Queen of my kitchen

Eggless Vanilla Pudding Cookies

2012-01-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. Wish you all a very happy and healthy 2012. We are back in Seattle after a wonderful vaction in Mumbai and Singapore.

We have had snow for the past 6 days and except for a brief respite last Tuesday, have been pretty much home-tied since last Saturday. My daughter has been after me to bake some cookies, so today we made these lovely and easy Eggless Vanilla Pudding Cookies from Madhuram's Eggless Cooking.

Here's how I made these:

6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tbsp Jello Vanilla flavor instant pudding mix
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour
few drops of vanilla essence
Handful of chopped and toasted walnuts

Cream the butter, pudding mix and sugar together. I used an electric hand blender for this. Add flour in 2 - 3 installments and keeping folding it in gently until well incorporated. Add the vanilla essence and walnuts. Knead gently. The dough will be like chapati/roti dough.

Divide the dough into 12 - 14 portions of abt 1 tbsp each. Roll each gently into a ball and flatten a little. Place on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Bake these cookies in an oven preheated to 375F, for abt 11 mins. Remove and cool 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

My daughter and her friends loved these and they were gone in no time. My dad also liked them, he said they tasted like the Indian cookie - Nankhatai.

I loved them for the delicious taste and ease of preparation. I will surely make them over & over again.

Squash Curry

2011-11-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

This unique and delicious curry is based on a recipe I read in Raghavan Iyer's cook book. My cousin who is an ophthalmic dr always advises us to include orange/red squash/pumpkin (laal bhopla) in our diet as it is very good for the eyes. So I try to make a squash or red bhopla dish once a week. But it is hard to get my daughter to eat subjis containing cubed pieces of this veggie - she picks them out and eats the rest! I do make squash puris (gharges) and a squash sauce for pastas, both of which she loves. So when I came across this recipe, it opened up a new way for me to sneak in this healthy veggie in our diet.

To make the squash curry - if using cubed pieces, boil them with 1/2 cup of water for 15 mins until very soft. If using the frozen cooked squash, you just need to thaw it to room temperature.

To make the masala for the curry - dry roast 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 2 tsp udad dal, 1/4 tsp methi seeds and 1 or 2 dry red chillies per taste. Roast at low heat till aromatic. Take off heat, cool. Grind this along with the cooked or thawed squash.

To proceed - Heat 1 tsp oil and make the tempering by adding mustard seeds. When they stop spluttering add cumin seeds, asafotida, turmeric pwd and curry leaves. Add veggies of choice. I usually use colored bell peppers, onions and potatoes. Saute well for 5 mins. Add the squash curry. Season with salt to taste. Add 1 tsp jaggesry and 1 tsp tamarind paste. Stir in upto 1 cup of water, cover and cook on medium heat till veggies are cooked. Adjust seasonings and water per desired consistency.

Garnish with chopped cilantro. Excellent with rotis. The first time I made this and set it out on the table, my daughter stopped right in her tracks as she was passing by and remarked "This looks very interesting!". And proceeded to lap it up, eating it with twice the rotis she usually has. What more can I ask for!

Okra - Potato Stir Fry

2011-10-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

The idea of mixing okra and potato came to me from a Raghavan Iyer cookbook, but I decided to make it dry. This was the first time I made it and the one lesson I learnt is that this subji should be made in great quantities if you want to get any share of it, which says a lot about its taste.

Here's how I made it:

Tender okra - caps cut off and halved lenght-wise
Red potata - cut into fngers
Tempering - oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafotida, chopped curry leaves, turmeric pwd
Other seasonings - salt, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, red chilli pwd, amchoor pwd
some more oil to shallow fry
chopped cilantro for garnish

Take some oil in a wide shallow wok, fry the okra for 15 mins on medium heat, stirring now & then. Drain the okra and fry the potatoes in the same oil. You can add a little more oil if required for frying. Drain the potatoes. At this stage, both the okra and potatoes should be well cooked but firm.

Make the tempering by heating the oil, then adding the mustard seeds. When they stop spluttering, add the other ingredients. Saute few seconds.

Then add the fried okra and potatoes. Add the seasonings to taste. Mix gently and let it heat thru.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

This Okra-Potato Stir Fry goes well with rotis and rice.

Penne in Ricotta Sauce

2011-10-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe while browsing thru a bookstore. I was looking for a way to use up some left over ricotta cheese and this recipe fit the bill perfectly.

Here's how I made it:

1 cup whole wheat penne pasta cooked per package directions & drained (reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water)

For the sauce - Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until fragrant, abt 5 mins. Add roughly chopped spinach and chopped sun dried tomatoes. Cook till spinach wilts. Take off heat, add the ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash seasoning (or any other per choice) and about 1/4 cup of the water in which the pasta was cooked. Stir well to make a sauce like consistency. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Pour the ricotta sauce over the pasta. Serve warm with some garlic bread.

Tofu Omelette

2011-10-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

This recipe idea is courtesy of a lovely lady I bumped into the other day at Trader Joes. We just got talking and she gave me some wonderful tofu recipe ideas. I did not waste any time in trying this out.

Here's how I made the tofu omelette:

1/2 block soft tofu
1/2 cup semolina/rawa
Seasoning to taste - salt, red chilli pwd/green chilli paste
Veggies to add - onions, bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, cilantro - all finely chopped

Mix all the ingredients, add abt 1/2 cup water to make a batter. Pour 1 ladleful on a hot pan and drizzle a few drops of oil. Roast until golden brown, flip and roast similarly on the other side.

Serve with ketchup or chutney.

The batter

Omelette being roasted

Eggless Applesauce Cake

2011-09-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

This recipe is adapted from Rachel Ray's Better Food For Kids. I was surprised to find an eggless cake recipe in it and tried it out immediately. My daughter and all her friends love it and ask me to make it again and again. I've made it as a loaf, muffins and a cake and it works well every time.

Here's how I make it:

1 cup flour
1 tsp all spice mix
1 tsp baking pwd
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup brown or white sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter - softened
3/4 cup applesauce
handful of walnuts - chopped

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking pwd and all spice together
Cream the butter and sugar with an electric blender or manually until well combined. Add the apple sauce.
Add the flour mix to the applesauce mix in installments, stirring gently each time until well mixed.
Pour the batter into a greased and floured cake pan or muffin pan or loaf pan.
Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for about 45 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool to room temperature before removing.

This Eggless Applesauce Cake goes to the Apple event at Ramya's Recipe.

Apple - Cucumber Koshimbir

2011-09-27T18:34:00.000-07:00

This is a simple and interesting combination for me. I tasted it at a cousin's place last month where she added yogurt and made it like a raita. I made it in the style of 'khamang kakdi", using a combination of mild cool cucumbers and tart green apples.

Here how I made it -

1 red or green apple - grated
1 cup grated cucumber
handful of crushed peanuts
Tempering - 1 tsp ghee, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, red or green chiles per taste
salt per taste
cilantro to garnish

Make the tempering by heating the ghee and sauteing the cumin seeds and chiles for 1 min. Mix all the other ingredients and pour the tempering over it. Garnish with cilantro.

Enjoy cool Apple-Cucumber koshimbir with rotis and subji.

This Apple - Cucumber Koshimbir goes to the A for Apple event at Ramya's Kitchen.

Potato-Spinach-Cottage Cheese Parathas

2011-09-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

These parathas are adapted from Saffron Hut. While we all love the stuffed paratha, my daughter is not particularly fond of potato stuffed parathas, or potato anything for that matter, which is totally surprising and beyond me. Anyway, in order to get her to eat these, I adapted the recipe by including the potato in the spinach-cheese dough.

Here's how I make these parathas:

1 cup whole wheat flour (I use Pilsbury brand)

1 cup spinach leaves - roughly chopped

1/2 cup frozen shredded hash browns - thawed for 2 mins in the microwave

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Seasonings to taste - salt, sugar, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, red chilli pwd, chat masala.

Run the spinach leaves and cottage cheese thru a blender for a few minutes to get a smooth paste. Then mix it with all the other ingredients to form a dough. Add a little water only if needed. Let this dough rest for atleast 1/2 hr. Then roll into parathas. Roast on an iron griddle with a few drops of oil, until brown spots develop on both sides.

Serve with yogurt/ketchup/pickles.

These Potato-Spinach-Cottage Cheese Parathas go to the Dish it Out event at Mharo Rajasthan Recipes. This event was started by Vardhini.

Almond Cookies

2011-09-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

These delightful cookies are very similar to the Walnut Cookies I posted some time back. I used the same proportions, except I sedd additional 2 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp brown sugar instead of white. The cookie dough was a little dryer/crumblier than before. But I could easily pat it into my baking pan.

The Almond cookies came out wonderfully crisp and delicious....not too sweet, with the dusted sugar adding a touch of extra sweetness.

These Almond Cookies go to the Almond Dessert Event at Anuz Healthy Kitchen. This event was started by Raven.

Avocado Chutney

2011-09-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

I have adapted this recipe from Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries. I loved the fusion of Indian and Mexican flavors in this chutney.

Here's how I make it:

2 avocados - chopped
1/4 red or sweet onion - finely chopped
1 tomato - finely chopped
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp salt
1 green chile - deseeded and deribbed for lesser heat - chopped
1/2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
few curry leaves - finely chopped

Mix the avocados, onions, tomatoes, tamarind and salt in a bowl.

Heat the oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds. When they stop spluttering, add the chiles and curry leaves. Take off heat and add to the avocado mix.

Mash lightly with a fork.

Serve this Avocado Chutney as part of an Indian meal or as a filling for wraps or alongside veggie quesadillas or any other way you can think of. Today we made a totally fusion meal out of this - I had some leftover rotis and cabbage-peas subji. I made "quesadillas" with these and we had the Avocado Chutney along with them.

This Avocado Chutney goes to Srivalli's Condiment Mela.

This Avocado Chutney also goes to the Life is Green event at Yummilicious Food.

Lasun Tikhat (Dry Garlic Chutney)

2011-09-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

Lasun Tikhat is a great accompaniment to the everyday poli-bhaji (roti-subji) or varan-bhaat (dal-rice) as it adds a kick to any ordinary meal. You can also use it innovatively like atop butterred toast, in wraps, in vada-pav etc.This dry garlic chutney can be stored in an airtight container for 2 weeks at room temperature or even longer if you keep it in the fridge.

The dry garlic chutney, also called gun powder, available in stores is too spicy for our taste, this version suits our everyday needs better as it has a good balance of heat, salt and tang and a lot of flavor.

Here's how I make it:

1/2 cup dry shredded coconut
5 big cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilli pwd
betel-nut size ball of tamarind (seeds and husk removed)

Roast the dry shredded coconut in a pan on medium low heat until lightly browned. Cool completely. Add all the other ingredients and grind in a dry grinder or coffee grinder.

Store in an airtight container.

This will make about 1 cup of Lasun Tikhat.

This Lasun Tikhat goes to Srivalli's Condiment Mela.

Fruit Tart

2011-09-01T23:17:00.000-07:00

This is an incredibly easy dessert with a wow factor. I adapted it from Show Me The Curry. Here's how I made it:

1 roll of ready-made frozen pie crust

2 - 3 cups choice of fruits - I have used bananas, mangos and strawberries, all sliced thinly

For the glaze - 2 tbsp orange juice, 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp corn starch, 2 tbsp sugar, pinch of salt, pinch of orange zest

To make the crust - Thaw the pie crust roll per package instructions. Divide into 4 parts. Gently roll each part with palms to form balls. Roll each ball into a circle abt 5 inches in diameter, use some flour to dust while rolling. Bake the circles at 400F for 20 mins turning once in between. Cool before assembly.

To make the glaze - combine all the ingredients in a small pan and heat gently, whisking continuously till it comes to a gentle boil. Take off heat, cool before assembly.

To assemble the Fruit Tart - lay the fruit on the baked crusts, brush with the prepared orange glaze. Chill for 2 hours. Then cut into wedges and serve.

This Fruit tart goes to the Celebrate Sweets event at Raks Kitchen.

This event was started by Nivedita.

Tofu & Veggies Fried Rice

2011-08-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

This has recently become one of my daughter's favorite dishes. Here's how I make it:

1 cup white rice - I use short grain variety for this and cook with abt 2 cups water in the pressure cooker for 1 whistle, then let it cool in the cooker itself.

2 tsp veg. oil

1 green chile & 1 dried red chile

1 clove garlic (minced)

1/2 cup firm tofu - crumbled

pinch of turmeric pwd

Veggies I usually use are - onions, green bell peppers, carrots, green beans (all finely chopped), cabbage (shredded) and broccoli florets

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp vinegar

Salt and sugar to taste

Chopped green onions for garnish

Heat the oil in a wok, fry chiles & garlic for 2 mins. Fry onions till slightly softened. Add the crumbled tofu and fry on high heat till all its water evaporates and tofu starts browning. Then lower heat, add all the other veggies, turmeric pwd and saute 5 mins till the veggies cook slightly but still retain their crunch. Then add the soy sauce, vinegar, cooked rice, salt and sugar. Mix well and take off heat. Garnish with chopped green onions.

This is a good way to get picky kids/adults to eat veggies and tofu.

This Tofu & Veggies Fried Rice goes to the Rice Recipes event at My Culinary Creations.

Rava Ladoos

2011-08-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

Made Rava Ladoos as offering for Krishna Janmashtami. The recipe is from Show Me The Curry. Here's how I made them:

1 cup medium rava

1/4 stick unsalted butter (4 tbsp)

3/4 cup dry shredded coconut

1 cup sugar

2.5 oz evaporated or regular milk

Handful of toasted broken cashew pieces

Pinch of cardamon pwd and saffron strands

In a thick bottom pan, melt the butter and roast the rava in it on medium low heat for 15 - 20 mins or until aromatic.

Add the shredded dry coconut & sugar. Mix well and continue roasting for 5 mins.

Add the cardamon pwd., saffron strands and cashews. Mix well.

Add the milk, take off heat and mix till well incorporated.

After 2 mins., start moulding the laddos. Grease palms frequently with some ghee while shaping into balls.

This makes 20-25 small lemon size ladoos.

Strawberry Lemonade

2011-08-22T23:14:00.000-07:00

I had saved this recipe from my newspaper...but we have been having such a mild summer here in the Seattle area that I didn't get a chance to make this. Finally we saw some 80+ degree F days, so promptly made it. Here's how I put it together:
Pureed strawberries to make a cup of puree. I did not feel the need to strain this, but you can if you wish. Add 2 - 4 tsp sugar, depending on sweetness of strawberries and sweetness desired. Divide this concentrate among 4 cups. Add 2 tbsp lemon juice to each cup. Top with chilled sparkling water.

Enjoy cooling strawberry lemonade!

