Sambhar - South Indian Dal stew

Ah Sambhar! It can make or break your reputation as a good cook in some places in India. But there is no bad sambhar! Each house has its own unique recipe for making sambhar. The recipe is usually passed on from mother to daughter or maybe to the daughter-in -law and is a well guarded secret. Usually.
Of course each cook makes it in his or her own way and there are slight variations even if you make it multiple times. But here is the basic recipe for sambhar powder first - which is the foundation for any sambhar!


For the Sambhar powder:

1 TBS chana dal (bengal gram)
1 TBS udad dal (split black gram)
1 TBS coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
4-5 dry red chillies

All the above ingredients except chillies have to be dry roasted till the dals turn light brown. Grind everything with the chillies in a spice grinder to a fine powder.

For the sambhar

1/2 cup toor dal ( pigeon peas)
cook till totally soft with :
a pinch of asafoetida
1/4 tsp turmeric
water as needed

This can be done either in a pressure cooker or even in a slow cooker. 1/2 cup of dry dal will give you about a cup and a half of cooked dal.

4-5 Indian shallots (ask for sambhar onions) - you can use pearl onions - even the frozen ones instead
1/2 cup pumpkin pieces (skin removed) - about 1 inch square
1/2 cup eggplant pieces
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 lemon sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup of water
2 dry red chillies
10-12 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp udad dal
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
salt to taste
oil
1 to 2 TBS ghee or butter

In a large pot, heat oil, temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, udad dal and curry leaves. Add the chopped tomatoes, red chillies and curry leaves to this oil and saute for about 5 minutes till the tomato starts to soften. Then add the vegetables - onions, pumpkin and eggplant and saute, so the tomato and oil coats the vegetables very well. Add the sambhar masala powder and saute till you can smell it frying. Add a little water and cover and let the vegetables cook. Once the vegetables are done, add the dal and the tamarind pulp.  You may need to add water at this point - you can always reserve the cooking water from the dal if any is left and use it. Add salt to taste and the chopped cilantro leaves. Finish it with a dollop of ghee or butter.
Serve hot with idli, wada, dosa, rice .....

Notes: You can use so many vegetables in sambhar, there is specific rule. You can use cauliflower, okra, eggplant, pimpkin or any other kind of squash, drumstick (indian drumstick here - not a chicken drumstick). I have even seen potatoes used. You can steam or parboil the veggies so your sambhar is done faster if you like. This is not an exact science - once you start making this regularly, you will know what vegetables you like in it, you will know how sour you like it or how spicy you like it. Keep cooking!

I have included some pictures here - but these are not mine - I guess I should make this more often so I can upload my pictures here. But for now- these are for reference purpose only. You will see what is a drumstick and the various vegetables that can go into a sambhar and what the finished product looks like.

Tomato Rasam

This spicy soup is a staple in every South Indian home. It's quick and easy to prepare. Needs only a few ingredients which are usually always available in the pantry and its spiciness is the perfect way to wake up your taste buds. You can dip your idlis and wadas in this, you can eat this with rice or enjoy it as a soup on a cold winter day.


4 large ripe tomatoes
1 lime sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1/4 cup water (or 1 TBS tamarind extract)
1/2 inch piece of ginger
3-4 garlic cloves
1 TBS black pepper corns
1/2 TBS cumin seeds
1.2 TBS coriander seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
2-3 dry red chillies (depending on your spice tolerance- you can de-seed them if you like)
the stalks from the cilantro leaves (mentioned below)
2 TBS cilantro leaves finely chopped
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/8 tsp asafoetida powder
10-12 curry leaves
salt to taste
oil for tempering

Blend together with 3 cups of  water - everything from Tomatoes to cilantro stalks. Strain it, sqqueeze out every bit of goodness and keep aside.
In a deep pot, heat oil, add the mustard seeds and asafoetida powder and the curry leaves. Pour the blended tomato mixture into the tempered oil, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Sprinkle the cilantro leaves on top and serve hot!.

Note: You can find all these ingredients in any Indian store. I strongly recommend using tamarind instead of the ready extract, but if you have to use the bottled kind try find one that is brown in colour and not black, as the black one spoils the looks of the rasam.

Chicken and vegetable soup

Chicken soup for the soul...Comfort food at its best. And so easy to make.

Like all soups this one needs a good stock to start with. That is what will give the soup its true flavour. You can find  the recipe for chicken stock right here http://mykitchenbyswati.blogspot.ca/2014/11/learn-basics-chicken-stock.html
A good stock, with all the other vegetables and aromatics we add will make a really good soup.


