Cranberry sweet and sour chutney

Cranberries are acidic to taste and taste very much like vakkay in Telugu or karonda in Hindi.

Fresh cranberries can be frozen at home and will keep up to 9 months.

In some metropolitan cities in India, cranberries are available.

Cranberries can be called wonder fruit as they have many nutritional benefits. They help in preventing urinary tract infections. They are well known for anti-inflammatory benefits, cardiovascular benefits, anti-cancer benefits and antioxidant protection etc.

Cranberry sauce or relish are commonly associated with traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Cranberries are usually processed into products such as juice, jam, sauce etc or sweetened dried.  We can make some popular Indian dishes like chutneys or pickles etc I have tried sweet and sour chutney. If you prefer, you may fry some garlic pods in oil and use them as topping. It reminds one of popular Andhra tamarind sweet and sour chutney!

Now, fresh cranberries are available in stores.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

•      1 cup cranberries
•      1 Tsp. methi mustard powder
•      2 Tsp. chile powder
•      3 to 4 Tsp. jaggery
•      Salt to taste
•      3 to 4 Tsp. oil
•      A few garlic pods (peeled)

Directions:

1.      Wash and dry cranberries on a cloth.
2.      Heat a thick pan and add oil.
3.      When the oil is hot, add cranberries.
4.      Keep stirring till the cranberries pop.
5.      When all the berries popped up, remove from heat.
6.      Add chile powder, methi mustard powder, jaggery, and salt.
7.      Mix well and let the mixture stay in hot pan.
8.      If preferred, you can process the chutney in a grinder or just mash it with ladle
9.      If using garlic, fry the garlic in hot oil and add it to the chutney.
10.      Transfer the chutney to a bottle.
11.      The sweet and sour taste and the flavor are unique.

 

 

 

Gummadikaya pappu kura (Pumpkin subzi with dal and coconut)

 

Pumpkins are grown all over the world, except in Antarctica, biggest international producers include USA, Canada, Mexico, India and China.

In India, only the yellow or orange variety called gummadikaya or kaddu in Hindi are available.

Pumpkins are very nutritious as they are rich in potassium, vitamin A and fiber. Chance of heart disease and cancer are reduced by eating pumpkin. Pumpkins are known to cure stomach problems, intestinal worms and bladder disorders.

Most parts of the pumpkin like skin, seeds, the leaves and even the flowers are edible. In the United States and Canada pumpkin is a popular Halloween and Thanksgiving main dish.

In India, pumpkin halwa, a sweet dish made with sugar and ghee is a popular dish. Pumpkin pulusu and some varieties of subzis are made using pumpkin.

I am giving a recipe for a subzi using chana dal (split bengal gram) and fresh grated coconut.

Ingredients:

•      2 cups pumpkin diced
•      1/2 cup chana dal(split Bengalgram)
•      1/2 cup coconut fresh and grated

Seasoning:

•      2 or 3 red chiles
•      1 Tsp. urad dal (split blackgram)
•      !/2 Tsp. mustard seeds
•      1/4 Tsp. jeera (cumin)
•      Pinch of hing (asafetida)
•      A few curry leaves

Directions:

1.      Soak chana dal in water for about 4 to 5 hours.
2.      Remove the seeds and pulp from inside the pumpkin piece.
3.      Wash and cut into 1/4 inch pieces.
4.      Wash the soaked dal and drain the water out.
5.      Heat plenty of water in a big pot.
6.      When water is boiling, add chana dal.
7.      Let it cook for about 4 to 5 minutes.
8.      Add pumpkin pieces.
9.      Mix well.
10.      Let the pieces and dal cook on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes.
11.      Check the grain of dal for softness.
12.      It should not be overcooked.
13.      Transfer to a colander so that water is drained out.
14.      Heat oil in a thick pan.
15.      Add chiles, dal, mustard and jeera seeds and let cook till mustard seeds splutter.
16.      Add hing and curry leaves.
17.      Add the drained pumpkin pieces and dal mixture.
18.      Mix thoroughly with a fork.
19.      Add grated fresh coconut.
20.      Keep mixing.
21.      Do not mash the pieces and dal.
22.      Cook for a few minutes.
23.     Transfer to a serving dish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dabbakaya pokkadam (chakotara/lemon sweet and sour pickle)

Dabbakaya is a citrus fruit/vegetable as big as a grapaefruit. It has thicker skin and flavor different from lemon. Chakotara, gal gal nimbu etc. are almost like dabbakaya. This sweet and sour temporary pickle is very tasty and is a good side dish for rice, roti, idli and dosa. I tried using the large size lemons available in USA and the taste is almost like dabbakaya. I made this dish using chakotara, small oranges also.

Ingredients:

•      2 cups dabbakaya/chakotara/lemon pieces
•      3 to 4 green chiles (less spicy and according to taste)
•      1/4 Tsp. turmeric powder
•      1 Tsp. methi seeds
•      1 Tsp. mustard seeds
•      4 to 5 Tbsp. jaggery
•      3 Tsp. rice flour or corn flour
•      Pinch of hing (asafetida)
•      Salt to taste

Directions:

1.      Wash and cut dabbakaya/chakotara/lemon into 1 cm cubes.
2.      Let the seeds be there.
3.      Wash and cut green chiles into big pieces.
4.      Roast methi seeds without oil, for 1 or 2 minutes.
5.      Roast mustard seeds also without oil for a minute, till they splutter.
6.      Grind methi mustard to a fine powder.
7.      Take a deep pan and place chakotara and chile pieces.
8.      Add turmeric powder, salt, methi mustard powder and jaggery.
9.      Add a few spoons of water to the mixture and heat.
10.      Mix rice flour in a little cold water and add it to the boiling mixture.
11.      Keep stirring while the mixture is cooking.
12.      Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
13.      Pieces of chakotara need not be very soft.
14.      Take the pan off the heat and transfer to a dry jar.
15.      Place it in refrigerator.
16.      Can be kept in refrigerator for a few months.

This is a great side dish for idli, dosa, daddhojanam (yogurt rice) or parathas.