Squash Thalipeeth

2011-08-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

Thalipeeth is a popular Maharashtrian b'fast/snack item. I recently started adding frozen cooked squash to make it healthier. Here's how I make it:

2 cups ready-made Bhajani Flour (see note)
1 cup frozen cooked squash (thawed)
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
chopped cilantro
1.5 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp red chilli pwd or to taste

Mix all the above ingredients. Add water, a little at a time, to form a dough. Consistency of the dough should be a little looser than regular roti dough.

To prepare the thalipeeth, take a ball of dough the size of a large lemon. Flatten it on a plastic sheet with your fingers to get a round shape. Poke a few holes in the flattenned dough.

Roast on a pan/tava on medium heat with a few drops of oil until golden brown on both sides.

Serve warm with homemade butter/yogurt/pickle/chutney.

Note - I bought my Bhajani Flour in Mumbai. It is a mixture of jowar, bajra, wheat, udad, chana and mung flours with some coriander-cumin pwd. You can simply mix any/all of these flours in desired proportion if you do not have ready-made Bhajani flour.

Penne Pasta in Squash Sauce

2011-08-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

This is adapted from a Rachel Ray cookbook. I absolutely love the sauce, its so unique and healthy and tasty. You can use any kind of pumpkin or squash puree, I have used the frozen cooked squash from the grocery store.

Here's how I made it:

Saute some chopped shallots in olive oil on medium heat for 3-5 mins. Add minced garlic and saute another 2 mins. Add 1/2 cup vegetable stock, 1/2 cup thawed cooked squash and a dash of milk. Simmer for 5 mins to thicken the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, pinch of nutmeg, Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning Blend (or any other seasonings per your choice) and a dash of hot sauce. You can also add some cheese per your choice - today I added a little goat cheese I had on hand. Stir well till cheese melts. Keep on low heat.

In the meanwhile, cook penne pasta per package directions to make about 1 cup of cooked pasta. Drain, reserving some water to thin the sauce if needed. Add the hot pasta to the sauce.

Top with chopped basil and oregano (I used dried).

Enjoy warm with some garlic bread.

This Penne Pasta in Squash Sauce goes to the following events:

PPN # 229 at Ruth's Once Upon A Feast

Fusion Food Pasta at Ramya's Recipe

Tender Methi - Mung Dal Salad

2011-05-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Tarla Dalal's magazine. Since it called for tender methi, I planted a handful of methi seeds in a plastic tray on my patio and in about 8 days, harvested the tender saplings which were just enough for this refreshing salad.

Here's how I made the salad -

1/3 cup mung dal - soaked in water for 1/2 hour and cooked in boiled, salted water for 10-12 mins. till cooked but still firm.
Handful of tender methi shoots - leaves and stalks
1 small Persian cucumber
1 green chilli pepper - chopped
Salt, sugar to taste
1/4 tsp lemon juice

Just mix all the ingredients together and enjoy this salad at room temperature.

The tender, fresh methi had only the mildest of bitter tinge, which was perfectly set-off by the mung dal and cool cucumbers.

This was the first time I made this salad, next time I may try adding chopped onions and tomatoes also.

This Tender Methi - Mung Dal Salad goes to the Fenugreek Event at What's Cooking.
This event was started by PJ of Seduce Your Tastebuds.

Also contributing my all time favorite Methi Subji - Methi with Gram Flour (Methi chi Peeth Perleli Bhaji) to the above event.

I'm sending this Tender Methi and the salad I made with it to the Fresh From ur Garden event at Taste Buds.

Bread Pizza

2011-05-14T07:55:00.000-07:00

Bread Pizza is an easy snack/light meal for kids and adults alike. Here's how I make it:

Toast bread slices till crisp. I usually use whole grain bread and toast in my pop-up toaster.
Cool and smear with a tbsp of ready-made pizza sauce. Yesterday I used Trader Joe's pizza sauce. Most store bought sauces are a little bland for our taste, so I add a pinch of salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash original seasoning blend.
Toppings - try to keep them as colorful as possible. Yesterday I used onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, green and red bell peppers, frozen corn, spinach leaves and shredded carrots. I like to chop the veggies fine since they do not get cooked much.
Lastly sprinkle the cheese. I think fresh mozarella tastes the best on pizza, but any other kind will also work. Like yesterday, I did not have fresh mozarella on hand, so I used a shredded cheese blend.
You can either microwave the bread pizza for 30 secs per picture above or cook it covered on the stove top on medium low heat with a little butter till cheese melts.

Serve immediately.

I find that the stove top method result in a crisper crust than the MW method, in any case, neither results in soggy crusts.

These Bread Pizza slices go to the Kids Delight - Colorful Fruits/Veggies event at Give Me Some Spice. This event was started by Srivalli.

Adorable Rotis

2011-05-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

These are made with beets & tofu, which gives them a pink hue. My daughter nicknamed them "Adorable" rotis. The idea came from a friend - the moment she mentioned the this combination & the pink colored rotis, I wanted to try them myself.

Here's how I make them:

1 heaped cup wheat flour
4 small beets drained from a can of beets
1/2 block tofu
Seasonings to taste - salt, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, red chilli pwd, amchur pwd, ginger-garlic paste

The canned beets are cooked and very soft. I just mashed them up by hand and combied with the rest of the ingredients to form a dough. No additional water is needed. Let the dough rest for 1/2 hour. Then roll out into rotis and roast as usual. Smear with some ghee and serve hot.

Goes well with yogurt/pickles/curries.

Also good as a lunch-box item.

These Adorable Beet-Tofu Rotis go to the Pink Food event at Torview.

Strawberry Muffins

2011-05-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

This delightful recipe came about from a combination of recipes I had seen online and my basic recipe for eggless cake.

1 cup APF
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking pwd
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
3 oz milk
1 cup strawberry flavor yogurt
few chopped strawberries

Mix all the dry ingredients from APF to salt in a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter, milk and strawberry flavor yogurt. Fold the mixture gently. Add the chopped strawberries.

Fill the mix into muffin pans filed with paper cups. Bake in a pre heated oven at 350F for abt 30-40 mins until tops are lightly browned.

Cool completely before serving.

This yields me 12 mini muffins and 4 regular size ones.

Mung Beans Dumplings

2011-05-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

I found this unusual & interesting recipe in my current month Kalnirnay calendar. I was looking for ways to use up a batch of sprouted mung beans and decided to give it a try.

Here's how I made these dumplings:

For the mung bean filling -

1/2 cup sprouted, boiled mung beans
1 inch piece of ginger
big handful of cilantro
1 green chilli pepper (increase for more heat, deseed & derib for less heat)
Seasonings to taste - salt, coriander pwd, cumin pwd, pinch of turmeric pwd, little jaggery
1 tsp oil

To make the filling, grind the ginger, cilantro and chilli pepper with 1 tbsp water.
Heat the oil, fry the ground mix for 2 mins, add the mung beans. Add a little water, cover and cook 10 mins. Then add the seasonings, mix well, cook some more till the water is absorbed.
Mash part of the mung beans mix with the back of a spoon.
Allow to cool.

To make the dumplings -

Heat 1 cup water along with pinch of cumin seeds, salt to taste and 1/2 tsp oil. When it boils, add 3/4 cup rice flour. Stir quickly to mix well. Cover and let steam on medium low heat for 10 mins, stirring occassionally. Take off heat and cool to room temperature. Wet hands and knead well for 5 - 7 mins.

Cooked Rice flour mix and mung beans stuffing

To proceed -

Take a lemon sized ball of the rice flour mix. Flatten on a wet plastic ziplock bag. Fill 1 - 2 tsp of the mung beans mix. Shape the dumplings as desired. As you can see in the picture below, I made a few "modak" shaped and "karanji" shaped ones.

Ready to be steamed

Steam for 10 -15 mins. in pressure cooker, without the whistle.

Steamed dumplings

These Mung Bean Dumplings go to the MLLA 34 event being hosted by Desi Soccer Mom.

MLLA is the brainchild of Susan, The Well Seasoned Cook.

Eggless Omelet

2011-04-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is a very popular breakfast item, made of gram flour instead of eggs. Its called dhirde in Marathi, you could say its a kind of instant dosa or pancake also. It can be made plain or with addition of desired finely chopped veggies & herbs. It can be eaten with any kind of chutney/ketchup/butter etc.

Here's how I make these eggless omelets:

1 cup gram flour
2 tbsp rice flour
2 tbsp any other flour like soy flour etc. (optional)
2 cups water
1 tsp salt or to taste
pinch of sugar
1 tomato - finely chopped
1/4 cup onions - finely chopped
handful of finely chopped cilantro
1 green chilli pepper (finely chopped)/ red chilli pwd/black pepper pwd to taste

Mix the flours with water to form a runny batter. Add the seasonings and veggies, stir well.

To make the omelet, heat a non-stick or cast iron griddle on medium heat. Pour 2 ladleful of batter in the center and spread into a circle with the back of the ladle. Drizzle some oil around the edges and cook for a few minutes until golden brown. Flip the omelet over, drizzle some more oil and cook another few minutes.

Serve hot with chutney/ketchup/butter.

These Eggless Omelets go to the Breakfast Club - Pancakes event at Krithi's Kitchen. This event was started by Helen.

My daughter loves this as an omelet sandwich for breakfast and in her lunch box. For this, I make the omelets much smaller in size to fit the bread I am using. I usually toast the bread a bit, add 2 small omelets, slice of cheese, some lettuce and thats it. A real easy option for weekday breakfast and/or lunch. Actually this idea came from her, one day she said to me "Mom, I have a tip for you when you don't know what to pack for my lunch. You should pack an omelet sandwich"!

These Eggless Omelets and the Omelet Sandwich goes to the Breakfast Mela at Cooking 4 All Seasons.

Microwave Pulav

2011-04-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

I'm back after a prolonged break. Been busy at work the past 2-3 months with tax return prep. Now that the tax season is over, I've reduced my work hours greatly.

As a much-needed break, we went on a weekend trip to Great Wolf Lodge. Had a thoroughly good time there - getting soaked in the water park and going on the magical runes quest with my daughter.

Coming to the recipe, I had carried this quick, easy pulav that I cooked in my microwave. The recipe is adapted from Tarla Dalal's Microwave Desi Khana. Here's how I made it:

1 cup Basmati rice
1 tbsp oil
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup paneer - cubed
1 tbsp tomato ketchup (optional)
1 tsp salt or to taste
pinch of sugar
1 tsp cumin pwd
1 tsp coriander pwd
1/4 tsp red chilli pwd (increase for more heat)
1/4 tsp garam masala pwd

Wash the Basmati rice in 2 - 3 rinses of cold water. Then soak in warm water for 10 mins. Drain and keep aside.

Combine oil, onion, ginger and garlic pastes in a microwave safe glass bowl. Microwave, uncovered, for 2 mins.

Add the tomatoes, rice, salt, sugar, ketchup and masalas. Stir to mix and microwave, uncovered, for 1 min.

Add the paneer cubes and 2 cups hot water. Stir, cover and microwave for 10 mins., stirring atleast once in between.

Add the frozen peas and microwave another 5 mins till rice is cooked.

Let stand for 5 mins before packing/serving.

This Microwave Pulav goes to the MEC Lunch Box event at Flavors and Tastes. This event was started by Srivalli.

Rocket Dosa

2011-03-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

I first saw Rocket Dosa on the kids menu at our local Indian Restaurant Spice Route. My daughter always orders this when we dine there. She's just recovering from the flu, so I thought to make this at home in an attempt to get her to eat something. This is usually made from regular dosa batter, but I did not have this ready on hand. So I made an instant dosa batter this way:

Heat 1 tbsp oil, saute some cumin seeds and 1 dry red chilli in it for 2 mins. Discard the chilli and add this to 1 cup rice flour mixed with 2 cups water. Add 1 tbsp fresh grated coconut, handful of chopped cilantro and salt to taste. Stir till you get a smooth pourable batter.

I made the dosas in my non-stick pan. Spread 2 ladleful of the batter on medium hot tava in a circle. Drizzle some ghee around the edges. Cook till underside gets golden brown, then flip over and cook another 2 mins.

To make the conical rocket shape, cut dosa from outer edge to the center with a pair of kitchen scissors. Then roll into a cone.

Thats it. I served it to her with some mild coconut chutney and bell peppers chutney. Rocket dosa zoomed off the plate and down her tummy in a jiffy!

This Rocket Dosa goes to the Kids Delight event at Versatile Vegetarian Kitchen. This event is the brain child of Srivalli.

Matar Bhaath (Peas Rice)

2011-02-24T17:45:00.000-08:00

Matar Bhaath is my dad's favorite dish. It is a quicker version of the traditional Masale Bhaath. My kaku always used to make it the day before Ganesh Chaturthi when we all gathered and brought the Ganpati idol home. Here's how I make it:

1 cup basmati rice - washed & drained

1 cup frozen peas

For tempering - oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafotida, turmeric, few curry leaves

2 tsp goda masala

1 tsp cumin pwd

1 tsp coriander pwd

1/2 tsp red chilli pwd

Salt to taste

1 tsp jaggery

grated fresh coconut and chopped cilantro to garnish

Make the tempering by heating the oil, adding the mustard seeds, once they stop spluttering add the rest of the tempering ingredients. Then add the rice, saute 2 mins on medium heat. Add 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a quick boil. All salt, jaggery and the masala pwds. Mix well, reduce heat, cover and cook about 10 mins. Add the frozen peas, mix gently, cover and continue cooking till rice is cooked, about 5 more minutes.

Serve warm, garnished with grated fresh coconut and chopped cilantro and some papad on the side.

This is ideal comfort food.

This quick Matar Bhaath goes to the Flavors of Maharashtra event at Seduce Your tastebunds.

This event was started by Naina.

Amrakhand (Mango flavored Shrikhand)

2011-02-24T17:26:00.000-08:00

I have posted an amrakhand recipe before. This was the first time I made it with Greek yogurt. Also, I found a can of Alphonso mango slices in the Indian store, I used that in this recipe as I wanted a thick shrikhand rather than a runny one. Here's how I made it:

1 32 oz container of plain Greek yogurt
1 can Alphonso mango slices (replace with any other kind of fresh mango or mango pulp if desired)
1/2 cup sugar (adjust per sweetness of mango)
1/2 tsp cardamon pwd.
pinch of saffron
pistachios to garnish

Empty the yogurt onto a sufficiently large cheesecloth. Tie ends loosely and hang up to drain. I hung it up overnight in my fridge. Keep a bowl to collect the whey that drains. Though this is not used in the recipe, you can use it in your roti dough.

Next morning, place the drained yogurt, along with the cheesecloth covering it, between several layers of paper towels. Place this package between few newspapers on a plate and top with something heavy, like the can of mango I used here. Keep in the fridge again for 2-3 hours. This gives really thick shrikhand.

Thereafter, put the well-drained yogurt, drained mango slices (or pulp), sugar, cardamon pwd and saffron in the food processor and whip well till blended. Taste and adjust sugar as desired. Empty into a bowl, top with chopped pistachios. Chill till ready to serve.

Enjoy with hot puris.

This Amrakhand goes to the Flavors of Maharashtra event at Seduce Your Tastebuds. This event was started by Naina.

