Arabi(Taro Root)and Asparagus Curry

What is Taro root? The taro root, as with other tubers, is recognized by other names. This tuber is also known as the dasheen, eddo and kalo in many areas of the world including West Africa, Asia, Central America, South America and the Caribbean and Polynesian islands. This root is most well-known as the ingredient of the Hawaiian dish poi, which is mashed taro root.

The hairy outer coating on a taro root is similar to a coconut. The hairy outer layer is always removed before cooking. These roots are starchy and generally treated like potato. These tubers take on a nut-like flavor when cooked. Frying, baking, roasting, boiling, or steaming them as an accompaniment to meat dishes are all common uses. Soups and stews are other dishes that taro root suits well. Taro may be pounded into a thick grey paste and used to thicken other dishes in Asian cooking. Taro roots provide a good source of fiber and supply approximately 110 Calories per adult serving.

Select tubers that are firm and hairy, with no wrinkling. Store the roots for up to one week in a cool and dry location, making sure that the roots do not dry out.

The leaves and flowers are also sometimes eaten. Taro leaves can be treated like spinach and boiled or steamed.

You can make this curry with Taro root alone following the same recipe, or you can add peas or any of your favorite green vegetables with Taro root. I happened to have lot of asparagus in my fridge, so this time I made this Taro root (Arabi) curry with Asparagus.


This recipes yields 8 servings.



Ingredients:


4-5 Taro root tuber

1 lb pack of Asparagus spears

1 red onion

1 yellow onion

1 jalapeno pepper

6-8 cloves of garlic

1" piece of ginger peeled

2 cups of plain yogurt

1 cup of tomato puree

4 cups water

1/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon of asafetida

1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tbl spoon of paprika powder

2 tablespoon coriander powder

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon of mango powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon corn starch

1/4 cup cold water to mix corn starch

1/4 cup of chopped cilantro leaves



Method:


* Peel and chop taro root in cubes.

* Place them in microwave safe container add water until submerged, add some salt and boil in microwave uncovered for 20 min.

* Drain all water and set aside.

* Wash asparagus spears and discard the hard ends of each spear.

* Chop the remaining spears in to small pieces.

* Place them on a silicone microwavable steamer in bowl full of water.

* Steam the asparagus pieces for 10-12 min in microwave.

* Set aside once steamed.

* While cooking taro root and asparagus in microwave, you can prepare the gravy as follows.

* Grind onions, ginger, Jalapeno, and garlic in food processor.

* Heat oil in a pan, when oil is hot, add cumin seeds, black mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.

* When these crackle, add asafetida and bay leaf.

* Add ground onion, ginger, garlic, pepper paste and saute until light brown.

* Add all the dry spices, and saute for 30 sec - 1 min.

* Add tomato puree, mix well, cook for 1 min.

* Add yogurt and water, cook this curry or gravy until it boils, stir occasionally.

* Add salt, cook for few min, add cooked taro root cubes and cook them in gravy for 5 min.

* Add cooked chopped asparagus pieces and mix well.

* Cook the curry on medium-low heat (with occasional stirring) for 10 min, until thickens. (you can add more water if you desire the curry to be more dilute)

* Mix corn starch in cold water, add it to curry and cook for additional 3-5 min, until desired consistency of curry is acquired.

* Garnish with chopped Cilantro leaves.

* Serve hot with Chapati or Naan or Paratha or over Basmati rice.



Taro root description source: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Taro_Root
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks:Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_3.0_Unported_License

Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.

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Mango Lassi

Lassi is a popular and traditional Punjabi yogurt-based drink of the Indian Subcontinent. It is made by blending yogurt with water or milk and Indian spices. Traditional lassi (also known as salted lassi, or, simply lassi) is a savory drink sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin while sweet lassi on the other hand is blended with sugar or fruits instead of spices.

In Dharmic religions, yogurt sweetened with honey is used while performing religious rituals. Less common is lassi served with milk and is topped with a thin layer of clotted cream. Lassis are enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment, mostly taken with lunch. With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it is also used as a folk remedy for gastroenteritis.

