Stuffed Tindora curry

Stuffed Tindora

 Ingredients:

Tindora - 20

Filling:
Besan - ½ cup
Peanuts roasted- ¼ cup
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Fennel seeds (Saumph) roasted- 1 tsp
Asafoetida - ½ tsp
Onion - 1 small finely chopped
Olive oil - 2tbsp
Salt to taste

Seasoning:
Oil - 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 strands
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 medium

Garnishing:
Cashew nuts - about 20 roasted in ghee
Cilantro chopped - 2 tbsp

Method:
1.      Roast the besan flour for a few minutes.
2.      Powder the peanuts & fennel seeds.
3.      Mix the besan flour, powdered peanuts, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, fennel seeds powder, asafetida, salt and finely chopped onions.
4.      Mix this with 2 tbsp of olive oil and little water to make a thick mixture.
5.      Wash and dry the tindoras.  Slit it in 4 keeping the base intact.
6.      Stuff the tindoras with the prepared filling.
7.      Steam the tindoras for 5 minutes.
8.      Heat 4 tbsp. of oil and make a seasoning of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dhal, asafoetida, and add the chopped onion and sauté.
9.      Add the steamed stuffed tindoras.
10.     Adjust salt if necessary and garnish with chopped cilantro and cashew nuts.

Pesto Pasta

Pesto Pasta

Ingredients: 

2 cups basil leaves

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp. Pine nuts/almonds/nuts of your choice

Salt to taste

Pepper powder 1 tsp

Olive oil - 1/3 cup 

Parmesan Cheese - 3oz

Pasta - 1 box (1lb)

Vegetables: Bell pepper, Onion, Mushroom, Spinach - Chopped

Mozzarella Cheese grated - 1 cup

Method:

1.  Mix all the ingredients for pesto in a food processor to mix well to a coarse paste and add olive oil and parmesan cheese.  ( I usually make a large batch of pesto in summer and freeze in ice cube trays and store in zip lock bags in the freezer for ready use)

2.  Cook pasta al dente for 11 minutes as per box directions.

3.  Saute vegetables in olive oil and set aside.

4.  Mix the pesto sauce in the pasta and add the sauteed vegetables.

5.  Finally top with mozzarella cheese and bake the pasta at 350F for 20 minutes till the cheese melts.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

My daughter Nikita made this Cauliflower pizza crust adapting the recipe from the Food Network.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 Large

Mozzarella cheese - 2 Cups

Egg - 1

Salt - 1/4 Tsp

Oregano, basil dried - 1 Tsp

Toppings - Sliced vegetables as desired

Pizza sauce  - As required

Method:

1.  Pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor to make it rice consistency.

2.  Steam the cauliflower for about 5 minutes.

3.  Drain the water completely with a cheese cloth.

4.  Mix the beaten egg, a cup of mozzarella cheese, salt and seasonings.

5.  Put this dough and spread on a parchment paper on the baking sheet or pizza stone.

6.  Bake it at 425F for 15 to 20 minutes till golden brown.

7.  Remove the crust from the oven and top with mozzarella cheese and the choice of veggie toppings.

8.  Sprinkle pizza seasonings and bake for 10 more minutes till the cheese melts.

Carrot & Beet Crust Pizza

I tried making the pizza crust healthy by adding grated carrots and beets to add more veggies in the diet.  It was surprisingly very tasty.

Carrots & Beet Crust Pizza

Ingredients:
For the crust:
Carrots grated - 1 Cup
Beets grated - 1 Cup
Bread flour - 2 Cups
Salt - 1 Tsp
Sugar - 3 Tsp
Water - 1 Cup
Olive oil - 2 Tbsp
Yeast - 3 Tsp

For the toppings :
Pizza Sauce - 1 Cup
Mozzarella cheese - 1 Cup
Vegetables chopped - Choice of bell pepper, onion, olives, mushrooms, jalapeno etc
Oregano & Basil leaves - to sprinkle

Method:
1.  Disintegrate yeast and sugar in lukewarm water.  The yeast will rise.
2.  Make a well in the flour  and add the yeast mixture.
3.  Gently add the grated veggies and salt and oil and knead to a soft pliable dough.
4,  Cover the dough with cling wrap or towel and keep in a warm place for a couple hours till the dough is double in size
5.  Punch down the down and stretch it and place on a pizza stone and let it rise.
6.  Apply pizza sauce generously.
7.  Cover with mozzarella cheese and drizzle some olive oil.
8.  Top with vegetables of your choice and bake in the over at 425F for about 15 to 18 minutes.

