WILD MUSHROOM AGNOLOTTI WITH SCALLIONS AND EGG SAUCE

WILD MUSHROOM AGNOLOTTI WITH SCALLIONS AND EGG SAUCE

A packet of Wild Mushroom Agnolotti by Buitoni was sent to me by the Food Buzz team. The taste of this pasta was simply amazing. The stuffing consisted of wild mushrooms along with a combination of four cheeses. It can be had by itself too without any sauce. I wanted to make a tomato-based sauce for this since it already cheese in it. This fire-roasted tomato sauce along with scrambled eggs and scallions goes well with the stuffing. Each bite into this pasta along with the tomatoes and eggs was a flavor explosion in the mouth.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Buitoni Wild Mushroom Agnolotti, 1 packet.
2. Scallions, 1 bunch.
3. Fire-roasted tomatoes, 1/2 cup.
4. Garlic, 2 cloves.
5. Fresh basil ¼th cup.
6. Jalapeno, 1.
7. Eggs, 2.
8. Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon.
9. Salt and pepper as per taste.

PREPARATION: Cook the pasta as per the package instructions. Meanwhile cut the scallions into thin slices including the green and white parts. Crush the garlic cloves coarsely and dice them finely. Remove the seeds from the jalapeno and dice into very fine pieces. Julienne the basil leaves and keep aside. Heat a nonstick pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot enough, break the eggs into the pan and scramble them gently. Transfer the eggs onto a plate and pour another tablespoon of oil into the same pan. Add the chopped scallions, garlic, and jalapeño and sauté for a few minutes until everything turns tender. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes along with ½ of water or broth and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper according to taste and then add the chopped basil leaves, parmesan cheese, and ¾th of the scrambled eggs to the sauce and mix well. Remove the pan from heat and pour the sauce over the pasta. Serve the pasta with the remaining scrambled eggs garnished on top.

LENTIL CUTLETS

LENTIL CUTLETS
Lentil cutlets are somewhat similar to lentil or bean burgers. This is a healthy substitution for potato cutlets or aloo tikkis, especially for people watching their carbs. I shallow fried the cutlets instead of deep frying them. I made these cutlets with whole toor dhal. Any types of lentils or beans can be used here.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Any types of lentils or beans, 1 cup, soaked overnight if beans are used.
2. Red onion, large, 1.
3. Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
4. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
5. Dried herbs like mint, parsley, ¼ teaspoon of each.
6. Cilantro, chopped finely, ½ cup.
7. Salt as per taste.
8. All-purpose flour, ½ cup.
9. Whole wheat bread crumbs, 1-1/2 to 2cups.

PREPARATION:
Cook the lentils or the beans until they are tender and drain out the excess water from them and mash them well. A blender can also be used for mashing. Dice the onion finely. Heat a pan with some oil and add the diced onions. Sauté them for a few minutes until they are tender. Now add the sautéed onions to the mashed lentils. Then add ginger-garlic paste, dried herbs, cilantro, salt, chili powder, cilantro and mix everything well. Make small patties out them and keep aside. Take the flour in a small bowl, add ¼ cup water and make a batter. Take the bread crumbs in a pan. Heat a flat bottomed pan with ¼ cup of oil. Create a work station arranging the plate with the patties first, the bowl with the flour batter next, and the bread crumbs plate next to that. When the pan is hot enough, take a patty and immerse it in the flour batter. Then put it on the bread crumbs plate and cover the patty with the bread crumbs and put it on the hot pan. Repeat the same with a few more patties until the pan is covered. There should be some space between the cutlets while cooking to move them around. Let then cook for 5-7 minutes until the side facing the pan is golden-brown and crisp. Flip all the patties to the other side and let them cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat the same with the remaining patties and serve the hot cutlets hot with tomato sauce.

RED BELL PEPPER DHAL

RED BELL PEPPER DHAL
I made this dhal just to use up one lonely red bell pepper, which had been lying in the fridge for more than week but this dhal tasted so good that I made the same dhal the very next week. These days I keep alternating between sambar and red bell pepper dhal. I have not added onions or tomatoes here. They can also be added along with the peppers.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Moong dhal or masoor dhal or toor dhal, ½ to 1 cup.
2. Re bell pepper, 1.
3. Green chilies, 2.
4. Garlic, 3 cloves.
5. Mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon.
6. Cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon.
7. Asafetida, 1 pinch.
8. Salt as per taste.
9. Vadakam ½ teaspoon, (optional).
10. Turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon.

PREPARATION:
Wash the dhal well. Dice the pepper into small pieces and slit the green chilies into 2. Crush the garlic coarsely. Take a pressure cooker or a pressure pan and put the washed dhal, chilies, crushed garlic, turmeric powder, salt as per taste along with 1-1/2 cups of water. Pressure cook for about 10-15 minutes for up to 3 whistles. Transfer the cooked dhal to a vessel when the pressure is released. Meanwhile heat a small pan with some oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the cumin seeds, and vadakam, and let them fry for 30 seconds. Then add the diced peppers and sauté them for a few minutes until they turn soft. Add the cooked dhal along with a pinch of asafetida, mix everything well, and let it simmer for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached. Garnish with curry leaves and cilantro and serve hot with idlis, dosas, rotis, or rice.

BLACK BEAN SOUP

BLACK BEAN SOUP
I tasted black bean soup at Panera Breads recently and simply loved its silky taste. Ever since, I have been making black bean soups the same way. Sometimes I add some chopped red bell peppers to the soup for additional flavor. They add good taste to this soup.

