MORINGA LEAVES AND POTATO STIR FRY

 MORINGA LEAVES AND POTATO STIR FRY 

Years ago, many houses in India had Moringa/Drumstick trees in their garden and fresh moringa leaves were easily available. These days most houses don't have their own drumsticks trees but their leaves fortunately are available on line through Amazon etc ! 

You may be aware that Moringa Leaves are considered to be super healthy. Their health benefits are detailed in this article from PharmEasy. "Moringa Leaves- 16 Health Benefits You Should Know". They can boost immunity, control blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, strengthen bone density and improve digestion. 

Moringa/Drumsticks Leaves, prized for their medicinal properties are called, "Murungai Keerai" in Tamil,  "Nugge Soppu" in Kannada and "Mashinga Palle" in my mother tongue, Konkani.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find  recipes for dishes made with moringa leaves, such as:

• Mashinga Palle Sanna Polo 
• Nugge Soppina Rotti.
• Drumsticks Leaves Curry 
• Drumsticks Leaves Kuzhambu

Today's dish is an easy to make stir fry in which we use drumstick leaves and potatoes. I have adapted  this from Drumstick Leaves Recipe by Swasthi in Indian Healthy Recipes.

I tried this out recently. It tasted great- served as a side dish with hot steamed rice and sambar. 

Ingredients:-

• Moringa Leaves, 100 gms  approx 2 cups
• Potatoes, 3 
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
• Garlic Cloves, 3
• Split Bengal Gram ( Channa Dal), 1 tsp, 
• Asafoetida, (Hing) 1/8 tsp
• Green Chillies, 3
• Curry Leaves, 6-8 
• Salt, to taste
• Cooking Oil,  1 and 1/2 tbsp ( I used Coconut Oil) 

Method:-

Remove the moringa leaves from the stalks. Wash them in several changes of water. Drain them through a colander to remove all the water. Keep aside

Chop the garlic cloves, slit the green chillies

Wash and boil the potatoes, when they are cool enough to handle peel and cube them

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the cumin seeds . When this sizzles, add the chopped garlic and chana dal and saute till the dal changes colour

To this, add the asafoetida, split green chillies and curry leaves . Saute for 1-2 minutes.

Next add the potato cubes, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well

Now add the moringa leaves and cook covered on medium heat stirring from time to time till they wilt

(If the moringa leaves are not tender, sprinkle a little water and cook covered on medium heat till they are done)

Switch off the gas and transfer the dish to a serving bowl

Serve the Moringa Leaves & Potato Stir Fry as a side dish with hot steamed rice and sambar or rasam.

VEGGIE CHEESE SANDWICH

 VEGGIE CHEESE SANDWICH

These days  people frequently debate the amount of proteins needed by those with a predominantly vegetarian diet. The whole issue of proteins has assumed greater significance in the last few years. We largely eat vegetarian food at home. To supplement our diet, I often make Veggie Cheese Sandwich for breakfast or as an evening snack with tea. 

I generally use Amul Cheese Slices  - which is rich in protein and is sugar free. It is a good source for calcium and milk proteins. It is said to contain 18-20 gms of protein in 100 grams. Please be aware that processed cheese is high in saturated fats and sodium. Therefore it must- like everything else- be eaten in moderation.

Two big advantages of making these sandwiches : 1. They can be made easily and 2. They can be made quite fast. 

You can be creative in your choice of veggies and seasoning. Sometimes, I use green chutneys as a filling, sometimes boiled potatoes too. We love this easy cheesy sandwich which is healthy and tasty too! 

Fun Fact: as a proud Indian, I am partial to Amul products. Did you know Amul processes 35 million litres of milk daily empowering 3.6 million dairy farmers across 18,600 village co-operatives? Amul products are exported to over 50 countries all over the world. 

