Laxmi's Delights

Category: Appetizer

  • Crostini with Flaxseed Spread

    Crostini with Flaxseed Spread

    • 1            baguette, sliced 1/4-inch thick
    • ½          cup olive oil, optional
    • ¼          cup any of our Flaxseed Spreads
    • 4 oz     goat cheese

    Place sliced baguette on baking sheet and brush with the olive oil if desired. Place pan in preheated 325° F oven and bake until golden brown for about 7 minutes. Remove and top with any of our Flaxseed Spreads and the cheese.

    Serves 6 to 8, as an appetizer.

  • Lemon Rice with Cranberries

    Lemon Rice with Cranberries

    This is a simple and yet visually stunning dish. My mother would collect leftover rice and embellish it with this lovely zesty seasoning and lots of fresh lime juice. No one ever minded that it was ‘recycled’ rice. If you don’t have leftover cooked rice, it is worth making fresh rice to enjoy this pilaf, that’s how I make mine for special meals.

    • 5          cups day-old cooked basmati or jasmine rice
    • 1            teaspoon salt
    • 1            teaspoon sugar
    • ¼         cup or more freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
    • ¼         cup chopped fresh cilantro plus additional sprigs for garnish
    • 3½       tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1            teaspoon mustard seeds
    • 1            teaspoon cumin seeds
    • ¼         cup roasted salted or unsalted peanuts
    • 2           tablespoons dried cranberries
    • 1            cup finely chopped onion
    • 2           fresh hot green Serrano or jalapeno chilies, stemmed and chopped
    • ¼         teaspoon turmeric

    Place the rice in a large bowl. Sprinkle salt, sugar, lime juice and cilantro. Toss gently to mix. Set aside.

    Heat the oil in a large heavy sauté pan or Dutch oven over moderately high heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds; immediately cover with a spatter screen, and cook until the seeds stop popping, about 30 seconds. Add the nuts and cranberries and stir about 1 minute. Add the onion, chilies and turmeric. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the rice and mix thoroughly until each grain is stained yellow from the turmeric. Cover and cook until very hot, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a heated serving platter. Arrange sprigs of cilantro and serve hot or warm or at room temperature.

    Serves 5 as a main dish, 8 as a side dish.

  • My Mother’s Heirloom Whole Pickled Limes

    My Mother’s Heirloom Whole Pickled Limes

    I am hosting a get together this weekend. I like to pay attention to every detail. I think, it’s really the small things that make a big difference. Take pickles, for instance, they can enhance and glorify a meal. At my local farmers market I came across an abundant of luscious, plump limes. Walla! All I could think of was my mother’s whole lime pickles. My mouth started watering looking at the plump bright green limes.

    If you think pickles are something only your grandmother would make and that they’re hard to prepare, then this recipe (I’m sure even my grandmothers would’ve agreed) will prove otherwise. Pickle is the soul of the Indian kitchen and, when it’s lovingly handmade, and passed from generation to generation like family heirlooms it is a perfect gift to the culinary world.

    This oil-free, easy and straightforward preparation is my mother’s 50-year-old recipe I’d like to share that with you. She makes it every year in summer for family, friends and neighbors. Preparation of pickles used to be an elaborate process involving a lot of attention. I can recollect mother plucked 500 plump juicy limes, right from her organic garden and carefully screened each one. Then they were meticulously rinsed and wiped with linen. Earthenware crocks of approximately 5-gallon capacity were cleaned and sun-dried. Plump, fragrant spices were hand picked and dried in sun. The choice of chile powder (cayenne) was very important. It was always freshly pounded and mother went a step further with her innovative mind, she mixed three to four different varieties of dried chiles to achieve a deep ruby-red color so the finished pickle attained a beautiful hue. The pickling process was carried out only on a bright sunny day to avoid moisture from the atmosphere. The care and love that went into the preparation was worth the time and effort. Mother made beautiful little baskets with bowls of fresh homemade pickles to all our friends, relatives and neighbors. Although I make these here in late summer when limes are large and juicy, each time I visit India I still get enormous refills of my mother’s handmade pickles.

    These are lovely with vegetarian as well as fish and meat dishes.

