Jackfruit seed fry

Jackfruits in USA is a rare sight except for the Asian stores in some states. My Sakuntala athai (aunt) is my guru in peeling this fruit during her visits on summer vacations. She used to teach me every culinary art she knew , while playing with us too and our summer holidays would be filled with family gatherings and happiness.
Nowadays , I simply walk past my favorite fruit, analyzing (??) its quality and price (while comparing it with an almost inexpensive fruit in India) and also for the time / effort it takes to get the fruits. But this time hubby dear compelled me to buy at least a small piece as he too loves it very much:) Some years ago, as newly married, he used to buy these BIG jack fruits on weekends from koyambedu.  Sometimes he would drive there while coming home, just to pick up this fruit. Our street kids would wow on seeing him with this fruit:) After Saturday lunch he would make me sit and peel the whole fruit, while he was watching his favorite movies and munching these yummies with our little friends:)  The next day our houses would have a lot of jackfruit seeds and we would cook them the whole week:) The next time if I see this fruit, I will not think anything else, except the happiness and sweetness it gives:)  Happy memories are treasures...right !

Tips:
Jackfruit is a composite fruit. Fruit develops from ovary of multiple flowers, e.g. Pineapple, Jack fruit.
Jack fruit seeds are easy to get in Chennai. They sell it in heaps.
In USA, we can get it in freezer aisles in Indian grocery stores.
How to peel / cut jackfruit?
If we can get a fresh (whole) jackfruit, then peel as follows:
  * Spread a lot of news papers underneath and place the jack fruit in the floor.
  *Take a 1/4 cup  of sesame oil (any oil) and generously apply it on our hands and knife.
  *Cut it into half. Remove the hard central stem , that runs from top to bottom.
  *again and again apply oil in our hands, as the gum in jack fruit can't be washed easily if oil is not applied while peeling.
  *Loosen the yellow fruits inside by running the knife all around the edge without cutting the fruit.
 *Take out in small portions and remove all the fibers around individual fruits and place them in a clean bowl. Slit open and remove the seeds.
 * It is a good idea to remove and salvage the seeds, before handing them over for eating. Because many people throw away the seeds without knowing what to do with them:) These seeds can be used as snacks by boiling , dry roasting or stir frying.
 *Jack fruits, once peeled can be eaten fresh. They can be packed in airtight containers and stored in fridge for a week.
 *Jack fruit can be made into jam, kesari, payasam etc. Also it is soaked in honey and eaten as a delicacy.

Jack fruit, the yummiest of all fruits in the world:)...my world:)

After peeling off the edible fruits, take out and save the seeds, before serving.

Peel the outer layer and chop the seeds coarsely

Fried jack fruit seeds

Ingredients:
Jack fruit seeds - 25
salt - taste
coconut oil - 1 or 2 tbsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
fennel (sombu ) - 1 tsp
curry leaf - 1 sprig
black pepper powder - 1 tsp
red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
water - 2 tbsp

Method:
Peel the outer white layer of jackfruit seed. Chop into big pieces.
Heat oil in a wok. Add fennel and as it gets red , put the curry leaves.
Then add the chopped seeds, turmeric powder, pepper, cumin, chilly powder.
Stir well for 1 minute. Cook covered with a handful (2 tbsp) water.
After 10 minutes , it would get soft. Then add salt.
The take off lid and fry till it turns little crispy.
Jackfruit seed fry is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as side dish with paruppu kuzhambu / sambar and rice or with curd rice.

Carrot usili

Finding more and more ways to cook carrot is one of my interests, as we get good quality carrot in all seasons at a very cheaper price here. But including it in our meals needs creativity:) Sometimes I make juice or desserts like carrot halwa or cake. Spicy foods like kuruma, stir fries, fried rice, salad, vegetable briyani , raitha, uthappam dosai, paniyaram can also be done. So whenever I go for a grocery shopping I buy a pack of carrots always. Instead of regular baby-carrots, occasionally I sliver these regular carrots for hubby's snack box too:)
Here is one traditional dal based Indian dish, Usili with carrot. Usili is one of the brilliant Indian recipes to make us get protein rich dals easily. I make usili often with many vegetables, as it is our favorite. Hope you all like this carrot usili too !

Ingredients:
Carrot - 3
sesame oil - 1 tbsp
mustard - 1 tsp
green chilly - 1
curry leaf - 1 sprig
shredded coconut - 1 tbsp

To grind:
Thoor dhal (red gram) - 1/2 cup
dry red chilly - 2
cumin - 1 tsp
sea salt - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
hing - 1/8 tsp

Method:
Soak dal for 1 hour and grind in a mixie without water along with the other items to a fine paste.
Scoop the dal into idly plates and steam cook for 10 minutes.
Let it get cool completely.
Put it in the mixie again and pulse gently for a few times, so that the cooked dal looks loose.
(We can mash by hands too, but this mixie method will give good looking usili).
In the mean time wash and peel the carrot. cut them into small cubes.
Heat oil in a wok and let mustard splutter.
Then add the curry leaves, split green chilly, chopped carrot and stir fry it.
Cook covered along with very little salt for 5 minutes.
Then add the prepared dal mixture and stir fry it in high flame for few minutes.
Add shredded coconut and switch off.
Carrot usili is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve with kara kulambu + rice or rasam + rice.