Microwave Kofta Curry

2011-02-20T18:09:00.000-08:00

I almost always use my microwave to heat food. Only once in a blue moon, I actually cook something in it. On my trip to India in Dec., I had noted this MW kofta curry recipe down from a Tarla Dalal magazine. When Srivalli annnounced her MW curry event, I immediately thought to try this curry out.

Here's how I made it:

For the koftas -
1/2 of a russet potato - boiled, peeled & mashed
1/2 cup chopped spinach
Salt, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, red chilli pwd, chaat masala - all to taste
1 tbsp gram flour

Mix all the ingredients well. Shape into koftas. These made abt 15 koftas for me. Microwave for 2 minutes each side.

For the curry -
2 tsp oil
1/2 cup chopped onions - grind to a paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 tbsp cashew pieces
1/4 cup yogurt
1/2 cup milk
Salt, 1/2 tsp cumin pwd, 1/2 tsp coriander pwd, red chilli pwd per heat desired, pinch of garam masala, sugar to taste, pinch of kitchen king masala, 1 tbsp kasuri methi
1 tbsp soy flour or corn flour

Mix the oil and onion paste in a microwave safe glass bowl. Cover and microwave for 3 mins, stirring once or twice in between. Add the ginger and garlic pastes, mix well and again microwave (covered) for 2 mins.

In the meanwhile, blend together the cashews, milk, yogurt, flour and seasonings. Add this to the onion mixture. Again cover and microwave for 5 mins, stirring every minute or two. Add some water if required, to get desired consistency.

Just before serving, drop the kofta balls into the gravy, stir gently, cover and microwave for 2 minutes until heated thru.

I was pleasantly surprised by this curry dish. It came together so easily and tasted pretty good. I served it in the same bowl, so cleaning was a cinch.

This Microwave Kofta Curry goes to the Microwave Cooking - Curries and Gravies event at Srivalli's Cooking 4 All Seasons.

Roasted Red Pepper - Carrot Soup

2011-02-20T13:35:00.000-08:00

I tried this soup from a recent issue of Vegetarian Times and found it quite delicious, kinda like the roasted red pepper tomato soup from Trader Joes. BTW, any leftovers would make a good base for a pasta sauce as I posted here.

Heres how I made it:

Roast one large red bell pepper at 350F for 1 hour, turning occassionally until the skin is wrinkled and blackened all over.
Place it in a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and keep for 10 mins to steam.
Then rub off the skin and seeds.
In the meanwhile, heat some olive oil. Saute 1/4 cup onions until softened and one or two cloves minced garlic and saute another 2 mins.
Add diced carrots (abt 1/2 cup), 1 bayleaf, salt, pepper, cumin pwd, coriander pwd and curry pwd.
Add 1 cup broth, cover and simmer for 1/2 hour till carrots soften.
Cool slightly and blend with the roasted pepper.
Pour back into the pot and heat thru. Check and adjust seasonings. Squeeze in some lemon juice and garnish with finely chopped parsley.

This Roasted Red Pepper - Carrot Soup goes to the Show Me Your Soup event at Divya's Dil Se.

I've already posted a Veggie Noodle Soup for this event.

Here are some of my other favorite soups, all going to Divya's event:

Broccoli Soup
Beans Soup
Minestrone Soup
Quinoa Soup

Stuffed Bread Buns

2011-02-20T11:35:00.000-08:00

Since last year I have started baking different kinds of breads at home. I've already blogged about a couple of them - braided bread and zucchini bread. I just enjoy the whole process - kneading the sticky dough, watching it rise, the aroma filling the whole place as it bakes and finally ofcourse the taste of fresh, homemade bread.

This time around, we wanted to have some hot fresh stuffed bread buns for breakfast...right after we rise late on a lazy Sunday morning. But who will get up early enough to knead the dough, let it rise (twice) etc? Certainly not lazy me! I vaguely remember reading someplace that the twice risen bread can be refrigerated, then brought to room temp and baked before serving. So thats what I did this time, with great results. Infact, I didn't even completely bring it to room temp, just left it out for 5 - 10 mins, before sticking it in the oven. So the buns were ready right as the tea was boiling - what great timing, if I may say so myself! From now on, this will be the way to go for me.

I followed the bun recipe from Versalite Kitchen, which I have used a few times in the past, always had good results. I just halved it to make about 7 buns. For the stuffing, I just made a simple potato-onion mix.

These Stuffed Bread Buns go to the Only Cooking with Bread event at Foodelicious.

Spaghetti in Soupy Sauce

2011-02-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

I've only recently discovered that some ready-made soups make great sauces for pasta. I'm sure people have been doing this forever...but it was a new discovery for me! I especially like the roasted red pepper and tomato soup for this.

The preparation is really simple and versatile. You can experiment with different soups, veggies, seasonings and pastas.

Here's how I made the Spaghetti is Soupy Sauce last week.

For the sauce - Saute some onions & garlic in a little olive oil. Add leftover roasted red pepper & tomato soup. Add frozen peas and carrots. Seasonings I used were - salt, pinch of sugar, black pepper pwd, store-bought Italian Herb seasoning mix and some red pepper flakes. Once this simmers, add 1 wedge of Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb cheese. Stir till dissolved and well mixed with the soup.

In the meanwhile, cook the pasta per package directions. Drain (save about 1/2 to 1 cup of the cooking liquid) and return to pot. Immediately add the soupy sauce. If you use up all your sauce and the pasta seems kinda dry, use the saved cooking liquid as required. If the prepared sauce seems too much for the quantity of pasta, save it for later. Remember, the pasta will absorb some of the sauce, so if required, u can add some more sauce later.

Top with some grated parmesan cheese and serve with warm garlic bread.

This Spaghetti in Soupy Sauce goes to the Presto Pasta Night # 201, started by Ruth and hosted by Pia.

Frankie

2011-02-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

This is a Mumbai street-food version of a wrap. I've enjoyed frankies many times at the Tibbs stall @ Shivaji Park, Dadar, Mumbai as a kid/teenager. I thought of making a healthier version at home for my daughter.

Here's how I made it:

Filling - I made a potato-paneer filling. For this, I grated 1 boiled potato and about 1/2 cup paneer. Heated 2 tsp oil, sauted some cumin seeds, then added the grated potato and paneer. Seasoned it generously with salt, red chilli pwd, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, chaat masala, pinch of sugar and lemon juice.

Chutney - I had some green cilantro chutney leftover.

Salad - This was my addition to the regular frankies that I have eaten. I used some chopped lettuce, cukes, tomato, red onion & carrots.

I used store bought whole wheat tortillas, home-made rotis will certainly work too. BTW, the frankies at Shivaji Park use APF rotis I think, so this was another change I made to make them healthier.

Here's a picture of all the ingredients, waiting to come together.

To assemble the frankie, heat the tortillas per package instructions. Smear with some green chutney. Evenly pile the potato-paneer mix, top with desired veggies.

Roll into a tight roll as shown in the first picture.

This Frankie goes to the Kids Street Food event at Spicing Your Life.

...and also to the Fast Food not Fat Food event at Priya's Now Serving.

Kothimbirichya Wadya (Cilantro Squares)

2011-02-09T21:14:00.000-08:00

I make these quite often when I have a big batch of cilantro on hand. As you all know, cilantro does not stay fresh too long, so rather than have it go brown on me, I like to make these kothimbirichya wadya. They make a good snack or side dish for varan-bhaath.

Here's how I make them:

2 cup cilantro - packed

1 cup gram flour

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 cup mix of other flours like jowar, bajra, soy etc.

Seasonings to taste - salt, red chilli pwd, pinch of turmeric pwd, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, ginger paste, garlic paste (optional), sugar, lemon juice/amchoor pwd.

handful of broken cashews

Oil

Blend all ingredients, except cashew & oil, with sufficient water to form a thick batter.

Stir in the cashews.

Oil a microwave-safe square or rectangular utensil.

Pour the batter into this.

Microwave for about 8 - 10 minutes (in 2-3 minute intervals) or until the batter firms up to touch.

Cool completely, then cut into squares or desired shapes.

The above picture is of the kothimbir wadis at this stage.

Just before serving, you can either shallow fry or deep fry them.

I took them to a friend's place where we fried them up for lunch, hence I don't have the final picture.

These Cilantro Squares go to the Green Palette event at Torview.

Strawberry Cobbler

2011-02-07T09:29:00.000-08:00

Strawberry Cobbler is a wonderful warm dessert for cool nights. The reicpe is from the Vegetarian Times magazine. Here's how I made it:

2 cups strawberries - halved

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar depending on sweetness of strawberries

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp APF

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

pinch of baking pwd

pinch of bking soda

pinch of salt

2 tbsp butter - at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375F.

Coat a 6x6 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a bowl, mix together strawberries, about 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbsp APF and the lemon juice. Empty into the baking dish.

In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup APF, about 1 tbsp sugar, baking pwd, baking soda and salt. Add the butter, mix with a fork until mixture is crumbly. Stir in 1/4 cup water, mix well. Pour over the strawberries.

Bake for 30 mins until bubbly and flour is slightly browned. Let stand for 10 mins before serving.

You can also serve it warm with vanilla ice-cream.

This Strawberry Coobler goes to the AFAM - Strawberry event at Foodelicious. This event was started by Priya of Mharo Rajasthan Recipes.

Pineapple Curry

2011-01-23T17:58:00.000-08:00

This is a delightful side dish for rotis and rice, especially good if you have company since it is so easy to make but looks and tastes kinda exotic....has a wow factor. I've found that even picky kids like this curry.

Here's how I make it:

1 cup pineapple cubes (with 1 - 2 tbsp juice saved)

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots

For tempering - oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafotida, turmeric, few curry leaves

Masala paste - 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste, 1 tbsp shredded coconut, 1 small piece of ginger, 1 small clove of garlic. Grind all to a smooth paste with a little water.

Salt to taste

Make the tempering by heating the oil, adding the mustard seeds, once they stop spluttering add the rest of the tempering ingredients.

Add the onions and saute 5 mins till softened.
Add the masala paste, frozen peas and carrots and salt. Cook 5 mins.
Add the pineapple cubes with the juice. Simmer 5 more minutes.

Thats it. An incredibly tasty curry is ready. Serve hot with rotis and rice.

This pineapple curry goes to the Cooking with Fruits event at Taste Buds.

Whole Wheat Savory Zucchini Bread

2011-01-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

I had made Zucchini Bread a few months back based on this recipe from Chef In You. This time I thought of making it in a loaf form using whole wheat flour. I tried it once last weekend, but my yeast gave me trouble and the dough did not rise as required. I tried it again this weekend, keeping a bowl of hot water in the oven along with my bread dough. I kept heating the water a coupl more time during the 2 hrs of rising time. This seemed to do the trick, since the dough rose beautifully.

So here's how I made the Whole Wheat Savory Zucchini Bread:

1 heaped cup of whole wheat flour
1 cup grated zucchini
1 packet active dry yeast
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt, pepper, pinch of sugar and Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning Blend

Grate the zuchhini, sprinkle a little salt and place in a colander to drain for 1/2 hr. Do not throw away the drained zucchini juice.
In a mixing bowl, put the wheat flour, yeast and seasonings, stir to mix. Add the oil and grated zucchini. Add a few tbsp water to the zucchini juice, warm it up and use this to knead the flour into a soft smooth dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place to rise for 2 hrs.
Then gently punch down the risen dough and knead it lightly again. Shape into a loaf and keep it in an oiled loaf pan. Cover again with the plastic wrap. Let rise for another half hr.
Brush the top of the loaf with a little milk.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400F for about 30 mins till the top lightly browns.
Cool slightly, cut into slices and serve it slathered with some butter.

This Whole Wheat Savory Zucchini Bread goes to the Whole Wheat Breakfast event at Lite Bite.

Veggie Noodle Soup

2011-01-21T23:23:00.000-08:00

This is a heart-warming, tongue-tickling soup, great for cold winter nights or any time you want to revive your spirits. Here's how I made it:

Heat some olive oil, saute onions and finely chopped carrots till softened, about 5 mins. Add some minced garlic and saute 2-3 mins. Add desired quantity of vegetable broth. Add noodles of choice (I used rice noodles in the above picture). Add frozen peas, salt and pepper. Cook till noodles are done. At this point, if desired, you can add some tomato juice or leftover soup on hand. In the picture I have used some Trader Joe's Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper soup that I wanted to finish off. Add some chopped tomatoes. Check and adjust seasonings. In addition to the salt & pepper, I added some masala I had leftover from a Maggi noodles packet (I usually have this left over since I use only half of it when making Maggi noodles for my daughter). Any other seasonings like Mrs. Dash would also work well here.

Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley.

This Veggie Noodle Soup goes to the Show Me Your Soup at Divya's Dil Se.

Pumpkin Curry

2011-01-20T18:19:00.000-08:00

I made this curry for the first time, inspired by Meera's Moroccan Pumpkin & Lentil Soup.

1 cup lentils (whole masur) - soaked for 4 hrs and pressured cooked for 3 whistles

handful of any other hardy bean (I used harbare/brown chana) - cooked

2 cups cubed pumpkin

For tempering - oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafotida, turmeric, few curry leaves, 1 clove garlic (minced)

Other seasonings per taste - salt, red chilli pwd., cumin pwd, coriander pwd, goda masala or any other curry masala

4 amsul or 1/2 tsp tamarind paste

Cilantro to garnish

Make the tempering by heating the oil, adding the mustard seeds, once they stop spluttering add the rest of the tempering ingredients.

Add the cubed pumpkin, stir well, add 1/2 cup water, cover and cook for 5 mins.

Add the cooked lentils and beans.

Add seasonings listed above.

Stir and cook another 5 minutes or till pumpkin is cooked.

Add the amsul/tamarind paste and water to get consistency desired.

Served garnished with chopped cilantro.

This turned out to be such a tasty curry, perfect with rotis and rice. I will surely be making this again and again.

Wheat flour - Banana Pancakes (Eggless)

2011-01-19T09:09:00.000-08:00

I had seen a friends's mom make these kind of wheat flour and banana pancakes a long time back. When I tried them at home, my daughter, who was only 2 at the time, did not quite take to them. Now that she is older and has an expanded food palette, I tried these again...and they went down quite well...infact she asked to have them again for dinner!

Here's how I made them -

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbsp APF

1 tbsp soy flour

1 very ripe banana - mashed

pinch of baking soda

pinch of baking pwd

pinch of salt

1 cup butter milk

abt 1 cup water

handful of blueberries

blueberries and strawberries for garnish

Mix the ingredients from wheat flour to water listed above. Make a smooth runny batter, consistency like dosa batter. Throw in some blueberries if desired. Heat a non-stick pan on medium, spray with some olive oil if desired and spread some of the batter in desired shape. Cook till light brown, then flip over and cook the other side similarly.

I served them smeared with a little agave nectar and garnished with berries. You could also use maple syrup or any other syrup.