    • 2 pounds (10 large) limes
    • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • ½ tablespoon mustard seeds
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 1/8 cup cayenne
    • ¼ cup salt

    1. Wash the limes and wipe dry with a kitchen towel. Slit each lime crosswise into fourths leaving ½-inch uncut at one end (similar to the ‘X’ you make while blanching the tomato, this should be a deeper ‘X’). Place in a large mixing bowl. You don’t have to remove the seeds leave them in for a rustic appeal.

    2. Combine the fenugreek, cumin and mustard seeds in a small dry frying pan. Toast over moderate heat until aromatic and mustard seeds start to pop, shaking the pan frequently, about 5 minutes. Cool and transfer to a spice grinder or coffee mill and grind to a fine powder. Dump into a small bowl. Add the turmeric into the same frying pan and warm it on low heat for 1 minute. Add to the bowl. Stir in the sugar, cayenne and salt. Mix thoroughly. Gently spread the cuts open of each lime and sprinkle the spice mix between the slits. Place limes into a crock. Cover with lid and store in a cool dry place. Let the pickle cure for 3 to 4 days before serving. Occasionally give a shake, so the bottom pickles come at the top and the top ones move to the bottom. Shake the crock a couple times for about 4 to 5 days. Refrigerate after a week. (To be on the safe side I recommend refrigeration).

    Makes about 3 cups

    Variation – Chile-Lime Pickles

    If you prefer, using gloves, slit 10 to 15 long slender fresh hot green chiles do not stem, (be sure to use the gloves), sprinkle some of the pickling spice mix into the slits and toss into the crock.

  • Fresh Mixed Veggie-Yogurt Spread at Sprouts Cooking Club

    Fresh Mixed Veggie-Yogurt Spread at Sprouts Cooking Club

    Last week, I had the pleasure to teach children at the Sprouts Cooking Club in Berkeley. I believe they were between the ages of 5 to 14 years. The class was full with 18 children. Several adult volunteers supervised the kids. The class was held at the Whole Foods parking lot under a cozy tent. The Whole Foods Market supplied the ingredients for the class.

    I was so impressed by the young children’s enthusiasm and participation. They were well organized with their cutting board, mixing bowl, small pots and knife. They cut the vegetables with great interest (of course, under adult supervision), so finely and in uniform pieces they would put us professionals to shame. I was told some of them were very good at mincing, dicing, and cubing. Best of all, they were proficient at rolling leafy green or herbs and chopping into delicate strips referred to as chiffonade. As they assembled the following mixed vegetable spread, we passed along slices of crusty bread. The little kids were even happy to enjoy it as a cool crunchy salad in small cups by itself. It was nice to see the youngsters enjoying wholesome mother earth’s bounty.

    Use this light and easy mixed vegetable concoction as a dip or spread on crusty bread to make vegetarian sandwiches. You can also serve as a side dish salad for lunch.

    • 2 large tomatoes
    • 2 medium cucumbers, such as English, pickling (about 10) or regular
    • 1 bunch red radishes
    • 1 small white, red or yellow onion
    • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
    • 4 cups plain yogurt
    • 2 teaspoons or to taste salt
    • 1 tablespoon sugar

    Core the tomatoes, chop finely and transfer to a large bowl. Peel and seed the cucumber; chop in half inch pieces and transfer to the bowl. Finely slice the radishes then stack and julienne the slices; transfer to the bowl. Peel and quarter the onion and slice thinly lengthwise; add to the bowl. Sprinkle with the cilantro.

    Just before serving, in a bowl, combine the yogurt, salt and sugar. Beat with a fork until smooth. Fold into the prepared vegetables.

    Serves 6 to 8 as an accompaniment or use as a vegetarian sandwich spread.

  • Red And Golden Beets Kachumber With Orange

    Red And Golden Beets Kachumber With Orange

    It has been so long I created a new post. I was traveling; also, someone hacked into my gmail account. You see the ‘followers’ down below someone added my name and photo. Anyone knows how to delete it? Thanks in advance for your help.

    The following is an Indian style salad, called kachumber. This type of fresh salad relies on chopped, crisp vegetables moistened with oil-based dressing rather than yogurt flavored with spices. It can be made from raw or cooked fruits and vegetables, standing alone or in combination.

