Roasted jalapeno sweetcorn rice

Fresh sweetcorn – yum.

Chillies – yum.

Rice – yum.

Put ‘em all together – yum yum yum.

That’s the sort of maths I find easy, and that’s why I made this recipe from the eCurry website. I love the website, I love the recipes and the food, and I love the photos of the food. I can’t think of a single thing I don’t like there.

I've no idea what hatch chiles are, so I had to substitute jalapenos instead, but I think that was the only change I made from the original.

I made the chilli-flavoured oil from scratch, following her recipe exactly. (If you want to do it that way too, click the link to her recipe – there’s no point me repeating it here as I didn’t change a thing.) So while the home-made chilli-flavoured oil was nice, I do think that store-bought chilli oil would save on time and trouble (and some coughing and evil chilli fumes in the house as well).

Certainly if I wanted to make this rice again on a whim, I wouldn’t be able to if I had to start the chilli oil 24 hours ahead. Whims don’t really make for forward planning, and my life is very whimsical.

At this point I have to hope that the word whimsical means what I want it to mean – which is that my life runs on whims – and not whatever definition you get for “whimsical” in the dictionary… unless that definition includes “full of whims”.

Now, if I have ruined the word “whim” for you as much as I have for myself by making it seem suddenly weird, you are ready for the recipe.

Recipe for: Roasted jalapeno sweetcorn rice


Ingredients:

6 jalapenos
1 whole ear fresh corn
6 cloves garlic
a big handful of fresh coriander leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds + 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 cups cooked basmati rice
2 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, diced
Chilli-flavoured oil
fresh lime
salt
1 can mixed pulses/beans (about a cup), rinsed under cold water and drained

Method:

1. Slice the kernels from the corn with a sharp knife and separate the kernels if necessary.
2. Lightly toast them on a dry skillet till the water evaporates and they acquire light brown spots.

Reserve.

3. Roast the jalapenos on an open flame till the skin is blistered all over.
4. Place the jalapenos in a ziploc bag and close tightly. Allow peppers to steam for 10-15 min. When cooled, the skin will peel off easily from the flesh.
5. Puree roasted peppers, peeled and chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, fresh coriander and 1 tsp oil till smooth.

Set aside.

6. Heat a thick bottomed pan. Add the 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds and lightly roast them till they are a shade darker and fragrant.

7. Add 2 tbsp oil and add the onions. Fry the onions at medium heat till they are tender, and starting to brown at the edges.
8. Now add the beans and cook them all together with the onion for 5 minutes or so.

9. Next, add the roasted pepper puree to the pan.

Add salt to taste and cook at high heat for 5-6 minutes till the oil starts to separate and the puree thickens.

10. Add the corn and the rice and stir them together for a couple of minutes till the green sauce is well combined with the rice.

11. Cook for about 3 more minutes, tossing frequently but carefully so as not to break the rice.
12. Drizzle the chili oil over the rice and stir.

13. Serve hot with lime wedges on the side so that people can squeeze over the juice to taste.


RECIPE: ROASTED JALAPENO SWEETCORN RICE

Ingredients:
6 jalapenos
1 whole ear fresh corn
6 cloves garlic
a big handful of fresh coriander leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds + 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 cups cooked basmati rice
2 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, diced
Chilli-flavoured oil
fresh lime
salt
1 can mixed pulses/beans (about a cup), rinsed under cold water and drained

Method:
1. Slice the kernels from the corn with a sharp knife and separate the kernels if necessary. 2. Lightly toast them on a dry skillet till the water evaporates and they acquire light brown spots. Reserve.
3. Roast the jalapenos on an open flame till the skin is blistered all over.
4. Place the jalapenos in a ziploc bag and close tightly. Allow peppers to steam for 10-15 min. When cooled, the skin will peel off easily from the flesh.
5. Puree roasted peppers, peeled and chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, fresh coriander and 1 tsp oil till smooth. Set aside.
6. Heat a thick bottomed pan. Add the 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds and lightly roast them till they are a shade darker and fragrant.
7. Add 2 tbsp oil and add the onions. Fry the onions at medium heat till they are tender, and starting to brown at the edges.
8. Now add the beans and cook them all together with the onion for 5 minutes or so.
9. Next, add the roasted pepper puree to the pan. Add salt to taste and cook at high heat for 5-6 minutes till the oil starts to separate and the puree thickens.
10. Add the corn and the rice and stir them together for a couple of minutes till the green sauce is well combined with the rice.
11. Cook for about 3 more minutes, tossing frequently but carefully so as not to break the rice.
12. Drizzle the chili oil over the rice and stir.
13. Serve hot with lime wedges on the side so that people can squeeze over the juice to taste.

