Andhra Shrimp Curry

I think we all like noovelty in our life, so my North Indian husband who loves spices (since this is what he has grown up with) expresses his independence by insisting how much he loves South Indian and (yes after marriage) - bengali food. I cook general South Indian food reasonably well, but have never tried my hand with fish and seafood recipes.

Well I figured the RCI event which features diverse Indian cuisines, this month featuring Andhra recipes, hosted by Latha.

Well, I adapted this recipe from something a friend of mine from Andhra makes. I think it is close, but since I am doing this recipe by instinct, it may not be perfect

Andhra Shrimp Curry

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Grind to a paste

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

1 piece ginger

4 green chillies

3 red chillies

3 tbsp coconut powder

Grind to a powder

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 sticks cinnamon

2 cardamoms

2-3 cloves

1 tsp turmeric

1 lb shrimp

1 tsp salt

1 lime

3 tbsp oil

1 small onion chopped

For garnish

A few curry leaves

1 tsp chopped cilantro

Method of preparation

1. Coat the shrimp with the lime and vinegar and set aside

2. Heat the oil and add the chopped onion and saute well.

3. Add in the ground paste and powdered spices and cook stirring frequently for 15-20 minutes until it is well browned and the oil separates.

4. Add in the shrimp with 1 cup of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Check the salt and serve hot with rice.

Moong Dal with Dill

A simple variation of an everyday staple - Moong Dal or Mooger Dal.

I do not know how much dill everyone else uses, but I like to get it to add to salads and then I have a lot leftover. While it is gentler than Cilantro, it is an acquired taste in Indian Cuisine. Here I coupled it with garlic for pretty good results.

Moong Dal with Dill and Garlic

Ingredients

3/4 cup moong dal

1 tsp salt

3 cups water

1/2 tsp turmeric

4 tbsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 cloves garlic minced

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1/3 cup dill, finely chopped

Method of Preparation

1. On a pan, dry roast the moong dal till lightly browned.

2. Place into a pot and cook with water, turmeric and salt for 25 minutes.

3. Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds, when they sizzle add in th garlic and tomatoes and cook till they are soft and pulpy.

4. Add in the dill and gently stir into the cooked lentils.

5. Check seasonings and serve with rice or rotis.

This is my contribution for WHB which is being hosted right here at home.

Weekend Herb Blogging - Roundup # 83

This is the first time I am actually hosting an event. So I am both excited and nervous. Anyhow lets start the drumroll. Trying to do the entries in the order I recieved them. This has however been so much fun, I have learnt about new herbs, new ways to cook them and discovered some lovely blogs along the way.

Starting with Kalyn's entry, where we have a wonderful recipe for a green bean salad with heart of palm and feta seasoned with oregano. Despite rumors about the dried version being more flavorful, Kalyn's uses the fresh variety that she gets straight from her garden. Green and Anti-oxidant rich.

Eliza is a beginer to WHB. Welcome! She has recently bought a crepe book followed by a crepe pan. She presents yes, a crepe recipe. A beautiful recipe featuring chives, roasted garlic and tomatoes. Sounds delicious! Eliza likes the mild taste of chives and informs us that they are rich in vitamins and calcium.

Chris from Mele Cotte, brings us a lovely couple, here the star performer tomato shares the stage with asparagus. How appropriate for this time of the year. In this dish, Chirs moves away from the usual slicing and sauteing and actually oven roasts grape tomatoes before pairing them with asparagus.

Joanna brings us artichokes which are a sign of summer for her. Do visit her blog to see the beautiful pictures of the artichokes in her garden. She shares with us the perfect way of cooking these artichokes cut in half.

Sarah from Avenue Food shares with us her tip for ... pan roasting garlic that tastes just like the original oven-roasted version in much less time. She uses this in an elegant spaghetti recipe, where the garlic is added to the pasta with anchovies and capers. Sounds perfect for a weeknight supper.

Genie shares with us the story and process of making lavender plants dormant and resurrecting them back when the weather is warmer. Having a black thumb myself, I always marvel at people who can do so well with plants.

Astrid shares with us a recipe for grilled chicken taglietelle. She marinates the chicken overnight and cooks it with nectarine slices and also makes some wonderful stuffed mushrooms and garnished with the winning combination of cilantro and basil.

