Little curds are shy. They make their first peek in the first week of June. A little late to bloom but here nevertheless. Will this tiny bloom make it through the raging temperatures of July and August?
cheddar curds of cauliflower – a glimmer of hope in trying times
This is our Cheddar Cauliflower a.k.a Orange Cauliflower. We planted 4 of them in April. This specific plant is growing to win. The orange cauliflower resembles cheddar cheese curds and grows bountifully in spring and fall. The sweetness of spring makes them cozy up in their leafy green and lends to a rounded, sweeter cauliflower. The hotter months make them bolt to the sun.
This particular variety is not as common as its whiter cousin. The orange hue is caused by the presence of beta-carotene and renders a creamy, cheesy touch to any dish without the lactose effects of actual cheese. Cauliflower plants (white, orange, and green) are great for making soups and roasts. These orange varietals are an absolute element of surprise than the rather usual white cauliflower.
This cauliflower is my positive ray of hope in a world shrouded with pain and suffering at the moment. Every time I walk by my garden, I talk to my plants. But particularly this one. She makes me believe that there is always hope. And hope is a good thing.
Now I wait to see this seedling grow into a burst of sunshine from my home garden.
Deep-fried fritters in perfect-sized bites served in newspaper cones along with cutting chai is a heavenly combo sold in tea kadais (tea shops) in Tamil Nadu. These fritters are called Masala Vadais. These South Indian fried deliciousness are very similar to the Mediterranean falafel with a crunchier, spicier note to it.
Onions and Curry Leaves
I never liked it growing up. The smell of onions always made me cringe. The pungent flavor of the onions combined with fried curry leaves was too strong for my young, underdeveloped nose. Fast forward to 2021, as a full-grown adult, I live for this stuff. I love curry leaves to the point where I have modified a lot of my South Indian recipes to include this leaf. And don’t even get me started on onions. Aren’t they the quintessential base for recipes from any culture??
In recipes like Kuzhambu (South Indian thick stew), these ingredients have the reigning crown over all the others. Do check out my post on how to make a traditional Vathal Kuzhambu with Butternut Squash! The sweetness of the squash combined with the spices makes for an explosion of flavors in your mouth!
Swapping with Kale
There are so many options you can include or remove to make your Masala Vadais. There is one particular option that uses any type of green called Keera Vadai. It really doesn’t taste any different to me. Just as delicious as the original. As I ground the batter for masala vadais the other day, I paused just before chopping the onions. The Vadais would taste heavenly with crunchy kale running through it. Kale has a unique flavor to it almost bordering on garlicky when baked or fried as chips. Incidentally, I had baby kale lying around in my refrigerator. Voila! Kale Vadais were born out of it!
Deep-fried South Indian fritters made with Kale and spices in a perfect-sized bite!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Indian, South Indian
Keyword appetizers, food, savory, south indian
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Soak Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Author Pakoda Stories
Equipment
Wok
Slotted Spoon
Blender
Ingredients
1cupKalechopped
Neutral Oil (peanut oil, vegetable oil)for frying
1 clovegarlicfinely minced
To Soak
3/4cupChana Dal
1tbspFennel Seeds
4Dried Red Chillies
1sprigCurry Leaves
1/4tspAsafetida
Saltto taste
1tbspRiceoptional
Waterfor soaking
Instructions
Soak all the ingredients in water under "To Soak" for 30 mins
Drain the water into a cup. Use this water if needed.
Blend the dal and spices into a coarse paste. Adjust the salt.
Add the chopped kale and garlic. Mix well.
Shape into small patties using your hands.
Pop them into the oil. Fry till deep golden brown.
Serve with chutney, ketchup, or even fry sauce!
Notes
I like adding rice as it makes it more crunchy.
Of course, do not forget the chai! Speaking of, have you tried chai with oat milk? It is seriously delicious, if not better with Oat milk! Here is a video clip on how to make it on my Instagram Page!
My earlier post on Tomato Rasamintroduces the humble healing broth of South Indian homes. This South Indian classic plays a supereminent role amongst culinary beasts in traditional Madras Samayal, such as the Sambar or Kootu. Very similar to a 5-spice pho, this simple rasam recipe in Tamil Nadu is a medicinal wand that can flick away any cold through its peppery goodness. Essentially, it is the food of the medicinal gods!