2 litres chicken stock
1 cup cubed chicken (boneless) I usually use the thigh meat, it holds up better
1/2 cup celery diced
1/2 cup carrots diced
1/2 cup yellow onions diced
2 garlic cloves
1 sprig thyme
salt
pepper
lemon
1/3 cup pearl barley
2 tbs finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic finely chopped
olive oil

Use a big enough pot, so you don't crowd the ingredients.
Heat about 2 TBS of olive oil, add the 2 TBS chopped onion and 1  clove of garlic and saute till transparent. You do not want to brown the onion. Add the barley and saute well. You will notice a difference - the barley will feel sandy when its been sauteed well. This will take about 5 minutes.
Add the cubed chicken, Saute till chicken changes colour.
Add the celery, carrots and onions. Give it a quick stir and add the chicken stock. Drop in the whole garlic cloves, the sprig of thyme. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cover and let it cook, till the barley is soft.
Fish out the thyme and the garlic cloves. Add a healthy squeeze of lemon. Check for seasoning.

A perfect meal for a winter evening.

Soups and Stews - Vegetable Soup

This soup is chock-a-block with all kinds of vegetables. It's a very hearty soup and can be served by itself as a whole meal. It's got the fragrance of fresh basil, the heartiness of the vegetables and it's thickened using sourdough bread. It does use a little bit of pancetta but vegetarians can easily omit that. I have an alternative for you at the bottom of the recipe.


4 TBS good olive oil
1 cup diced onion (not red onion, you can use yellow or white)
1/4 cup pancetta diced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cups chopped kale
2 cups chopped savoy cabbage
6-7 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 cup canellini beans (white beans)
1 large can whole tomatoes in puree
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tsp salt
1 TBS pepper
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
6 large slices of sourdough bread cut into 1 inch cubes (about 2 cups)

Prep: Soak the white beans over night and then cook them in salted water for about 45 to 50 minutes till they are done but not mushy. Puree half the beans using the cooking water and keep half of them whole. Reserve the cooking liquid.

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil, add the diced pancetta and chopped onions. Saute till the bacon starts to crisp. Add the chopped carrots and celery, saute and let cook for 5-6 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, cabbage and kale. Saute till well mixed. Season with salt, pepper and chili flakes.
Add the whole cooked beans to the pot, and the beans puree. Add the can of tomatoes and mix thoroughly. Add 4 cups of stock and 1 cup of the beans cooking liquid. Add the bread cubes and cover and let cook for about 20- 25 minutes. Add the chopped fresh basil leaves and let cook for 5 minutes.

To serve:

Serve with really good olive oil drizzled on top. Or some parmesan grated on top.

Note for vegetarians. You can omit the pancetta and instead add a tablespoon of butter with the olive oil. Just enhances the flavour!

Spinach Soup - Soups and Stews

Another addition to my Soups and Stews list! The vibrant green colour will surely tempt you to try it. Its a simple dish - there are so many variations you can try - it's like making a new dish every time.
I have found that using baby spinach for the soup does make a tiny bit of difference to the taste. But don't panic if don't have baby spinach, regular spinach works just as well. Make sure you just use the leaves, no stalks allowed.
This soup does use butter and cream...but you can change the amount of butter and cream as per your requirements.

3 TBS butter
1/2 cup chopped shallots (or sliced onion)
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
500 gms baby spinach leaves- washed and trimmed
500 ml milk (more if required)
500 ml vegetable stock.
1 cup peeled and diced potato.
salt to taste
1/2 tsp white pepper
few grates of nutmeg
1/2 tsp lemon zest
4 TBS half and half

In a stock pot add the butter, shallots and garlic and saute till transparent. Add the potato cubes and saute. Add the stock and cover and cook the potatoes till soft. Add half the spinach leaves and the lemon zest and saute till well mixed. Cover and cook for about 7-8 minutes till the spinach is completely wilted. Let this cool for a bit. Add the milk and the remaining raw spinach leaves. Then blend it using a hand blender or in batches in a regular blender.
Return to low heat and stir in salt, pepper and few grates of nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Use more milk to thin out the soup to your required consistency if desired.
Just before serving fold in the heavy cream.
Chiffonade a few baby spinach leaves to garnish the soup.


Notes:
You can add a few sprigs of mint to give it a slightly different taste. Just add them with the raw spinach and blend them in. Make sure to only use the leaves.
Using half the spinach raw will give a very vibrant green colour to your soup.
If you do not want to use potatoes to thicken the soup, you can always make a roux.

Soups and Stews - Mushroom Soup

This soup tastes nothing like the one out of the can. Just takes a bit of patience - brown the mushrooms in butter for a while and you will get a beautiful rounded out flavour to the soup. I make it with vegetable stock if I want to serve it to vegetarians- but beef or chicken stock is great in this soup.
I use crimini mushrooms- but mini bellas or regular white button mushrooms will work as well.