INGREDIENTS:

• Bread Slices ( I prefer wheat or brown bread)
• Veggies: Tomato, Onion, Capsicum, Coriander Leaves
• Cheese: Amul Processed Cheese slices
• Seasoning: Catch Chaat Masala, Salt
• Butter: Amul Garlic and Herb Buttery Spread  or butter of your choice

METHOD:

Wash the veggies, wipe them dry and slice them

Spread a layer of butter on the inside of the bread slices

Then place the Amul Cheese Slice,  on top of it place the tomato slices, onion rings, and capsicum pieces 

Season with Catch chaat masala, a little salt, and a few finely chopped coriander leaves

Cover this with another slice of buttered bread

I used the Prestige Sandwich Toaster with fixed sandwich plates to toast the sandwiches

Alternatively, you can toast the bread sandwiches on a lightly greased tawa or griddle 

Once one side gets done, flip and toast the other side 

Serve hot with tomato sauce ( I use Maggi Hot and Sweet Tomato Chilli Sauce) for breakfast or as an evening snack with tea/coffee. 

MEEN PULIMUNCHI

 MEEN PULIMUNCHI

After our return from the United States, we felt like having something really hot and spicy.  So a few days back, I got some King Fish/ Seer Fish/Indo-Pacific King Mackerel) which we call 'Surmai" locally. To tickle our taste buds, I made a very popular Mangaluru dish called Meen Pullimunchi. 

We should thank the Bunt community for this lip smacking dish. "Meen" of course means "fish" and "Pulimunchi "  comes from two flavors that  characterise this dish: "puli" tamarind that is sour and "munchi" chillies which are spicy. This goes great with neer dosas or hot steamed rice.

As readers of this blog would know by now, at home we make fish curries from time to time. Seer fish are really good for health. It has lots of Omega 3 fatty acids, lean protein and Vitamin B 12 while being low in calories and carbs. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for other dishes made with good-for-health Seer Fish, such as : 

• Seer Fish Tawa Fry 
• Mangalorean Fish Curry
• Chettinad Seer Fish Fry

I have adapted today's dish from the YouTube video for Fish Pullimunchi by the well-know Chef Nehal Karkera, who himself is from the Mangaluru region. 

We had this for lunch with hot steamed rice and loved every bit of it! Please do try it out and let me know what you thought of this dish! 

Ingredients: 

• Seer Fish, 5 slices, 450-500 gms
• Turmeric Powder, for marination 
• Onion, chopped, 2 tbsp
• Curry Leaves, 1 sprig
• Green Chillies, 2 
• Ginger juilennes, a few 
• Coconut Oil, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

To Be Dry Roasted:

• Byadgi Red Chillies, 4-5
• Kashmiri Red Chillies, 2-3 
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Black Peppercorns, 10-12
• Fenugreek Seeds, 1/4 tsp

 For The Ground Masala 

• Garlic Cloves, 3-4
• Onion, small sized, chopped, 1 
• Ginger, 1/2 " piece
• Tamarind (soaked), 1 and 1/2 tbsp  
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp

Method:-

Wash the fish slices 3-4 times in water, then dab them dry 

Apply turmeric powder and salt to the fish slices 

Keep aside to marinate for about 15 minutes

Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water 

Slit the green chillies

Peel the ginger 

Make a few juliennes ( thin strips) of ginger 

In a pan, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds,  peppercorns, and fenugreek seeds,  for about 2 minutes on medium flame till they give off a good aroma. Keep aside

Then dry roast both types of chillies for 1 minute on medium flame. Keep aside.

Allow the roasted ingredients to cool

In a mixer jar, grind together all the roasted ingredients along with garlic cloves, chopped onion, turmeric powder and soaked tamarind to a fine paste adding water as required. Keep the paste/masala aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil, in a kadhai, add 2 tbsp chopped onion and curry leaves 

Fry until the onion get slightly browned 

To this, add the ground paste and water to get a consistency of a thin curry 

Add salt to taste, add ginger juliennes and slit green chillies

Mix well and bring it to a boil  

Lower the heat and let it simmer for 6-7 minutes on medium heat 

Now gently add the marinated fish slices one by one

Add more water if required.

