Kappa -- Spiced Tapioca

This month has been very kind to me so far. It was filled with a beautiful trip to San Diego, met my sister, went on a safari, an exciting trip back home  and then of course my finals and project...but the highlight of all this was the wild safari adventure I had on a Segway... Yeaa it was one trilling experience I will never forget...My first time ride on a Segway and it was truly awesome!!!

Now that my holidays have begun I started watching all the silly christmas movies to get into christmas spirits...I like watching all happy-happy  movies around this time of the year .. After all this is my favorite season of the year.

I decided to kick start my vacation with this addictive yet simple dish...

Yes, kappa(in Malayalam) / yuca / tapioca...is something I used to eat at least once a week at  home. My favorite combo is Kappa with red chili chutney...But now after all the 'chickenising effect' I now eat it with a nice spicy chicken curry....But the top and the most popular combination is eating it with Red fish curry.

Recipe:

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1. Kappa - 500 gms, peeled, cleaned and cut into small cubes (I used the frozen packet. It was already peeled and cut into cubes.)
2. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Salt
4. Water
5. Coconut - 1/2 - 3/4 cup grated
6. Green chilies - 3-4

For tempering : Oil, mustard seeds, dried red chilies

Add turmeric powder and salt and lots of water enough to cover all the pieces on a big heavy bottomed vessel. 

Boil Kappa on medium heat with closed lid till kappa becomes very soft. 

Make sure it is completely cooked and there should be some water left to drain at the end.(take some 20-40min or more)

In the meantime, grind coconut and green chillies and set it aside.

Once the kappa is soft and cooked through, drain the water left.

Now lightly mash the soft kappa and add the grind coconut-green chili.

Mix everything together and place it back on medium heat source.

Let everything cook through for 2-3 min , stirring regularly.

Check for salt and switch off the heat.

In a another sauce pan, heat some oil.

Add mustard seeds, when the spluttering is over add 2-3 dried red chilies, let the chilies get a darker shade. Oil will be infused with the flavor of red chili by then. Switch off the heat and pour this over the cooked Kappa.

Serve it hot with Red Fish Curry or any spicy chili chutney.

Green Chutney/ Mint-Cilantro Chutney

I used to order the exact same breakfast everyday for almost six months when I was working in Pune. It wasn't anything exotic...just a vegetable sandwich with a green chutney spread.... It comes with little diluted ketchup and some potato chips…. Every time I indulge it, this gave me a lasting satisfaction...Many times it is such simple things that gives a profound effect on me....

I did try to recreate the same myself…but after some failures of making not so good green chutney, I gave it a rest.

Yesterday while I was doing my usual browsing I came across the recipe of Tarla Dalal, The addiction of onions and sugar was what I was looking for…You know I am not a big fan of the bitter taste of mint leaves…I knew onions and sugar will be the answer for that…and I was right…

For the recipe hop over to this link  Green Chutney (Chaat) by Tarla Dalal.

Only thing I did differently is, I used only 1 cup of packed mint leaves instead of 2 cups.

As for the sandwich its pretty easy,

1. Spread green chutney on the bread slice.
2. Place sliced cucumbers and tomato.
3. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top of it.
4. Place another bread slice that is spread with the green chutney, on top of it.
5. Slice it diagonally and serve.

Sandwich was really good only thing that was missing was some potato chips, to crunch in between the sandwich bites...

Enjoy a nice and healthy sandwich...:)

Beans Stir Fry

I am happy..I wanted to witness snow fall...I saw snow fall... I wanted to ogle at snow coved roofs....I ogled at the snow covered roofs....I wanted to take pictures of snow falling on my open arms ... I took pictures....I wanted the snow stuck on the road to melt away....rain poured and washed all the snow away....

I am happy...

One of my childhood fantasies about snow has finally closed its curtain. It is time to move on to my next wish list, yes I really do want to see a shooting star someday.... Sometimes I stare at the sky to try my luck, but ends up calling some weird moving stars as alien ship, creates a whole new story around it in my head (a tiny side effect of watching X-files back to back) and retreats.

I think someday while standing on a street, I will have an instinct to look at the sky...but oh no there is a twist.... my silky looong hair (totally bollywood) is blocking my eyes...wind is blowing strongly unsympathetically at me... but the determined me...against all odds...slowly pulls back silky long hair and witness the wonder......Blink !!! Blink !!! Blink !!!

So what is the connection  with all this and beans stir fry ?

Absolutely no connection...I just love to blabber silly and completely nonsense stuffs...I read somewhere that genius minds think like this and suddenly make all the connections... and yells E.u.r.e.k.a !!!!

Let me move on to this simple yet delicious dish, that taste absolutely  great with rice and some yoghurt....

Recipe :

1. Beans                -  2 cups ,washed, trim the ends and then cut into small (like pic above) 
2. Garlic                -   3 pods crushed and chopped finely
3. Onions               -  1/2 large , diced finely
4. Chillies               -  2-3, slit lengthwise.
5. Turmeric powder -  1/4 tsp
6. Mastard seeds     -  a pinch
7. Cumin seeds       -  a pinch
8. Oil 
9. Salt

1. Heat some oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
2. When spluttering is over add garlic.
3. When the aroma of garlic is released, add onions and green chillies.
4. Saute till onions go slightly transparent.
5. Add turmeric powder and saute till the raw smell of turmeric goes.
6. Add the beans with little salt.
7. Lower the heat, cover the pan and let the beans cook, sauteing it now and then.
8. Take off from heat once the beans are cooked to your preference.
9. Check for salt and adjust.

I like to cook till the beans are completely soft and the onions resembles a dark brownish color.

Do you think looking at the above picture, these beans have gone to heaven...? 

It is in the middle of nowhere...