100S OF VARIATIONS
There are brilliant variations of this recipe. Think of Rasam like a math equation, and it becomes so easy to put together. Sour + Spice = Rasam. You can make rasam with literally any ingredient as long as you make up for the sour and spice element. I have experimented with sour strawberries in the past, and the berry concoction was as heartwarming as the original!
MOTHER OF ALL MEDICINAL TREES
In sync with the medicinal theme of rasam, a lot of the traditional recipes try to imbibe healing qualities in each rasam. One such recipe that is a subtle version is the Veppampoo Rasam. This rasam is typically made at the onset of Indian summers when the blooms of the Neem tree make their first appearance. In Ayurveda, the Neem tree is considered the mother of all medicinal trees, able to cure all ailments.
WHAT IS VEPPAMPOO?
Veppampoo literally translates to Neem Flower. The neem flowers boast an intense scent reminiscent of jasmine flowers with an ambient woodsy note. These flowers, when dried, become softer in fragrance while retaining a mild bittersweet flavor. These bittersweet neem flowers don’t have a sour note in their delicate petals. The dried florals are infused with the striking tang of tamarind pulp and finished with a fistful of the deep brown sugar-like sweetness of jaggery to balance the bitterness of the flowers. This makes for the wonderfully mild and beautiful Veppampoo Rasam.
MAKE YOUR OWN HOMEMADE RASAM POWDER
I make the Veppampoo Rasam with homemade rasam powder. This rasam powder uses a very specific set of spices to compliment the bittersweet neem flowers. It is versatile to use in many curries and stir-fry recipes. Definitely a keeper in your list of dinner recipes in Tamil Nadu.
You can buy the dried Neem flowers at your local Indian grocer or on Amazon.
The bittersweet neem flowers, sweet tang of tamarind, and deep brown sugar-like sweetness of jaggery in a heartwarming brew.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 4 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
0 minutesminutes
Total Time 14 minutesminutes
Servings 4servings
Equipment
medium-sized pot
Ingredients
2 tbspDried Neem Flowers
1 inchGingersmashed
1/2tspTurmeric
1-2tspRasam Powder
2 tbspJaggery Powder
1Green Chillyslit
1/2 – 1cupWater
1 tspOil
1 tspCumin Seeds
2 tbspCilantro Leaveschopped
Coarse Sea Salt to taste
For Tamarind Paste
2-3 tspDry Tamarind
2 cups Lukewarm Water
For the Spiced Drizzle
1tbspGhee
1/4 tspAsafetida
1tspMustard Seeds
8-10Curry Leaves
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, add 1 tsp oil. When the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and cook until it turns brown.
Add the dried neem flowers and sauté for a couple of seconds.
Make a tamarind paste by adding a large piece of dry tamarind to 2 cups of lukewarm water. Optionally, you can substitute with 1 tbsp store-bought tamarind paste and 2 cups of water.
Add the smashed ginger, sliced green chilli, salt, turmeric and rasam powder.
Strain the pulpy tamarind water into the pan. Let this broth boil for 10-15 mins.
In a separate small pan, add 1 tbsp ghee/oil. Add the mustard seeds. When they start popping, add the curry leaves. Pour this immediately on top of the rasam.
Finish by adding jaggery. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Optional: I like to add 1/2 cup cooked toor dal to the boiling rasam. Let it simmer for 5 mins before adding the spiced drizzle.
Copy and print the below recipe cards to add to your collection!
Serve this rasam over steaming hot rice and fried appalams!
My mother is undoubtedly a great influence on my cooking journey. She is a superwoman who has so many food tricks up her sleeve! The kitchen habits she practices are efficiency in time management and optimal utilization of resources in the kitchen. She is also good at sneaking vegetables into food, using up leftovers, and cooking within a budget without any wastage.
Every week, she would make a huge batch of idli batter, enough to feed our family of 4. The idli batter is made of rice and a specific type of lentil known as urad dal. The urad dal gives the batter a fluffiness akin to egg whites in a recipe. The lighter, fluffier combination of the urad dal with some rice batter floats around at the top. The heavier and denser rice batter settles at the bottom.
No Wastage!
My mother makes the versatile idlis for breakfast, lunch, or dinner during the first half of the week. Pair the idlis with coconut chutneys and a spicy vegetable sambar for a sumptuous meal. After the first couple of days, the batter becomes denser as we skim the lighter urad-rice batter off the top for making idlis. This batter is perfect for making dosas. You can make dosas with the dense batter for the next couple of days. The final bit of leftover batter becomes so thick that it can neither make a good dosa or good idli on its own. My mother uses this batter to make an easy, quick pancake recipe called Uthappam.
