The Hunnypatch

Malai Kofta

2011-12-18T14:24:00.004-05:00

My first attempt at making this dish, and only because it's the only thing P will order at Indian restaurants. Improvements have been incorporated into the recipe below. Makes 24 koftas To make koftas, mix the following ingredients into a sticky ball: 2 cups boiled potatoes, peeled and grated 1 cup raw carrot, peeled and grated 1 cup grated paneer 5-6 tbsps cornstarch/rava/breadcrumbs/wheat

Pear-strawberry milkshake

2011-12-18T14:02:00.001-05:00

This is a fairly thick milkshake because I use unpeeled fruits and use less milk. Pear and strawberries are my new favorite fruit combo. I like to throw in a pinch of saffron to brighten the flavors on occasion. Just blend together 4 ripe, hulled strawberries, 1 ripe bartlett pear (any pear will do), 1 pinch saffron, 1/2 cup milk and 1 pinch salt. Add sweetener if desired. Pour into a tall

Rustic Home-made Cheesesticks!

2011-07-04T20:10:00.001-04:00

This recipe took all of 20 minutes from start to finish. I used my handy-dandy toaster oven which heats up in no time so expect a range oven to take a few minutes longer. Use whatever herbs you have on hand and feel free to add/remove toppings. We enjoyed this with our evening Chai. IngredientsCooking spray1 roll of ready-to-bake pizza dough (Pillsbury or other brand)1 tsp good quality olive oil1

Guest Post: Dudhi Raita

2011-06-06T22:41:00.000-04:00

A tasty recipe from my dear friend Preeti. It highlights the mild flavor of Bottle Gourd (Opo Squash). Serve at room temperature as an accompaniment to chapathi or serve chilled as a cooling side salad. MethodPeel and dice 1 small bottle gourd Pressure cook without water for 2 whistles. Squash a bit after taking out of the cooker Temper in 1 tsp ghee (don't skimp on flavor here folks!): 1/2 tsp

Sweet potato fries and a new avocado dip

2011-06-05T23:01:00.004-04:00

Tonight's dinner: Sweet potato fries, avocado dip and caprese salad. YUM! Serves 2 as a main meal. Sweet Potato FriesPreheat oven to 425C. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and set aside. Peel and slice two sweet potatoes into approx. 0.5" x 0.5" x 3.0" strips. (I used two kinds: orange-fleshed and white-fleshed) In a large bowl, mix together: 2 T good quality olive oil / 1 t parsley / 1/2

To you, who complains she has no friends.

2011-05-26T17:21:00.004-04:00

Yes, this post is female-centric. It is dedicated to five women in my life who have developed a penchant for complaining about how they don’t have any real close friends or how their friends seem to drift away over time. I’m not talking about this with you face to face for three reasons. First, you are in staunch denial about why this is happening to you so will not be receptive to having

Blood oranges and figs combine to glorify a simple summer salad

2011-05-15T18:39:00.001-04:00

Blood oranges, figs and avocado- Now who would mind a large portion of salad at every meal with flavors like these combined together? :) Two of the ingredients noted here are in the dressing: blood orange infused EVOO and balsamic vinegar flavored with figs. You can also make your own dressing so don't let the specialty items deter you. Just whisk together 1 portion blood orange juice, 1 portion

Curried Couscous

2011-05-08T22:31:00.001-04:00

Here's a one-pot meal that takes all of 15 minutes to make. It tastes best at room temperature but cold is also okay. I find this recipe works better with regular couscous than the israeli kind. If you have a few minutes to spare, toast the couscous to add an extra dimension to the overall flavor. Makes 4-5 servings In a dish with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1.5 cups of veggie or chicken broth

Cherimoya Milkshake

2011-05-05T23:03:00.004-04:00

I've eaten a custard apple (sitaphal) just once in my life but I remember the taste vividly. Cherimoyas are a close cousin that have an indented surface instead of the bumpy exterior that is typical of custard apples. The interior reminds me of a white-fleshed chickoo. The fruit is ready to eat when it yields to slight pressure, similar to a ripe avocado. The outer skin should be green with some