These Whole Wheat Flour and Banana pancakes go to the Whole Wheat Breakfast event at Lite Bite.

Green Beans Poriyal

2011-01-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

This is another simple stir fry dish to serve with rotis.

Here's how I make them:

2 cups chopped green beans
For tempering - oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafotida, udad dal, turmeric pwd, broken dry red chilli peppers and curry leaves
Salt to taste
Shredded coconut to garnish

Make the tempering by heating the oil, adding the mustard seeds, once they stop spluttering add the rest of the tempering ingredients. Fry for 2 mins. Then add the green beans. Add 1/2 cup water, cover and cook till done, stirring in between and adding some more water if required. To save time, I usually like to cook the chopped green beans in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles. I just add this cooked beans. Either method are okay here. Add salt as desired.

Serve garnished with shredded coconut.

This Green Beans Poriyal also goes to the Complete My Thali event at Seduce Your Tastebuds. This event was started by Jagruti.

Batatyachya Kachrya (Potato Stir Fry)

2011-01-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

This is a simple and quick side dish for rotis that is loved by all - old and young.

Here's how I make it:

2 red/yellow potatoes - thinly sliced
For tempering - oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafotida, turmeric
Other seasonings per taste - salt and red chilli pwd.

I leave the skin on the potatoes for this dish since I use the thin skin variety. You can peel the skin if you prefer or if using thick skin potatoes. Important thing is to slice them thinly so they cook fast. You can soak the sliced potatoes in water if you plan to cook them after a while. This prevents them from turning brown. In such case, remember to drain water off completely before cooking.

Make the tempering by heating the oil, adding the mustard seeds, once they stop spluttering add the rest of the tempering ingredients. Add the potatoes. Stir well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the salt and red chilli pwd. Mix again and cook till done for another 5 to 10 minutes. If cooking in a non-stick pot, you can use less oil for this dish. But I like to make it in my old kadai, using abt 4-5 tsp oil, this gives a nice "kharpus" (slightly charred brown bits) where some of the potato bits stick to the kadai.

Enjoy with rotis/phulkas/ghadichi poli.

This Batatyachya Kachrya go to the Complete My Thali - Dry Subji event at Seduce Your Tastebuds. This event was started by Jagruti.

Molten Chocolate Cake (Eggless)

2011-01-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

My daughter liked the Dominos Choco Lava Cakes she had on our Mumbai trip. So I thought I'd try to make them at home. My search for the recipe on the web came up with some pretty complicated options...too much work for lazy me. So I came up with this easier method.

Here's how I made them:

1 heaped cup APF
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa pwd
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chocolate chips
2 - 3 tbsp milk

Sieve all the dry ingredients (APF to salt listed above) together to mix well. Add the vanilla essence, oil and water. Mix well.

Put the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Melt at 20 second intervals, stirring in between, till completely melted. Add the milk into them and stir well to mix.

Line a muffin cup pan with cupcake liners. Spoon 1 tbsp of the cake batter in each mould. Cover with 1 tsp of the melted chocolate. Top with another tbsp of the cake batter.

Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 15 mins.

Serve warm (reheat in microwave if required) with vanilla ice-cream for a decadent dessert.

This made 8 muffin size cupcakes.

These eggless molten chocolate cupcakes go to the Kids Delight - Chocolate Feast event at Spicing Your Life.

Spinach Raita

2011-01-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

My Akka had prepared this for me in Mumbai. We liked it so much, now it will feature regularly in my kitchen.

Here's how I made it:

1/2 cup chopped spinach

1/4 cup chopped onions

2 cups yogurt

Salt & Sugar to taste

few chopped walnuts

Black pepper pwd to taste

For garnish - roasted cumin pwd, dates-imli chutney

Whisk the yogurt with a little water. Add the spinach, onions, salt, sugar, walnuts and bl. pepper pwd. Stir well to mix. Garnish with roasted cumin pwd and dates-imli chutney. Serve cold.

Bell Pepper vegetable with Gram Flour

2011-01-11T11:54:00.000-08:00

In Marathi, we call this Bhopla Mirchichi Peeth Perleli bhaaji. Addition of gram flour is a very popular way to cook vegetables in Maharashtra. In addition to bell peppers, we add it to methi, cabbage, okra, tomatoes etc. to make tasty dry vegetable dishes.

Here's how I make Bhopla Mirchichi Peeth Perleli bhaaji:

1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onions (optional)
4 heaped tbsp gram flour (see note)
For the tempering - Oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, pinch of asafotida, turmeric pwd
Salt per taste
Red Chilli pwd per taste

Make the tempering by heating the oil, adding the mustard seeds, once they stop spluttering add the rest of the tempering ingredients.
Add the chopped peppers and onions. Saute 5 mins. Then add about 1/2 cup of water, cover and cook another 5 mins.
Add salt and red chilli pwd per taste. Mix well.
Sprinkle the gram flour over the cooked veggies. Mix well to incorporate. Pour about 2 tsp oil around the veggies, cover and cook on medium low heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 mins.

Note - Ever since I saw this post on Jugalbandi, I prepare a mix of gram flour with spices that I use in several recipes. I roast the gram flour on low heat till aromatic and add turmeric, red chilli pwd, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, amchoor pwd and crushed kasoori methi. I have used this mix in the above dish. You can also use plain gram flour, but this spiced version definitely is worth the extra steps. You can make it in more quantity and store the rest for later use.

This quick and fuss-free Bhopla Mirchichi Peeth Perleli bhaaji goes to the Complete My Thali event at Seduce Your Tastebuds. This event was started by Jagruti.

Detox Tea

2011-01-10T12:27:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2011. To start off the new year, here's a Detox Tea for you. I learnt this from my neighbor on my recent visit to Mumbai.

Here's how I made it:

1.5 c water
1/2 tsp black/green tea pwd.
1/4 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cloves
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
2 tbsp chopped lemon grass
2 tbsp chopped tulsi/basil leaves
1 tsp honey

Bring the water to a boil. Add all the other ingredients except honey. Simmer 2-3 mins. Strain into a cup. Add honey, stir and drink hot.

This makes 1 cup of the tea.

I was very skeptical the first time I tried this as I was so used to my regular chai with milk and sugar. I could not imagine replacing it with this "kadha" like preparation. But the refreshing feeling I got after having a cup was so amazing. Though I still have my morning chai as usual, I have been having this Detox Tea atleast once daily since then.

Hope you try it too.

Batatyacha Kees

2010-11-30T07:36:00.000-08:00

This is an Indian version of shredded hash browns. It makes for a good breakfast item or snack and is very popular during "upaas" (fasts).

Here's how I make it:

1 large russet or baking potato - peeled and shredded
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of asafotida
Green and/or red chillies per desired heat level
Roasted peanuts - coarsely ground
Salt and sugar to taste
Lemon juice
Chopped cilantro & fresh shredded coconut to garnish

I use the food processor to shred the potato.
Heat oil in a large wok. Saute cumin seeds until fragrant. Add the asafotida and chillies. Fry 2 mins. Add the shredded potatoes, stir well, cook uncovered on medium till done, about 7 - 10 mins., stirring in between. Do not let the potato shreds turn mushy. Then add the ground peanuts, salt, sugar. Mix well. Serve hot garnished with lemon juice or lemon wedges, chopped cilantro and coconut.

Spicy Baked Penne

2010-11-29T21:52:00.000-08:00

This recipe is adapted from one of Giada De Laurentiis' cookbooks.

Here's how I make it:

1 cup uncooked penne - cook per package instructions

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onions

2 cloves of garlic - minced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped spinach

Seasonings to taste - salt, pepper, red chilli pwd/flakes, pinch of sugar, pinch of nutmeg, any Italian seasoning blend, basil, oregano, parsley

2 tbsp bread crumbs

2 tbsp shredded mozarella cheese

2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

a little butter

To prepare the sauce, heat the oil and saute the onions until softened. Add the garlic and stir 2 mins. Add the tomatoes and cook another few minutes until they soften slightly. Add the chopped spinach and the desired seasonings. Stir well and cook till spinach wilts.

Add the cooked pasta to this sauce while it is hot.

If you are in a hurry, like on a busy weeknight, this can be served as is, topped with some shredded cheese.

If you have more time on hand or want to make it extra special, tip the pasta with the sauce into a lightly buttered casserole. Top with a mix of the bread crumbs and cheeses. Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 15 to 20 mins. until cheeses start bubbling and bread crumbs brown lightly.

Serve warm. Leftovers can be easily re-heated in the microwave and enjoyed.

This Spicy Baked Penne goes to Ruth's Presto Pasta Night # 192.

Any kind of pasta dish usually goes down well with my daughter. For this reason, I keep the heat level fairly low in this dish. This makes it an ideal entry for the Kids Delight Holiday Special event at Spicing Your Life.

Palak Paratha

2010-11-29T16:01:00.000-08:00

This is another of our favorite parathas. The basic idea is from Manjula's Kitchen.

For the stuffing, I fry cumin seeds in a tsp of oil till fragrant. Then I add ginger paste, chopped spinach (usually I use fresh) and other seasonings like salt, pinch of sugar, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, red chilli pwd and amchoor pwd (all per taste). I cook this mixture on medium low heat for a good 20 mins or until completely dry. Sometimes if I am in a hurry, I sprinkle a little gram flour which absorbs the excess moisture. Cool this mixture before use. To make the paratha, pinch off a ball of dough and shape it into a bowl-shape in your palm. Fill 2 tbsp spinach stuffing and close the ends of the dough by bringing them together. Gently flatten the ball. Let it rest for 5 mins before rolling out into a paratha, use a little flour to dust while rolling. Cook the paratha on a non-stick pan with a drop of oil until brown spots appear on both sides.

This Palak Paratha also goes to the Complete My Thali - Roti event at Torview. This event was started by Jagruti of Joy of Cooking.

Spring Onion & Peas Paratha

2010-11-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

I make this kind of paratha atleast once a month. The idea for the delicious spring onions and peas stuffing is from Musical's Kitchen.

For the stuffing, I fry cumin seeds in a tsp of oil till fragrant. Then I add ginger paste and chopped spring onions (white and green parts) and saute 5 mins, then go in some frozen peas and other seasonings like salt, pinch of sugar, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, red chilli pwd and amchoor pwd (all per taste). Cook another 5 mins, mashing the peas a little along the way. Cool this mixture and use it to stuff the parathas.

When my dad visits, I always make extra spring onion - peas mixture as he loves to eat it just by itself.

For making the paratha, I roll out 2 equal circles of the regular roti dough, spread the above mix out on one circle, line the edges lightly with water, place the other circle on top and seal the edges together. Lightly press the paratha with my palm, then using a little flour, roll it out a little more. I cook the paratha on a non-stick pan with a little oil on each side until brown spots develop.

These Spring Onion & Peas Parathas go to the Complete My Thali - Roti event at Torview. This event was started by Jagruti of Joy of Cooking.

Broccoli Soup with Potato-Sesame Triangles

2010-11-28T15:45:00.000-08:00

After the heavy Thanksgiving meal, we decided to go light the next day...with this quick Broccoli Soup and Potato-Sesame Triangles. Besides, the snow had finally melted and we were eager to get some shopping done for our Mumbai trip.

Here's how I made the Broccoli Soup:

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 cup broccoli heads

2 cloves of garlic - minced

1 tsp plain flour

1 cup water/vegetable broth

1/2 cup milk

Few springs of cilantro and/or few spinach leaves

Seasonings - salt, pepper, Italian seasoning (optional), pinch of sugar, lemon juice

Heat the oil and saute the onions until softened, abt 5 mins. Add the garlic and broccoli and saute 5 mins on medium low until broccoli turns bright green. Add the flour and cook 2 mins. Add the water/broth. Cover and cook for abt 15 mins. Take off heat and add the cilantro/spinach. Cool and blend. Then pour it back into the pot, add the milk and the seasonings. Simmer gently until hot.

We enjoyed this soup with Potato-Sesame Triangles that I think I had noted down from a cookbook by Nita Mehta.

4 slices of bread (I used multi-grain) - crusts removed and cut into triangles

1 cup boiled, peeled and mashed potato

1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used a mix of mozarella and cheddar)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 tsp sesame seeds

Mix the potatoes, cheese and seasonings. Spread desired amount on one side of each bread triangle. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds. Cook this side on a non-stick pan with a drop of oil. Press gently with back of spatula to ensure the potato mix sticks to the bread. While this side is cooking, cover the other side with the potato mix and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Flip over to cook the reverse side.

Enjoy warm, makes a good accompaniment to soups.

This Broccoli Soup goes to the Healing Foods - Broccoli event at Spice Mantra. This event was started by Siri.

Also sending this Broccoli Soup with Potato-Sesame Triangles to the Souper Event at Kahakai Kitchen.

Tiramisu

2010-11-28T11:35:00.000-08:00

This was the dessert for our Thanksgiving dinner. The original recipe is from Kraft Foods. I would call it Faux Tiramisu, especially the kid-friendly way I made it. Nevertheless, it was so heavenly that I licked off the bowl later, something I never do.

So here's my take on it:

1 tbsp instant coffee pwd

2 tbsp hot water

1 8oz. packet of cream cheese - softened to room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 8oz tub of Cool Whip

32 - 35 Nilla wafers

For garnish - grated milk chocolate

Dissolve the coffee pwd in the hot water in a big bowl. Add the cream chese and whisk till well blended. Add the sugar and mix well. Gently fold in the Cool Whip.

Arrange half of the Nilla wafers to cover the bottom of an 8x8 square dish. Top with half of the above mix. Spread it evenly. Repeat these layers.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Just before serving, I sprinkled the grated chocolate.

Paneer Pasanda with Whole Wheat Naan

2010-11-28T10:39:00.000-08:00

I first saw Paneer Pasanda on Wah Re Wah where the chef made pockets in large paneer triangles and stuffed them. That method did not work for me as the paneer triangles kept breaking up as I tried to stuff them. Then I saw this recipe on Sangeeta's Banaras Ka Khana - she sandwiched the stuffing between paneer triangles and also gave good step-by-step instructions. So this time I tried it her way. The sandwiched paneer stuck together beautifully and stayed stuck well.

For the stuffing, I used ground cashews, finely chopped cilantro, salt and pepper. I used a thin mixture of flour and water to bind the sandwiches.

For the gravy, I had some frozen extra dum aloo gravy, so I used that.

I served the Paneer Pasanda with Whole Wheat Naans that I learnt from Monsoon Spice. I pretty much follow her method, except for the cooking part. Since I have electric coils I am very scared to flip the pan with the naan stuck to it - what if it falls on the coil and creates a mess? So I just cook it on the pan like regular rotis. But one of these days I will muster up the courange to try cooking it her way. I also saw an interesting way of using the pressure cooker as a tandoor on Charan's Creative with Clay. I am determined to try that too.

Paneer Pasanda and Whole Wheat Naans were part of my Thanksgiving Indian menu.

