Recipe: Corn on the Cob in spinach gravy

CORN ON THE COB IN SPINACH GRAVY

Served with Lachha Parantha / flaky Indian bread

Sweet corn is the only variety of maize, which is eaten directly off the cob. For years, I don’t even remember since when, this has been a popular snack here in Delhi, especially around this time of the year. It’s amazing how the weather plays around your taste buds. Come rains and the craving for fried food and corns appear. Roasted or boiled and seasoned with salt, lemon and pepper or red chili, there are different ways you can enjoy your corn on the cob. I prefer the corn on the cob rather than taking out the kernels and serving. The cob surely gives it a more juicy texture.

Although, one cannot also ignore the yummy Italian, masala and classic salted flavors the sweet corns are served with these days.

My family just loves corns. Especially my son can live on corns. And I totally allow and encourage his madness due to the endless health benefits corn has. It’s amazing to know that in some parts of the world corns are also available in different colors like brown, blue, purple and red.

In India, I still haven’t come across with any of these varieties till now. And the health benefits it has are countless. Corns are good for digestion. They provide the body with vitamin B12 and folic acid, which means you’ll never be anemic. It contains high amounts of carbohydrates, so they are full of energy, it lowers your cholesterol levels and yes for growing children it’s a very good grain as its high caloric value helps weight gain. So, when children are going crazy about junk food, there is one ingredient which can be included to increase the nutrition count of the dish, even if it’s fast food, don’t you agree?

Corns also have anti –cancer properties.

And being a rich source of folic acid it’s very good for pregnant females. Well, we can go on and on with the amazing list of health pluses it provides, but I guess you must have got an idea, why are we corn crazy. Its health and taste together….simple!

Now, among the many yummy recipes available on the web, but mostly continental. I just wanted to make it a little more to our tastes. I also prepare corn on the cob with coconut milk. That gives it a bit of Thai flavor and its lovely recipe again. It has a bit sweet touch to it due to the coconut milk; this is my personal favorite as you can make it a bit chili with a nice tempering. I normally find out ways of simple cooking, as it’s difficult to spend too much time in the kitchen due to my kids. This recipe too is a simple and easy preparation. The flavors are rich and you can even serve this dish for any of your gatherings too.

Things to remember while cooking corn: You need to take care of a few things while boiling a corn on the cob. But before that, selecting a good corn is also important. Just note that while buying the corn, the husk (its outer green cover) should be bright green. Also just peel the green husk a little from the top and press the kernels with your nail and see it should be plum and milky.

Husking the corn: Some people like to boil the corn with the husk intact and remove it only once ready to serve or added to the dish. But I prefer to peel the husk and then boil. Remember not to put any salt while boiling the corn as it gets hard. For this dish, cut the corn into ½ inch disks like shapes as it is easier to cook in the curry later and tastes yum to eat with spinach.

Boiling the corn on the cob: Take water in a deep pan, let it come to a boil and add corn. Let it boil for a few minutes approx. 5-8 minutes and check. The corn should be done by now. If not, let it remain in the boiling water for another 5 minutes and take out and put it on a sieve. Let it cool and keep aside. Keep the softness as per your preference. Some people like very soft and some like it a bit chewy. Adjust it as per preference. But do keep a check while boiling. WE MUST NOT OVERBOIL.

Why is this dish a healthy treat: The endless benefits corn has have been summarized above and if it combines with the healthy spinach. Needless to mention about spinach, as its well-known for a rich source of iron,magnesium and vitm k,a,c and much more.

This is how you make this delicious spinach corn on the cob.

Prep time:             20 minutes

Cook time:             15 minutes

Cuisine:                  Indian

Difficulty 

Level:                     Easy

My cup size:          200ml

Ingredients:

1kg / 4 cups boiled and pureed Spinach

1/4^th cup Onion paste

6-7 Garlic cloves ( crushed to paste)

½’ inch ginger stick crushed to paste

1 cup (boiled, pureed and sieved) Tomato paste

½ cup tomato puree ( market bought)

2 tbsp. Sweet chili sauce (I used kissan twist)

2 Corn on the cob (sliced and boiled) / 7-8 disc like pieces

Seasoning:

Salt to taste

2 tsp. coriander powder

3 tbsp. Mustard Oil (Burnt to cook)

2 Green cardamoms

½ tsp. Garam Masala

½ tsp. turmeric powder

2 dry red chilies and ½ tsp. Red chili powder for tempering

Garnish:

½ cup Amul Cream

Method:

1. Preparation: Boil the corns and spinach separately and grind the spinach to paste. The corn on the cob cut into thick disc like pieces can either be boiled in an open vessel or pressure cooked until 3 -4 whistles on medium flame.
2. How to cook :In a pan, heat the mustard oil and add the pureed onion paste. Add ginger garlic paste and stir well. Cook this on medium flame till brown. Keep stirring the onions to avoid burning and ensure its cooked and browned evenly. Now, add salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder and add 1/4^th cup water along with these masalas. Water helps the onion paste to mix well and masalas to blend nicely.
3. Now, add the pureed tomatoes and simmer and let this cook till the mixture leaves oil. Add the tomato puree and kissan twist/ sweet chili sauce and mix well.
4. Once the mixture leaves oil, add the spinach paste (sieve the water of spinach before adding here and keep the water for later use to match consistency if needed) and stir. Cook further on low flame till the spinach curry leaves a bit of oil.
5. Now, add the corn and cook for another 10 minutes covered on simmer, so that the corns may absorb the curry a bit.
6. Add half the cream and stir on low flame and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Pour in the serving dish and garnish with the left over cream poured on top along with the tempering tempering.
8. For Tempering: Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a pan, add the dry red chilies and red chilli powder( adjust the chilie powder to your taste ,as the curry as chilli sauce also) and pour the tempering on the spinach curry.
9. Serve hot.