Rosecoco bean rajma

I bought a bag of rosecoco beans sight unseen simply because of their lovely name, a few months back. It never occurred to me to look up the beans anywhere to find out what they were, and it certainly didn’t cross my mind (or even came anywhere within a few light years of my mind, never mind within crossing distance) that I might not like the beans – because a bean or legume that I dislike has not yet been invented.

Yes, there are certain ways of cooking/using beans and legumes that I might dislike (the gooey texture of cooked urad dal by itself, for instance), or certain additions to the cooked beans that I would not eat (anything non-vegetarian, in other words)… but the beans themselves are never at fault. Thus I repeat, I have no fear of meeting a bean and not liking it.



And so it was with the rosecoco beans (= cranberry bean = borlotti bean = saluggia = shell bean = salugia bean = crab eye bean = rosecoco bean = Roman bean = fagiolo romano). Not only did they look pretty, speckled and brown and prettily pinkish (or did I imagine that because of the rose in their name?), but they cooked up beautifully, too.

I have made rajma before, with the dark red kidney beans that are traditionally used for this recipe. This recipe is slightly different, if for nothing else other than I used my beloved slow-roasted tomatoes to make the gravy. I have said this before and I say it again – using oven-roasted tomatoes intensifies beautifully the flavour of any gravy. It’s well worth keeping roasted tomatoes handy. They usually last in my fridge for a week - and maybe could stay good for longer, I don’t know - covered with cling wrap.

I’m sure, as I’ve said before (again!), that you could puree the tomatoes and freeze it in ice-cube trays for convenient future use... but I haven’t done so thus far, because – er, I don’t have ice cube trays. If you’re wondering what we do for drinks, well – I buy ice. Maybe I'm just lazy, but I find the pre-frozen ice cubes convenient, and man, they last for absolutely AGES in a drink. I don’t know what it is about that ice, but the cubes – actually they’re not cubes, they’re beehive shaped, for some strange reason - just don’t melt as quickly. (Please, don’t tell me it’s because the ice has preservatives.)

Anyway, digression apart, here’s the recipe for rosecoco bean rajma, and my mother will vouch for the fact that it was lip-smackingly gorgeous. I love my rajma, I do.


Dry rosecoco beans (left) and soaked overnight (right)

Recipe for: Rosecoco bean rajma



Ingredients:



1 cup rosecoco beans, soaked in water overnight
3 small red onions - two chopped, one minced finely
1/2 cup roasted tomatoes, pureed
1" piece ginger root, sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 dried red chillies
2-3 fresh green chillies, sliced into thin rounds
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chole masala/garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
2-3 cups water
2-3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish

Method:

1. Grind the two chopped onions along with the ginger root, dried red chillies and cumin seeds



into a fine paste.



Reserve the minced onion.

2. Heat the oil in a small pressure cooker, add the sliced green chillies and turmeric powder.



Fry the chillies for 30-45 seconds on high, stirring it meanwhile.

3. Add the minced onion now and stir it in; cook this for 2-3 minutes or till the onions begin to turn soft.



4. Now add the red onion paste along with coriander powder



and fry the mixture for 4-5 minutes.



5. Now stir in the roasted tomato paste



and add 1/4 cup water.



6. After two minutes, add the soaked beans.



Fry the beans, stirring them into the masala, for 3 minutes or so, stir in the garam masala/chole masala,



then pour in 2-3 cups water.



7. Let the water come to a rolling boil, then close the pressure cooker. Put the weight on the cooker once it's steaming well, then cook it for 2-3 whistles on high heat. Now turn the heat down to low and let the beans pressure-cook for at least 20 minutes. Finally allow the cooker to come up to pressure again and switch it off after a couple of whistles.

Once the cooker can be opened, add salt to taste to the rajma and stir it in well. The beans should be cooked such that they can be easily squashed between two fingers. If the gravy is watery, let the rajma boil on high heat till the excess water evaporates and the gravy is to the desired consistency.

Serve hot, garnished with coriander leaves, along with cumin fried rice.

The most beautiful baked rice

And by that I mean Nupur's version of Madhur Jaffrey's lubia polo. Ever since I read about the Persian dried limes, my one ambition was to somehow source it so that I could make this dish. I didnt want to use lime juice - how boring! So finally I came across a website that sold ingredients for Iraqi, Iranian, Turkish and other such exotic cuisine, so I lavishly ordered away. And in a few days, a little neatly packed box arrived all the way from - er, Germany, actually. Preserved limes, dried lime, dried lime powder - all of these are now in my possession. I have to tell you, the dried lime smells mouth-watering - like neer elumichangai that has ever so slightly fermented.

