Raw Mango Chutney

No matter how long the Winter, Spring is sure to follow. And Spring brings with it, transformation. Cold to warmth, grey to color, dry branches to bursts of new leaves, beautiful flowers, and delicious fruits.
Thinking of spring, a vision of succulent, fresh, zingy mangoes pops up in my head. Mangoes are the golden glories of an Indian Spring. From Panna (a cooling summer drink) to mango kulfi (frozen mango dessert), chutney to curried fish, there are several local recipes that use mango as their star ingredient.
Kacha aamer chutney is a sweet and spicy, slightly zingy chutney from the Bengali kitchen and is often included in the lunch thali. A typical Bengali meal consists of 5-6 courses and includes all type of flavors, from bitter to sweet. This raw mango (aamer) chutney or chatni (literally meaning to lick)  is served as a palate cleanser just before serving dessert. It is eaten as a course of lunch/dinner to accent the meal and never used as a dip or relish. The tartness comes from raw mangoes and sweetness by adding jaggery or sugar. Addition of dry roasted cumin powder on top gives a beautiful smoky flavor.
Serve it with lunch/dinner, or spread on toast or dunk it with a bite of paratha. Or enjoy it like I do, all by itself.

Chutney is a versatile spread/condiment that is usually associated with Indian cuisine. Chutney could be sweet, spicy, tangy depending on its main ingredient and could be made of herbs, fruits, veggies, dry fruits or a combination of one or more of these. Most chutneys have similar ingredients, fruits or veggies, sugar, salt, spices and vinegar/acid and these all balance out to adds flavor to whatever it is served with.

Kacha Aamer Chutney (sweet and spicy raw mango chutney)

Ingredients: (yields about a cup)

1 raw mango
2 tsp oil
½ tsp panch phoron
Salt to taste
Red chili powder to taste
1 dry red chili
½ tsp dry ginger powder (you can reduce the quantity as per your taste)
2 tsp lemon juice (more or less based on the acidity of the mango)
½ cup brown sugar (or jaggery)
½ tsp roasted cumin seed powder

1. Peel the skin off the mango and slice it into small pieces. Add salt, red chili powder and toss to mix. Keep aside. 
2. Heat the oil in a pan, break the whole red chili into a few pieces and add to the oil. Allow it to sizzle for a few seconds before adding the panch phoron. 
3. Sizzle for a few more seconds. Now add the mango pieces followed by ginger powder and lemon juice. Stir well to mix it all. Simmer, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. 
4. As it cooks the mango will release some water. Uncover and cook on medium flame till mango pulp is tender. 
5. Now add sugar. If you are using jaggery, add a splash of water to help dissolve it. As the sugar/jaggery melts there will be an increase in the liquid content. Continue cooking at low heat and keep stirring to avoid burning. 
6. Cook till mangoes are a little bit more than fork tender. As the chutney cools, it will thicken. So keep that in mind as you cook down the liquid to achieve the desired consistency. Sprinkle the roasted cumin powder on top and mix to combine. 
7. When it cools completely, transfer the chutney to a glass jar and refrigerate. Keeps well for a couple of weeks.

Tomato Chutney

Sweet and savory tangy and spicy - this tomato chutney comes from the Bengali kitchen. A perfect condiment to make when tomatoes are in abundance.
I like to use cranberries instead of raisins as I love their tanginess and beautiful hue. Feel free to use anything you like. To make the chutney spicy you can use dry red chili flakes instead of green chilies, gives a lovely smoky flavor.
Tomato chutney is almost always served with the main meal lunch or dinner. But it tastes just as awesome with papad in the beginning, or as a dip or spread on toast.

Ingredients:

2 Tomatoes, chopped

1 tbsp raisins, soaked in warm water 

A small piece of ginger

2 green chilies, chopped

1 tsp oil

¼ tsp panch phoron

Salt to taste

1 tbsp sugar

1. Heat oil in a pan and add panch phoron seeds. Let then crackle for a few seconds before adding tomatoes.
2. Add all other ingredients except sugar and cook over medium heat. Stir for 2-3 minutes till tomatoes cook a bit and become soft and pulpy. If the concoction becomes too thick, add a small amount of water.
3. Now add sugar and continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes till thick and shiny. 
4. Taste the salt and sugar and adjust them both as per your taste buds. 
5. Enjoy.

