Lajawaab

Apple and Pear Crumble with Vanilla icecream

2010-11-13T15:24:00.003-05:00

Tried a similar recipe from Rick Bayless's Mexican cookbook.......Very easy and quick to make if you are having a lot of guests over.

Serves 10-12

4 medium sized apples- sliced into 1 inch thick slices
4 Bartlett pears- sliced into 1 inch thick slices
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP honey
1 TBSP white sugar

For the crumble

1-1/2 cup unbleached flour (all-purpose/maida)
5-6 TBSP unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4th cup white sugar
semi-crushed roasted almonds, walnuts and pistachios

1. Heat a large flat bottom skillet like pan and place the butter in it, when it melts arrange the apple and pear slices on it, add the sugar and honey and let it turn brown a little on both sides till the fruit is soft and there is little juice left.
2. Arrange the slices in a baking pan.
3. Mix the all-purpose flour, salt, butter, cinnamon, sugar in a bowl with your hands till it has a crumbly texture
4. Add the crushed nuts in the end.
5. Sprinkle this mix over the fruits and bake it in a preheated oven @ 350 degrees for about approx. 20 minutes till crisp and brown.
6. Serve warm with some vanilla icecream.

Shell Pasta in Vodka sauce

2010-11-13T15:10:00.005-05:00

The title is a little misleading.........The sauce does taste like vodka sauce but the surprise here is that there is no vodka in the sauce......My sis-in-law makes this version of pasta with macaroni for her kids.....And it can be made in under 30 minutes

1 box medium shell pasta (any brand will do)
3/4 bottle Classico spicy basil and tomato sauce
1 bottle Classico Four cheese Alfredo Sauce
1 cup milk (or more as needed)
1 cup finely diced onions
1 cup finely diced green and red peppers
2 cups finely chopped spinach
salt and pepper for taste

1. Heat olive oil in a cooking pan, and add the onions.....Saute till translucent and then add the green and red peppers.
2. Saute for 5-10 minutes till they are partially cooked. Next add the spinach and saute for another 5 minutes
3. Add in the tomato and basil sauce and the alfredo sauce and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the pasta and milk (add more or less depending on how dry or saucy you want to pasta to be- the pasta absorbs a lot of moisture so you will need to add more while reheating the pasta later). Season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook for 10 minutes and serve hot.

Citrusy Red Quinoa Salad

2010-11-01T14:49:00.003-04:00

I had invited some family over for dinner a couple of weeks ago- the theme was Mexican cuisine....However i was tired of serving the same old mexican salad (gaucamole or bean salad) to go with the corn-poblano peppers and cheese stuffed enchiladas and cilantro rice (recipes coming soon).....Googled for some avocado recipes since i already had those on hand and with some changes came up with this mediterranean salad....However i must say that you can do without the avocados in this salad since they dont go with the texture of the dish. I served the salad in this earthy hand-painted salad bowl that my sis-in-law gifted me.......It looked so beautiful and complimented the colorful dish.....Thanks Priyatai- i love, love , love it:)

Ingredients

1 cup red quinoa (you can use the golden variety if you cant find the red one)- cooked per instructions on the packet
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup golden raisins
1-1/2 cup diced pineapple
salt to taste
2-1/2 tsp cumin-coriander powder
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp crushed black pepper
3/4th cup diced green onions
3 limes

1. Combine all the above mentioned ingredients except the limes
2. Add the juice of limes and check for salt, sugar and pepper and adjust according to taste
3. Serve garnished with some green onions
4. You can substitute the pineapple with oranges and the limes with some orange juice for variation.

Plum Sherbet

2010-11-01T14:33:00.003-04:00

Ever miss those fresh juices san the heap of ice (the blended ice drinks so popular in the US) that we used to get in India? Fresh sugarcane juice, fresh Panha (mango drink), or ganga-jamuna are some of my favorite ones......Here's another recipe from my Aai- a good way to put those extra plums to use in case you are not a big fan of plums.....It tastes refreshing and a little sweet and sour

Ingredients
4 plums
5-6 tsp sugar (or as needed per taste)
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste
sindhav namak/black salt to taste
about 6 cups water (add more if needed as per the consistency)

1. Blend the above-mentioned ingredients in a blender and add more water or salt and sugar as per your taste.
2. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour and serve.

P.s.- my mom made this colorful crochet coaster for me while she was visiting me here....Isnt it just cute?

