Vegetable Khao Suey

Khao Suey or Khow Suey is a one-pot dish, with its origin from the mountainous states of Burma. Consisting of a lentil base, it is topped with noodles and stir fried vegetables. Protein, carbohydrate as well as vitamins and fibers, all in one dish.

While preparing the dish would appear easy, the art of eating it actually takes away most of the credit for the enhancing the overall experience.

It was while on a business trip, that I had come across this gentleman who took out the time and patience to explain to a bunch of us about 'Khao Suey'. A tale of the bygone days ;) ..
Some of my friends and I had been to this particular restaurant which had an item on it's menu, which was unanimously chosen as the order for each one of us. It was called Khao Suey . None of us had any idea what the name meant exactly but it's depiction was what had allured each of us. To be exact, the pictorial description was that of something which our ophthalmic nerves transferred to our brain which translated it as our very own Indian Maggi with vegetables dish. Probably, then the brain must have triggered the cells responsible for nostalgia, for each of us ended up ordering the so called 'Khao Suey' !

Very soon, steaming bowls appeared and were placed in front. As hungry as we were, we dug into it with the provided forks. I remember us wondering why the chef had not mixed all the veggies up with the noodles and why was the noodles as plain as they could be? It seemed as if they were directly poured from the boiling pot.
We almost swore never to visit the place again and how nothing could ever match our Maggi. One of us even commented that it would have been better to have prepared it ourselves than waste good money over half processed noodles. Anyways. our hunger took over soon and we had started to stir the contents so as to obtain, what we thought, a mix-veg-noodle :D :D .

It was at that time, when this completely bald gentleman (who I guess had overheard all our frustration :( ) approached . With a heavily accented English, he introduced himself and inquired whether we were first time visitor's to that particular restaurant. Upon getting a positive response, he pulled himself a chair and started explaining the name of the dish, the reason behind the name and how it has to be eaten.

It turns out Khao Suey or Khow Suey literally means noodles in coconut milk. He went on further to explain that the base curry was a mix of lentils, broth and coconut milk, hence the name.
Meanwhile, he asked the waiter for a bowl of KS and to re-heat our bowls. As soon as the piping hot bowls arrived, he asked to observe him eat. With one soup spoon in one hand and a fork in another, he scooped a little soup and then placed a few strands of noodles on top of it. A slice of carrot and a bean on it , and then he started to sip the spoon contents .... finally taking the in the rest. And, all this with a big slurrrpy sound. By the end of two spoonfuls, the gravy had started to run down his chin, which with a quick move,he wiped with his napkin.

He slurped and wiped, and so did we as soon as we followed his steps...err hands ;) .

Before taking his leave, he did mention that louder the slurp noise, the better one was getting at eating KS. And, boy! We did agree to that wholeheartedly. Slurp, finish the bowl while the contents are hot (else the noodles lose their charm) and above all, to our embarrassment,do not mix the contents :D.
We parted ways with a content belly, tongue and brain. Happy to have learnt a new art of eating a new dish, discovered a restaurant which served a healthy yet tasty dish and the most of all, gained a new friend !
We ended up dining in this restaurant many a time till we were there ,but never again did we have the pleasure of meeting our friend cum teacher again. Although, his topic does surf up whenever any of us get together.
All that I can do now, is dedicate this page to, as we refer to him as, The Slurp Monk !

Khao Suey

  

In a hot pan, add oil. Add all the chopped veggies and stir fry on a high flame. The vegetables should retain their crispiness. Keep aside. 

Heat water in a pan and boil noodes for 2-3 minutes or as per package instructions. Strain out the hot water and rinse with cold water. Add a tspn of oil and toss to keep the noodles from sticking with each other. Keep aside.

Boil the red lentils with salt and turmeric, until soft. Soak the soya chunks in hot water.
Mash the lentils well and then add the coconut milk. Add about a cup of vegetable broth (else plain water). Mix well and let it boil for about 5 minutes. The final consistency should be broth like.
Heat a pan and add cooking oil. Add the finely chopped green chilly and garlic. Saute. Pour this garlic chilly tempering into the lentil broth. Add the soaked up soya chunks. Let it come to a boil. Switch off flame and keep aside.

In a serving bowl, pour the lentil gravy till almost half filled.

Place noodles. 

Top the noodles with the stir fried vegetables. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and spring onions. Add a dash of lemon to give it a twist.

