Papaya - Some like it Hot and Some Not

When I was a child in Bengaluru, we stayed in a rented bungalow in First Block, Jayanagar. How it must have changed now! Anyway, the house had a large garden at the back with many fruit trees. Of these, perhaps only the papaya graced us with fruit for that is all I recall - richer in colour than we now see and ever so sweet. Later this fruit became synonymous with boring, tasteless and worse.

By Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen (List of Koehler Images) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

However, one persisted, occasionally, given the much touted health benefits. And I find that they have begun to taste better of late - many salutes to our scientists who are forever studying things to discover and improve them.

Now, the thing is that whenever I buy a papaya, it is very rarely ready to eat. One then covers it in newspaper which apparently helps it ripen. However, if it ripens it also spoils by that time. Or a bit is ripe and the rest semi-ripe.

And, finally, even the best of papayas manages to fester in the fridge given our small appetites. It is thus that I regularly surf the Net for recipes to cope with a large amount of papaya, ripe or semi ripe.

Some years back I thus made a fabulous papaya ice cream but,alas, don’t seem to find that recipe anymore.

However, here’s a recipe for Papaya Ice cream that should be as good. Though it’s for mangoes, the blogger claims that papaya can be used instead. Basically you blend the papaya, boil some milk and sugar and add stuff like cornflour to thicken the milk. Everything is then mixed together and frozen. Here's another simple recipe. 

There are many other recipes but most use exotic ingredients and stuff like condensed milk.

However, I’ve mostly ended up making something that lies somewhere between a barfi and a halwa and it’s always super yum. There's also a Raw Papaya Halwa but it's a bit scary to use raw papaya. It can cause painful stomach cramps and is certainly best not given to pregnant women as it can lead to a miscarriage. 

Caution apart, there are many dishes that use raw papaya and the Thai salad is a great one. There are some good dishes down South, too, for the raw fruit: Papaya Pulissery.

CREME DE PAPAYA is a recipe that I’d love to make someday.

I'm probably just going to blend some papaya and some ice cream and see what that tastes like!

Places to Eat at, Carmona, Goa

It seems to have become a habit for us to spend our wedding anniversaries in Goa. This year we were in the divine Carmona, at the fabulous Lazy Frog.

We had the free breakfasts at the Lazy Frog and they were nice for me but they were a bit bland for the hairier half. However, I found it heavenly to nibble at the toasted sandwiches, and eggs on the side in the little open air cafe, near the swimming pool. After, we carried our filter coffees to the terrace, to sip at leisure amidst the treetops. As for free breakfasts at hotels, it’s hard to please all but I’ve mostly enjoyed what was dished up both here and at OCean Suite. At Amigo Plaza, we were not on the free breakfast plan but it smelled real good.

We had a wild adventure on the first day. Online, the word was that the beach was some 10 minutes away. The rains had not begun and it was quite hot. We walked and enjoyed the rural surroundings but there was no sign of the sea! And we also took a path to a dead end the first time round.

We came back to the Carmona road and asked and toggled off expecting the sound of the surf to hit our thirsty ears anon. However, as the road showed no sign of the ocean at its visible end, we halted, sensibly, at  where we had a couple of wonderful fenis (not all feni tastes the same). There was no food in sight, though.

Thus fortified we trudged down a marvellous road with green fields on either side and soon came across the famous Rebello’s Temptations. Alas, we took our trip in the off-season and so the place was rather deserted. But the lovely lady owner assured us that we could have our wedding anniversary lunch there the next day. But it was not lunchtime for them as yet.

And so we walked on and on and on and by then we were quite exhausted and a kind soul pointed out where we could have lunch. This happened to be the Colonia Jose Menino Resort.

The restaurant was open but, again, being off-season, the staff was unprepared. They very kindly made us some fish and prawns and rice. While it was nothing to write home about, the lady at the restaurant was very sweet and I appreciate that they whipped up something for us.

The place has not many good reviews as a stay but seems very low cost. And there’s a pool. And it’s near the beach which we didn’t get to see as we were really tired by then and had the long trudge back to face.

I was quite proud of us for the adventure at our age!

Dinner was at the Lazy Frog that day: Fish and Chips. It wasn’t too bad, really.

By the next day, we had a bike on hire from Lazy Frog and it was an excellent one.

This was our wedding anniversary and it was raining. I wasn’t keen on riding in the rain and so we borrowed an umbrella and had a romantic and lovely walk to Papa Joe’s. As it happened the Temptations was closed that day due to some family errands.

The ambience at Papa Joe’s is excellent and we enjoyed our fenis and lunch. It’s a really lovely spot set within a garden and must be a big hit during season.