    Kachumber is not nearly as well known outside of India. In texture, kachumber resembles coleslaw, but contains no mayonnaise. A light coating of spice-infused oil seasoning takes the place of vinaigrette. It is added to give shine, smoothness and flavor. Most kachumbers use one or two grated or shredded vegetables, either raw or cooked, with a flavorful boost from the zesty spice-infused oil, a touch of fresh herbs and a sprinkle of lime juice. Whether the salad uses vegetables that are raw or blanched, sliced or shredded, they are meant to be refreshing contrasts to the accompanying dishes.

    This recipe is a variation on a salad I tasted several years ago at the Culinary Institute of America, in St. Helena. Golden and red beets make all the more interesting combination added by the subtleties of tangy green mango.

    • 1 large red beet
    • 2 medium yellow beets
    • 1 small orange, separated into sections and white parts removed
    • 1 small green mango, peeled and grated
    • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
    • ¼ cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
    • 2 tablespoons canola oil
    • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
    • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or kari leaves

    To prepare the beets, cut off all but 1-inch of stems and roots. Rinse; do not peel. Cook covered, in boiling salted water till crisp tender for 40 to 50 minutes. When cool enough to handle slip skins off the beets.

    Dice beets into 1/8-inch wedges. Transfer to a decorative serving bowl. Add the orange and mango. Drizzle the lime juice. Top with nuts.

    Heat the oil in a small skillet over moderately high heat. Add the mustard seeds; immediately cover with a spatter screen, and cook until the seeds stop popping, about 30 seconds. Toss in the cilantro. Cook few seconds until crisp. Cool slightly and pour over the kachumber, scraping the pan with a rubber spatula. Serve right away.

    Serves 4 as a complimentary dish.

  • Those Magnificent Marvelous Green Mangoes

    Those Magnificent Marvelous Green Mangoes

    Green MangosI just got back from my travels to India. I was fortunate to be there during the mango season. I had the privilege of eating green mangoes straight from my mother’s organic garden. My mother had planted two three-year-old mango saplings when I was about the same age.

    Now the mango trees are big and spreading, full of luscious bright fruits. Its changing foliage, mass of budding feathery blossoms and hanging fruits present a spectacular view. The cool trees are an abode for tropical parrots and parakeets. The full-grown mature tree produces 400-600 mangoes at a time. Green mangoes start to appear in early April on Indian subcontinent. Some branches were so heavy with fruits that they almost touched the ground. Every time I went shopping I would cut a green mango into slices and take it in ziplock bag, my valuable vitamin C in the sweltering tropical heat. There was something gratifying about cutting down a stalk of green mango and chopping the fruit into small pieces. During leisure I would dip the pieces in a mound of salt and enjoy.

    In India the green mangoes are not only used in pickles but utilized like a vegetable as well. It is really white inside, appearing more like daikon, jicama, or green papaya than mango. Its juicy tart flavor is a natural bonus to an imaginative cook. India is the abode to hundreds of varieties of magnificent marvelous mangoes. There is a surprising selection of just green pickling mangoes that vary in tartness, shape and size—literally from, 1-inch to 12-inches in length.

    Image0059The mango tree is very much a part of Indian customs. It has an honored place in cultural and religious observances. Its slender pointed leaves, the branches and blossoms are used for various purposes. The leaves are skillfully arranged to decorate the thresholds and doors during feasts and in marriage banquets. The farmers have a special place for the mango tree since it signifies richness. A special spot is reserved for the mango tree in the field, it provides shade and a place to relax. Some dip the flat mango pit in ghee (clarified butter) and honey before planting the seed so it grows into a healthy tree. The young growing plant is then anointed with milk so there is a harvest of sweet fruits.

    The green mango is not only nutritious but is cultivated since ancient times for various medicinal properties found in the leaves and bark of the tree. The raw mango is a vital flavoring part and cooked like a vegetable in curries, stews and salads. It is used in making chutneys, pickles, preserves and sherbets. Sliced and sun-dried, it is ground into fine powder to make the mango powder. Both the dried slices and powder are used as souring agent in curries, meat dishes, soups, and in preparation of tangy spice blends.