Chicken Avocado salad

LUNCH OPTIONS

A multi-colored rainbow salad that is as beautiful as its delicious. It has fruit, some crunchy nuts and it has the whole rainbow of colorful veggies. To top it off there is the perfect sweet and tangy homemade honey mustard dressing.

Here is a standard formula for assembling a main course salad.
Always start a salad with mixed greens. Top it with several different ingredients both crisp and smooth. Think red, orange, yellow and green veggies. Put in some fresh fruit, citrus or sweet. Add some crunch with nuts (walnuts, almonds, seeds) and dried fruit (apricots, cranberries, raisins, figs). To make it filling throw in some grilled protein - chicken, fish, tofu or even beans taste wonderful. I use the salad dressing as a marinade for the chicken. Drizzle with a dressing of your choice and serve. You can customize almost anything here. Whatever you have at hand usually works well.

Superdelicious. Works for both lunch or dinner.

Chicken avocado salad 
Grilled chicken
Roasted corn
Avocado
Cucumber
Red pepper
Kiwi
Red onion
Mixed lettuce greens
Walnuts and cranberries
Honey mustard poppyseed dressing 
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp poppy seeds

Salsa verde

Salsa verde is a simple fresh tasting salsa made using green tomatoes or tomatillos. This earthy salsa is traditionally pounded to a smooth paste in a mortar and pestle, but a food processor works just as well. Once you make this at home you will never want to go back to the store bought salsas. It's perfect for dipping with tortilla chips and can be used in other recipes such as enchiladas, burritos and wraps, etc.
Tomatillo salsa can be made in two ways. Raw or roasted. Both taste great. Choose your option based on prep time available as the roasted one involves some cooking time. I must say the cooked version has an earthy smoky flavor.

Salsa verde - two ways

Ingredients: 

1 lb tomatillos (husks removed)
2-3 cloves of garlic
3-4 hot chili peppers (serrano/jalapeños) use more/less based on your spice quotient
Handful finely chopped cilantro
1 lime, juice and zest
1⁄2 medium onion, roughly chopped
Salt, to taste

Make raw salsa (salsa verde cruda)

1. Roughly chop all the ingredients and place in a food processor. Start with one chili and add more as needed, depending on how spicy you want your salsa. 
2. Blend until your salsa has reached a smooth consistency. 
3. If you like it chunky then pulse a few times to obtain that consistency.
4. Keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

Make cooked salsa (salsa verde cocida) 

1. Place tomatoes, chilies and garlic on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on high. 
2. Turn them often. Cook till you see charring (blackened spots) and everything cooks through, takes about 10-15 minutes. 
3. Chilies and garlic will be done before the tomatoes. Remove as each ingredient is done. Cool.  
4. Place everything in a food processor and puree until smooth. 
5. Small chunks are okay if you like your salsa a bit chunky. 
6. Keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

Salmon Pâté

Its a breeze to whip up this creamy mix. Most likely you will have all these ingredients in your pantry. Salmon pate can be made with fresh poached salmon, canned salmon or even smoked salmon. Each tastes a bit different from the other. Garnish with your choice of topping and serve with crackers. I love adding chopped pistachios for their crunch. I also love the capers and parsley and onion combo - gives a crunchy garlicky taste.

• Great served as a dip or a starter. 
• Spread it on toast with some alfalfa sprouts and rings of red onion for an awesome sandwich.
• Perfect for those summer picnics.

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked salmon, flaked
4 tbsp cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
1-2 tsp lime juice
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
Salt to taste
Crackers, for serving
To garnish (choose one or more)
Pistachios/sunflower seeds
Capers
Red onion
Parsley

1. If you are using fresh salmon then make sure its boneless and skinless. You can bake or poach the fish till cooked through. Cool and flake with fork. 
2. If using canned salmon then drain out and squeeze all the liquid, remove all the small bones. Then flake with fork. 
3. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients. Mix to combine well. 
4. Line a small serving bowl or dish with plastic wrap and spoon in the pate, pressing down firmly and smoothing the top. Cover and chill until somewhat firm, about an hour.
5. To serve, unmold salmon onto a platter so that rounded side faces up; remove and discard plastic wrap. Garnish with your choice of topping and serve with crackers. I love the nuts as they add texture. I also love the capers and parsley and onion combo - gives a crunchy garlicky taste. 

