Purslane - How to Harvest

Friday, February 24, 2023

 






Purslane

Portulaca oleracea

Characteristics: hardy annual; grows 12 to 15 inches tall; green paddle-shaped leaves, thick stems sometimes with a purple tinge, small yellow flower.

Purslane has been cultivated in India and China for thousands of years and currently is grown and sold by the kilo in many European, Asian and Mexican markets. The bright green, succulent leaves of this potherb do not have much odor, while the taste is pleasant–mild, slightly herby and lemony tart. The sour lemon flavor is due to the oxalic acid present in the leaves. The texture is what takes some folks time to get used to since it is both crunchy and mucilaginous-the sliminess is off-putting to some-so I use it in ways that one doesn’t notice the texture. All aboveground parts are edible; the thick, succulent stems and leaves, and small yellow flowers can be eaten raw as a salad, mixed with other salad greens or in vegetable salads. In France it is often included in a mesclun mix. Purslane is a traditional ingredient of fattoush, a well-known Mid-eastern salad. I like it especially well with cucumbers, used in tzatziki, or with tomatoes in salad or salsa. It adds a tartness and crunch to grain, potato and pasta salads.

The leaves and stems can be sautéed and wilted with olive oil and garlic as they do in Greece, Italy and France. The “slimy quality” is not noticeable when cooked in a mess of greens. When cooked it does lose some of its tartness and is good in stir fries. The mucilaginous texture can be used to thicken soups, gumbos and sauces. In Mexico it is cooked with tomatillos and pork to make verdolaga, a peasant-style stew. In the past, it was popular to pickle the leaves and stems, and it is still a popular practice in Japan, to be eaten as a condiment with rice.

While I welcome this weed to volunteer in the garden, I also have grown both the golden and red portulacas, which do not get as tall and foliage isn’t as large as the naturalized plants. They all pretty much have the same taste, however the, golden purslane ‘Goldberg’ has gold-tinged leaves and sort of orange-colored stems. The red one, sold as ‘Gruner Red’ has green leaves and pinkish stems.

Purslane balks with cold weather, so wait to sow it outdoors until the soil has warmed, with daytime temps of about 80ºF. For an early start, plant seed indoors for transplanting. Choose a sunny location with enriched, well-drained soil and it should do well for you. I grow mine in the vegetable garden and use wheat straw mulch. It likes hot sun and plenty of air circulation rather than shade. Portulaca is a succulent, so it holds water in its stems and leaves. It can be fairly resistant to drought once it has been established. However, drought-like conditions will slow down growth.

Throughout the growing season, harvest center leaves and tip ends to encourage growth. Or cut the whole plant back to an inch or two above the ground, making sure to leave at least a full set or two of bottom leaves. The plant will put out new growth from the cut stems. Leaves and stems wilt quickly, so gather them into a shady basket and get them inside quickly; wash them in cold water, spin dry and refrigerate until ready to use. Use new smaller leaves for salads and large, older leaves and stems for cooking.

Growing Purslane

From Stem Cuttings

It’s not only the number of seeds it produces that makes purslane such a good spreader.

Each piece of stem can create a new plant, which makes your job as a gardener easier – or more difficult, if you find you can’t keep it under control.

To propagate from stem cuttings, use a sharp knife or scissors to cut a 6-inch-long stem from the parent plant. Remove the leaves from the bottom half.

Plant the stem in potting soil with half of the stem buried underground. Place in an area with bright, indirect light, and keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.

After a week, you should notice your cutting beginning to grow, and it should hold firm in the soil when you give it a gentle tug

At that point, it’s ready to be transplanted.

You can actually get away with cutting 1-inch pieces of the stem and burying them entirely, 1/4 inch deep directly in the garden.

In a few weeks, you’ll start to see new plants popping out of the soil. I’ve yet to have a single cutting fail when I planted them this way.

https://gardenerspath.com/plants/herbs/grow-purslane/

Delhi Food Walk - Natraj Dahi Bhalla Corner

Saturday, February 11, 2023

 


Our last stop in our Food tour was the famous Natraj Dahi Bhalla Corner. The only one. They have no branches. 

No-frills outlet open since 1940 with two items on the menu -  dahi bhalla  & aloo tikki.  It was very crowded. It was fine nothing extraordinary. 

We split a plate between two of us. I think it was Rs. 100

Delhi Food Walk - Nagori Tea & Faluda

 




















Sitaram Diwan Chand Chole Bhature Recipe




When conniving Mughal upstart Aurangzeb imprisoned his father, Emperor Shah Jehan, in Agra Fort in 1657, he told him he could choose just one thing to eat every day for the rest of his life. The old man chose chick peas because the prison cook told him he would be able to make something different every day of the year.