Cabbage Rice

2010-11-27T10:27:00.000-08:00

For our Thanksgiving dinner, in addition to the Stuffed Braided Bread, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans Casserole that I posted before, I also cooked some Indian dishes since we had company and I was not sure how much those items would be appreciated.

This Cabbage Rice was part of the menu. The recipe is from Vaishali's Holy Cow blog. I loved it the instant I saw it there. The only change I made was to use cumin - coriander pwd and goda masala in place of garam masala. This is surely a keeper. It is very versatile, highly aromatic, healthy and tasty. I will surely make it over & over again, I will probably add some frozen green peas to it.

Everyone at the table enjoyed it...infact I had only a little leftover for this picture.

This Cabbage Rice goes to the Dish Name Start With C event at Akila's Kitchen.

I have many more recipes to post before I leave for my Mumbai trip on Tuesday. My dad would say in Marathi "Ratra kami, songa phar" (Too much to do, too less time). I already have a couple items from my Thanksgiving menu in draft, those will be coming up soon. Hopefully I can atleast cook the rest and have drafts ready before I leave. Once in Mumbai, I will certainly not be doing any cooking, I'll let my family and friends pamper me for the whole month.

Stuffed Braided Bread

2010-11-26T09:26:00.000-08:00

Recently, inspired by various blogs I frequent, I have started baking breads. I find it very relaxing working with yeasted dough, kneading it, watching it swell, punching it etc. And the aroma of freshly baked bread is so heavenly.
I started with Pumpkin Bread that I have blogged about earlier. It has become a fall favorite in my kitchen.
I've made wonderful Zucchini Bread from Chef in You and Plain Flour and Whole Wheat Pav (Dinner Rolls) from Chef in You.
Getting a little more daring, I made Buns with Potato - Paneer Stuffing from Versatile Vegetarian Kitchen. Infact I made these for one of our Diwali potlucks where the hostess had a bread theme this year. They created a wow factor and went down very well with every one - young and not-so-young.
I have even made a Braided Bread with Mushroom stuffing from Super Yummy Recipes. Recently I saw another Braided Bread with Pizza style stuffing on Pari's Foodelicious.
I instantly decided to try it.
I had 1/2 a bottle of tomato and basil pasta sauce sitting in my fridge that needed to be finished before our upcoming Mumbai visit. So for the pizza-style stuffing for my bread, I cooked this down till thickened, it took over an hour on medium low heat. For the topping I used onions, colored peppers and shredded mozarella cheese.
For the bread recipe, I actually followed the Stuffed Buns recipe from Versatile Vegetarian Kitchen as it worked so well for me earlier.
For the stuffing, my inspiration was ofcourse Pari.
And for the idea of making a stuffed braided bread, I'd give the credit to Satya.

This Pizza style Stuffed Briaded Bread actually fit in great in my Thanksgiving menu. This year I had determined to try some of the traditional dishes cooked at this time. So instead of stuffed turkey, it was this pizza style Stuffed Braided Bread on my vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner table!

This pizza style Stuffed Braided Bread also goes to Nupur's Holiday Buffet table for the BB9 event.

I also made green beans casserole - could not believe how easy it was to make - just mixed lightly steamed grean beans with mushroom soup, fried onions, seasonings - salt, pepper, pinch of nutmeg, topped wth more fried onions and baked at 400F for 15 mins. - turned out so delicious and was polished off along with the bread.
Made a mashed potatoes dish also, from a recipe I had cut out long back from my newspaper. I'll leave you with a picture of these items.

Quinoa Idlis

2010-11-25T11:58:00.000-08:00

Until this week, I had practically given up trying to make idli batter at home. After many many attempts to get my batter to ferment, I had finally concluded that this was beyond me. I had pinned the blame on my mixie. People that heard me lament about this consoled me saying that I am too calm & mild mannered, that the batter rises well only for hot headed people!

So when I tried out these quinoa idlis, I had assumed that I would fail once again. But imagine my surprise and elation when my batter actually fermented well and the idlis turned out soft and fluffy. That too on a record breaking cold day here in the Seattle area!

The basic recipe for these Quinoa Idlis is from Sumadhura. I halved the quantities of the ingredients, which yielded me about 20 idlis. The other change I made was to soak the Quinoa, Brown Rice and Udad Dal together.

Here are a few tricks I used to coax my batter to ferment (not really sure which one did the trick):

I blended the ingredients little by little, starting with 1/2 cup and adding another 1/2 cup at a time.
Used just 2 - 3 tbsp of water for each batch to blend.
Pre-heated the oven at minimum temperature, then turned it off and kept the batter in it.
Gave my batter more than the standard "overnight" time to rise. Where earlier I have thrown away batter if it had not risen when I first checked it in the morning, this time I let it sit some more. I would say it took about 15 hrs.
When my batter had not started rising after an overnight's rest, I filled a large bowl with hot water (steaming, not boiling) and placed the vessel with the batter in it. Maybe the fermentation had already started by then, but this seemed to speed it up quite a bit.

I will definitely be trying out more idlis from now on, using all of these tricks. So if anyone out there is having a hard time with idli batters like me, do not be disheartened.

We had these healthy Quinoa - Brown Rice Idlis for Thanksgiving Day brunch with coconut chutney and sambar. Certainly worth being thankful for! As for the taste, please note that they do have a distinct quinoa flavor, ever so slight bitterness, but went down very well with hubby and me.

These Quinoa-Brown Rice Idlis go to the CWF - WG - Quinoa event at Priya's Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes.

I would also like to send a couple of archived dishes for this event.

Quinoa Upma

Quinoa Soup

Before I end this post, I have a quick tip for including Quinoa in your everyday meal. For the past several months, whenever I cook plain brown rice in the pressure cooker, I add quinoa to it. For example, with 1/2 cup brown rice, I add about 1/4 cup quinoa, rinse both together under cold running water, add about 2 cups water and pressure cook it for 4 whistles. The quinoa gets well blended with the rice and picky eaters will not notice any difference in the taste.

Baked Vatana Na Ghughra

2010-11-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was another 'snow day' here. As a result, both hubby and child were home. So I made these Baked Vatana Na Ghughras to go with afternoon chai.

Here's how I made them:

For the stuffing -

1.5 cups frozen peas
2 tsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp salt or to taste
pinch of sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp green chilli paste or 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I use frozen)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

For the covering - I use ready made pie crust.

To prepare the filling heat oil and saute the cumin seeds for 2 - 3 mins. Add the peas and cook uncovered for 5 mins till they soften. Add ginger paste, green chilli paste/red chilli pwd, salt & sugar to taste. Mix well and let it cook 2 more mins. Take off heat and stir in the lemon juice, cilantro and fresh coconut scrapings. Let this mixture cool before using for stuffing the ghughra.

To proceed, thaw the pie crust sheet per directions on the box. Divide into about 12 parts and roll each into a ball. With a rolling pin, flatten each ball into about 3 to 4 inch circle. Fill with 1 - 2 tbsp of the peas filling. Fold over and press the edges together to join. You can trim off excess edging with a knife or karanji-cutter. Pinch & slightly fold the edges at small intervals to get the pretty ghughra edge pattern.

Bake in a preheated 425F oven for about 15 mins, turning the ghughras over once during the baking.

Serve warm with chutney or ketchup.

This yielded 12 ghughras. I did have little peas filling left over, which tastes good just by itself too. Also, I tend to make the filling mild and serve the ghughras with spicy chutney or hot ketchup.

This Baked Vatana Na Ghughras go to the AFAM - Green Peas event at Richas Kitchen. This event was started by Priya.

Corn Bhel

2010-11-23T13:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had snow and freezing conditions here in the Seattle area. As a result, hubby came home early, in time for afternoon chai. To go with the chai, I made this Corn Bhel. It is adapted from Tarla Dalal's recipe. If u have frozen corn, it is very quick to prepare. It can be served warm or at room temperature, making it ideal for cold winter days and as well as for summer picnics. In fact, I had made it several years back for my daughter's 2nd b'day party (in July) which we celebrated at a nearby park.

Here's how I make the Corn Bhel.

3 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup onion - chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes - chopped
1/2 cup boiled potatoes - peeled and chopped
2 tsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp asafotida
1 serrano pepper - chopped fine or 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
2 tsp chaat masala
2 tsp salt or to taste
pinch of sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
Prepared or store bought green chutney and dates-imli chutney
For garnish - sev, fresh shredded coconut, chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a large non-stick wok. Fry the cumin seeds for 2 mins. Add the asafotida, green chilli and onions. Fry on medium heat for 5 mins. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, corn, salt, sugar and chaat masala. Mix well and cook till the corn gets slightly softened, about 5 mins. Take off heat. Add the lemon juice.

To serve warm, put the corn mixture in individual bowls, top with chutneys. Garnish with sev, shredded coconut and cilantro.

To pack for a picnic, mix the chutneys, coconut and cilantro into the corn mixture. Just before eating, top with the sev.

This Corn Bhel goes to the Only Chaat event at Foodelicious.

Dhabey Ki Daal and Green Peas Pulav

2010-11-22T11:05:00.000-08:00

This Dhabey ki Daal recipe is adapted from an old issue of Tarla Dalal's magazine. It reminded me of Dal Makhni, without the cream/butter, kinda like a low-fat version of it. It pairs very well with the simple peas pulav. Not sure if this is an actual combo-meal at any dhaba, the only dhaba I've eaten at is Preetam Da Dhaba in Dadar TT, Mumbai, that too a long time ago. But it sure makes for a great combination!

Here's how I make the Dhabey Ki Daal:

1/2 cup urad dal with skin
1/4 cup chana dal
1 can rajma beans - drained & rinsed
1 cup onions - finely chopped
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 cup tomatoes - finely chopped
1 tsp oil
1 serrano pepper - slit lenght wise
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd or to taste
2 tsp cumin pwd
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp kitchen king masala
2 tbsp kasuri methi
Salt to taste
pinch of sugar
Chopped cilantro to garnish

Soak the dals in water for atleast 6 hrs and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
Heat oil and fry the chopped onions till golden brown. Add the garlic and green chilli and fry till garlic is aromatic, about 2 mins. Add the tomatoes, red chilli pwd, cumin pwd, salt and sugar. Cook on medium heat for about 7 mins. Add the cooked dals and the rajma beans. Add water to get desired consistency. Simmer for another 7 mins. Add the kasuri methi, garam masala and kitchen king masala. Adjust seasonings as desired. Serve hot garnished with chopped cilantro.

Like I said, I love to pair it with peas pulav. Here's how I make the peas pulav:

1 cup basmati rice - rinse 2-3 times in cold water and drain
1/2 cup onions - sliced lenghtwise
handful of cashew
1 cup frozen peas
whole masalas - 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 cloves, 2 bayleaves, 4 cardamons, 1 1/2 inch stick of cinnamon, 6 balck peppers
1 serrano pepper - slit lenghtwise
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp sugar or to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil

Heat the oil, fry the onions till golden brown, drain. Fry the cashew pieces for 2 mins, drain. If required add some more oil. Add all the whole spices and stir for 2 mins. Add the pepper and the washed rice. Fry on low heat for 2 mins. Add 2 cups of water, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add salt and sugar. Lower heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 10 mins till rice is partially cooked. Add the frozen peas, fried onions, cashew and lemon juice. Add a little additional water if required. Mix gently. Cover and cook another 5 mins till the rice is fully cooked and the water is absorbed.

Serve hot.

This Dhabey ki Daal and Peas Pulav combo goes to the Flavors of Punjab event at Foodelicious. This event was started by Nayna.

Walnut Diamond Cookies

2010-11-20T12:32:00.000-08:00

I have adapted this recipe from the Dec. 2009 issue of Prevention magazine. As I was browsing thru it, this recipe instantly caught my eye - for one, it was eggless and secondly the combination of nuts, spices and sugar seemed irresistable to me. The original recipe used pecans and cinnamon, but I instantly decided to replace with walnuts and all-spice blend. I always stock both these since they are on top of my favorites list. All-spice is usually a blend of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Here's how I make these cookies:

1/3 cup walnuts - microwave at 30 second intervals for 3 mins in all and cool
1/2 cup plain flour
2 heaped tbsp whole wheat flour
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp all-spice powder
2 heaped tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter - at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp powdered sugar

In a clean, dry bowl, mix the plain flour, wheat flour, salt and all-spice.
In a mini food processor, chop the toasted walnuts with 3 tbsp of the flour mixture until the texture of fine crumbs is achieved.
Add this nut-flour mixture back into the flour mixture in the bowl.
In another bowl, combine the granulated sugar, butter and vanilla extract. Beat together until well combined. This can be done either manually or with an electric hand mixer. For the quantity given above, I usually do it manually, but use an electric mixer to make a bigger batch.
Gradually add the nut-flour mixture to the butter-sugar mix. Mix well and form into a big ball.
Pat this ball down on an aluminium foil. Then using a rolling pin, roll it out till it is about 1/4 inch thick evenly. The cookie dough is not at all sticky and you should be able to easily roll it out. Also, it does not really matter if you roll it out into a square/rectangle/circle.
Then cut the rolled dough into diamond shapes or any other shape per your choice.
Place on a baking sheet (along with the foil)
Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 20 minutes or till the edges are golden brown.
Cool the cookies, sift powdered sugar lightly over them and enjoy.

This quantity yields about 1 dozen diamond-shaped cookies.

Fifteen Bean Chili

2010-10-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

I adapted this recipe from the Vegetarian Chili Cookbook by Robin Robertson.

Here's how I made it:

1 cup dry "15-bean soup" mixed beans (this mix of 15 beans is available in most grocery stores)

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

2 garlic cloves - minced

1 cup diced tomatoes - I used canned, fresh will also work

1 tsp red chilli pwd

2 tsp cumin pwd

2 bayleaves

1 tsp dried oregano

Salt to taste

Pinch of sugar

1/2 - 1 tsp finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 veggie burgers ( I used Trader Joes Masala Veggie Burger)

Soak the beans in water for 4 - 6 hrs. Cook per package directions or pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Heat the oil and saute the onions for 5 mins until softened. Add the garlic and saute 2 mins. Add the diced tomatoes, red chilli pwd, cumin pwd, oregano, bay leaves, cooked beans, salt, sugar and about a cup of water. Mix well and simmer for 15 mins. In the meanwhile, cook the veggie burgers per package directions, finely chop them and add to the simmering chili. Cook till desired chili consistency is achieved.

I served the chili with grilled polento (Trader Joe brand) and a side of green salad to round off the meal.

This Fifteen Bean Chili goes to the Legume Love Affair at Divya's Dil Se. This event was started by Susan The Well Seasoned Cook.

Penne Pasta in Lighter Alfredo Sauce

2010-10-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

I usually avoided alfredo sauce due to its calorie count. Thats until I came across a Smarter Alfredo Sauce Recipe on the Kraft Foods website. I have adapted that to our taste to come up with this lighter version of alfredo sauce.