Spinach Artichoke dip

A simple, scrumptious party pleaser that is warm creamy and delicious. Filled with the goodness of fresh leaf spinach, artichoke hearts and cheese, this hot spinach and artichoke dip is a perfect appetizer for those super bowl parties, Thanksgiving table and New year potlucks. Dunk into this warm dip with tortilla chips, crackers, baguette slices, pita chips or an assortment of veggies.

I always use fresh spinach for this recipe and I prefer to use bagged spinach as it is pre-washed and ready to go. Frozen will work just as well. Make sure to thaw it and squeeze out all the liquid before cooking. Also you can use any cheese combination that you like Parmesan, Romano, mozzarella, feta. Each will give a unique flavor to the dish.

Ingredients:
1 tsp oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bag fresh spinach (about 300 gm)
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1/3 cup milk (whole)
6 T cream cheese
1/2 cup aged cheddar cheese, grated and divided into 2
1/4 cup pepper jack cheese, grated
Fresh basil
Salt if needed
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Tortilla chips, crackers, baguette slices or raw veggies for dipping

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Roughly chop the spinach and keep aside. 
3. Heat oil in pan and saute onion and garlic till soft and pink, about 3-5 minutes. Add spinach and cook on high till it wilts and most of the liquid has evaporated. Now add chopped artichokes and stir till heated through. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
4. In the same pan whisk together milk and cream cheese. Warm the mixture but do not boil. Cook till you get a smooth concoction. Now add the spinach mixture in this along with grated pepper jack and half the cheddar cheese. 
5. Throw in the basil and season with black pepper and cayenne pepper. Taste to see if you need any salt and adjust as per your taste.
6. If the mixture looks too thick then add some more warm milk to adjust the consistency.
7. Pour the mixture in a greased baking dish and top with the rest of the cheddar cheese.
8. Bake at 425 F for 20 minutes till lightly browned and bubbly. 
9. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, baguette slices, pita chips or an assortment of veggies. 

Olive tapenade

While the late evenings are graced with some warmth in the air and light in the horizon, it is only right to grab every last opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with a chilled drink and some tasty tidbits. This ten-minute-put-together spread makes for the perfect drinking partner.
Tapenade is made with the saltiest of ingredients and pairs very well with the bold earthy Zinfandel, or the citrus Reisling, even Pastis (anise-flavored liqueur, particularly popular in Provence). Crackers or crostini are a must, but serve it with cheese (aged cheddar, or blue) for even more oomph.

Here is a quick overview of all you need to keep in mind while making tapenade-

1. The principal ingredient is olives (traditionally small black olives are used) and I prefer to use the earthy Kalamata olives that have been preserving in oil. 
2. The other salty ingredient and an important one is capers. Capers are salty, pea-sized dark green pickled flower buds. It’s a good idea to rinse them first, to remove all the excess brine. 
3. Anchovies are also a must. I omit these as there are a few vegetarians in the house. But if you have no such restriction add 2 small anchovies to the recipe below. Make sure to rinse off excess salt first.
4. We love garlic and so in it goes. You can reduce the quantity if you are not such a fan as it does tend to over power the flavor. 
5. Traditional recipe calls for parsley as the principal herb but I like to use rosemary with its woodsy scent.
6. The twang comes from fresh lime juice. Balsamic vinegar also goes well, so take your pick.
7. I love to add a bit of walnuts to enhance that nutty earthy flavor. It adds the nuttiness as well as a slight texture. 
8. I use my mortar and pestle to blend all these together as I like my tapenade a bit chunky. You can also chop everything all rustic-like if you prefer. If you like a fine texture then pulse a few times in your food processor. 

Tapenade is very versatile and can be used in many ways rather than just as a spread on crackers. Spread it on a sandwich instead of mayo, dollop onto a hard boiled egg or in between an omelette, spread on your toast in the morning topped with sliced avocado, toss it in pasta with chunks of feta cheese mmmm yummm, stuff in between chicken breast or thighs before roasting. Anyway you use it, this spread won't last long. 