Ulrike who I keep bumping into through blog events, presents a wonderful lemony pasta, with lemony balm. I just cannot have enough lemon in my food so this sounds like something made just for me.

Emily was insprired to creativity with a 40-piece bag of chicken breasts in her freezer and dishes out Mojito Chicken, the recipe sounds lovely with wonderful doses of the rum, lime and mint trio that the drink has and in her words dish is a meeting of stir fry and Kentucky Derby.


Just when I was wondering what to do with some extra avocados in my house I recieved this colorful post from Valentina. The herb featured here is mint, paired beautifully with chickpeas and avocado. She also tells us about how avocado is eaten in Brazil.


Ahn introduces us to wild betel leaf or peper leaf with this recipe where she cooks minced beaf wrapped in wild betel leaves. She explains the major distinction between regular betel leaves and wild betel leaves is in the more pronounced peppery taste of the later.

Glenna reminds us how simple is sometimes the best. I agree! She presents a lovely medley of roasted vegetables seasoned with the herb duo of rosemary and thyme. She also cooks fish with the same herbs and serves them together.


Elizabeth tries her hand at this wonderful, spicy, Harissa, a spicy North African relish, that is generously seasoned with coriander seeds (has recently stopped buying the whole seeds due to some insects that they were attracting) and garlic. She provides us some excellent information on garlic both about the plant and its nutritional benefits.

The Liberal Foodie tries her hand at cooking mussels, and after going through several other recipies, whips up her own with the versatile cilantro. She cooks the mussels with a cilantro chutney and cream sauce and presents the delicious results.

Amy decided to make a Chicken Provencal recipe while looking for thyme plant for her upcoming herb garden. She tells us about the different kinds of thyme plants. Good luck on the garden.

Patricia presents us another chickpea recipe from Brazil. Here the chickpeas are cooked with garlic and spices and served as a side to cumin fried fish. What a perfect blending of flavors.

Sandeepa presents a spicy chicken fry recipe that promises to spice and lift spirits without needing too much undivided attention. It is seasoned with the wonderfully fragrant and spice curry leaves. This herb is certainly worth keeping in the house.

Yich informs us that the banana is considered a herb! This, I did not know. Thanks for letting me know about the other "herb" that I buy every week. She shares a banana muffin and some fun and food facts about the banana.

Christa shares a recipe for tabbouleh a middle-eastern cracked wheat salad. Her version is infused with Chive Flowers. Her post gives us some wonderful information and recipe sources on other edible flowers.

Sher sends us a recipe for Red Curry Salmon, with cabbage salad over jasmine rice, laced with cilantro. She informs us that the dislike for cilantro may be a genetic factor so we should not be too harsh on our friends who do not like the herb.

The Trinigourmet finally shares with us her recipe for Ras-Al- Hanout, a morrocan spice blend that among other things includes a combination of cardamom and coriander.

Angie shares with us a post on chrysanthemum flowers and a recipe for chrysathemum tea and its medicinal qualities. I think with the varying ups and downs of the weather we can all use a sure-fire remedy for the cold.

Hallo shares with us Kale in a wonderful Caldo Verde a nourishing portuguese green soup. Her post has some good information on kale and something that gives me a good weeknight option to cook.

Ed Charles also introduces us to an unusual green called Samphire - an old British traditional food that is making its reappearance. Since this grows by the sea it contains a lot of salt and therefore needs minimal seasoning and flavoring. Works well for me.

Y also presents a post of cilantro or coriander leaves and says to think of coriander leaves more like a salad than just a garnish. She likes it over fresh white steamed fish that is a favorite for her when she goes out to eat.

Katie fills us in on the story of her emerging herb garden and also presents a delicious sounding recipe for tarragon mayonaise that she serves with fish. The mayo is also delicately seasoned with chives and garlic. Sounds perfect for simple white fish.

Zorra sends us a simple but versatile recipe for herb butter that she makes with chives, parsely and sage and serves with grilled garlic bread. I think I can eat this all day.

Susan sends us a nice and luxurious looking entry of Chive and Poppy Seed Crepes, served well stacked with a good dollop of fresh whipped cream. Sounds like a perfect brunch dish.

Well the last entry is yet another Samphire entry, what a coincidence. This one is paired with fish as well. I do not know where to get it but it certainly sounds like something worth trying.

I tried my hand with dill this time around. Paired it with moong dal or yellow lentils for a nice gentle well-seasoned dish.