From their small shop in Chuna Mandi near the Imperial Cinema, Sita Ram make what many Delhi-ites believe to be the perfect Chhole Bhature. Certainly many customers, including leading industrialists and movie stars, travel great distances for their daily fix.

When we arrived at about 9am, the two or three tables outside the tiny kerbside restaurant were already buzzing with customers on their way to work. We managed to put away a plate each in no time.

Every mouthful was memorable but particularly those where I managed to cram in paneer-laced bhatura, chick peas, onion and pickled carrot, all at the same time. I strongly urge everyone to do this sometime soon and take a moment to give thanks for what’s going on in your mouth. I bet those 8 years in Agra Fort just flew by.

We spoke to fellow diner, 72 year-old Gulshan Jaggi who has been coming to the shop since 1948, often several times a week, even though he no longer lives in the neighbourhood. He maintains the Chana Bhatura is as good now as it was then, “I have tasted Chana Bhatura all over Delhi,” he said. “But here the chana is unique, very delicious. They maintain the standards set down by their ancestors.”

The Great Men of Chana
The Great Men of Chana

After we’d polished off a third plate, Pran Kohli, the current owner, took us through the history. His grandfather, Diwan Chand, arrived in Delhi from what is now Pakistan at the time of Partition in 1947 with little more than his recipe for Chana Bhatura. For almost 30 years, he and his son Sita Ram pushed a handcart around Paharganj before moving into their present shop in Chuna Mandi.

Pran Kohli joined the business straight from school in 1984. and has done little to alter the winning formula handed down to him – if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, I say. The secret, he says, is to treat even the most humble ingredients with respect. “This is a cheap roadside dish, but we use good quality ingredients so it’s better than others. We don’t want to compromise.” The result is food infused with love and care; a perfect combination of flavours and textures which, like all of the best street food in India, is a world-class feast.

The Recipes

Chana

Soak 1kg chick peas overnight.  In the morning, boil the chick peas in fresh water for 30 minutes then add 25g bicarbonate of soda (according to Pran Kohli this speeds up the softening of the chick peas and aids  digestion)

Brown 300g chopped onion in oil or ghee.  Add 200g yogurt, 200g chopped tomatoes and 1tsp turmeric.  Cook on a low heat for about one hour until the mixture is a deep reddish colour.  When the chick peas are ready, drain off the cooking water and mix with the tomato  and onion gravy.  Add 20g salt, 20g black pepper, 30g dried pomegranate powder (anardana) and 15g garm masala – Sita Ram Diwan Chand’s mix, which they make themselves, contains black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, coriander, cumin and something called ‘sud’ which I haven’t found a translation of yet).  Mix well and add 200g potatoes made as follows:

For 1 kg cooked potatoes, chop 200g onion and cook in oil with 200g chopped tomatoes and 1tsp turmeric to make a gravy then add 10g salt, 10g black pepper, 5g red chilli powder, 25g dried pomegranate powder and 20g garm masala.  Cook the gravy until masala is roasted.

Bhatura

Bhatura

Bhatura

Mix 1kg plain flour (maida) and 1tsp baking powder with approximately 400g water (enough to make a soft dough).  Knead well for 7-10 minutes or until dough is soft and springy.  Put in a bowl and leave, covered with damp tea towel for  at least one and a half hours.

For the bhatura stuffing, finely chop 300g of paneer and add 10g salt, 5g cumin seeds, 5g garm masala, 5g black pepper, 10g chopped  fresh coriander. Press a handful of  stuffing into each small ball of dough before rolling out and frying.

Sita Ram Diwan Chand’s Chana Bhatura comes with slices of onion and pickled vegetables (carrot when we visited but varies according to the season) and both play an important part in creating a perfect combination of flavours.

pickled carrots

pickled carrots

Pickled Carrot

Wash and cut up 1kg of carrot into long chunks and steep for a few days in 2 litres of ‘sour water’ (water containing 25g black mustard seed, 10g salt, 5g turmeric). Wash the carrots, add 10g salt, 5g red chilli and mix well.

Delhi Food Walk - Daulat ki Chaat



Daulat ki Chaat (or Malaai Makkhan, as it is called in U.P.) is not a tangy treat of the sort the word chaat evokes. This incredible little dish is made up almost entirely of air: it is essentially just milk froth. They start making it at about 2 o’clock at night, and insist that their only contribution is to churn some creamy milk and whip up its froth — the rest is the magic of the winter dew. This whipped froth of milk is set in a large brass pan, and some khoya and finely sliced pista are sprinkled on top. The entire delicate ensemble is brought to the market in the morning on a khomcha (a cane tripod), where if you ask nicely, the man will scoop out a generous portion of the froth, powder it with bhoora (unrefined sugar) and khurchan, and hand it to you in a little leaf bowl. A spoonful of it just vanishes in the mouth, and has a very sophisticated, understated sweet taste to it.

