Saffron, Sankranthi....and loads of Sweets!

Dear Aalayam Family!!

It's the first post of 2014! And I am privileged to be bringing it to you. And this post is full of festive inspiration (Sankranthi is round the corner!..read about our last year's Sankranthi celebrations here!)  some spicerack remedies (remember my series?) and some very mouth watering pictures! I am getting ready for the first Hindu festival of the year – signifying the Harvest Bounty of agrarian India. And as I plan my sweet dish menu, I look fondly at my favorite “rich-man’s spice” – Saffron!! This spice is sure to go into the Gulab Jamoons and Besan Laddus I am making for Sankranthi. So, while I am at it, I figured, I’d rhapsodize a little about the history and trivia related to Saffron…and Sankranthi!! And of course, share some images from my kitchen! 

Saffron - The Royal Spice! Sripriya Murthy Photography

“Saffron”, the royal spice derived from a flower called “Crocus”, widely used in a variety of cuisines as a seasoning and a coloring agent. The spice is actually the dried stigma of the crocus flowers, really expensive and regally exclusive! You would think that a spice that magically makes an unborn child “fairer” while in the mother’s womb, has to be pricey? No? ;)  Trust me, I'd been advised to drink buckets of warm milk with saffron during my pregnancy, to ensure that my twin girls were born with "fair" complexions!. India's obsession with "fair" skin continues right?

Saffron has been historically used as an aphrodisiac, mood elevator, ritually offered to divinities, and used in dyes, perfumes, medicines, and body washes. No surprise that, Persian saffron infusions, are used in baths as a curative for battle wounds! The active components in Saffron have many therapeutic applications in many traditional medicines as antiseptic, antidepressant, anti-oxidant, digestive, anti-convulsant.

Saffron's aroma is reminiscent of metallic honey with grassy or hay-like notes, while its taste is sweet. Saffron is widely used in Indian, Persian, European, Arab, and Turkish cuisines. (Read Kashmiri Biryani, Milanese Risotto and French Bouillabaisse!)  Confectioneries and liquors also often include Saffron to add a double note to the discerning palate. 

Yellu Bella or the mixture of Til, Coconut and Jaggery

Now, Makara Sankranti is an important Hindu festival celebrated with religious fervor in almost all parts of India. The festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of the bountiful harvest season after few months of chilly winter. It falls on January 14, every year, as per the Solar calendar. Makara Sankranti is also known as Pongal. There, it is a three-day festival, starting from January 13 until January 15. January 13 is celebrated as Bhogi, followed by Makara Pongal (Sankranti) and then culminated by Mattu or Kanuma Pongal on the next day. The customs followed in villages of India, on Makar Sankranti, have a unique charm. 

Sakkare Acchu or Sugar Candy in fun shapes!

I have had the privilege of growing up in a Kannada household, but with mixed heritage flowing in from both Tamil and Telugu customs. Courtyards swept and sprinkled with water, and Rangoli (floor design via chalk powder) drawn and decorated with Cow Dung dumplings (Gubbame), is a fun (yes!!!)  Telugu custom, while the Tamil custom of preparation of Pongal (rice and lentil pudding) overflowing from the cauldrons in which they are prepared, definitely has yummy outcomes!  This  festival is a direct symbolism of people extending their gratitude to Mother Nature for good harvest and prosperity. 

Rangoli with Cow Dung (Gubbame). Google Images

Sankranthi is also called Suggi or harvest festival for farmers of Kaveri basin of Karnataka. On this auspicious day, young females (kids and teenagers) wear new clothes to visit near and dear ones with a Sankranti offering in a platter, and exchange the same with other families. This ritual is called "Ellu Birodhu." Here the platter would normally contain "Ellu" (white sesame seeds) mixed with fried groundnuts, neatly cut dry coconut and fine cut bella (jaggery). The mixture is called "Ellu-Bella" (ಎಳ್ಳು ಬೆಲ್ಲ). 

The plate also contains sugar candy moulds of various shapes (Sakkare Acchu, ಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಅಚ್ಚು) with a piece of sugarcane. There is a saying in Kannada "ellu bella thindu olle maathadi" which translates to 'eat the mixture of sesame seeds and jaggery and speak only good.' This festival signifies the harvest of the season, since sugarcane is predominant in these parts.

Gulab Jamoon reigns supreme on festive occasions...sprinkled liberally with saffron strands!

In some parts of Karnataka, a newly married woman is required to give away bananas for a period of five years to other married women (muthaidhe) from the first year of her marriage, and increase the number of bananas in multiples of five. There is also a tradition of some households giving away red berries "Yalchi Kai" along with the above. 