Well, I think this is it. A lovely collection! I hope I missed no one.

P is for Palak Rajma

I love, love spinach. I can eat it pretty much in any form. It is a regular feature in my cooking. This recipe is a simple creation that works best warm not hot. Several recipes like this frequent my daily table, they are nutritious not terribly fussy and since I do not have to worry too much about the dish getting cold, it fits my life when I am running around with the little ones.

Palak Rajma

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

1/2 cup red kidney beans cook till very soft

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp jeera

1 onion finely chopped

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp cumin coriander powder
2 small tomatoes diced

2 cups baby spinach leaves

3 green chillies minced

2 limes

1/2 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp cilantro

Method of preparation

1. Drain the bean and mash coarsely with salt.

2. Heat the oil and sizzle the cumin seeds.

3. Add the onion and ginger and cook for a 2-3 minutes.

4. When the onion is translucent add the cumin-coriander and chili powder with the tomatoes.

5. When they are soft add in the spinach leaves and cook till barely wilted.

6. Stir in the spinach mixture into the mashed beans.

7. Mix in the green chillies and squeeze in the lime juice.

8. Garnish with garam masala and cilantro.

This dish makes a great lunch meal by itself, it is also great on toasted crustly bread. This is a contribution for P to Nupur's alphabet event

O is for Okra - Bhindi Masala

Ever had to catch a train that left the station. I once had to do this during my commuting days to the city. It took me at least 3-4 tries to get caught up.
I have been getting that feeling as I have been following the A-Z of Indian Vegetables on Nupur's blog. Well, tonight might just be the night when I can make it. I made this Bhindi or Okra dish, in a very classic north Indian style. Just did not fry the bhindi though.
Bhindi Masala
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb young fresh okra
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 lime
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 onion finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
3 tomatoes finely chopped
1.5 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp dried kasuri methi
For the garnish
1/2 cup chopped grape tomatoes
2 scallions coarsely chopped
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 green chillies minced
Method of Preparation
1. Cut the tops of the Okra and cut lengthwise into 3-4 strips. Smear with turmeric and a little salt.
2. Broil the bhindi on low till crisp and lightly browned. Sprinkle with lime juice and set aside.
3. Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds, followed by the onions and garlic and cook till the onions start turning golden.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes with the remaining spices and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes stirring well, till the mixture is well brown and the oil begins to show.
5. Gently, fold in the bindi and the garnish ingredients and cook for 2-3 minutes.
I will warn you, this dish cries out for parathas , which I did not make, so we made do with toasted multi-grain bread.
2. Drizzle with oil and

Springy Salad

Spring has crept up on me as it always does. Especially given the weird weather (at least in NY), it is even harder to discern. One day, I have this balmy weather, the next day snow, then 80F heat. Anyhow, I think we are really into the warmer weather . The flowers are out in my garden, nothing gives me greater joy than the cherry blossom, in full bloom as we speak. It is ironic, let me tell you why, I love flowers. Nothing unusual about that, the first couple of month when I was getting to know my husband he did get me flowers (cut ones), later this slowed down. He informed me being the nature lover that he was, he felt that it was shameful to remove so many flowers of the trees, we should learn to love them in their own environment, etc, etc... Well, when we got married, he did tell me I would not miss flowers but would really not get too many bunches from the shop. True, to his word, I have my favorite seasonal flowers in our garden, through most of the year, and yes, our cherry blossom is a testimony to that. Spring to me has arrived when the cherry blossom blooms. What does this translate to in my kitchen - somewhat lighter foods .

This salad above has a wonderful zesty dressing with some of the sparkle and crunch of spring.

Spicy Spinach Strawberry Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

For the dressing

1/3 cup fresh balsamic vinegar

1/2 inch fresh ginger

2 green chillies

1/3 cup loose basil leaves

1 tsp black salt

2 tomatoes

For the salad

2 cups baby spinach leaves

8 strawberries thinly sliced

1/2 soft cheese (goat or gorgonzola)

1/3 cup walnuts

Method of preparation

1. Place all the ingredients for the salad in a blender and blend to a puree.

2. Toss all the salad ingredients.

3. Drench with the dressing and serve.

I am sending my springy dish to Meeta for her monthly me ingle event where she is featuring the theme of "Spring is in the air.". Look out, smell, find the cherry blossoms, I am sure you will agree.