A  dona of Daulat ki Chaat sets you back by exactly 100 bucks!

We were lucky to catch this vendor on our way from Hauz Qazi Chowk (where the Chawri Bazaar metro station is) to the Jama Masjid. His normal beat is Kinari Bazaar, close to the Dariba area of Chandni Chowk, but he probably starts in the morning from the Hauz Qazi area — we were there at about 8:30am. If you ever manage to catch the elusive Daulat ki Chaat vendor, give him a miss at your own eternal loss!

Location: Kinari Bazaar has at least a couple of vendors, including one (Khemchand Adesh Kumar) at the corner of a cul de sac called Naughara — an official heritage site with beautifully ornamented entrances to well-preserved havelis. I have mapped this location here.

Timings: Winter mornings till about 10 am.

Pemala Timm's Writes about Daulat ki Chaat


According to Old Delhi legend, Daulat (which means ‘wealth’) ki Chaat is made only during the cold winter nights (preferably by the light of a full moon) when gallons of sweetened milk are whisked for hours into a cloud which is then set by the dawn dew.  The top layer is touched with saffron and decorated with vark (silver leaf) and  by morning the Daulat ki Chaat is just solid enough to be spooned into plates and sprinkled with  chopped pistachio nuts, khoya (condensed milk) and bhoora (unrefined sugar) before gradually collapsing in the heat of the day.

In its thaal (a wide metal platter) the Daulat ki Chaat looks like the soft meringue of Lemon Meringue Pie but the taste is altogether more ethereal – it dissolves instantly on the tongue, leaving behind the merest sensation of cream and sweetness. The balance of milky cloud, saffron, sugar and nuts is subtle and tantalising, almost not there – generally requiring a greedy second or third plateful to try and audit this gully-found glimpse of heaven. If there’s one dish that sums up the magic and mystery of Old Delhi street food, it’s Daulat ki Chaat –  at 20 rupees a plate it’s within the reach of rickshaw-pullers but this is a dish – surely with Mughal heritage?  – that could hold its own with the world’s most extravagant delicacies – in fact I know of at least one Delhi Embassy which has started calling in the  Daulat ki Chaat wallahs for its swanky parties.

In Delhi, I’ve never seen this other-worldly delicacy anywhere but the old city, although I know different versions exist in other cities – the first time I tasted it was right off the night train to Lucknow, where it’s called Nimish. This is a cruelly short season but for the next few weeks  the Daulat ki Chaat wallahs, with their khomchas (a fold-up bamboo stand which street food vendors use to display their wares) are dotted around Old Delhi, standing proudly behind their platters of ‘cloud’.  Last week I ate  Kemchand Adesh Kumar’s Daulat ki Chaat in Nai Sarak but he moves around – his phone number is 9899417485 if you want to avoid disappointment.

I include Priti Narain’s recipe, from The Essential Delhi Cookbook, which calls for electrical appliances, although I refuse to accept Daulat ki Chaat can be made in the kitchens of mere mortals – I firmly believe this sweetened slice of paradise is created with the assistance of angels rather than a Kenwood mixer.

Daulat ki Chaat

Milk Puff

2 litres full cream milk, unboiled

2 and a quarter cups cream

1 heaped tsp cream of tartar

1 cup caster sugar

1 tsp rosewater

2 tbsp chopped pistachio nuts

Combine milk, cream and cream of tartar in a large bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Next morning stir in 4 tsp caster sugar and rosewater and whisk using a rotary or electric beater at high speed.  Using a tea strainer collect the foam that forms and transfer to a large thali or tray.  Keep thali tilted so that foam stays on one side; some milk will collect on the lower side.  When the thali is fairly full, spoon foam into clay saucers or teacups, sprinkling a little caster sugar between layers and on top (the foam will condense a little during this operation.  What looks like four bowlfuls in the thali will yield only two bowls).

Pour milk collected in the thali back in the bowl and continue collecting foam till all the milk is used up.  The whole process will take 2 – 2 and a half hours.

Sprinkle pistachio nuts on top of each bowl of foam and refrigerate till serving time.

The Daulat ki Chaat can also be layered in 2-3 large bowls but it loses some of its fluffiness and becomes dense.