Just outside is a wonderful little bakery: Around the Corner run by a lovely lady and would be a fine place to order in from also. She mainly cooks to order.

Dinner was probably again at Lazy Frog - a local dish - chicken cafreal?

During one of our outings we came across the famous Veenional and lovely young man told us of a wonderful place by the riverside. Roy, at the Lazy Frog, told us how to get to the river.

That is a most amazing ride - the one across the bridge there! And we had lunch at the Seaman’s Nest - ladyfish in butter and garlic. It’s one of many eateries there, all on the riverside.  As we sipped our fenis, a boat lazily went past with a man and a lady paddling it serenely. The views in many eateries this side are memorable.

We had dinner at a tiny local eatery that night. While the food was simple but good there were a great many insects. It’s a little place on the main road just across from the Lazy Frog and run by a family - grandma to grandson and everyone in between.

We finally had a grand lunch at Temptations and a drink that was new to us: Dudh Sherry! It tasted of cinnamon to me. While there we were greeted by a set of folks from the UK and I do feel one of them was a fellow Tripadvisor reviewer.

The best thing about the Temptations is that it's in the middle of fields, almost. It’s a relaxing experience.

We also ate at Starlite but it has neither much of a view nor was it outstanding in the culinary sense. But not worse than the others either.

Finally, we discovered the well-known Kinara and, somehow, ended up going there for dinner most nights. We kind of never got around to ordering in. Though it had begun to rain every day and almost all day each time, we loved our rides. And bought ourselves and umbrella and a raincoat!

Now, Kinara was the only place that seemed to always have a goodly crowd even in this off season.

The menu is extensive as in all Goan eateries but we stuck to their North Indian dishes and the food was always piping hot and quite a worthy replication of Delhi food.

My delicate digestion prevents me from being adventurous on such holidays, alas. And, in the final analysis, I do feel like taking a page from my Korean bestie’s book and finding a place to stay where I can cook some simple meals. What one really craves is fresh seafood and some hot rice. And like the Russians in Goa that I saw at Colva, perhaps it’s a good idea to buy fruit and subsist mainly on those.

Besides upset tummies which are an occupational hazard of travel, such steps would also ensure health and fitness for anyone.

That said, if you’re in that area, Kinara is a pretty safe bet. For the Indian tourist as well as for others.

Papa Joe's, Temptations and Seaman's Nest all rock and there are many places for all budgets.

A New Chocolate on the Block

The other day I had to go get some root canal done. The angst before the deed was worse than the real thing and that called for some celebration.

I go to and swear by Sabkadentist, a chain of dental clinics across india. They have a cozy professional set up. At least where I visit, which is at the Aundh clinic.

The place is really clean and relaxing and I’m happy to say the toilet is good too - there actually was toilet paper!

As for the dentists, they’re very professional and very human. My father would have been fondly proud of them as part of the Medical fraternity. My dentist is the pleasant and able Dr Kirti. She sets me at ease and I feel safe. My tooth and jaw are not sore after her work. All in all, she upholds my faith in our doctors.

I’ve used Sabkadentist, once Mydentist, for more than a few years now, mainly using their free dental checkups. I’ve even had one occasion to cross check their work and it was found to be on par and as would be professionally the thing to do.

Tooth apart (not really - root canal saves what’s left of a tooth), let’s turn to more toothsome matters.

Pune is always heaven and it creates a new dimension in delight in the monsoon. Aundh is one of the nicest places to amble through in a city with many such areas. Aundh in the gentle Paus (rain in Marathi) of Pune is dreamy.

Soon I was near the Gaikwad Petrol Pump and discovered that there was a new shop. It was little place but nicely lit inside. Temptingly arrayed goodies beckoned on every side and a glass bowl of toffees is divine topping on the experience.

The lady who runs it explained that she specialises in homemade products and I can vouch for her amla rose petal jam. It’s an absolute treat even as a spoonful down the throat. Neat.

However, I will never forget the shop because I also bought a pack of chocolates. Paan chocolates.

They are so good I feel like using unparliamentary language to express the rating. The pack is modern and elegant and each chocolate is in a bright green pack. The sensory explosion of biting into one is addictive. The taste may be too strong for some but it’s a definite adult treat.

I’d love to be offered some after a fantastic dinner at a hotel or at some home. On a plane. Anywhere.

A pack of Mazaana Paan would be a terrific monsoon gift - evocative and sensuous.

Ugly but Good for You - The Elephant Foot Yam

I've seen this root vegetable at home when I was a kid but it was only when I went to college that I learned how to tackle it. 