South Indian Pizzas!
The Uthappam is like a pizza made using idli/dosa batter. You can put any toppings you want on it and it becomes whatever you want it to be! It is great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Make this Uthappam in a dollar pancake pan and watch your kids get super excited about their meals. My favorite version is a podi uthappam which is made with veggies and a special spice powder made of lentils, chilies, and sesame seeds. Lace the uthappam with a touch of ghee to lift the flavors of the vegetables and the spices!
Learn to make idli batter at home
You can make this Uthappam with fresh idli batter as well! Check out my recipe on how to make a basic idli batter. Or you can always head to a nearby Indian grocer and pick up a tub of idli batter.
In this post, I go over my own experiences with my child when we first began reading and how I overcame roadblocks along the way. Check out my toptips on how to encourage your preschooler to read in their beginning stages!
Tip #1: Talk To Your Child
As a first-time mother and someone who had never spent a lot of time around kids before I had my child, one of the biggest challenges I faced was just how to talk to babies. There are plenty of parenting classes offered by medical professionals and companies. But not one of them tells you how to talk to a baby.
They will tell you generic things that don’t necessarily teach you how to do it. They are simply tips like spending time with the baby, talking closer to their face, etc. But nothing on what exactly to say to a baby. Something as simple as that can be daunting for someone who has never had this experience before.
Tip #2: Use Visuals Over Words
When my daughter started reading 2+ years ago, I felt confident in teaching her to read. What I learned eventually is that children guide us and not the other way around. For some reason, I thought those simpler baby books were not good enough for my daughter. My expectations for her were high and I assumed books with text and minimal images were enough. No need to focus on visuals and use over-the-top expressions. Wrong. Focus on visuals and use over-the-top expressions. Obviously, this was something I would learn eventually.
Tip #3: Buy Simple, Age-Appropriate Books, Not Pulitzer Winners!
How do you even get a toddler to sit through a book? While I tried to force Pulitzer-winners on her, she veered towards “Where is Baby’s belly button?”. She picked up books I detested with a passion. The ones that literally have no story and are only describing things – “These are baby’s eyes”, “This is a house”.
A phrase I like to use quite often about my daughter is “Oh, you’re a brand new model. Only 4 years old on this planet!” The reason I say this here is because children are fairly new to existing on this planet. Their understanding of things is still in the rudimentary stage. They do not have years of training and sculpting as we do. Those over-the-top expressions and fewer words help them grasp information in their still-forming brains! As simple as that!
Tip #4: It’s About What Your Child Wants. Not What You Want!
We all know by now how my Pulitzer plan worked. Simply put, my goals had to change. It was much more than engaging her with award-winning books. I had to figure out what she wanted. I lured her with the belly button book. She returned. I picked books with simpler language. She stayed. I let her explore pictures instead of reading and pointing out letters. She interacted. Simple. The message was loud and clear. She wanted to read the things she liked. Not the other way around. My daughter was interested in exploring together. She had taught me how to talk to her. Her reading books was an organic eventuality waiting to happen.
Tip #5: Allow Your Child To Pick Their Books
I spent time with her allowing her to pick books she liked. She picked the same books over and over again. Kids love repetition and being in charge. They feel a great sense of pride in making their choice and that’s the only way it should be! At least for the most part!
Tip #6: Finally, You Can’t Force Them To Read
Now and then, I pick a book I like. Books that will spark a conversation. If it’s glitter and unicorn and pink splat that gets her attention, that’s what we’re reading. If it’s rockets and ninjas and cops that get her attention, then that’s what we’re reading. At the end of the day, the only thing I want in return is the book’s ability to get my child excited and eager to talk about it!
To conclude — It doesn’t matter if your child reads at ages 2 or 8. What matters is that you can never get your child to do anything they don’t want to do. Nor do you have to! Provide the necessary resources and allow for things to naturally happen.
A book that I highly recommend. Check out my review!
Books that my daughter loves in order of reading level.
Sight Word Readers – Believe it or not, my daughter started to read these at age 2.5. She could easily connect words by looking at pictures. The Sight Word Readers invited her to the world of reading. Until then, she loved read-alongs with me. But these truly graduated her into a reader.