INGREDIENTS:
Black beans soaked overnight, 1 cup.
Red onion, large, 1.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Chicken broth or vegetable broth or water, 4 cups.
Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon.
Dried parsley and chives, ¼ teaspoon.
Salt and pepper as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Wash the black beans well and cook the beans until they are tender and let them cool. I used a pressure cooker to cook the beans for up to 5 whistles. Put half of the beans in a blender and blend it into a smooth paste. Dice the onion finely and crush the garlic coarsely. Heat a pot with some olive oil. Add the chopped onion and garlic when the oil is hot enough and sauté for a few minutes until the onions turn soft. Add 4 cups of water or broth, the cooked beans along with the pureed beans, seasonings, dried herbs, salt and pepper and mix everything well. Cook closed under medium flame for 10 minutes until the soup thickens and ladle hot soups into serving bowls and enjoy.

CRACKED WHEAT MINT AND CILANTRO PULAV

CRACKED WHEAT MINT AND CILANTRO PULAV
This recipe is for my dad who is a diabetic. My mom is new with cooking with cracked wheat, so I am trying to give her new recipes for cracked wheat. The method used here is the same one as the mint pulav with rice except that I have substituted the rice with cracked wheat. The cracked wheat I have used here are the big-sized ones, which resembles more or less like rice when cooked. I have not tried this with samba rava or the regular cracked wheat. I should give it a try.

INGREDIENTS:
Cracked wheat or bulgur wheat, 1 cup.
Red onions, medium-sized, 2.
Green peas, ½ cup.
Mint, 1 bunch.
Cilantro, 1 bunch.
Fennel seeds, ½ teaspoon.
Cloves, 1.
Cinnamon stick, small, 1.
Cardamom, 1 pod.
Bay leaf, 1.
Ginger-garlic paste.
Green chilies, small, 2.
Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Dice the onions finely and keep aside. Wash the mint and cilantro well and remove them from the stems. Put the leaves in a blender along with the green chilies and blend it into a smooth paste. Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil turns hot, add the fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pod and fry everything for a few seconds until good smell emanates from the spices. Then add the chopped onions along with the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes until the onions turn tender. Add the mint and cilantro puree, cracked wheat along with 2 cups of water, and salt as per taste and mix everything well. Cook under medium flame until the cracked wheat is cooked and the dish turns dry. Garnish with fried cashews and serve hot with raita or pickle.

SAMBAR- MY MOTHER-IN-LAW’S METHOD

SAMBAR- MY MOTHER-IN-LAW’S METHOD
Many of my friends had been asking me to post my sambar recipe and it had been a long time since I posted any authentic south Indian recipe, so here I am with my version of sambar. This is my MIL’s method, she was the one who taught me most of my cooking. When I got married a few years back, cooking was so new to me. Poor hubby dear was having a hard time coping up with my cooking :( My MIL stayed with me for a month and taught me all the basic dishes. This is her classic dish and nothing can beat its taste. With just a dollop of ghee on top of the sambar and steaming hot idlis, this combination is my ultimate comfort food.

The sambar recipe I have posted here is ideal for idlis and dosas. Usually we don’t add any vegetables to our sambar. If needed, any vegetables like eggplants, okra, carrot, or drumsticks can be added. If you are combining it with rice, the sambar should be a little bit watery. I made this sambar to go with rice idlis and cracked wheat idlis. The cracked wheat idli recipe is from my friend Cham (thanks a lot dear). I followed her exact recipe for the idlis. The only addition was that I added some ginger paste to the batter. It came out real soft and tasty.

INGREDIENTS:
Toor dhal or red lentils, 1 cup.
Red onions, medium size, 2.
Tomatoes, medium size, 2.
Green chili,.1
Garlic, 2 cloves (optional).
Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon.
Tamarind, a small lemon-sized ball or 2 tablespoons of tamarind pulp.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Coriander powder, 2 teaspoons.
Sambar powder, store brought or homemade, 1 teaspoon.
Asafetida, 1 pinch.
Salt as per taste.
Red chili, 2.
Mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon.
Curry leaves, 1 sprig.
Chopped cilantro, a handful.
Vadakam, 1 teaspoon, (optional). This is a mixture of dried onions, garlic, and a few spices. I use vadakam for seasoning sambar, rasams, and kuzambus. This can be omitted if not available.

PREPARATION:
Dice the onions and tomatoes finely and slit the green chili into 2. Extract thick juice from the tamarind and keep aside. Wash the toor dhal well and cook the toor dhal along with the turmeric powder, diced onions, tomatoes, garlic cloves, and green chilies in a pressure cooker for up to 3 whistles. The dhal should be mashed well along with the added veggies. Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, break the red chilies into 2 and add them to the oil along with the vadakam and fry for a 2 seconds. Then add the tamarind juice, along with the chili powder, coriander powder, sambar powder, and salt along with 3 cups of water and let it boil for 10-15 minutes. Then add the mashed dhal and a pinch of asafetida and let it cook for a few more minutes until the desired consistency is reached. Garnish with curry leaves and chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice, idlis, or dosas.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS CURRY

BRUSSELS SPROUTS CURRY
I tasted Brussels sprouts only after I got married. My MIL used to prepare it just like a cabbage poriyal with its usual seasonings and green chilies. It was ok with spicy dishes like fish kozumbu or rasam with only slight bitterness from the sprouts but this preparation was not so good with chapathis. When making Brussels sprouts curry to go with rotis, I started adding tomatoes and a little bit of garam masala. We love it this way and I have been making Brussels sprouts curry this way ever since. Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
Brussels sprouts, ½ lb.
Onion, 1 small.
Green chilies, 2.
Tomato, 1.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon, (optional).
Garam masala, ½ teaspoon.
Salt as per taste.
Curry leaves, 1 sprig.
Mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon.

PREPARATION:
Chop the onions and tomato finely and slit the green chilies into two. Cut the Brussels sprouts into long thin strips. Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil turns hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the chopped onions, tomato, green chilies, and ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes until everything turns tender. Then add the Brussel sprouts along with the garam masala and mix everything well. Cook closed under low flame for 10 minutes until everything is cooked. Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot with rotis or rice.

