Blossom Tea @ San Francisco

"San Francisco itself is art, above all literary art. Every block is a short story, every hill a novel. Every home a poem, every dweller within immortal. That is the whole truth." ~ William Saroyan

During our recent trip to San Francisco, one of our very close friend, R took us to a very quaint restaurant - The House of Nanking. The restaurant located on Kearny Street (between Jackson St. and Columbus Ave) is a quaint, tiny, no frills restaurant. The finest part of this restaurant is the space is hardly two-room setup, the place has stacked boxes of pantry within the eating space and around the cash register. The ambience is very rustic. Lights are dim and give you a feel of the old-world charm.

We found this amazing drink there known as the Blossom Tea. Served in large beer mugs with abundant helpings of warm water, the tiny blossom blooms as time passes and within half an hour, there is a mighty jasmine blossom staring in your face. One of the best things I have experienced in my culinary journeys thus far. The tiny plant oozing out bathing happily in warm water is truly a sight to see. I checked with my friends later and came to know that the Chinese Blossom Tea - Blossoms are available at Chinese grocery stores like Lion.

Mushroom-Soy Garam Masala Curry

What happens when there are too many cooks in the kitchen" Soil the broth, well not really! The mighty trio explored, brain-stormed and discovered a steamy hot, tasty dish packed with ooodles of taste and nutrition. This dish has been our humble discovery of late and I am proud of it. The ingredients meshed well and were quite a treat.

Serves: 3 individuals
Recipe source: Ashwini

Ingredients:
Mushroom - 3 C
Soya chunks (boiled and water squeezed out) - 2 C
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1/2 c
Onion (chopped) - 3-4 C
Tomatoes (chopped) - 2 C
Garam Masala powder (MDH brand) - 3 T
Grated coconut - 1 c
Salt - as per taste
Oil - for frying
Water - for boiling and broth for gravy

Method:
Boil soya chunks in water and squeeze out water with 2-3 times change and keep aside. Heat oil in a saucepan and fry onions and tomatoes till they turn tender and mesh well. Fry 1 C onions with grated coconut and grind to a smooth paste alongwith MDH Garam Masala powder. Add this gravy to the onion-tomato mix and stir well. Add mushrooms and enough water + salt for a good consistency. Bring to boil and keep on low flame for 10 minutes.

Once done, turn off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or Chapathi.

Brown Lentil Garlic Curry (Masoori Thoi)

After coming to US, we have not been eating lentils of late. Apart from Toor Dal, we have been ignoring the lentil family big time. So I thought its time we spruce up the pantry with some more additions from the lentil family. On my last visit to the local grocery store, I chanced upon the lovely Brown Lentil packet. Brown Lentil or Masoor Dal as popularly known in India, takes me back to lovely childhood memories when Maa made tasty masoor bhaaji stuffed in bread and grilled to perfection. The taste was simply divine. Lentils also believed to be having the highest levels of protein, serve as a nutrition powerhouse especially for growing kids and individuals requiring high protein diet.

Serves: 4 individuals

Source: Mom

Ingredients:

Brown Lentil - 2 c

Green Chillies - 2

Water - for boiling

Salt - as per taste

Garlic (crushed) - 6-8 flakes

Oil - for frying

Method:

Boil the dal in a pressure cooker. This saves lot of time and fuel. Once cooked, boil the dal with salt, green chillies and water. The consistency should be that of a regular Indian dal, not too thick nor too thin. Once dal is cooked, temper the dal with crushed garlic fried in oil (preferably coconut oil as it lends a very good aroma). Serve hot with rice and upkari.

Yard Long Beans Side Dish (Alsandey Upkari)

In Konkani cuisines, Upkari is a popular method oof cooking. Vegetables are chopped and tempered with Curry leaves, mustard seeds or Garlic falkes. Vegetables are brought to boil, and simmered on low flame. Garnished with Grated coconut and served hot with rice as a side dish.