Phyllo purses stuffed with roasted peppers and pesto

2010-08-23T22:21:00.004-04:00

I wanted to serve an Italian appetizer at one of my little get-to-gathers and the idea for these party bites came to me out of the blue.....It got rave reviews and was lapped up in minutes

Makes 36 phyllo purses/puff pastry appetizers

2 roasted red peppers- chopped finely
2 roasted green peppers- chopped finely
1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
4-5 tsp pine nuts
4-5 tsp pesto sauce (preferably freshly made)
4-5 tsp finely chopped red onion
1 finely chopped clove garlic
2 TBSP fresh basil
2 tsp olive oil
2 boxes pepperidge farm puff pastry sheets

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onions and garlic to it.
2. Saute till they are golden brown in color and add in the chopped roasted peppers, pine nuts and pesto sauce.
3. Mix well and saute lightly till the water evaporates.
4. Add in the pepperjack cheese and stir.
5. Let the pastry sheets thaw for 40 minutes and cut them into 36 equal squares.
6. Place 1-2 tsp of the pepper-pesto-pine nut mixture onto the pastry squares and gather the ends together to form a purse like shape.
7. Bake in a preheated oven @ 450 degrees for 20 minutes or till they are brown and crisp.
8. Serve hot.

Zucchini curry/Sabzi and Palak raita

2010-08-20T21:19:00.002-04:00

After reading Monica Bhide's "Modern Spice" i had a brainwave.....It goes without saying that the brainwave was food-related (especially with regards to the zucchini that i had languishing in my fridge)...Because what else would i have on my mind other than food, food and food:) The author inspires you to use your creativity in combining western and eastern cuisines. Her recipes are simple yet delicious. Give it a try if you come across her book at your local library. You can subsitute the zucchini with red pumpkin a.k.a bhopla, lauki/bottlegourd and turai/dodki/turiya.

Some days back one of our family friends invited us over to dinner....The menu was simple, healthy and yet yummilicious- it comprised of matla undhioo (in a chef's lingo- what is simply means is that its a new take on undhiyoo deconstructed) which means Undhiyoo cooked in a handi/earthern pot (will post the recipe some other time), gujarati dal, pulao and lettuce raita (it was just fabulous- the crunch that the fresh lettuce adds to the dish is just amazing). Doesnt it take you down memory lane (if you have lived in Gujarat, that is). I would like to thank Vrinda for this amazing soulful meal:) Fast forward a couple of days later.....I didnot have any lettuce on hand, but what i did have was some leftover spinach and thats how the palak raita came to be. But if you have lettuce at home, use that because it will win hands down over the spinach in texture and taste when combined with this raita.

Zucchini curry

Ingredients

Serves 3

2 small zucchinis/1 medium-sized zucchini- diced into quarters (do not peel off the skin- it helps prevent the dish from turning mushy)

For curry paste (makes 1 cup approx.)
1 small red onion
2 tomatoes
2 small cloves garlic
1 stick cinnamon, 2 cloves garlic, 1 bayleaf- all toasted
3 tablespoons dry grated coconut- toasted
1 tsp coriander seeds- toasted
1 tsp cumin seeds- toasted
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/3 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp oil

For the tempering
2 tsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/3 tsp turmeric powder
1 pinch of asafoetida

1. Toast all the dry ingredients for the curry paste first.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add the onions and garlic and saute till translucent.
3. Next add the tomatoes and saute for 5-7 minutes.
4. Let cool and then combine all the ingredients mentioned above for the curry paste and put them thru a blender to make a smooth paste. Set aside (this curry paste can be used for other dishes too- if refrigerated it stays good for atleast 5 days)
5. Heat oil again, add the cumin seeds and after they splutter, add turmeric, asafoetida and the curry paste.
6. Saute for 5 minutes then add the zucchini and salt to taste.
7. Cover and let cook- do not add any water since the zucchini itself releases water.
8. Stir occasionally and when it feels that the zucchini is cooked, remove from heat, garnish with cilantro and serve with rotis.

Palak raita

Serves 4

1-1/2 cups spinach chopped
1 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts
salt to taste
sugar to taste

For tempering

2 tsp ghee
2 green chilies-chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch of turmeric
a pinch of asafoetida

1. Wash and chop the spinach.
2. Combine the yogurt, spinach, crushed peanuts (they must be roasted and semi crushed to provide crunch), salt and sugar
3. Heat the ghee, add cumin seeds and when they splutter, add the green chilies, turmeric and asafoetida.
4. Pour over the spinach yogurt mixture.
5. mix well and serve.

Quick-Fix Enchilada

2010-07-08T14:44:00.003-04:00

If you are ever pressed for time and have guests coming over, this is one of those one-pot meal kind of dishes that will turn out to be a crowd pleaser. Works well for lunch-box meals too.