Here's how I make this pasta:

2 - 3 cups of cooked whole wheat/whole grain penne rigate

For the sauce -

2 cups vegetable broth
4 tsp plain flour
2 wedges Laughing Cow Light Garlic & Herb cheese (each wedge had 35 calories)
1 cup veggies - I use chopped broccoli and carrots
Seasonings to taste - salt, pinch of sugar, Mrs. Dash seasoning blend, garlic pwd, fresh/dried basil, fresh/dried oregano, black pepper pwd, pinch of nutmeg or all spice pwd mix (use any or all of these)

Heat the broth on medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to mix it in. Add the cheese wedges. Continue whisking for about 5 mins till it breaks down and dissolves to form a sauce. It will be a pretty thin consistency at this time. Add the seasonings as desired. Add the veggies, mix well. Cook another 5 mins till veggies are semi-cooked. The sauce will have thickened considerably by now. Add the cooked pasta, mix again.

This is how it looks right after adding the pasta. Take it off heat, cover and let it sit for about 20 mins to allow the sauce to develop a creamy consistency and coat the pasta well.

This pasta reheats well so you can make it in advance. Serve with some garlic bread for a complete, satisfying meal.

This Penne Pasta in Lighter Alfredo Sauce goes to the Presto Pasta Night # 187 event at Teczcape. This event was started by Ruth.

If I have leftovers of this pasta from the previous night's dinner, I usually reheat it and pack it in a hot lunchbox for my daughter...it always does well & is polished off by her. Hence sending this to the Kids Lunchbox event at Taste Buds also.

Halloween Candy

2010-10-25T15:59:00.000-07:00

No recipe today, just want to share these fun Halloween candies my daughter & I made over the weekend. We used Wilton Chocolate chips (orange, green & brown) and smiling pumpkin moulds. We had great fun doing these, it was pretty quick since the chocolate sets in 5 mins in the fridge. We used plastic candy bags to pour the chocolate into the moulds, so clean-up was pretty quick too.

She took a bunch of these to school today, the rest we are saving for the 31st...maybe.

Green Chutney Sandwich

2010-10-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

Every 2 weeks or so when I buy fresh cilantro and mint, I make a small batch (abt 1/2 cup) of green chutney. It comes in very handy for quickly putting together my daughter's lunch box in the morning and she loves her Green Chutney Sandwich. I usually use whole grain or whole wheat bread, remove the crust - her preference, slather one side with the green chutney, the other side with some butter and put some slices of boiled, peeled potato or cucumber. Thats it, lunch box gets ready in a jiffy.

Here's how I make the Green Chutney:

Blend together 1 cup chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup mint leaves, 1/2 a serrano pepper (or to taste), salt to taste, pinch of sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 to 2 tsp roasted ground peanuts (optional) with just 1 or 2 tbsp of water. This chutney can be stored in an airtight box in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Here's my Green Chutney Sandwich with some more veggies (onions, cucumber, tomato and potato) and sprinkled with fresh ground black pepper.

Palak Matki Amti

2010-10-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

I adapted this recipe from Aayi's Kitchen. I have made it Shilpa's way many times, only I also add some jaggery, tamarind paste and goda masala. Yesterday I wanted to make it without onions & garlic, hence modified it some more.

Here's how I make it:

For tempering - 1 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, big pinch of asafotida, 1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

1/4 cup chopped onions (if using - I omitted this yesterday)

1 tomato - chopped

1 potato - chopped (optional)

1 cup sprouted & boiled matki (moth beans) - see Note

2 cups chopped spinach

2 tsp Goda Masala

Salt to taste

2 tbsp grated jaggery

1 tsp tamarind paste

For masala paste (without onion version) - Grind together 2 tbsp coconut or 2 tbsp grated carrot, 2 tbsp gram flour, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp roasted coriander seeds, 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds, 2 dry red chillies or to taste, pinch of methi seeds, 1/4 tsp clove pwd, 1/4 tsp cinnamon pwd. Use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup water.

Start by making the tempering - heat the oil, add the mustard seeds, when they stop spluttering add the rest of the tempering ingredients. Then add the chopped onions and/or potatoes. Fry till lightly brown. Add the tomatoes, beans, spinach, masala paste, salt, Goda Masala and jaggery. Add water to get desired consistency. Bring to a boil and simmer till potatoes cook. Add the tamarind paste. Adjust seasonings and consistency if required.

Serve with rotis or rice.

Note - In addition to or in place of matki, you can use other beans like sprouted & cooked mung, black chana or canned red beans (drained & rinsed) etc.

Bread snacks for kids

2010-10-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of afternoon snacks I prepare for my 7 yr old daughter when she comes home from school. Both are bread-based and simple. I prepare and leave them in the warm oven before going to bring her. By the time we get back home, they are just the right temperature for her to dig into.

The first one we call Bread Boats.

Scoop out the interiors of hotdog buns/dinner rolls/burger buns. Brush or spray lightly with olive oil. Bake at 400F for 10 mins. In the meanwhile, heat some oil, saute finely chopped onions till soft, add finely chopped tomatoes and some canned beans like black beans (drained and rinsed). Add salt, red chilli pwd, cumin pwd and coriander pwd to taste. Mix well, lightly mash some of the beans and take off heat. Fill this bean mixture in the bread hollows. Dot with either butter or cheese. In the above picture I have used Laughing Cow Light Garlic & Herb Cheese Wedge. Bake again at 400F for 10 - 15 mins until bread crisps up.

The other after-school snack she likes are Bread Fingers.

For this, toast the bread (I use multi-grain or whole wheat) until lightly browned. Then cut into fingers. I usually remove the crust. In a separate bowl cream together 2 tsp butter, finely chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots. Season with salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash seasoning blend, dried herbs like basil or any other seasonings per choice. Spread this evenly on the bread fingers. Bake at 400F for 10 mins until crisp.

These Bread Boats and Bread Fingers go to the Kids Finger Foods Event at Spice Your Life.

Taco Salad in a Tortilla Bowl

2010-10-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks back I ate a very tasty and satisfying Taco Salad in a Tortilla Bowl at the Microsoft cafeteria. It had layers of greens, rice and veggies, topped with salsa, guacamole etc. all served in a deep fried tortilla bowl. Since I love making Mexican style dishes at home, I immediately set out to replicate this. For the rice, I borrowed the Mexican Brown Rice with veggies recipe from Kids Lunch Box. I marinated and cooked the veggies in a fajita-style sauce from this recipe from Cooking from A to Z. I baked the tortillas into bowls using the same process as I posted here. It turned out to be such a wonderful and quick meal!

So here's how it all come together:

First, brush tortillas (I used whole wheat tortillas) lightly with oil (I used olive oil). Press down gently into oven safe bowls. Bake in a pre-heated 400 F oven for 10 mins till edges brown and tortilla bowls crispen.

Cool the tortilla bowls for a few minutes, then spread a layer of mixed greens/lettuce.

Layer desired quantity of the Mexican Rice over the greens. For the rice, I sauted some onions, garlic, carrots, green and red bell peppers in oil, added chopped tomatoes, handful of spinach, cooked mixture of brown rice plus quinoa, salt, sugar, red chilli pwd, cumin pwd, soy sauce, dried oregano and chopped cilantro (all per taste). Gave the whole thing a good mix till heated thru.

The fajita-style veggies go on top of the rice. For this, I cut some onions, green and red bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms into long thin strips. For the marinade, I pretty much followed the recipe linked above, the only addition I made was cumin pwd since I love its flavor. Marinated the veggies for about 2 hrs, then sauted them in a little olive oil in a wok on medium high heat for about 10 mins until just cooked.

Over the veggies go some black beans. I used canned ones, drained and rinsed.

Now just add the toppings per your choice. For myself, it was some chipotle peppers in adobo suace, mild salsa and a big dollop of guacamole (all store-bought). Hubby also had some sour cream. And kiddo had the salsa, guacamole, sour cream and some shredded Mexican cheese blend.

This Taco Salad in a Tortilla Bowl goes to the BB8 - One Dish Meal event at One Hot Stove.

Pasta with Loaded Pasta Sauce

2010-10-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

This home-made pasta sauce is loaded with veggies and herbs, then blended, making it an ideal way to sneak in many of the daily nutrients required for kids/picky eaters or any one else for that matter.

Here's how I make it:

1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 small clove garlic - minced
1 tbsp chopped green bell pepper
1 tbsp chopped red bell pepper
2 large roma tomatoes - chopped
2 tbsp grated carrot
1/4 cup chopped spinach
handful of chopped basil leaves or 1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/8 tsp sugar or to taste
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning blend
1 cup cooked pasta

The quantity I have given above is just enough for a child's lunchbox, but can be easily multiplied for a family meal. Increase cooking time as needed and add/subtract the veggies as desired.

Heat the oil and saute the onions until softened. Add the garlic and bell peppers. Saute another 2 - 3 mins. Add the carrots, saute 2 - 3 mins. Add the tomatoes & spinach, cook 5 mins. Add the basil leaves, oregano, salt, sugar, pepper and seasoning. Mix well and take off heat. Cool slightly and blend either smooth or you can leave it slightly chunky.

Cook the paste per package instructions, drain and mix the prepared loaded sauce with the hot paste. Top with grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy immediately or pack in a hot thermos style lunch box.

This Pasta with Loaded Pasta Sauce goes to the Kids Lunch Box Treats event at Taste Buds.

This Pasta with Loaded Pasta Sauce also goes to the Presto Pasta Night # 184 event at Cook, Eat. Play, Repeat. This event was started by Ruth.

Masala Roti

2010-10-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

I adapted this recipe from Tarla Dalal's food magazine. It makes for a healthy, tasty and mess-free lunch box item for kids and adults alike.

Here's how I make it:

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 heaped tbsp cup gram flour/besan
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup boiled, peeled and grated potato (or used shredded hash brown)
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp cumin pwd
1 tsp coriander pwd
1/4 tsp red chilli pwd or to taste
1/2 tsp amchur pwd
Salt & sugar to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and knead to a soft pliable dough. No additional oil should be required. Roll out into about 8 - 10 rotis and roast each on a hot griddle with a few drops of oil until brown spots develop on both sides.

To pack for my daughter's lunch box, I just roll them up and wrap them in a foil. She does not need any accompaniments with these rotis. But tomato ketchup, pickles, yogurt or any curry would also work with these.

These Masala Rotis go to the Kids Lunch Box Treats event at Taste Buds.

Jhatpat Chana Chaat

2010-10-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

I adapted this chaat from Tarla Dalal's food magazine. Here's how I made it:

2 store-bought khakhras - crushed
1 cup canned garbanzo beans - drained and rinsed
1 tomato - chopped
1/2 onion - chopped
Chopped cilantro for garnish
2 - 3 tbsp yogurt - beaten till smooth
Tamarind chutney to taste
Green mint/cilantro/chilli chutney to taste
pinch of chaat masala pwd
pinch of cumin pwd

Arrange the crushed khakhras and garbanzo beans in a bowl and top with the tomatoes, onions, beaten yogurt, chutneys. Sprinkle the chaat masala, cumin pwd and chopped cilantro.

Enjoy immediately.

This Jhatpat Chana Chaat goes to the CWF - LB : Chickpeas event at Nithu's Kitchen.

This event was started by Kiran.

Dahi Chutney (Chutney with yogurt)

2010-10-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

I usually make this on upaas/vrat days. Here's how I make it:

1/4 cup roasted peanuts

1/4 cup frozen or fresh shredded coconut

1/2 cup yogurt

1 - 2 green chillies per heat level desired

4 - 5 sprigs of cilantro

Salt & Sugar to taste

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp lemon juice

Blend all the ingredients until smooth. No additional water is needed, unless you want to make a runnier chutney.

We had this chutney with bhajani thalipeeth for breakfast on Saturday.

This Dahi Chutney goes to the CMT - Chutney event at Joy of Cooking.

Methi Mutter Malai

2010-10-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

I was never a big fan of this dish, mainly due to the 'malai' part. But a few months back, we had one of those ready-made frozen versions and my daughter loved it. So started my quest to make it at home. I have finally settled on this version that we all love. I keep the fat content kinda lower by using low-fat cottage cheese (not paneer, but the regular cottage cheese from the grocery store) and have adjusted the quantities of the ingredients such that the methi taste of the methi (which I actually love) does not over-power, making it suitable for kids.

Here's how I make it now:

1 cup fresh methi leaves - washed and chopped fine
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 low fat cottage cheese
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of turmeric pwd
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 green chilli (deseed & derib for lower heat)
1 large clove garlic
1 1/2 inch ginger - peeled
1/4 cup cashewnuts
1/4 tsp cardamon pwd
1 inch stick of cinnamon
4 cloves
4-5 sprigs of cilantro
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp sugar
1/8 to 1/4 tsp garam masala pwd

Heat oil and add the cumin seeds and turmeric pwd. Toast on low heat for 2-3 mins. Make a paste of all the ingredients listed above from onion to cilantro as well as the cottage cheese. Add this paste to the oil and fry on medium low heat for 15 mins., stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Then add the chopped methi and about 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook 5 - 7 mins. The methi gets cooked pretty fast. Add more water to get desired consistency (not too runny). Add the frozen peas, salt and sugar. Give it one boil. Add the garam masala and mix well.

Methi Mutter Malai goes well with any kind of Indian bread.

Dudhi Muthia

2010-09-27T19:57:00.000-07:00

Dudhi Muthias are a healthy, tasty accompaniment to the afternoon Indian style chai. On rainy days, when one craves for tea and pakodas, try these muthias instead. I adapted these from Tarla Dalal's microwave cooking book.

Here's how I make them:

1 cup dudhi/bottlegourd - peeled and grated
1/4 cup onion - finely chopped
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup rava/semolina
1/4 cup gram flour
1 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
1/8 tsp turmeric pwd
1/4 tsp garam masala pwd
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt per taste
1 tsp sugar
pinch of hing
few sprigs of cilantro chopped
1/4 tsp Eno Fruit Salt

For the tempering - 1 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp sesame seeds, pinch of hing

Squeeze the grated dudhi to remove as much water as possible. (This water can be used in making dals etc.) Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl. You don't need to add any additional water. The mixture should come together well, without getting too soggy. With greased palms, you will be able to form small cylindrical muthias. Steam them for 10 mins. I arrange the muthias in a cooker container and steam in my pressure cooker without the whistle attachment.

Just before serving, make the tempering by heating the oil in a non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they stop spluttering add the sesame seeds, hing and the muthias. Saute a couple of mins till they get lightly browned. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

These Dudhi Muthias go to the Only Low Oil/Low Cal event at Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes.

This event was started by Pari.

Umm Ali

2010-09-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

One of the first few recipes that caught my eye when I stumbled onto the world of food blogs was a strangely named dessert called Umm Ali on Asha's Aroma Hope blog. I had book-marked it since then, but never mustered up the courage to try it until now. I halved the original recipe since I was making it for the first time. With the puff pastry, sweetened condensed milk and abundant use of nuts in this deliciously decadent dessert, a little portion certainly goes a long way.