TOMATO AND BASIL HUMMUS

TOMATO AND BASIL HUMMUS
I tasted this flavorful hummus recently during a supermarket sampling. The taste of this hummus was the best of both worlds, so delicious with chips. I have used roasted garlic and canned tomatoes here and substituted the tahini paste with extra-virgin olive oil. It gives a good taste combined with the basil and tomatoes. Even roasted tomatoes can also be used instead of the canned ones. I even added some green chilies for some heat. The chilies can be replaced with black pepper. Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
Chick peas, 1 cup, soaked overnight.
Garlic, 1 small head.
Green chilies, small, 2.
Canned tomatoes, ½ cup.
Fresh basil leaves, a handful.
Salt as per taste.
Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons.

PREPARATION:
Cook the soaked chick peas until they are tender. I cooked the chick peas in pressure cooker for up to 2 whistles and let it cool. Drain out all the liquid from the canned tomatoes. To roast the garlic, cut the garlic head into two halves and apply olive oil to the halves. Wrap them in aluminum foil and bake it for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the garlic from the heads and keep aside. Add the cooked chickpeas, drained tomatoes, garlic, basil leaves, and chilies in a blender and blend everything into a smooth paste. Pour in extra virgin olive oil while blending. Add salt according to taste. Transfer the hummus into a serving dish and serve with tortilla or pita chips.

ZALABIA

ZALABIA

This authentic Egyptian sweet recipe is from a dear friend of mine. She made this for us when we went to her house for dinner. The taste of this dish was amazing yet it was very easy to make. I took these photographs as soon as I came home since I was sure that they wouldn’t last long in my house :) Here goes the recipe of the zalabias:

INGREDIENTS:
All purpose flour, 1 cup.
Active yeast, ¾ tablespoon.
Sugar, 1 cup.
Oil as needed for deep frying.

PREPARATION:
Take a cup full of warm water and dissolve the yeast in the water. The water should not be too hot or too cold, it should be just warm to touch and let it sit for a few minutes until the yeast rises. Take the flour in a big bowl and pour the yeast mixture into the flour and mix well. Add more water to the mixture and make a smooth batter out of the mixture (the batter should be of the same consistency of a bajji batter). Let it sit for another half an hour to make it rise. Meanwhile, dissolve the sugar in ½ to ¾ cup of water and keep aside. The syrup should be thick. This is sugar syrup for the zalabia. Once the batter has risen enough, heat around 1 to 1-1/2 cups of oil in a pot. Take spoonfuls of the batter and pour it over the hot oil and deep fry the zalabias until they turn into golden-brown color. Remove them from the oil and place them over a plate. Drain the excess oil with a paper towel and dip each one of them into the sugar syrup coating them evenly. Transfer the zalabias into another plate and serve.

BLACK CHICKPEAS CURRY

BLACK CHICKPEAS CURRY
We went to a nearby Indian recently and had this black peas curry in the buffet. It tasted real good with a mild spiciness going throughout the dish and surprise! Hubby dear went for a second helping of this curry with rotis. He also asked me, “Why are you not making these types of curries at home?” Hmm….The next weekend, I rolled up my sleeves, bought black chickpeas and a simple curry with them and since then this dish has been weekend special at my home. I have not used any masala powders like in chole masala. I have only used some fennel seeds here and if needed they can be omitted. I prepared this whole dish in a pressure pan. Once the chickpeas were cooked, I opened the lid and let it simmer for a few more minutes in the pressure pan itself to thicken it. Another method is that the chickpeas can be cooked separately and added with the cooked gravy and seasonings and simmered for a few more minutes before serving.

INGREDIENTS:
Black chick peas, soaked overnight, 1 cup.
Red onions, 2, medium-sized.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon.
Curry leaves, 1 sprig.
Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon.
Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Dice the onion finely and keep aside. Heat the pressure pan with a tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the fennel seeds and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds. Then add the chopped onions along with the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes until the onions are well caramelized. Add 1-3/4 cups of water along with chili powder, coriander powder, salt, and the black chick peas and close the pressure pan and cook the chick peas for 2 whistles or until the chick peas are cooked (mine cooks in 2 whistles). Once the chickpeas are cooked, switch off the stove and release the pressure from the cooker and remove the lid. Then let the gravy simmer for a few more minutes in the pan itself and serve hot with rotis or rice.

SPINACH AND BARLEY SOUP

SPINACH AND BARLEY SOUP
I started preparing soups for dinner for the past few months ever since my husband and I started a low-carb diet. Initially I was preparing bean soups, tomato soups, and French onion soups when I started searching blogs for more soup recipes. I came across a tomato barley soup recipe from one of my fellow bloggers and that soup turned out real well. This led me to experimenting with barley soups and this is one such recipe. As usual, we had this soup with whole wheat dinner rolls and it was a hearty and filling dinner. Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
Spinach, 1 large bunch, or frozen spinach, 1 cup.
Onion, medium-sized, 1.
Canned tomatoes, ½ cup.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Barley, 1 cup.
Italian seasonings, 1 teaspoon.
Salt and pepper as per taste.
Water or chicken broth or vegetable broth, 4 cups.
Dried parsley and basil, ¼ teaspoon (optional).

PREPARATION:
Dice the onion finely and crush the garlic coarsely and keep aside. Wash the spinach thoroughly and chop it into fine pieces. Heat a pot with some olive oil and when the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes until the onions are well caramelized. Then add the spinach and sauté for a few more minutes until everything is blended. Add the canned tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes and switch off the stove and let it cool. Once cooled, blend the mixture into a smooth puree and add the puree back into the pot. Add 4 cups of water or broth along with the seasonings, dried herbs, salt and pepper as per taste along with 1 cup of barley and cook under medium flame for 15-20 minutes until the barley is cooked. Ladle the soups into bowls and serve hot with any whole grain breads.

