Pan-Fried Whole Bitter Melons with cashew stuffing
Mar27

Pan-Fried Whole Bitter Melons with cashew stuffing

Salting and preparation time: about 1 hour Cooking time: 30 minutes   Ingredients • Baby bitter melons (about 12 ounces/340 g each), 2 ½ -3 inches (6.5-7.5 cm) long – 8  • Salt – 1 ½ table spoons (22 ml)  • Sugar – ½ table spoon (7 ml)  • Water – 3cups (710 ml) • Cashew halves, blanched almonds or hazelnuts...

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Sauteed Cauliflower and Green Peas
Mar21

Sauteed Cauliflower and Green Peas

  In all cauliflower dishes, the quality of the vegetable is paramount. Look for crisp, tightly packed white flowerets and bright green leaves. It is important to cut the flowerets into uniform pieces, but the success of the dish really lies in slow, gentle braising; the cauliflower cooks in its own juice and seasonings until the flowerets are butter-soft and the stems tender-crisp. Garden-fresh peas are in a class of their own,...

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Green beans with Water Chestnuts
Mar20

Green beans with Water Chestnuts

  The water chestnut is a floating water plant growing in lakes and ponds on several continents. The fruits are angular, with brown skins and a white, floury nut inside –refreshingly crisp and delicious. There are several kinds. Singhara nuts, grown in the lakes of Kashmir, are eaten as snacks or blanched, sliced, dried and ground into flour. Chinese water chestnuts, or pi-tsi, are not really nuts, but tubers, deriving...

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Pishima’s Stuffed Okra
Mar19

Pishima’s Stuffed Okra

  This is my favorite stuffed okra recipe, and I have stuck as close as possible to the original version I learned from my well-wishing Vaishnava teacher and cooking inspiration, Pishima.   Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 30 minutes Cooking time: 20-30 minutes   Ingredients • Tender okra, preferably 4-inch (10 cm) pods, washed and thoroughly dried – 1 ½ pounds (685 g)  •...

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Potatoes & Beans
Jan20

Potatoes & Beans

  Ingredients •3 Tbsp ghee/oil •1 sprig fresh curry leaves •3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ -inch cubes •½ Tsp turmeric powder •1½ C green beans cut into 1-inch lengths •1 Tsp coriander powder •1 Tsp salt •½ Tsp paprika Preparation 1.Heat ghee/oil in a pan over moderate heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add curry leaves and potatoes. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes. 2.Add turmeric, beans and sauté for 2 minutes....

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