First Little Comics – As a little kid, I remember being attracted to comics over novels. The cartoonish illustrations and tiny blurbs helped my little mind grasp the information easily. First Little Comics has super cute pictures and delves into concepts such as opposites, emotions, etc. Excellent for true beginners!
Bob Books Set 1 – These books have high reviews among parents of beginner readers for a reason. Bob books are simple books that have an actual little story unlike others that pretty much describe a picture. Each page has 2-3 words max. Each word is mostly 3-letters long. They also have a great rhyme scheme. This helps in engaging the reader. If you are looking for beginner reading books with a story to them, these are pretty good!
Step into Reading Level 1– Any book from Step into Reading has a nice story. They are typically 32 pages long and introduce different concepts with each book. They also indulge your little reader with rhyming sentences. Captivating illustrations and catchy phrases make these an awesome addition to your little one’s collection!
First Little Readers Level A – Anything from the “First Little” series is a win in my opinion. This set comes in 25 little books with short 2-word sentences. They introduce and use repetition to help children learn a new word with each book. These books are great for little ones that are already starting to read! Reading is a lot of fun and should be more about exploration in their beginning years. It should be about less about what your child is capable of and more about what they want to do. If your child wants to read, load them up with books! It is important to provide them with a positive experience as the beginning years will be a foundation for their reading habit in the coming years. The last thing we want to do is traumatize our child with our over-the-top enthusiasm!
Hope these tips help you as you embark on your child’s journey into reading! Happy Reading!
One of our favorite things to do pre-baby was to visit San Francisco about once a month. It was about a 40 min drive from Sunnyvale where we lived at the time. We would drive into San Francisco just to explore the food scene. We did this when we needed a change from the local fare in nearby cities of the Silicon Valley. We also loved walking the hilly streets of SFO. If we headed in a bit early, we would drive into Sausalito to experience its seaside charm.
Years ago, I discovered a little shop in Chinatown, San Francisco known as The Wok Shop. It is easily the smallest hole in the wall I’ve ever seen in my life. This little shop carries mostly knives and some kitchen items specific to Asian cuisine. I bought the infamous Kiwi knife from Thailand here. I have gifted this rustic-looking inexpensive knife to many family and friends since.
On one such visit, I walked into a small store in the area to buy some Asian ingredients. I noticed a little food stall within the store that had these curious little steamed buns. A handwritten board that read “Fresh steamed buns” hung loosely above the counter. They looked very appetizing and reminded me of our Tamil kozhukattais. The sight of those steamed buns is still fresh in my mind years later.
As I watched a documentary about rural life in Guilin today, I was reminded yet again of those buns. The documentary showed rustic pillowy buns that didn’t even have the traditional bao shape. They were handmade by some local women and looked just as delicious as those neatly pleated buns I saw years ago in SFO. I knew I just had to make these. I read up tons of recipes and watched a few videos on the internet. It seemed fairly simple. You make a dough and a filling of your choice like our Indian parathas except you just pleat the dough once you add the filling.
I decided to make a simple vegetarian filling with cabbage, carrots, and arugula. I didn’t follow the recipe every step of the way. I used the dough recipe from Red House Spice quite helpful. Here is a link for those of you interested in making it. I used Wei’s dough recipe and cooked up my filling on the fly. So this is not 100% authentic but is close enough. Also the shape doesn’t have to be exact. It is quite a forgiving recipe that tastes phenomenal even as an oddly shaped pillow!
Vegetarian Baozi Recipe
Makes 5-6 baos
INGREDIENTS
For the dough (Wei’s recipe):
150g cake flour
0.5 tsp dried yeast
0.5 tsp sugar
0.5 tbsp cooking oil
70 ml lukewarm water
For the filling:
1.5-2 cups cabbage; finely shredded
1 whole carrot; grated
2 tbsp coriander leaves; finely chopped
1 handful arugula; roughly chopped
1 tbsp ginger; thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic; minced
0.5 tsp white pepper
A pinch of sichuan pepper
2-3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp cornstarch
Garnish:
Chili garlic oil
METHOD
Mix the dry ingredients and oil in the bowl of your stand mixer.
Add the lukewarm water little by little to form a dough.
Once it is fairly formed, knead it on a lightly floured surface to make a smooth dough. Let it rest for at least 40mins to an hour.