Do not stir at all once the fish has been added

Cook the fish in the curry for 5-6 minutes on medium heat

Check the salt while the fish is cooking

Switch off the gas. 

Allow the fish to remain in the dish for about 10-15 minutes for it to fully soak the flavours. 

Serve with  hot steamed rice 

ICE CREAM AT FENTON'S, OAKLAND, CA

 ICE CREAM AT FENTON'S, OAKLAND, CA

Should you ask anyone about memorable moments from their childhood, I am sure many will have memories which feature ice cream. To confirm my theory, I asked Prem about his memories. I was proved right! He spoke of happy celebrations at Jaffar's Soda Fountain in Madras ( now known as Chennai) and Lake View in Bangalore ( now known as Bengaluru). He said every kid's dream in those faraway days - the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s-was to have ice cream at these famous places. He still remembers fondly the peach melba at Jaffar's and the Triple Sundae at Lake View. 

During our ongoing visit to the United States, we were happy to have ice creams at Oakland, CA 's equivalent of Jaffar's and Lake View. This historical place for ice creams is called  Fenton's Creamery. Located in Oakland's Piedmont Ave, this ice cream parlour and restaurant for American food dates way back to 1894! Old photographs and prints of Fenton's over the decades dot the walls of the restaurant. It is remarkable that Fenton's continues to thrive after more than 130 years!! 

Fenton's is a popular place to celebrate. When we visited- as I am sure happens all the time- there were several celebrations going on at different tables. Someone's birthday, someone's anniversary or just a celebration for some happy family event. Couples, young families, older persons, they were all there! A distinct spirit of merriment and laughter echoed in the restaurant.

We had their famous vanilla ice cream with the inevitable accompaniment of hot chocolate sauce. 

Also their Black and White: rich chocolate and vanilla ice cream layered with marshmellows and the famous Fenton fudge topped with almonds, whipped cream and cherry. 

The ice creams were super delicious! We now realised why people here swear by Fenton's when it comes to ice creams! Highly recommended if you happen to be anywhere close to Oakland, CA!! 

As is famously said, " Life is like an ice cream! Enjoy it before it melts"!!

OUR DINING EXPERIENCE: KHAKI, SAN RAMON, CA

 OUR DINING EXPERIENCE: KHAKI, SAN RAMON, CA

A general observation. The number of restaurants that offer Indian cuisine in the United States- and more so in California- has grown exponentially over the years. Prem remembers when he first visited the US back in 1992, Indian cuisine was a rarity. No longer so. These restaurants are filled not only with people of Indian origin as one would imagine but also by many local Americans.

We dined at Khaki Indian Bar and Canteen, a modern Indian dining  favourite in San Ramon, CA last month. It is located at 6000, Bollinger Canyon Road, City Centre Bishop Ranch, one of East Bay's premier dining and shopping destinations. Their operating hours seem to vary depending on the day of the week, so it is better to check their website . However, please remember they are closed on Mondays! You can order food online or make a reservation especially if it is a weekend. 

The restaurant gets its name from the popular Indian fabric of that name. Khaki was a long time mainstay of Indian clothing, typically used in different types of cotton-based uniforms. The staff were wearing khaki aprons. I guess the name was adopted for this restaurant to signify its Indian roots and heritage. 

Khaki has a well stocked bar with a wide variety of alcoholic drinks, cocktails and mocktails. We examined the many options before selecting our drinks.  

Prem chose the James Bond Vesper, made with gin, vodka, vermouth, and orange bitters. Being an avid James Bond fan he could not but help saying it should be "shaken and not stirred" ! 

I had a Gymkhana Gin and Tonic- made with gin, house spices, lime and tonic. Cheers!! 

For starters we had the Cauliflower Koliwada- crisp fried cauliflower with a chilli garlic marinade- modelled on the fish dish from Mumbai's Koli community of fisherfolk.  

