GREEN APPLE CHUTNEY

I generally don't eat apples. Not that I don't like them but the only thing that's nutritious in an apple is its skin (The red carotenoids are anti carcinogenic) but I bet its skin contains more pesticide residues than carotenoids. Anyway last week I somehow got tempted by some really fresh looking green apples (this time round the temptation was not in Eden but in the vegetable market). I paid an astronomical price them but they turned out to be too tart. I couldn't bear to throw them nor does my Spartan kitchen allow processing them to jam or baking them so I came up with an apple chutney much in the lines of the ubiquitous tomato chaatney of Bengal.

INGREDIENTS

4 Green apples (Even plain apples will do) grated

1 cup Sugar/Jaggery (grated)

1 dry red chilly

2 bay leaves

2" stick of cinnamon (Dalchini)

2 large cardamons (grind seeds to a coarse powder)

1/2 tsp sauf/Fennel

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp chilly flakes

1/2 cup water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp oil

LETS DO IT

1. Heat oil in a kadai

2. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon and dry chilli.

3. Sputter the mustard and fennel seeds.

4. Add the grated apple and salt. Cook on low flame for 10 minutes

5. Add the sugar/jaggery and chilly flakes. Continue cooking on a low flame stirring constantly till the chutney acquires a thick consistency.

6. Add the cardamon powder and mix well.

The chutney once cooled can be stored in a clean dry bottle.

Gobi carfreal

I attended a party recently where the table was loaded with food or rather overloaded with some three to four varieties each of fish, chicken, prawn besides several other types of sea food. However I got little to eat besides rice, watery oversalted dal and salad. People just dont think vegetarian in Goa, I think only cows and goats are vegetarian here. Its another story that I had already anticipated the menu and eaten before leaving for the party. Everyone around were praising relishing and taking good second and thrid helpings of the chiken carfreal which got me interested. It looked and smelt good. Later I got lot of information about carfreal from Googleji . It had travelled to Goa via the Portuguese colonies in Africa and today any self respecting kitchen in Goa serves carfreal especially on special occasions. The carfreal is unique due to its minty flavour and long hours of marination. Here I have tried to recreate carfreal in its vegetarian avatar.
WE NEED

1 medium sized Cauliflower broken/cut into large sized florets

1 large sized bunch of mint leaves (about 50 grams in weight)

1" piece of ginger

5-6 large cloves of garlic

1 tsp garam masala powder

5-6 dry red chillies

1 tsp black peppercorns

juice of 1 lemon

3 tbs rum

Salt to taste

6 tbs of oil

LETS DO IT

1. Grind together the ginger, garlic, red chillies, mint leaves, peppercorns to a paste.

2. Mix in the garam masala powder, lime juice, salt and rum to the paste

3. Rub in the paste to the cauliflower, cover the vessel and let it marinate for a good 8 hours.

4. Heat oil in a kadai and add the marinated mixture.

5. Cover and cook on a low flame for 10-15 minutes.

6. Garnish with either steamed cauliflower/palak leaves and slit green chillies .

7. Serve with steamed rice or bread.

P.S. I made it later on with mushrooms which too turned out really good.