Cooking on Pennies VII: Okra & Shrimp Masala/ Penne and Broccoli+/ Bharleli Vangi/ Quick Lo Mein 🌞

[justaprogressive]

Eddie stared at his now-empty piano stool and shook his head.
"How much?" he asked again.

Exasperated, Phee danced to the bar, grabbed up a funnel and
took it back to Eddie. He stuck the business end in Eddie's left
ear. "JUST PENNIES," he bellowed into it. "I'm telling you," he
continued conversationally to the rest of us, "it's a steal."

From "Time Travelers Strictly Cash" by Spider Robinson
https://goodreads.com/book/show/146842.Time_Travellers_Strictly_Cash

Okra & Shrimp Masala

Okra, locally known as “Bhindi”, is commonly prepared in the Western regions
of India, like Gujarat and Maharashtra as a simple Vegan recipe which involved
stir frying chopped Okra with mustard seeds, salt, curry leaves and optionally
some dry mango powder. Okra is also known as “Lady’s finger” in English.

Fun fact:
My mom used to make a variation of Okra which involved curry made from
tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic and some spices. The fusion you see here
includes a version of that plus adding whole Shrimp, in a way it’s presented on a
paella. Hence the fusion.

If you haven’t cooked Okra before, it’s very unlike any other vegetable you must
have encountered before (I wonder why they named it Lady’s finger).
It’s kind of like a bean pod, but with no beans inside. But there are round,
empty, white seeds instead. And the inside of the pods are a bit slimy. If you are
used to Thai or Vietnamese recipes, where Okra is also used, you might have
encountered this slimy texture if they have added a large piece of Okra in the
recipe.

To improve the texture or to make the Okra “unslimy”, the first part of the recipe
involves, cutting the Okra into long cross sections, as you see in the picture (The
stem and a bit of the tail can be discarded).
Then sauté the Okra in a pan, in some hot oil, until the Okra is reduced and
softer. Keep it aside.

Masala:

1. Heat the remaining oil in a pot.

2. Add red chili powder, Garam masala to the oil when it’s hot.

3. Add the chopped onion and garlic after that.

4. Sauté until the onions and garlic are soft and translucent
(and a bit brown).

5. Add chopped tomatoes and salt to taste.

6. Sauté for another 5 min.

7. Blend everything in a blender (result in the adjacent pic).

Okra:

1. The Okra is already sautéed in another pan.

Okra:

1. Add the blended masala to the sautéed Okra.

2. Heat on a medium flame for about 5 min so the flavors blend properly.

3. Gently place the shrimps (not peeled) over the Okra masala.

And it’s done!

Good to know*...

Masala (curry)

Outside of Southeast Asia, it’s not uncommon to find “Curry Powder” in the
grocery stores. Hence there’s an impression that curry is basically a powder
that’s added to a recipe.

However curry is more like a generic term for sauce. It just happens that most
sauces which find their origins in India have a peculiar spicy taste, dense texture
and in many cases are yellow (hence I had more than a fair share on encounters
where Turmeric powder has also been called as curry powder).

In the above recipe, the “masala” that we made, is a local synonym for what we
known as curry. As you have noticed, it wasn’t made by just adding a powder to
the main ingredients.

There’s no single way of making a “Curry”.

Every household prides itself for having its version of a curry. And they would
have different versions based on what recipe they are making.

It’s totally possible to use a single version of curry and keep changing the main
ingredients to make new dishes.

For example, substitute the okra and shrimp in this recipe for say, chicken... And
voila! You just made chicken curry!

The curry here, on its own, is totally vegan. Instead of seafood or meat, add say
broccoli, and voila! You just made Broccoli curry!

Similarly...

Add or replace a few core ingredients while making the curry itself and you
have a new curry... Say add some fresh cream after blending the ingredients, boil
for a few minutes... And voila! New curry!

From "[https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62824054u]Cooking On Pennies" Kunal Patankar


********************************************************************


Penne and Broccoli with Tomatoes, Walnuts, and Raisins less than $1.00 per serving


Makes 4 servings

All that’s missing from this classic Sicilian dish are the anchovies, but
most people don’t seem to mind that omission. What many people do
like about this dish is the variety of delicious flavors and textures, along
with the tremendously healthful ingredients: Broccoli is loaded with
calcium and vitamin C, and nutrient-rich walnuts are a good source of
alpha-linolenic acid, an essential omega-3 fatty acid. If you have fresh
herbs on hand, use them instead of dried.

