Bitter melon

 When Srila Prabhupada first visited New Talavan he asked for bittermelon. The devotees then didn’t know what that was but now it is grown prolifically every year. 

The plants pictured here came from mature seeds in melons bought from an Indian grocer in Los Angeles. The plantings were so successful and again this year. And again seeds are being set aside for next year. 

Krishna kindly  arranged that  if we are careful to save seeds, we don’t have to spend time and money getting more for future plantings.

Note the red casing when the bittermelon seed is most mature. This is a good indication for viable seeds. When dry the casing easily comes off and  the seeds stored. But an even faster and easier  method how to remove the red casing is to rub the seeds with a sponge inside a colander.

Bittermelon is a sun lover, so it flourishes in the hottest time of year. It is a vining plant that is easier to deal with if trained to climb a trellis or fencing. In some cases they can wind around tall plants such as okra or corn without difficulty, provided the host plants are well established.

Celestial Bananas

 Been wanting to print this for a long time so here it is. A favorite dessert that is quick and easy. There are lots of versions. Here we didn't bother to cook the bananas. Just add. And I have yet to measure how much of these ingredients to use. You'll have to experiment until I actually test these amounts given:

INGREDIENTS:

1 packet cream cheese (Philadelphia brand has no rennet)

About 4 T brown sugar

1/4- 3/4 t ground cinnamon

1-2 T sour cream 

about 4 or 5 bananas, chopped

PREPARATION:

Melt the cream cheese with the brown sugar over low heat, stirring well.

Turn off heat. Add and stir in the cinnamon and sour cream

Fold in the sliced bananas and offer

VARIATION: The original recipe called for bananas cooked in butter first. Extra rich. This is a quick and a little less fatty version

Rice with Almonds and Peas

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 t ghee

1/3 c slivered almonds (or chopped)

3 T ghee

1 cinnamon stick

6 cloves

4 green cardamom pods, crushed open (mortar and pestle does the trick)

1 c rice

1/4 t turmeric

2 c water

1 t salt

1 c peas

PREPARATION:

1. Fry the almonds in a little ghee first on low heat until lightly browned. Set aside
2. Heat the 3 T ghee. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and cloves. They will expand
3. Add the rice and turmeric and give a stir.
4. Add the water. salt and peas and bring to a boil
5. Lower the heat to a simmer for 15 minutes covered. 
6. Keep covered and let sit 5 more minutes covered before offering.
7. Before offering, you may wish to remove the cooked whole spices that will have floated to the top 
8. Fluff gently and serve hot.

VARIATIONS:

When there's no peas, try small chopped pieces of green beans or broccoli or slices of fresh okra

Dahi Chawal (Yogurt Rice)

This recipe is based on a South Indian dish which usually is made with red chili powder or flakes. If you don’t have that on hand, cayenne works fine. The amount suggested is 1/4 teaspoon, but try 1/2 teaspoon if you like more heat. For a nightshade free version, these suggestions get substituted with freshly ground black pepper. Toast the cashews in a little ghee and set aside before making the chaunce. Also the original recipe calls for short grained rice to make it very mushy. We prefer basmati here with no mushiness. The yogurt is good enough. Spicing can vary quite a bit, too. 

 INGREDIENTS: 

 1 cup rice, preferably basmati, washed and drained 

4 T ghee 

2 t ginger root, grated 

1 t mustard seeds 

 1 t split urad dahl 

 1/4 teaspoon hing 

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper or 1/4 t red chili powder (if you want more zing)

 1 t fenugreek seeds 

 8 to 10 curry leaves. 

2 c water 

Salt (no more than 1 teaspoon)

A handful of cashews, toasted 

1 c yogurt, or more as desired 

dhania (cilantro), chopped 

 PREPARATION: 

 1. Heat the ghee and add the ginger root. When it gets a little brown, add mustard seeds and urad dahl. When the mustard stops popping, add hing, chili, fenugreek, and curry leaves in quick succession . 

 2. Add the rice to the ghee and spices and stir. 

 3. Add twice as much water as rice. Add the salt. 

 4. Bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer on low heat 15 minutes. 

 5. Turn off the heat abd let the rice sit covered for another five minutes.

 6. Stir in the cashews, yogurt and dhania. 

 This makes a nice breakfast offering, especially in summer, or with a full meal. Is also good for meals during the winter season, slightly warm. Because  plain yogurt is cooling, here also are spices to warm it up. More serving suggestions are found on the web. 