POLENTA UPMA

POLENTA UPMA
Polenta was relatively very new to me. I have seen it prepared with cream by many chefs of Food network and I was thinking it to be porridge of some sort made with corn meal (am I right?). Recently at the Super Bowl party at a friend’s place, we were discussing about low-carb breakfasts and they suggested about having polenta for breakfast. They had some readymade polenta logs and offered us to try out. When I was checking out the label, it had only cornmeal and salt and the carb content of 1/8 of that log was around 15 grams. That seemed to be a decent amount of carbs for a low-carb breakfast. Initially, I did not know how to cook it, I just cut out small portions and pan fried it but its bland taste did not suit our palettes. Then one day I crumbled some of the polenta and made polenta upma with it and voila! a spicy low-carb Indian-style breakfast. This upma tasted pretty good with a sweet taste going on throughout and it was quick and easy too. The whole process took only about 10 minutes. I had used some onions and scallions for this and if needed any other veggies can also be used here.

INGREDIENTS:
Ready made polenta, crumbled, about 2 cups.
Onion, medium-sized, 1.
Scallions or spring onions, 1 bunch.
Green chilies, small, 2.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp, (optional).
Salt as per taste.
Mustard seeds. ½ teaspoon.
Curry leaves, 1 twig.

PREPARATION:
Crumble the polenta finely and keep aside. Chop the onion and scallions into fine pieces and split the green chilies into two. Heat some oil in a pan and when the oil is hot enough, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the chopped onions, scallions, and green chilies along with ginger garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes until everything is tender. Add the crumbled polenta along with salt for taste and mix everything well and sauté for a few more minutes until everything is well blended, garnish with curry leaves and serve hot.

Variations: The same method can also be used with cornmeal instead of readymade polenta. I have used readymade polenta since its fast and easy, especially during the weekday mornings.

TOFU PATTIES

TOFU PATTIES AND ONE MORE AWARD FOR MOI
I prepared these tofu patties for an evening snack yesterday. They tasted good and everything was over in a jiffy. These were the only ones left. I used only a few ingredients along with the tofu. If needed, even chopped onions and vegetables can be added while making the patties. Another thing is that since I used a nonstick pan for frying the patties, I have not used a single drop of oil here. Hmm…that’s pretty good for a healthy snack :)

Malar Gandhi from http://www.kitchentantra.com/ has passed on the Good chat award to me. Thanks a ton dear for remembering me. I am passing on this award to all my blogger friends who have been chatting with me and passing on their valuable comments :)

INGREDIENTS:
Silken tofu, 1 packet.
Whole wheat bread crumbs, 1 cup.
Ginger-garlic paste, ½ teaspoon.
Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon, (optional).
Green chilies, small, 2.
Cilantro, 1 small bunch.
Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Put the tofu in a bowl and drain out the excess liquid from the tofu by placing paper napkins over them for 10 minutes. Pat the tofu fry with a dry paper towel and crumble the tofu finely. Wash the cilantro and chop them into fine pieces. Cut the green chilies into very small and thin circles. Add the chopped cilantro and green chilies to the tofu along with the whole wheat bread crumbs, fennel seeds, salt, and ginger-garlic paste and mix everything well. The mixture should be dry enough to form patties out of them. If needed, some more bread crumbs can also be added. Heat a nonstick pan. Form small patties out of the tofu mixture and fry the patties on medium flame for a few minutes on each side. If needed, the patties can be cooked drier by leaving them on the pan for a few minutes. I wanted mine to be still soft in the centre, so I took them off the stove when the outsides were brown and crispy. Serve hot tofu patties with soy sauce.

CHEESE OMELET WITH SCALLIONS

CHEESE OMELET WITH SCALLIONS
I made this omelet for weekend breakfast. It tasted great with toast. Whenever I make omelets, I used to do add some veggies like grated cabbage, carrots, green beans and sometimes spinach. This time I used just a bunch of scallions and some cheddar cheese. I have sautéed the scallions before whisking in the eggs. If needed, they can be chopped and added with sautéing.

INGREDIENTS:
Eggs-3 or 3 cups of Egg Beaters.
Scallions (green onion), 1 bunch.
Green chili (optional), 1.
Salt, as per taste.
Pepper as per taste.
Grated low-fat cheddar cheese, ½ cup.

PREPARATION:
Chop the scallions into small pieces with both the green and fleshy parts and cut the chilies into thin slices. Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil is hot enough add the chopped scallions along with the chili and sauté them for 5 minutes until everything is soft. Transfer the contents into a bowl and break 3 eggs into the mixture. Add salt and pepper according to taste and whisk everything together. Heat a flat-bottomed pan and when the pan is hot, pour the contents into the pan and spread them well. Some oil can be added around the corners. Add the grated cheese on top of the omelet and flip the omelet when one side is cooked. Remove the omelet from the pan when the other side is also cooked and serve hot with any whole grain toast.

SCONES WITH DILL AND SCALLIONS

SCONES WITH DILL AND SCALLIONS
This recipe is an adaptation from Ina Garten’s dill scones. This was my first attempt at making scones and they turned out pretty well. The only thing was that I rolled them a bit thinner than the regular scones but the taste was good. I combined these scones with French onion soup. The only difference from the original recipe is that I have used some scallions (green onions) and used very little dill leaves, omitted the eggs (she had used around 4 eggs for 2 cups of flour), and substituted whole milk for cream. Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
Whole wheat pastry flour, 2 cups.
Baking powder, 2 tablespoons.
Cheddar cheese, 1 cup.
Fresh dill leaves, 1 small bunch.
Scallions, 1 bunch.
One stick of unsalted butter.
Whole milk, around ½ cup.
Salt, 1 teaspoon.

