Easy Pumpkin Sabzi/ Gummadikaya Teepi Kura

Back from a long hiatus! But my passion for good food is intact. The only thing different now is in addition to being a lazy foodie is the aversion to some very common ingredients, viz. onions and garlic. So I thought I might start blogging about the recent experiments in my kitchen with a conspicuous lack of the above said bulbs.

Today's post is a simple recipe utilizing Pumpkin which is available year round in the USofA. It is called Gummadikaya in Telugu and Kaddoo in Hindi. This particular kura (literal meaning vegetable dish) goes well with plain rice or chapathis.

Gummadikaya Teepi Kura/ Easy Pumpkin Sabzi

Ingredients:

3 cups of Pumpkin- peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 sprig Curry leaves (Kari patta)

3 tbsps Jaggery (Gur), grated. 

Seasonings:

2 tsps oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds (rai)

1 tsp split Black gram dal (dhuli urad)

2 small dry Red chillies, broken into halves

Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing) - optional.

Salt to taste

Method:

Steam the cubed the pumpkin pieces either in a pressure cooker or using a steamer basket. If you do not have access to either, then put the pieces in a microwave safe bowl and nuke it for about 3 mins. Check it halfway through and stir once and finish microwaving. The aim is to get 'al dente' pumpkin without turning it mushy or watery.

Put a thick bottomed pan or kadai on medium heat. Add the oil and wait till it is hot. Put in the Mustard seeds and wait till majority have spluttered, then add the Black gram dal and saute till the white dal turns to a light brown color. Now add the broken dry Red chilly pieces, Asafoetida and Curry leaves. **Caution - move slightly away from the pan while adding the Curry leaves since they splutter horribly due to high water content.**

Immediately put the pumpkin cubes into the pan. Give a gentle stir. Sprinkle salt as per taste, give another stir, cover and let cook for about 3-5 minutes. Uncover pan and sprinkle the jaggery. Sugar or brown sugar may be substituted for the jaggery but taste will be compromised. 

Stir gently and cover. From this point on, you may cook the pumpkin to a desired state of doneness. I like it where the pieces still hold shape but have partly turned mushy (as shown in the picture above). But if al dente is preferred then turn off the heat as soon as the jaggery has dissolved.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with hot rice.

Easy Vegetable Curry

Every week there comes a day when I crave Oriental ( Chinese/Thai/Japanese etc.) cuisine. The loss of Singapore Restaurant (Raritan, NJ) really haunts me in those moments. But the good part is that now I am forced to try new recipes for myself. And as a self proclaimed 'Lazy Foodie' I look for easy recipes, obviously. So this Easy Veggie Curry sits well with all of my requirements. I thank Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks.com for the excellent recipe. I modified it based on the things available in my refrigerator/pantry. And it tasted delicious mm mm!
Ingredients:
1 cup whole coconut milk
1-2 teaspoons Kitchen King masala ( or curry powder)
Salt to taste (about 1/2 to 1 tsp)
Half large red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 ozs firm tofu, cut into cubes
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch segments
1/2 cup green bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
1/3 cup water
a handful of cilantro, chopped
Method:

Take half cup coconut milk in a pot and bring it to a simmer. Whisk in the masala and salt, make sure there are no clumps. In a wok, heat a tbsp of oil. Stir-fry the tofu and the vegetables, adding each separately ( stir-fry 1-2 minutes between each addition ). Stir in the remaining coconut milk and water now. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the curried coconut milk, stir well. Check for salt and let sit on low heat for just about 1 minute for the flavors to blend. Stir, remove from heat and garnish with the cilantro. Serve immediately with a bowl of warm rice and other sides.
Note: The vegetables can be cooked a little less based on personal preference. For extra crunch, the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup of roasted cashews to be added in the end.
Hope this easy recipe inspires you to try a different flavor today. You can follow the link below for Heidi's original recipe.
cashew curry

Mystic, Connecticut

The title says it all. We were in Mystic, Connecticut for a short vacation while attending a friend's graduation in URI, Rhode Island. By a lucky twist we were lodged in the best possible area, walking distance from most of the attractions. Across the road from us was the quaint 'Olde Mistick Village'. I could have spent hours, literally, just walking around this pretty little village turned shopping precinct. I went into a shop that carried oriental stuff - jade figurines and jewelry, Japanese fans, Chinese urns and tea sets, even Anime figurines. Then came Franklin's General Store - an old-fashioned general store that carried candies, salsa, jams & jellies and mementos.

We bought some caramel creams. These were soft chewy caramels with a sweet cream center. These were a hit with the sweet lovers in the group.






The next stop was Munson's Chocolate store and it was the most delicious experience ever. I am a hardcore chocolate fan so my excitement is nothing new. But my husband's unexpected enthusiasm at the edible art inside the store was quite surprising. There was so much variety that it was difficult to make a decision regarding a purchase. Finally we went with a bag of Mystic River Rocks. See for yourself how artistically it is made. And the taste was absolutely 'chocoriffic'.

 Before starting I had done some homework and all online resources indicated that no trip to Mystic was complete without a trip to Mystic Pizza. It's a small pizzeria in historic Downtown Mystic which was established in 1973. It became legendary when a Julia Roberts movie (with the same name) was set and shot here. So we decided to stop by and enjoy 'a slice of heaven' in Mystic Pizza pizzeria. Was the pizza good? Hmm...I don't feel comfortable reviewing a piece of legend. I went there to see the place which was the setting of a coming of age story of three young girls. I did and it is a good small town place which makes the story very believable.
There are many other excellent eateries and charming stores along the downtown Main Street. Being on the coast as well as river front, Mystic is a sea-food lovers paradise. All the restaurants offer a splendid array of the freshest catch of the day. My fancy was to try the S&P Oyster Co. which had a beautiful setting and was belching forth delicious smells from it's kitchen chimneys. It is located by the river next to the Mystic Drawbridge and has been voted the ' Best Patio in the State' by Connecticut Magazine. So it was hardly surprising when we were asked to wait an hour for a table. And being as ravenous as we were, S&P was given up as a lost cause. Maybe next time.
On the whole Mystic is a great place for a weekend vacation. For the kids, the Mystic Aquarium holds much potential. The 'Olde Mistick Village', historic Mystic Downtown and nearby areas of Noank and Stonington offer a lot for the vacationers. It is also very near the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos/resorts as well as Westbrook Tanger Outlet malls. On the whole Mystic,CT has something for everyone in your vacationer's group.