I recently was contacted by the Editors at The Aerogram, a blog I frequently read about South Asian art, culture and news. They asked me to write about some of my favorite things at the moment for their Quick Picks segment. Hope you enjoy: My Quick Picks on The Aerogram.
I know I know, horse gram sprouts do not sound appealing. As the name implies, these beans are actually used as cattle and horse feed, but they are also super tasty and extremely nutritious for you. In South India, they are used to make a number of dishes and in Kannada they are referred to as ‘hurali.’ They can be sprouted really easily and used in salads like usali or soupy dishes like sambar and saaru.
Horse gram also is great to eat in the winter and I actually have been breaking it out quite a bit during days plagued by the ‘Polar Vortex.’ Not only do these sprouts have a ton of iron and help with weight loss, but they also are believed to warm your body up.
The sandwich recipe I’m going to share with you is one that I pulled together for lunch one day with sprouts I had in my refrigerator, and ended up pulling together a few lunches in a row after that. Thus, I deemed it worthy for the world to see:) It’s so easy, I feel ridiculous giving a recipe for it, but it’s just toasted whole wheat bread with sun-dried tomato hummus, sharp cheddar and sprouted horse gram. If you don’t have this particular hummus, you can always just use plain hummus and cut a fresh tomato for the sandwich.
The great thing about sprouting these horse gram is that you can use it in a variety of ways and in this form it is more easily digested. After my last horse gram sandwich of the week, I ended up throwing the leftovers sprouts into a lentil soup I was making. It adds great texture and substance to stewy recipes.
First, before we get to the recipe though, I’d like to comment a bit on the state of sprouts in the market today. When I see those plastic containers of alfalfa sprouts lined up at the grocery store, makes me wonder why those are the sprouts that are most often used. There is a whole world out there of sprouts that most people don’t even know about. Did you know you could sprout most any bean? I’ve written about my love of sprouting mung bean (moong gram) before.
You actually sprout horse gram in the same way by soaking it, drying it and germinating it in a spot out of sunlight (I use my oven with the light on). Although it does take time to sprout beans, it’s quite passive on your part because the beans really do all the work. I try to get beans germinating a few times a month and just keep them around to throw into different dishes for added nutrition and protein. alloescort.ch
I hope next time when you grab for those boring alfalfa sprouts for your salad or sandwich, you’ll think about subbing in my friend the neglected horse gram:)
Horse Gram Sprouts, Cheddar & Hummus Sandwich
Ingredients
2 slices whole wheat or whole grain bread, toasted
hummus (sundried tomato or roasted red pepper)
tomato (optional if you are using plain hummus)
sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
horse gram sprouts*
Method
Spread each piece of toast generously with hummus. Layer horse gram sprouts and then cheddar slices on top of one toast. Place the other toast on top.
*Directions for sprouting your horse gram:
Rinse 1 cup of horse gram.
Cover horse gram with water in a bowl overnight.
The next morning drain your horse gram and let it sit in a colander to dry (can leave it there while you go to work). It’s ok if the beans are not completely dry because you need moisture for sprouting.
Place it in a dish covered with a lid or cheese cloth in your oven with the light on.
You should see sprouts the next morning and you can leave it in longer for longer sprouts, but just make sure to monitor that the beans still have some moisture. Can sprinkle a little water on top if they are dry.
When fully sprouted (1-2 days), you can store your sprouts in the refrigerator in an airtight dish.
This post is more of an update of what I’ve been working on over on the Brooklyn Delhi side of things. Besides producing, selling and getting achaars into stores
photo by D. Robert Wolcheck @ Brooklyn Exposed Holiday Bazaar, our first market.
On shelves at Life Thyme market, my favorite grocer in Manhattan!
I’ve also been planning an upcoming pop-up market called Batchery with Sonya of Bacchanal Sauce. Batchery will feature a collection of local small-batch food artisans from Brooklyn, including my co-chef on Tangra, Diana who just launched her online store, Plate and Pencil. We have about 17 vendors signed up to sell including: Brooklyn Delhi (of course!), Bacchanal Sauce, Better Off Spread, Mike’s Hot Honey, The Jam Stand, Sour Puss Pickles, Cocktail Crate, Thumbs Cookies, Brooklyn DIY Supply and more!