I remember, sitting down in a long brown sofa with all my girl cousins in my grandmother's house, and get showered with the yalchi kai (stinky that they were!) symbolizing the shower of prosperity on the womenfolk!!  Post the shower, we used to collect coins (dakshine) from the stinky shower that had dispersed on the floor...and in the folds of our langa blouses.. and sit and feast on the Sakkare Acchu and he jaggery parts (only!) of the Yellu Bella mixture.

In North Karnataka, kite flying with community members is also a tradition.  Colorful kites of all shapes and sizes fly in the blue January skies in parts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, signifying the farmers' delight at the good weather. 

Besan Laddu anyone? Don't miss the saffron strands, adding the special flavor!!

Isn’t it amazing? The cornucopia of culture, customs and rituals our Indian festivals  are full of?  And the calendar is just beginning for 2014! 

I feel so fortunate, that I am able to chronicle my experiences for my kids to read, cherish and follow. I am not sure if I will get a chance to sit with my girl cousins again on that brown sofa…and get showered by Yalchi Kai..but I sure will try to get my kids and their lot together to follow the same tradition in the years to come!

What is your favorite family tradition surrounding Sankranthi? Do you make the Yellu Bella mixture? Or do you make Pongal - Sweet and Khara? 

Do tell..!! Who knows, I might just drop by to “Yellu Beeru” at your place soon! 

Love,

Supriya

Makara Sankranti Kite flying - Google Images

Spice Rack Remedies! A Case for Ginger

Hello my dear Aalayam family!

I am back! And I promise the next few posts are going to be scintillating! I know you guys might have been expecting the Karmasuthra brand showcase and much awaited home tour (Yes!! it's a two post series) of the force behind Karmasuthra - Divya Thomas!

Well, you won't have to wait long. While we here at Aalayam are busy (and having a gala time) cranking out the upcoming two-post series, we thought we'd sneak in a quickie post! 

Here we are again, talking about house hold spices and their curative properties. You might fondly recall the cases made for Cardamom and Coriander and the gastronomic journeys we took with them! Today, let's put our hands together for Ginger in ....

Spice Rack Remedies!
What our kitchen counter might hold, to cure what ails us.

Ginger is one of the ancient, revered medicines of India and Asia. Popular medical journals say that Ginger's ability to combat a variety of diseases and conditions is due in part to its impact on excessive inflammation, which is a significant underlying cause of many illnesses.

Ginger is particularly useful in treating chronic inflammation because it partially inhibits two important enzymes that play a role in inflammation gone awry -- cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase (LOX). A 2010 study found that people who consumed two grams of Ginger daily for 11 days experienced about a 25 percent drop in exercise-induced muscle pain! All the more reason to eat curry before hitting the gym! Right?

Deemed as a super-food, Ginger helps combat nausea, and helps relieve stomach cramps and indigestion.  Scientists believe that through various processes in the digestive tract, including blocking serotonin receptors in the small intestine - Ginger can help keep us from throwing up. This is thought to be because of the spice’s high levels of gingerol; a powerful component that gives it its natural zingy flavor.

So, reach for that ginger tea, or just chew on a piece of candied ginger when you get a case of the tums or the gags! Trust me, it works.

Ginger’s current name comes from the Middle English "gingivere", but this spice dates back over 3000 years to the Sanskrit word "srngaveram", meaning “horn root,” based on its appearance. Indians and Chinese are believed to have produced ginger as a tonic root for over 5000 years to treat many ailments, and this plant is now cultivated throughout the humid tropics, with India being the largest producer. 

A popular food blog Food Matters quotes the following and I am happy to pass some juicy tips along!

Terrific Benefits of Ginger:

1. Haven’t been feeling hungry? Eat fresh ginger just before lunch to stoke a dull appetite and fire up the digestive juices.

2. Ginger clears the ‘microcirculatory channels’ of the body, including the pesky sinuses that tend to flare up from time to time.

3. Can’t stop the toot-a-thon? Gas—oops—guess what?! Ginger helps reduce flatulence!

4. Just had surgery? Chewing ginger post-operation can help overcome nausea.

5. Stir up some ginger tea to get rid of throat and nose congestion. And when there’s a nip in the air, the warming benefits of this tasty tea are even greater!

6. Bedroom blues? Try adding a gingery punch to a bowl of soup. (Psst...the Ayurvedic texts credit ginger with aphrodisiac properties) 

Fantastic right? I hope you enjoyed this post. Finally, I leave you with my favorite recipe for Ginger Fried Rice. Do try it and let me know how it turns out!! CANNOT go wrong with Ginger folks!

