Another non-dessert rhubarb recipe I make is Rhubarb Umaboshi. There is enough rhubarb left from this pick to make another jar. It *does* taste like umaboshi!
I find it lasts in the fridge longer than the specified 2 weeks.
#Rhubarb is pickled, or at least in it's jar and beginning to pickle. I discovered I had some left-over brine in the fridge, so it made the job easy. I layered it with just-picked chillies and tarragon, and some fresh bay leaves.
Meanwhile I got curious about eating raw rhubarb. Can you?
**How to Eat Rhubarb Raw**
In its raw state, the “pie plant” is pretty sour. Think Granny Smith apple sour! This is one of the reasons it’s often paired with sweeter fruits, like strawberry. To eat rhubarb solo, dip the stalk into sugar or honey to help mellow out that tart taste. You can also whip up a raw rhubarb compote and add it to your morning bowl of homemade yogurt. Its biting acidity goes beautifully with sweet ripe strawberries (of course), mangoes and even coconut.
Rhubarb is a wicked good way to kick up the crunch factor in salads, too. Its sharp flavor makes a mouthwatering foil in sweet fruit salads, but it’s a delight in green salads, especially when paired with fennel. You can even add thin strips of raw rhubarb to a slaw.
From https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/can-you-eat-rhubarb-raw/
Kewra aka Pandanus/Pandan
Also known as screwpine.
Kewra is a herbaceous tropical plant that grows easily in SE Asia, India and Sri Lanka.
Kewra is usually used in cooking in the form of its oil (kewra essence), a diluted form (kewra water) and its leaves (pandan/pandanus leaves). In some areas the fruit and nuts are also used.
The flowery essence, distilled from the pandan flower, is used in India, particularly in Muslim Indian cooking - in banquet style dishes and desserts.
Kewra water is sprinkled on breads and used to enhance flavour in dishes, such as in kheer. It is also available as a syrup which is mixed with ice and water to make a summer drink.
Pandanus leaves (my favourite use) are used widely in SE and South Asian cuisines to add a distinct aroma to various dishes, both sweet and savoury. Fresh leaves are typically torn into strips, tied in a knot to facilitate removal, placed in the cooking liquid, then removed at the end of cooking. They can also be used to wrap small items of food.
Pandan leaves are also available as a paste, extract, and powder, such as in the wide variety of pandan desserts/cakes in SE Asia.
Dosa / Dosai / Dose / Dhosa
There are more types of dosa in India than you ever dreamed of. Fermented or not, crisp or not, holey/lacy or not, filled/stuffed or not, large or not, .... They are eaten for breakfast, and for an afternoon snack, or for lunch, or indeed at any time the craving hits you.
The types of dosa would fill volumes of cookbooks if someone was to do a study.
The most popular from restaurants are thin crisp pancakes, made from a fermented batter of rice, split black lentils (urad) and fenugreek seeds, cooked on a thick cast iron griddle.
They may be served plain, though they are frequently folded or rolled to enclose a masala of spiced mashed potatoes.
They are best eaten hot from the griddle with fresh coconut chutney and sambar.
Dosa batter is not quite the same when made with a blender rather than the common Indian home wet grinder, but luckily many Indian groceries sell pre-made batter that can be used for dosa, idli and paniyaram.
Tell me your dosa-love stories.
