Stove Top Popcorn

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

I don't know if you've heard, but a study just released by researchers at Harvard found that Americans who snack on potato chips pack on the pounds. Frank Wu, one of the study's authors said the results help illustrate that there are in fact 'good' and 'bad' foods.

I love potato chips. But with the obesity epidemic raging across the country, perhaps it's time we found a new national snack food. I nominate homemade popcorn. It's crunchy, filling and fun and possesses the power to release the inner child in even the grumpiest adult.

Let me clarify what I mean by 'homemade' popcorn. I'm talking about popcorn that is made over the stove or in a popcorn popper layered with a bit of oil. I am not referring to microwave popcorn with its musty, dusty aroma. At my last job, I dreaded mid-afternoons when a very kind-hearted colleague would nuke up a bag and perch it on the edge of his desk. A synthetic smell hung in the air for the rest of the day. At one point, our director burned a bagful of popcorn in the microwave. The smell was so piercing that the maintenance man paid us a visit, fearing a toxin had been released five floors away. An off-putting odor plagued the kitchen for weeks.

The experience makes me worry for people who feed on microwave popcorn. Many brands contain partially hydrogenated oil and other spooky sounding items like TBHQ, propy gallate and annato. (I wish I was making this up.) It costs two to three times as much as homemade popcorn, takes nearly as long to make and worst of all, pales in taste. Like a bad toupee, microwave popcorn is an obvious impostor that will leave you craving chips.

Americans devour old-fashioned popcorn at the movies and savor it at the park. It's a shame that we shy away from it at home when all it takes to make the playful, fiber-rich treat is a steel pot and lid, some corn kernels and a dusting of salt. A reasonably priced popper will also do the trick. (I nabbed the Stir Crazy for half price when Carson's closed on State Street a few years ago. I can make a delicious bowl of popcorn with just a dab of oil.) Both options allow you to control the salt and fat content.

The good news is that one you're comfortable making plain popcorn, you can move on to fancier versions. It's lovely popped in flavored oils and encrusted in a sprinkling of sugar. Believe me, once you get going you'll forget the chips.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

STOVE TOP POPCORN

Makes 4 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup corn kernels
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Coat the bottom of a steel pot with oil. Add corn kernels. Heat on medium-high. Cover.

Allow kernels to pop. Remove from heat when popping slows to about a pop every two seconds. Do not wait until the last kernel pops, as the rest of the popcorn will burn.

Pour popcorn into a bowl and dust with salt.

Tofu Green Moong Dal Kofta Butter Masala

It's been a long time since I've used tofu, so was thinking of something new and interesting, so that Shoj and Anush will eat and not know that I have used tofu. Shoj doe snot like tofu, but green moong dal is his favorite. I know tofu binds well and moong dal too, so instead of making south indian curry, I thought of making this north indian kofta which will soak up the gravy better and the kofta's would taste better.

After I made it, I was bit tensed whether Shoj will like it or not, but he liked it and he said he didn't taste any tofu in there, so was happy. 

I had called his office friends over and made the same curry, they also like it.

Now I am sure it will taste good and having healthy main ingredients like tofu and green moong dal, sharing with you all too.

Ingredients:

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For Making Kofta:

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1 pkg Extra Firm Tofu

1 cup Green Whole Moong Dal

1/2 Onion chopped finely

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Green Chili chopped

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 inch Ginger grated or chopped

1/4 tsp Chili powder

1/4 cup Bread Crumbs

For Making Butter Masala:

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1/2 Onion Chopped

1/4 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

Whole Garam Masala (1 Bay Leaf, 2-3 Green Cardamom, 1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick, 3-4 Cloves)

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red Chili powder

1 tsp Paprika powder

2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Pepper powder

1/2 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Kasuri Methi

2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup

1 tbsp Tomato paste

1/2 pint (1/2 cup) Whipping Cream

1 tbsp Butter

1 tsp Oil

Method:

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Making Kofta:

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1. Soak the green moong dal in water, overnight or at least 4-6 hours.

2. In a mixer add the green moong dal, green chili, ginger, cumin seeds, salt and pepper and grind it into paste adding little bit of water if needed.

3. In a bowl transfer the moong dal paste, crumbled tofu, salt, and chopped onion and chili powder, bread crumbs and mix well.

4. Preheat oven to 400F

5. Form lime size balls of the tofu and green moong dal mixture and arrange them on a line baking sheet and bake it for about 40 mins, turning once in between or until golden brown.

6. Meanwhile in a pan add  butter and oil and when the butter starts to melt add the whole garam masala and saute it for a min.

7. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute it for another min, add the onions and add sugar and salt.

8. Now add the turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, paprika powder, pepper powder, tomato ketchup and tomato paste and cover and cook the masala until the raw smell is gone for about 5 mins stirring occasionally.

9. Now add the whipping cream and stir so that the masala blends well and add water if it is too thick for gravy. and bring to a boil on medium flame.

10. After it starts boiling, add the kofta's gently and coat with the gravy and cover and cook this for about 10-15 mins on medium low flame.

11. In another saute pan dry roast the kasuri methi on low flame for about 2-3 mins and let it cool.

12. Once the gravy and the koftas are cooked properly, crust the kasuri methi with hand and sprinkle it over the top after you off the flame.

13. You can serve this with any north indian rice or fulka or roti. I served this with kofta masala with Methi Fulka. 

Curd Rice / Yogurt Rice

Curd rice or Yogurt rice is the most day to day food of south India. The preparation involves very little time and according to our taste we can change the ingredients keeping the base as yogurt. It is the best lunch box food those days for me and it always pairs with all kind of pickles.

Basic Information: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10minutes

Serves: 2-3



Ingredients:



Fresh Cooked Rice / Left Over Rice - 1 cup

Curd - 1.5 - 2 cups

Butter Milk - 1/4 cup (optional)

Ginger - 1 inch, chopped very finely

Curry leaves - 2 strings

Dry red chillies - 2 nos

Salt - to taste

Channa Dal - 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds and urid dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Green chillies - 2 nos, chop them finely.

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Oil - 2 teaspoon



Method:



1) In a Bowl, take rice and lightly mash them. If you are using a fresh cooked rice, allow it to cool and mash them.

2) Pour Curd/Yogurt, butter milk to the bowl. Add green chilli,one string curry leaves and salt to taste. Mix well.

3) Now, Take a pan and heat oil in it.

4) When oil is hot, put mustard seeds,urid dal and channa dal.

5) When Mustard seeds splutter up, add dry red chilli and asafoetida.

6) After a second, add ginger and fry them for few minutes.

7) Add remaining curry leaves and turn off the heat.

8) Mix this seasoning with curd rice. Mix well.

9) Serve with Pickle.

Note:

1) You can also mix grapes and pomegranate seeds, mango slices and grapes with this to get unique and different taste.