    Buy an actual ‘green’ mango in the following recipe. The fruit it is quiet hard and nearly impossible to puncture with a fingernail, available in Indian, specialty and some supermarkets. Usually they are placed separate from the ripe ones and labeled ‘green mango’. Your grocer can probably find a very green mango from his stock, if you ask.

    Warm Garbanzo Beans and Green Mango Salad

    Here, I have paired the green mango with bland garbanzo beans and contrasting sweet coconut. The result is—warm, inviting salad with a wonderful hint of tangy taste. Try this vegetarian spring salad for light lunch or as an appetizer for dinner. If you have leftover cooked chicken or lamb in your refrigerator, by all means use in this salad.

    I make this salad so many times and forget to take a photo of the dish, I will take the picture next time and share it. In the meantime, enjoy the easy salad.

    • 1 medium green mango, unpeeled
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • ½ teaspoon brown or yellow mustard seeds
    • 2 dried red chiles, such as cayennes or chiles de arbol, stemmed, and broken into rough pieces
    • 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (freshly cooked or canned, drained)
    • 2 tablespoons grated fresh or defrosted frozen coconut
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 small avocado

    Wash and wipe the mango thoroughly. Peel the mango with a vegetable peeler. Using a hand grater (the fine holes of a hand grater result in a fine, fluffy texture) grate the mango, about half inch on all sides, then grate remaining fruit carefully, avoiding the large flat pit. Measure 1 cup and set aside.

    Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds; immediately cover with a spatter screen, and cook until the seeds stop popping, about 30 seconds. Toss in the chiles. Cook few seconds until crisp and lightly browned in spots. Add the mango, garbanzo beans, coconut and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 5 to 6 minutes.

    Mound the salad in the center of a decorative deep dish. Peel, pit, and dice avocado, and sprinkle over top of the salad and serve right away. Serves 4 to 6 as an accompaniment

     

     

  • Crispy Okra Cocktail Snack

    Crispy Okra Cocktail Snack

    This is a simple but stunning hors d’oeuvre, best made just before serving time. Make sure the okra is very fresh and tender, so there is sufficient moisture when it is sliced, and an adequate amount of spice mix adheres to it. Fry gently until crisp. This way the okra will remain crunchy for a few hours. If leftovers get limp, bake them in the oven on low heat for about 20 minutes until crispy. The crisp okra can double as croutons and are delicious over light soups.

    • 1 pound fresh okra
    • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
    • 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
    • 1½ teaspoons salt
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • Vegetable oil, for frying

    Rinse the okra and pat it dry; snip off both the ends. Using a sharp paring knife slice each okra pod lengthwise into 4 thin slices. Place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the lime juice.

    In a small bowl combine the chickpea flour, salt, cayenne and cumin, and mix well. Sprinkle the spice mixture over on the okra and toss to coat.

    Fill a large wok or heavy saucepan with oil to a depth of 1½ inches and heat over medium-high heat until very hot, 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. If you do not have a thermometer, add a small piece of okra to the oil to test; if it comes to the surface immediately, bubbling and sizzling the oil is ready. If okra browns instantly, that means the oil is too hot, if it stays at the bottom then the oil is not hot enough. Adjust heat accordingly. Using a slotted spoon, carefully add the okra, in small batches without crowding, to the hot oil. Reduce the heat to medium and deep-fry slowly, separating each piece with a fork; do not allow slices to stick to each other. Cook until crisp and lightly golden, turning once, for 3 to 4 minutes. Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer the okra to a tray lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining okra. Transfer to a warm serving platter and serve immediately.

    Serves 6 or so as a snack or an appetizer.

  • Crispy Wheat Canapé Crowned with Savory Topping

    Crispy Wheat Canapé Crowned with Savory Topping

    I am cooking a big 20-course dinner for 50 people tomorrow. I have uploaded an appetizer that is part of the menu for you to enjoy or make it part of your carte du jour.

    • 1 large Yukon gold or russet potato
    • 1 cup finely chopped onion
    • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
    • Salt to taste
    • Plain yogurt, whipped
    • ½ cup sweet chutney sauce (see recipe below)
    • ½ cup hot chutney sauce (see recipe below)
    • Chaat Papdi (Indian crispy fried whole wheat rounds), available at Indian stores or substitute potato chips
    • ½ cup or more thin chickpea flour noodles (sev), available at Indian stores

    Cook the potato in boiling salted water until tender; drain and let cool. Peel and dice the potato, and place in a large bowl.

