SPINACH AND TOMATO BROWN RICE

SPINACH AND TOMATO BROWN RICE
Tomato rice is my favorite mixed rice variety. I make at least once a week. This time I prepared it brown rice and added some spinach to it. Brown basmati rice is also perfect for this dish. This is my grandmother’s method. We had this rice with raita and fish fry.

INGREDIENTS:
Cooked brown rice, 1 cup.
Ripe Roma tomatoes, medium-size, 3.
Red onions, medium-size, 2.
Fresh or frozen spinach, 1 cup or 1 bunch if fresh ones are used.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1teaspoon.
Green chilies, 1-2.
Chili powder, ½ teaspoon.
Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon.
Turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon.
Mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon.
Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon.
Curry leaves and cilantro for garnishing.
Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Cook the rice separately and let it cool. The rice should not be mushy. Wash the spinach leaves and cut into small pieces. Dice the onion and tomatoes and slit the green chilies into 2. Heat a pan with 2 teaspoons of oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the fennel seeds and fry for 2 seconds. Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes until the onions turn translucent. Now add the ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, and green chilies and sauté for a few more minutes until everything is blended. Add the chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and salt and mix well. Cook closed under low flame for 5 minutes until the raw smell of the spices goes. Add the chopped spinach leaves to this and let it wilt. Now add curry leaves, chopped cilantro, and rice and mix everything. If needed, 1 tablespoon of ghee can also be added. Serve hot with raita.

APRICOT PACHADI

APRICOT PACHADI
When the world is getting crazy with the mango season, I just brought a big bag of apricots! I simply couldn’t resist myself when I saw some fresh apricots at the supermarket. My reason was that since I love the dry ones, I am sure to like the fresh ones too. One bite into the fruit proved me that I was wrong and hubby dear was right. It is as if he seems to know that I won’t like this fruit even before I tried it. The first thought that ran in my mind as soon as I had them were that they are as sour as mangoes, and hence this recipe. The first time we had this pachadi with rice, yogurt, and rasam, which was a delicious combo. This pachadi went well with rotis too. I have used light brown sugar here. Even jaggery or plain sugar can be used. The sugar can be substituted with Splenda or any other artificial sweeteners for health freaks like me :)

INGREDIENTS:
1. Apricots, medium-sized fruits, around 10.
2. Cardamom powder, 1 teaspoon.
3. Light brown sugar, 1 to 1-1/2 cups.

PREPARATION:
The method for cutting an apricot is the same as for cutting a peach or nectarine. Go along the edges with a knife, open the fruit and remove the pit. Chop the fruit into small pieces. I have kept the skin intact, if needed, they can be peeled. Take a pot and add the apricot pieces along with 1 cup of water and the cardamom powder. Let it cook under medium flame for 10-15 minutes until the fruit gets mushy and starts to thicken. Add the light brown sugar and mix well. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes and switch off the stove. Serve the pachadi with rice, rotis or it can be used as a topping for ice-cream.

VARIATION:
I have not used tadka here. If tadka is preferred, heat a small pot with one tablespoon of oil. When the oil gets hot, add ¼ teaspoon of mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add 1 sprig of curry leaves, 2 red chilies and fry everything for a few seconds. Pour this over the pachadi, mix well, and enjoy.

PASTA WITH SOY GRANULES

PASTA WITH SOY GRANULES
This recipe is from a Weight Watcher’s recipe book, which I borrowed by the library. It is a very easy one and the preparation time is also less. I have stuck to the original recipe except that I have added some green bell peppers and peas. I even used a green chili for some extra heat. The vegetables can be changed according to personal preferences. Here goes the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
1. Any whole wheat pasta, 1 cup. (I have used penne here).
2. Pasta sauce, 1-1/2 to 2 cups.
3. Green chili, 1.
4. Onion, medium-sized, 1.
5. Any type of veggies like carrot, cabbage, etc coming around to 1 cup when diced.
6. Garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
7. Parmesan cheese, ½ cup.
8. Soy granules, 1 cup.
9. Basil leaves, handful.
10. Salt and pepper as per taste.