In a pan, add both regular and sesame oil.
Add in the ginger and garlic. Saute until fragrant.
Add the other vegetables, soy sauce, rice vinegar. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the cornstarch. Saute for about a min. Turn off heat.
Divide the dough into equal parts.
Roll each part into a circle. Fill with a little stuffing. Pinch it all around to form it into a bao shape. Or keep it rustic. It still cooks fine as you can see!
Place a parchment paper in your steamer portion of your steamer pot. Put the buns and steam for 20 mins.
Garnish with chili garlic oil (I used S&B) and serve!
Have you ever had an encounter that holds a special place in your heart? I have been fortunate enough to have had memorable encounters with absolute strangers. Today I’m going to reminisce about one such encounter on a recent trip.
It was a pretty normal evening in Italy. We had been backpacking across Europe for the 3rd consecutive week. Our backs are numb from carrying our luggage. We are here in Milan to catch a train, one of the last ones in our month-long itinerary across Western Europe.
When we planned our trip, we decided to explore Europe by train. Flights and buses may have suited the purpose better, especially with a baby on board. But there is something very unique about train journeys. They touch your heart in ways that a car drive or a plane trip could never replace. Is it because the one who is usually behind the wheel also gets to be a part of the conversations? Or the lack of pressure when you’re flying 30,000 feet above sea level? Our hearts chose to meander through Europe on those sleepy old rails built so long ago!
We arrived in Milan a little before noon that day. Our train from Rome to Milan was not as crowded as the one from Napoli to Rome. We planned on taking the overnight from Milan to Paris for the joy of experiencing it. We had many hours to kill before we would realize that we would have to kill even more time on that train!
The first few hours of the dreaded long wait went by in a flash. We picked up lunch at a local cafe and checked out yet another Duomo. By this time, we had seen more churches than we had ever seen before! Countries in Europe sure do have a LOT of them!
It’s strange how we tread on paths we never would have thought to take in our lifetime. In those moments that we do, we thank our stars for having taken the path that never would have been. Today was one such day! When you are a child, you are often told not to talk to strangers. Of course, as you grow older, the leash loosens. You are confident in your judgment of humans because of the paths taken. I have now come to understand that you are richer with one good friend than a million who look good for the ‘gram!
After weeks of hopping in and out of trains, we chose to stay put inside Milan Centrale station until the train arrived. We reserved our phones for our daughter’s random Youtube requests. We were now posed with getting creative with our time. This was something that I did so well in the 90s but had forgotten since!
The first hour sitting in the station went by exploring the many shops and restaurants within it. We walked up and down ramps. We checked out the architecture of the station. This was something we liked doing in Europe regardless. It seemed like there was art everywhere we went. We were an hour into our long wait and were already exhausted from having to find new things to do. It was starting to be unbearable. We forced ourselves to head to an early dinner hoping to kill more time.
After the early dinner, I headed over to a secluded side of the station, still close enough to the boarding area. I slumped into one of the rock-hard seats and commenced an uncomfortable nap. I am pretty sure I looked homeless on those rickety station seats from static hair styled by the humidity and the 1000 layers I had on to keep warm in the winter. Moments later, I heard the sound of a baby’s cry. After spending eternity without a thing to do, even a baby’s cry was the most happening thing in my life. I lifted my head from my half slumber to find a mother shhh-ing her baby in a stroller. I looked at her and we exchanged smiles. A smile that only mothers everywhere would understand.
I went back to my half-slumber when I hear a voice “Is this seat taken? I looked up to find that mother gesturing to a few seats near mine. I told her to go ahead and occupy those seats. Once again, I went back to my half-slumber. This time, the voice spoke yet again. I woke up immediately from my half-nap. I was glad to finally have something to do to kill my time.
The mother proceeded to ask me if I knew what time the Thello would arrive. We exchanged some small talk and asked each other polite questions about our respective journeys. Within minutes, we had struck a bond and a lovely conversation began to flow. There was an unspoken understanding that we were going to keep each other company until the train arrived.
This was quite cool because now was my chance to test out my level 1 French on this woman. Nadia was very patient as I worked hard to construct sentences and questions. I had spent a week in France at the start of the trip where I hardly got to speak the language. The only times I got to say anything were at the stations on rare occasions to ask for directions.