Ingredients: (Yeilds 1 cup)
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 tbsp capers
1/4 cup walnuts
2 cloves garlic
2 T fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 t fresh lime juice

1. Combine olives, capers, walnuts, garlic and rosemary in a food processor. Pulse until all the ingredients mash up enough to form a thickish paste, but you should still see small pieces of walnuts and olives. Mostly I use my mortar and pestle to do this as I like my tapenade a bit chunky. If you prefer a finer consistency pulse a few times more in your food processor. 
2. Add rosemary and season with lime juice and pepper. Drizzle olive oil over the mixture and combine to form a spreadable concoction. 
3. Serve as a dip or spread with crostini or crackers. I also love it on my toast for breakfast. 
4. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 10 days. 

Guacamole

You may already have a favorite guacamole recipe. But I thought why not share one of my favorite. I love avocados, they are so delish and so good for you. The trick to a good guacamole is to not mash the avocados thoroughly, but leave it chunky. Then create a perfect balance of salt and lime juice, add some red onions and there you have it. if you like your's spicy, add some diced jalapeño, I always do. Some add diced tomato. I am personally not a fan of adding them to guacamole, I like mine crunchy.

Essentially all you need is some salt and lime juice, that makes it plenty delicious. But here is the basic recipe that I use. Serve as a dip with crisp crudité, dollop into fajitas, quesadillas, tostadas or burritos. So quick and easy, so festive, great for your next party.

Ingredients:
2 medium avocados
1 lime, juiced
1/2 medium red onion, minced
1 large clove garlic, finely grated
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt and fresh pepper, to taste
1/2 jalapeño, diced (optional)

1. Peel and pit the avocado. Place the pulp in a bowl and mash it coarsely with a fork leaving some large chunks. 
2. Add lime juice, salt, pepper, cilantro, red onion, garlic and mix thoroughly.
3. If you are serving this at a later time, cover tightly with plastic wrap so no air gets on it to keep the guacamole from turning brown.
4. Keep chilled till serving. 

Dry Figs chutney

Chutney is a versatile spread/condiment that is usually associated with Indian cuisine. Chutney could be sweet, spicy, tangy depending on its main ingredient and could be made of herbs, fruits, veggies, dry fruits or a combination of one or more of these. Most chutneys have similar ingredients, fruits or veggies, sugar, salt, spices and vinegar/acid and these all balance out to adds flavor to whatever it is served with. This chutney is very easy to make and tastes just wonderful. The main ingredient in this dish are figs, which are full of nutritional benefits.

1. Rich in potassium, that is crucial for a normal heart, kidney and muscular function.
2. Rich in soluble dietary fiber and pigment anti-oxidants.
3. Rich in calcium - that helps to promote bone density
4. Tryptophan, present in figs, induces good sleep and helps get rid of sleeping disorders like insomnia.

Ingredients:
11/2 cups chopped dry figs (about 200 gm)
1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar (as per desired sweetness)
1 inch ginger, grated
1/3 tsp roasted cumin powder
1/3 tsp salt
1/3 tsp red chili powder
6 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup hot water

1. Put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to boil. 
2. Simmer and cook on medium, stirring continuously, till the fig pieces soften up and the chutney becomes syrupy and a little thick. 
3. Do not overcook as it thickens considerably as it cools down. 

Serving suggestions

1. Spread on toasted baguette slices/crostini
2. As an accompaniment with any grilled or BBQ dish
3. Serve over slices of fruit and cheese
4. Serve over cheese and crackers
5. Use as a sandwich spread

Apple ginger chutney

Made with red apples

Chutney is a versatile spread/condiment that is usually associated with Indian cuisine. Chutney could be sweet, spicy, tangy depending on its main ingredient and could be made of herbs, fruits, veggies, dry fruits or a combination of one or more of these. Most chutneys have similar ingredients, fruits or veggies, sugar, salt, spices and vinegar/acid and these all balance out to adds flavor to whatever it is served with. This one is a simple combo of apple and ginger. I prefer to add cranberries, but you can use raisins as well.
Source: Ruchi Airen

Made with green apples

Ingredients: 
2 cups apple shavings

1/3-1/2 cup sugar

Handful dried sweetened cranberries (or raisins)

1 inch ginger, julienne

Salt to taste

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Red chili powder to taste

Lots of cracked black pepper

1. Quarter apple, slice away seeds and core. Use a vegetable peeler to make apple shavings(with peel). 
2. Put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to boil. 
3. Simmer and cook on medium, stirring continuously, till the fruit softens up and the chutney becomes syrupy and a little thick. 
4. Do not overcook as it thickens considerably as it cools down. 