Here's how I made it:

1 sheet Puff Pastry - thawed per package directions

2 tbsp each of pistachios, walnuts and almonds

2 tbsp of sweetened coconut flakes

1/2 tsp cinnamon pwd

1/2 tsp cardamon pwd

1/8 tsp nutmeg pwd

1/2 a 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup milk

Spread the puff pastry sheet on a foil covered baking sheet. Bake in a pre heated 400 degree F oven for 15 minutes.

When the puff pastry cools, cut it into small triangular shapes. Arrange half of the triangles in the bottom of an 6 inch X 8 inch oven proof glass dish. Sprinkle the nuts and coconunt flakes evenly over it. Arrange the rest of the puff pastry triangles.

Combine the sweetened condensed milk with the milk and heat in microwave for 1 mins. Add the cinnamon pwd., cardamon pwd. and nutmeg pwd. Pour over the puff pasty in the dish.

Cover with a foil and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven for 15 mins. Then uncover and continue baking for another 15 mins.

Serve warm with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream.

This Umm Ali desser goes to the AWED - Saudi Arabia festival at Kitchen Samraj.

This event was started by DK of Chef On You.

Kidney Beans Soup with Tortilla Crisps

2010-09-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Kidney Beans Soup recipe is adapted from Tarla Dalal's food magazine.

Here's how I made it:

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup onions - finely chopped

1/2 cup tomatoes - finely chopped

1 15.5oz can of kidney beans - drained & rinsed

1 clove garlic - finely chopped

1 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp cumin pwd

1 tsp lemon juice

few drops of Tabasco sauce per taste

For garnish - finely chopped green onions & cilantro, sour cream, avocado pieces

Heat the oil and fry the onions till softened and beginning to brown. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook few minutes on medium low heat. Add the kidney beans, salt, sugar, cumin pwd and about 1 cup water. Boil for 5 mins till the kidney beans get soft. Take off heat and cool. Then blend half of the soup and mix it back with the rest. This gives it a good consistency. Check and adjust seasonings, heat the soup once more, add the lemon juice and hot sauce as desired. Serve hot garnished with the chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, a dollop of sour cream and avocado pieces.

This Kidney Beans Soup goes to the BSI - Kidney Beans event at Sandhya's Kitchen.

This event was started by My Bizzy Kitchen.

I served this Kidney Bean Soup with Tortilla Crisps. I had some Whole Wheat Tortillas lying around for 2 weeks and neither my hubby nor my daughter seemed to like their taste very much. So I decided to turn them into these crisps to go with the soup. I spread some shredded Mexican style cheese on the tortillas and baked them in a pre-heated 400 F oven for 5 mins., then garnished with some chopped cilantro. Thats it...tasty, whole wheat tortilla crisps are ready. They were over in a jiffy...need I say more! You could also serve them with salsa.

Vangi - Batatyachi Bhaji

2010-09-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is a simple and tasty vegetable side dish for rotis. Here's how I make it:

2 cups eggplant - cubed

2 small red potatoes - cubed (I keep the skin on, you can peel if preferred)

1 small onion - chopped

1 tomato - chopped

For tempering - 1 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp asafotida, 1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

Other spices - 1 tsp coriander pwd, 1 tsp cumin pwd, 1 tsp Goda Masala, 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd

1 tbsp jaggery/gul

1/4 tsp tamarind paste

salt to taste

First make the tempering by heating the oil, then dropping the mustard seeds. When they stop spluttering, add the cumin seeds, asafotida and turmeric pwd.

Then add the onions and saute till softened. Add the potatoes and saute a couple minutes. Add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook about 5 - 7 mins till potatoes are semi-cooked. Add the eggplant and another 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook another 5 mins on medium heat. Add the tomatoes, other spice pwds given above, salt and jaggery. You can also add a handful of frozen peas at this stage if desired. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup water to get desired consistency, cover and cook 5 mins till all the veggies are well cooked, but not mushy. Add the tamarind paste, stir well to well. Simmer couple of mins and take off heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

Serve with rotis/polis/phulkas.

Beetroot koshimbir

2010-09-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

Beetroot koshimbir is my all time favorite kind of koshimbir. When I was working in Mumbai, this koshimbir would be in my lunch dabba every single day...I never tired of it. All my friends there would tease me about, but I kept bringing it every day.

Here's how I make it:

1 beetroot bulb - wash well, peel and grate

1 tbsp coarsely crushed peanuts

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

pinch of sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

cilantro for garnish

For tempering - 1 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, pinch of asafotida, 1 serrano pepper finely chopped

Mix all the ingredients together. Heat the oil for tempering, then add the cumin seeds, asafotida and chopped peppers. Fry 2 mins. Pour into the beetroot mix.

Makes a healthy accompaniment to roti/subji (poli/bhaji).

This Beetroot Koshimbir goes to the Healing Foods - Beets event at Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes.

This event by started by Siri.

Bhindani Kadhi

2010-09-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Tarla Dalal's cookbook. It makes a tasty and quick accompaniment for plain rice, pulav, khichdi etc. Here's how I make it:

1 cup tender okra - pat & clean with a damp cloth, spread out to dry, then slit lenghtwise in half.

2 cups buttermilk (should be fairly thin consistency)

1 tbsp ghee or veg. oil

1 tsp grated ginger

2 dry red chillies or to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tbsp gram flour

handful of chopped cilantro

1 tsp salt or to taste

2 tsp sugar or to taste

Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy bottom pan and fry the okra on low heat until tender, about 15 mins. In the meanwhile mix all the other ingredients together. Add to the okra and stirring continuously, bring it to a boil on medium high heat. Stirring continuously gives the kadhi good consistency. Then lower heat and simmer for 5 mins.

Serve hot with rice.

This Bhindani Kadhi goes to the Flavors of Gujarat event at Simply Food.

Sabudana thalipeeth and Sabudana Kheer

2010-09-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

Sabudana (Sago) is a popular item used in Maharashtrian cooking, especially during "upaas/vrat". I decided to use this to make one savory and one sweet dish for Nupur's Blog Bites - Iron Chef event.

The first dish is called Sabudana Thalipeeth. To me, this dish has all the good flavor of Sabudana Vadas, without the excess fat. The ingredients are pretty much the same, but the vadas are ofcourse deep fried whereas these thalipeeth are made flat and shallow-fried. I roast them on a non-stick pan with just a few drops of oil/ghee (clarified butter). These thalipeeth make for a good breakfast or snack item, in addition to being suitable for "upaas".

I pretty much followed Nupur's recipe for Sabudana Thalipeeth. The only change I made was to use red chilli powder instead of green chillies, so my daughter wouldn't bite into a chilli while eating it.

Here's how I made these Sabudana Thalipeeth:

1/2 cup sabudana - rinse in cold water 2/3 times, drain and keep aside for 1/2 hr

1 large russet potato - boiled, peeled and mashed

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp crushed peanuts (unsalted)

1/4 tsp red chilli pwd or to taste

1 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 tsp sugar or to taste

Chopped cilantro

Mix all the ingredients well. Divide into about 8 large lemon sized balls. Flatten each on a plastic bag with your finger tips till you get a disc shape. Make a hope in the center. Transfer gently to a medium hot non-stick pan and roast with a few drops of oil or ghee till golden brown on both sides.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Coming to the sweet dish, I made Sabudana Kheer from this recipe from Aarti's Corner. I associate this dish with my mom's cooking, I have a memory of her standing over the stove stirring this kheer. This is the first time I made Sabudana kheer. The one change I made from Aarti's recipe was to use sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar, I like the consistency this gives to kheer and also I had some on hand that needed to be used up soon.

Here's how I made my Sabudana Kheer:

1 cup sabudana - rinse in cold water 2/3 times, drain and set aside for 1/2 hr

1 cup milk

3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk

few strands of saffron

big pinch of cardamon pwd

very small pinch of nutmeg pwd

chopped nuts to garnish - pistachios, almonds, cashews - roasted in the microwave for abt 2 mins.

Mix the milk and swwetened condensed milk in a heavy bottomed pan and heat in medium to a gentle boil. Add the sabudana and cook on medium low till they become transcluscent and soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cardamon pwd, saffron strands, nutmeg pwd and heat another few minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the roasted nuts.

I like to eat this Sabudana Kheer quite hot, but it tastes good cold too. The kheer will thicken as it cools, so add a few tbsp warm milk later if desired.

This Sabudana Thalipeeth and Sabudana Kheer go to the Blog Bites Iron Chef event at One Hot Stove.

Beetroot Halwa

2010-09-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

I learnt this recipe ages ago when I took a summer vacation cooking class at Catering College in Dadar, Mumbai. With the gorgeous deep red beets, this halwa turns out as good as it looks (don't go by my picture). This time around, I made it slightly different from the recipe I have 'coz - a) I wanted to use up some ingredients I had on hand and b) these days I find I can never follow a recipe exactly (except in baking), I always eyeball the ingredients.

Anyway, here is the exact recipe from my Catering College class handout:

Beetroot 115 grams
Sugar 60 grams
Mawa/Khoya 60 grams
Ghee (Clarified butter) 30 grams
Cardamon - few
Pistachio 15 grams

Peel & grate the beetroot.
Heat the ghee and fry the beetroot. Add a little water and let it cook.
Add sugar and continue cooking.
When the mixture is almost dry, add mawa and powdered cardamon.
Cook till it forms balls when tested with fingers.
Remove and spread on a greased thali/plate.
Garnish with chopped nuts and vark, if desired.

Here's how I made it yesterday:
1 cup peeled and grated beetroot
3 tbsp ricotta cheese
3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp ghee
A generous pinch of cardamon pwd
Almonds to garnish

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the beets and fry for 2 mins. Add the ricotta cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Mix and cook on medium heat for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Cook till the mixture is almost dry. Add cardamon pwd. Mix well. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold, garnished with chopped nuts.

Either way you make it, the halwa tastes great.

This Beetroot Halwa goes to the Healing Foods - Beets event at Mharo Rajasthan. This event was started by Siri.

Daal Dhokli

2010-09-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

Daal Dhokli is a delicious dish from Gujarat that is eaten by itself or as part of a meal. Having grown up in Mumbai with lots of Gujarati friends, I have had the pleasure of eating this dish in their houses, hence never felt the need to try making it myself. When I saw the Flavors of Gujarat event, this was the first dish that came to my mind. I haven't eaten it here in the US for the past 15 yrs, so I immediately decided to make it. I made my aunt (who is visiting me from Mumbai), call up her friend Hansa Ben and note down her recipe, which I proceeded to use promptly.

Here's how I made it:

Tur Daal - 1 cup - soak in water for 1/2 hr, then cook in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles.

Other ingredients for the daal-

1/4 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tsp red chilli pwd or to taste

1 tsp cumin pwd

1 tsp coriander pwd

Salt to taste

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tomato - chopped

Handful of frozen peas

2 tbsp jaggery

1/2 tsp tamarind paste

1 spring of curry leaves

1 green chilli - chopped

1 tbsp ghee

1 inch piece of cinnamon stick

2 cloves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

few seeds of methi

pinch of asafotida

Ingredients for the Dhokli-

1/2 cup wheat flour

2 - 3 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

pinch of turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp red chilli pwd or to taste

For garnish - chopped cilantro, lemon wedges

Procedure -

Add all the ingredients from turmeric pwd to green chilli listed above under igredients for daal to the cooked toor dal. Mix well and boil on medium high heat. Lower heat and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally.

Make the tempering in a separate pan by heating the ghee, adding the mustard seeds first. When they stop crackling, add the other ingredients, fry 2 mins and pour into the simmering daal.

Take the wheat flour in a wide bowl, add enough oil so the flour gets a little sticky, then add the other ingredients for the dhokli. Use enough warm water to make a dough which should be a bit hard (as for puris). Roll out the dough (using oil to roll out) to a thin circle, cut into diamond shape (like shankarpalya) and when all the dhoklis are ready, gently drop then one by one into the simmering daal. Simmer for 5 mins and turn off the heat.

Serve hot garnished with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges. For me this is a meal in itself, requiring no other accompaniments.

This Daal Dhokli goes to the Flavors of Gujarat event at Simply Food.

Paneer - Chole Spinach Curry

2010-09-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

This recipe is adapted from the Indian Cooking without fat book by Mridula Baljekar. I had borrowed it from the library and the moment I read the title of this recipe I fell for it - you can't go wrong with this wonderful combination of paneer, chole and spinach - all my favorites. Plus her way of pre-cooking the paneer to help it absorb the curry flavors really intrigued me and I have followed this method ever since with excellent results.

Here's how I make it:

1 cup cubed paneer - drop in boiling water and drain after 1 min.
1 can chole/garbanzo beans/chickpeas - drained and rinsed
1 cup roughly chopped spinach
1 onion - chopped
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp garlic paste
2 tomatoes chopped
Salt & Sugar to taste
Other spices - 1/4 tsp turmeric pwd., 1 tsp cumin pwd., 1 tsp coriander pwd., 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd, 1/4 tsp garam masala pwd.
1 tbsp oil

Heat the oil. Fry the onions for 5 -10 mins until soft. Add the ginger and garlic paste. Fry 2 mins. Add the tomatoes. Cook on low 5 - 10 mins until very soft. Cool slightly and grind to a puree. Return to the pot. Add the chole, paneer, spinach, salt, sugar and all the other spice pwds. Mix well. Simmer on medium low for 5 - 10 mins.

This goes well with any kind of Indian bread or rice dish.

This curry goes to the Letz Relish Paneer event at Taste Appetite.

This Paneer-Chole-Spinach curry also goes to the Show Me Your curry event at Divya's Dil-Se.

Ragda with Potato-Tofu Pattice

2010-08-31T14:57:00.000-07:00

Ragda - Pattice is a popular street food item in India. I loved Saffron Trail's version where she used tofu in the patties. So this time, I also added tofu and was very happy with the result.

Here's how I made it:

For the Ragda (Yellow Peas Curry) -

1 cup dry yellow peas - soaked overnight, then pressure cookd for 3 whistles

1 tbsp oil

1 green chilli

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 tbsp chopped mint

Dry spices - 1/4 tsp turmeric pwd, 1 tsp cumin pwd, 1/2 tsp garam masala, red chilli pwd to taste

Salt to taste

1 tbsp jaggery

1/2 tsp tamarind paste

Blend 3 tbsp of the cooked yellow peas (cool slightly) with the green chilli, cilantro and mint adding few tbsp of water as needed. Fry this paste in the oil for a minute. Then add the dry spices and fry 2 -3 mins. Add the cooked yellow peas, salt, jaggery, tamarind and about 2 cups of water. Mix well and bring to a boil. Then simmer on low for 7 - 8 mins until the gravy thickens.