Now, I had a chance to figure if I could say anything beyond “Bonjour”. Too bad for me. I felt like Rajinikanth from Padikkaathavan. Our conversation had a lot of ouis and nons. We laughed as I made horrendous errors in my French. We talked about motherhood and postpartum recovery. We compared notes on European vs Indian vs American parenting. She even explained how the French change a baby’s nappy. Talking to her reminded me of my girlfriends. I made a note to get in touch with them when I got back.
Around 9 pm, the ticketing staff informed us that the train was going to be further delayed. It didn’t matter as we loved each other’s companies. In Tamil, we have a word for these kinds of conversations – arattai which means idle gossip. The word can have different connotations. But in our case, it was certainly a good arattai. Talking to her had felt therapeutic. Was it because we were both mothers of wee little babies? Or was it because she was a stranger that made it easy for me to talk through stuff?
My husband was keeping himself busy with my daughter. He occupied her with play and exploration of the station. In the short span, Nadia and I developed such a special bond. I even helped with her baby now and then to give her a much-needed breather. We also took turns taking care of our luggage to use the restroom.
Closer to 11 pm, my daughter had a major hunger bout. I opened my bag to grab her formula. To our horror, the only bottle of water that was remaining had only an ounce of water at the most. And all the shops had closed in Milan Centrale. There was not a single shop to sell us water, let alone hot water. I searched the station all around and saw a small restaurant open up their shutters to bring in some chairs. I rushed to the shop begging the shopkeeper to sell me a bottle of water. The shopkeeper could not understand a word of what I said and sent me away.
On hearing this, Nadia told me to take care of her child so she could convince the shopkeeper in Italian. She returned with a big toothy smile, 2 large glasses of milk, and a huge bottle of water to last us more than a day. We gave one glass of milk to my daughter and the other one we shared. Would it even surprise you if I told you she refused to take the money for the food? I insisted but Nadia said something that I had not heard in many years. “No formalities in our friendship”. This was a phrase I have only heard in India. We refuse “Thank you” or “Sorry” in friendships and close relationships.
At a little past 11 pm, we were all called to our boarding gates. Nadia stood in another line as we had different types of reservations, unfortunately. We kept mouthing to each other that we would meet after we passed our checkpoint.
Past the boarding gate, Nadia asked to meet me once we had settled in the train to exchange emails and numbers. I agreed and told her I would go to her seat as she was traveling alone with her baby. We got on our train. After we settled down in our seats, I decided to visit Nadia. Unfortunately, they had closed off the access doors for the night. I decided to try again in the morning. The next morning as we made it to Paris, it was already too late. The boarding gate at Milan was the last of Nadia and her beautiful friendship. But the memory of the special conversations we shared in that short span is for a lifetime.
I had come into Milan on that winter’s day satisfied with all the experiences of the journey so far. I closed off my door for more and chose to stay put in the station. But life had one more in store for me that day! The thing that struck me at the end of it all was that a lot of my vacation memories were even better because of my beautiful encounters with these strangers.
Nadia, if you’re reading this (in some miraculous way), I’m sure you recognize this Indian woman. I would love to reconnect!
Here’s an inspired version of Kunal Kapoor’s inferno-esque yet super deliciousPindi Chole recipe! This Chole Masala recipe is an essential keeper for your recipe book!
A Must-Have Chole Masala Recipe
Chole Masala needs no introduction. This chickpea stew is hands down one of the most popular dishes at Indian restaurants. It is comfort food that transcends many cultures and is easily the go-to weeknight meal for many across the world. Dunk a piece of buttery, greasy-good bhature into a luscious tomato-ey tea-infused chole masala and you’re transported to another world.
The Richer Cousin of Chole Masala
Pindi Chole is a richer, denser, and stronger cousin of the infamous Chole Masala. Many sources believe the name is inspired by the name of the Pakistani city Rawalpindi. I draw inspiration from Kunal Kapoor, one of India’s favorite Punjabi chefs for this recipe. He uses dried amla, a fairly new ingredient to my pantry. His recipe is extremely good but certainly not for the faint-hearted. Made with plenty of chilies like a true Punjabi, his recipe is for brave souls.
My version is not as spicy. I still highly recommend cutting down the chilies and spices if you want a chole masala recipe that is a bit milder. Incidentally, Amla is alkaline in nature much like limes and unlike lemons. I have a classic lime pickle recipe from Tamil Nadu that is a perfect addition to your pantry cabinet this summer!