Serving suggestions

1. Spread on toasted baguette slices/crostini
2. As an accompaniment with any grilled or BBQ dish
3. Serve over slices of fruit and cheese
4. Serve over cheese and crackers
5. Use as a sandwich spread

Edamame Spread

Edamame is the young soybean that's harvested before the beans have had a chance to harden. These are available shelled or in the pod, fresh or frozen. This low calorie and gluten free little bean is rich in protein and is a great source of iron and calcium. Specially for those who follow a plant based diet edamame can be a significant source of protein. 

Steamed edamame beans, sprinkled with salt form a perfect snack. Here is another way to enjoy this wonder bean. Serve with brown rice crackers and a bunch of veggies.

 Ingredients: 

1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp sesame oil
Salt and pepper
Few tbsp water to blend

Vegetables and rice crackers, for serving

1. In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the edamame and garlic until edamame are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
2. In a food processor, puree edamame, garlic, lemon zest and juice, oil, and 1/2 cup water until very smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. If needed, thin by adding water one tablespoon at a time. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day. (If needed, add additional water.) Serve with radishes and crackers.

Thanksgiving Feast 2

Tonight's Menu

Roasted chicken breast

Stuffed tomatoes

Roasted spaghetti squash

Grilled asparagus

Orange spiked cranberry sauce

Hot apple cider

Apple cake

Wine pairing: Pinot Noir, Chianti or Zinfandel 

Roast chicken breast with spaghetti squash, stuffed tomatoes, grilled asparagus and cranberry sauce

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night.

For health and food,

For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

For flowers that bloom about our feet,

For tender grass, so fresh so sweet,

For song of birds and hum of bees,

For all things fair we hear or see,

Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanksgiving, an opportunity to give thanks for everything good in our lives, celebrate nature’s bounty, and enjoy a big meal with family and friends. Here's what we had for thanksgiving this year.

Stuffed tomatoes and grilled asparagus

Stuffed Tomatoes
The soft creaminess of ricotta and crispness of Italian breadcrumbs combine to give a unique texture.You get more than just great flavor and juiciness when tomatoes are at their peak of ripeness, you get a huge helping of vitamin A and vitamin C.
Ingredients: (serves 4)

4 medium tomatoes on the vine

salt to taste

4 tbsp of ricotta cheese

cracked black pepper

2 tbsp Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp chopped fresh parsley

olive oil to brush

1. Cut tomatoes in half. Gently squeeze out the tomato pulp without damaging the shell.
2. Season the tomato shell with salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl combine ricotta cheese and some of the tomato pulp along with salt and pepper. Remember the tomatoes are already seasoned. Fill up the tomato shells with this mixture.
4. In another bowl combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and pepper, sprinkle evenly over the stuffed tomatoes.
5. Brush the tomatoes carefully with some olive oil and place them on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
6. Grill on high for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Serve hot.  

Roasted spaghetti squash 

Roasted spaghetti squash

Ingredients: 

1 medium sized spaghetti squash
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Herb butter (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 
2. Half and seed squash. Place, cut side down, on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for about 45 min to an hour or until flesh is easily pierced. 
3. (Alternatively, microwave, flesh side up and covered with plastic wrap, at High for 15 minutes or until easily pierced.) 
4. Using a fork, gently scrape cooked strands from squash and transfer to a large bowl.
5. Pour the prepared herb butter over squash, add grated cheese and toss. Serve hot.

Herb Butter 
3 tbsp butter
1-2 large cloves of garlic, minced
Salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (sage, basil or thyme)
Freshly grated black pepper
In small saucepan, over medium-low heat melt butter and add garlic and salt. Cook for a few minutes till garlic starts to turn golden. Remove from heat; stir in herbs and pepper.