Serves 4

Ingredients
Tortilla wraps ( you can use either whole grain, whole wheat, spinach or any other wrap of your liking)
1 can Enchilada sauce ( i used store bought Old El Paso brand- the hot red sauce- you can also give the green enchilada sauce a try)
Cheese (Any mexican or pepper jack cheese will work fine)
1 can Vegetarian Refried Beans (alternately you can substitute with beans of your choice and saute it with some onions, garlic, tomatoes, salt and cumin-coriander powder)
Finely chopped red onions (1 cup)
Finely chopped tomatoes (1 cup)
Finely chopped coriander/cilantro (1/2 cup)
1 bunch green onions/spring onions- chopped
sour cream (optional)

1. Put the tortilla wrap in a oven-proof dish, spread about 2-3 teaspoons of enchilada sauce on it.
2. Next place 2 tablespoons of the refried bean mixture ( you can put more or less of the sauce and the refried beans depending on the size of your wrap)
3. Add some chopped onions, tomatoes and spring onions and about 2-3 teaspoons of shredded cheese.
4. Slowly fold the wrap and turn it over with the open sides facing down.
5. Pour about 3-4 tablespoonful or more of the enchilada sauce over it and top it with some more cheese.
5. Bake it in a preheated oven @ 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
6. Pull out, garnish with some more spring onions and some sour cream and cilantro and serve.

Alu Capsicum baguette pizza

2010-07-06T14:01:00.003-04:00

Yet another "Left-overs" recipe- Quick and easy to make....this brings back memories of the Indian style pizza (the ones that had the hard thin crust, grated amul cheese, onions and green peppers and some good old tomato ketchup). If you live in Ahmedabad you can just head over to Khowdhra galli (literally means a place to hog) for "Jassuben na pizza".

I had some leftover Alu-capsicum sabzi, some parmesan-mozarella and cheddar mix shredded cheese and a baguette from Panera Breads

All i did was soak the baguette lightly in water- otherwise it will turn out to be very hard to bite into- you only have to do this for a stale baguette. (you can alternately use toasted bread or readymade pizza base too). Top it with some ketchup, alu-capsicum sabzi and cheese and bake in a preheated oven @ 350 degrees for 10-15 mintues till the cheese melts.

Garnish with some more fresh cheese for the desi style pizza effect and serve

Avocado-Orange On Honey Wheat Bread with Poblano cilantro citrusy cream dressing

2010-05-30T21:53:00.005-04:00

I have got my creative mojo back- The dressing for this recipe is an adaptation from The Panera Sandwich cookbook where it was used as a rub for a pot roast...i made some minor changes and used it as a spread for my avocado-orange honey wheat sandwich.

I would have loved to bake a bread from scratch but time wouldnt permit. Moreover, I can no way beat Cheesecake Factory's Honey Wheat Baguette- it is out of the world delicious.

I served my sandwich with some spinach & carrot soup......

Ingredients
Serves 1

Half an avacado- sliced
4 pieces of oranges
6 inch honey wheat bread

For the poblano-cilantro citrusy spread

One-half poblano cut into pieces
2 tsp cilantro
2 tsp chopped avocado
2 tsp mexican crema
4 pieces oranges

1. Put all the above mentioned ingredients for the spread thru a blender and make a paste- shouldnt be completely smooth.
2. Warm the honey wheat bread in the oven, slice it horizontally and finely apply the spread on both sides
3. Place the sliced avocado and orange slices alternately.

4. Serve with the soup or some leafy salad.

Swiss chard sabzi

2009-12-07T23:20:00.003-05:00

A new find that is easy, spicilicious and nutritious to boost. Substitute with any leafy greens such as spinach, swiss or rainbow chard or beet greens.

Ingredients
1 bunch swiss chard- chopped
1/3 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 small roma tomatoes- finely chopped
2 whole dried red chilies
salt to taste
1/3 tsp red chili powder
1/4th tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin-coriander powder
3 tsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds

1. Heat oil in a cooking pan, add the cumin seeds and when they splutter, add the dried red chilies and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes,
2. Next add the onions and saute till golden brown.
3. Add the tomatoes next and cook till they are completely done.
4. Now add the chard, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add salt, chili powder and cumin-coriander powder.
6. Cook for 5 more minutes and serve with parathas or rotis.

Lemon-Ricotta Cheese Pancakes

2009-08-16T21:49:00.003-04:00

These maple syrup drizzled citrusy and fluffy buttery pancakes make for the perfect breakfast, now wouldnt you agree? Serve them up with some berries and OJ on the side and they will brighten up your day. The day i saw Bobby Flay flipping these pancakes on Food Network, i was sorely tempted to make some myself. I used a store bought Aunt Jemima pancake mix and added only the lemon juice, lemon peel and ricotta cheese to give them flavor. Next time i am going to try using wheat flour/oat flour for a healthier version sans the eggs. Lets see how those turn out.

For the recipe, please visit www.foodnetwork.com

A Mexican Fiesta

2009-08-13T16:41:00.005-04:00

For the recipes to these Mexican dishes, head over to RECIPEMELA for the Mexican Cuisine themed Cooking Contest this month.