Why should you add Tea to Chole Masala?
Back in the 90s, my mom’s recipe was a typical Chole Masala recipe that used onions, tomatoes, and a wonderful blend of spices. No amla or chai! Years later, I saw this tip on the internet that mentioned the use of brewed tea in chole recipes. I decided to try this tip out. And lo and behold, tea adds notes of malt and amps up your recipe with a richness that I can’t describe. All you do is brew a cup of strong tea using Assam tea leaves or the strongest black tea leaves that you have. You can even use this tea from Kenya which comes pre-mixed with spices. This adds an extra oomph to your recipe.
Can You Add Dried Amla To Chole Masala?
The answer is YES! The amla adds sourness and brightens up your dish in a way that no lemon, tomato, or tamarind can. It is uniquely sour and smoky in flavor. This is definitely one ingredient that I didn’t know I needed in my Chole recipe until Kunal Kapoor showed me the way! It’s always good to learn this kind of tip and I’m happy to share this with you. After all, good food is really a bunch of tips that have been passed from generation to generation.
How to make Pindi Chole Recipe
There are two ways to make this recipe. One is using dried chickpeas. And the other with canned chickpeas.
Dried Chickpeas – When you use dried chickpeas, there is a certain amount of soaking that needs to be done before you can cook the chickpeas. This is done to break down some of the tough fiber that naturally is present in chickpeas. The softening of the chickpeas also helps cook it faster.
Canned Chickpeas – With canned chickpeas, I drain the liquid from the can and give the chickpeas a quick rinse making sure not to over rinse. This helps retain the nutritional value and it also leaves my mind to rest knowing that slimy water is not in there! (of course, I know this water is great for some recipes)
Baking Soda – Another tip is to add baking soda. Baking soda helps break the chickpea further. This is especially great if your chickpeas are old. Old chickpeas tend to take longer to cook and in some cases are inedible.
1canChickpeas or Garbanzo Beansskip the dried chickpeas if using canned
3/4 cupDried Chickpeasskip the canned chickpeas if using dried
1/4cupOil
Fresh Ingredients
1tbspGingerfinely chopped
2 tbsp Garlicfinely chopped
1Green Chilislit
1mediumOnionfinely chopped
1 cupTomato Purée
3cupWater
Amla-Tea Brew
1tspLoose Black Tea Leaves
3PiecesDried Amla
2cupsWateradd more, if required.
Spices
1/2tspAsafetida or Hing
1/2 tspTurmeric
2tspRed Chili Powder1 tsp in the dish and 1 tsp for garnish
2tbspChole Masala Powder
Garnish
2tbspGheefor garnish
1/2 tspChaat Masala Powder
1/4cupCoriander Leaveschopped
3tbspLemon Juice
2tbspOnionfinely chopped
Saltto taste
1 tsp Baking Soda
Instructions
Soak the Chickpeas
If using dried chickpeas, soak them in a large bowl for 8-12 hours
Make an Amla-Tea Brew
Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a small pot
Add Tea leaves and Amla. Brew for one minute
Cook the Chickpeas
Place your chickpeas, amla-tea brew in an instant pot
Cook for 4 mins on manual pressure if using canned chickpeas.
Cook for 40 mins or bean setting if using dried chickpeas.
Make the Pindi Chole
In a medium saucepan, add oil and 1 tbsp ghee.
When the oil is hot, add the onion, ginger, garlic, and green chili. Sauté until the onion starts to brown.
Now add your spices – asafetida, turmeric, red chili powder, chole masala, and salt.
Cook for at least 1-2 minutes on medium-low to prevent masalas from tasting raw and bitter.
Add the tomato purée and cook for 2 more mins.
Now add your cooked chickpeas. Adjust consistency by adding more water as needed.
Let this simmer for at least 20- 30 mins. The more you slow cook this, the better.
Make a red chili oil
In a small pan, add the ghee. When the ghee is melted and starting to get hot, add the red chili powder.
When you see the red chili powder instantly bloom, take off the heat and pour over the cooked chickpeas.
Garnish
Garnish the dish with chaat masala, chopped coriander leaves, chopped onions and lemon juice.
Serve with bhature, rotis, any flatbread of your choice or even with plain basmati rice!
Notes
I cook with canned chickpeas just because it is more convenient. The older dried chickpeas get, the harder they are to cook. If you cook frequently with chickpeas, dried chickpeas are the way to go.