PREPARATION:
Chop the dill and scallions finely. Put the whole wheat flour in a large bowl and add the baking powder and salt and mix well. Cut the butter into small cubes and add it to the flour and start kneading until the flour mixes with the butter and reaches the consistency of small peas. Add the dill, scallions, and cheddar cheese and mix everything well. Pour in the milk slowly and knead into dough. More milk can be added accordingly. Roll out the dough into a big circle of width around ¾ of an inch. Cut out small circles from the dough of around 10 cm diameter. A cookie cutter can be used for this. I just used a lid of a pickle jar. Arrange them on a cookie sheet greased with any nonstick spray and coat each scones with some oil or egg wash (I coated them with canola oil). Bake them for 20-25 minutes at 200 degrees, let them cool for 10 minutes and enjoy the scones with any soup or by itself.

CHINESE STYLE PASTA

CHINESE STYLE PASTA
This pasta is a version of the Chinese noodles I used to have at Pondicherry Engineering College canteen. My office was at this campus and almost every evening my friends and I used to take a walk to that canteen and have chili parotas or egg noodles or something yummy. Those were the days when you have almost anything without caring about the calories or carbs :) This is my attempt to recreate the same version of pasta and cutting some calories from the original version where the pasta used to be very oilyl. I used whole wheat spaghetti here and used just 1 tsp of oil for the overall recipe. The taste was really great. I make this every weekend now. The pasta which I have used here is Dreamfields pasta which has a relatively low carb value than the regular whole wheat pastas. There was no difference in taste, it tasted almost like white pastas and had a hearty texture. Another thing is that usually chili sauce is added to these types of spaghetti. I did not find them near my place, so I used only ground pepper here. The measurements used here serve for 2 persons. Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS
Whole wheat spaghetti around ½ a packet.
Onion- 1.
Ground pepper according to taste.
Low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons.
Chili sauce, 1 teaspoon (optional).
MSG 1 pinch (optional).
Vegetables like beans, carrot, cabbage, green peppers, scallions all coming to 1-1.2 cups when cut into thin long strips.
Salt to taste.

PREPARATION
Cook the pasta to al-dente, drain the water, and let it cool. Meanwhile cut the onions, green peppers, cabbage, carrots, and scallions into long, thin strips. Add some oil to a wok and when the oil is hot enough, add the veggies and sauté them just for a minute. Take care not to overcook them. They should still be crisp. Then add the sauces and the MSG and mix everything well. Then add the cooked pasta and mix everything well with salt and pepper according to taste and enjoy.

VARIATIONS: Scrambled eggs can also be added to the pasta at the end.

TOMATO BASIL SOUP WITH OVEN-ROASTED WALNUTS AND AN AWARD

TOMATO BASIL SOUP WITH OVEN-ROASTED WALNUTS AND AN AWARD
The weather was pretty chilly for the past few days for us in Virginia. Yesterday we had some snow. It was such a glorious sight and I was in a lazy mood the whole day watching the snow. It was not a day for hitting the gym, rather I was in the mood for something piping hot and crunchy. Tomato basil soup sounded so wonderful but I did not have any fresh basil in the fridge yet brave me went right ahead to make the soup with dried basil. I know people won’t agree with dried basil in tomato basil soup where basil is the main ingredient still this soup tasted good for a quicker version. It was almost as tasty as the ones with fresh basil. I combined it with some oven-roasted walnuts. These were real good too perfect for the cold. The nuts were still warm from the oven when I had it. They were so yummy that I finished almost a half a cup of nuts. I clicked a view of the lawn from our window while having this.

TOMATO BASIL SOUP

INGREDIENTS:
Canned tomatoes, 1 can.
Red onion, medium-sized, 1.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Olive oil.
Salt and pepper as per taste.
Chili powder (optional), ¼ teaspoon.
Basil leaves (1 bunch if fresh ones are used, 2 teaspoons if dried basil is used).
Grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons.
Any broth like chicken or vegetable broth, 2 cups.

PREPARATION:
Dice the onions and crush the garlic cloves coarsely. Heat a pot with some olive oil and when the oil is hot enough, add the diced onions and garlic and sauté for a few minutes until the onion is well caramelized. Switch off the stove and let it cool. Pour the contents of the canned tomatoes to a blender and add the sautéed onions to this mixture and blend everything to a smooth paste. If fresh basil is used, half of it can be added while blending and the remaining half can be torn and added to the soup while serving. Pour the blended mixture to the pot and add salt, pepper chili powder, dried basil leaves if they are used along with 2 cups of broth and 2 cups of water. Let it simmer for 15 minutes and stir in the parmesan cheese. Ladle the soups into serving bowls and serve hot with any crusty bread.

OVEN-ROASTED WALNUTS
INGREDIENTS:
Walnuts, 2 cups.
Paprika, 1 tablespoon.
Salt, ½ teaspoon.
Canola oil, ½ teaspoon.
Garlic powder (optional), ¼ teaspoon.

PREPARATION:
Put the walnuts in a bowl. Add in the spices along with salt and oil and mix everything well until each of the walnut is well coated with the spices. Transfer the nuts to a baking dish and bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes and let it cool and enjoy.

