Tomato Pachadi

A few blocks from my condo there’s a corner store that sells lottery tickets, liquor, and an odd mix of pantry items. Every few months, I stop by to purchase a phone card to call India. The proprietor has dense black hair and a bushy mustache (like many of my uncles). I pegged him as a Keralite at first sight. 

Not surprisingly, he looked skeptical when I mentioned my Indian roots. Nearly everyone assumes I am Hispanic (although I’ve also been dubbed Italian, Middle Eastern, and even Irish (?) over the years). He warmed up when I mentioned preparing sambar, idli, and other everyday South Indian dishes. As our conversation continued, we both waxed on about the allure of spicy food and a dreamy look covered his face. By the time I walked out, I’d earned his approval despite my Midwestern accent and fair complexion. 

A few months later I returned for another phone card.  I was looking forward to having another food-focused conversation. Perhaps he would even share some recipes. When our eyes met, the owner gave me guarded look. I mentioned being Malayalee again and he responded with disbelief, “You’re Malayalee!?!”Clearly too much time had passed since our last encounter.  

I quickly refocused the conversation on my mom’s tomato pachadi – a spicy yogurt-based dish.  His body relaxed and a warm smile covered his face. Once again, I had earned his friendship. 

TOMATO PACHADI

Serves 4

This tangy yogurt dish is best prepared with vine-ripened summer tomatoes. Because it’s full-flavored, I like to pair it with plain rice for a light, but hearty vegetarian meal.   

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 tablespoon skinned and split urad dhal (black gram)
3/4 tablespoon minced ginger
½ cup finely chopped onions
2 small dried red chilies
1 cup finely diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 cup low-fat yogurt
¾ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the urad dhal and dried red chilies and stir. (For extra heat, tear the dried red chilies apart before adding them.)

When the urad dhal turns honey brown, add the onions and ginger. Stir frequently, until the onions become translucent (about 5 minutes). 

Add the tomatoes and stir until they soften, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the cilantro and cool completely.

Place the yogurt in a medium size bowl and mix in the tomatoes. Add the salt, garlic powder, cumin, and stir. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve cold. 

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Serves 6

Yogurt compliments the intensely spiced dishes that are served throughout Kerala. And so, plain or spruced up, it always finds a coveted place on the Malayalee table. This preparation calls for cucumbers, making it extra refreshing. For an elegant meal, pair it with chicken biriyani, lentil wafers, and lemon pickle.



INGREDIENTS

1 cup finely diced cucumbers
1 cup finely diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely diced onions
Half a small jalapeno, cut lengthwise and seeded
10 ounces low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream (optional)
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and jalapeno together in a large bowl.

Mix in the yogurt and sour cream.

Stir in the salt and cilantro. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Tomato Rice

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

My mom shared the gloomy prediction on a sunny day in June.

"Lucille used to say that the first frost falls six weeks after the cicadas begin to sing." Unwilling to ponder the possibility, I tucked the information in the far reaches of my mind.

About a month later, I heard their first chorus. It had a pulsing rhythm that seemed mechanized. Summer after summer, I had been fascinated by the ebb and flow of the cicadas' melody. So much so that when I lived in Japan my sister sent me a recording on cassette tape. But that day I felt terrorized by it. Hadn't summer just started?

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

By early August, my rabbit began shedding her coat. I found tufts of strawberry blond fur on the couch, the carpet, and in the windowsill where she loves to perch. "Great???," I thought. "It seems, Honey is in cahoots with those noisy insects!"

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

Unable to cope with the onset of fall, I began sharing the prediction with my neighbors.

"Did you know that it's supposed to frost six weeks after you first hear the cicadas?"

"Really, when did they start?"

"In the middle of July."

They would shoot me a look of disbelief that quickly gave way to weary acceptance.

"That's Chicago for you."

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

Thankfully, the six-week point came and went without the appearance of ice crystals. The sun kept shining. The cicadas kept singing, and Honey sported a shabby spectrum of blond.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

Last week, I asked a flower vendor at the farmer's market about the cicadas and their foretelling of fall. He gave me a big smile, and in a humble voice said, "There's no way. The first frost coincides with the full moon and won't be here until the end of September."

And in a few simple words, he redeemed the buzzing creatures.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)

MOM'S TOMATO RICE

This recipe is wonderful with fresh summer tomatoes. (Be sure to store them on your counter top, not in the fridge where they get mealy.) It starts with a saute of onion, ginger, and garlic, the "Holy Trinity" of Kerala cooking, and calls for turmeric, another very commonly used spice added in "dashes". The hot pepper rounds out the flavors, and I think of it as my mom's secret weapon. Remove the seeds to dial down the heat. Lastly, the women in my family swear by Riceland Extra Long-Grain Rice.Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup diced onions
1 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 - 1 jalapeno, slice lengthwise (depending on the heat)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
Dash of turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup extra long-grain rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil in a medium saute pan on medium heat.

Add the onions, ginger, garlic, and jalapeno. Saute until the onions become translucent.

Stir in the cumin, turmeric, and salt. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes. Cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the rice. Stir until thoroughly combined. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the water and lemon juice. Stir. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Susan Pachikara (COPYRIGHT 2011)