Other recipes to cook carrot :
Vegetable uthappam (dosai)
sambar rice
sambar
fresh masala sambar
vegetable briyani
cabbage carrot poriyal
Tri color stir fry
carrot cake
carrot orange juice
Carrot pumpkin cake
carrot halwa 
carrot kuli paniyaram

Shrimp Kebab

Kebabs are always fun food. While chicken kebabs are quite popular, I like different varieties  like fruit kebab, fish kebab also. Here is one kebab for the shrimp lovers.

Shrimp with broccoli and onion Kabab

Ingredients:
Shrimp - 12
onion - 1
broccoli or capsicum or tomato or pineapple - few pieces
lemon- 1/4
skewers - 4
olive oil or butter - few tsp

Masala for marination:
Lemon juice from  1/2 fruit
salt - to taste
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
garam masala - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
corn starch - 1 tbsp (optional)

Method:
Soak the skewers in water for 1 hour minimum.
Mix the masalas  in a small bowl.
Clean the shrimp and retain the tail. Marinate the shrimp pieces in the masala for 10 minutes.
Take them out.
In the same time roughly chop the broccoli / capsicum / pineapple / tomato along with onion and mix with left over masala mixture.
Preheat the oven to 350 deg C.
Thread the shrimp and vegetables as per wish.
Arrange  the skewers in baking sheet and drizzle little olive oil or butter over it.
Bake for 10 minutes one side and 3 minutes after flipping to other side.
Take out and squeeze some lemon juice over the kebab.
Shrimp vegetable kabob is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as appetizer or main course.

Brinjal roast

Brinjal roast is another favorite for us. I made this last year using our fresh homegrown eggplant. Try and enjoy this easy side dish.

Ingredients:
Eggplant - 1
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
curry masala powder - 1 tsp
salt - to taste
oil - 1 tbsp per batch

Method:
Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick circles or semi circles.
Keep it in a large mixing bowl.
In a  small bowl mix all ingredients except oil.
Add the masala mixture to the brinjal slices and shake to coat thoroughly.
Keep marinated for 10 minutes.
In a frying pan , heat 1 tbsp oil, then fry a small batch of brinjal slices both sides (almost 1 minute per side).
Take out, repeat and fry all the slices.
Pan roasted brinjal fry is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as side dish with sambar rice or curd rice.

Note:
Deep frying these brinjal slices will taste incredible good, but pan roasting is easier.

Senai kilangu paruppu koottu (Suran dal)

Senai kizhangu paruppu koottu / Elephant yam subzi.
I learned this dal curry with senai kilangu through one of the nice lady I met. Packiam amma used to cook lunch and dinner in our house for quite a long time then.  My parents' kitchen is very large and I used to keep a cute little place for my study table there till I finished college. So whenever I want a relaxation or change of mood from my studies on weekends, I would help and learn in kitchen too :) That's how this dal curry entered my recipe collection from one of the sweetest cook Packiam amma.
Before that we used to make a fried senai kilangu  only, but I like this recipe also very much.

Frozen suran

Senai kilangu paruppu koottu / Suran dal curry

A simple lunch: Puli kulambu, suran dal curry, curd, pappad, rice.

Ingredients:
Suran / elephant yam / senai kizhangu - 200 gm
oil - 2 tsp
mustard - 1  tsp
channa dal - 1 tbsp
curry leaf - 1 sprig
onion (chopped) - 2 tbsp
Tuvaram paruppu (Toor dal) - 1/2 cup
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
hing - 1/8 tsp
salt - to taste

To grind:
Coconut - 3 tbsp
cumin - 1/2 tsp
green chilly - 4

Method: 
1.Wash the dal. Add turmeric powder, hing, 2 cups water. Cook it in pressure cooker till one whistle , reduce heat and cook in medium heat for 10 minutes. Keep aside.
2. In a wok heat 2 tsp oil, add mustard seeds, channa dal and let the mustard crack. Then add chopped onion, curry leaves. Saute till onion turns soft. Cut the yam into small cubes (1 inch size) and add to wok. Pour 1/2 cup water and cook covered.
3. Grind coconut, green chilly, cumin to a coarse paste. After the yam gets cooked (10 minutes), add the masala paste, salt, cooked dal and being to a boil. If desired garnish with finely chopped cilantro and switch off.
Senai kizhangu paruppu koottu is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as side dish with rice.

