Mulaga aku pacchadi (Drumstick leaves chutney)

Drumsticks, which are popular ingredients in sambar, sweet pulusu etc. are commonly cooked in South India. Moringa, drumstick trees are native to Africa and Asia.

Many parts like immature seed pods (mulakkadalu/drumsticks), leaves and flowers of moringa are edible and have a lot of health benefits. Juice from moringa leaves is believed to have stabilizing effect on BP and sugar levels. The juice is used to treat anxiety.

The leaves are used to treat diarrhea, dysentery and colitis. Juice of leaves is used as a diuretic, Leaves and buds are useful as external application to treat headache and skin infections. Leaves are helpful in killing intestinal worms. Drumstick leaves are supposed to be good protein sources, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium and potassium. They are a power house of nutrients.

In India, drumstick trees are grown in many places. Mulaga leaves are available in some of the local markets. In USA, Indian stores in many cities sell bunches of drumstick leaves.

In Andhra Pradesh, it is customary to consume the leaves at least once, during the monsoon season. May be to ward off stomach infections!

Here is recipe to make a spicy chutney with the leaves. It tastes very much like gongura chutney. It has all the health benefits too!!

Ingredients:

•      3 or 4 cups of mulaga aku (Drumstick leaves)
•      3 Tbs. oil
•      2 Tbs. tamarind paste
•      4 or 5 green chiles
•      Salt to taste

Seasoning:

•      2 Tsp. chile powder
•      1 Tsp. turmeric powder
•      2 Tsp. methi mustard powder
•      1/2 Tsp. hing
•      2 Tsp. sesame seeds

Directions:

1.      Wash and clean the leaves.
2.      Remove any stems etc.
3.      Dry the leaves completely by spreading on a cloth.
4.      Roast without oil, a teaspoon of methi and a teaspoon of mustard seeds.
5.      Roast the sesame seeds without oil.
6.      When the seeds are cold, grind methi mustard together and sesame separately and set aside.
7.      Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a thick pan.
8.      Add the drumstick leaves and keep stirring.
9.      Let them cook for about 5 minutes, till the leaves are cooked.
10.      Set aside to cool.
11.      Place the cooked leaves, tamarind paste and green chiles in a grinder and grind.
12.      Add turmeric powder, chile powder, methi mustard powder and salt.
13.      Grind well without adding water.
14.      Add sesame powder and blend for a minute.
15.      When the chutney has the required consistency, stop grinding.
16.      Heat the rest of the oil in a pan, add hing.
17.      When the oil is hot, add the ground chutney.
18.      Mix well and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
19.      Transfer to a serving bowl.
20.      Tasted very nice with rice.

Red/purple cabbage pappu kura Red /purple cabbage subzi with moong dal )

The red cabbage (purple leaved varieties) is a kind of cabbage and is also known as purple cabbage, red kraut, or blue kraut (as it turns blue after cooking). To retain the red color, it is necessary to add lemon juice or vinegar to the recipe.

Red cabbage is commonly grown in Northern Europe, throughout the Americas, in China and Africa. Now red cabbage is being grown in some parts of India also. We can buy red cabbage in many super markets in India.

When it comes to health benefits of red cabbage, they are innumerable.

Red cabbage is a good source of manganese, dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin B1, folate and copper. It also has magnesium, calcium and niacin.

Red cabbage contains a lot of vitamin C which is crucial antioxidant. So consuming red cabbage boosts the immune system, fights inflammation and arthritis. Consumption of red cabbage aids healthy bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Because of its high fiber content, it promotes a healthy gut.

Uncooked red/purple cabbage is most commonly eaten in salads. But, there are quite a few Indian recipes also. I tried adding moong dal and make a subzi. As both cabbage and dal are very good for health and very little oil is used, it is a very healthy recipe.

Ingredients:

•      Purple cabbage (medium size to get 2 cups chopped cabbage)
•      1/2 cup moong dal (without skin)
•      1/2 Tsp. turmeric powder
•      Salt to taste
•      Few curry leaves

Seasoning:

•      2 red chiles
•      1 Tsp. urad dal
•      1/2 Tsp. mustard seeds
•      1/2 Tsp. jeera seeds
•      Pinch hing (asafetida)
•      2 Tsp. oil

Directions:

1.      Soak dal in water for about an hour.
2.      Wash the cabbage and remove outer leaves if necessary.
3.      Chop it uniformly.
4.      Cook moong dal either in a microwave or directly so that it is just parboiled.
5.      Drain and keep it.
6.      Heat oil in a pan. 
7.      When oil is hot, add red chiles.
8.      Add urad dal, mustard and jeera seeds.
9.      After 2 minutes add hing and add curry leaves.
10.      Add chopped cabbage and mix well.
11.      Add the dal to the cabbage and stir well.
12.      Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
13.      Keep stirring regularly.
14.      When the pieces of cabbage and dal are soft to touch, stop cooking.
15.      Transfer to a serving dish.
16.      This subzi is a good side dish for rice and roti.
17.      Precooking dal is optional. If you want, you can avoid cooking before and add the soaked dal directly.

