Comfort..

Brief

poetic escapades

aside, back to regular programming...!

This is a stew that comforts in the cold of Winter :)

Warm as a soft cashmere blanket on a cold, frosty day..

Gentle heat as welcome as from the burning wood at the fireplace..

Hearty as the expanse of the country side...

Complete with jalapeno scones, in case you need more of a palate awakening!

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Moroccan Vegetable Stew

In season root vegetables, diced

half a head of cauliflower

any other winter vegetable

1 onion, diced fine

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

1/2 can of whole san marzano tomatoes

1/2 inch chunk of ginger grated

1 T sumac

1 T Ras el Hanout

2-1/2 or more cups of water

1/2 cup of cream

chives for garnish

salt, pepper and oil as needed

In a heavy bottomed pan, saute the onions, garlic and ginger until softened. Add the root vegetables and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the spice, tomatoes and other vegetables and one cup of water and bring to a boil. Add everything else and simmer for about 15 minutes, till the vegetables are soft. Adjust water content to desired soupy-ness and serve with garnish.

Simple South Indian Comfort - Bottle Gourd Kootu (Stew)

I am a South Indian but, oddly enough, I did not grow up with a particularly South Indian table. My mom always did like trying out new dishes and since she started her serious cooking while in the mid-West of India, North Indian cuisine was as much a staple as traditional Tamilian dishes.

As I grew up, I became more partial to rotis and less so to rice. I would be very happy to eat rotis for every meal and avoid the other carb entirely. Obviously, this meant more work for my mom, because, of course, I would expect fresh, hot-off-the-tava rotis for every meal.

Finally, and I am sure, without any correlation to the convenience of it, mom insisted that I have to eat atleast one cup of rice a week. And, this was excluding those special treats of Biriyani that I had absolutely no qualms in overindulging in.

I would grumble but, in hindsight, rather enjoyed my Saturday lunches, which, were usually rice with a South Indian vegetable stew and a side of more veggies and paapad. All with generous teaspoons of homemade ghee! :-).

To be a vegetarian in India is very easy, not the least because of the variety of vegetables and greens you find there. Besides, South Indian cooking is quite partial to the use of fruits of the Earth, having endured centuries of the caste system, where, vegetarian Brahmins, occupied the pride of place atop.

So, recently, when nostalgia hit me and I wanted to go back to the comfort of my mom's cooking, I turned to this simple but deeply satisfying stew made with Bottle Gourd. It's a mild stew, that is tamely spiced with turmeric, green chillies and cumin powder, allowing the flavor of the vegetable to come through.

We ate it with dill rice and homemade ghee (made by MIL! :-) ) and a side of grated fresh turmeric salad. Ah! Bliss!!!

And, before I go, I want to share a bit of happiness that just made my Friday. A mail from Xiaolu in the morning put a smile on my face and kept it there. Yes, the DMBLGIT awards and I am honored to be listed amongst the winners for my photo of the Brunch Bruschetta. Thanks very much to all the judges for your appreciation! :))



Bottle Gourd Kootu

1 medium bottle gourd, peeled and diced
1/2 medium onion, diced fine
3-4 green chillies
2 cloves of garlic
1 inch ginger, minced
1 tomato, diced fine
1/4 cup fresh grated coconut
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp urad dal (ivory lentil)
3/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
3 -4 curry leaves
2 T chopped fresh dill
2 cups water + more if needed
salt, oil as needed

In a deep pan, fry the mustard and cumin seeds and ivory lentil until the lentils lightly brown. Add the curry leaves and wait for the mustard to start popping. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and saute until soft. Stir in the chillies, salt and ground spices and saute for a couple of minutes.

Add the bottle gourd and coconut and saute for a few minutes. Now add the tomato and water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on medium for about 15 minutes or until the vegetable is fully cooked. Add more water if needed. Stir in the dill leaves and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with rice and some melted ghee.

Cold Weather Comfort: Rosemary scented Harissa Beef and Lentil Stew

Someone, somewhere seems to have a vendetta with the North East US. We seem to have become quite the dumping ground for the impetuousness of our weather mother. Nary a week passes by without a severe weather warning in the horizon. In the last three weeks, we have had two snow storms, one leaving behind a mountain of white fluff and the other a hill, but still something to talk about!

The thing is, I think snow is beautiful, I mean to the point of breathtaking... as it is coming down. Or, if you are one of those catch-the-dawn kind of people, then perhaps, you get to witness it's ethereal beauty before it gets sullied by the reality of life.




I look out my window as the light, delicate (sometimes clumps) flurries sway down and it triggers happy thoughts... of pristine landscapes, of dogs running happy in the white stuff, of wearing my sexy new hounds tooth pattern rain boots, of warm, comforting meals and if I pause philosophically, of fresh starts and clean slates...

Then come morning and in the light of day, the romantic thoughts are obliterated by real people and real vehicles trudging through the snow and turning it into grey and then black slush. Not to mention that the slush remains for many days, because the city has political turmoil! Dear elected representatives, please get your priorities right. Clean first, quibble later!

Photo Courtsey: CBS News

Nevertheless, even as the perfect white ground is obliterated with many many black tire tracks and icy slush and mutinous thoughts about city governance prey on your mind, you can atleast take solace in that warm, comforting meal you were planning.

Winter typically brings on cravings for stews and soups. Recently, I decided to go a bit light on the carbs. So, I have been thinking of ways to make a filling meal that does not depend heavily on a carb compenent to furnish that satisfied feeling. In walk, Lentils. Rich in protein, taste fabulous, and intensely satisfying to boot!

And nothing says comforting better than a good, hearty beef stew. Mine has an extra kick from the harissa marinated beef and the addition of rosemary infuses the stew with becoming earthiness!



I have my bowl of stew ready. Now, I just need a blanket and good book and I am all set to brave a storm, whenever it wants to rattle my window!




Rosemary scented Harissa Beef and Lentil Stew

1/2 lb beef brisket, cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 T harissa
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp vinegar
salt to taste

3/4 cup lentils
3 cups stock
3 carrots, peeled and diced into 3/4 inch chunks
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic
3 small sprigs of rosemary (about 2 T), tied together
salt and pepper as needed

Soak the lentils for an hour in warm water.

Mix together the salt, harissa, vinegar and cumin and coat the beef cubes evenly with the mixture. Let the meat marinate in the fridge for atleast an hour. When ready, saute half the diced onion in oil until soft. Add the meat and brown evenly. Add 1/2 cup of stock. At this point, you can transfer to a pressure cooker and cook for about 20 minutes or 7-8 whistles. If you are cooking in a regular pan, cook on medium heat until the meat is done. Add water as liquids are needed.

Meanwhile, saute the remaining onions and garlic in another pan in oil. Add the carrots and saute for a minute. Drain the lentils and add to the mixture along with the rosemary and remaining stock. Over low heat, cook the lentils until almost done.

Combine the lentils with the beef mixture and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Let the stew rest for 15 or so minutes and then it's ready to serve. You can fish out the rosemary at this point, if you want to.