Other ways to cook senai kizhangu:
Senai kilangu stir fry
Erissery
Pongal puli curry

Fish fry with green masala

What will you do, when one of your vegetarian friends is in need of a fish recipe temporarily, that doesn't smell too much? I prepared this new recipe when my friend was in need to include fish diet for the first time for her husband. I showed her to process the fish and the benefits of having it as curry than deep frying. But I knew , eating fried fish is easier for the beginners. My ordinary fried fish would have more fish smell, so she wanted one with more spices and I found this recipe myself:)  On that day we made it with butterfish . Then the next weekend I made it with pompano fish for us. (Butterfish can be made as whole fish fry, by slitting few lines and stuffing it with this masala). We tried tandoori method too, but frying tasted better. Now I am glad that this has became my hubby's favorite too.

Fish marinating in green masala

Ingredients:
Pompano fish or pomfret  (vaaval meen) - 1/2 kg (1 lb)
corn starch or rice flour - 1 tbsp

To grind:
salt - 2 tsp
green chillies - 4
turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
cilantro - 2 handful
ginger - 1 inch
garlic - 4 cloves
black pepper - 1 tsp
cumin - 1 tsp

others:
lemon - 1 (juice)

Oil (to deep fry) - 200 ml (1 cup)
(I used corn oil here).

Method:
Wash the fish and remove all the fins and scales by a knife.
Then slice it into thin slices (as shown in photo).

Apply little turmeric powder over the fish and keep aside.

Grind the items given without adding water. If needed add few tsp of lemon juice.
Then mix this with corn flour or corn starch.

Mix the ground masala with the powders and salt given above.

Gently rub the masala over the fish slices(dab some masala inside the fish too)and marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a broad based wok .Fry the fish both sides crispy.

Fish fry is ready! Sprinkle some lemon juice all over the fried fish to jazz up the taste.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish with any rice. The suitable combinations are sambar rice , rasam rice or meen kulambu rice.

Pav bhaji

Pav bhaji can be related to buttery mashed potatoes with an Indian touch. It is one of the popular dishes in North India and will come under 'chaat food' or 'street food' category. It will be typically served with a toasted bun called pav bun (looking like small burger buns).
The base for this curry is always potatoes and in some occasions raw plantain. Also it is noted for its rich butter / ghee flavor. It is one of my most favorites and my neighbor aunty would bring us this yummy gravy often. I used to make this with a readymade powder masala. But here is a recipe for this famous pav bhaji from scratch.

Pav bhajji with little ghee on top.

Pav bhaji is ready !

Tempering for bhajji

Boiled potato and vegetables.

Ingredients:
Boiled potato - 3 or 4
cauliflower - 1 cup
carrot - 1
green peas - 1/2 cup
capsicum - 1/2
onion - 1/2
tomato - 1
ginger - 2 inch
garlic - 3 cloves
green chillies - 3
cilantro - handful
milk - 1 cup (optional)

To powder :
Fennel - 1 tbsp

others:
ghee / butter - 3 tbsp
oil - 3 tbsp
cinnamon - small piece
bay leaf - 1
curry masala powder - 1 tbsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - to taste
ghee - few tsp while serving.
lime juice - 2 tbsp

Method:
Pressure cook the potatoes for 3 whistles or in 5 minutes in simmer after 1 whistle.
Put them in cold water and peel immediately. Mash finely using hands or a masher / spatula.
Mean while chop the cauliflower, capsicum, carrot finely and put them in a large wok with 1 cup water or milk. Put green peas also and cook till tender. To this add the mashed potatoes, turmeric powder, salt, garam/ curry masala powder, cumin powder and bring to a boil. Mash with spatula again coarsely, so that all vegetables get mixed very well.
 
Heat oil+butter in a wok and add cinnamon, bay leaf. Then add minced onion and stir fry for  a few seconds. Then add chopped tomato. Saute till oil separates. Finely chop ginger and garlic. Pour this to the boiling vegetables mixture.

Dry roast the fennel and powder it. Add this powder to the boiling mixture. If needed add some more water , so that the curry comes to a thick gravy consistency.

Switch off and mix lime juice, cilantro.

Pav bhaji is ready !

Serving suggestion:
It is traditional to add little ghee on top of the pav bhaji while it is served hot.
Serve with toasted pav buns or any roti.
Raw sliced onion and lemon are kept along with this bhaji.
Tastes good with dosa too.

Note:
My version is a simple pav bhaji recipe  'without pav spice masala mix'. We can find this pav masala easily in any  Indian grocery store (in the masala powder aisle).
If using pav bhaji readymade masala , then  don't add fennel / Sauf powder, cumin powder, curry masala powder. Pav masala has everything together.