The Indian Heritage Center in Singapore (https://www.indianheritage.gov.sg/en) is hosting a Deepavali Carnival Open House in 2024, and there’s still time to join in on the festivities!
As part of the celebration, they organized a #MasterChef-style mystery box featuring Indian vegetables available at #LittleIndia. I brought along some pantry staples for a cooking demo and had a great time preparing a dish for the participants who purchased tickets for the event.
The mystery box included some lesser-known ingredients like #bananablossom, #bananstem, and #greenplantain, as well as favorites like Moringa (drumstick), ladyfinger, raw mango, and carrot.
The cooking demo was highly interactive and a lot of fun! Here are the recipes for kadambuttu, carrot chutney, capsicum chutney and the coconut cream medley —simple to make and guaranteed to be delicious!
Kadamputtu Recipe
Ingredients (Makes 20 Rice Balls):
Rice Rava: 250 grams
Water: 550 grams
Salt: 3 grams
Coconut Oil: 20 grams
Instructions:
Boil Water: In a thick-bottomed saucepan (28 inches wide), bring the measured water to a rolling boil.
Add Rice Rava: Lower the heat and gradually add the rice rava, stirring quickly with a firm wooden ladle to prevent lumps from forming.
Incorporate Salt and Oil: Add the salt and coconut oil, mixing well until it forms a dough.
Cool the Dough: Turn off the heat and transfer the dough to a flat tray or plate, spreading it out. Allow it to cool until it's warm enough to handle.
Prepare for Rolling: Keep a bowl of water nearby to dip your clean hands, which will help prevent burns while rolling the dough.
Shape the Rice Balls: Pinch off portions of the dough and roll them into balls. Remember to dip your fingers in the water occasionally.
Steam: Place the rolled rice balls in a steamer and steam on high for 15-20 minutes.
Serve: Enjoy the rice balls hot, paired with any curry of your choice. Enjoy your delicious rice balls!
Carrot Chutney Recipe
Ingredients:
Chopped Carrots: 130 grams
Urad Dal: 4 grams
Ginger: 10 grams
Curry Leaves: 2 leaves
Coconut Oil: 10 grams
Salt: 3 grams
Red Chilli Padi: 1-2 (adjust to taste)
Instructions:
Heat Oil: In a pan, heat the coconut oil and add the urad dal. Lightly brown the dal.
Add Ingredients: Once the dal is lightly browned, add the ginger and sauté for a moment. Then, add the curry leaves and chopped carrots, along with the salt.
Cook: Pour in a little water, cover the pan, and let it cook until the carrots are tender.
Blend: Once cooked, transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the red chilli padi and blend until you achieve a smooth paste. Serve the chutney with your favorite dishes! Enjoy!
Green Capsicum Chutney Recipe
Ingredients:
Chopped Green Capsicum: 150 grams
Urad Dal: 6 grams
Garlic: 10 grams
Curry Leaves: 4 leaves
Coconut Oil: 10 grams
Salt: 3 grams
Green Chilli Padi: 1-2 (adjust to taste)
Instructions:
Heat Oil: In a pan, heat the coconut oil and add the urad dal. Lightly brown the dal.
Sauté Garlic: Once the dal is browned, add the garlic and sauté for a moment.
Add Capsicum: Incorporate the curry leaves and chopped green capsicum, then add salt. Cook for a few minutes until the capsicum is tender.
Blend: Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender, add the green chilli padi, and blend until smooth. Serve the chutney alongside your favorite dishes! Enjoy!
Coconut Cream Vegetable Medley
Ingredients:
1/4 cup raw mango, chopped
1 plantain, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/4 cup banana stem, chopped
Banana blossom flowers, chopped (to taste)
1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1/2 tsp green chili, minced (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 can coconut cream (cooking cream)
2 tbsp yogurt
1/4 cup additional cooking cream
Tempering:
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp carrom seeds
1/2 cup ladyfinger (okra), chopped
Instructions:
Prep the Vegetables:
Chop the raw mango, plantain, carrot and banana stem. Slightly boil the chopped vegetables in salted water for about 3-4 minutes, then drain.
Sauté Aromatics:
In a large pan, heat a little oil over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots and sauté until they become translucent.
Stir in the minced ginger and green chili. Sauté for another minute until fragrant. Blitz the mixture.
Combine and Cook:
Add the slightly boiled chopped vegetables to the pan. Sprinkle in the turmeric powder and add salt to taste. Stir well to combine.
Cook for about 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
Add Creaminess:
Pour in the coconut cream and mix well. Add the yogurt and stir to combine.
Add cooking cream and if the mixture appears too thick, water to reach your desired consistency.
Simmer:
Let the mixture simmer for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and coated in the creamy sauce.
Prepare the Tempering:
In a small pan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.
Add the chopped banana blossoms, fry them a bit and add it to the curry mixture. Add back some more oil to the pan.
Add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
Once they begin to pop, add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and carrom seeds.
Add a few chopped ladyfinger pieces to the tempering and fry it well.
Combine and Serve:
Drizzle the tempering with ladyfinger over the vegetable and gravy. Stir gently to incorporate the flavours.
Enjoy your flavorful Coconut Cream Vegetable Medley!
I served the kadambuttu alongside a coconut cream medley, carrot chutney, capsicum chutney, and a raw mango sambal, all topped with a rice cracker and some browned shallots. :)
Happy Deepavali!
Comments