4 cups mushrooms sliced
1/2 cup yellow onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic peeled
8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme tied together
1 TBS sherry
1 TBS AP flour
1 TBS salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3-4 TBS good olive oil
2 TBS butter
1 cup cream (half and half)

In a stock pot, add the oil, butter and the sliced mushrooms. Saute them on medium heat till they brown well - this will take about 20 minutes at least. Add the chopped onion and the garlic cloves and continue sauteing till the onion is translucent and the mushrooms start to caramelize. Do not hurry this step- this is what will flavour the soup.
Add the sherry and saute till the alcohol smell is gone. Add the flour and saute till the raw flour taste is gone.
Add 6 cups of stock, salt, pepper and drop the bunch of thyme in and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and let cook for 45 minutes.
Pick out the thyme bunch and blend the soup till smooth. You can either use an immersion blender or a regular blender. If using a regular blender make sure you fill the jar only about 1/3 full at a time.
Add the cream and check seasoning. If you prefer a thinner soup, use either water or stock to thin the soup. Do not use cream to thin the soup- or it will get too rich.
Bring to a boil before serving.

You can serve it with a crostini in the bottom of the bowl or a dollop of mascarpone on top. You could reserve a few browned mushrooms before adding the stock to garnish the soup.
Go ahead - I promise this will take the edge off the winter chills.

Chicken corn soup

I think this was the first ever 'foreign' soup I had in India...many many moons ago. But it has remained a firm favourite and the good part is- everyone at home loves it too. The announcement that we are having chicken corn soup for dinner is always greeted with enthusiasm.



1 can cream style corn
1 litre chicken stock
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt (this will vary depending on whether the chicken stock is salted - always check)
1 chicken breast - steamed and shredded
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 TBS rice wine vinegar
2 eggs - beaten
1 TBS cornflour
4 TBS water

to serve:
soy sauce
hot sauce
scallions finely sliced

In a large stock pot, empty the can of cream style corn and the chicken stock. Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a rolling boil.
Slowly add the beaten eggs to the soup, stirring constantly. Try and pour the beaten eggs in as thin a stream as possible so you get nice threads in the soup.
Mix the cornflour with the water and add that slurry to the soup and let boil for 3-4 minutes.
Add the vinegar at the end, Top with the shredded chicken.

Ladle soup into a bowl, serve with a few drops of soy sauce and a sprinkle of scallions.
Add a few drops of hot sauce if desired.

Carrot Soup

We so love our soups in winter. The stores are full of lovely squashes and root vegetables and they make lovely soups.
This carrot soup has a hint of ginger to give it a kick.


3 TBS butter
2 lbs carrots sliced
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 TBS grated or chopped fresh ginger
1 TBS ginger juice
6 cups stock
salt
pepper
1 cup heavy cream
juice of half a lemon

Melt the butter and saute the onions till translucent. Saute the carrots and ginger for 5-6 minutes. Add the stock (you can use chicken stock or vegetable stock) and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer till the carrot is soft. Blend the vegetables with an immersion blender till smooth.
Season with salt and pepper. Add the ginger juice. ( just grate ginger and squeeze out the juice) and the heavy cream.
Finish with the lemon juice.

Serve garnished with cilantro leaves or serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Soups and Stews - Butternut Squash Soup

This is not just a fall favourite - you can get good butternut squash all year round. If you are a Trader Joe's fan like me then you can get the pre-cut butternut squash pieces to make your life easier.


1 butternut squash

Split it lengthwise- remove the seed, coat with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and roast in a 350 degree oven for about 60 minutes till soft. Peel off the skin and it's ready to use.

Again, you can steam the squash or just microwave it and scoop out the pulp. Works just fine.

In this soup you can just peel the squash, and chop it up and add the pieces to the soup pot and then blend it all. 

3 cups of butternut squash pulp  OR 1 whole squash peeled and chopped
3 TBS shallots finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3 TBS olive oil
1 TBS butter
1/2 tsp ground pepper
6 -7 cups stock** (vegetable or chicken depending on your preference)
salt
1/4 cup half and half (you can use just milk or 5% as per your taste)

In a pot heat the 3 TBS olive oil, add the butter, shallots, carrots and garlic and saute till translucent.
Add the squash pulp and pepper, saute to coat the pulp. Add the stock and salt.
Blend with a hand blender and add the cream. Bring to a rolling boil and let simmer for 5-6 minutes.

If you are adding uncooked squash pieces, add the stock and cover and cook for about 50 minutes till the squash is soft. Then blend with a hand blender or pass through a food mill. You may need to add more liquid at this point.
Bring to a boil and add the cream.