Mexican Corn Soup- As authentic as it can get- Try experimenting with the different Mexican Chilies for a spicy version

Spicy mexican corn soup

Would you like a spoonful?

Enchiladas

Black Beans Stuffed Enchiladas in Tomatillo Sauce

Roasted Poblano peppers, avocado and corn stuffed Enchiladas in Red Chile Sauce

Enchiladas stuffed and folded

Topped with some Mexican cheese mix and Cotija cheese before being baked

All baked and waiting to be relished:)

Announcing Recipemela: A Social Network for Foodies

2009-08-09T16:28:00.004-04:00

We are announcing the launch of a social food related website- RECIPEMELA- where not just me but all of you food lovers out there can post recipes once in a while or regularly, search for other recipes posted by foodies, connect with other people, and ask food-related questions. Moreover, RECIPEMELA also will be a food aggregator for all Indian food bloggers so that you can keep track of what food bloggers around the world are trying out and talking about.

We have also announced a Cooking Contest at Recipemela and the theme for this month is Mexican Cuisine. There are Cash REWARDS for winners:
The first winner takes home $100, the second winner $50 and the third winner $25.

Click on the banner below for more information regarding the contest

So come on over to RECIPEMELA and give it a try- Share your passion and taste for food with everyone around the world.

Gajar Kheer /Carrot Pudding for Rakshabandhan and a Rajasthani meal

2009-08-09T15:43:00.005-04:00

Narali Bhaat (Sweet coconut-jaggery rice) is usually the norm in our home back in Ahmedabad usually on Rakshabandhan. However, i had neither the ingredients nor the time to cook Narali bhaat on this particular occasion. What i had in my fridge were some carrots and a cup of heavy whipping cream, inching close to its expiration date. Along with a radish and a green pepper left over in the fridge, this decided the menu for that day. The Rajasthani meal comprised of Muli koftas in Rajasthani Kadhi, and Shimla Mirch ki Launji along with Bajri ni Bhakri, courtesy Tarla Dalal. I wont be posting the recipes for the rajasthani meal since they are already on Tarla Dalal's website. But if you cannot find it, drop me a line and i will post it up.

Getting back to the recipe for the carrot pudding, what you need is

Ingredients

Serves 2 (Makes for a total of 4 cups/servings)

2 small carrots grated
3 tsp ghee
1and a half (1-1/2) cup milk (i used 2%- you can use whole milk if you like)- Add more or less depending on the consistency that you want
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp crushed cardamom powder
5 heaped tsp sugar (or as to your taste)
a pinch of saffron (optional)

1. Heat ghee in a pan, add the grated carrots, cover them and cook till they are almost done.
2. Stir every 4-5 minutes, so that they do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the milk and let boil.
4. Keep on boiling the milk-carrot concotion and stirring every once in a while till it reduces and thickens a little in consistency.
5. At this point add the heavy cream and cardomom powder and let boil for another 5-10 minutes.
6. Add sugar and saffron in the end if you like and serve hot or cold as you like.

Foods For Fast:: Batatyacha Kees (Grated Red Potato Stir Fry)

2009-08-05T15:27:00.003-04:00

This Monday was one of the Shravani Somvaars: During this month most Hindus usually fast for the entire month or atleast on mondays for religious reasons. However i forgot all about it until my mom reminded me. Since i had not remembered to soak sabudana (sago) the previous day the only option to make something for lunch in a jiffy (believe me- it only takes 15 minutes) was the yummy "Batatyacha Kees" aka Indianised version of hash browns.

I did not peel the red potatoes- even the potato skin is pretty nutritious and at my home, we prefer to make use of everything as much as possible so that we can avoid throwing it out.

Ingredients

2 medium red potatoes- grated
2 green chilies
6-7 curry leaves
2 tbsp roasted peanut powder (coarsely crushed)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1-1/2 tbsp ghee
salt to taste
2 tsp coriander

1. Heat ghee, add in the cumin seeds and when they splutter, add the diced green chilies and curry leaves and saute for a minute.
2. Next add the grated potatoes and cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes so that it does not stick to the bottom.
3. When the potatoes seem done, add salt and roasted crushed peanuts, mix well (if you feel that it lacks heat, you can add chili powder) and serve garnished with coriander along with some yogurt on the side.

Gajjar-Mooli Thepla

2009-08-03T16:37:00.004-04:00

Who doesnt love mooli parathas? Its a classic and a favorite of the hubby. Since making stuffed mooli parathas is such a laborious process, i decided to skip the traditional way of making it without compromising on the taste. So instead of stuffing the grated radish, i added it to the wheat flour and mixed it up with the spices and some yogurt (thats what makes it a thepla). The addition of grated carrots only enhances the taste. Serve it with dahi and achaar on the side for a wonderful brunch or lunch.