Roast Chicken breast
Ingredients:
4 medium sized chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
3-4 tsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking dish with foil.
2. Brush both sides of each chicken breast with olive oil, and sprinkle with the seasonings.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Turn and lightly brush again and bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork. 
4. Make a small slit in the thickest part to see if it's done (white and opaque, not pink.). The best way to make sure they are done is to insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part. It should read 165 F.
5. Adjust your time if the chicken breasts are smaller or larger. 
6. Transfer the baked chicken breasts to a platter. Loosely cover with foil and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Orange spiked cranberry sauce

Orange spiked cranberry sauce

Ingredients: 

3 cups fresh cranberries

¾ cup sugar 

½ inch ginger grated 

Zest and juice of 1 orange 

pinch salt 

1. Put the juice of one orange in a measuring cup and top with water until you have 3/4 cup liquid in total. 
2. Place sugar and orange - water mixture in a pan. 
3. Add the cranberries, ginger and salt and bring to boil. 
4. Cook stirring occasionally on medium heat till thickened and most of the cranberries have popped, about 7-10 minutes. 
5. Cool completely before serving. 
6. Keeps well covered, refrigerated for a week. 

Apple cake
This one is a lot of fruit and a little bit of cake batter. Makes for a very light dish. Its a quick recipe and can be made anytime. A perfect dish for when apples are in abundance.

Apples and cranberries

Ingredients: 
6 granny smith apples peeled cored and sliced
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
5 Tbs apple juice
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbs ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 F 
2. Arrange apples in a greased baking dish. 
3. Sprinkle over them evenly half the spice mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. 
4. Meanwhile in a mixing bowl beat till thick and fluffy eggs and sugar. 
5. Add oil, apple juice and vanilla extract and mix. 
6. To this batter add in batches mixture of flour, baking powder and salt to make a smooth batter. 
7. Pour this batter evenly over the apples and sprinkle with remaining spice mixture. 
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes till done, ie. when the cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 
9. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Apple cake

Mango mint chutney

Tart, slightly sweet unripe mango blends with the green, fresh mint and the pungent, earthy garlic in this chutney. Packed with digestive herbs and condiments this chutney so refreshingly shouts "summertime". A very versatile sauce that is delish with a hint of sweet heat. Use as a spread, a dip or as an accompaniment.

Ingredients: (makes about 1 1/2 cups)

2 small raw mangoes 

2 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves

1 cup fresh coriander leaves

4-5 green chilies (as per your spice quotient)

4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled

Thumb sized piece fresh ginger, peeled

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder

1/4 cup lime juice

1. Peel the mangoes and roughly cube the mango flesh (discard the seed).
2. Pick and wash the mint and coriander leaves.
3. Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. I like to use my magic bullet. 
4. Lime juice will act as the liquid to help blend everything and also acts as a preservative.
5. I usually don't like to add any sugar in this, but if your mangoes are too tart by all means add some. 
6. Transfer to a clean glass jar and refrigerate. Keeps well for 2-3 weeks.

Use this chutney as: 

1. A spread for sandwiches, burgers and wraps.
2. A dip for chips and crackers.
3. A condiment with any fried or baked savory appetizers such as samosa, bonda, pakoda, cutlets.
4. An accompaniment to any any Indian meal of dal and subzi.
5. An accompaniment to any BBQ or grilled meats and fish.

Chili garlic coconut chutney

This hot, spicy and delicious chutney is prepared using fresh chilies. Fresh red chilies combined with loads of garlic and dry coconut gives a terrific flavor punch. Makes for a perfect condiment to serve idli or dosa, samosa or pakoda, in burgers and wraps, to boost flavor in stir fried veggies and curried dishes.
I usually make a small batch using some oil and some water to grind the ingredients. This reduces the amount of oil I use. But if you want to make a larger batch, grind only in oil. Also pour some extra on top to create a seal. Your chutney will last longer.

Ingredients: 
1/4 cup desiccated coconut

10-12 Thai fresh red chilies
2-3 tbsp olive oil
8-10 cloves of garlic
Salt to taste (optional)

1. Grind the coconut, garlic, salt, and chilies together to a coarse paste using olive oil. Add some water if needed.
2. Adjust salt (if using) to your taste. I usually make it with no salt (tastes just as good).
3. Keeps well for 10 days in the refrigerator.