I was told it causes itching if cut with bare hands and one had to rub oil on one's hands before touching it. This particular botheration is now over as a lady told me to just wash it well first. However, many prefer to avoid a dish with this yam as they claim it causes itching in the throat. 

So why would anyone want to eat it?

Health benefits, for one thing:

Apparently, the elephant-foot yam is used in Indian systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. It is claimed to be a remedy for bronchitis, asthma, abdominal pain, vomiting, dysentery, spleen enlargement , piles, elephantiasis, blood diseases, and rheumatic swellings. 

And it's supposed to be good for us ladies. A bonus is that it's touted on weight loss sites!

Anyway, the method I learned is easy and provides a tasty dish. It was a college bestie who taught me the recipe.

Elephant Foot Yam a la Vaidehi

Wash and peel the yam and cut it into pieces. Let's assume you have about a quarter kilo of it. Place it in a container that fits in your pressure cooker and add a couple of dried red chillies. Cook it for a couple of whistles or till totally soft. Blend it in a mixer, add salt to taste and drizzle with an oil of your choice. Finally, add lime juice to taste and serve with rice, rotis or use as a spread.

Here are some other recipes that I've tried and liked:

A theeyal with prawns

A theeyal seems to be a dish from kerala that uses specific vegetables which are boiled or otherwise cooked and served in a kind of gravy containing tamarind pulp, ground coconut and spices such as pepper, dried chillies, fenugreek and others. I also added some drumsticks, those delicious long green things!

Here's another video which brings out the real flavour of things!

Next time I'm going to try Chena Astram.

Now, I'd really love to know if you have a favourite recipe for this bizarre veggie. Please do post your thoughts in the comments. 

 

DAAL MAASH - MY MASHUP

Maash Ki Daal

Mummy, give me some more rice!

INGREDIENTS

1. Urad dal (white, split), 1 cup
2. Ginger (juliennes), 1 teaspoon
3. Garlic (chopped), 6 cloves
4. Onion (thin slices), 1
5. Green chili, 1
6. Cilantro (finely sliced), 1 tablespoon
7. Cumin seed, 1 teaspoon
8. Asafoetida, a pinch
9. Salt, to to taste
10. Ghee, 1 tablespoon

STEPS

1. Wash the dal well to remove the frothy surfactants as much as possible. To further reduce the gassiness that a dal can cause, soak in hot water for at least an hour and wash again

2. Cook the dal in a thick bottomed pan with at least double the amount of water ­ some people add some ginger juliennes and red chillies and peppercorns at this point and even salt. To make the dish even more exotic, boil it with a modicum of the whole garam masala spices such as one tej patta, 1 clove, a tiny piece of cinnamon, a soupcon of star anise, etc. You can even pressure cook it but when I do so the dal often gets overcooked

3. In the meantime, as the dal is cooking away, peel and thinly slice the onions, julienne the ginger and finely chop the garlic and cilantro. You can either slit the green chili or dice it and if you're not keen on chili spice, either omit it altogether or de seed it before use ­ do wear gloves or wash your hands well after touching chilies

4. Heat the ghee gently taking care not to burn it and crackle the cumin seed carefully as they should not get too browned. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and green chili until nicely golden

5. Check the dal. If the grains can be easily mashed with your fingers then it's good to go ­ if not cook further, add more water if need be

6. Pour the above onto the dal

The Real Deal 

If you want to make and taste the real recipe, just make sure you cook the dal right 

1. The finished product should look like fluffy rice 
2. Heat a dash of ghee and singe a dash of the finest hing 
3. Pour this over your dal, seasoned only with salt 

I've really not had this dish as cooked by my mother or her sisters, all of whom were raised on the North-West Frontier. I came to know about this dish because my mother often told me that it was my sister's favourite. 

Mummy, give me some more rice! 

Because, apparently, that is how the dish should look. As you can see, I've failed in that sense. To suit expectations, I cook it much as we cook most dals, tadka style. 

In any case, this is a royal dish and can be prepared with the least fuss which is, indeed, the hallmark of true royalty. 

Or you can make it with a lot or a little more pomp and circumstance - garam masala, whole or powdered; onions, garlic, ginger - an elaborate fried garnish.

And you can also go all creative and make it a cold salad dish by cooking the dal rather like a vegetable pulao with green peas, carrots and all and serve it tossed with fresh salad vegetables like cucumbers, lettuce and such.

CROQUETTES WITH LEFTOVER SPAGHETTI FILLING

Croquettes With Leftovers

My recent addiction to Japanese drama finds me a fan of the croquette! 

