Cucumber and Avocado Dip/Spread

I am not a veggie or a salad person and sadly my baby is also turning into one. While I would really like to see her gorge on fruits and veggies like other or most babies do, I cannot blame her for her choice. However, I do love buying fresh and beautiful veggies and then come home looking for recipes which I think will satiate my taste buds. Today's recipe is one such. My cucumber and avocado were nearing their end and I had to do something meaningful with them. Luckily, there were a few recent posts on Cucumber Dip on CAL and from the basic recipe that was posted there, I decided to add my own twist. It is yummy, it is healthy, and it is filling too. Enjoy this dip with some Indian vadas, tortilla chips, or anything that you like. 

Ingredients

1 avocado skinned and deseeded and chopped finely

1 cucumber deseeded and chopped

1 tbsp garlic chopped (add more if you like)

1 tbsp coriander chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 medium onion chopped finely (you msy skip if you do not enjoy raw onions)

1 tsp olive oil (optional, I skipped)

10-12 roasted peanuts, skin removed

Salt, red chilli flakes and pepper to taste

Direction

Put the cucumber, avocado, peanuts, coriander, and garlic in a blender and make a smooth paste. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper and chilli flakes and pulse till smooth. The cucumber will be releasing a lot of water. You can strain the liquid and use it for making some fritters or likewise. I like my dip thick and chunky and so I strained the water completely. Now add the chopped onions and the olive oil, if using, and mix well. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator till further use. 

The Perfect Green Chutney

Eureka! Eureka! Eureka! Surely it was an Eureka moment when I tasted my chutney straight from the grinder. Perfect! Just the right balance of flavors and just the way me and, especially, my husband loves it. It is not the first time that I have made this but certainly a first for this perfection. I know that Green Chutney is a staple for most Indian households and most prepare it the perfect way with the blink of an eye, anytime and everytime. However, when you ask them the recipe, all you get to hear is "just put evetything together in the grinder and pulse!" Well, I do not blame them either. They are so habituated in making this chutney that it is more of instincts for them rather than measurements. Nevertheless, I have finally cracked down on the measurements today and henceforth, I will be able to proudly boast about my Green Chutney. Oh! And did I mention, my husband loves it and I strongly believe and implement that "The way to a man's wallet is through his stomach!" :D

Ingredients (Makes a big batch)

250 gms fresh coriander (preferably market fresh)

50 gms mint leaves (again, preferably market fresh)

10-12 fat garlic cloves (add more if you like it more garlicky)

6-8 green chillies (as per your heat tolerance)

12-15 cherry tomatoes/2 medium tomatoes (I wanted to finish off my stock of cherry tomatoes)

1 tsp sugar

Salt as per taste

Note: You can skip the tomatoes and add raw mango instead which is more preferable. Depending on the tanginess, add 1-2 mangoes. I did not have any stock.

Direction

Remove the mint leaves from the stems, except for the very tender ones, and wash thoroughly. Add it to the grinder along with the garlic, chillies, and tomatoes (eye removed). If you are using raw mango, peel and cut the mangoes lengthwise before adding and discard the stone. Pulse till everything is well grinded and smooth. 

Now cut the coriander at the root and discard any fat stem. Coriander usually has very tender stems and so need not be discarded. Wash thoroughly and with the help of a big kitchen scissors, roughly cut through the leaves. Add them to the grinder and continue pulsing with the other ingredients. At this point, taste the chutney for any additional garlic or chilly and adjust accordingly. Finally, add the salt and sugar and give the final few pulses. You might wonder the reason of not adding everything in one go. Basically, I am trying to recreate the traditional way of grinding the ingredients one at a time on the mortar and pestle (Sil Batta) and also adding ingredients one at a time ensures that everything is ground to a smooth paste without any chunks. 

Transfer the chutney to a clean and dry glass jar/bowl with a tight lid. Keep refrigerated. The recipe makes a big batch of chutney which stays fresh in the refrigerator in a tight lid jar for upto three weeks (if it does not get over by then)! Always use a clean spoon while serving out of the jar and you can see the chutney last even longer!

Sweet and Spicy Apple Cranberry Relish

In the kitchen, usually one thing leads to the other. While I was making my bread at home yesterday, I suddenly remembered my three bright shiny apples lying sad in the fridge. With a box of dried cranberries also at hand, I immediately jumped upon the idea of making a yummy relish to go with my beautiful bread. While I did not start making the chutney until I sliced my bread ( I wasn't sure if it would be good to eat), I jumped up with joy as this was the most delicious wholemeal bread I have tasted or had made in recent times. From there, it took me just under 1/2 hour to get the relish ready and what a combination it was! I will be making some pooris as well over the weekend to enjoy this delicious chutney apart from having it with bread.

                                         

Ingredients

3 firm apples, either finely chopped or grated

1/2 cup dried cranberries or 1/3 cup raisins

1 medium onion chopped

1 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp cumin powder

11/2 tsp chilli powder

3-4 tbsp brown sugar ( you may as well try with jaggery or simple white fine sugar)

1/4 cup balsamic or cider vinegar (can add regular vinegar too but lesser in quantity. If using jaggery, no need for vinegar) 

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp olive oil

Direction

In a pan, heat the oil and add the onions. Fry till pink. Now add the apples, cranberries, and all other spices. Mix well. Add the sugar and salt. Mix again. Now, add the vinegar and cover and cook on a medium to low flame for about 15-20 minutes until the fruits are softened and the gravy is getting thickened. Check the seasoning and adjust as per taste. Keep stirring more often now as the liquid is drying up and there are chances of it getting burnt. Remove from heat and store in a glass bowl or container. Remains good for upto 1 week in the refrigerator, if it lasts that long though. Here is how I relished my Relish!

                                       

 

Launji--Sweet and Sour Raw Mango Chutney

There was a time when my mother would religiously watch the cookery shows telecast on national television and while she would be busy writing the recipes in her diary as fast as she could, I had the duty of prompting her and keep an alert eye in case she missed something. Times have now changed and while you still have cookery shows on TV, you may as well record the show and watch at your own ease later on. Also, the Internet has made every recipe so easily available that most people now hardly need to wait for a cookery show to cook something new. However, the charm of noting down new recipes in a jiffy while the show is still on is something incomparable to modern day technology. Coming to today's recipe, I had bought some ripe Thai mangoes earlier in the day for my baby and when I cut it, it turned out completely raw. While I was just thinking of making it into a chutney, this recipe just pops out in one of the food forums I have subscribed to. I immediately got onto the job and what super yummy it turned out! I could not even stop myself from licking the hot wok clean!

Ingredients

2 big raw mangoes or 3 medium ones

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

2 whole red chillies

A pinch of heeng 

1 tsp freshly roasted saunf powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp freshly roasted cumin powder

1/4 cup jaggery or as per taste

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp olive oil or any other oil

Direction

Wash and peel the mangoes. Cut into thin strips and keep aside. In a pan, heat the oil and add the heeng, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaf, and whole red chillies. Then add the mangoes and let it simmer for some time till slightly wilted. Add the turmeric powder, salt, chilli powder, and saunf powder. Mix well. Now add the jaggery and cover and cook on a low flame till the jaggery is melted and forms a thick sauce. Check the seasoning for the perfect balance of sweet and spicy and adjust accordingly. Lastly, add the roasted cumin powder and remove from heat. Enjoy your yummy chutney with a variety of dishes or just keep licking it through the day as I have been doing!