Tips and Variations:

1. Use more oil and no water- it improves the taste and texture and keeps longer.
2. Add a tablespoon of roasted peanuts or roasted sesame seeds or both and proceed with the recipe. This variation is truly out of this world. 
3. Add a tsp of tamarind paste for a slight sweet-sour flavour.

Serving Ideas: 

1. As spicy condiment for dosa, idli, uttapam, cheela, adai.
2. As an accompaniment for fried street foods such as samosa, kachori, pakoda.
3. As a spread for burgers, wraps and sandwiches.
4. I also use it in stir fries and curries.

Red chili pickle

Red chili pickle

Mazzitti variety of peppers are crisp bright red colored beauties, about 1 cm in diameter and 1 to 1 1/2 inches in length. They start off as green fruits and change color to bright red. They have a sun soaked flavour and are moderately hot measuring about 50,000 - 100,000 scoville heat units. Scoville is the standard for measuring heat in a pepper. So the green bell peppers are 0 scoville units and cayenne pepper is rated 35,000.

One of the best ways to preserve these is to make a pickle. This has been my absolute fave since childhood. With flavors that explode in the mouth like fireworks on New Year’s Eve. My girls just love it. This pickle keeps well for a long time so you can enjoy these beauties throughout the year.

Mazzitti plant soaking up the sun in our backyard

Ingredients:
250 gm red chilies
1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds (धनिया)
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (जीरा)
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (सौंफ)
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (मेथी दाना)
1 tsp onion seeds (कलोंजी)
1/3 tsp turmeric powder (हल्दी)
1 tbsp dry mango powder(अमचूर)
2 tbsp salt
1/2 cup mustard oil (I used olive oil)

1. Wash, dry and de-stem the chilies. Chop them roughly into small rings. Add salt and mix well. 
2. In a hot skillet lightly roast coriander and cumin seeds. Cool. 
3. In a dry grinder coarsely grind coriander, cumin, fennel and fenugreek seeds. 
4. Mix the ground spices along with everything else to the prepared chilies. 
5. Put the pickle in clean sterilized glass jar. Make sure the level of oil is till the chilies. If it seems less add a bit more. 
6. Place the jar in the sun for 3-5 days. After that you can store it in the refrigerator. Keeps for a year.

Habanero Sauce

Habanero Orange

Look at all these gems I harvested from my backyard. It has been a chili-fest at home ever since the 10 plants started bearing green, yellow, orange and red colored fruits. We planted three varieties this year- Mazzetti, Habanero and Naga Jalokia.

Habanero Orange variety of peppers are crinkled bright orange colored beauties, about 1 inch in diameter and 1 1/2 inches in length. They start off as light green fruits and take about 60-65 days to change the color to orange. They are also slow at the germination stage but oh! boy are they worth the wait. They have a distinct smoky taste and are dangerously hot measuring about 200,000 - 300,000 scoville heat units. Scoville is the standard for measuring heat in a pepper. So the green bell peppers are 0 scoville units and cayenne pepper is rated 35,000, just to give you an idea about the heat level.

Storing and preserving these gems is important because it it impossible to consume these in a hurry. You can wash, dry and then freeze them in a heavy duty freezer bag for future use. Making a hot sauce is another way. This can be used in marinades, sandwiches, burgers, burritos, etc.

Habanero plant in our backyard, soaking the sun

Ingredients:
15 habanero chilies
1 small onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
250 ml white vinegar
2 cloves(optional)
1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Chop the onion and chilies (using gloves). 
2. Take the first four ingredients and blend them together to form a smooth puree. 
3. Transfer puree to a pan and bring to boil with whole cloves. 
4. Cook on high for 4-5 minutes. Be careful to not breathe over the boiling liquid. It is extremely intense. 
5. Adjust seasoning. Cool. 
6. Transfer to a clean sterilized air tight glass jar. Will keep for 4-6 months.