PREPARATION:
To cook the soy granules, drop them in boiling water and let them cook. Drain the water and wash them twice and remove excess water from the granules. If whole nuggets are used, they should be cooked first and then cut into small pieces. Chop the onion and the vegetables finely. Dice the chili finely. Cook the pasta as per the package instructions, drain it, and let it cool. Heat a big pan with some olive oil. When the oil turns hot, add the chopped onions and sauté for a few minutes until it is tender. Then add the diced vegetables, chili, and garlic paste and sauté everything for a few more minutes until all the vegetables are cooked. Add the pasta sauce, soy granules, salt, and pepper and mix everything well. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Then add the cooked pasta, parmesan cheese, the crushed basil leaves. Mix everything and switch off the stove. Serve the hot pasta with grated parmesan cheese garnished on top.

SUGAR SNAP PEAS PORIYAL

SUGAR SNAP PEAS PORIYAL
I bought a packet of sugar snap peas recently though I didn’t know how to cook them. We tried it in pastas…nah…it was too sweet for our taste, soups…still the same :( After all these experimentations, I still had some more left. I wanted to finish them off somehow, so I thought of making a poriyal of them maybe just like a cluster beans poriyal. I made it a little bit spicier and added some dried mint leaves to it since I didn’t have any fresh herbs at hand and actually this poriyal did taste very good with the mint flavor. I think I’ll be making sugar snap peas poriyal very often from now on…

I prepared this as a side dish with rotis and rice. This goes very well with rasam or curd rice. Our weekend lunch that day was rotis, dum aloo, sugar snap peas poriyal, onion raita, and brown rice.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Sugar snap peas, chopped finely, 1 cup.
2. Onion, medium-sized, 1.
3. Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
4. Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon.
5. Ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon.
6. Dried mint leaves, 1 teaspoon.
7. Mustard seeds, ¼ teaspoon.
8. Ural dhal, ½ teaspoon.
9. Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Wash the sugar snap peas well. Cut off the pointed ends and chop them into small pieces. Dice the onion finely. Heat some oil in a pan and when the oil turns hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the urad dhal and fry it for a few seconds until it turns golden brown. Add the diced onion and sauté for a few minutes until the onion turns soft. Then add the sugar snap peas, garlic paste, chili powder, coriander powder, mint leaves, and salt and mix everything well. Cook closed under low flame for 5-10 minutes until the peas are cooked. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

ST ANTONIO’S DIP

ST ANTONIO’S DIP
This is a very interesting recipe made by my friend during our get-together. I was spending the day with her and we came back around 5:30 in the evening. By the time we reached her place, we were very ravenous, so we started preparing non-vegetarian starters. We had our full when we realized that my hubby would be joining us soon and we had not prepared any vegetarian snack for him. My friend made this dip in just 5 minutes and it was served hot with tortilla chips by the time my hubby came home :) I too tried the same dip at home and I added some jalapenos to this to give it some spiciness. This dip has very few ingredients and the taste was a combination of salsa and our regular tomato chutney.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Vidalia onion, big, 1.
2. Diced can tomatoes, 1 can.
3. Tomato sauce.
4. Jalapeños, 2.
5. Garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
6. Salt and pepper as per taste.
7. Cilantro, 1 big bunch.
8. Italian seasonings, ½ teaspoon.

PREPARATION:
Wash the cilantro well and remove the leaves from the stems. Dice the onion into big pieces and deseed the jalapenos and dice them finely. Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the diced onions and sauté them for a few minutes until they turn translucent. Now add the garlic paste, cilantro, and the jalapeños and sauté them for a few more minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and the seasoning and let everything cook for a few more minutes until the dip reaches the desired consistency. Garnish with cilantro and serve the dip with any kind of chips or crackers.

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN STRIPS

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN STRIPS AND AN AWARD
This is my friend’s recipe. I tried making a few changes and ended up completely changing the whole method. In the original method, my friend dipped the marinated chicken in eggs, rolled them in bread crumbs, and then fried them in butter. I got the wacky idea of substituting the eggs with ground flaxseed and since ground flaxseed was a healthy substitution, I thought why not to bake the chicken instead of shallow frying them in butter. My chicken did turn out pretty good. It tasted like the original version, the strips were crispy, and wow…I just made a healthy fried chicken :)

I am sending my recipe to The Potluck Chicken” hosted my dear friend Viki from http://elitefoods.blogspot.com/.