Delhi Food Walk

 


Whenever,  I go to India - one stop is always in the "to do list". Go to Old Delhi and eat lunch in  - one stop is a must - going and having lunch in Al -Jawahar  Old Delhi. My cousin, Gokaran, is always up to do this trip with me. No one else wants to go to Old Delhi.

This year too. We planned the same trip with a twist. He was up for the "Al - Jawahar" but wanted to also 

 

Shiv Mishthan Bhandar 








Your day starts here with the classic Old Delhi breakfast - bedmi-aloo. Crisp, puffy puris served with curried potatoes can make your day. Another morning staple that you can try here is the Nagori-Halwa, crisp puris served with suji ka halwa. Wash it all down with a chilled glass of lassi. Finish your meal with some crackling jalebis which are not too sweet, just perfect and are also my personal favourite. 






Address: Shiv Mishthan Bhandar, 375, Kucha Ghasi Ram,Chandni Chowk







Hazari Lal Jain Khurchan Wale








The word 'khurchan' mean leftover scrap.The unique sweet that they serve here is only made with milk. A sticky sweet, khurchan is easy to make. Boil the milk, scrape of the leftovers from the karahi and sprinkle with powdered sugar and pistachios.Bite into the soft, gooey texture and you're in heaven. This small establishment was set up about 90 years ago by Gauri Shankar Jain, an immigrant Uttar Pradesh. He named the shop after his son, Hazari Lal.

Address: 2225, Kinari Bazaar, Chandni Chowk, +91 11 2325 3992, +91 9891 696 163



Al Jawahar, Matia Mahal




You know what they say - where there's smoke, there's flavour. Walk through Urdu Bazaar opposite Gate No. 1 of Jama Masjid and also venture along the side street called Matia Mahal, you'll find a number of vendors who set up their tandoors around late evening. For all your meat cravings, you'll find your fix here. From Mutton Barrah to Tikkas, you can eat until you burst without ever trying the same thing twice. Al Jawahar has particularly been my favourite. From their mutton delicacies like Gurda Kaleji, Biryani and Korma to Chicken Changazi, you'll be hooked.
Address: 8, Jama Masjid Matia Mahal Road, Opposite Gate No.1

Ghar Ka Khana - Kadi Pakodi

 






Menu of the Day
December 24, 2022

  • Dahi Kadi with Pakodi
  • Palak ki Sabji
  • Rajma (esp. for Sarah)
  • Alu Fry
  • Basmati Rice
  • Roti
  • Ghee
  • Chutney










LIMONATA – A TURKISH VILLAGE DRINK



INGREDIENTS
  • 2 lemons - washed and then placed in freezer
  • 1 orange - washed and then placed in freezer
  • 1 cup sugar approximately
  • About 1.5 litres chilled water

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Remove the fruit from the freezer once frozen. This could take 3 or 4 hours
  2. Leave at room temperature for 10 minutes
  3. Cut fruit into about 5 pieces and place in blender
  4. Add ¾ cup sugar to 1 cup sugar and blend
  5. The amount of sugar is determined by your taste.
  6. I prefer a sour lemonade so I choose the lesser amount
  7. Add 1 to 1.5 litres of water depending on the strength you like
  8. Leave to rest 30 minutes then strain through some muslin or fine filter
  9. Squeeze out the remnants and discard
  10. Pour into bottles and place in freezer for a while, serve truly chilled

Another lady told me that the taste is superior if the seeds are removed before blending. If this is possible then it is worth giving it a go but it’s not imperative.






Domatesli Ispanak - Istanbul Airport

Friday, February 10, 2023



Domatesli Ispanak 

Airport food generally is nothing to write home about. But the food in Istanbul Airport is worth remembering. Esp. offerings at Sahrap's Kitchen. I'm in love with the Spinach with Tomatoes. This recipe is as close a version I could find. 

