Pudhina / Mint Leaves Mor Kuzhambu ~ Day 169

A cool and refreshing twist to one of my favorite dishes from Southern India, Mor Kuzhambu.   Plain yogurt combined with mint and coconut paste with some spices make this dish so flavorful and delicious.   You can add any vegetable like okra, green pepper, brinjal (eggplant), or colocasia (sepankizhangu).  But the winter melon/ash gourd/poosanikai pairs best with this mint kuzhambu.

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6

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Ingredients:

• Winter melon or chayote squash - 2 cups, peeled and cubed
• Plain yogurt - 1 and 1/2 cups
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - few

To grind:

• Urad dal - 2 tsp
• Black peppercorns - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Dried red chilies - 4 or to taste
• Green chilies - 4 or to taste
• Ginger - 1-inch piece
• Roasted gram dal / pottu kadalai - 2 tbsp
• Fresh mint / pudhina leaves - 1 cup, packed
• Grated fresh coconut - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Cook the vegetable in enough water until soft.  Keep aside.
2. Meanwhile, roast urad dal, peppercorns, cumin seeds, red chilies, green chilies, and ginger in 1 tsp oil until golden brown.  Add the roasted gram dal and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the mint leaves and saute until wilted.  Let cool and grind to a smooth paste along with coconut. 
3. Whisk the yogurt, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and salt with 1 cup of water.  Whisk in the ground paste and cook until frothy, over low heat.  Don't let it come to a boil.  Add the cooked vegetable and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. If the gravy is too thick, thin it down with 1/2 cup of water.  Remove from the heat.
5. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small skillet.  Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.  Pour the tempering over the gravy and give it a stir.
6. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Minty Peas Paratha / Flat Bread ~ Day 68

A soft, flaky, refreshing flat bread seasoned with dried pomegranate and mango powder.

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Yields: 10 

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Ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 2 cups + 1/2 cup for dusting
• Green peas - 1 cup, frozen, thawed
• Fresh mint - 1 cup, washed
• Green chilies - 4
• Ginger - 1-inch piece
• Anardana / Dried Pomegranate powder - 1 tsp
• Amchur / Mango powder - 1 tsp
• Chat masala - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp 
• Oil + Ghee - 1 tbsp each, for frying

Method:

1. Grind peas, mint, green chilies, and ginger into a coarse paste.
2. In  mixing bowl, combine flour, anardana powder (dried pomegranate), mango powder, chat masala, salt, 2 tbsp oil, and the ground paste.  Mix well.  
3. Add water little at a time and make a soft dough.  Knead the dough for 5 minutes.  The dough can also be made in the kitchen aid stand mixer. 
4. Cover and rest the dough for 30 minutes.  Combine oil and ghee in a small bowl.
5. Divide the dough into 10 equal balls.  Dust the dough ball in flour and roll into a thin disc using a rolling pin. 
6. Brush about 1/2 tsp oil and ghee mixture.  Sprinkle flour all over.  Gather one end of the disc and start making folds like a fan / pleat till the other end.  Roll from one end to another end to make a ball. Flatten and roll into a thin disc, dusting with flour as needed. 
7. Heat a cast iron skillet / tawa and place the rolled out disc and cook on medium heat, until bubbles appear.
8. Flip, apply oil/ghee to the cooked side.  Once the other side is cooked, apply oil/ ghee again.
9. Toast until both sides are nicely cooked with brown spots.  Remove from the skillet.  Once all the parathas are cooked, gently loosen the layers by pressing the sides of the parathas.
10. Serve hot with yogurt, pickle, or curry of your choice.

Coriander Mint Chutney (Green Chutney) for Chaats ~ Day 44

A versatile and refreshing chutney made with cilantro and mint, flavored with lemon juice and some spices.  No chaat (savory snack) is complete without this spicy and tangy chutney drizzled all over. This chutney can also be used as a spread for sandwiches and dip for snacks.

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Ingredients:

• Fresh Coriander leaves / Cilantro - 1 cups, washed and roughly chopped with stalks
• Mint Leaves - 1/2 cup, washed
• Green chillies - 2 or to taste
• Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• Peanuts - 1 tbsp
• Chaat masala - 1 tsp
• Mango powder - 1/2 tsp or a small piece of fresh green mango
• Roasted cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Black salt / Kala namak - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger - a small piece
• Garlic - 1 clove (optional)
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Water - for grinding

Method:

1. In a blender, blend all the ingredients until smooth.  Do a taste test and adjust the spices according to your preference.
2. Serve immediately or refrigerate for couple of days.  
3. Use it for chaats, sandwiches or as a dip for your favorite snacks.

Carrot Paneer Masala with Mint (No Onion & Garlic Recipe) ~ Day 25

Paneer is an all time favorite food among kids, and my kids are no exception.  I like to combine it with healthy vegetables rather than cooking it in butter masala.  Another fresh and flavorful ingredient in this dish is mint, which blends beautifully with carrot and paneer.

