Taro Root and Okra Sabji (A curried side dish)

Taro root and Okra are both my fav tuber and veggie. A little tricky to cook, as they both have slimy characteristic.  I am sure all of you are familiar with Okra here, but may be not with Taro root. (if want to read up on Okra, refer to my recipe Simple Bhindi Masala on this blog)

What is Taro root? The taro root, as with other tubers, is recognized by other names. This tuber is also known as the Arbi (India) 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.

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 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.

Ingredients:

6-7 tubers of Taro root

2 lbs of Okra sliced in to desired thickness
1/4 cup of olive oil or vegetable cooking oil
2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of  mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon of Asfaetida
Juice from 1 fresh lime
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon of Turmeric powder
3-4 tablespoon of coriander powder
1 teaspoon of cumin powder
1-2 tablespoon of Mango powder (to taste)
1 tablespoon of  cayenne pepper or to taste
1/4 cup of cilantro leaves chopped for garnish

Method:

* Peel Taro root and chop in to desired size cubes
* Pressure cook them or boil them in salted water until cooked tender. (see suggestion below to decrease the sliminess)
* Heat oil, when oil is  hot add cumin, mustard seeds
* When these seeds crackle add asaefoetida
* Add sliced okra and lime juice and salt.
* Stir fry on medium high heat until tender and all the slime disappears with occasional tossing ad  stirring.
* Add cooked taro root cubes and all the spices.
* Mix well until everything is well incorporated
* Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with chapati or naan.

Suggestions:
 
* May add onion, garlic, ginger and chopped jalapenos/hot peppers, If you do decide to add these, may want to  saute these in oil first until golden brown before adding Okra. (may need more oil)
* If like to add tomatoes or tomato paste add these before adding taro root and spices and cook for 2-3 min then add spices followed by taro root.
* To decrease sliminess of taro I toss them with 1./2 cup of yogurt and salt before I pressure cook them.
* Okra always yields less in quantity after cooking
* This recipes yields 4-6 servings depending on size of serving and guest's appetite ;)

Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.

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A Tasty Blend of Edamame and Colorful Fruits/Veggies with Cilantro Dressing

I was inspired to post this recipe by my co-worker Ms.C. Davis who sometimes brings this delicious looking root salad with Edamame seeds and dill dressing, that I think she gets it from a local vegetarian restaurant. I must say it always looked very appetizing along with roasted root veggies.
I decided to omit the roasted root veggies and came up with my own version of blend of veggies and fruits that I like along with Edamame and with cilantro dressing.

So I went shopping for all the ingredients which are as  follows:

Ingredients for Cilantro dressing: 
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, thick stems removed
Juice from a large 1/2 fresh lime or 1 small lime
2 cloves of garlic
1 fresh Jalapeno pepper seeded if do not want dressing  to be hot
1-2 green onions chopped

1 cup of home made plain yogurt (recipe on this blog)
1/2 cup of fat free sour cream
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin powder
Salt to taste

Method for Cilantro dressing:

Chop and puree all green ingredients in food processor.
Add all the liquid ingredients puree until creamy and smooth.
Add all the seasonings and adjust to taste.
Serve cold with salad and refrigerate the rest.

Suggestions: 

You can follow same recipe for fresh  dill, fresh mint or fresh  basil dressing by substituting cilantro or adding these greens along with cilantro.
Also if you want to add a little zest to it, you may add 1/4 cup of  shredded seedless cucumber to this dressing (will need to drain all the water by squeezing the shredded cucumber in to a ball) to make cucumber cilantro dressing.

 

Ingredients for salad:

1 cup of frozen Edamame thawed and microwave for 1 min
1 cup of frozen peas thawed and microwave for 1 min
1 cup of frozen or canned corn kernel
1 can of beets (small round) cut in to small pieces
1 can of garbanzo beans (chick peas) drained
1 red pepper chopped in to small pieces
1 yellow pepper chopped in to small pieces
1 red onion cut in to thin rings
6-7 small red radishes cut in to thin slices
1 small cucumber sliced or cubed
8-10 grape tomatoes cut in to halves
3 bunches artisan lettuce hand broken to small pieces
6 oz of spring mix lettuce (blend of Argula, baby spinach, baby lettuces: green and purple chard, romaine 
6-7 strawberries sliced
1 small can of Mandarin oranges drained
3 long carrots shredded in to julienne
1 cup of Sunflower seeds or slivered almonds for topping

Method:
Chop and prepare all the ingredients.
Toss them together or keep them separate and let people serve themselves to their desire.
Top with toasted sunflower seeds or slivered almonds.
Top with dressing.