Ingredients

3 cups wheat flour
3 cups grated radish (squeeze out the extra water)
2 cups grated carrots
3 tsp ginger-garlic-green chili paste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/3 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
3 tbsp yogurt
2 tsp cilantro
2 tsp oil

oil on the side for cooking theplas

1. First add oil to the wheat flour and mix it up. Next add all the spices and mix so that they are uniformly blended in the flour.
2. Then add the ginger-garlic-green chili paste and yogurt and mix it up.
3. Now add the grated carrots, radish and cilantro and start kneading a dough with as little water as possible (the yogurt and the radish should provide enough water in itself to build the dough). Coat it with 1/2 tsp oil.
4. Make a small ball- the size of a lemon and roll out into a 7-8 inch circle.
5. Place the rolled out thepla onto a heated Tawa/pan and let cook till brown spots are visible (about 2-3 minutes).
6. Flip it over, apply 1/2 tsp oil and let cook till 2 more minutes.
7. Flip it over again, apply the oil and repeat the process.
8. Remove and serve hot with raita, yogurt or achaar (pickle)

Corn and Capsicum Sabzi

2009-08-01T15:08:00.003-04:00

Here's one dish that you can make in a jiffy and one that tastes good too:)

Ingredients
2 cups fresh corn
2 small capsicum/green peppers- diced into small pieces
1 small onion
2 small cloves garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
2 green chilies
3 roma tomatoes
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4th tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
salt to taste

1. Make a paste of onion, garlic, chilies and ginger. For saving time you can make and freeze the paste so that you can use it later.
2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a cooking pan, add the onion-ginger-garlic paste and saute till golden brown.
3. Next add the tomatoes and let cook till done.
4. Now add the chili powder, garam masala, turmeric and salt and cook for 5 more minutes so that the spices blend in.
5. Add the corn and green peppers and half a cup water and cook till the corn and capsicum are cooked but not overly done (about 10 minutes)
6. Serve with rotis.
7. If its too spicy add 2-3 tablespoon yogurt (I added some in my dish).

In the past couple of months, i tried out the following recipes ( i dont have pictures for all of them since my other laptop which had the pictures crashed before i could upload them) from Tarla Dalal and they turned out awesome- i hope you will give these wonderful dishes a try.

1. Fajeto- AKA Mango kadhi

2. Hariyali Daal (the one with spinach and chana dal featuring as the main ingredients)

3. Bharwan Lauki (Bottlegourd/Dudhi cored and stuffed with grated paneer, raisins, onions, cilantro and spices and cooked in a tomato gravy)

4. Methi Mangodi Sabzi (Fenugreek with mung dal vadis in a yogurt based sauce- a rajasthani dish)

Spicy Tomato Rasam/Curry

2009-07-29T12:09:00.005-04:00

This was an impromptu preparation solely for the purposes of cleaning up my fridge. I am not sure as to the authenticity of the recipe, but i just loosely followed the steps from a previous Rasam recipe that i had made. However it is not even close to the thin watery version of what a Rasam represents. But this is my way of making a Tomato rasam, and since it turned out to be so amazingly delicious, i am going to stick to this recipe for future references.

Ingredients

3 medium tomatoes- chopped or crushed with hand
3 tbsp toor dal (yellow split lentils)- boiled
1/4th tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp rasam powder (you can alternately crush coriander, black pepper and cumin seeds if you dont have rasam powder)
salt to taste
2 tsp tamarind paste
2 tsp jaggery
2 tbsp cilantro

For tempering

2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4th tsp asafoetida
2 dried red chilies (or as per your spice level)
4-5 curry leaves

1. Heat oil in a cooking pan and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the turmeric, asafoetida, curry leaves and red chilies in that order.
2. Saute for 2 minutes and add the diced/crushed tomatoes and toor dal.
3. Add 1/2 cup water and let cook till the tomatoes are completely done.
4. Add the salt, jaggery, chili powder, tamarind paste, rasam powder and coriander/cilantro and 1-2 cups water depending on how thick or thin you want the rasam to be.
5. Let the rasam boil for 15-20 more minutes and serve hot with rice or roti and vegetables.

I served mine with Green onion/Spring onion sabzi and needless to say they paired beautifully.

Tomato and Beet Salad

2009-07-28T12:50:00.003-04:00

One of the healthier yet yummy salads that can be incorporated into your everyday meal. Give me this salad over the American salads anytime:)

Igredients

2 small tomatoes
1 medium beet boiled and peeled
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 tsp lime/lemon juice

1. Dice the tomatoes and beet into small pieces.
2. Add the lime juice and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve as a side dish along with a full course meal.