HUMMUS RECIPE

HUMMUS RECIPE

A dip made from cooked chickpeas mashed together with the lovely tahini sauce ,lemon juice, garlic and olive oil.

A middle eastern treat which goes well together with vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian appetisers. This.This wonderful dip can also be served alone with pita chips/salads and other snacks.It blends wonderfully with vegetarian dishes and enhances the taste of many meat based appetizers as well.

Recently,I had this rich sauce/dip with the lovely shawarma roll and beetroot salad.Oh!! it was delicious and it left a wonderful aftertaste in my mouth, which I still remember.

This recipe here is my adaptation from many recipes I have tried recently but couldn’t get that exact flavor which I was searching for.Then I made changes accordingly to taste.And This recipe I can say is the nearest to the market style I have eaten .I also have a tahini sauce recipe on my blog on the link below.

(Tahini Sauce recipe.)

Serves:                    2 cups

My cup size:          200 ml

Preparation time:  overnight

Cooking time:      10 minutes

Difficulty level:      Easy

Cuisine:         Middle Eastern

Ingredients :

2 cups chickpeas (soaked overnight, boiled and drained)

4 tsp. tahini sauce

2 garlic cloves crushed

1 tsp. salt

6 tbsp. olive oil (extra virgin)

3 ½ tbsp. lemon juice

Paprika / red chilli powder to taste to garnish

Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

1.     In a food processor, grind together chickpeas, tahini sauce, garlic cloves, salt, lemon juice and olive oil to a paste.

2.     Serve in a bowl and garnish with some olive oil, paprika and coriander leaves.

3.     Refrigerate for about 20 minutes before serving. 

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American Egg Chopsuey Recipe-Vegetarian chinese

American Egg Chop suey Recipe

Just as we wait for the Navratra to arrive. Can’t stop our taste buds to crave for some yummy food. Also Navratra, the menus go simple and without onion garlic so, i guess these cravings are natural...isn’t it??

So presenting the very sweet...bit sour and as i write this i feel a bit nostalgic because our college canteen served this and i was a diehard fan....
AMERICAN EGG CHOPSUEY....
Just awesome!

And this recipe just replicated and revived those exact flavors again....

And of course as I always do, replicating the recipes in my kitchen but keeping the health bit intact. This doesn’t not have a bit of any MSG etc…so completely healthy for the Kids too.

Preparation time:10 minutes
Cooking time:10 min
Total Time:20 minutes
Recipe Category: chinese

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Noodles:  Boiled and fried

Oil: 2 tbsp plus to fry noodles

Garlic:  2 tsp

Ginger: 2 tsp

Sliced onions

Tomato ketchup:  ½ cup

Sprouts boiled/steamed: ½ cup

Soya Sauce:2 tsp

Vinegar: ½ tsp( optional)

Chili Sauce/Hot n Sweet sauce:2 tbsp

White pepper:1/2 tsp

Salt to taste( add little as tomato ketchup too has a bit of salt.)

Egg:1

Vegetables: all shredded-

Red capsicum:1/2, Green Capsicum:1/2 ,Yellow Capsicum:1/2,Cabbage:1 cup,Onion:1 sliced thin, Spring Onion:1 (white and green separately cut) ,Carrots:2 small

Vegetable Stock: 1-1 ½   cup (If you don’t have vegetable stock, then add water for consistency)

Method:

1.       Boil the noodles, sieve them and sprinkle oil on them to avoid sticking.

2.       In a wok, put oil to heat for frying.Fry the Noodles till golden in colour.Keep aside in a serving dish.

3.       Meanwhile, in another pan heat oil to make sauce:

Add ginger and garlic. Sauté for a few seconds and then add onions. Fry till light in color. Then add spring onions and carrots  and sprouts and cook for 5 minutes. Lastly, add all the remaining vegetable. Cook these for 5-7 minutes on high flame till they are a bit soft.

4.       Add soya sauce and tomato ketchup. Remember you may increase the amount as per your taste too. Add chili sauce and mix well. Now, put salt and white pepper and let it simmer for two minutes.

5.       Now, Add 2 tsp corn flour dissolved in ½ cup of water. This is to thicken the sauce. I like a bit of vinegar in the sauce. But its optional .Bring this to one boil or till the required thickness is achieved.

Now assembly:

Pour one ladle of sauce on the fried noodles. Half fry one egg sprinkle some salt over it and put this on top. Garnish with greens of the spring onions and serve hot.

Remember:

If you are boiling the sprouts ,then use the water into the sauce.