Sonya and I decided to organize this market as a way for all of us small food producers to get to know each other and form more of a community. And since we’re selling our products in stores, this was a way we could meet and get to know some of our customers in person too. Also because we are an artisan-run market, we wanted to make it affordable for everyone to sell so we are just splitting the cost of rent and with the extras we are going to provide free refreshments to market-goers!
If you are in the New York area, I hope you will stop by:
Batchery
February 22
12PM-6PM
Bat Haus
279 Starr Street (off Jefferson L)
Brooklyn, NY 11237
website
Roasting butternut squash is one of my most favorite wintertime activities, not only because my apartment is a bit lacking in heat but also because I am totally lazy when it comes to skinning a butternut squash. Roasting, I’ve found is the easiest way to not have to deal with that whole mess. I just cut my butternut squash into half or quarters and throw them in the oven. Two problems solved – my apartment gets warm and I don’t have to obsess over how much squash I’m wasting by clumsily skinning it!
My process for roasting is simple. I just cut the squash into half or quarters, depending on how large it is, dig out the seeds, and put them face down onto an oiled baking sheet for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
This last summer, I got to attend Eat Retreat where there was a food swap with everyone that came. I traded my first bottles of Brooklyn Delhi tomato achaar for all sorts of really great things. One of those were fennel seeds from my friend Will’s backyard. A lot of times you will see fennel seeds at Indian restaurants offered at the end of the meal because they help with digestion. When I make a soup with fennel seeds though, I like to toast and grind them because they get a little chewy if left whole.
On the way out from the camp, I also got a grip load of really young ginger too. The first time I made this soup was with this ginger. It was so fresh and pure and so easy to work with, with none of that skin to peel (I’m sure you are sensing a theme here;).
I love this soup because it has an earthy sweetness to it from the squash and fennel seeds that’s balanced with ginger and the heat of the chili powder. It goes well with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a crusty piece of bread. I hope you enjoy and are staying warm!
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger & Fennel Seeds
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
6 cups of water or stock
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons ghee, butter or vegetable oil + 1 teaspoon
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 teaspoon red chili powder (or to taste)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
cilantro for garnish, chopped
dollop of Greek yogurt (optional)
Method
To roast the squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Cut butternut squash in half and remove the seeds and stringy stuff. Put a tablespoon of oil on a baking sheet and then place the squash pieces face down on the sheet. Move them around on the sheet so that they are all coated with oil evenly. Cook the squash for about 25-30 minutes, or until they are soft to the touch of a fork.
Scoop out the inside of the squash and set aside.
In a pan toast fennel seeds for about 2 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Pound in a mortar or grind in a spice grinder – I use an extra coffee grinder.
In a pot, heat ghee, butter or vegetable oil under medium heat. Add in onions. When they start to turn translucent, mix in the fennel seed powder, turmeric and red chili powder. Then mix in the ginger and garlic and fry for 30 seconds.
Add the roasted butternut squash and mix well. Add in 6 cups of water or stock, salt and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes. Mix in sugar and puree the soup. At this point, you may add more water if you want a thinner consistency.
In a little pot, heat 1 teaspoon of ghee, butter or oil under medium-high heat. Add in cumin seeds. When they start to crackle after a few seconds pour them over the soup. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish the soup with chopped cilantro.
Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and crusty bread.
Upma is not another name for Wheaties if that’s what you were thinking;) It’s a savory South Indian breakfast made from cream of wheat (semolina) or labeled as ‘sooji’ or ‘rawa’ in the Indian store. Upma is also referred to as ‘uppittu’ in Kannada and translates as ‘uppu’ meaning salt and ‘hittu’ meaning flour. For me, upma is a comfort food and reminds me of my family being together on weekends growing up because my mother would prepare it when she had more time to cook in the morning. She would alternate making upma with other savory breakfast favorites like dosa, idli, poha on these days…which I’ll tell you about another day.
We usually serve upma with plain yogurt and ‘chutney pudi,’ which translates into chutney powder. My mother makes her own chutney pudi from grinding down spices and coconut that she often dries on our roof in Bangalore. It has a spicy and sweet flavor that complements most every dish. My father who comes from North India never ate chutney pudi before he met my mother. The man loves the stuff and even puts it on his pizza to my mother’s chagrin. You can also buy chutney pudi in Indian stores.
