Delish Green Beans with Coconut

On March 24, 2021March 24, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Food, India, RecipesLeave a comment

Today we are featuring a post from our friends at A Global Affair who provide wonderful content on travel and delicious recipes.

Many moons ago, when my mom had to leave for India for an extended period of time to care for my grandfather, she wrote down a bunch of recipes of the staple, time honored dishes that my family from Kerala had served for generations in their kitchen. Before I had any money to buy any sort of cookbook, these recipes became my guidepost; a primer that ensured that I would carry on creating the tastes of my mother, grandmothers, aunts and more in my kitchen. Of course, in the rush to give me these recipes, mom sometimes missed writing exact quantities or an ingredient, but they were enough of a foundation to enable me to cook.

Beans Poduthol, also called as Thoran, is a simple dish of whatever veggies are on hand, some oil and spices and lots of freshly grated coconut. It is the kind of dish that is not only super yummy and healthy, but also makes me feel with every spoonful that all will be okay in this world.

Ingredients:

A pound of beans, washed, destringed and cut into small pieces
A tbsp of oil (traditionally coconut oil is used)
A tsp of mustard seeds
A tsp of urad dal (skip if you don’t have this, it adds crunch)
One or two dried red chili pods broken
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
1 tsp cumin powder
Four tbsps freshly grated coconut

When I copied mom’s recipe into my first attempt at organizing recipes.

How to:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the mustard seeds, urad dal (if using) and dried chilly pods. When the mustard seeds start popping, add the beans, turmeric powder, salt and cumin powder and toss well.

2. Cover and cook till the beans are cooked, yet crunchy (about 10-15 minutes).

3. Add the fresh coconut and toss a few times.

Enjoy!

PS. You can prepare cabbage, spinach, carrots, and raw bananas in a similar fashion.

German-Style Braised Red Cabbage with Apples

On January 27, 2021January 27, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, Recipes5 Comments

One of the side dishes that we enjoyed quite often while in Germany was braised red cabbage with apples. It was slightly sweeter than the braised cabbage that we were used to having and found it to be quite refreshing. We had it served with schnitzel, pot roast, duck, and other meats as it is a perfect compliment to gamier entrees. The only other side dish that we had as often as red cabbage was spätzle, which was often served along with the red cabbage. We served it with our pan-seared duck with a cherry compote, which was a wonderful combination. We used a granny-smith apple, but it could be done with any other apple that holds up to cooking. It was definitely a meal that reminded us of our time in Europe.

INGREDIENTS

1 Medium Red Onion – thinly sliced
1 Head Red Cabbage – cored and sliced
1 Granny-Smith Apple – cored and cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 cups Chicken Broth – preferably homemade
1/2 cup Apple Juice
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
2 to 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the onions and about a teaspoon of salt. Cook the onions until they are tender and translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the cabbage, apple, chicken broth, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to the onions and stir to mix. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the cabbage for an hour.

Southwestern Vegetable and Pasta Salad

On July 1, 2020July 1, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes1 Comment

We barbequed some Memphis style baby back ribs the other week and decided to pair them with a southwestern vegetable and pasta salad. The flavors of the southwest are actually pretty complimentary to some southern style meals as well. It is a pretty simple salad and can be done with a variety of pastas that catch the dressing like orecchiette (little ears), bowtie, or small shells. It is also a great vehicle for a variety of vegetables, so feel free to mix it up and make it your own.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb Orecchiette Paste – cooked to the package directions
1 Yellow Pepper – grilled, skins removed, and julienned
1/2 Red Onion – sliced
3 Tomatillos – diced into bite-sized pieces
1 cup Corn Kernels – fresh or frozen that has been thawed
1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
1 canned Chipotle Pepper
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Vegetable and Pasta Salad Paired with Ribs

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, yellow pepper, onion, tomatillos, and corn. Place the vinegar, chipotle pepper, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. This recipe creates more dressing than is needed, so slowly add the dressing to the pasta, being sure to toss the pasta and vegetables until coated.