Garam masala

There are many many combinations for garam masala, varying in India from region to region. Here's one of them. This is a small quantity, so it will be made more often, yes, but will always insure better quality spicing. Garam masala goes well with sweet vegetables such as red cabbage and also green leafy vegetables. It gives a warming sweet taste to many Indian recipes. Garam masala means warming spices. Other types of masalas such as chaat and sambar are also very popular and worth learning to make fresh from the kitchen for superior is quality.

                             

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 T coriander seeds
• 1 t cumin seeds
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1" cinnamon stick or 1/2 t powder
• 4 cloves
• 1 T poppy seeds
• 1/2 t nutmeg

PREPARATION:

1. Dry roast the coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon stick and cloves. Break open the cardamom pods (quick and easy with mortar and pestle). 
2. Add the poppy seeds and nutmeg toward the end when spices are browning. If using powdered cinnamon, add that at the end after roasting. 
3. Grind everything well and store in a jar in the fridge until needed.
   

Spinach coconut soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tablespoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon (preferable) brown mustard seeds (or black)
• 1 red chili
• 2 Tej patta leaves (from Indian grocer, or use bay leaves)
• 1 green chili 
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger root, minced
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon yellow hing
• 1 bunch of spinach, chopped
• coconut milk (see below for DIY coconut milk)
• 2 Tablespoons flour 
• 1/4 cup water
• salt, as desired

PREPARATION:

1. Make a chaunk with the ghee, mustard, chili and tej patta.
2. After mustard pops, add the green chili, ginger and hing.
3. Add the spinach and stir around in the spices a minute.
4. Pour in enough coconut milk to cover the spinach. Cook about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, add slowly the 1/4 cup water to the flour, stirring out any lumps.
6. Add the flour mixture to the spinach soup.
7. Cook about 10 minutes more to thicken and get out any raw flour flavor.
8. Add salt. A rule of thumb is 1/4 teaspoon of salt for every cup of finished soup.

DIY COCONUT MILK from dried coconut

Let coconut soak in boiled water for at least 1 hr or preferably overnight.

Blend and strain out the liquid to use for coconut milk

Variations : Put dry coconut early on in beginning of cooking. Softened and no waste product

Use 1/4 fresh ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon minced ginger for a nightshade free version, omitting the chilies

Mango kulfi

 Kulfi is homemade icecream. This recipe originally is from the first Hare Krishna cookbook, with countless variations. In this case it is mango flavoring.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 c kheer made from 6 cups of milk and 1/2 c sugar (or use sweetened condensed milk)
• 2 mangos, chopped

PREPARATION:

1. Blend all in a blender until the cream is semi whipped
2. Use an ice cream make OR freeze in a bowl, stirring every hour or two until the mixture is solid frozen. Then leave in the freezer at least 48 hrs. for the best texture. We learned this from an expert homemade icream maker: That is, if you want the cream to not coat your tongue when you offer this icecream, freeze it for a good amount of time first.  
3. When getting ready to offer, let it thaw about 10 minutes first. 

TIPS ON EATING ICECREAM ACCORDING TO AYURVEDA:

Avoid night time eating

Avoid cold season eating

Use warm spices like cinnamon and ginger powder if you need a digestive boost! Even fresh ginger is good, (but a little chewy/not for everyone!).

Quick and easy desserts for Krishna's offerings

Papaya or mango chunks!

Prunes!

Dates!

 Applesauce!

Also see: Bananas and Cream

Stuffed Dates

Candied Pecans

TO BE CONTINUED..

Ghee wicks

We use them for Tulasi worship each morning.

Helps for making these can be found on the web if you have no live tutor. 

How to Make Ghee Wicks for Lamp Offering

Mayapur Style

Soaking Wicks in Ghee

Most Expert Ghee Wick Maker We Know Personally

There's more, whereas years ago there was very little information on the web. So grateful people are taking the time to instruct us all to perfect this art. :)

Mother cow, source of ghee wicks, ki jaya! Tulasi Maharani ki jaya!