INGREDIENTS

3 medium sized potatoes
4 tablespoons leftover spaghetti/pasta with sauce and all - heat it to dry off excess liquid and further squeeze it out when cool, else the croquettes risk not holding together. Save the liquid to moisten the bread 
1 slice bread
Vegetable oil or any preferred cooking medium. These days I prefer ghee or coconut oil.
Salt
Pepper
Cheese, optional

STEPS

1. Boil, peel and thoroughly mash the potatoes 
2. Trim the crust off the bread 
3. Use any liquid in the leftover spaghetti to moisten the bread 
4. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the bread and blend it well with the mashed potatoes 
5. Season the mashed potatoes to taste with salt and pepper and any other dry seasonings you like
6. Separate balls of mashed potato and heaps of spaghetti to match ­ the amount of potato mix should always be much more
7. Make a kind of hollow in one ball and gently place a bit of spaghetti there. Cautiously draw the potato mix so that it covers the stuffing.
8. Do the same with the rest and shape the croquettes 
9. Heat the oil well ­ test by dropping a small piece of the potato mix and see if it rises quickly 
10. Lower the fire a bit and gently slide in a croquette 
11. Cook for a few minutes and gently slide over to cook on the other side 
12. Serve with onion rings, slices of lime and buttered bread 

Watch how it's done on a Youtube video

Red Greens? Red Amaranth On The Menu Tonight!

A lot of people dislike eating greens. And, conversely, greens are the main vegetables used by lots of people. But what about greens that are red?

Health Benefits of Amaranth Leaves

I loved my mom's dal saag and I tend to make it often. If I find red amaranth, I grab it. A touch of colour does wonders to food.

Whey Water Soups

I'd briefly used another platform for food blogging but it let me down and I shall be transferring posts from there on Khana Banana. I chose to post this one first as I recently made a very tasty soup. And the same recipe almost holds good. Only this time I added a small handful of coriander seeds and that made it very delightful!

Carrot-Pumpkin Whey Water Soup

Whey Tomato-Carrot Soup

INGREDIENTS

1/2 litre of whey, leftover from making paneer1 tablespoon homemade butter (any butter will do. It's just that I tend to make mine at home)

1 carrot, chopped
3 tomatoes, with slits cut into them1 or 2 onions, chopped coarsely6 cloves garlic1 or 2 green chilliesA small bunch of cilantro
1 bay leaf or tejpatta
3-4 cloves, optional
Oil for deep frying
Salt and pepper to taste

STEPS

1. Here's what you'll basically need

I've not used flour, as the soup was thick enough

2. Coarsely chop the onions and carrots. Slit the green chillies so they don't explode on heating. Peel the garlic cloves

You can avoid the chillies if hotness is not your cup of tea

3. Gently heat the butter. I've used homemade butter. You can even use store bought butter or olive oil or any other cooking oil that you prefer

Making butter at home is tedious but rewarding

4. Sweat the onions, garlic, chillies, carrots and bay leaf or tejpatta 

Keep the fire fairly low so nothing burns

5. Add the tomatoes 

I've made slits on them, in case I decided to blanch and peel them

6. Add the cilantro 

Folks add coriander seeds too. I didn't as we use too much in our daily cooking

7. Pressure cook for one whistle or boil in whey. I used a pressure cooker, adding part of the whey with the sauteed vegetables

8. Heat oil 

Use a nice, wide, thick bottomed Kadai/wok (pan)

9. Meanwhile chop some stale bread into cubes 

There are many ways to make croutons interesting and to avoid deep frying

10. Deep fry till golden and drain 

I left them on my tawa which I use for draining fried stuff. It conditions the tawa so that one can fry eggs or make dosas more easily

11. Blend the cooled vegetables 

You could strain it after blending if you want to be fancy

12. Add the rest of the whey and give it a boil, stirring continuously 

Keep the fire low and stir so that the whey does not curdle

10. To serve, garnish with cilantro (I used onion leaves from my garden), sprinkle some coarsely ground black pepper and keep a lime half handy for those who crave a tang 

Add caption

There's nothing quite like soup on certain days, cold days or hot ones, times when you're tired or sick or just for the heck of it

Very filling!

Notes:

Whey is high in protein which makes this soup very rich and substantial.

I'm a no frills homebody cook and can't find the time to be fancy but you can make this soup as lah di dah as you please by straining out the pulp after pressure cooking. That would be very tedious and you'd need some muslin cloth or such.

Then, you can thicken it by gently sauteing about a tablespoon of plain flour in a dab of butter or olive or any other oil. Just for a minute or two. Switch off the fire and slowly pour in about half a cup of milk, stirring continuously. This will give you a creamy soup.

For further indulgence, garnish with a swirl of beaten cream. Use malai if handy.