Left-over Series: Masala Idli (Idli Stir-fry)

2009-07-28T12:27:00.005-04:00

Since the past year, i have a new-found appreciation for South Indian food and hence the trials in the kitchen to come up with recipes that are quick to make and appeal to our palate. Dosas are something that i yet have to master making perfectly. So for now i stick to the simple idlis and uttapa versions. I sometimes get the Gits instant idli mix for days when i am crunched for time or just too tired after a long day at work. And i must say that they turn out pretty good. The same goes for the Gits Dhokla mix (Its the best, i swear. When in the past i have served it to family and guests, they were never able to guess that the dhoklas came from an instant mix and were not the real deal. They are that good). Now coming to the masala idli recipes, when you have more than a handful of leftover idlis from the previous day, masala idlis are the way to go. They make for good breakfast or afternoon snack and are real lifesavers when it comes to saving time.

Ingredients

Left over idlis (15-20) cut into small pieces
2 medium green peppers- finely diced
1 small onion- finely chopped
salt to taste

For tempering
2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4th tsp turmeric
1/4th tsp asafoetida
2-3 green chilies
1/4th tsp chili powder

1. Heat oil in a wide cooking pan, add the mustard seeds and when they pop, add the turmeric, asafoetida, chili powder and chilies in that order.
2. NExt add the onions and saute till they turn translucent.
3. Add the green peppers and let them cook.
4. Now add the idli pieces, add salt and mix well.
5. Cook for 5-10 minutes and serve garnished with coriander.

Mangala maushi's Handvo

2009-07-19T15:01:00.005-04:00

Handvo is a gujarati snack/brunch dish. Similar to dhoklas, it is a combination of lentils (such as toor, urad, mung and chana dal) and rice flour with some vegetables added in for nutrition and taste. Traditionally, handvo is usually made with lauki /doodhi (bottlegourd) as the only vegetable thrown into the mix. You can add any other veggies such as zuchini, carrots, cabbage, corn etc, as you like. Simply put, handvo is a savory vegetable and lentil cake. This handvo recipe that i am going to share with you is a special one....it comes from P's aunt Mangala maushi's treasure box. It is also the one recipe that the hubby swears by and refuses to even give any other variations of the same dish a try. The secret ingredient that makes this handvo so different and so aptly named after P's aunt is a teaspoon of garam masala and achaar masala.

Now anyone who follows my blog knows that i love freshly made hot snacks. Handvo falls into that particular category and is a favorite of mine. Plus when i am crunched for time, i usually make this dish since its quick to make (doesnt involve elaborate effort on my part) and makes for the perfect, light lunch box meal. And to top it all, it provides lots of protiens in the form of the different dals that go into the mix. So enjoy it as a morning/ afternoon breakfast dish with a cup of garma-garam chai or for lunch. I am sure you wont be disappointed.

Ingredients

3 cups handvo flour (you can find ready-made flour (not the instant Handvo mix) in Indian stores- I use the Swad brand)
1/2 cup wheat flour
2-1/2 cups curd
3 tbsp green chili-ginger-garlic paste
2 cups grated doodhi/lauki (1/2 of a medium sized lauki)
1 cup grated carrots (you can add the above-mentioned veggies to the mix)
1 heaped tsp garam masala
1-1/2 tsp achaar masala or as per your spice level (i used the store-bought one)
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar (optional)
3 tsp sesame seeds

For Tempering

1/2 cup oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds (white or brown)
1/3rd tsp turmeric
1/4th tsp asafoetida
3-5 dried red chilies

1. Mix the curd and the handvo and wheat flours, add water as necessary to make the batter of the consistency of a idli batter.
2. Preheat the oven at 200 degrees and after it cools a little, place the handvo mix in the oven to ferment ovenight.
3. Next day, add the rest of the ingredients except for the sesame seeds and mix well. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
4. Heat oil for tempering and add the mustard and cumin seeds. When they pop, add the sesame seeds, turmeric, asafoetida and red chilies in that particular order.
5. Pour half of this tempering into the fermented mix and set the rest aside.
6. Grease a baking tray with a little oil and pour this batter into it.
7. Pour the rest of the tempering over this mixture and garnish with the sesame seeds.
8. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then turn the oven temperature down to 250 degrees and bake for 15-20 more minutes till the upper crust turns brownish in colour.
9. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
10. Cut into small squares and serve hot.

P.S.- If you want to make a traditional style handvo- just omit the garam masala and achaar masala

Ravvaiya nu shaak (Thai eggplants in a garlic-coconut gravy)

2009-05-25T15:07:00.003-04:00

I love eggplants in any form and cuisine. Thai eggplants are a particular favorite of mine. Which is why this gravy based vegetable dish makes a frequent appearance on our dinner table. This recipe which has been handed down to me by my mom is probably a cross between the marathi and gujarati version of the dish. Served with some hot, ghee-smeared rotis, these eggplants are pure bliss.