Kulfi

2011-04-24T16:21:00.001-04:00

This is not a recipe. It's a dish that's assembled to taste as close as possible to a much-loved desi dessert. Not healthful but it was my cheat meal :) Pseudo-Kesar Kulfi (serves 6-8) NOTE: The bread gives the entire dessert a malai-esque consistency and may minimize crystallization in the frozen kulfi. In a saucepan, preferably heavy bottomed, mix: 1 tin evaporated milk 1 tin unwhipped

Open-faced quesadilla or tortilla pizza?

2011-04-22T21:30:00.000-04:00

This is my new favorite snack-slash-appetizer. Make as many as desired . Pre-heat oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Brush a thin layer of olive oil or sauce on a whole wheat tortilla from edge to edge. I had leftover spinach-artichoke dip (mayo-free!) in the fridge and decided to use it. Best decision ever. Top with veggies. I used diced mushrooms, tomatoes and orange bell

Weeknight meal ideas: Black-eyed beans in gravy

2011-04-15T00:26:00.000-04:00

Heads up: This is a pressure cooker recipe. Black-eyed beans (or peas) are also called Lobia, Alsaande or Alsandalu. I found a bag of frozen beans at our local store but dried beans (unsoaked) work just as well. Heat 1 T oil in the pressure cooker. Sputter, 1 t cumin seeds 1/4 t fenugreek seeds 1 T coriander powder Roast for 10-20 seconds, then add, 3/4 cup chopped onions 1 fat clove garlic,

Weeknight meal ideas: Crockpot Spinach Daal with Rice

2011-03-29T18:02:00.002-04:00

Prep workThaw one 10 oz. package of chopped spinach and two tomatoes (from last year's harvest) in the fridge overnight. Wash one cup dal. Leave to soak in 3 cups water and 1/4 t turmeric in the slow cooker's insert. In a separate container, wash 1.5 cups rice. Leave to soak in 2 cups water. MorningNuke spinach and tomatoes in the microwave for 2 minutes. Add to soaked dal. Set slow-cooker to

Broccoli Mushroom Casserole

2011-03-28T00:07:00.003-04:00

This is not the casserole you see at potlucks and thanksgiving dinners, oozing with cheese and with specks of green. We like our broccoli grease-free and with its shape intact, thank you very much. Instead of the high-sodium cream of mushroom soup (even without the salt that stuff is nasty) that goes into most casserole recipes, I used sauteed portobello mushrooms. All in all, I can see us making

Tortilla Soup

2011-03-26T21:26:00.001-04:00

It's been raining all day. In fact, the weatherman predicts snow tomorrow. In the middle of March! I tried Tortilla soup for the very first time earlier this week and it's my new favorite one-pot meal. On a soggy evening like today, it truly hits the spot! Serves 3-4. Soup Saute in 2T oil: 1/2 t cumin seeds 1 bird chilli, slit lengthwise 3/4 cup onions, chopped 2 fat cloves garlic, minced 1/2

Weeknight meal ideas: Twice-baked potatoes

2011-03-20T19:57:00.001-04:00

We had this for dinner last night. Definitely an improvement over the regular potato bar. The taste is similar to Abuelo's mashed potatoes/Papas con chile, sans butter/heavy cream/grease. Russet potatoes work fine, no need to buy baking potatoes for this recipe. Serves 2 Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Wash and scrub two large potatoes-really, really well Rub skins with a mixture of sea salt and olive

Strawberry shrikhand

2011-03-12T12:30:00.001-05:00

Don't even think about comparing this with fruity yogurt! Just two ingredients blended together- fully ripe strawberries with tops trimmed and strained yogurt. Creamy, tart and just mildly sweet- perfection!I've seen the pictures on food blogs for years in some avatar or another so I wonder why I never made it before now (I'm a shrikhand-loving fool!)Try it, it is a refreshing change from the