16 BEANS AND PASTA SOUP AND ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER SOUP

16 BEANS AND PASTA SOUP AND ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER SOUP
Here I go again with another bean and pasta soup. I found this 16-bean soup mix at Wegmans’ recently. It had a combination of beans like red bean, fava bean, black beans, and even some lentils. There were many beans in that mixture that I did not know the name of. I brought this one and soaked the beans overnight the very same dat, I think my obsession with beans is getting crazy :( The soup though came out pretty good. I added some whole wheat pasta at the end and my husband liked this one very much. I was surprised since he is not a great fan of bean soups. The lentils dissolved well and gave the soup some thickness. The recipe I am posting here is the same one which I have posted for most of my bean soups where I add canned tomatoes and some chili powder for some heat. They can be modified according to individual taste. If needed, the chili powder can be substituted for black pepper.

Coming to the roasted red bell pepper soup, I was wondering whether is it really necessary to roast the red peppers, let them cool, peel the skin, and then make soup, why not just sauté the peppers and grind them? Trust me on this one friends, the roasting and the extra work is worth all the trouble. This soup was simply the best I ever made. I made a whole pot full of this soup and we finished it off the same day itself, it tasted soo good :) The picture of the red pepper soup is not that good since I had used flash when the photo was taken.

I will be posting more soup recipes in my next posts since most of my friends are on a diet now and they keep asking me for soup recipes. Here are the recipes of the 2 soups I made this week:

16 BEANS AND PASTA SOUP

INGREDIENTS:
Any bean soup mix, 1 cup, soaked overnight.
Red onion, 1.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Canned tomatoes, about ½ can.
Tomato paste, 1 tablespoon.
Chili powder, ½ teaspoon.
Any whole wheat pasta, 1 cup.
Se salt as per taste.
Olive oil, 1 tablespoon.

PREPARATION:
Soak the beans overnight and cook them for 1-1/12 hours until they are tender. Chop the onion, into small pieces and keep aside. Crush the garlic coarsely. Heat a pot with some olive oil. Add the chopped onions along with the crushed garlic and sauté them for a minute. When the onion turns brown, add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, cooked beans, chili powder, and salt along with 5 cups of water. Cook the soup closed for 10 minutes. Then add the pasta and let it cook until it is al-dente. Take care not to overcook the pasta. If the pasta is overcooked, they start to fall apart and don’t taste good. Switch off the stove and serve the soup garnished with a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil on top.

ROASTED RED BELL PEPPERS SOUP
INGREDIENTS:
Red bell peppers, 6.
Onion, large, 1.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Chili powder, ¼ teaspoon.
Any seasonings mixture, ¼
Sea salt as per taste.
Broth or water, 5 cups.

PREPARATION:
Wash the peppers and pat them dry. Place them on a cookie sheet and spray some cooking oil to each of them. Bake the peppers at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until the skin of the bell peppers becomes black. Put them in a bowl and cover the bowl tightly with a plastic sheet and let it cool for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, dice the onion and heat a pot with some olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the diced onions and sauté for a minute. Then add the 2 cloves of garlic and keep sautéing until everything is well caramelized. Switch off the stove and let it cool. When the red bell peppers have cooled, take them out of the bowl and peel the outer skin of the peppers. Discard the seeds from the flesh and put the roasted peppers into a blender. Add the sautéed onion and garlic to this mixture and blend everything into a smooth paste. Pour the contents onto the pot with 5 cups of broth or water, along with the chili powder, seasonings, salt as per taste and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Ladle the soup onto serving bowls, garnish the soup with some grated cheddar cheese and serve hot with any crusty bread.

EGG DROP AND EGG NOODLE SOUP AND AN AWARD

EGG DROP AND EGG NOODLE SOUP AND AN AWARD
If you like egg noodle soup, you’re sure to like this soup. This is not exactly a “diet” soup but it is simply delicious. The only thing is that care should be taken not to overcook the egg noodles. If needed, the egg noodles can be cooked separately and added to the soup while serving. I have used Egg Beaters instead of whole egg in this soup and even plain egg whites can also be used here.

Devasena Hariharan http://mirra-macherie.blogspot.com/ has passed on the Certified Honest Blogger Award. She is my younger sister who keeps posting many horrible comments about my dishes. Some of you may even have read those comments :(

Her blog is a good one about the day-to-day activities of her life. It’s a good read though we keep nipping at each other regarding the posts. I am passing this award to all my blogger friends who have been passing on their valuable comments and encouraging me.

INGREDIENTS:
Egg noodles, 1 cup.
Onion, medium-sized, 1.

Diced tomatoes, 1 can,(optional).
Garlic, 1 clove.
Dried parsley, basil, and mint leaves, ¼ teaspoon of each.
Egg beaters or egg whites, 1 cup.
Chicken broth or vegetable broth, 5 cups.
Salt as per taste.
Any seasonings mixture, ½ teaspoon.
Pepper as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Whisk the Egg Beaters with a fork until it is frothy and keep aside. Some salt and pepper can be added while whisking. Chop the onion into small pieces and crush the garlic into two. Heat a pot with some olive oil and when the oil turns hot, add the chopped onions and crushed garlic and sauté for a few minutes until the onions turn brown. Now add the broth along with the herbs, salt, seasonings, diced tomatoes, and peppers and cook closed for 5-7 minutes until the soup starts bubbling. Add the egg noodles and mix everything well. After 1 minute, spoon in the Egg Beaters. Add a spoonful and when the egg is cooked and starts floating on the top, add another spoonful. This should happen in 10-15 seconds. Remove from stove as soon as the noodles are cooked and ladle the soup into serving bowls.