    Add the onion and cilantro to the bowl; toss gently to mix. Season with salt and mix well.

    Drizzle with yogurt, sweet and hot chutney sauces and mix very gently. To serve, spoon about a tablespoon of the mixture onto individual Indian crispy chaat rounds or chips. Sprinkle sev noodles on top. Serve immediately.

    Serves 4.

    Sweet Chutney Sauce

    Use this as a dipping sauce for crudités onion rings or fritters.

    • ½ cup raisins
    • 2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate dissolved in ½ cup water
    • 1 slice of ¼ -inch thick knob fresh ginger
    • ½ tablespoon sugar
    • ¼ cup water
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin

    Combine the raisins and tamarind liquid in a medium saucepan. Cook over moderate heat until raisins are very soft 6 to 8 minutes. Cool and transfer to a blender or food processor.

    Add the ginger, sugar, water, salt and cumin to the blender. Process to a smooth puree; stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides of the container. Transfer to a serving bowl. Let stand a few minutes for the flavors to meld. Cover and refrigerate the chutney sauce if not using. It keeps well for up to 1 week.

    Makes about 1 cup.

    Hot Green Chutney Sauce

    Add more chiles if hotter taste is desired.

    • 2 cups packed fresh cilantro with stems
    • 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
    • 1 fresh green serrano or jalapeno chiles, stemmed
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
    • ¼ cup water

    Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Process until smoothly pureed, stopping from time to time to scrape down the sides of the container.

    Transfer to a serving bowl. Let stand a few minutes for the flavors to meld. The chutney can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

    Makes about 1½ cups.

  • Diwali is Mainstream

    Diwali is Mainstream

    We just celebrated Diwali with family and friends. It is the brightest feast and forms the grand finale of all the festivals in India. Even our cool President Barack Obama talked about Diwali in his address. It has become mainstream, PepsiCo Inc. and Target Corp. picked New Jersey to test a new kind of holiday promotion this month – Diwali marketing.

    Feasting is part of special occasions in India; I have pleasant memories as a child of the pre-festival arrangements that would begin several days in advance in our home. The professional cooks hired by my parents would bring their own enormous utensils and set up a wood-burning stove in the backyard to make boondi laddu and other snacks. Observing them was quite an education. My sister and I would watch them steadily stirring the sugar syrup and frying tiny droplets of chick-pea flour. With great expertise, they combined the still hot mixture with the syrup, rolling it in seemingly heat-resistant hands into plump, round balls. We would pack large quantities of these and other sweets and snacks in baskets or trays lined with colorful napkins and distribute them to friends and neighbors to convey affection, appreciation, and joy.

    Despite of countless dishes that were prepared I insisted on the following favorite recipe and my mother always made it special.

    Fudge Balls in Rose-Perfumed Syrup (Gulab Jamun)

    The ability to make this dish is one of the hallmarks of a good Indian cook, and when I first came to America I naturally wanted to continue to make it for my family. But one of the key ingredients, khawa (condensed milk), was hard to obtain, and making my own was too time-consuming. So I tried various recipes including instant baking mix, trying to recreate the texture and flavor I remembered. Carnation, dry milk turned out to be the best substitute. And while I am usually not a fan of vegetable shortening, it makes fudge balls that are even fluffier and moister than the original. Serve them at room temperature with the syrup spooned over the balls. Makes a perfect ending for a special family meal.

    Syrup
    • 1-1/2 cups sugar
    • 2-1/2 cups water
    • Seeds from 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
    • 2 teaspoons rose water

    Combine the sugar and water in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to reduce the volume slightly. Turn off the heat and stir in the cardamom and rose water.

    Fudge Balls
    • 2 cups nonfat Carnation dry milk
    • 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 cup melted vegetable shortening
    • 1/2 cup whole or low-fat milk
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • Mild vegetable oil for frying

    Combine the dry milk, flour, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Gradually pour in the melted shortening. Mix until crumbly. Add the milk and water and knead into smooth pliable dough. To make the dough in the food processor: Combine the dry ingredients and shortening in the work bowl and process until crumbly, about 30 seconds. With the machine running, gradually add the milk and water in a steady stream through the feed tube. Process until the dough begins to clean the sides of the bowl. Form the dough into a smooth ball. Set aside.