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Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

• Carrots - 1 lb, peeled and diced
• Mint - 1 cup, chopped roughly
• Paneer - 3/4 cup, crumbled
• Peas - 1/2 cup, thawed, if frozen
• Coconut cream - 1/4 cup (I used the Trader Joe's brand)
• or
• Coconut milk - 1/4 cup
• Cinnamon stick - 1-inch
• Cloves - 4
• Oil or ghee - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Water - 1 to 1/2 cups

For grinding:

• Fresh coconut - 1/4 cup
• Cashews - 3 tbsp
• Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Green chillies - 4
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Place poppy seeds in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds.
2. Soak the poppy seeds and cashews in hot water for 15 minutes.
3. Once soaked, grind it along with all other ingredients for grinding.
4. Meanwhile, heat oil / ghee in a skillet / kadai.  Fry the cinnamon and cloves for 15 seconds.
5. Add the chopped mint and saute for 20 seconds.
6. Add carrots and 1 cup of water.  Cook until tender over low heat.
7. Add the peas, ground masala and salt.  Mix well and cook for 7 to 8 minutes.
8. Add the crumbled paneer, mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Finally, add the coconut cream or coconut milk.  Cook until it reaches one boil.
10. Serve hot with roti, chapati or poori.

Fennel - Apple - Chickpeas Salad with Mint Yogurt Dressing

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:
Fennel Bulb - 1, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced
Green Apple - 1, julienned
Small Purple Radish - 4, thinly sliced

Fennel Bulb

Cucumber - 1, small, julienned
Cubanelle or green pepper - 1, thinly sliced
Shredded carrot - 1/4 cup
Chick peas / Garbanzo beans - 1 can, rinsed and drained
Lettuce or greens of your choice - chopped

For the salad dressing:
Greek or thick plain yogurt - 1/2 cup
Fresh mint - 1/4 cup
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Thai green chili - 1, small
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Place mint, lemon juice and green chili in blender and grind to a smooth paste.
2. Add the yogurt and pulse of couple of times.  Transfer to a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a large bowl, add all the salad ingredients and mix.  
4. Drizzle the yogurt dressing, toss well and serve.

Mint Pulav with Paneer

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Onion - 2 (thinly sliced)
Frozen Peas and Carrots - 1 cup
Paneer Cubes - 1 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2  stick
Cloves - 5
Bay Leaves - 3
Salt - to taste
Ghee and Oil - 2 TBSP each

To grind:
Mint Leaves - 1 cup
Green Chilies - 5
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 2 cloves (optional)

Grind the above ingredients with little water into a smooth paste.  Keep it aside.

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes and pressure cook it with three cups of water.
2. Steam cook or microwave the frozen peas and carrots until tender.
3. In a wide non stick pan, heat oil and ghee.
4. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves.  Fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add the sliced onion and fry till it turns translucent.
6. Add the ground mint paste and fry for 10 minutes or until the oil separates.
7. Add the carrots, peas and salt.  Mix well.  If the mixture is dry add 1/4 cup water.
8. Add the paneer pieces and cook for 5 minutes.  Turn off the flame.
9. Add the cooked rice and mix gently to coat. 
10. Serve hot with raita.

Minty Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1
Mint Leaves - 1 cup
Green Chilies - 2
Whole Black Pepper - 1 tsp or to taste
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger - small piece ( I used mango ginger)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tsp

Method:  

1. Wash and cut the cauliflower into big pieces and steam cook until tender.  Let it cool.
2. Heat oil in a skillet and fry cumin seeds, fennel seeds, ginger and black pepper for 30 seconds.
3. Add the mint leaves and saute for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until it welts.  Let it cool.
4. Grind the cooked cauliflower and the fried ingredients with enough water until smooth.
5. Transfer soup into a large pot and add salt.  Bring it to a boil.  
6. Remove from the heat and serve hot.

Pudhina / Mint Vadai

On a popular demand, presenting the recipe for Pudhina Vadai.  Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
Yellow split peas - 1/2 cup
Green split peas - 1/2 cup
(you can also use plain channa dal / kadalai paruupu, if you can't get these dals)
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Urad dal - 2 TBSP
Pudhina / Mint leaves - 1 cup
Green chilles - 3-4
Red chillis - 3-4
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Asafetida - 1/4 tsp
Few curry leaves
Salt - to taste
Oil for frying.

Method:
Saok all the dals in enough water for 2 hours.
Wash the mint leaves throughly.
Drain the soaked dal.
First, grind a fistful of dal with red chillies, green chillies, ginger, asafetida, curry leaves and salt till smooth.
Then add the remaining dal and grind it coarsely.  Finally, add the mint leaves and grind till everything comes together.  Try not add any water while grinding.  If the dough is too thick, you can sprinke some water while grinding.
Take a lemon sized dough and flatten into small disks and fry them in hot oil till golden brown.

Sending this to MLLA 21 hosted by Mirch Masala.