In our house, upma is most often made with different vegetables like potatoes, green pepper, onions, grated carrot, peas, lima beans or tomatoes. You can also add nuts like cashews to the mix. In India, my mother’s favorite is with the flat bean called avarekai, which kind of reminds me of a cross between lima beans and edamame. Avarekai comes skinned in the markets in Bangalore and is found in abundance during late Dec and January:
In Brooklyn, I don’t have access to avarekai, but I do have potatoes and lots of them so I made my upma with one of those, green pepper and onion:
In restaurants upma is served in the shape of a katori or small bowl mold like I have photographed above – my first time making it like that! It’s quite easy to do and is great for presentation if you are serving it to guests. Upma is flavored with black mustard seeds, curry leaves, coconut and lemon. If you don’t have cream of wheat or sooji, I’m sure couscous or quinoa would also do the trick. My recipe below is adapted from my mother’s.
I’m always on the lookout for more savory breakfasts. What’s your favorite?
Upma with Potatoes and Green Peppers
Ingredients
1 cup sooji or cream of wheat (semolina)
1 teaspoon + 2 tablespoons oil (corn, peanut or sunflower is best)
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon channa dal
4 fresh curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon, grated ginger
2 green chillies
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 potato, small cubes
3 tablespoons fresh grated coconut
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
cilantro for garnish
Method
In a wok, heat 1 teaspoon of oil. Add 1 cup of cream of wheat or sooji and fry on low to medium heat until it is light brown. Mix the sooji around so that is gets processed evenly. This will take about 5 minutes or so. Turn off the heat and put the sooji aside on a plate.
In the wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add in your black mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal and turn the heat to medium. When the dal turns golden and the black mustard seeds are popping, add in the curry leaves, grated ginger and green chillies. Mix around well for a few seconds and then add in your chopped onion, green pepper and turmeric powder. Mix it well and after 2 minutes mix in the potato cubes and salt. When the potatoes are cooked, add in the water and bring to a boil.
Similar to making polenta, lower the flame and add in the roasted sooji little by little stirring all the while so you don’t get lumps. Add in the coconut and continue to stir for 4-5 minutes while its simmering until the water is absorbed and the sooji is cooked. (During this process if it’s looking dry, add a bit more water.) Turn off the heat and add lemon juice and cilantro leaves.
Serve hot with plain yogurt or a nice pat of butter and chutney pudi or anything spicy!
*If you want to serve as a mold, just pack upma in a katori (Indian stainless steel bowl) or ramekin and turn upside down on a plate.
My comfort soup is a South Indian lentil soup called thove. It reminds me of Japanese miso soup in that it has that same foggy quality to it, but yet is substantial and always makes me feel better. Thove is actually not pronounced the way it is spelled but the closest approximation I can come up with is this: tho-way. I make my thove from moong dal, also referred to as split yellow gram, yellow dal or yellow lentils. It is basically a mung bean with its green skin removed and split in half. This makes for a quicker cooking time and when boiled, this dal comes apart easily.
In every household, thove is prepared a little differently and can even vary with the type of dal used – some use moong dal while others may use toor dal. In the North, cumin seeds are used and in the South, black mustard seeds flavor the soup. I make a variation of my mother’s recipe usually with green chilies, curry leaves, ginger, turmeric and lemon. The soup has virtually no oil – just 2 teaspoons that you add at the end when you temper black mustard seeds and I also add onion at this point and even some garlic if I have it.
This soup traditionally is made with tomatoes in some homes or spinach, which I incorporate if I have either on hand. I’ve had the soup made with snake gourd and other watery Indian squashes – zucchini would be a good sub in if you want to add squash. This time I had spinach so I threw that in to the pot:
It’s the perfect soup for when you are short on time or when you are feeling a bit under the weather because it’s quick to make and it has ingredients that help combat illness like turmeric and ginger. I usually eat it with basmati rice, some yogurt and a little achaar or uppinakayi on top. It’s great as a plain soup as well.
What’s your comfort soup?