Anyway, with the dried lime and the dried lime powder (using which is a lot less finicky work than manually separating the black bits from the whole dried limes, I can tell you), I made lubia polo.


Dried lime tapped open with a hammer


Then pulled apart by hand


The black interior contents scraped out (on the right) and the discarded lime peel (left)


Readymade powdered dried lime - a much simpler option

And then I suddenly realised that the post had been hanging fire for at least 10 days, and it would be perfect for Zlamushka's "Tried and Tasted" event that's currently happening - assuming I'm not too late with my offering.

This baked green-bean and potato rice has the least amount of spices and seasoning that I've ever seen... and yet the end result is so INCREDIBLY flavourful! I followed pretty much the same method as Nupur, except that instead of garam masala I used a couple of pinches of my extremely potent, aromatic, home-made dhansak masala!

I have to admit that my lubia polo did not turn out as beautifully shaped as Nupur's, nor did it hold together nicely. But that was because I didnt - dont - have the right-shaped non-stick pan, nor even a heavy-bottomed non-non-stick (how else do you say it?) pan... so I improvised with a shallow vessel I use in the pressure cooker. It was too thin so the potato slices at the bottom got a bit burnt and the rice didnt get a chance to crisp up. But, like I said, it was fantastically tasty, even if not picture-perfect to look at. In any case, if you're looking for picture perfection, the blog to go to is Nupur's! :)

Recipe for: Nupur's lubia polo



Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice, washed and soaked for 15 minutes
2 cups green beans, halved
1 onion, chopped
1 potato, peeled and sliced thin
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp butter
Salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala/pav bhaji masala/dhansak masala
1 htsp powdered dried lime OR 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Method:

1. Boil the rice in 2 cups of lightly salted water till almost done. Drain well and reserve.

2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and fry the chopped onion till soft and light brown.



3. Add the green beans and saute for a few minutes,



then add the tomato puree and whichever masala you're using.



4. Simmer the beans till tender, then add salt to taste. The sauce should be fairly thick now. Add 1 heaped tsp dried lime powder, mix and set aside.

5. In a medium deep non-stick pan, melt 1 tsp butter. Stir in 1/2 tsp turmeric and water. Layer the bottom of the pan with the thinly sliced potato.



6. Put half the rice over the potatoes,



then pour over the green bean mixture,



and finally the rest of the rice.

7. Cover the pan and leave on medium heat for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to its lowest point.



Place a clean dish towel under the lid and fold the hanging edges back on top of the lid.



9. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes or so, then let the pilaf rest for 10 minutes.

10. After the resting time, invert the pan onto a serving dish. The pilaf should unmold itself whole - but if it doesnt (like mine) dont worry... it will still taste delicious!

Potatoes and beans with spinach

I'm afraid there's only one photo for this - my camera battery gave up the ghost JUST as I was making this for tonight's dinner (on request, I might add) and I simply didnt have the time or the inclination to wait for the battery to charge. The first time I made it, it was something I'd improvised on the spot, having not very much in the fridge. This time though, it was intentional. And good. Finger lickin' good (me) and bowl-licking good (Pete).

Recipe for: Potatoes and beans with spinach



Ingredients:

2 potatoes, boiled and cut into pieces
1 cup mixed canned beans/pulses
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 inch piece ginger, sliced thin
4 shallots, chopped fine
1 cup spinach, shredded
3/4 tsp dhansak masala powder/garam masala
½ tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tbsp oil
Salt as required
1 tsp chilli powder
Water – about one cup

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add onions, fry till they begin to soften. Add tomatoes and 3-4 tbsp water. Cook on high, stirring, till the tomatoes start to break down. Throw in the sliced ginger and cook till tomatoes are soft. Remove from heat and cool, then grind to a smooth paste.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil and add the cumin and coriander powders. Put in the shallots and stir, then add the dhansak/garam masala and chilli powder.

3. When the shallots are soft and light brown, add the chopped spinach and stir-fry till it is wilted.

4. Now put in the potatoes and beans and stir them in. Pour in the pureed onion-tomato mixture and add about 3/4 cup of water.

5. Stir in salt to taste, then let the gravy come to a boil. Let it bubble for a couple of minutes, then lower the heat and simmer it for 7 minutes.

6. Serve hot with rice, chapaties, dosa etc.