Serve with a slice of fresh bread and a splash of cream if you like.

Soups and Stews - Pumpkin Soup

Fall favourites - Pumpkin or butternut squash soup.

Pumpkin soup first.

I usually make this with fresh pumpkin - I do not use canned pumpkin pulp. Just because I like the taste and the texture of the fresh pumpkin.

To extract pumpkin pulp -
Make sure you don't buy a sugar pumpkin - that's for pies...

Cut the pumpkin into quarters and remove the seeds and the fibres. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle same salt and let cook for 60-75 minutes till soft.
Then just peel off the skin and use the pulp.

There are many ways of extracting the pulp, you can steam the pumpkin, zap it in the microwave, peel it and cut it and just cook the pieces in the soup. I leave it to you - pick the method you prefer. I use the roasting method, I just feel it gives a concentrated pumpkin flavour.

4 cups of fresh pumpkin pulp
1/2 cup chopped shallots
5 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 tsp chili flakes
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cream (just regular half and half)
3 litres of chicken stock **(or vegetable stock for a vegetarian soup)
4 TBS olive oil


In a large pot heat heat 4 TBS olive oil, add the shallots and garlic and fry till translucent. Add the pumpkin pulp, chili flakes and salt. Stir till the shallots and garlic are mixed in well with the pulp.
Add the chicken stock and mix. Add the salt (please make sure to check if the chicken stock has added salt).
Use a hand blender to get the right consistency.
Add the cream and bring the soup to a boil.

To serve you can top it with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil (use the really good one- the one used for dipping your bread), a few drops of balsamic vinegar and maybe a shaving of parmesan cheese.

** Recipe for Chicken Stock and Vegetable Stock in my Learn the Basics section.

Soups and Stews - Pork Stew

This is a favourite at our house...and what's not to like. Pork and lots of veggies- ultimate in comfort food. Serve it with a crusty California sourdough bread to mop up everything.
It's a one dish meal, easy to prepare- takes very little prep time. 
 

4 Bone In Pork Chops (or you could use stewing meat.) - cubed
10-12 pearl onions. (use frozen or fresh.)
8-10 small red potatoes
1 lb button mushrooms
4 stalks of celery
12-15 baby carrots
2 shallots finely chopped
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
salt
pepper
red chili flakes
olive oil
2 TBS white wine
2-3 cups chicken stock
2 TBS all purpose flour
2 TBS butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup chicken stock


Heat Olive oil and saute the garlic and shallots till translucent. Add the pork and saute till brown. Add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the vegetables except mushrooms and keep cooking for about 5-6 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and thyme. Add 1 cup chicken stock. Salt, pepper and chili flakes to taste.
In a saucepan, heat the 1 tsp olive oil and add the 2 TBS butter. Roast the flour on a medium flame till it's no longer raw. You will see it change colour- you can go as brown as you like- I usually don't make it too dark as it changes the colour of the stew. While the flour is hot, add one cup stock- slowly- whisking all the time so there are no lumps. Form a smooth gravy and add to the stew.
Cover and cook till the pork is tender. You will need to add more chicken stock as you go. Usually takes about 30 minutes on low heat.

Fish out the bones (if present) and serve with good sourdough bread.

Soups and Stews - Chicken and Dumplings

Yum yum yum...comfort food at it's yummiest.
It's an American favourite and I have always wanted to try it. The dumplings eluded me- but finally I have it.

My own tweaked version of chicken and dumplings. Got a thumbs up from my daughter...hope you like it too.

To prep the chicken

3 Chicken breasts (bone in)
4 stalks of celery
1/2 cup of carrots
1/2 an onion
3-4 garlic cloves
 salt
pepper

olive oil

Rub olive oil, salt and pepper on the chicken. Roast the chicken and vegetables at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (till chicken is done).

When cool, take the meat off the bones and cut into 1 inch pieces. Should be about 3 cups.  Keep aside. Discard the vegetables.

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup onion chopped
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 TBS butter
2 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 TBS dry white wine
1 1/2 cup green beans
salt
pepper
1/2 tsp chili flakes

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the butter to it. When it melts add the garlic, celery, carrots and onion. Saute till the onion is translucent. Add 1/4 cup flour and stir for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. Add the white wine and stir till it is absorbed. Slowly add the chicken stock - stirring all the time. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and the green beans to the pot.

For the dumplings

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 TBS finely chopped parsley
2 TBS cold butter
1/2 cup cold milk

Mix  everything from flour to parsley. Cut the cold butter into the flour. Mix the milk. Drop the batter by the spoonful into the saucepan.

Cover and cook for about 12 minutes till the dumplings are cooked.

Sprinkle chopped parsley on top before serving.