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)
1 bunch fresh spinach (about 300-350 gr) 1 large onion 1 large tomato (if you have fresh summer tomato on hand) 1 tbsp tomato paste 3 tbsp uncooked rice 1 tbsp vinegar 1 tsp sweet paprika 1/2 tsp granulated sugar 2-3 tbsp olive oil Salt & pepper Plain yogurt DIRECTIONS Cut off the little pink root ends of spinach. Rinse and drain, then chop coarsely. Fill a big bowl with water, add 1 tbsp vinegar, mix. Transfer spinach into the water, set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile peel the onion, cut into cubes. Peel the tomato, cut into cubes. If you don't have summer fresh tomato on hand, omit the tomato and just use tomato paste. Lift spinach out of the water (leaving any dirt or grid behind) and drain. Then soak in water until they look thoroughly clean, changing the water 3-4 times. Heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil, in a large pan, over medium low heat. Add the onion, sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper. Sautee for about 5-6 minutes, or until just tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle 1 tsp sweet paprika, mix well. Add tomato paste and 1/2 cup water. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomato, sprinkle 1/2 tsp sugar. If using tomato, cover and simmer for 5 minutes, over the lowest possible setting. Add the spinach, spread. Cover and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until wilted, stirring occasionally. Then add 3-4 cups hot water, making sure everything is submerged in water. Sprinkle 1 tsp or to taste salt and a pinch of pepper. Add 3 tbsp rice and mix well. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until very tender. Make sure to stir occasionally, so that the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Check for doneness and seasoning, turn of the heat. Let cool for about 10 minutes, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Transfer into a serving plate. You can serve it with some fresh bread. Last but not least, place 2-3 tbsp plain yogurt on top and enjoy.

Mezze

Turkish Style Black Eye Peas



Simple recipes that needs very few ingredients.

  • 2 cups Black eye peas soaked overnight or in hot water for few hours.
  • Generous amount of olive oil - 1/2 cup
  • Lot of garlic - sliced and chopped thickly
  • Fresh tomatoes - chopped roughly
  • Tsp of tomato paste
  • Tsp of sugar (only if the tomato is extra tart)
  • Sea salt
  • Fresh black pepper
  • Parsley 

  • Prepare peas by discarding the soaking water. 
  • Put in pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle or you can put the peas in boiling water and leave to soak for hour
  1. Heat olive oil
  2. Add garlic and fry for bit but don't let it brown or burn
  3. Now add chopped tomatoes. Cook until soft
  4. Add tomato paste.
  5. Add partially cooked peas
  6. Add, salt and pepper and mix well. Add chopped parsley
  7. Add 1/4 cup of water and cook until the peas are done but not mushy. Keep adding bit of water as needed esp.  if the sauce starts sticking to the bottom of the pan. 
  8. Taste - if the sauce is tart - add bit of sugar to adjust the flavor.
  9. Add chopped parsley as garnish. 

Serve this dish with a good country bread. Leftovers might be served hot or cold.  






Long Bean Stir-Fry ผัดถั่วฝักยาว (pad tuafakyao)




Ingredients


350 g long beans or French green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Golden Mountain sauce or Maggi Seasoning (or sub extra soy sauce)
1 tsp shrimp tomalley (“shrimp paste”), optional
1 ½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ - ½ cup water
1 salted duck egg

Instructions

In a small bowl mix together oyster sauce, soy sauce, Golden Mountain Sauce, and shrimp paste, if using.

Cut the salted duck egg in half through the shell. Using a spoon cut one half of the egg yolk into chunks and then scoop out the chunks. Scoop out the other half in one piece and slice into wedges.

In a wok, sauté garlic in a little vegetable oil until it starts to turn golden brown. Add the beans and toss quickly. Add about 1/4 cup of water, the sauce mixture, sugar, and white pepper; stir until the beans are done to your liking, adding more water if needed.

When done, toss in the chunks of salted duck eggs. Serve on a plate, top with wedges of salted duck eggs. Serve with jasmine rice or as a side dish to any meal!


Tips: Can add boiled egg or fried eggs.

https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/




Best Way to Cook Sticky Rice

 


  1. Bring plenty of water to a full boil; you need enough to submerge your rice by about an inch.
  2. While the water is heating, wash your sticky rice by placing the rice into a large mixing bowl, add plenty of room temp water and swish the rice aggressively with your hands to dislodge loose starch. Pour off the cloudy water and repeat the washing 3-4 times until the water runs mostly clear. Doesn't have to be crystal clear.
  3. Drain the rice well and then put the rice in a heat proof bowl.
  4. Once the water comes to a FULL rolling boil (not a simmer!) pour the water over the rice until it comes up about ½ - 1 inch above the rice. Give the rice a stir to break up any lumps, and let it soak for 20 minutes.



  5. While the rice is soaking, prepare your bamboo Steamer. Put your steamer basket to soak bit of water so that the rice will not stick to the bamboo basket. 
  6. Meanwhile, set up your steamer and bring your steaming water to a boil. 
  7. Once the rice is done soaking, rinse the rice with cool tap water to remove any starch that has come out during the soaking, then drain.
  8. Place the drained rice into your steamer over boiling water - make a hole in the middle so that the rice cooks evenly. Place cover and steam for 15 minutes.
  9. Set a timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes - take the bamboo steamer and flip the rice



  10. Break the rice in middle for even cooking and steam for another 10 minutes. 
  11. That's it. 
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