POTATO AND LEEK FRY

POTATO AND LEEK FRY
I brought some leek stalks this week to prepare soups but they ended up in a completely different dish…I am glad they did! If you love lots of onions in potato fries or other non-vegetarian dishes, you are sure to love this one. This potato fry had lots of onion flavor but that did not overpower the dish. I have used my grandma’s recipe here. She uses fennel seeds in almost everything, so I have stuck to that and did not use any other spices. If needed, a teaspoon of garam masala can be added along with the chili and coriander powder.

INGREDIENTS:
Medium size potatoes, 3.
Red onions, medium-size, 4.
Leeks, 2 stalks.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon.
Mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon.
Chili powder, 2 teaspoons.
Coriander powder, 2 teaspoons.
Salt as per taste.
Curry leaves and cilantro for garnishing, 1 sprig of each.

PREPARATION:
Wash the potatoes and cook them in a pressure cooker or microwave with the skin on and let it cool. When the potatoes are cool enough to be handled, peel the skin and mash them into large pieces. Discard the green part of the leeks and then cut the white portion vertically once. Rinse them over running water to remove the sand in between. Dice them into small pieces and keep aside. Dice the onions finely. Remove the curry leaves from the sprig and chop the cilantro finely. Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil turns hot enough, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the diced onions and curry leaves and sauté them for a few minutes. When the onions are well caramelized, add ginger-garlic paste and fennel seeds and sauté for a few more minutes. Then add the chili powder, coriander powder, salt, and mix everything well. Keep frying them for a minute or two until there is no raw smell emanating from the powders. Then add the mashed potatoes and leeks, mix everything, and keep frying under medium flame for 5 minutes. It can also be cooked closed under low-flame for 5 minutes until the potatoes absorb all the flavors and they get a roasted texture. A few more teaspoons of oil can also be added at this stage to aid in caramelizing, I have omitted that. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rotis or rice.

TANDOORI FISH

TANDOORI FISH
This is the first time I prepared tandoori fish in the oven and it came out very well. It was absolutely delicious. I have used tilapia here since this delicate fish absorbs whatever flavor it is dressed up with. Any thick-cut fishes like salmon or tuna also goes perfect for this dish. Instead of food color, I have used paprika here. The ideal way of having tandoori fish or chicken is as a side with any fried rice varieties or briyanis with some lemon juice squeezed over the fish or chicken. I did not garnish the fish with lemon since I had used lots of lemon juice while marinating the fish. I just served mine with lots of cilantro. Here goes the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
Any types of fish like salmon or tilapia, 4-5 slices.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
Garam masala or curry powder, 1 tablespoon.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon.
Paprika, 2 teaspoons.
Juice of 1 big lemon. (This can be substituted with ½ cup of thick yogurt if chicken is used in place of fish).
Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Wash the fish well. Mix all the ingredients except the fish into a thick paste in a bowl. Apply the paste over the fish coating each slice thickly. Let it marinade for over an hour inside the refrigerator. Grease a baking dish with any nonstick cooking spray and arrange the fish slices on the dish leaving sufficient space between each slice. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the fish is fully cooked. Serve hot with lemon wedges, garnished with cilantro.

BAKED VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN

BAKED VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN
In the recent years, Manchurian dishes have been creating quite a wave in India. I simply love these Indo-Chinese versions. I also came across so many interesting Manchurian dishes in my friends’ blogs like mushroom Manchurian, shrimp Manchurian etc. My favorite is with cauliflower and mixed vegetables. Here instead of deep-frying the veggies, I baked them in the oven until they were crisp and then added them to the sauce. This baked version tasted the same as the original deep-fried version. We couldn’t find any difference at all.

INGREDIENTS:
Vegetables like carrot, green beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, grated, 2 cups.
Cooked brown rice, ½ cup.
Red onion, 1.
Green bell pepper, 1.
All purpose flour, around ½ cup.
Corn flour, 2 tablespoons.
Rice flour, 1 tablespoon.
Chili powder, 2 teaspoons.
Salt as per taste.
Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Aji-No-Moto or MSG, 2 teaspoon, (optional).
Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons.
Tomato-garlic sauce or ketchup, 1 tablespoon.
Spring onions, 1 bunch.

PREPARATION:
Wash the vegetables, dry them, and grate them. I used a food processor for this. Mash the rice well and add it the vegetables along with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, Aji-no-moto, salt, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste and mix everything well. Form small lemon-sized balls out of the mixture and keep them on a plate. Mix 1 tablespoon of corn flour, all purpose flour, rice flour, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, ginger-garlic paste, salt, and Aji-No-Moto along with some water into a smooth paste for dipping the Manchurian balls. The batter should be thick enough to coat them. If needed, a pinch of food color or paprika can also be added to the batter. Take a baking dish and spray the dish with any nonstick cooking spray. Dip the balls in the batter and arrange them on the dish with sufficient space between each finger. Bake them at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until the Manchurian balls turn golden-brown and crispy on the outside. Remove them from the oven and let them rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile cut the green bell peppers and red onions into the long, thin strips and chop the garlic into very small pieces. Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon of the corn flour in 1 cup of water. Heat a pan with some oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the cut green bell peppers, onions and crushed garlic and let them sauté for a minute. Then add 1 teaspoon of chili powder, salt, and tomato-garlic sauce, corn-flour paste, 1 teaspoon of Aji-no-moto, mix everything well and let it cook for 5 more minutes under low flame and switch off the stove. Then add the baked balls into the mixture and mix everything well. Garnish with spring onions on top and serve hot with rice or rotis.

