During my trip up to Portland I popped into Powell's Books and of course headed right for the cookbook section, where I proceeded to spent the next day and a half pouring through each title in the hunt for the perfect cookbook. I have owned a few Indian cookbooks in the past, but I've been happy with none of them and subsequently sold them, but this time I may have found one that I really like: Indian Shortcuts to Success by Das Sreedharan. The photography is gorgeous and the recipes are simple and healthy, using a bare minimum of fats and oils. (As a side note the book itself is well constructed and lays open easily, so necessary for practical purposes in the kitchen.)
A well-known fact is that the coconut is my best friend, but my second love is the mango, which is why I was drawn to this recipe. I've titled this entry as "Indian Spinach-Mango Salad," but in reality this is a curry, or specifically a South Indian moru kachiathu. Here warm spinach and fresh mango are sexily dressed up in a vibrant yellow yogurt sauce and rendered savory with the use of chili peppers and ginger. One word: DROOL.
1. Start by heating 1 tsp oil. Fry 1 tsp mustard seeds until they begin to sputter.
2. Add 1 finely sliced onion, 20 curry leaves, 2 dried chili peppers, and 1 tsp salt. Fry until onions begin to wilt.
3. Add 1 tsp grated ginger and 2-3 fresh chili peppers, cut lengthwise in two. Fry for 1 minute.
4. Mix in 1 tsp turmeric.
5. Remove the fried mixture from the stove. Add 1/4 cup fresh spinach leaves and 1 thinly sliced mango.
6. When the mixture is cool enough, add plain yogurt until the mixture is coated.
By the way, don't worry about the use of whole chili peppers. They are significantly tempered by the use of yogurt sauce. Enjoy!
Comments
Do you have a source for curry leaves? That's one thing I simply cannot find here in Oklahoma.
-Rose
Posted by: Rose | April 8, 2007 02:24 PM
Hi Rose, I have a curry plant which I grow inside, potted, by a sunny window. It's very slow growing potted but I find that it just doesn't like our hot, dry desert weather. You can buy them dried at an Indian grocer but I've heard that the taste just isn't the same. But personally I wouldn't hesitate to make this dish without them. It would still work great.
Posted by: Evil Jonny | April 8, 2007 03:22 PM
Even many Indian grocers sell them fresh in the refrigerated section...and they keep for quite awhile (I freeze any that remain when they begin to turn dark).
Is this dish from Karnataka? Moru or mosaru means yoghurt i believe...It looks really good Jonny!
Posted by: pelicano | April 9, 2007 02:02 AM
That is the only salad version of mooru kachiathu that I have seen :)
I would never have dreamed of doing such a thing, and if anyone had told me that it could be done, I wouldn't have believed it. But you have done it, and you liked the taste too.
Moru kachiyathu is a hot favorite with us. We usually use it as an accompaniment to rice. Pour into onto rice and eat it.
Posted by: Gini | April 9, 2007 06:08 PM
Pelicano, not sure about where moru originates but I sure love it. Good idea on freezing the leaves -- I do the same thing with kaffir lime leaves and jalapeno peppers and it works great for both.
Gini: I ate my version with rice too and it was yum-ay!
Posted by: Evil Jonny | April 10, 2007 05:51 AM
You have a keen eye! Instead of usual suspects, I am very glad that you picked up Das Sreedharan's cookbook. I am also a big fan of this particular cookbook. Most of the recipes are from south India and ultra traditional. My family prepares food like that.
My personal favorites are plantain-moong dal curry and mango halwa. I already wrote my family versions at Mahanandi. Mango halwa is really a delight, my family version is low calorie, but he showed chef colors- added cream/ condensed/ evaporated milk etc. And the plantain-moong dal curry, I hope you get a chance to try this curry. That good.
Posted by: Indira | April 10, 2007 12:31 PM
Oh...Indira's mango halvah is way delicious- I tried it a few months ago. It can be molded for spectacular presentation as well.
Posted by: pelicano | April 10, 2007 09:07 PM
Indira: I tried another of his recipes -- see new entry. I'm looking forward to trying your halwa -- I salivate everything I think about that entry!
Pelicano: I believe it! I will try it soon.
Posted by: Evil Jonny | April 13, 2007 07:08 PM