Love,
Supriya

P.S. Aalayam is proud to present the India Circus tray (remember The Grand Aalayam Giveaway, winner Preety!?) lovingly put to use to serve a scrumptious home cooked meal.  Preety is a food blogger, owns and writes in Preety's Kitchen. We love what she serves up!! 

Spice Rack Remedies! A Case for Coriander

Dear Aalayam family!

Onward we go..humbled by your love, support and reassurance - We are on the anvil of our 50th post!! Deepa and I take a moment to say THANK YOU!!  We love the creative process that goes on in our minds and through our inkwells to bring gorgeous and much loved features for Aalayam, and YOU are a huge part of it! So THANK YOU!  

What is any momentous event without some food eh? So, in continuation of the popular series of house hold spices and their curative properties, we introduce the Quintessential Coriander in....

Spice Rack Remedies! 
What our kitchen counter might hold, to cure what ails us.

Coriander seeds reign supreme in Indian households, used as the primary spice to flavor curries and stews. Photo courtesy - Sripriya Murthy Photography - Facebook.

Coriander (known as cilantro in its herb form) is a powerful bacteria fighter. The oil from coriander seeds destroys dangerous cells by damaging their membranes and interfering with cellular respiration. This process is effective in wiping out strains of E.coli and salmonella. Coriander, like many spices, contains antioxidants, which can delay or prevent the spoilage of food seasoned with this spice. Coriander has also been used as a folk medicine for the relief of anxiety and insomnia. 

My personal recipe book full of handwritten treasures from around my family!

Coriander seeds are used in traditional Indian medicine as a diuretic by boiling equal amounts of coriander seeds and cumin seeds, then cooling and consuming the resulting liquid. In holistic and traditional medicine, it is used as a carminative and as a digestive aid (Now, as a mommy who has given her daughters Woodwards Gripe Water for many a tummy ache situation, I can vouch for that!). Does that ring a bell? Most of Amma's family recipes had coriander, no wonder our tummies are so healthy and strong! Don't you think?

Coriander seeds were found, in a study on rats, to have a significant lowering of levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, and increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein. This effect appeared to be caused by increasing synthesis of bile by the liver and increasing the breakdown of cholesterol into other compounds.

It is no wonder that, most of us who have been consuming coriander in Rasams, Sambars, Puliyogare, Curry and other delectable Indian dishes find the curative properties of coriander familiar and oddly reassuring! And when combined with the "hot"  pain killing, blood pressure reducing and blood circulation boosting properties of the Indian Red Chili, they very well might lead the way as the spicy dynamic duo of disease fighting!

Red Chillies with curative capsacin are a staple spice combination with  coriander . Photo courtesy - Sripriya Murthy Photography - Facebook.

Now, lets prepare something comforting and familiar with these spices shall we? And make coriander the star of the show? How many of you know of and have enjoyed the tangy confluence of sweet and spice, lending itself to decorate many a South-Indian platter - Puliyogare? 

Puliyogare ( puḷi "sour" + ogara "rice" is a South Indian rice preparation served during festive occasions  served in temples in abundant quantities in organic cups and plates made of dried leaf! Puliyogare is also known as puḷihora ("sour rice" in Telugu) or pulinja in Tamil, and tamarind rice in English.

Turning the pages of my recipe book...with handwritten recipes from my Amma and Nana.

Puliyogare is traditionally made using cooked rice mixed with tamarind juice, peanuts, coriander, coconut, red chili, curry leaves, jaggery, pepper, mustard seeds, fenugreek, turmeric, asafoetida, urad dal, and cumin. It is a staple during festivals such as Ganesha Chaturthi and Diwali or any other ceremonious occasion. 

Wonderful recipes for Puliyogare and Puliyogare Gojju (the zesty sauce to be mixed with rice for instant gratification!) can be found dime a dozen on the internet! So, I encourage you to try your own version today!!

Black Pepper seeds add that serious smoky bite to most South Indian dishes. Photo courtesy - Sripriya Murthy Photography - Facebook.

Puliyogare is particularly known to be a specialty of the Iyengars community, and some of the best Puliyogare is made using my Amma's recipe for it! 

As I sit leafing through the recipe book, remembering fondly the lunch boxes with Karnataka style and Andhra style Puliyogare...."peppering" in my school and college days with fond memories..my friends vying for "Dabba swap" whenever I had Puliyogare for lunch.....I sigh..as I strive to ensure that the joys of  these traditional menu items may not be lost with my generation..Hope my kids find my recipe book valuable one day..that captures the hand-written love passed on from one generation to another...

