian and for the most part gluten-free and vegan naturally, are rooted in traditional South Indian Brahmin home cooking and inspired by seasonal fruits and vegetables from my Roasted Kabocha Squash ‘Sambar’ to Apple, Ginger and Coconut ‘Kadabu’ Hand Pies. My passion for preserving food traditions in the spirit of the local food movement is very much alive in this book.

In addition to my adaptations are classic recipes such as dosa, savory lentil and rice crepe which I explain in detail bordering on OCD, a mix of kosambris, fresh salads made with chopped veggies, coconut, lemon, fried spices and curry leaves, lemon saaru, a tangy aromatic lentil soup that is equal parts delicious and healing and one of my favorites beet and coconut yogurt raita. Sprinkled throughout are fun snacks I grew up eating in Bangalore like addictive bitter gourd chips and Congress peanuts, desserts I crave often like shrikhand, sweetened thick yogurt flavored with cardamom and saffron and refreshing drinks like majjige, herbed buttermilk.

The book gave me an opportunity to write about my family’s history, our cuisine and Bangalore, my mom’s hometown and where my parents first met. I also wrote about my story – how I discovered and eventually become a part of the vibrant food scene in Brooklyn..and how I eventually found myself at a crossroads where I had to choose to take a leap of faith and pursue food full time, which led me to writing this book and starting Brooklyn Delhi.

I’ve learned so much during the process of writing this cookbook (on Instagram you can view some of the behind the scenes using #bangalorecookbook). Besides getting elbow deep in the nuance of testing a gazillion recipes, I got to see and participate in the photo shoot in Berkeley, CA, become somewhat of an archivist by collecting old family photos and laying them out into collages that tell a story, against my natural tendencies, become more organized than I have ever been to figure out how best to arrange the contents of the book and last but not least to stop second guessing myself and go with my gut.

I am thrilled with how the book came out and cannot wait to show you the literal fruits of my labor!

Where to Buy

US
Pre-Order Sale: Amazon // Barnes & Noble // Target
Additional Retailers: Indiebound // Powell’s // Books-a-Million // Hudson Booksellers // Walmart

Canada
Amazon.ca // Indigo

Worldwide
Book Depository – Free Worldwide Shipping

Electronic Versions
Google Play // Kindle // Kobo // Nook

Pre-Order Bonus Recipe Bundle

Also, when you pre-order Vibrant India before March 21st, you can receive a bundle of bonus recipes! Here’s how to redeem these exclusive recipes via email:

Purchase Vibrant India from one of the retailers above. Take note of the order number when the retailer shows/sends you confirmation of your purchase.
Add vibrantindiacookbook@gmail.com to your email contacts list.
Send an email to vibrantindiacookbook@gmail.com with your purchase order number in the subject line.
You will receive an email with the recipe bundle and tips to help you get started cooking from Vibrant India.
If you don’t receive your recipe bundle email within a week, email me: chitra@abcdsofcooking.com

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Shavige Payasa: Vermicelli Noodles in Sweet Saffron Milk #ImmigrationIsTasty

February 20, 2017 Chitra Agrawal

Maybe it’s the general uneasiness I’ve been feeling since the election or that I’m 7 months pregnant, but I have never indulged in sweets to this level in my life. I’m thinking it’s a little of both. Recently a good friend of mine and food writer, Cathy Erway asked me, in light of the recent executive order on immigration, if I would take part in contributing my thoughts on immigration to this country through the lens of food. Cathy invited several food bloggers, journalists, photographers and podcasters to do the same on President’s Day this year as a way to collectively celebrate the diversity of America’s cuisine thanks to all the immigrants who have made it their home over the course of history. She dubbed the campaign #ImmigrationIsTasty and you can share yours or find more stories like mine on social media using that hashtag.

It’s safe to say, I would not be writing this blog or a cookbook or have started Brooklyn Delhi were it not for my parents emigrating to the US from India. Since 2009, my goal has been to convey a bit of my cultural perspective through recipes. Over the years, I have connected and made friends with other food writers and chefs that share a similar goal to mine and together I believe we are contributing to a cultural and historical body of work that is representative of American diversity in our day and age. Food is one of the easiest ways to experience and understand a culture; it transcends language barriers and provides history and context effortlessly. We are of course not the only ones. It’s difficult to ignore the influence of immigration on the restaurants we eat in or the products we buy at the grocery store today. What once seemed foreign like hummus, sriracha, guacamole and even our beloved pizza and spaghetti to generations past is now part of the fabric of American cuisine. I don’t think there is a more varied or interesting foodscape on the planet and I am excited to see it change and evolve in the years to come.

My parents in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois where they got married.

My parents in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois in the 60s.

My parents landed as students in this country in the 60s, right in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. Oddly, it seems like we are entering a time not so different from then. I am a believer though that positive change can come from unrest and that America will return to characterize itself once again as a Melting Pot – remember that phrase? I hope we can bring it back! In celebration of immigration to the US and all of the delicious food that has come our way because of it, I am fittingly sharing my first ever dessert recipe on the blog.