Another starter was the Malvani Kolambi: made with prawns, roasted coconut, dried red chillies and stone ground spices.

Tandoori Salmon Tikka- fresh Atlantic salmon marinated in tandoori spices and mustard oil- served with red onions, cilantro and green Indian chilli chutney

For the main course, we had the Meen Pollichathu: fresh whole butterflied branzino, cooked with a coconut, kokum and tomato masala, wrapped in banana leaf. 

Butter Chicken : tandoor charred boneless chicken with creamy tomato sauce, white butter, tree nuts, and dairy 

Chicken Chettinadu- bone in-drumstick, black pepper, fennel, curry leaves and roasted spice blend

These dishes were had with hot steamed rice as well as Indian breads like naan and lachha parathas.

For dessert, our party of four shared Verandah Orange Juice Cake; Ras Malai Tres Leche; Gulab Jamun Creme Brulee: and the Canteen Pudding.

In my view the best items were the Butter Chicken and the Tandoori Salmon Tikka. The Meen Pollichathu was pretty good too but the Chicken Chettinadu was rather disappointing.

The vote for the best dessert goes to the Ras Malai Tres Leche-an interesting play of the Indian old favourite Ras Malai with tre leche which is the popular Latin American ' Three Milks" cake . 

Overall, we enjoyed our dining experience at Khaki Indian Bar and Canteen, San Ramon. and I would heartily recommend this to foodie friends. 

OUR DINING EXPERIENCE: INDIENNE, CHICAGO

 OUR DINING EXPERIENCE: INDIENNE, CHICAGO

After our stay at New York, we travelled to Chicago, IL. You will recall that at New York I had the great fortune to dine at three of the finest Indian restaurants,  Chef Vikas Khann's The Bungalow; Chef Raveesh Kapoor's Indian Accent; and Chef Vijayakumar's Semma. 

In Chicago, we dined at another famous restaurant called Indienne. This was inaugurated in 2022 . Shortly after, it was awarded a Michelin star in 2023. It was the first Indian restaurant to get this honour. Chef Sujan Sarkar and his team have ensured they have retained the prestigious status every year since then. Chef Sujan is from Kolkatta but spent over a decade in London honing his skills. He has entrepreneurial ventures in Los Angeles, and San Francisco to his credit. 

Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to meet Chef Sujan as he was out of town. He was busy with the inauguration of his New York restaurant situated in Henry Hall, West 38th Street, near 10th Avenue in the  Hudson Yards.

The name "Indienne" comes from Chef Sujan Sarkar's objective of a fusion of Indian flavors and French techniques. We went there with great expectations having signed up for their 9 course Non-Vegetarian Tasting Menu. 

As you know, a "tasting menu" is a multi-course dining experience curated by the chef. The choice of dishes and the sequence in which they are served are pre-determined. Typically, the portions are small but there is great variety. Also, often the best dishes from the chef's kitchen make the cut. 

At the Indienne, the beauty of the tasting menu lies in the chef's reinterpreting traditional Indian dishes with his own innovative choice of ingredients, not to forget the unique styling of the dish.

We started the evening with gin and tonic! But wait, here's the difference. They offered a distinctly Indian edge to the traditional British drink. From the available options, we chose Kokum! It did add to the taste of the drink which came served with a giant size single ice sphere.

Let's see all that went into making up our non-vegetarian tasting menu that evening. 

Dahi Puri (Buckwheat, Green Apple, Tamarind)

Banarasi Tomato (Burrata, Black Rice) :

Hamachi (Avacado, Cucumber, Sol Kadi). I can imagine the dexterity required to individually plate each serving!! 