Mango lassi is most commonly found in India though it is gaining popularity worldwide. It is made from yogurt, milk or water and mango pulp. It may be made with or without additional sugar. It is widely available in UK, Malaysia and Singapore, due to the sizable Indian minority, and in many other parts of the world. In various parts of Canada, mango lassi is a cold drink consisting of sweetened kesar mango pulp mixed with yogurt, cream, or ice cream. It is served in a tall glass with a straw, often with ground pistachio nuts sprinkled on top.

My son does not like nuts so I did not sprinkle pistachio on top, but this is a good option for all of you who are not allergic to nuts.

Here is how I made this Lassi this time.


Ingredients:


* 2 Mangoes peeled, sliced (use mangoes with no fibrous pulp)

* One 30 oz of Mango pulp (sweetened)

* 4 cups of plain yogurt (I used home made, but you can use plain greek yogurt for best results, but Dannon plain yogurt is fine too)

* 2 cups of half and half or regular milk (or you can even use evaporated milk)

* 2 tablespoon of sugar (or to taste)

* Although I did not use it, but you can add few strands of saffron dissolved in table spoon of milk.

* 1 cup of Crushed ice

* Few Mint leaves for garnish.

* 1/4 cup of roasted crushed or sliced Pistachios for garnish on top of Lassi in each serving glass (optional)



Method:

* Place all ingredients in a deep container (except crushed ice) and blend it with hand blender until smooth or you can use regular blender to make this Lassi.

* I served it with crushed ice in tall 12 oz traditional Lassi glasses from Punjab. If using regular blender to make the drink you can puree it with the crushed ice in the blender.

* Garnish with mint leave on the rim of serving glass or slice of Mango, I did not have Mint so I opted for later.

* You may garnish each serving by topping the lassi with crushed or sliced roasted pistachios (as I mentioned earlier I did not do it this time)



This recipe makes six 12 oz servings.



Lassi Description source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_3.0_Unported_License

Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.

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Moongdal Bhajia/Pakora (Moong Split Beans Fritters)

In case you all were wondering where have I been...We just got a new puppy !!
We brought him home on last Monday April 25th, 2011. I managed to post one recipe on 26th, but then have been busy enjoying him :) He just turned 10 weeks old today. He is so adorable...and so very cute...When we drove close to 4 hours to pick him up, it was raining all the way there, but who knew that the weather here is going to so miserable too.

Not a fun time to train a new pup..and take him out in pouring rain on soaking wet grounds...but his precious face makes me forget all my worries, and just mere look at him makes me forget about all the stresses of life.......Welcome to our home "Raja". That is what we have named him.

So like I was saying...It has been pouring here for last few days...rain, rain and more rain....only uplifting thought that comes to me in this rain (beside playing with my new pup) is making some spicy hot Pakoras/Bhajias... I really have a taste for these pakora today. This brings back lot of good childhood memories. On a rainy day like this in India my mom always used to make different varieties of Pakoras (Bhajia). I have already posted the recipe for onions pakoras on this blog. Now I am posting this recipe for Moong dal pakora here and the recipes for more varieties of pakoras to come later. Here is how I make my Moong dal (green gram dal) Pakoras.



Ingredients:

2 cups Moong dal

1 Jalapeno pepper or 2-3 Serrano peppers chopped

1 yellow onion chopped

3/4" ginger finely chopped

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 teaspoon mango powder

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Vegetable Oil to deep fry the Pakoras



Method:

* Wash and rinse moong dal.

* Soak washed dal in water for 3-4 hours.

* Drain all the water from soaked moong dal.

* Grind Moong dal in food processor to coarse paste.

* Add chopped onion, green chilies, cilantro, ginger, salt, baking soda and all the spices.

* Mix well.

* Heat oil in frying pan to 375 F (I use electric frying pan, gives you more control of temp and no fumes)

* Drop small balls of the paste in to heated oil carefully.

* Fry the balls until golden brown.

* Serve hot with Ketchup or Chili sauce or fresh Cilantro/Mint chutney (recipe on this blog). My husband likes these Pakoras with yogurt and cayenne pepper sauce. To make sauce this I just add some cayenne pepper powder, roasted cumin powder and salt to taste to plain yogurt and whisk it till smooth.



Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.

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