Illinois Sweet Corn

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2010)

One of the most comforting sights for me are the rows upon rows of corn that shoot by when I take the train to southern Illinois. It's probably politically incorrect to admit this. Most of the corn grow in Illinois is subsidized and ends up as cattle feed or corn syrup. I don't support the subsidies or approve of their impact: the artificially low price of beef and the omnipresence of corn syrup in the American food system.

Yet, I treasure the taste of sweet corn and believe it's one of the most underappreciated gifts Mother Nature provides this time of year. I love sandpaper-like feel of the husks and the silky softness of the tassels. I love how the taut, plump kernels pop in my mouth after a quick boil, like perfectly ripened berries. They're sugary and savory. I never add salt or butter. As far as I'm concerned, it just gets in way.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2010)

At the farmer's market I carefully pull back the husk and tassels by an inch or so to make sure each ear is fresh. I look for plump kernels. During a recent visit, another shopper told me that smaller ears are more flavorful. She also recommended smelling the tip as part of the freshness test, but I didn't know what scent was the right one.

Anyone know about the smell test?

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2009)

BOILED SWEET CORN

Bring a pot of water to boil. Make to add enough water to cover the corn.

Add corn and boil for about 4 minutes.

Remove from heat. Drain water.

Spicy Thai Shrimp Roll

 
The thought of making everyday dinner makes me feel so sad. I don't like to eat rice as dinner, so I try to make it simple, easy and yet filling and tasty dinners.
Today I also wanted to eat something fried so I thought of making these rolls using the spring roll wraps and eat them as my dinner. These served as dinner for me and Shoj (my husband) and a snack for Anush (my little boy). They are quite filling and satisfy my cravings too...  :-)

Ingredients:
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1 lb Shrimp, cleaned and de-veined.
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 egg white
salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Pepper powder
1 packet spring roll wrap (can find in any asian mart)
1tsp Oyster sauce (optional)
1 tsp Sweet red chili sauce (optional)
2 green chillies
1/2 inch ginger
1/4 cup oil for shallow frying
1/2 cup water

Method:
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1. Clean the shrimp and de-vein it and wash it in cold water. Drain all the water and add it to a chopper, along with green chillies, ginger, and cilantro.
2. blend it so that it is almond kind of thick paste but not to smooth paste like texture.
3. put this mixture to a bowl add egg white of one egg, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sweet red chili sauce, and salt if needed and pepper powder. mix well.
4. take one spring roll sheet and wet the border with water. keep one 1 tbsp of the shrimp mixture on one end of the sheet.
5. fold that corner over the filling and bring together the other two ends and again brush with water a bit and again fold it join the forth corner of the spring roll sheet. Thus forming a packet as shown.

6. This mixture makes about 12 spring rolls.
7. heat oil in pan, when the oil is medium hot, place 2 rolls at a time and cook for about 3 mins on each side and drain the excess oil by placing them on a kitchen/paper towel.

8. These can be served with your favorite sauce like ketchup, sweet chili sauce or sauce made from soy sauce, chili flakes and sugar.

LADIES FINGER PACHADI

This is a very different pachadi and tasty too. More suitable for pulao varieties.

வெண்டைக்காய் பச்சடி

Ingredients

Ladies finger- 250 gm
Enough fresh curd
Finely chopped onion-1
Finely chopped tomato- half cup
Finely chopped green chillies-2
Shredded ginger- half sp
Cumin seeds-half sp
Asafetida pr- half sp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Finely chopped coriander- 2 tbsp
Sambar podi- half sp
Oil- 2 tbsp
salt to taste

Procedure:
Wash and cut the vegetable in to thin slices.
Heat a kadai and pour the oil.
Add the cumin seeds and when they start to splutter, add the ladies fingers and fry on slow fire.
After a few minutes, add the onions with the green chillies.
Fry them for a few minutes.
Then add the tomato with the powders and salt and cook until the ladies fingers become soft.
When the ladies fingers are still in green colour, sprinkle the sambar powder and cook for a few seconds mixing well.
Add the coriander.
When cooled, mix in with a liberal quantity of fresh curd.
Now the pachadi is ready for serving!!