Salads are not just for main meals

2011-01-18T16:09:00.001-05:00

I have a huge VAT of organic spring mix in the fridge and need to use it up quickly. Please excuse the poor picture-taken at my desk. Today's afternoon snack as I crunch data at my desk: 1 big handful spring mix, chopped 1 cup blackberries 1/2 cup sprouted moong dal with skin on 1/4 cup sunflower seeds I forgot to add dressing when I packed my lunchbox this morning but balsamic vinaigrette is

Turning over a new leaf with a Fruity Lettuce Smoothie

2011-01-16T12:34:00.002-05:00

I have been working on a healthy lifestyle for about two weeks and other than a few slip-ups, things have been going well. My motivation? I got tired of feeling constantly fatigued, unfocused, irritable and impatient whether at home, work or even standing in line for tickets at the movies. Not to mention the huffing and puffing and heart palpitations after taking a single flight of stairs. I am

Preeti's Eggless Omelette

2010-12-11T16:16:00.000-05:00

I eyeballed the quantities in this recipe because I was trying to replicate flavor and taste. You don't miss the egginess at all and it makes for a very filling meal. The only changes I made to the original recipe were to add cream of wheat (rava) and baking powder for crispiness. Mix 1 cup bengal gram flour (besan) 1/2 cup rice flour 1/2 cup cream of wheat 1/4 t salt or to taste 1/4 t baking

Vegetable Quesadilla: Two ways

2010-12-10T12:41:00.001-05:00

Serves 2-3 Stuffing I Heat 2 T oil in a saute pan. Add, 1 t cumin seeds 1 clove minced garlic 3/4 c diced onions Saute on medium high heat until onions soften. Add, 1/2 cup salsa (any!) 1/2 can rinsed beans (I used black beans but pinto, cannellini, red/kidney and garbanzo beans work fine) 1/2 cup rinsedcorn (fresh/canned/frozen) 1 T chopped cilantro Chilli flakes, to taste Saute, stirring

Skillet Roasted Pepper and Pasta salad

2010-12-04T21:37:00.003-05:00

Update: I saved a bowl of pasta to take a picture because it was such a pretty dish. Then I forgot and ate it. Craaaap! Serves 4-6 hungry people (I) In a large bowl, whisk together 2 fat cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 t salt 1 t pepper, more to taste 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette 2 T chopped cilantro 1/2 cup chopped onions 1 cup peeled and diced cucumber 2 large handfuls of torn green leaves (I

Vankaaya Bangaldumpa Vepudu (Stirfried Eggplant and Potatoes)

2010-07-27T13:35:00.014-04:00

We loved this combo with hot, plain rice. Suggested sides are rasam, yoghurt and plain, salted and mashed toor dal. RECIPE (Serves 4-5) Heat ¼ cup oil. Temper:1 t cumin seeds1 t urad dal½ t mustard seeds ¼ t turmeric5 – 6 whole red chillies, broken in half to release seeds7 – 10 curry leavesPinch asafetida Add:1 cup chopped onions1.5 cups or 2 medium cubed potatoes 1/2 T minced ginger1 T

Unrelenting summer?...

2010-06-22T13:15:00.000-04:00

Meet... WATERMELON JUICE. (no added flavors, or sweeteners) Here's to staying cool all summer long! :)

'Clear up the fridge' Green Drink

2010-06-06T16:46:00.000-04:00

A summer drink we put together to use odds and ends from our refrigerator. We used honeydew melon, but rock melon (cantaloupe) or watermelon should work just as well. Blend until smooth: 3 cups ripe melon, peeled and cubed 1 cup chopped baby spinach 5-6 mint leaves (more for a stronger flavor) juice of 3 sweet limes pinch of salt Add milk or soda for a thinner drink. The melon was very sweet so