Now coming back to the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
1. White meat chicken breasts, 4, medium-sized ones.
2. Ground flaxseed, 2 tablespoons.
3. Whole wheat bread crumbs, 1-1/2 cups.
4. Salt and pepper as per taste.
5. Vinegar, 1 tablespoon, (optional).

PREPARATION:
Cut the chicken into thin strips. Add salt, pepper, and vinegar to the chicken pieces and let them marinade for an hour. They can also be left overnight in the fridge to let the marinade soak in throughout the chicken. Prepare a paste with the ground flaxseed by adding ½ cup of water. It should be thick enough to coat the chicken strips. Create a work station by arranging a well-greased cookie sheet first, followed by a bowl filled with the bread crumbs, the ground flaxseed paste next, and the chicken strips after them. Take the chicken strips, dip them in the ground flaxseed paste, and then coat them with the bread crumbs. Arrange the strips on the cookie sheet leaving sufficient space between each strip. Spray all the pieces with any nonstick cooking spray and bake them at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes depending upon the thickness of the chicken strips used. Serve hot with tomato sauce or ketchup.

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS
This recipe is from my dear friend. We met a few months back and have been very close since then. This stuffed cabbage rolls recipe is from her. We had a get-together last week and she prepared this for us. We cooked a lot of other dishes too like St. Antonio’s dip (I’ll post that recipe soon), Egyptian-style prawns, prawn bajjis, channa masala, vegetable briyani, dhal, baby potato fry, and brownie pudding. My dear friend had prepared these cabbage rolls twice for us since we loved it so much.

This traditional Egyptian recipe does take a lot of time and patience to prepare but the result is simply amazing. You have to try this one to see what I am saying ;)

INGREDIENTS:
1. Cabbage, 1 big head.
2. Regular rice, 2 cups. (Basmati rice does not go well with these rolls).
3. Dill leaves, 1 small bunch.
4. Tomato sauce, 2 small cans.
5. Cilantro, 1 big bunch.
6. Serrano chilies, 2.
7. Salt as per taste.

PROCEDURE:
Wash the cilantro and dill and chop them finely and keep aside. Dice the Serrano chilies finely (the seeds can be removed if you prefer a less-spicy version). Wash the whole head of the cabbage. Heat a big pot with 7-8 cups of water. When the water starts to boil, put the cabbage into the pot and blanch for 5-10 minutes. Remove it from the water and let it cool. Meanwhile, heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the chopped herbs and the chilies and fry everything for a few seconds. Then add 1 can of tomato sauce along with salt and mix well. When the sauce starts to bubble, add 2 cups of rice and keep sautéing the rice until the rice has soaked up all the liquid and turns dry. Switch off the stove and let it cool.

Using tongs, remove the leaves of the cabbage one by one. Take one leaf and place around 1 teaspoon of the rice into the leaf. Start rolling the cabbage from the other end. The rolling should be tight. Arrange the rolls in the pot side by side without stacking them. When all the rolls have been placed in the pot, pour another can of tomato sauce with 2-3 cups of water gently over the rolls and add chopped cilantro over the top. Close the pot and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes until the rice is cooked and serve hot.

TOMATO SOUP WITH BARLEY AND PASTA

TOMATO SOUP WITH BARLEY AND PASTA
I made this soup for lunch for myself as my husband was away on a business trip. I wanted something spicy and filling in one pot. The time taken to make this soup was less than 15 minutes. I just sautéed the veggies and added the barley and whole wheat pasta in the end. It turned out pretty good. I did save some of this soup my husband and he too loved this soup.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Canned tomatoes, 1 medium-sized can.
2. Red onion, medium-size, 1.
3. Baby spinach leaves, 1 cup.
4. Fresh basil, a handful
5. Dried oregano, 1 teaspoon.
6. Chili powder, ½ teaspoon.
7. Garlic, 3 cloves.
8. Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon.
9. Barley, ¼ cup.
10. Any whole-grain pasta, ½ cup.
11. Water or broth, 4 cups.
12. Salt and pepper as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Dice the onion finely and crush the garlic cloves coarsely. Heat some oil in a pot. When the oil is hot enough, put the onions and garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Then add the tomatoes and let everything cook for 2-3 minutes until everything is blended. Add 4 cups of water along with the chili powder, seasoning, oregano, salt, pepper, and barley and let it cook for 10-15 minutes. Once the barley is cooked, add the pasta to the soup and mix well. Let it cook for a few more minutes until the pasta is al-dente. Add the baby spinach leaves and mix everything well and switch off the stove. The heat from the soup will start wilting the spinach. Stir in some torn basil leaves and ladle the soups into serving bowls and serve hot with any crusty bread.