In Konkani - Upkari means vegetables which are chopped and stir fried with little water. The biggest advantage of Upkari is that the vegetables cook in its own juices. Once all ingredients are added, the vegetables are covered with a lid, brought to a boil and then the flame gets lowered and you cook the vegetables till the water gets evaporated.

Alsandey Upkari has been one of my favorite upkaris since childhood days. I love the aroma of this tender beans, chopped finely and meshed with mustard and grated coconut. In Konkani culture, this gets served as a side dish alongwith Daal or Coconut gravy based curries.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 3 individuals

Ingredients:

Yard Long Beans/ Alsandey - chopped finely - 3-4 cups

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Red Chillies - 1-2

Grated coconut (fresh/frozen) - 2 tablespoon

Oil - for frying

Water - for boiling vegetables

Salt - as per taste

Curry leaves(optional) - 4-8 leaves

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and once heated add mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves. Add chopped beans to this and stir well. Add salt as water good enough to immerse half the quantity of vegetables. Cover the dish with a lid and bring to boil and then lower the flame. Give a gentle stir once in a while. Once water gets evaporated, turn the flame off. Garnish with grated coconut and serve hot as a side dish.

Am sending my entry to Sia's RCI: Udupi and Manglorean Cuisines - July 2009.

Tilapia Fish Fry (Tilapia Phodi)

Tilapia is one darling of a fish in US. Along with Salmon, this variety if fish is the one we cook most of the times. I cannot seem to get enough of this fish. In India, my favorites are King Fish (Anjal), Manjee (Pomfret), Kane (Lady Cat fish). Though I must say the taste of Fried Anjal is the closest to my heart. I also like the Fish Fry coated with rice batter comprising of red chillies, rice and little water. I sampled this at a friends place in Goa and was a total delight. But frying this fish requires a dextrous hand as the fish gets cooked very fast and the rice coating of batter also needs to cook in tandem. Must say, one of my Maushi makes the best spicy fish fry in Goa.

I tried my hand here for a simple fish fry which is hme style. Easy and something for which you don't have to try for the out-of-reach pantry ingredients.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes


Serves: 3 individuals



Ingredients:
Tilapia fish fillet - 5 pieces, sliced into 2" pieces
Red Chilli powder - 3 teaspoon
Crushed Garlic pods(minced) - 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste
Asafoetioda powder - 1/10 teaspoon
Egg (beaten with 3 T milk) - 1 egg
Bread crumbs powder - 6-8 Teaspoon
Oil - As per taste


Method:
Clean fish and slice into 2" fillets. If from freezer, allow to thaw for atleast 2-3 hours till its soft and supple. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and asafoetida powder. Let the fish stay in the marinade for 1-2 hours.


During serving time, roll the fillets into beaten egg mix and bread crumbs mix once. If more breaded version is required you could repeat the procedure again. I stuck to single coat of egg and bread crumbs. Heat the pan with oil slathered over (atleast 3-4 t). Once pan is heated up. add the fish fillets one by one and let it fry on medium flame.



Turn over the fish and slather some more oil all over the pan. To check if fish is cooked, do the "fork-finish-test". Slip the fork through the fish, if the fork slips out of the meat smoothly, the meat is cooked, if not the meat is still not done and needs more roasting. Fish cooks faster, so ensure you do not overcook the meat.



Serve hot once done with Ale-Kande Ambat and Rice.

Egg Bhurji

Today P promptly declared that he will cook yummy dinner for me. He prepared Egg Bhurji - Indian style. The taste was very warm and nice with tomatoes, eggs and spices blending into each other.

Thanks P!!

Serves: 2 individuals
Recipe source: P, my dear husband

Ingredients:
Eggs: 2
Tomatoes: 2 - chopped finely
Onions: 2 - chopped finely
Garam Masala powder: MDH brand - 1 t
Green chillies: 2 - sliced
Oil: for frying purpose


Method:
In a deep sauce pan, heat oil and fry onions and green chillies. Add garam masala powder, tomatoes, salt and break the eggs and keep stirring till the eggs part from the sauce pan surface.

