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.