BROCCOLI STALKS PORIYAL

BROCCOLI STALKS PORIYAL
Broccoli stalks poriyal is completely new to me. Usually I used to discard the stems while making broccoli salads. I got this idea when I saw a show of Chef Jacques Pippin. He used chopped broccoli stalks while preparing risotto. I am sure it must have tasted good because this poriyal did not taste anything like broccoli at all. Even people who are not big fans of broccoli (like my hubby) are sure to like this one. I prepared this healthy poriyal to go as a side dish with rice, kozumbu, okra fry, and pappads. It was a yummy meal :)

INGREDIENTS:
1. Broccoli stalks from 3 large heads.
2. Onion, small, 1.
3. Green chilies, 1-2 depending upon spice level.
4. Mustard seeds, ¼ teaspoon.
5. Urad dhal, ½ teaspoon.
6. Ginger-garlic paste, ½ teaspoon, (optional).
7. Salt as per taste.
8. Curry leaves and cilantro for garnishing.

PREPARATION:
Remove the green part from the broccoli stalks and cut them into small bite-size pieces. Dice the onion finely and slit the green chilies into two. Heat a pan with a teaspoon of oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the urad dhal and fry for a few seconds until it turns brown. Add the diced onions and green chilies and sauté for a few minutes until they are tender. Then add ginger-garlic paste and the cut broccoli stalks and mix everything well. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water along with salt and cook closed under low flame for 5-7 minutes until everything is cooked and turns dry. Garnish with curry leaves and cilantro and serve with rice or rotis.

EGG KURMA-HEALTHIER VERSION

EGG KURMA-HEALTHIER VERSION
Egg kurma with idlis and dosas is a favorite weekend breakfast for us. I have already posted the original egg kurma recipe MIL used to make in my initial post. Sometimes when I am with my in-laws, my MIL used to make this dish for my husband on Sundays since he is a vegetarian, while there will be some non-vegetarian dish as a side dish for the rest of us carnivores. I rarely make egg kurma these days since we started cutting down on carbs and fat in our diet. Recently I tried substituting the coconut with walnuts and used egg whites instead of whole eggs and the taste and color of this kurma was similar to the original full-fat recipe. In fact, this version was also very creamy. This is a very heart-healthy dish too. Even my mom started making chicken kurma this way. For my vegetarian friends, the same method can be used for vegetable kurma.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Onion, medium-sized, 1.
2. Tomato, 1.
3. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
4. Cinnamon, 1 small stick.
5. Fennel seeds, ½ teaspoon.
6. Bay leaf, 1.
7. Egg Beaters or egg whites, 1 cup.
8. Walnuts, ¼ cup.
9. Chili powder, 2 teaspoons.
10. Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon.
11. Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon.
12. Salt, as per taste.
13. Curry leaves and cilantro for seasoning.

PREPARATION:
Beat the egg whites with a fork and keep aside. Grind the walnuts into a smooth paste. A teaspoon of poppy seeds can also be added along with the walnuts while grinding. Dice the onion and tomato finely. Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the fennel seeds, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf and fry them for 1 minute. Add the chopped onion and tomato and sauté for few minutes. Then add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute until everything is well blended. Add the chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and fry for a minute until the raw smell of the spices goes. Add walnut paste with 1-1/2 cup of water with salt and cook over a medium flame for 10 minutes. When the kurma starts to thicken, pour spoonfuls of the egg whites into the kurma. Don’t mix the gravy after the egg whites are poured into the gravy. They will start to float on the top as they cook. Cook them closed for 5 more minutes. Garnish with curry leaves and cilantro and serve hot with idlis or dosas.

Variation: A spoonful of garam masala powder can also be used in place of the whole spices.

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.