LATER NOTE: Try to get unbleached cotton. Bleached cotton has traces of a very dangerous chemical called dioxin.

Granola II

 

There are countless variations to granola. This one had besan flour and craisins instead of raisins!

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups oat groats, coarsely ground

1/2 cup besan

1 Tablespoon dry coconut flakes

a handful of pecans, chopped

a handful of almonds, chopped

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup water

1 Tablespoon maple syrup

a few Tablespoons of ghee

a handful of craisins or raisins

PREPARATION:

Combine the oat groats, besan, coconut, nuts and cinnamon in a bowl.

In a saucepan combine the sugars and water and boil until the sugar dissolves. Cool.

Add maple syrup and ghee to the sugar water.

Stir the sugar water into oat combination and stir thoroughly 

Bake mixture spread on a couple baking pans. Deep cast iron pans also work well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minute intervals, stirring in between to make sure the granola evenly browns and does not burn. Can take about 30 minutes tops.

Stir in the craisins when granola comes out of the oven.

Offer to Krishna with fresh milk and lots of love and devotion. Hare Krishna

DIY Scotchbrite

My most favorite pot scrubbing tool is a scotchbrite pad, especially the one without any sponge and not the one that is meant for teflon. No, the powerful one that takes off the most minute stains in stainless steel. 

Unfortunately, as do all things in this world, the pads wear out pretty quickly. Others use things like Bar Keepers Friend and Ajax etc, all of which carry warnings not to breathe in. No thanks. And baking soda just doesn't do much in this case.

But then there's something I learned in India. People cleanse their stainless with sand. Luckily, we have areas of fine sand where the soil is washed away by continuous rains. Couple that with the homemade sponges mentioned earlier and you  will learn how Indians keep their pots so shiny. Or use any terry cloth or sponge, etc. that can be used to rub on the sand.

The example below is not the best. This pot had not been scrubbed in a very long time so the stain required a lot of elbow grease but its now looking a lot better. Next time I'll get the wok in here after a cooking session that even metal steel scrubbers cannot remove but the sand and luffa does with ease!

Ok here’s the wok it was a mess, but I missed hitting a photo of that. Anyway, first  the grease was removed with a regular long handled brush to keep hands out of the dish soap.

Next, the stainless steel metal scrubber was used. 

And the remaining stain as seen in the photo could not be removed with the metal scrubber was easily removed with a loofah and a little sand outside in my designated pot scrubbing area.

Success! Best of all it was done with natural supplies from Krishna.

UPDATE : the luffa is such a gentle cleanser along with fine sand; we discovered it can polish copper and silver, too.

PS Some people are repulsed by this idea for some reason I personally don't understand, but I've seen regular soil ( that isn't contaminated, of course) is also used if sand is not available.  And it works, too!

Besan halava

 Ingredients:

4 Tablespoon ghee

1 cup besan (chickpea flour)

2 cups water 

1/3-1/2 cup sugar 

1/4 teaspoon cardamom 

Chopped cashews and or pistachios 

a few strands of saffron (opt)

Preparation:

In the ghee toast the besan, nuts and cardamom  until it turns a couple shades darker.

Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil with the sugar.

When the water is boiling and the besan hot, carefully  pour in the boiling sugar water while stirring out the lumps. Stir until thickening enough to begin  pulling away from the edges of the pan.

Pour the results into a greased pan or mold to cool and or cut into pieces. 

Garnish with saffron strands if desired.

VARIATIONS:

For more crunch,  toast  the nuts ahead of time and set them aside to be added at the end. 

Also the besan can be toasted first without ghee and then add the ghee (or butter) very close to the time when the boiling water will be added or even add the ghee to the water instead, when bringing it to a the boil.

Peanuts!

This year's experiment was planting a couple nuts inside a single peanut shell that was uncovered while digging in the back yard. We found out later that a crop of peanuts used to be grown here. From those two small nuts came two sprawling plants.  

Harvesting requires patience for maximum yields because peanuts spread as they continue to grow and produce individual peanuts at different rates. 

Helpful Peanut Info:

Harvesting Peanuts

Peanuts
Beginner's Guide

National Peanut Board

How and When to Harvest