1 pound broccoli, cut into ½-inch florets (4 cups)
1 pound penne
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄3 cup toasted walnut pieces
1⁄3 cup raisins
1⁄4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
Salt and black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1⁄2 teaspoon sugar

1 Steam or blanch the broccoli until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain, run
under cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside.

2 In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne over medium-high
heat, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes.

3 While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium
heat. Add the garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Do not burn. Add the walnuts, raisins, parsley, basil, marjoram, and salt
and pepper to taste. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juice, crushed
tomatoes, and sugar and simmer until the liquid reduces slightly. Add the
cooked broccoli and toss to heat through.

4 When the pasta is cooked, drain well and return to the pot. Add the broccoli
mixture and toss gently to combine. Serve hot.


From "Vegan on the Cheap";
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7576756-vegan-on-the-cheap

**************************************************************************************



Bharleli Vangi
This literally translates as “Stuffed Eggplants*”.

(*In a western Indian language called “Marathi”, which even though is my
mother tongue, is not my most fluent language... It’s my 3rd most fluent language
actually)

But the name’s misleading. There is no stuffing!

Similar to the previous recipe, this one finds its roots from a traditional recipe
from Western India, but has been modified based on the influence of some
Turkish shops near me.




Masala:

1. Heat half the oil in a small pot.

2. Add the mustard seeds when the oil is hot.

3. Add all the spices next.

4. Then add finely chopped garlic and onions.

5. Sauté for 7-9 min until the onions are soft.

6. Add chopped mint leaves and finely chopped tomato.

7. Sauté for 5 min.

8. Add salt to taste.

9. Blend the mix.

Aubergine:

1. In a pan slit the aubergine lengthwise but keep them attached to the
stem.

2. Add the remaining oil and heat the pan on a medium flame.

3. Sauté each side of the aubergine for 5-7 min.

4. Add the blended masala to the aubergine.

5. Add a cup of water.

6. Cover the aubergine and cook for 10 min.

7. Turn the aubergine and repeat for another 10 min.

8. Gently press the aubergine to give a softer texture.

9. Boil for another 4-5 min.

10. Add salt to taste.

Voila!

Serve with some fresh bread.

From "Cooking On Pennies" Kunal Patankar
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62824054

*******************************************************************


Quick Lo Mein less than $2.00 per serving

Makes 4 servings

By using leftover cooked spaghetti or that ultimate cheap
food, the ramen noodle brick, you can get this meal on the
table in fifteen minutes or less. For an even quicker meal
(and a great way to use bits of leftover veggies), toss in any
cooked vegetables you may have on hand, such as steamed
broccoli or green beans, in place of the cabbage.

4 cups cooked spaghetti or 3 (2.5-ounce) bricks ramen noodles
16 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Salt
2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 medium carrot, shredded
4 to 5 green onions, chopped
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1 1⁄2 cups sliced white mushrooms
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil


1 If using ramen noodles, break the bricks into pieces and place them in
a heatproof bowl. (Discard the seasoning packets.) Cover the noodles
with boiling water and set aside.

2 Cut the tofu into 1⁄2-inch dice. Toss with the cornstarch and 1⁄4 teaspoon
salt and set aside.

3 In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil over medium-high
heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown all over, about 7 minutes.
Remove from the skillet and set aside.

4 In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil over
medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, carrot, green onions, cabbage,
and mushrooms. Season with salt to taste, and stir-fry to soften, 4 to 5
minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, and sesame oil. Add
the reserved tofu.

5 Add the spaghetti to the skillet. (If using ramen noodles, drain fi rst and add
to the skillet.) Toss to combine, adding a tablespoon or two of water if the
mixture is too dry. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Serve hot.

Splurge a Little
Replace the green cabbage with bok choy or napa cabbage.


From "Vegan on the Cheap"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7576756-vegan-on-the-cheap

Eat well on just pennies everyone!

[AbnerBunny]

1. This all sounds delicious!

Bookmarked for trying them out this month-thanks for posting 🤗

[justaprogressive]

2. You're welcome!