Kitchen3N

Recipes and food fun from Apt 3N

Fruit Chaat

IMG_2249 I remember having fruit chaat for the first time at my cousin Lima Apa’s house. I was flabbergasted at how bright and flavorful a simple yogurt dressing made otherwise pretty boring fruit (green apples, red grapes). Since then, I use the dressing as a way to eat more fruits during the winter months. When the mangos are tart and the berries are lackluster. A quick toss, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly the fruit disappears!

The key ingredient in this South Asian fruit salad is Chaat Masala. A tangy/savory/spicy combination of spices that includes salt, chili powder, black pepper, citric acid and green mango. On it’s own, it’s a bit too spicy for me. So a little bit of it, along with a little bit of salt and the yogurt is uh-mazing. It’s available in any South Asian grocery.

IMG_2255I’ve left this deconstructed since it’s not so pretty mixed up. This makes for a great appetizer if you’re hosting a party, or even as a hostess gift. Just leave some toothpicks on the side for people to pierce the fruit with.

It’s so versatile, you can alter it any which way to accommodate most dietary restrictions. Dairy allergy? Use soy yogurt. Counting calories? Substitute lowfat yogurt in the dressing (though I am a big proponent of eating full fat foods in moderation). Allergic to a specific fruit? Just leave everything in their own compartments. Cover well with plastic wrap if transporting or consuming later in the day.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup full fat yogurt
  • 3/4 tsp chaat masala (or you could use a mix of equal parts chili powder, black pepper, coriander, and cumin)
  • 3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

Directions

1. Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl. You only need a small amount for each cup of fruit – approximately 1 tbsp per cup.

Sweet and Smoky Butternut Squash

IMG_1916I’ve been eating bad lately. Like oreos bad. Like soup from a can bad. Now keep in mind, I’m not exactly a health nut. I don’t do juice cleanses or quinoa. Kale rarely makes an appearance at our dinner table (I prefer swiss chard). But, I tell myself I’m eating ok as long as I get plenty of veggies, minimize the processed foods and eat only sweets I bake myself. Butter and oil are ok, in my book, since I don’t eat fried foods on the regular. But something happened after Thanksgiving. Burnout, perhaps? Winter weather? I guess I’ve been entertaining and cooking a lot recently. So combine that with two kids, NYC’s first snow storm, homeschooling stuff and going back to work (part time), and less frequent help from grandma. Yes – that spells burnout. IMG_1905So much so that I’ve been neglecting this poor butternut squash for like a week and a half. It really was a testament to this vegetable’s shelf life. But, today was the day. Both kids napped (simultaneously)! The sun came out! I had a wrap for lunch while this was in the oven! Hallelujah.

I was definitely thinking about barbecue sauce when I made this. I saw Ina’s recipe for Caramelized Butternut Squash as well as this recipe for Southwestern Roasted Butternut Squash and thought, “Hey now, I think I’m on to something.” Kind of like the guy who first discovered the food warming capability of microwave radiation (when the chocolate in his pocket melted…what a fatty. I don’t even keep chocolate in my pocket. Ok ok I have way too much chocolate to store in a single pocket.). Or whoever discovered chocolate and peanut butter. Or sea salt and caramel. IMG_1917Everyone complains about how difficult it is to peel butternut squash, but after cutting my own poultry (don’t ask) this felt like a breeze! Anywho, tis the season for butternut squash. I’d love to hear what you think of this!

Ingredients

  • 1 2-3 lb butternut squash
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp or a pinch chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with grease.
  2. Peel squash and dice into 1 inch cubes. Lay them evenly on the sheet. Season with the remaining ingredients and using your hands, combine well.
  3. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes. At 15 and 30 minutes, flip the pieces over using a spatula to ensure even browning. Check for seasoning. Enjoy while it’s still warm.

Cranberry Relish (Achar)

IMG_1740I’m not a pickle/relish/chutney person. My husband is not a turkey-with-all-the-fixin’s kind of guy. So this is how I strive to compromise. You see, I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. It will be pretty small, just my family and his. But there are a few characters in this production who absolutely do not enjoy anything outside the rice and curry/biryani paradigm. So, my spread will look something like this: roast turkey (brined in buttermilk, stuffed with orange, garlic, thyme and sage flavorings), my mother in law’s khichuri, mashed potatoes, salad, either a green bean casserole or sweet potato dish, and this relish. I love cranberry sauce, but in order to make it more palatable for my husband, his brother, and my dad, I thought I’d prepare it according to the traditional Bengali method for achar (non vinegar based relish). It’s sweet, spicy, and tart all at the same time. Obviously cranberries aren’t available in Bangladesh, but they remind me of this other berry like fruit that they do use for achar. The result was pretty good!IMG_1725Mustard oil is not so common in American grocery stores, but if you’ve made the trip to an Asian grocery to get any of the other ingredients required in this (dried red peppers, pach forom), you’ll definitely find the mustard oil. The second it hits the heat, a wonderful aroma fills the whole house. If you can’t find it – don’t fret. Make it with vegetable or olive oil. The result will be a much more mellow relish. Then come all the other aromatics: pach forom, garlic, and red pepper. The seeds will start to pop once they get heated through…time to quickly add the other ingredients!IMG_1726When working with the red peppers, simply snap them in two with your fingers and dump all the seeds out onto the cutting board. Then, when you add them to the hot oil, stand back and prepare for a pepper onslaught on your sinuses! Make sure your vent is going and windows are open, otherwise you’ll find yourself and the rest of your family members in a coughing fit. At this point, I know what you’re thinking: this is really, really weird. And I’ll admit – it’s not for everybody. But if occasionally you find yourself longing for the sweet and spicy relishes of your childhood, this will definitely hit the spot! IMG_1738We would normally serve this with rice or luchi, but I’m sure it would be great on toast. You can make this with pach forom (which I’ve discussed before here) or with anise or fennel seed (which I actually prefer, since the black seeds in pach forom are a bit strong for me). Hope you try this if you’re looking to spice up the usual cranberry sauce! I would love to hear about your Thanksgiving traditions!

Ingredients

  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup water or orange juice
  • 1 tbsp mustard oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 pinch pach forom or anise seeds or fennel seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 dried red peppers, cut in half, de-seeded
  • 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 5 tbsp sugar or molasses (or to taste)
  • 1 pinch chili powder

Directions

  1. Place the cranberries and juice/water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as the cranberries start to pop, remove from heat.
  2. In a medium (9 or 10in) nonstick skillet, heat the msutard oil over medium high heat. Add the pach form or anise/fennel seeds. Once they start to pop, add garlic and chili. Heat through, until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add all of the cranberries, along with the juices to the skillet. Season with salt, sugar, and chili powder. Give it all a stir and lower the heat to medium. Let it cook through, until liquid reduces and mixture thickens (not completely: it will continue to thicken off the heat), about 5-7 minutes. Check for seasoning.
  3. Remove from heat. Let it cool. Store in a glass jar or other container. Refrigerate. Consume within two weeks.