Suvir Saran

STIR-FRIED MIXED SUMMER SQUASH Squash Poriyal Serves 6 There is something very summery about this dish. Even as I make it in the dead of winter, I feel cheery just looking at the colors of the two vegetables and then as I taste it, I go back to the lightness in the air of a summer morning. Before things get hot and humid. A great side dish, this is as easy to prepare as it is easy to savor. The coconut and the curry leaves give the vegetables a certain depth of flavor that would normally not be theirs. The mustard and nigella seeds give a crunch and nuttiness that takes you deeper into an exploration of how simple things do not have to be always simple in their complex flavors. This is my play on a Southern Indian take on cooking stir fried vegetables. 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 12 fresh or 16 frozen curry leaves, torn into pieces 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/8 teaspoon asafetida 1/2 teaspoon nigella (optional) 1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut 3 whole red chilies 1/2 fresh, hot green chili, chopped, with seeds 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 pounds green and yellow squash, trimmed, halved lengthwise and then cut crosswise 1/3 inch thick 1. Heat the oil with the mustard seeds in a large wok or kadai over medium-hot heat until the mustard seeds crackle, about 1 minute. 2. Add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, asafetida, nigella coconut, dried and fresh chilies and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring, until the coconut begins to turn a golden brown color, about 1 minute. 3. Add the squash and turn the heat back up to medium-high. Stir to coat with the spices. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Taste for salt and serve hot.

Pork Vindaloo This was given to me by a Parsi friend. This family has spent many years in Goa. It is a delicious version of the simple curry from Goa that has enough life in it to be eaten just by itself and still make quite an impact on any diner. Make this with tomatoes that are so ripe they are too soft for salads. You could make this with cubed, boneless pork loin, but I like to use the bone because it adds flavor to the dish; the pieces of pork will be a bit oddly shaped. SPICE PASTE: 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 10 dry red chilies 1/2 inch cinnamon 8 cloves 6 green cardamom pods 10 black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 6 garlic cloves 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled 2 tablespoons white vinegar Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 center cut pork chops, about 1 inch thick (2 1/2 pounds), each cut in 3, bone included, and trimmed of fat 2 ripe tomatoes, quartered 2 medium onions, quartered 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1. For the spice paste, combine the cumin, coriander, red chilies, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns and turmeric in a spice grinder and grind to a coarse powder. Add the garlic, ginger, vinegar and lemon juice and process to a paste. Put the pork, the spice mixture and the salt in a ceramic or glass bowl (the paste will stain plastic) and stir with a spatula to coat the meat with the paste. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or up to 4 hours. 2. Meanwhile, combine the tomato and onion in a food processor and puree; set aside. 3. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed casserole over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add the tomato puree and the salt and stir well. Bring to a boil. Add the 1/4 to 1/2 cup water as needed to cover the chops. Return to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer, cover, until tender, about 40 minutes. Taste for salt and serve hot with rice.

Potatoes are used commonly in Goan Vindaloo recipes. They are used in the versions cooked even by the most celebrated hosts of Goa. And have made it into recipes in books written by several Indian food authorities. Certainly the misconception that the word aloo was a reference to the similar word in Hindi meaning potato must be one reason for this. But there is a more important reason in my book; potatoes are often added to many meat and chicken curries to simply add to the quantity of the dish. So that it stretches. Nothing more and nothing less. Potatoes added to curries such as these made it possible for those in a home that did not like meat too much, but had no restriction to it, to find an alternative without the chef having to prepare another dish. I am sure other members would have their own feedback about this; it would make for a great discussion.

How interesting... I heard that the name vindaloo comes from the combination of vin (vinegar) and aloo from alho (portuguese for garlic).

The pastry for the samosa is really easy to make. You will become an expert after making it just once. Believe me. Maybe someday... I can show you how easy it is by doing a demo. I have not yet tested a recipe for the pastry, or else I would share it with you. I make it by feel.

Thanks Sandra! It sounds wonderful. I will make the Jam and let you know how it comes out. I can a lot. In fact I have sitting on the table 12 Pints of Apricot Jam, 6 Pints of Peach Jam, 6 Pints each of Blueberry-Lemon and Blackberry Jams and 6 Pints of Tomato Chutney, all of these I have made in the last week. I love canning. It is so much fun. And is a great way of sharing a simple gift with people. It is food that multiplies and makes people happy. Thanks again for this lovely recipe.

