Campus Connection

Each month, we will feature recipes with affordable ingredients that are flavorful, yet simple. This month’s recipes come from A Short Course in Culinary Experiments, a compilation of vegetarian recipes designed by S. Muralidharan, PhD (see simpleistasty.com). Dr. Muralidharan is a chemist in the laboratory of Dr. Joe Kao here at UMBI.

Yogurt/vegetable mix (Raitha)

This recipe can be eaten with rice or pita bread as well as Indian naan (bread)

Ingredients

1. Radish (mid-sized)                            6 – 8 (about ½ lb)

2. Green chilies                                     6 – 8

3. Yogurt                                              1 cup

4. Salt                                                  To taste

Procedure

1.         Wash and cut the radish into the smallest possible size that suits you, or grate the radish.

2.         Wash and cut the green chilies into the smallest feasible size.

3.         Mix the materials from step 1 and 2; add yogurt and salt to taste. 

Keep this preparation refrigerated.  It is best when served cold.

Variations:

You may replace radish with turnips (about ½ lb) and repeat the entire sequence.  This raitha will be as tasty as that made with radish (or better). For those who are more sensitive to chilies, you may cut the chilies in larger pieces.  These larger chunks of green chilies may be removed from the yogurt mixture after a few hours (or before serving).

Dessert:

Banana/coconut

Ingredients

1. Banana (plantain)                             1 – semi-ripened or ripened

2. Brown sugar                                      ½ cup

3. Coconut (desiccated)*                       ½ cup

4. Cardamom*                                   6 – 8 pods (or powdered)

Procedure

1.         Peel and cut banana into ½ inch thick slices.  Put cut banana in a pot with 1 cup of water and bring the contents to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for another 5 – 6 minutes.

2.         Powder the cardamom pods (if not already powdered) with or without the skin, using a mortar/pestle or a spice grinder.  This should give about ¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder.

3.         Add the powdered cardamom, coconut and brown sugar to the banana in step 1.  Heat the mixture for a few more minutes while stirring.

Variations

Coconut pulp from fresh coconut can be added to the banana in this preparation.

Experiments

You should experiment by preparing this dessert with jaggery* (brown sugar from India).  This is an expensive sweetener compared to regular brown sugar, but the difference in quality will make you forget about the extra cost.

*Cardamom, desiccated coconut and jaggery are available in Indian grocery stores, as well as most chain grocery stores.