Egg ( Corn, Green Pea, Caviar, Babka Pao) : 

Lobster Ghee Roast ( Prawn Ela Ada, Sunchoke, Mango):

Lamb Kebab ( Shami, Ribs, Endive, Pickled Jicama):

Chilli Cheese Khulcha: 

Chicken Makhni ( Red Pepper, Fenugreek) served with Black Dairy Dal and Garlic Naan :

Kaju Katli ( Honeycomb, Nougat, Milk Ice Cream).:

 

As we left we were given Treats ( Coffee and Walnuts; Mango & Ginger) 

What do I remember most from this meal? I must say it was the Chicken Makhni and the Garlic Naan, followed by the Lobster Ghee Roast! 

The most attractive plating had to be the Hamachi.

The non-vegetarian tasting menu at Indienne was stylish, sophisticated and  sumptuous!

As a foodie and a food blogger, I came away immensely impressed by the innovation and creativity of the  Chefs at Indienne. 

OUR DINING EXPERIENCE: SEMMA, NEW YORK

 OUR DINING EXPERIENCE; SEMMA,  NEW YORK

For me, our recent visit to New York was a food blogger's dream come true! I had the opportunity to dine at Chef Vikas Khanna's Bungalow,  where we were fascinated by the personal charm of Chef Vikas Khanna, apart from the delicious food.

We then dined at Chef Raveesh Kapoor's IndianAccent. This was a unique experience in tasting Indian fusion food presented so very innovatively by Chef Raveesh  Kapoor. 

The third great "foodie" experience for me was dining at Semma, This Indian restaurant is located at 60, Greenwich Avenue in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. It is presided over by Head Chef Vijay Kumar, who won the prestigious James Beard Award for the Best Chef in New York State in 2025. Foodies the world over often call this Award the "Oscars of the Culinary World". 

The byline for Semma is  Heritage Southern Indian Cuisine! You can make out the food traces its roots back to the earthy, rural foods of the South Indian State of Tamilnadu, India where Chef Vijay Kumar spent his early years. 

Recently Semma ( which I am told means "Fantastic" in Tamil) was named No 41 in North America's 50 Best Restaurants! This is such a huge honor as Semma became the first Indian restaurant to feature in this much coveted list. Moreover, it has been only 5 years since Semma was founded by Vijay Kumar and his friends and partners Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya. Their aim was to provide diners with food that was "unapologetically Indian." The Michelin Guide summed up this approach by describing Semma as "Indian cooking that does not pander to American expectations"! Semma has retained its Michelin Star for several years in a row.

We were naturally very excited to get a dinner reservation through Seven Rooms.com as at times it can take months to get one. It was all the more thrilling when Chef Vijay Kumar took time to chat with us. 

The decor - as one would expect- is traditionally Indian as seen in the pictures below. 

The drinks on offer had both exotic names and ingredients- all named after places in South India. We chose Konkan ( Tequila, Kokum, Coconut Oil, Chilli, Salt) and Chikmagalur ( Whiskey, Filter Coffee, Chicory, Cream). Both were totally delicious!! 

Since we love sea food, we knew what we wanted for appetizers! Our unanimous choice was Eral Thokku: tiger prawns cooked in a gravy of green chillies, fenugreek, and fresh curry leaves. I considered this by far the best dish of the evening.

We next had what is perhaps the most popular dish in Semma in terms of volume! The Gunpowder Dosa, which was our crisp Masala Dosa with a filling of potato masala, served with chutney powder affectionately called "gunpowder", sambar and two chutneys. . 

For the main course, we selected the Meen Pollichathu- a delicacy from Kerala. In this dish, the fish ( they used sea bass here) is well marinated in spices, wrapped tightly in wilted banana leaf and steam or pan cooked with  tomatoes, ginger and shallots. We were served this with hot steamed rice and an accompanying gravy. While it was enjoyable, we would have preferred it to have been more spicy.

We ended the meal with Elaneer Payasam, a dessert made with tender coconut, coconut milk, cashews, raisins and ghee. This was an excellent way to close the evening.

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at Semma. We would like to thank Chef Vijay Kumar and his team for the wonderful dining experience.