Khao Suey INGREDIENTS

• 100gm Noodles 

Vegetables, can include the following-

•  3-4 Baby Corn, diced
• 1 Small Capsicum, sliced
• 1 Medium Carrot, peeled & sliced
• 3-4 French Beans, diagonally sliced
• 1 Medium Zuchhini, sliced
• 1 Medium Onion, sliced finely

For the Gravy

• 2 Tbspn Garlic, sliced finley
• 1 Green Chilly, sliced
• 1/2 Cup Red Lentils
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
• Soya Chunks
• Green Chilly, as per taste
• Salt, as per taste
• 1 Tspn Turmeric

For Granish

• Coriander Leaves, chopped finely
• Spring Onions, chopped finely
• Lemon

METHOD

• Heat water in a pan and boil noodes for 2-3 minutes or as per package instructions. Strain out the hot water and rinse with cold water. Add a tspn of oil and toss to keep the noodles from sticking with each other. Keep aside.
• Boil the red lentils with salt and turmeric, until soft. Soak the soya chunks in hot water.
• Mash the lentils well and then add the coconut milk. Add about a cup of vegetable broth (else plain water). Mix well and let it boil for about 5 minutes. The final consistency should be broth like.
• Heat a pan and add cooking oil. Add the finely chopped green chilly and garlic. Saute. Pour this garlic chilly tempering into the lentil broth. Add the soaked up soya chunks. Let it come to a boil. Switch off flame and keep aside.
• In a hot pan, add oil. Add all the chopped veggies and stir fry on a high flame. The vegetables should retain their crispiness. Keep aside. 
• Now that the cooking part is over, proceeding over to the serving: 
• In a deep dish or bowl, pour the lentil gravy till almost half of the container is filled. Then place noodles. Top the noodles with the stir fried vegetables. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and spring onions. Add a dash of lemon to give it a twist.
• Now, sit back, relax and enjoy the piping hot Burmese delight. 
• Slurrrrrrrpp away ..!!  

Spinach Soy

Perhaps the speediest way to cook a spinach curry, this stir fried soy sauce base recipe sure turns out quite tasty and handy when time and patience are running out.

Spinach, being abundantly packed in vitamins and minerals, provides benefits for almost each and every part of the human body.
Starting from the hair, spinach is rich in vitamin A , which in turn helps produce sebum, which keeps the hair moisturized and hence healthy. Vitamin A also helps in improving body tissues. Now, who wouldn't want a head full of healthy hair and beautiful skin ;) .

High iron content also helps prevent hair loss (perhaps a major issue nowadays).
Potassium helps high blood pressure patients lower the pressure while the fiber content makes spinach a favorite among patients suffering from constipation.
Spinach also helps maintain bone health due to the presence of Vitamin K. Further, the chlorophyll enhances cancer prevention to a great extent.

Perhaps, it would be right to say, a bunch of these greenies a day would help keep the doc at bay ;) .

And of course a big thanks to Mr. Popeye... the sailor man ( :D :D ), for making it ever so popular.

Ahh! The countless dishes that the quintessential palak/spinach has provided - Be it the very cheesy palak paneer or the tangy palak kadhi, the finger licking lasooni palak or the palanga besar, each one packed with the goodness of spinach.

A twist from the regular Spinach -
Spinach Soy Curry

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Bunch Fresh Palak/Spinach Leaves
• 4-5 Garlic Cloves, Chopped roughly
• 1 Tbspn Soy Sauce
• 1 Tspn Tomato Ketchup
• 1 Tspn Vinegar
• Chilli Powder, as per taste
• 1 Tspn Freshly Ground Pepper, or as per taste
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• In a bowl, add the vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup and salt, with 1/4th cup of water. Mix well. Keep aside.
• Wash and clean the spinach leaves. Drain all the water. Heat a pan and add about a tbspn of cooking oil. Saute on a high flame till the leaves wilt. Transfer the cooked leaves to another container and keep aside.
• Add oil (if all the previous oil has been used up). Add the roughly chopped garlic and saute till garlic smell emanates. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
• Add the previously stir fried leaves and the sauce mix. Mix well and let it come to a boil. Add the ground pepper and let it simmer for a minute before turning off the heat source.
• Serve hot. Goes best with fried rice as well as noodles.

Tomato Basil Soup

This dear little lycopene rich fruit has quite a many admirers in the culinary world. Although originating from South America, almost all cuisines, be it Indian, Italian, Mexican or any other cuisine - they all unanimously call out 'tomato'.
Tomatoes have widely found their use as a base in curries, pastas, pizzas to toppings as in salads and bruschettas.

Be it in a cooked version or simply raw, they never seem to cease to impart the health befitting factors. Tomatoes have long been linked to a healthy heart as they help lower cholesterol and triglycerides. The presence of certain phytonutrients further help in protecting the heart.

Moreover, the presence of antioxidants, vitamin C (a whooping 33% in about 180gm of raw tomato) and lycopene have been proven to have high health benefits, especially for women.
Also known to reduce risks of cancer, bone deterioration and Alzheimer's disease.

Confused how to choose a tomato?  The answer is simple - Pick the ones which have a bright colour, especially the ones which are deep red. Next coming to the shape - it should be firm and well shaped. Do not go for the one's which have soft spots or are wrinkly.
Voila! Tomato picking is done :D .

For me, tomatoes are quite an essential ingredient in my kitchen. Not only because of their wide use and health benefit, but mostly 'coz they can simply be munched on raw. No calories equals no guilt.
A dash of any seasoning for the choosy ones :P , and a snack is ready. A surprise visit by friends and a quick tomato snack like bruschetta pomodoro to the rescue.