Beet Chapati & Mini Puris

This year for Valentine's Day I tried making chapati with beets.  I steamed the beets and blend in the dough and later cutting into heart shaped pieces and infusing with the dough.  I also made mini puris.

Beet & Plain Chapati

Beet Chapati

Mini Beet Puris

Ingredients:
Plain Dough:
Wheat flour - 1 Cup
Yogurt - 2 Tbsp
Salt - To taste
Water - To make dough

Beet Dough:
Wheat flour - 1 Cup
Small beet - ½ Steamed
Green chilies - 1
Salt - To taste
Water - To make dough

Olive oil - for roasting chapatis

Method for Chapati:
1.  Mix the ingredients for the plain chapati and make a soft pliable dough.  It should be elastic, soft and smooth dough easy to roll.
2.  Blend the steamed beets, and green chilies with very little water and add this to the other ingredients the wheat flour and salt.  Make a smooth and soft dough.
3.  Roll the beets chapati dough thin with a rolling pin and cut out the desired shape with a sharp knife.
4.  Roll the plain chapati dough to a circle.  Place the cut out shapes of the beets chapati dough and gently roll so it fuses with the plain chapati.
5.  Place it on a hot griddle and cook.  Apply oil and cook and flip to turn to cook on the other side till there are golden brown spots.
6.  When it is cooked keep it covered in a container.

Method for Puris:
1.  Roll the beets chapati dough and cut to heart shape pieces and deep fry in olive oil

Spinach Chappatis for St. Patrick's Day

Chapati is a flatbread made with whole wheat flour and cooked on a tava (skillet). March 17th is St. Patrick's Day and for this occasion I tried making shamrock patterns with chapati dough and spinach mixed chapati dough to make it festive.

Spinach Chapatis

Ingredients:

Plain chapati dough:

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Yogurt - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Water - to make dough

Spinach chapati dough:

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Spinach - a handful 

Green chilies - 2

Ginger - 1 inch

Salt - to taste

Water - to make dough

Olive oil - for roasting chapatis

Method: 

1.  Mix the ingredients for the plain chapati and make a soft pliable dough.  It should be elastic, soft and smooth dough easy to roll.

2.  Blend spinach, ginger and green chilies with very little water and add this to the other other of ingredients the wheat flour and salt.  Make a smooth and soft dough.

3.  Roll the spinach chapati dough thin with a rolling pin and cut out the desired shape with a sharp knife.

4.  Roll the plain chapati dough to a circle.  Place the cut out shapes of the spinach chapati dough and gently roll so it fuses with the plain chapati.

5.  Place it on a hot griddle and cook.  Apply oil and cook and flip to turn to cook on the other side till there are golden brown spots.

6.  When it is cooked keep it covered in a container.

Quinoa Pathrode

Pathrode is a delicacy of Mangalore.  It is usually made with rice and Colocasia leaves.  I have tried this recipe by substituting quinoa  for rice and also used cabbage and spinach leaves.

Quinoa Pathrode

Ingredients:
Quinoa - 1 cup
Spinach finely chopped - 1 cup
Cabbage chopped - 1 cup
Oil to saute - 2 tbsp

For Blending:
Fresh grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Red Chilies - 2
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Brown sugar - 3 tbsp
Tamarind -1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Seasoning:
Oil - 3 to 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - 2 strands
Grated coconut to garnish

Method:
1.  Saute cabbage and spinach,  Mix it with quinoa.
2.  Blend coconut with red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, brown sugar and tamarind in 1 cup of water.
3.  Mix it to the quinoa and cabbage/spinach mixture and add salt and 1 cup of water and cook on the stove  till almost cooked.
4.  Spread this mixture in idli plates or steamer plate and steam for 15 minutes.
5.  Let it cool. Crumble the steamed pathrode.
6,  Make a seasoning of oil with mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and saute the pathrode.
7.  Garnish with grated coconut.

Vegetarian Chili

Chili is  a spicy soup with tomato beans and seasonings.  I tried making this dish with beans, corn, vegetables and Indian spices/seasonings and finally garnished with a dash of whipping cream.  The finished dish tasted amazing.

