Tag: cumin

An invitation to Indian Cooking

16 November 2023

Recently we reviewed An invitation to Indian Cooking (published in 1973) by Madhur Jaffrey as part of the ongoing cookbook review project by Bernadette. When we leaved through the book we were looking for something special, something new and exciting to prepare. Dal soup (the classic Indian soup made with red lentils, onion, various spices and perhaps ginger or orange) was not on our radar, until we read her recipe. Interesting! Yellow Split Peas? Cloves? Croutons? Let’s start cooking!
The soup was very tasty and uplifting. The split peas brought structure to the soup, making this soup different compared to lentil-based dal soup. The combination of peas and cloves is one to remember. 

Dal Soup ©cadwu
Dal Soup ©cadwu

Asafoetida

We’re always interested in new ways to prepare mushrooms, so when we spotted a recipe with cumin and asafoetida (asafetida) we immediately knew we wanted to prepare this dish. But what is actually asafoetida and where to buy it?
The first thing to know about asafoetida is that it has an extremely powerful aroma. Its taste and smell are a combination of onion and garlic. We bought 25 grams at Jacob Hooy which is Amsterdam’s premium shop for spices. The Dutch name is Duivels Drek and the German name Stinkasant. Both names are a clear indication of its pungent smell.
Mushrooms, tomatoes, various spices and asafoetida: we didn’t know what to expect of the dish. The result was delicious, aromatic (in a subtle way) and a tribute to the tomatoes and mushrooms, with a long-lasting taste. We loved it. Mrs. Jaffrey suggest serving the mushrooms with chapatis or pooris. Recipes are included in her book, obviously!

Mushrooms with Cumin and Asafetida ©cadwu
Mushrooms with Cumin and Asafetida ©cadwu

The Book

An invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey is a comprehensive introduction to the Indian kitchen, one with reliable, easy to follow, tasty recipes and useful background information. The book includes chapters on meat, chicken, fish, dal, soups, vegetables, chutneys, breads and desserts. Which reminds us of our plan to make Kulfi (ice cream with milk and cardamon pods).
An invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey is available via your local bookstore or the usual channels for 15 euro or 18 US$.

Recipes can be found on Bernadette’s website.

An invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey ©cadwu
Mushrooms with Cumin and Asafetida ©cadwu
Dal Soup ©cadwu

Mashua

26 January 2023

This edible, very productive plant (Tropaeolum Tuberosum ) is originally from the Andes. It grows very well in colder climates, it’s not very demanding and comes back year after year thanks to its tubers. Other names include Capucine Tubéreuse, Knollige Kapuzinerkresse en Knolcapucien.
We saw Mashua Tubers in our local bio supermarket and we bought them, without having a clue how to prepare the tubers.

The leaves are supposed to taste like Indian Cress (same family) and the deep orange-red trumpet flowers will do very well in a salad. The leaves can also be turned into pesto or prepared like spinach. The tubers (vibrant yellow with an intriguing purple pattern) are often used in stews and soups. They can be eaten raw in a salad, grated or thinly sliced. Not our favourite. The taste is radish like, but sharper and not very elegant.
The taste and the texture of the cooked mashua tubers took us by surprise: delicate cocoa but not sweet, moist and with a pleasant structure thanks to the peel.

We combined our Mashua with chicken and shiitake, a combination that worked very well, although we must admit we were a bit overwhelmed by the Mashua!

Wine Pairing

A medium bodied, fruity, non-oaked red wine will go very well with the Mashua. A glass of Merlot perhaps?

What You Need

  • For the Mashua
    • 5 Mashua Tubers
    • Cumin
    • Shallot
    • Olive Oil
  • For the Chicken
    • 2 Organic Chicken Thighs
    • 50 grams of Shiitake
    • Olive Oil
    • Black Pepper

What You Do

Wash the mashua (don’t peel them) and cook for 5 minutes. Let cool. Slice the tubers lengthwise in two. Dry with kitchen paper. Peel the shallot, quarter and slice. Warm a small skillet. Add a generous amount of olive oil to the pan, glaze the shallot for a few minutes, add cumin (crushed seeds preferred) and then add the halved mashua. Leave for 30+ minutes until just a bit soft. Turn them occasionally to coat the roots with the flavours of the oil, the shallot and the cumin. No need to colour them. Add some extra cumin 5 minutes before serving.
In parallel, fry the chicken thighs and transfer to the oven (60 °C or 140 °F). Clean and slice the shiitake, add to the pan and fry. Add the chicken, allow to integrate. Add black pepper to taste.

  • Mashua ©cadwu
    Mashua ©cadwu
  • Mashua Cooked ©cadwu
    Mashua Cooked ©cadwu

Horn of Plenty with Cumin and Pork Fillet

28 July 2021

The name Horn of Plenty refers to the shape (very much like a funnel without a stem) of the mushroom and to the mythical goat Amaltheia, whose horn would be filled with everything you whished for. It’s also called Black Chantarelle, which is very appropriate because it’s a chantarelle and truly black when cooked. The more morbid name is Trompette de la Mort, as if the buried use the mushrooms to play the Marche Funèbre.

More importantly to us: they are very edible with a pleasant fibrous and chewy texture. The only downside is that they quickly become soggy and smelly, so make sure you buy (or harvest) dry ones and use them the same day or the next.

For some reason Horn of Plenty simply loves cumin. We also added coriander and fennel seed to give some additional lightness and freshness to the combination.
And as always, only use the very best organic pork.

Wine Pairing

A medium bodied, not too complex, red wine will be perfect. Think Merlot, Tempranillo, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Carménère.

What You Need

  • 150 grams Horn of Plenty
  • One Red Onion
  • Cumin, Coriander and Fennel (seeds)
  • Black pepper
  • Olive Oil
  • Pork Fillet

What You Do

Clean the mushrooms thoroughly. This can be time consuming. Slice the pork fillet to create 6 medallions. Heat a heavy iron skillet and fry the medallions in olive oil until just underdone. Wrap in aluminium foil and leave to rest. Slice the red onion, add some olive oil to the pan and fry the onion. Grind cumin, coriander and fennel seeds and fry the spices. Lower the heat, perhaps add some more olive oil and fry the mushrooms for 5-10 minutes. Taste, adjust and add some black pepper. Add the juices from the pork to the pan, deglaze and serve.

  • Horn of Plenty with Cumin and Pork Fillet ©cadwu
    Horn of Plenty with Cumin and Pork Fillet ©cadwu
  • Horn of Plenty ©cadwu
    Horn of Plenty ©cadwu