ROASTED GARLIC AND PIMENTOS HUMMUS WITH WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS CHIPS

ROASTED GARLIC AND PIMENTOS HUMMUS WITH WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS CHIPS
Back to basics after the long holidays. The year 2008 was a pretty good one for me. I started my blog in June 2008. It has been six months and I am still sticking on to it. My husband and I have also lost a few pounds (actually I lost around 16 pounds, yay!). The year ended on a good note with a trip to New York and entertaining some of our friends. I am starting another year of blogging with a healthy snack. The inspiration for this hummus was the varieties of hummus sold at the supermarkets today. I made my own hummus with a slight twist by adding sweet pimentos and roasted garlic along with some cilantro and served it with herb and garlic whole wheat tortilla chip. I like the subtle flavor of garlic in the hummus and chip. More garlic can be added according to taste. I have also used a jar of pimentos here. Even any other roasted peppers can be used. Here goes the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE HUMMUS:
Chick peas, 1 cup, soaked overnight.
Roasted pimentos, 1 small jar.
Garlic, 1 small head.
Cilantro, 1 small bunch.
Green chilies, small, 2.
Lemon juice, 2 tablespoons.
Salt as per taste.
Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons.

FOR THE TORTILLA CHIPS:
Whole wheat tortillas, any flavor, 5-6.
Nonstick cooking spray.

PREPARATION:
Cook the soaked chick peas until they are tender. I cooked the chick peas in pressure cooker for up to 2 whistles and let it cool. To roast the garlic, cut the garlic head into two halves and apply olive oil to the halves. Wrap them in aluminum foil and bake it for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the garlic from the heads and keep aside. Add the cooked chickpeas, the pimentos, garlic, and the sprigs of cilantro in a blender and blend everything into a smooth paste. Pour in extra virgin olive oil while blending. Add lemon juice and salt according to taste. Transfer the hummus into a serving dish.

Meanwhile cut the whole wheat tortilla into wedges and place them on a cookie sheet leaving sufficient space between each piece. Spray any nonstick cooking spray on top of the wedges and bake for 5 minutes at 300 degrees. Serve alongside with hummus.

SINFULLY TASTY RASPBERRY BROWNIES WITH ALMOND AND PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

SINFULLY TASTY RASPBERRY BROWNIES WITH ALMOND AND PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
This is my entry for Purva Daawat’s Christmas Feast Event at http://purvasdaawat.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-feast.html
I make these types of desserts rarely since my husband and I are watching our carbs. This time I had an occasion to prepare a decadent brownie. We were invited to our friend’s place for dinner. I wanted to prepare something sweet for their kids and came up with this one. I have used a regular brownie recipe here, just tweaked it a little bit by adding some frozen raspberries and using cashew nuts with the walnuts and icing the brownie with a simple almond and peanut butter fudge sauce. These brownies tasted awesome with ice cream. Chocolate and raspberries! How can anything go wrong with that :)

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE BROWNIES:
All-purpose flour, 1 cup.
Unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ cup.
Sugar, ½ cup.
Vanilla essence, ½ teaspoon.
Eggs, 2.
Butter, 1 stick.
Cashew nuts, ½ cup.
Walnuts, ½ cup.
Raspberries, fresh or frozen 1 cup.
Baking powder ½ teaspoon.

FOR THE ICING:
Almond and peanut butter or regular creamy peanut butter ½ cup.
Heavy cream, ½ cup.
Sugar, 1 tablespoon.

PREPARATION:
Chop the walnuts and cashew nuts into small pieces and keep aside. If frozen raspberries are used, thaw them overnight in the fridge. Mix the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and baking powder together. Melt the butter and put it into a bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla essence, and the eggs to the butter and keep beating it together until a creamy consistency is obtained. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix everything well. Now add the chopped nuts and raspberries and mix once without mashing the berries. Grease a baking dish with any nonstick cooking spray and pour the brownie mixture into the dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the brownie, if the toothpick comes out clean, it means the brownies are done and they can be removed from the oven, if not bake them for 5 more minutes and remove.

Meanwhile for the fudge, microwave the almond-peanut butter for 30 seconds. Add the heavy cream to the butter along with the sugar and keep mixing it until a creamy consistency is obtained. If needed, more cream can also be added. Pour the fudge over the brownie while it is still hot and let it cool for an hour. Cut them into big pieces and serve with ice cream.

SPICY BROCCOLI SALAD

SPICY BROCCOLI SALAD
I like my broccoli to have some color and crunch in them. I used to cook them for 30-40 seconds in the microwave with some salt. In this recipe, I have used mild spices and zinged up the salad just a little bit. I have baked them for a few minutes, so the broccoli still retain their color and crunch. Again, this is just another idea of spicing up the salad. Any amount of spices can be added here according to individual taste. Even any regular salad dressings can also be added after baking them. Each one of you is sure to have some variations like this one. Any suggestions to make these salads yummier will be most welcome. Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
Broccoli, 2 large heads.
Chili flakes, 1 teaspoon.
Any type of seasoning mixture, 1 teaspoon.
Garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon (optional).
Salt as per taste.
Dried parsley flakes, ½ teaspoon.

PREPARATION:
Break the broccoli into large florets and wash them well. Pat them dry with a paper towel and put them into a bowl. Mix chili flakes, seasoning mixture, garlic powder, dried parsley leaves, and salt together. Add this mixture on top of the broccoli and mix everything well. Grease a baking sheet with any cooking spray and arrange the florets on the sheet leaving sufficient space between each of them. Bake them at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes and remove them for the oven. Serve them hot or cold. This salad tastes yummy both ways.

THREE RECIPES IN ONE POST

THREE RECIPES IN ONE POST
I have not posted anything for almost 2 weeks. Though I was taking photographs of any new dishes I made, I hardly had time to post them. Maybe my New Year resolution should be to be post as many recipes as I can and be in touch with my friends’ blogs. I have a recipe with fava bean, a cabbage soup, and the recipe for the banana nut cake which I had posted previously. Now for the dishes:

FAVA BEAN CURRY WITH METHI LEAVES
I have been trying all varieties of beans available in the supermarkets and I like the taste and texture of some beans. Fava beans are one such. It has a mild buttery taste that is perfect for gravies and dry curries. Any amount of spices can be added while cooking them as its taste balances quite well with the heat level. I have made a dry curry here to go with rice. The same curry can also be made into a gravy, just switch off the stove before the curry becomes dry and you have an excellent side dish for rotis.