 

 

Can be served with any dressings, I also enjoy this salad with raspberry vinegrette.

Yum ! A very delicious and healthy salad with a wonderful surprise in each bite :)


Enjoy !!

Photographs by Surekha, recipe inspired by Ms. C. Davis, adapted by Surekha.

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My New Kitchen :)

This was the main reason, I have been absent from blogging for almost 5 long months.
Yes, we remodeled our kitchen !
It all started with just thought of changing the counter top and then as usual like any remodeling project it turned out to be a big long adventurous journey.
We did not have working kitchen for 3 long months. All the planning that went in to it before and after, took lot of our time. However at the end, it was all well worth it !
I am so very proud of my new kitchen and I look forward to coming home to it everyday from work. Now I will try to post more recipes, as it is definitely more fun cooking with new appliances and on the new surface with convenience of reaching for all the gadgets that I had  stored away before and now just the arm length away with the clever storage of the new cabinets.
Here are some pics for all of you to enjoy :)

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Super moist Rich Chocolate Kit Kat Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

  I baked  this cake in Novemeber 2012 for my son's and my nephew's birthday.   I had lot of Kit Kat bags left over from Halloween. I had seen a Kit cake decorated cake somewhere and wanted to surprise both my son and my nephew with this. It was a great hit !!

Caution all of you calorie counters !!  This cake is very rich and very addictive.  This serves about 12-16 people. (depending on the serving size of course ;)

Ingredients: 


 For filling,  icing and decoration: 

•  2 eight oz pack of softened cream cheese
•  2 cups semi sweet chocolate chip morsels
•  3/4 cup powdered sugar
•  3 tbsp milk
•  2 teaspoon of instant coffee
•  1  tub eight oz tub of cool whip thawed
•  2 teaspoon of vanilla
•  1 bag of mini Kit Kats
•  1/4 cup of your favourite chocolate shavings

For cake 

•  1 package of double dutch or fudge cake or regular chocolate mix
•  3/4 cup water
•  1/3 cup oil
•  4 eggs 
•  1 cup of sour cream
•  1 pack of chocolate pudding mix
•  1/2 cup of Mayonnaise
•  12" Spring  form cake pan or two 9 inch round pan
•  1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Method:  

• Preheat the oven at 350  F
• In small sauce pan melt chocolate on low heat (you can melt it in double boiler 
• In a large mixing bowl combine 3 tbls  of milk, cream cheese, sugar, melted chocolate, vanilla, coffee and cool whip, beat until smooth with no lumps, keep aside
• Grease and flour the cake pan
• In large bowl combing dry cake mix, eggs, water, sour cream, pudding mix, mayo, cinnamon and oil, blend until moisten (beat as directed on box)
• Pour batter into pan 
• Bake for 35 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
• Cook cake pan for 30 min, remove for spring form cake pan and cook completely
• Make a 1 " horizontal cut around side of the cake, using long serrated knife.
• Remove the top layer by sliding a round  9-12 inch cardboard round, keep aside, repeat this process making three slices.
• Carefully place the bottom layer of cake on a paper dolly on a serving plate.
• Frost the bottom layer with 1/3 of the cream cheese frosting, then slide the  second layer with cardboard  on top of bottom layer very gently and repeat the process of transferring layers to stacked layers with card board circle and repeat frosting. 
• Finally frost the cake all the way around. Break the Kit Kat in to single sticks and stack them around the cake making a fence like structure around the cake.
• Sprinkle chocolate shaving or top with strawberries and or raspberries for decoration.

Enjoy  :)

Photographs by Surekha.

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