Arati puvvu kura (Banana flower/plantain flower/banana heart subzi)

Banana plants are native to tropical countries like Indian subcontinent, South East Asia, Philippines and Australia. It is likely that they have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea.

It is interesting that every part of banana plant is useful and beneficial. Green bananas/plantains, banana stem are edible and are used in many tasty recipes. Banana leaves are used as disposable plates for lunch and dinner. In Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore many snacks etc are made using the leaves as wrappers.

Common in South East Asian cuisine, banana flowers/banana hearts/plantain flowers are used in many recipes. Banana flowers are tear shaped maroon or purplish flowers hanging at the end of banana clusters. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Fresh banana blossoms are available in many vegetable markets in India. In USA banana blossoms are available in many Indian stores. Sometimes, the canned banana blossoms are also available.

Banana flower has innumerable health benefits. Foods made of banana flower help in healing the wounds, reducing premature aging and cancer, increasing hemoglobin levels in the body etc. and increasing immunity.

Banana flower contains vitamin A, C, and E and also potassium and a lot of fiber. It is rich in soluble and insoluble fiber.

Banana flower is a natural antidepressant without any side effects.

The flower is preferred for nursing mothers as it boosts milk supply in new mothers.

In South Indian cuisine, there are many subzi recipes are available.  In Eastern states also banana hearts are very popular and they make delicious deep fried vadas etc.

Preparing banana flower for cooking is a tedious and labor intensive process.

Here is a recipe to make subzi with North Indian flavor.

Ingredients:

•      Banana flower (medium size)
•      1/2 Tsp. turmeric powder
•      Salt to taste

Seasoning:

•      1/2 inch cinnamon stick
•      2 small ilaichi
•      1 bay leaf
•      1 Tsp. chile powder
•      1/2 Tsp. garam masala
•      1/2 Tsp black pepper powder
•      1/2 Tsp. coriander powder
•      Pinch of sugar
•      1 Tsp. ghee

Directions:

1.      Fill a large bowl of cold water and add salt and vinegar or lemon juice. The florets will turn brown or black if left exposed to air. So immediately after opening, they have to be soaked in acidic water solution.
2.      Apply some edible oil to your palms, as the blossoms are sticky and stain your palms.
3.      Using an old cutting board, and a newspaper spread, start opening the flower.
4.      Banana flower contains many bracts (commonly referred to as petals) between rows of flowers.
5.      Remove the tough outer petals, often reddish/magenta in color.
6.      The tough outer petals can be used as plates or discarded.
7.      The flowers are bunched together.
8.      Initial layers of flowers have tough stamen which is not easy to cut to eat. Also the scale-like outer most petal called calyx has to be removed and discarded. 
9.      After a few layers of tough flowers, the flowers are smaller and the stamen and calyx are not tough. 
10.      These florets can be soaked in the water right away.
11.      After a few of these, the bracts or the petals also become light yellow in color, tightly packed and are soft.
12.      That part of the flower can be used without opening and removing the petals.
13.      Fine chop all the florets and leave them in water for an hour. or
14.      Put the florets in a vegetable chopper and process them.
15.      Boil some water and add the processed/fine chopped flowers along with turmeric powder. 
16.      Cook till the flowers are soft to touch.
17.      Drain the water and set aside.
18.      Heat oil in a thick pan.
19.      Add cinnamon stick, ilaichi and bay leaf.
20.      Cook for a minute and add the drained flowers.
21.      Add salt, chile powder, garam masala, coriander powder, black pepper powder and keep stirring.
22.      Add a pinch of sugar.
23.      Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
24.      Add a tea spoon of ghee and remove from heat.
25.      Cover and let it stay for about ten minutes.
26.      Transfer to a serving dish.
27.      A good side dish which can be eaten with rice or roti.

Instant lemon pickle

Pickles are normally associated with tedious procedures and long term projects involving cutting, mixing, drying and remixing etc. Now many of us do not have time for all these processes and we end up buying readymade pickles from market.

Here is a recipe for "Instant lemon pickle". It is not time consuming and easy to make. The pickle tastes just as the original one does. I have made this pickle in January and put it in the refrigerator. It is tasting fresh and yummy even now! If you have to make some spicy pickle in a short notice, this is a very good recipe!

Ingredients:

•      5 Fresh ripe lemons
•      2 Tbs. chile powder
•      2 or less Tbs. salt
•      1 Tsp. methi mustard powder
•      3 Tbs. oil
•      1 Tsp. hing (asafetida)

Directions:

1.      Wash and dry lemons.
2.      Place them in a pressure cooker and cook till five whistles.
3.      Stop cooking and let cool.
4.      Open the cooker and let the lemons cool.
5.      Drain any water that is collected.
6.      Cut the lemons in the bowl itself, so that the juice is not lost, in to smaller pieces.
7.      Add chile powder, salt and methi mustard powder.
8.      Mix well.
9.      Heat oil in a small pan.
10.      When oil is hot, add hing and remove from heat.
11.      Pour hot oil over the pickle mixture.
12.      Mix well and let stay for about an hour.
13.      Fresh lemon pickle is ready to eat.
14.      If kept in a refrigerator, the pickle stays for a long time.