Thanks SA! So the restaurants you eat it at make it with coconut milk? That is interesting. Thanks for sharing the details. I love the samosa chaat the chefs make for me when I visit restaurants.. and like you said, it is only served to those in the know. I thought maybe you were making samosas at home. I was impressed just to know that you know about it.. and would have been even more so if you said you cooked them at home. I love samosa chaat with simple potato samosas. It is my favorite. And yes the cilantro and tamarind sauces are excellent with it. Will let you know how the banana chutney is. Thanks for the recipe.

That would be very nice. Thanks! Please do PM me.

A silly friend of mine gave them to me.... He owns a store... had these ripe bananas. I make many dozens of banana breads with his ripe banana in the fall to give away to friends.. and now.. in the middle of the summer.. he has sent this big package of ripe bananas.... Thanks for clearing that up. I didn't think it was banana harvest time in New York City. You can always just throw them in the freezer as is, then use the pulp later to make your banana breads. Or, make your banana breads now and throw THEM in the freezer. That'd get a lot of your autumn work out of the way ahead of time! All I want to throw anywhere at this time.. is my back.. something threw it totally out of shape.. and I am much pain. I wish I can throw it back in shape.

What is Samosa Chaat SA? How do you make it?

would you have a recipe for that banana cream pie y ou will make later? Would love to try it as well.

A silly friend of mine gave them to me.... He owns a store... had these ripe bananas. I make many dozens of banana breads with his ripe banana in the fall to give away to friends.. and now.. in the middle of the summer.. he has sent this big package of ripe bananas....

Thanks Cathy! I will try making these. Are these better with ripe or not so ripe bananas? Also are these what I may have seen in Ben & Jerrys? They have these chocolate covered banana shaped things in their glass encased freezer. Could these be the same thing? These sound very nice.

Thanks for the recipe. It seems wonderful. I will make some... and maybe even try canning it. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

Banana Jam.. never thought of it.... sounds nice. Maybe I can make some of SA's banana chutney and try making some jam. I have a recipe for banana jam at home and I will post it tonight. It is truly delicious and very unusual. It is very easy to make. Thanks Sandra! Do you think it can be made with ripe bananas? Look forward to the recipe and making the jam.

Banana Jam.. never thought of it.... sounds nice. Maybe I can make some of SA's banana chutney and try making some jam.

How do you make the frozen low fat snack? Do you puree them? mash them? add anything at all?

SA, The chutney actually sounds amazing. I must confess, I have never had a banana chutney. What is it like? Do you have a recipe? Can one make it with RIPE bananas? I would be game for trying it out. If you have a recipe that is. Thanks for suggesting it..

Yes I will not make t hose today.. But I love banana raita. It is a great raita for the summers. I am lazy about cooking too much today... If I make Banana raita, I will have to cook dinner.... I was thinking of taking friends out today.

That sounds very good. Cardamom... ehhhh... I love cardamom... I always grind my cardamom seeds into a powder fresh.. is that what you do? Does it matter? I think it does... but many friends tell me I am too fussy... Thanks for the recipe...

Mr. Suvir , thank you very much! I am sorry! I am just not much of a fan of bananas in smoothies.. lassis etc

And what I found most curious was the large... amazingly huge amount of flour that Nathalies assistant placed onto the large "biscuit bowl". I was worried as to why they were making so many biscuits, but once done, I realized that it was only the base for the mountain, the hole in which gets the shortening and buttermilk. When done making the dough, the kind lady demonstrating this, put away into the flour container most of the flour. I would never think of doing something like that. Also she handled the wet flour very little, and used the excess flour to put her wet hands in so as to make them easier to use in folding the dough. It was actually a very sensuous way of making a dough. The lady teaching us was my grandmothers age, and had learned this recipe from her grandmother. She did it with no effort and with a big proud smile. As Nathali mentioned, these were biscuits made with "grace". I think that was to mean gracefully.

They are free form. Well not really, for the lady who taught us these, keeps the biscuits very close together in the tray, and so as they bake they come together. And separate very easily once ready. The texture of the biscuits was amazing. The grits with parmesan that was also served that afternoon were the best grits recipe I have ever tasted... but I can imagine the biscuits being even better if they had butter. I prefer butter so much more. They were rustic biscuits and perfect served in that amazing home in Social Circle, Georgia.

Mitchell London makes the best Banana Cream Tart. I wish I had the recipe.. The crust could well have been made with Graham Crackers... he then has some custard in the base. A very think layer of chocolate and then whipped cream and bananas... some more chocolate and then whipped cream and a banana cream and some chocolate. But it has been a couple of years since I last had it... Anyone have a recipe for a tart like that?

No smoothis or lassis! But how do you make your lassi? With yogurt? Do you add anything else to it? Any sugar at all? DO you let the sweetness of the bananas simply sweeten the lassi?