The Classic Puliyogare - a mouthwatering must in a South Indian meal!

I remember the day when my best buddy and I had copious amounts of Puliyogare with glasses of wine to accompany our Sex and the City marathon on TV! Wow - what a combination and what fun!!

Do you have any fond food stories like this that make you smile? Memories so intertwined with your taste buds that whenever you eat a certain dish, positive associations come flooding back? Hope this spicy story was a good read for you! It definitely was a comforting walk down the memory lane for me!

Love,
Supriya

Spice Rack Remedies! A Case for Cardamom

Cardamom -  the exotic spice reigns supreme in Indian cuisine. Photo Credits: Sripriya Murthy Photography (Facebook)

I love having people over for dinner. When I was in business school, I would have my American friends over for Bollywood movie night and Indian dinners after every big assignment or exam! The joy of dressing up the house, planning the dinner, bringing out the pretty dishes, silverware and colorful tableware, cooking the special dishes for Friday or Saturday night, that we could have as leftovers all weekend! Priceless. And of course, the delight of entertaining and discussing the intellectual bent of Indian movies. Ever present!

My dining table stands dressed up with red tulips - for my dinner guests! In the foreground is an exotic tribal  dancer statue, which has got nothing to do with Cardamom!!

Now it's no different, whenever I have people over, whether it is for brunch, high-tea or dinner, I end up cooking Indian food. No brainer, you would think, considering my heritage and zeal for Indian cuisine, but its more than an unwavering passion for a confluence of spices from the sub-continent of my origin..It's a strong desire to communicate to my world, the magic of Indian spices, to share with my friends, the culinary and curative traits that these usual suspects possess. Cumin, Coriander, Fennel, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Ginger, Turmeric, Saffron..the list goes on! A smorgasbord of flavors, textures and wanton aromas that form the foundation of Indian cooking. 

This was the impetus to the new series featured on Aalayam - 

Spice Rack Remedies! 
What our kitchen counter might hold, to cure what ails us.

Cardamom  skin and seeds can be used to flavor beverages, sweet and savory dishes. Photo Credits: Sripriya Murthy Photography (Facebook)

Since time immemorial, humans have used spices to better their food, and their bodies. Our grandmothers knew which spices would settle  an upset stomach, relieve inflammation and even something that got rid of intestinal worms! Now a spate of studies has finally proved that whether you've got achy muscles, a cold that just won't quit, or a case of the blues, reaching for a natural healer, may just be what the doctor ordered! 

This week's feature is about Cardamom. Native to India, Nepal and Bhutan, these three-sided spice pods with a thin, tough papery outer cover and tiny deep-brown to black seeds arranged in vertical rows have been a staple for sweet and savory dishes popular in Indian cuisine. Also known as "elaichi" or "ellaki", this dynamite pod, reigns supreme in all spice-aware households. 

Whether it is to lace a cup of steaming hot Masala Chai, or to add the flavored grounding to a kheer or pudding, Cardamom does not fail to deliver. 

Masala Chai (Tea Latte) prepared by boiling cardamom, ginger and tea leaves with milk. Perfect to soothe anything from an upset stomach to everyday frazzled nerves! The welcome drink for my dinner guests.

This exotic spice contains many plants derived chemical compounds that are known to possess anti-oxidant, disease preventing and health promoting properties. The spicy pods contain many essential volatile oils. The therapeutic properties of cardamom-oil have found application in many traditional medicines as antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant and tonic. 

My guests are then serenaded with pista kesar (pistachio and saffron) lassi (yogurt based drink) laced with cardamom. Alongside is a zesty mixture of trail mix!

Cardamom is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. 100 g pods contain 1119 mg of this electrolyte. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Additionally, this spice is also an excellent source of iron and manganese. 100 g pods contain 13.97 mg or 175% of daily-required levels of iron. Iron is required for red blood cell formation and cellular metabolism. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. 

Further, these aromatic pods are rich in many vital vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin-C, essential for optimum health. 

Cheesy Bakarwade Bites and Besani Khandvi accompany the chai. I decided to keep the dinner menu simple, serving traditional appetizers as main courses, in a move to cut prep time and calories! My guests are loving it!

Now if that is not a good enough case for cardamom, I wonder what is! :) Stay  tuned for more spicy adventures from my kitchen...straight to your palate!

I am now going back to my party, my friends are calling me because they want me to demystify the lyrics of the popular Bollywood song (Fevicol se) pertaining to a strong adhesive brand!

Love,
Supriya