I realised the more evenly you stir this dish the better the taste of Bhurji. Serve with whole wheat brown bread slathered with butter. Enjoy your meal!!

Banana Milk Shake

There are some times when a refreshing drink wakes you up and gets you on your feet for a whole new world. P introduced me to this world and I cannot thank him enough for this. For some strange reasons I was never a huge milkshake person. P loves Milkshakes and now its regular part of our daily drink menu. He taught me this easy recipe and now I can turn around this beverage in 5 minutes flat.

Recipe Source: P

Serves: 2 individuals

Ingredients:
Banana: 1 - completely done and yellow, chopped
Ice cubes: 6 cubes
MTR Badam powder: 2 teaspoon
Sugar: 5 teaspoon
Milk: 2 cups

Method:
Blend ice cubes, milk, sugar and chopped banana along with the Badam powder and shake well. Serve as a evening drink along with chips and pakoras. This one is our personal favorite.

Rice And Vegetables (Bisi Bele Bhaat)

"Yene maganey?"
"Namgey Bisi Bele bath beyku"

(What kiddo?

I want Bisi Bele bath)

Sweet memories of the Silicon city of the south. I can never forget the good old flavours I have captured in my heart from the great city of career and dreams - Bangalore. It is a potpourri of different cultures yet has managed to preserve the old and has smoothly ushered into the new. Sometimes I wonder where on the world can you find such unique distinctness of culture, diversity, opportunities and cuisines.
When I moved to Bangalore, my survival was dependent on the various Darshinis and Sagars dotting the city space. "Shanti Sagar" the famous chain was one such food joint near my apartment. Mornings were exclusively was Times of India and Bisi Bele Bath and Filter Coffee from Shanti Sagar. Best part about Shanti Sagar is that apart from sit-in spaces they also have stand-and-eat spaces outside their joints which enables office goers and rush-travellers to get a quick bite of their "tiffin" before they head out for a busy day. Maa makes amazing Bisi Bele Bath and the taste of this dish fondly reminds me of green shammi tress, cool mornings, filter coffee and time well spent at this career mecca for millions - Bangalore.

I tried this recipe from Mandhu's Vantalu and it turned out quite nice. Thanks Madhu.

Recipe Source: Madhu's Vantalu
Serves: 6 individuals

Ingredients:
Toor Dal: 3/4 cup
Rice: 1 cup
Water: 8 cups or more
Salt: as per taste
Ghee: 2 tablespoon
Bisi Bele Bath powder: 3 tablespoon

Vegetables -
French Beans: 10-15 - chopped to 1" pieces
Carrot: 3 - chopped to 1/2 " pieces
Onion: 1 - chopped to 1" pieces
Potato" 2 - chopped to 1" pieces

Tempering -
Oil: 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves: 3-4
Cashew nuts: 3-4 tablespoon
Mustard seeds: 1 t easpoon

Method:
Boil 8 cups of water in a deep dish pan and add salt, turmeric and toor dal which preferably could be pre-soaked for atleast 15 minutes. Once par-boiled, add carrot and beans and bring to boil. This whole process takes around 20 minutes.
Wash rice thoroughly and add to this. Add desired amount of salt and bring to boil. Lower the flame thereafter.
On a separate pan, heat ghee and add mustard seeds. Once the seeds begin to pop, add onions and cashew nuts. I had chopped cashew nuts to small pieces because they render a good flavour once done so. Fry till onions turn transparent and cashew nuts turn crunchy.
Give the Bath a gentle stir, once done add the tempered mixture and turn off the flame. Mix well. Serve with hot melted ghee and boondi. They also taste great with Vodee/ Vadams and Appalams.