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:
Kidney beans - 1 cup cooked
Sprouted moong dhal - 1 cup cooked
Chickpeas - 1 cup cooked
Black bean - 1 cup cooked
Sweet corn - 1 cup fresh/frozen
Onion - 2 big finely chopped
Tomatoes - 2 big chopped
Tomatoes crushed - 1 can (28 oz)
Zucchini - 1 chopped
Red bell pepper - 1 chopped
Green bell pepper - 1 chopped
Spinach chopped - 2 cups chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch grated
Garlic - 1 clove crushed
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Whole cumin - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Whole methi (fenugreek seeds) - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp or more as per taste
Salt - to taste
Whipping cream - to garnish
Olive oil - 8 tbsp

Method:
1.  Take 4 tbsp olive oil in a pan and add asafoetida, turmeric, mustard seeds and whole jeera.  When it starts crackling add crushed garlic, cumin powder, methi seeds, ginger grated and chopped onions.
2.  Sauté the onions till brown.  Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till it is soft.
3.  Add the cooked kidney beans, sprouted moong dhal, black beans and fresh/frozen sweet corn.
4.  Set in the slow cooker for 4 to 5 hours in low.
5.  In the meantime add the remaining olive oil to the chopped zucchini, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
6.  Add the coriander powder, garam masala powder, chili powder, salt to taste to the chili in the slow cooker.
7.  Sauté chopped spinach in olive oil and add to the chili
8.  Just before serving add the roasted vegetables and garnish with whipping cream.

Chettinad Vegetable Biryani

The Indian Cooking Challenge for February is a spicy vegetable biryani which is a speciality from Tamil Nadu.  This recipe is adapted from Chettinad recipes but tailored to my taste.  This biryani is traditionally made with jeera samba rice but I used basmati rice.

Chettinad Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:
Mixed Vegetables (Carrots, peas, beans, cauliflower, red bell pepper chopped ) -1 cup
Basmathi Rice- 1 and 1/2 cup
Small onions / shallots- 100 gms
Tomatoes large- 1 nos
Green chilies- 2 nos
Ginger grated - 1/2 inch
Red chili powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Mint leaves- 1/2 bunch
Coriander leaves (cilantro)- 1/4 bunch
Cashew Nuts- 20 nos
Ghee- 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water- about 2 and half cups

Masala tempering:
Bay leaves- 1
Cinnamon stick 1" piece- 1
Cardamom- 2 nos
Cloves- 6 nos
Marati moggu- 1 no
Star Anise- 1 no
Oil- 3 -4 tbsp

Method:
1. Take 2 tbsp oil in a pan and saute bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, marati moggu, star anise and set aside.
2. Fry cashew nuts till golden brown and set aside for garnishing.
3. Fry onions, green chilies add grated ginger. Add chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves and chopped vegetables
4, Finally add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder,red chili powder and salt.
5. Add water about 2 and half cups and let it boil. Stir in the rice and vegetables and cook covered or in rice cooker.
6. Add ghee and garnish with cashew nuts and red bell pepper.
7. Serve with tomato and onion raita.

Kanchipuram Idly

Idly is a traditional South Indian breakfast.  For Kanchipuram idly the batter is seasoned with spices, corriander leaves, curry leaves, ginger and tastes delicious.

Kanchipuram Idly

Ingredients:
Idly rice - 3 cups
Urad dal - 1 cup
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Seasoning:
Ghee - 2 tsp
Asafoetida/Hing - a pinch
Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 strands chopped
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 20 halves

Soaked channa dhal - 2 tsp
Chopped coconut pieces- 2 tsp
Corriander leaves - 2 tsp chopped
Grated ginger - 1 inch
Green chilies - 1 or 2

Method:
1.  Soak rice and urad dhal separately for 5 to 6 hours.
2.  Grind urad dhal till soft and fluffy and rice a little coarse.
3.  Mix both the batters and set aside to ferment overnight.
4.  When ready to make the idlys add half cup of yogurt add salt to taste.
5.  Add soaked channa dhal, chopped fresh coconut pieces, green chilies, coriander leaves and grated ginger to the dough.
6.  Make a seasoning with 2 tsp ghee and add asafoetida, cumin seeds, curry leaves, black pepper, cashew nuts.
7.  Add the seasoning to the batter.
8.  Pour the batter in idly molds or plates and steam it for about 15 minutes.
9.  Serve with chutney or sambar.

Quinoa Pulao with Tomatoes and Red Bell pepper

Ingredients:
Quinoa - 1 cup
Tomatoes - 2 big chopped
Red Bell Pepper - 1
Onion - 1 medium chopped
Ginger grated - 1 inch piece
Red Chillies - 2
Salt to taste
Olive oil - a tbsp
Cashews - a few for garnish.

Method:

1. Take a pan and add a tbsp of olive oil and chopped onions and let them sauté till translucent.
2. Add grated ginger and chopped tomatoes and cook.
3. Blend half of a bell pepper with red chillies in one cup of water.
4. Add salt, blend mixture, one cup of quinoa and one cups of water and cook.
5. When done garnish with the remaining red bell pepper, cilantro, and cashew nuts.