    Fill a wok or skillet with oil to a depth of 2 to 2-1/2 inches and heat to 225-250 degrees F (or set on medium heat). Pinch off portions of dough and roll between your hands into smooth balls about 1 inch in diameter. Slip about 8 to 10 balls carefully into the hot oil; after about 30 seconds, stir them gently so they brown evenly (do not stir them immediately or they may break). Fry until golden brown all over, 4 to 5 minutes in all. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain briefly over the oil, and add to the sugar syrup. (If the dough starts to crumble or develop cracks while you are making balls, return it to the food processor or the bowl and mix again with 1 tablespoon water to restore the consistency.) Cool completely, cover and let the fudge balls soak for at least 3 hours before serving. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

    Makes 35 medium fudge balls (10 to 12 servings).

  • Prized Precious Pumpkins

    When I make the pumpkin kofta dish, it takes me close to home, in India. These sentiments are enough to transport me back to girlhood. One particular childhood recollection of mine is inspired by the annual summer visits to my grandmother’s farmhouse.

    Those wonderful afternoons spent in my grandma’s house eating her pumpkin koftas simmered in rustic leafy greens sauce and the pumpkin chewy bars made with Indian condensed milk bring back cheerful childhood memories.

    When I visited my grandma’s farmhouse from the front door, I could see straight through to the back garden where the plump gourds were hanging. I would accompany and trail behind her when she was in the garden. Nestled between the walkway and a stone rimmed pond (in which the blue and pink lotuses floated, she called them the jewels of the pond), pumpkin galore rambled through the garden trailing along the fence and climbed up the arches and trellises. The moist earth smelled sweetly of hay. There were the miniature pumpkins that would fit into my palm, and others so large and heavy would certainly win a blue ribbon in a county fair. I would help grandma cut young pumpkin leaves with tender stems to turn into a greens-lentil stew. She would first offer the big gourd to the goddess.

    Afterwards, she cracked it open with her sharp sickle and peeled the skin off with the help of a sharp knife with her fragile hands. The pumpkin meat was grated and turned into numerous culinary concoctions. Grandma entertained with cleverness and kindness.She loved nothing better than to be cooking and talking about food with her peers.She even used the pumpkin seeds indigenously and served them as snacks. She coated the seeds with butter, sprinkled with salt and minced garlic and toasted them until they exuded a nutty aroma.

    Here is one of the cherished recipes.

    Pumpkin Koftas in Rustic Sauce

    This is a vegetarian version of meat balls, fresh grated pumpkin replaces the meat. Serve with rice or flatbreads. These golden balls of squash can be served as a starter with any of your favorite dips accompanied with chilled Indian beer. For variation, serve over pasta with the sauce spooned onto the koftas.

    Pumpkin Koftas

    • 1-1/4 pounds fresh ripe pumpkin, peeled and grated (about 4 cups)
    • 2 fresh hot green chiles, stemmed and finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • 2/3 cup chick pea flour
    • Mild vegetable for frying

    Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix well with your fingers. Form into 1-inch balls. (The moisture from the pumpkin and lime juice should be just right to bind the koftas.) If the mixture is too moist, stir in a little more chick pea flour.

    Heat the oil to a depth of 2 inches in a wok or deep fryer to 350oF. (To test the oil, drop in a tiny piece of the mixture; if it comes to the surface immediately the oil is ready for frying.) Fry the pumpkin balls in batches, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

    Rustic Sauce

    • 3 tablespoons mild olive oil
    • 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
    • 5 cups chopped kale (6-8 large leaves)
    • 1 bunch trimmed and chopped fresh spinach (or 10 ounces frozen spinach,
    • thawed)
    • 1-1/2 cups water
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the ginger and spices and cook until aromatic about 1 minute. Add the kale and fresh spinach; stir and cook until the leaves start to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add the water and salt. Stir in the thawed spinach at this point, if using. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.Remove from the heat.

    Puree the chard mixture in a food processor until smooth. Cook until heated through. Transfer the sauce into a shallow dish and place the koftas in the center.

    Makes 6 to 8 servings.