What you need for the dish:

Serves 4

12-14 thai eggplants
2-3 tbsp dry coconut flakes/finely shredded powder
1 big clove garlic
2-3 green chilies (or as per your spice level)
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
1-2 tsp jaggery
1/3 tsp chili powder

For tempering
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/3 tsp turmeric
1/4th tsp asafoetida/hing

1. Dice the eggplants into quarter pieces. Keep them soaked in water till you temper.
2. Grind the garlic, green chilies and coconut together in a mortar-pestle or make a paste using a blender. Alternately you can make a paste of just the green chilies and garlic and add that to the tempering and add the coconut at a later stage (step 8) if its in a finely shredded or powdered form.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
4. When they pop, add the turmeric, asafoetida and half of the garlic, green chili coconut paste.
5. Saute for 2 minutes and add the eggplants.
6. Add salt, mix well and let cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add 1 cup water and the remaining chili-garlic paste and cover and let cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes and add water as necessary. The dish has to have some water for it to be a gravy based dish.
8. When the eggplants appear tender and cooked, add the chili powder, garam masala, jaggery and the coconut.
9. Cook for 5 minutes, and serve garnished with coriander.

Here's a step-wise pictorial

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

2009-05-25T11:54:00.003-04:00

I always associate soups with comfort.........there is nothing that a hot bowl of soup cant cure or so me thinketh. Sometime back i had tried the canned version of the roasted red pepper/tomato soup- it wasnt bad, nor was it extraordinary. But by tweaking it a little bit, it can be made more than just palatable. All you need to do is to temper it with oil, cumin seeds, curry leaves and garnish with lots of cilantro.

Here's how you can make one from scratch-

Serves 2

1/2 can roasted red peppers (canned) or 2 small red peppers
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme fresh or dry
1/2 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Coming to the roasted red pepper and tomato soup- you can either use the canned roasted peppers and tomatoes or roast them at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes in the oven by drizzling some olive oil over it. This is a rough approximate, since oven temperatures vary, so keep checking till the outer skin is charred. Let cool and peel off the skin.

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pan, add the bay leaves and then the onions and garlic.
2. Saute till the onions turn transluscent and then add the peeled roasted red peppers and tomatoes. Add thyme and oregano and let cook till 10 minutes.
3. Add 1/2 to 1 cup water depending on the consistency of soup that you like.
4. Add the seasoning.
5. Let cook for 5-10 more minutes and then put it through the blender till you get a smooth consistency.
6. Serve hot or garnished with a dollop of sour cream.

Variations: Try different herbs like basil, and rosemary or just try a plain version of either just the peppers or the tomato soup.

Chow places in Florida

2009-05-13T15:29:00.002-04:00

Although we have moved out of Florida, i thought i would just list some of the worthwhile restaurants you could eat at when visiting Florida. Most of the restaurants listed here serve both vegetarian and non-veg meals.

Let me start with my ex-hometown- Ft. Lauderdale- located half an hour north of Miami, its famously known as the Venice of USA. Yes, if you happen to visit South Beach, its pretty much within driving distance and cheaper too.

Things to do in Ft. laud-
1.) Hang out at the Ft. Lauderdale Beach
2.) Take the 2 hour cruise down the river- its one of the best (better than the Miami riverfront cruise)- checkout the palatial homes on the riverfront
3.) Hang out on Las Olas Blvd- The only happening place downtown- its pretty charming
4.)Go shopping at one of the largest Outlet malls in Florida- The Sawgrass Mills Mall
5.) And of course eat

Ft. Lauderdale:

Listed by cuisine

Indian: Woodlands Restaurant- Nothing over the top (food is average- however, do try their gobhi manchurian and paneer makhani- its lipsmackingly delicious) - the only decent indian restaurant (vegetarian) in Ft. Lauderdale
http://www.woodlandsusa.com/

Thai: Chada Thai- A pretty good Thai restaurant- the menu is not very elaborate- you will find the same Thai dishes as other restaurants. Their Thai green curry is one of the best.
http://chada-thai.com/ChadaThai/

Others are Thai-Thai (http://www.south-florida-thai-restaurant.com/) and Thai Spice (http://www.thaispicefla.com/)

Asian: P F Chang- One of my all time favorites- they can serve any meat version by substituting for vegetarians. Wild East Asian Bistro (located downtown on Las Olas Blvd- http://www.lasolasboulevard.com/new/dining2.htm) is another good place you could try out.