Thove
Ingredients
1 cup moong dal (yellow lentils)
6 cups water
1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder
6 curry leaves
*2 small green chilies, chopped (depending on heat and can use jalapeño as a substitute)
1 inch ginger, grated
2 cups chopped spinach or 1 chopped tomato (optional)
chopped cilantro for garnish
juice of half a lemon (could use more depending on how juicy your lemon is)
salt to taste
For tempering
2 teaspoons oil
pinch of hing or asafetida
1/2 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1 chopped green chili or broken in half dried red chili (if you want more heat)
2 curry leaves (optional)
1/2 small onion chopped
1 clove garlic crushed (optional)
*You can choose to fry these green chillies in oil later with other spices.
Method
Wash your lentils very well in a fine meshed colander. Drop them in a pot with 6 cups water and turn the heat to medium. The lentils will start to foam so skim the top off until the water is bubbling clear. Add turmeric, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, ginger, tomato (if using) and salt. Cook until lentils are soft and fall apart, about 30 minutes. At this point, gage whether you want to add more water for more liquidy soup or a thicker one. Continue to cook. At this point, you can add in spinach or squash if you are using those veggies. Cook them until tender or soft. Turn off the heat.
In a small pan, heat oil under medium heat. When hot add hing or asafetida and black mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add in chilies and curry leaves if using. Coat them in oil and then add in the chopped onion. Fry until onion is translucent. Mix in garlic if using and fry for 20 seconds or until fragrant.
Pour the flavored oil over the soup and mix. Squeeze lemon juice into the soup. Add salt to taste and garnish with chopped cilantro.
I have some exciting news! After working on it all this summer, I am finally ready to launch my new Indian condiments line called Brooklyn Delhi. I’ll be debuting the line at the Brooklyn Exposed Holiday Bazaar this Sunday. At the market, I’ll be selling jars and a ready-to-eat tartine: sourdough from SCRATCHbread topped with Wisconsin cheddar (Ben’s from there:) and our first condiment, tomato achaar. I hope you can come down and say hi!
For those that are unfamiliar with achaar, it’s a spicy, savory, sour and sweet relish made from local vegetables, fruits, spices and oil. It is sometimes referred to as ‘Indian pickle’ but it has nothing to do with the flavor of dill pickles and more to do with say kimchi (Korean), sriracha (Thai) or harissa (Tunisian). Traditionally it is eaten with rice, curry, dal, yogurt and many times made from sour produce like green mangoes, lemons, hard gooseberries, etc.
I love achaar so much I bring it back in my suitcase from India on every trip. More recently I introduced it to my fiance Ben and totally got him hooked on it, but when we run out it’s a sad story. We realized that the only achaars available in the US were at Indian stores and these varieties were way too salty for our taste or had preservatives added in.
That’s why I started making the relish from ingredients I found around me like tomatoes, rhubarb, garlic and American gooseberries. Usually achaar is really spicy and really salty, which means you don’t eat a lot of it, but I wanted to create a version that highlighted the flavor of the vegetables and fruits and aromatic spices, along with the chillies so it’s not all about burning your tongue off and raising your blood pressure:) The achaar goes really well on a ton of different foods like eggs, sandwiches, noodles and I’ve used it to make dressings and also cooked with it in soups. Summer day or sunny vacation, plus size swimwear gets you ready for long days at the beach or pool. Take a dip in unique and comfortable bathing suits made to fit perfectly. Shop stylish plus size swimwear & cover ups at SwimwearLux.com. from unique bathing suits, like bikinis or tankinis. Discover swimsuits in sizes X to 6X. Crafted from super stretchy fabrics, our collection includes tankinis, one-piece swimsuits and bikinis in trendy colors and prints. Browse our range of Plus size Swimwear and discover a variety of styles and popular brands to suit every shape, style and budget. #swimwearlux
I started to share some of my varieties with friends at picnics and parties and it would always get gobbled up so Ben actually gave me the idea of starting to package some of these recipes. I guess I kind of lucked out too because he has over a decade of experience designing food packaging so we decided to go for it and make achaar from fresh ingredients for everyone to enjoy!
Of late, I have been serving the achaar at my pop-up dinner events (most recently with Indo-Chinese dumplings) and cooking classes and now am excited to introduce it at local markets and stores.
I would not have been able to do any of this without Ben who helped conceive of the idea with me and designed all of the packaging for Brooklyn Delhi. Thanks Ben & here goes!
Brooklyn Exposed Holiday Bazaar
Sun, Dec 8th
11AM – 6PM
501 Union St., between Bond and Nevins
Brooklyn, NY 11231
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