And, here's one of the simplest cooked tomato recipes, the perfect accompaniment to a chilly evening -
Tomato Basil Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 3-4 Ripe Tomatoes
• 1 Onion
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Cup of Fresh Basil Leaves
• 1 Tspn Freshly Ground Pepper
• Olive Oil 
• Cream (optional)
• Lemon Juice (optional)
• Salt, to taste

METHOD

• Chop the tomatoes. Using a pressure cooker, boil for 1 whistle.
• Heat a pan and add olive oil. Add minced garlic and onion. Saute till cooked.
• Blend the cooked garlic, onion and boiled tomatoes to a smooth puree. 
• Simmer the puree. Add salt and water for desired consistency. Add finely chopped basil and freshly ground pepper. 
• Add a drop or two of lemon juice (although optional). For a richer texture, do add cream.
• Serve and sip while hot with a slice or two of fresh toasted bread !! Mmm..

Neem Flower Fry

Since times immemorial, the Neem tree has been a popular herb for traditional medicinal remedies. Not only anti-viral and anti-bacterial, it also carries the answers to many ailments, the most popular being for skin allergies .
And, owing to dear tele and its ads (Margo soap ad), we sure do know neem leaves and glowing skin go hand in hand :P .

Right from it's barks to the twigs, each part is packed with one or the other health benefit. Eye  & Ear ailments, dandruff, blackheads, wounds, gastric conditions, immunity, diabetes, gingivitis and liver problems are among the many who fear the neem tree.
A wondrous gift from heaven for sure .

The evergreen Neem tree !! Never ceasing to impart its medicinal effects.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbspn Neem Flower, fresh or dried (I have used dried ones)
• 1 Small Potato
• 1 Small Onion
• 2-3 Curry Leaves
• 1 Green Chilly
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• 1/2 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• A pinch of Turmeric
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Chop the potato and onion into small cubes. 
• Heat a pan. Add oil followed by asafoetida, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. 
• When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add the potato, onion and slit green chilly. Add salt and turmeric. Saute till potato is well cooked and soft. Cover with a lid to hasten the process. Fry occassionally.
• Add the neem flowers and fry for about a minute before switching off flame.   

Roasted Corn Basil

INGREDIENTS

• Corn Cob
• 1 Tbspn Butter, at room temperature
• A handful of Basil Leaves

METHOD

• Chop the basil leaves finely. Add it to the butter and mix well.
• Roast the corn on a low flame. 
• Apply the basil butter generously on the corn, as soon as it is roasted.
• Serve immediately.

Baked Eggplant Tomato

Eggplant and tomato - Their match seems to be, as they say, one made in heaven !!
The soft and mushy eggplant with the little tangy tomato, tingling their way through the taste buds. Be it the Indian baigan ka bharta or its Italian cousin Eggplant Parmigiana , they sure have made their stand.
Adding one more to the list - Baked Eggplant & Tomato !

INGREDIENTS

• Eggplant/ Aubergine/ Brinjal/ Baigan
• Firm & Ripe Tomato
• Cheese, preferably Mozzarella
• Oregano, dried
• Freshly ground Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Salt

METHOD

• Cut the eggplant into 1/2" thick roundels. Grease the pieces with olive oil.
• Place on a baking tray in single layer. Sprinkle oregano, shredded cheese, salt and black pepper.
• Place a tomato slice on top and sprinkle the spices again. Sprinkle a drop or two of olive oil on each too.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven of 200C for 40minutes or until soft and wrinkly.  
• Enjoy it while it is hot.

Dal Fry

Get into any Indian restaurant, and probably one of the most common dish accompanying rice and phulkas will be the Dal Fry. As the name suggests, it's main ingredients include lentils with a dash of spices.

Usually made with a ghee tempering, the dry spices are first lightly fried resulting in a heavenly aroma. This follows the onion-ginger garlic-tomato sauteing, which further enhances the plain lentils. Have it with plain rice or phulkas, either ways it leaves any Dal-lover refreshed.

A humble yet heavenly soul-food !

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Cup Toor Dal/ Arhar Dal
• 1/2 Cup Chana Dal
• 1 Large Tomato, chopped
• 1 Large Onion, chopped
• 4-5 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Tspn Ginger, crushed
• 1-2 Green Chilly, slit length-wise
• 1 Tspn Kasuri Methi, crushed
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• 1-2 Dry Red Chilly
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/2 Tspn Cinnamon Powder
• 1Tspn Sugar
• 1Tspn Turmeric Powder
• 2-3 Sprigs of Coriander Leaves
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• Ghee or Oil, for tempering
• Red Chilly Powder, as per taste
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Soak the lentils in water for about an hour. Rinse well and pressure cook with salt and turmeric till soft.
• Heat ghee/ oil in a pan. Add dry red chilly, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaf and asafoetida. As they begin to crackle, add the chopped onions and saute till translucent.
• Add the garlic and ginger. Saute.
• Add chopped tomato and saute till soft and pulpy. Add sugar, chilly powder, cinnamon powder and crushed kasuri methi. Mix well.
• Add the boiled lentils. Add appropriate quantity of water if a thinner consistency is desired. Let it come to a boil, after which let it simmer for about 5 minutes, before switching off flame.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or phulkas. 
• Happy gobbling :P !