Potato - Tofu Pattice -

2 big Russet potatoes - boiled, peeled and mashed

1/2 cup firm tofu - drained and grated

salt to taste

pinch of turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp ginger paste

1/4 tsp red chilli pwd

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Oil to shallow fry

Mix all the ingredients except the bread crumbs and oil. Make about 12 round patties. Coat with the bread crumbs and shallow fry in oil until lightly browned and crispy on both sides.

To assemble, place 2 patties in a shallow dish. Top with 1/2 cup hot ragda, followed by some chopped onions; tomatoes; dates-tamarind chutney; mint chutney (I have used store-bought chutneys here); yogurt whipped with some salt, sugar and water; and finally some shev.

This was our meal last Friday evening, but can be served as a filling snack item too.

This Ragda with Potato-Tofu Pattice is off to the Global Kadai - Tofu event at Desi Soccer Mom.

This event was started by Cilantro.

Avocado Paratha/Roti

2010-08-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

I prepare these Avocado Parathas every so often. This is a good way to consume this fruit, which though high in fat, is also very healthy since most of the fat is the monounsaturated kind. It is also rich in potassium and vitamins B, E & K. The addition of avocado does not really alter the taste of the roti/paratha, just makes them super-soft and healthy.

Here's how I make them:

1 cup heaped whole wheat flour (I use Sujata brand)
1 ripe avocado
Pinch of salt

Cut the avocado in half, remove the seeds and scoop out the fruit into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocado very well using a fork. Add salt and the wheat flour. Knead well to form a soft pliable dough. No need to add any water and/or oil. Keep the dough covered with a wet cloth for 1/2 hr. Then roll out rotis/parathas as desired and roast them on a non-stick pan over medium heat till brown spots develop on both sides.

This makes 7 to 8 rotis/parathas.

Serve with a vegetable side dish/curry.

These Avocado Parathas/Rotis go to the Dish Name Starts With : A event at Akila's Kitchen.

Penne Pasta with Pan Roasted Veggies

2010-08-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

This recipe is adapted from the Cooks Country magazine. Here's how I make it:

1.5 cups uncooked penne paste - Cook per package directions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 to 2 cups chopped assorted veggies - onions, mushrooms, red/orange/yellow colored sweet peppers, broccoli (add or subtract per choice)
1 cup pomodoro sauce or chopped tomatoes
Seasonings - Salt, Pepper, Mrs. Dash seasoning mix, Balsamic Vinegar.
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat the oil in a large wok. Add the chopped veggies and saute about 5 - 7 mins. on medium heat till cooked but slightly crunchy. Add the Pomodoro Sauce or chopped tomatoes and seasonings. Stir to mix. Add the cooked pasta. Check and adjust seasonings. Take off heat. Top with shredded parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately. This dish tastes best when its hot/warm. It makes for a good weeknight meal since its quick and healthy.

This Penne Pasta with Pan Roasted Veggies dish goes to the Presto Pasta Night #178 event at Amy's Very Culinary. This event was started by Ruth.

Pistachio & Cardamom Cake (Eggless)

2010-08-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

I came up with this cake based on a few different recipes, mainly from chef Suvir Saran's cookbook and Manjula's Kitchen website. This turned out so well, that too for a non-baker like me. I have made it several times, doubling the recipe for a large crowd as well as halving it and it works great every time.

Here's how I make it:

1 cup roasted pistachios - shelled and chopped roughly
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 tsp baking pwd
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cardamom pwd
1/4 tsp salt
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole or 2% fat milk
1 tsp pista essence (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly butter a cake loaf pan.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl - APF, baking pwd, baking soda, cardamon pwd and salt.
Add the melted butter and mix well.
Add the sweetened condensed milk and fold it in gently.
Add the chopped pistachio nuts, vanilla extract, pista essence and milk. Mix well with a light hand.
Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 45 mins. If halving this recipe, bake for only 35 mins. If doubling add another 5 mins or so to the baking time.

This Eggless Pistachio and Cardamon Cake goes to the BSI - Pistachio Event at Chilli & Chocolate.

Vangyache Kaap (Eggplant Fritters)

2010-08-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

These are shallow fried eggplant fritters. My daughter loves them. Here's how I make them:

1 eggplant - sliced horizontally into 1/2 inch thick slabs
3 heaped tbsp rice flour
1 tsp red chilli pwd
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin pwd
pinch of asafotida
Few tbsp oil for shallow frying

Rub the eggplant slices with 1/2 the red chilli pwd and salt and rest for 15 mins. They will ooze some water. In the meanwhile, mix the rice flour with the remaining chilli pwd, salt, cumin pwd and asafotida. Dip the eggplant slices in the rice flour mix to coat on both sides. Shallow fry on both sides in a non-stick pan using oil as needed.

Serve warm with rice and dal. We love to eat them with varan-bhaat.

These Vangyache Kaap go to the Side Dish event at Veggie Platter.

These also go to the Jay Ho Brinjal event at JayZ Kitchen.

Pomodoro Sauce

2010-08-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

This sauce can be used for Pizza, Pasta etc. The original recipe is from Parade magazine. Here's now I make it:

8 Roma tomatoes - chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tsp dried basil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients and cook on medium heat for atleast 40 mins.

Here the sauce is cooking down. If you love garlic and basil, you will love the wonderful aroma that fills your kitchen while this is cooking. Stir occassionally.

For using as a pasta sauce, you can leave it a bit juicy.

Today I made it for my pizza, hence I cooked it for about 1 hour till all the juice had evaporated.

This makes about 1.5 cups of the cooked down sauce.

This Pomodoro Sauce goes to the Healing Foods - Tomato event at Seduce Your Tastebuds. This event was started by Siri.

Here is a picture of my pizza. I used Trader Joe's Wheat Pizza dough. For toppings, I used onions, mushrooms, colored bell peppers and brocolli.

Yogurt Pops

2010-08-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

I adapted a Frozen Yogurt recipe from the Relish magazine to make these pops which have become a super-hit not only with my daughter and her friends, but also with the adults.

Here's how I made them:

2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup sugar

1.5 cups roughly mashed mixed berries (I used strawberries and blueberries)

Mix all the ingredients well. Pour into popsicle moulds. Freeze 6-8 hrs.

These Yogurt Pops go to the Cold Desserts Event at Torview.

Tiranga Pulav

2010-08-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

I made this Tiranga Pulav today on the occasion of India's Independence Day. The basic idea is from a very old Tarla Dalal recipe book that belonged to my mom. The book used food color, but I decided to use veggies only.

Here's how I made it.

1.5 cups Basmati rice - washed and soaked for 1/2 hr.
1.5 tbsp olive oil
Whole spices - 3 bayleaves, 3 1/2 inch cinnamon sticks, 6 cardamon pods, 15 black peppers and 15 cloves (all to be used equally in the 3 colored-rice)
1 cup shredded carrots (I used store bought) - pureed with few tsp water
pinch of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
1 cup spinach leaves - microwaved for 1 min., pureed
3 tsp salt (1/3rd for each colored rice) or to taste
1.5 tsp sugar (1/3rd for each colored rice) or to taste
3 tsp lemon juice (1/3rd for each colored rice)
2 tsp coriander cumin pws
1 tsp red chilli pwd
1 tsp garam masala pwd

White rice layer - Heat 1/2 tsbp oil, drop in 1/3rd of the whole spices mentioned above. Fry 1 min. Add 1/2 cup of the soaked rice and fry another min. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a rapid boil. Then lower heat to medium low, add the salt, sugar and lemon juice per taste and cover and cook till done (abt 10 mins). Add more water while cooking if necessary.

Orange rice layer - Heat 1/2 tsbp oil, drop in 1/3rd of the whole spices mentioned above. Fry 1 min. Add 1/2 cup of the soaked rice and the pureed carrot and fry 2 min. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a rapid boil. Then lower heat to medium low, add the salt, sugar, lemon juice, 1 tsp coriander-cumin pwd, 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd, 1/2 tsp garam masala. (Please adjust all seasonings per taste). Cover and cook till done (abt 10 mins). Add the saffron soaked in milk when rice is almost done. Fluff lightly with fork to mix.

Green rice layer - Heat 1/2 tsbp oil, drop in 1/3rd of the whole spices mentioned above. Fry 1 min. Add 1/2 cup of the soaked rice and the pureed spinach and fry 2 min. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a rapid boil. Then lower heat to medium low, add the salt, sugar, lemon juice, 1 tsp coriander-cumin pwd, 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd, 1/2 tsp garam masala. (Please adjust all seasonings per taste). Cover and cook till done (abt 10 mins).

To assemble - Rub some oil in a casserole. Spread the orange rice on top, followed by the white rice and the green rice. Press gently. Then place a plate over the casserole and upturn. The Tiranga Pulav should slide out easily.

This Tiranga Pulav goes to the Celebrating Independence Day - 2010 event at Akila's Kitchen.

Sprouts Quesadilla

2010-08-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

I love Mexican food (vegetarian ofcourse) and especially Quesadillas. I have already posted my Bell Pepper Quesadillas and Zucchini-Corn Quesadillas. I saw a recipe in the Vegetarian Times magazine featuring sprouts as the filling and was quite intrigued. So I tweaked the recipe to spice it up a bit and was very pleased with the results.

Here's how I made them:

1 cup sprouted, boiled moong & matki sprouts

1 tomato - sliced vertically

1/4 onion - sliced vertically

1 tsp Lawry's Taco Seasoning or to taste

Pinch of salt to taste

Chopped cilantro

Few drops of Chipotle Peppers in Abodo Sauce (to add a smoky hot taste)

Store bought salsas - I used Costco's Mango Salsa and Trader Joes's Avocado Salsa Verde

Shredded Mexican Cheese blend

4 whole wheat tortillas

Mix the salt, taco seasoning and cilantro with the sprouts. To assemble the quesadillas, layer each half of the tortillas with the sprouts mix, top with sliced onions and tomatoes, cheese, salsas and few drops of the hot sauce.

Fold the tortillas over and cook on a non-stick pan with few drops of oil until lightly browned on both sides.

Serve the warm tortillas, cut in half with salsas, sour cream etc. These a quite flavorful and can be eaten just by themselves without any accompaniments.

Before I end this post, here are some pictures of how I prepare my sprouts.

Wash the moong, matki beans well and soak in pleanty of water overnight.

Next morning, they will have started sprouting. Wash well again in water and drain into a colander.

Cover the beans in the colander with a plate and place some heavy cans over the plate.

By next morning the sprouts are ready.

I usually make a big batch of them, pressure cook them (2 whistles) and freeze them in smaller bags. This comes in handy when I'm short on veggies.

These Sprouts Quesadillas are off to the Lets Sprout event and Priya's Easy N Tasty blog.

Tomato saar

2010-08-10T15:05:00.000-07:00

This version of Tomato Saar is without onions or garlic and uses coconut milk. I usually make it during pujas or other festive occasions.

2 large tomatoes

1/2 cup coconut milk (can or fresh)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp jaggery/gul

For tempering - 1 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, pinch of asafotida, 1/8th tsp turmeric pwd., 3-4 curry leaves torn

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Boil the tomatoes in water for 5 mins. Cool and blend with 1 cup of the water used for boiling. You can peel the tomato skin if desired before pureeing, but I use the whole tomato.

In a pot, make the tempering by heating the oil and dropping the mustard seeds. When they stop spluttering, add the cumin seeds, asafotida, turmeric pwd & curry leaves. Add the pureed tomato, salt and jaggery. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and add the coconut milk. Simmer for 5 mins. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with masale bhaath, pulav etc.

This Tomato Saar goes to the Healing Foods - Tomato event at Seduce Your Tastebuds. This event was started by Siri.

Mango Agave Popsicles

2010-08-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

I adapted this recipe from the Cooking Light magazine's Mango-Agave Sorbet which used tequila. I made a kiddie version, omitting the alcohol and setting them in popsicle moulds.

Here's how I made them:

1 cup mango pieces

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup agave nectar - adjust depending on sweetness desired

Blend all the ingredients and pour into popsicle moulds. Freeze for atleast 6 hrs.

These Mango-Agave Popsicles go to the Cold Desserts event at Torview.

Fruit salad

2010-08-09T16:54:00.000-07:00

I always make my fruit salad this simple and tasty way.

2 6 oz. cups of vanilla flavor yogurt
1/2 cup milk
sugar (if required - I do not use additional sugar)
1/2 tsp cardamon pwd
About 2 cups chopped mixed fruits like apples, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, mango, oranges
Handful of nuts like walnuts/almonds/pistachios to garnish (optional)

Mix the yogurt, milk and cardamon pwd until well blended. Stir in the chopped fruits. Garnish with nuts. Chill until ready to serve.

This Fruit Salad goes to the Cold Desserts event at Torview.

Spiced Apple Walnut Cupcakes (Eggless)

2010-07-31T16:24:00.000-07:00

I am always on the lookout for eggless cakes and found this recipe in the Vegan Family Cookbook. I was able to use up some apples lying around for a while and they turned out so delicious that they vanished in a day. Here's how I made them (makes 12 cupcakes) by tweaking the original recipe a bit:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup plain flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon pwd

1/4 tsp nutmeg pwd

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp bkg pwd

1/2 cup olive oil

3/4 cup milk

1 apple - peeled, cored and grated

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Combine the first 8 dry ingredients in a glass bowl. Add the olive oil and mix well. Add the milk, mix. Stir in the grated apple and chopped walnuts. Put 2 tbsp of this mix into each cup of an oiled muffin pan. Bake in a pre-heated 375 F oven for about 20 mins.

Cool and remove the muffins. Enjoy as is or frost and decorate if desired (as done by my daughter in the pic above).

Vegetable Cutlets

2010-07-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

I had leftover rice and mixed vegetables curry that I used in these cutlets. They are only slightly different from the ones I posted earlier.

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup frozen shredded hash browns

1 cup leftover dry veg. curry or finely chopped veggies like onions, bell peppers, cauliflower, peas, carrots, green beans etc.

Upto 1/4 cup fine rava/semolina to bind

Spices - 1 tsp ginger paste, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp cumin pwd, 1 tsp coriander pwd, 1 tsp chaat masala, 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd

Salt and sugar to taste

2 tbsp plain flour mixed in water to make a thin paste

Mix the cooked rice, hash browns (sprinkled with little water and microwaved for 3 - 4 mins.), veggies, spices, salt and sugar and rava. Shape into desired flat shapes like these heart-shaped ones I made using cookie cutters. Dip each in the flour-water mixture and shallow fry or deep fry in hot oil. I always shallow fry in a non-stick pan adding few spoons of oil at a time as needed.

Enjoy hot with chutney or kechup.

I just came across a couple of event announcements - these cutlets would fit the bill perfectly. Hence updating this post to send them to the Scrumptious Delights from Leftovers Event. and Lets Munch - Light Teatime Snack Event.

Melon Balls

2010-07-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

This is not a recipe, but makes for a cute side dish at summer events. I scooped out watermelon and cantaloupe balls using a melon baller and served them in the scooped-out melon bowls. It is a hit everytime and gets raves from guests...with minimal effort involved.