I’m not the biggest fan of Indian desserts but there are a few from my childhood that I hold dear. One of them is shavige payasa or vermicelli noodles in sweet saffron milk topped with fried cashews and yellow raisins. My mother would make this dessert for us on special occasions or festival days. I can remember standing by her at the stove as she would fry broken cashews in ghee until golden and then raisins until they just plumped up. She’d fry a few extra cashews for me to munch on as I waited for her to make the rest of the dessert. They were deliciously buttery and roasted, almost caramelized in their flavor.

Now when I make this dessert in my home, it transports me back to our old kitchen in New Jersey as I’m sure the recipe took my mother back to her childhood home in Bangalore where my grandmother would make shavige payasa for her. Don’t get me wrong making sweets of any kind is a magical experience but making one that has been passed down from generations carries with it all of these other emotions and feelings. It’s a full sensory experience that hits sweet notes in your mouth and memory all at once. This is just one recipe in homes throughout America that is reflective of our country’s rich immigrant culture. I hope you will join me in making or sharing a recipe from your family’s heritage using #ImmigrationIsTasty today too!

Below is my mother’s recipe for shavige payasa. I hope you enjoy!

Vermicelli Noodles in Sweet Saffron Milk Shavige Payasa

Serves 4

Ingredients
½ tablespoon ghee or unsalted butter + 1 teaspoon
2 tablespoons raw cashews, broken or chopped into large pieces
2 tablespoons yellow raisins
1 cup angel hair pasta or thin rice noodles*, broken into 1 inch pieces
2 cups water
2 cups whole or 2 percent milk
few saffron threads
3-4 tablespoons sugar or to taste
1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder

*In the Indian shops, these noodles will be labeled as vermicelli and may come pre-roasted and broken in small pieces.

Method

In a saucepan on a medium flame, add ½ tablespoon of ghee. When ghee is melted, add in cashews and stir continuously until they start to brown. Quickly add in raisins and stir until they plump up. Turn off heat and transfer cashews and raisins to a bowl to cool.

Add another teaspoon of ghee to the pan and add in the broken up vermicelli noodles. Stir-fry them for about 3 to 4 minutes over a low-medium flame, until they start to turn golden brown. To the pan add 2 cups of water and make sure that all of the noodles are just covered. Bring to a boil. Continue to cook the vermicelli noodles on medium heat until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes for semolina noodles and less if using rice noodles. Add 2 cups of milk to the pan and heat over a medium-high flame. When the milk is warm, crush the saffron threads between your fingers and drop into the milk. When the milk starts to boil, add in sugar and cardamom powder. You can use a whisk to help dissolve the sugar and incorporate the cardamom powder evenly. Next add in fried cashews and raisins, reserving some for garnish. Turn off the heat.

Serve warm or chilled with the leftover cashews and raisins on top. Payasa thickens up after refrigeration so just add more milk to loosen it up again when re-serving it or leave as is if you prefer more a of rice pudding consistency.

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Beet Rasam (Spicy & Sour Lentil Soup)

March 6, 2016 Chitra Agrawal

I’ve shared a number of recipes for rasam, a spicy and sour South Indian lentil soup, on the blog from the traditional tomato one I grew up eating to the roasted squash and coconut milk version inspired by Thai curries. This time, my rasam recipe takes a turn with beets from the Greenmarket.

In teaching cooking classes and now writing a book on South Indian recipes, I’m constantly trying to provide students and readers with a number of ways to use Indian ingredients. I know when I buy special items to make a recipe out of a new cookbook, it always irks me to see those same ingredients sitting in my cupboard months later. My goal is that if you do go out and buy rasam powder (made from a blend of roasted spices, red chili peppers and curry leaves) for instance, you’ll be able to use it in a variety of ways, whether it be in this recipe or maybe in a greens stir-fry.

The sourness in this rasam comes from lemon and for herbs I had parsley but you can also use cilantro. I served the beet rasam over brown rice with Greek yogurt. vivasex.ch

Beet Rasam
serves 4

Ingredients
1/2 cup red lentils
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
pinch of asafetida (hing)
1/2 red onion, sliced in half circles
1 beet, peeled & diced
2 teaspoons rasam powder
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
parsley or cilantro leaves, chopped
salt to taste

Method

Wash lentils thoroughly, using a fine-meshed colander.

Add lentils to a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Stay by the stove monitoring the foaming as your pot could quickly boil over if you are not watching. Skim off foam. Mix in turmeric powder. Turn the flame to medium-low, partially cover and simmer for about 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Mix in salt to taste and optionally mash down cooked lentils with a spoon.

While lentils are cooking, heat sunflower oil in a saucepan on medium heat. When oil is hot, add in cumin seeds and asafetida. When the cumin seeds turn a darker shade of brown, add in cut onions. Stir fry until translucent. Add in diced beets and salt. Stir-fry the beets for 30 seconds. Next, add enough water to cover the beets by about 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil and then simmer beets until cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Add the cooked lentils to the cooked beets. Add 1-2 cups of water and rasam powder. The consistency should be a thin soup with the lentils on the bottom. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 5-6 minutes. Turn off heat and add lemon juice to taste. Add more salt to taste and mix in parsley or cilantro leaves.

Serve plain or over rice with yogurt and hot pickle.

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