Italian: Mancini's (located downtown on Las Olas Blvd- http://www.lasolasboulevard.com/new/dining2.htm) is pretty famous.
Maggiano's - the chain is located pretty far off in Boca Raton. As is California Pizza Kitchen (CPK)

Mexican: La Bamba- one of the best restaurants for Mexican food- their margaritas are to die for.
http://labamba123.com/index.htm
Chipotle, South of the Border and Moe's are a couple of chains that you can eat at- pretty standard fare.

Pizzas: The only ones i like are CPK and Pizza Fusion (its an organic chain of pizza eat-outs- one of the BEST pizzas you will ever eat- although its pretty expensive)

Cafes: Panera- pretty standard and another of my favorites, and Noodles and Panini located on Las Olas Blvd

Desserts: And of course you have Cheesecake factory and Coldstone creamery to indulge your sweet tooth right on Las Olas:)

The best thing to do would be to take a walk on Las Olas and check out the restaurants there- you have a mix of bars, lounges (Mango is pretty famous), cafes and restaurants- french, american, italian, mediterranean (Cafe Blu is good) and bakeries. Eat your heart out people.

If you are in Miami, you can
1. Hang out at South Beach all day long- we loved it
2. Walk down Lincoln mall road- adjacent to the beach for your shopping and dining needs (http://lincolnroadmall.com/). Guru is a pretty famous Indian restaurant in the South Beach area- pretty close to the beach. Another place to try out would be Sheba for Ethiopian cuisine- check out my earlier review
3. Take the Miami Riverfront Cruise
4. Hit the pubs and bars- one of the best nightlife hangouts
5. If you have kids, you could go to the Miami Zoo or Aquariam. There are a couple of musuems and gardens you could check out too.
6. Visit the Everglades and Key West (the southern most point of the US)

Will blog about Tampa and Orlando in the next post

An Italian Menu

2009-04-22T18:21:00.007-04:00

Hello everyone !!! I am back.......after a long hiatus. Promise to take no more breaks, atleast not such long ones anymore. A couple of reasons were responsible for my disappearance from the blogosphere- the primary being that i had to take my board exams for my pharmacist licensure and the second one being our move from sunny old Florida (although it wasnt all that sunny) to Raleigh, North Carolina. And although wintery cold is now a distant thought, here's something that i made during the early winter months to keep you warm, stuffed and happy.

White Bean and Spinach Soup

Serves 6

5 cups vegetable stock (you can use Swanson or alternately prepare one at home)
1 can canelleni or navy beans (or any white beans)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 carrot chopped into small pieces
1 cup chopped spinach
1 small roma tomato chopped
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
2 clove garlic chopped
1 tsp grated lemon peel
2 tsp lemon/lime juice
2 thyme stalks
salt and pepper to taste

1. To prepare vegetable stock at home, combine 6 cups water, add 2 stalks celery, 2 stalks leek (white part only), 1 small onion chopped, 1 thyme stalk, bay leaf and 2 cloves and boil for 30 min at medium heat. Filter the stalk water and use it for the soup.
2. Heat olive oil in a soup pot, add the garlic and onions and saute till golden brown.
3. Add the stock (prepared at home or store bought), carrots, tomato, beans, bay leaves, cloves and thyme and let boil for 20 to 30 min.
4. Add the spinach finally, the lemon peel and let boil for 10 more minutes.
5. Finally add the lemon juice and adjust the seasoning.

Italian salad

Serves 6 (as a side dish)

3 cups italian lettuce mix
1/2 cup diced kalamata olives
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup garbanzo beans
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 tsp feta cheese
1/2 cup rasberry viniagrette

1. Mix all the ingredients in the salad bowl and chill for 20-30 min.

Spinach and Cheese Lasagna

1 packet oven ready lasagna noodles
2 12-oz cans fire roasted tomatoes (plain would work fine too)
12-15 basil leaves
1 big red onion- chopped
2 cloves garlic- chopped
12 oz grated italian cheese mix (a combination or mozarella and ricotta would also do)
3 cups aldente boiled spinach leaves

1. Heat some olive oil, add chopped garlic and basil leaves for a minute and add the chopped onion and saute till golden brown.
2. Next add the canned fire roasted tomatoes and let cook for 15 minutes.
3. Put this tomato basil mix thru the blender till you get a fine sauce.
4. Separately dunk the spinach leaves in boiling water for 1 minute and remove and strain to drain all water.
5. Layer the bottom of the lasagna pan with some of the tomato basil sauce till its evenly spread all over. Place the oven ready lasagna noodles over the sauce, and evenly distribute some more sauce over it.
6. Now spread the spinach leaves and liberally sprinkle cheese over it.
7. Next add some more sauce and place lasagna noodles over it as mentioned before.
8. Repeat the process as described in steps 5 and 6.
9. Cover with a double layer of aluminum foil and bake for 40-60 minutes (or as per your oven temperature setting) till the cheese is a slightly golden brown.
10. Serve hot.