Habanero Sauce

Use gloves while chopping chilies

Keri no Chhundo

Keri no Chhundo (sweet and sour raw mango relish)

This spicy, sweet and sour raw mango relish is a staple accompaniment with Gujarati food. Traditionally grated raw mango was mixed with ample quantity of sugar and other spices and left in the sum for several days to cook and reach a syrupy consistency. You can also cook this mixture indoors and this will take just a short time. The amount of sugar you add is determined by the tartness of the mangoes used. Spicy chhunda uses several spices (cumin and hing being the most important) to flavor while the sweet version can have cardamom and saffron.   
 
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups raw green mango
1 - 1 1/2 cups sugar (depending on how tart the mango is)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 whole cloves
4-5 whole black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick broken
pinch asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
salt to taste (I used 1 tsp)
1-1 1/2 tsp red chili powder

1. Peel the mangoes and grate them using a thick grater. 
2. In a large pan heat oil and add cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, asafoetida, cumin and fennel seeds. 
3. Now add the grated mango and salt and mix well. Keep the heat at medium and cook covered for 5-7 minutes. Make sure the mixture holds its texture yet the mangoes get cooked. 
4. Add sugar and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. At this stage you have to be cautious and stir frequently to avoid any burning. Sugar will melt and slowly thicken as the water evaporates. When it reaches a 'honey' like consistency, turn off the heat. As the mixture cools it will thicken even more. If you overcook then chhunda will crystallize in a couple of days. 
5. Cool till it is warm to touch. Now add the red chili powder. This will give it a beautiful reddish color. If added during the cooking process it may change color. 
6. When it completely cools, bottle in airtight glass jars. Keeps good for a month outside and for 6 months in the fridge. 
7. Enjoy with roti, on sandwiches, wraps, or just as is.

Tamarind chutney

Tamarind chutney

Imli (Tamarind) Chutney
Ingredients:
250gms Tamarind (Imli)
300gms Jaggery (Gur) grated
1 tbsp Roasted cumin Powder
2 tsp Red chili powder
Salt To Taste
2 tsp Black salt

1. Soak imli in 5 cups of water for minimum 2 hours to soften it. Mash the imli with your hand to extract its pulp. Strain and put it in a saucepan. 
2. Bring imli pulp to boil and add all the other ingredients. 
3. Continue to cook on medium heat till jaggery dissolves completely and chutney thickens and becomes glossy. 
4. Keep in mind that it thickens more on cooling so cook only to the level that will cool to the desired consistency. 
5. Cool and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Keeps for a month.

Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki is a cool and creamy Greek sauce, served a s condiment with grilled meats such as souvlaki, gyros and also as a dip. This tangy sauce has a strained yogurt base and is flavored with cucumber, garlic and lime juice. Always served cold it is a great complement to sizzling grilled entrees.
Tzatziki sauce
Ingredients:
1/2 cup thick plain yogurt(Greek yogurt or hung yogurt)
1/4 cucumber peeled, grated and drained
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lime juice
1 small clove of garlic crushed
1/2 tsp dried or fresh mint
salt to taste

1. Mix all the ingredients together. 
2. Cover and chill. 
3. Great accompaniment with shish kabab and grilled fish.

How to make hung yogurt
Place a sieve lined with cheese cloth over a bowl. Put 2 cups of plain yogurt (yields 1 1/2 cups of hung yogurt) on the cheese cloth, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight (minimum 4-5 hours). All the water from the yogurt will filter out into the bowl leaving a thick creamy hung yogurt perfect for making Tzatziki.

Mint chutney

Mint chutney

A very versatile condiment that can be used as a spread, marinade or an accompaniment to many Indian appetizers. Made with fresh herbs, it is a no cook dish and is ready in minutes. I always have a small jar of this ready in the refrigerator. If you have mint growing in your garden then you can make a large batch just before winter and freeze it in ice cube tray for easy use during winter.

Mint Chutney
Ingredients:
1 cup packed fresh mint washed
1 cup packed fresh coriander washed
5-6 cloves garlic
1/2 inch fresh ginger
1 medium red onion chopped roughly
6-10 green chilies
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup lime juice

1. In a blender put ginger, garlic, green chilies, onion and salt. 
2. Add lime juice and start the blender. While its on, add the mint and coriander from top, bit by bit, giving it time to puree before adding more. 
3. Blend till it becomes a smooth puree. Taste and add more salt and/or lime juice as per taste. 
4. Store in a glass jar in the fridge. Stays good for about 10 days.