Dried Amla is hard to find especially if you live in Western countries. Thank god for Amazon, we get a salted variant of dried amla in smaller chunks. I used these and adjusted the salt accordingly.
I blend 1 or 2 Roma tomatoes in a blender and use the strained puree. Canned tomatoes lend a slightly more acidic profile to the dish. This is a personal preference. I would always prefer the fresh tomatoes over the canned ones. But that’s just my choice! Also, if convenience is the need of the hour, it’s ok and you will still ladle up your bowl with warm and spicy Pindi Chole! Enjoy!
My husband and I were reminiscing over our childhood memories on New Year’s eve. Living away from your home country makes you go down a burrow of memories from time to time. Is it because we miss our homeland so much? Is it to remind us of who we are and where we come from? Some of those cherished memories almost always revolve around food.
Iconic Foods from Madras/Chennai
Some of the iconic foods we totally miss from our hometown Chennai are the following:
The infamous Iyengar bakery puffs in Dhandeeshwar Nagar, Velachery
Anything from Shakes n Creams in Adyar because there was nothing of the kind back in the 90s. (Side note: also the Bajji Kadai right next to Adyar bakery and shakes n creams)
Samosa chaat, khandvis, pav bhaji, and dhoklas from Shree Mithai/Gangotri
Alsa Mall parathas
Just plain ol’ idli, dosa, vada sambhar from Karpagambal Mess in Mylapore.
Wheat Halwa from Gomathi Shankar T Nagar.
Anyone from Chennai would know exactly what I’m talking about. These places remain iconic even today. They hold a special place in every Chennaiites heart. NRIs love to visit these spots on every visit back home. If you are visiting Chennai and want to eat some delicious food from down-to-earth spots, the above list is it!
Honey Cake from Chennai
There was one more item in that list that we spoke about that day. It was the honey cake sold in bakeries across Chennai that my husband seemed to remember from his childhood. I have to admit. I have never eaten cakes out of our local bakeries mainly because we were more into hot snacks than cake. There were a few sweet dishes that made a regular appearance like the mysorepa, pastries from Adyar bakery, and halwas from Kanyakumari/Tirunelveli. But never the infamous honey cake.
I have passed a gazillion bakeries in Chennai in my childhood and have seen those squares of cake laden with a bright red jam and freshly grated coconut placed carefully in glass boxes for the world to see. Nevertheless, it is not something I have tried. Kar had his own doubts whether he would actually like the red jam if he were to try it again.
Altering Ingredients to Suit our Adult Tastebuds
So I decided to recreate this special cake for my husband’s birthday. Instead of the gooey red jam and coconut, I decided to make a simple vanilla cake with an orange honey glaze that seemed like the perfect swap for our adult tastebuds. This is also the first year that our mandarin orange tree gave us oranges. They obviously had to make an appearance in making this special cake.
Love for Bundt
Thanks to the slew of festivals in the last quarter of 2020, I knew that a frosting-laden cake wasn’t going to make an appearance for at least 6 months. I opted to bake the cake in a stunning bundt cake pan from Nordicware. This recipe makes a little more than 4 mini bundts. I poured the excess batter into a muffin pan and tweaked the bake time.
Notes:
You can also make some simple syrup. Poke a few holes in the cake using a toothpick once it is out of the oven. Put the simple syrup onto the cake a tbsp at a time and allow it to absorb the moisture before using the glaze to make it extra moist!
Speaking of cakes, I have an easy winter cake recipe that is the perfect addition to your tea time routine. Check it out and leave me your comments!
As much as I love cooking, there are days when I want to have a good meal but don’t feel like slogging it out in the kitchen. I like having recipes in my repertoire that are quick to prep but look like you spent hours making it. One such dish is a simple vegetable kurma. A favorite childhood memory is devouring this thick coconut stew with a flaky parotta from one of the many fast-food restaurants like Sangeetha and Saravana Bhavan in Madras. It pairs well with rice or chapati. This is a recipe that you can make from scratch with fresh vegetables or use a few shortcuts with frozen vegetables and shredded coconut. You will need to buy a packet of frozen grated coconut for this recipe. This is a shorter version that makes this dish a breeze to put together.
Notes:
Use only frozen or freshly grated coconut. Desiccated coconut or coconut flakes will not provide the same flavor or texture.