INGREDIENTS:
Fava beans, 1 cup, soaked overnight, even canned beans can be used here.
Methi leaves, 1 big bunch.
Onion, medium-sized ones, 1.
Chili powder, 2 teaspoons.
Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
Fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon.
Garam masala, 1 teaspoon (optional).
Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Cook the soaked beans until they are tender. The beans can be cooked over stove top for an hour or with a pressure cooker for up to 4-5 whistles. Wash the methi leaves and chop them finely. Dice the onions. Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the chopped onions and sauté for a minute until it turns brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute. Now add chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, fennel seeds and fry everything well under low flame for a minute. Add 1 cup of water to the mixture along with the cooked beans and salt as per taste. Cook closed for 8-10 minutes until the curry is dry. Now add the chopped methi leaves and cook for 2 more minutes and switch off the stove. Serve hot with rotis and rice.

SAVOY CABBAGE SOUP
This is a soup that I make sometimes for dinner to go with dinner rolls or garlic bread. I love the texture of savoy cabbage in soups. It gives a delicate flavor to soups than regular cabbages. I have used only the cabbage in this soup. If needed, any vegetables like carrots, green beans, or zucchini can be here added. While making soups, I add sea salt instead of regular table salt. The taste of sea salt takes the soup to a whole different level. Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
Savoy cabbage, 1/2 of a big head.
Red onion, medium-sized, 1.
Canned tomatoes, ½ cup.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Chili powder, ¼ teaspoon.
Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon, (optional).
Sea salt, as per taste.
Chicken broth or vegetable broth or water, 3 cups.

PREPARATION:
Chop the onion and savoy cabbage into small, fine pieces and keep aside. Crush the garlic coarsely. Heat a pot with some olive oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the chopped onion and cabbage and sauté for a minute. Then add the crushed garlic and sauté for a few more minutes until the cabbage is well cooked. Add 3 cups of water or broth along with the canned tomatoes, chili powder, seasonings, salt and cooked closed under medium flame for 5-7 minutes until the soup turns thick. Serve hot with any types of bread.

BANANA NUT CAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:
Bananas, 3.
Sugar, 1 ¼ cup.
Butter, ¼ stick.
Egg, 1.
Half and half, 1 cup.
All-purpose flour, 1 ½ cup.
Baking soda, 1 teaspoon.
Almonds, ½ cup.
Dry fruits like apricots, prunes, and raisins, ½ cup.

PREPARATION:
Mash the bananas into a fine pulp. Chop the almonds and dry fruits into fine pieces and keep aside. Take a bowl and add the melted butter and mashed bananas into the bowl. Break an egg to the bowl and add the sugar. Mix everything well until the sugar has melted along with the egg and butter. Add the half and half and mix everything well. Sift the baking soda along with the all-purpose flour and add it slowly to the mixture and mix everything. Now add the chopped almonds and dry fruits and fold it together. Grease a baking dish and pour the mixture into the dish. Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes and let it cool for 20 minutes and enjoy.

BANANA NUT CAKE- MY VERSION

BANANA NUT CAKE- MY VERSION
My husband loves the Banana nut loaf from Wegmans. I tried to make the same at home and it turned out pretty well. I am posting the recipe of this cake as I have used a standard recipe for the banana nut loaf. I made a few changes from the original recipe like substituting whole milk with half and half, used almonds and dry fruits instead of walnuts, and also added a teaspoon of cardamom powder. The taste of this cake was so great. We had a few slices and I packed it off to my husband’s office. It was a big hit there and he came home with an empty box :) I guess that’s the exact compliment every cook wants; empty dishes….I have not used any icing here as the cake itself was very rich. It can be had with ice cream (we did that, yum!). The picture posted here does not speak for the cake, I guess I need to improve my photography skills :(

FISH FRY – MY GRANDMA’S METHOD

FISH FRY – MY GRANDMA’S METHOD
This is the method which my grandmother uses when she fries fish. This is an all-time favorite in our home. There is something in the way in which she cooks everything that I never get “that” taste of grandma’s cooking though I use the same ingredient. Nothing can beat that taste. I think that many of you will agree with me. I have used salmon here. Salmon is loaded with god fats. Eating salmon at least twice a week helps increase the HDLs which are the good fats and in turn it reduces the triglycerides. People with heart disease should try to have salmon often. I don’t think salmon is available in India. I tried to search for its Tamil name but couldn’t get it.
In this fish fry, I have grounded some of the ingredients and used it as a rub for the fish. Though this takes some time than regular fish fry, the taste is worth all the trouble.

INGREDIENTS
Fish slices like tilapia or salmon 4-5 (or any kind of fish slices)
Red onion, medium sized, 1
Garlic, 2 cloves
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder, 2 teaspoons
Salt as per taste
Peppercorn, 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon.
Cumin sseds, ¼ teaspoon.

DIRECTIONS
Clean the fish and cut into thick slices. Dice the onion into the big cubes and peel the garlic. Grind the onion, garlic, cumin seeds, and peppercorns into a smooth paste. Add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, and salt to the ground paste and mix everything well. Spread the paste on both sides of the fish slices and let them marinade for half-an-hour. Heat a skillet with some oil. When the oil starts to smoke add the fish slices one by one. Flip the slices after 5-10 minutes depending on the fish used and cook the other side for a few more minutes. Serve hot fish with rice.

VARIATIONS:
Instead of onion and garlic, 3 tablespoons of onion powder and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder can be used along with pepper powder if the grinding part needs to be omitted.