VARIATION: Mashed potatoes can also be added along with the vegetables instead of rice. The Manchurian balls can also be rolled in bread crumbs before baking.

TOMATO AND FAVA BEAN SOUP

TOMATO AND FAVA BEAN SOUP AND AN AWARD

I started preparing this soup just like a regular tomato soup when I remembered an opened can of fava beans that had been sitting in the fridge for the past few days. I thought of adding the beans as such in the soup but the ones I had were a little bit on the bigger side, so I blended everything. The soup still tasted like tomato and basil soup but it was thick with a creamy texture. The only thing that went in my head as we were having this soup was “why didn’t I think of that before!”

INGREDIENTS:
Canned diced tomatoes, 1 can.
Red onion, medium-sized, 1.
Cooked fava beans, 1 cup.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Olive oil.
Salt and pepper as per taste.
Chili powder (optional), ¼ teaspoon.
Basil leaves (1 bunch if fresh ones are used, 2 teaspoons if dried basil is used).
Grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons.
Any broth like chicken or vegetable broth, 2 cups.

PREPARATION:
Cook the fava beans until they are tender. If canned beans are used, rinse them well before using it. Dice the onions and crush the garlic cloves coarsely. Heat a pot with some olive oil and when the oil is hot enough, add the diced onions and garlic and sauté for a few minutes until the onions are well caramelized. Switch off the stove and let it cool. Add the diced tomatoes and fava beans to a blender and add the sautéed onions to this mixture and blend everything to a smooth paste. If fresh basil is used, half of it can be added while blending and the remaining half can be torn and added to the soup while serving. Pour the blended mixture to the pot and add salt, pepper, chili powder, and dried basil leaves if they are used along with 2 cups of broth and 2 cups of water. Let it simmer for 15 minutes and stir in the parmesan cheese. Ladle the soups into serving bowls and serve hot with any crusty whole grain bread.

Pooja Sekar from http://poojas-kitchen.blogspot.com/ has passed on this lovely award to me. Thank you very much dear for making my day. I am honored :)

OATS PONGAL

OATS PONGAL
The inspiration for this dish was my previous experimentation of oats in bisibelebath. Again since the rice is completely mashed up in this dish, oats makes a good substitution for rice. Pongal is my favorite weekend breakfast. This time I made it on a weekday and the whole cooking time was only 5 minutes since I had already cooked the moong dhal the previous day. I did not add ghee this time and it tasted pretty good even without ghee. If needed, a dollop of ghee can also be added to this before serving. If anyone has tried making pongal with oats, please do pass on your suggestions.

INGREDIENTS:
Quick cooking or regular oats, 1 cup.
Moong dhal, 1/2 cup.
Peppercorns, 1 tablespoon.
Cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon.
Curry leaves, a handful.
Ginger, 1 small piece.
Green chili, 1 (optional).
Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Wash dhal well and cook it in a pressure cooker for up to 3 whistles until the lentils are all mushed up. Meanwhile, chop the ginger into fine pieces and slit the chili into 2 and keep aside. Heat a small pan with a teaspoon of oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the peppercorns, cumin seeds and fry then for a minute until good smell comes from the peppers and cumin. Then add the chopped ginger, curry leaves, and chili and fry everything for another minute. Now add 1-1/2 cup of water, the cooked dhal, and oats along with salt and mix everything well. Cook under medium flame for a few minutes until the oats is cooked and the dish turns into a pongal consistency. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

NOTE: I have used quick-cooking oats, so I have used 1-1/2 cups of water for 1 cups of oats. If regular oats is used, another ¼ to ½ cup of water can be added while cooking.

MY BLOG ANNIVERSARY – CELEBRATION WITH CHOCOLATE AND TOFU CAKE

MY BLOG ANNIVERSARY – CELEBRATION WITH CHOCOLATE AND TOFU CAKE AND AN AWARD
It has been one year since I started my blog. I am having such a good time blogging and meeting new friends. Over the course of the year, my blog changed into a healthy blog thanks to my friends’ support. I sincerely thank all my blogger buddies who have been encouraging me and passing on their valuable comments. I owe you gals big time :)

Coming to this cake, I found this awesome website when I was searching for vegan desserts. I made this cake from:
http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/vegan-chocolate-cake.php

This chocolate cake was simply amazing and it did meet my cooking requirements, whole wheat flour, no butter, and no sugar! Wow…a cake without sugar or butter! that hooked me into this recipe. We loved it taste. It was so moist and delicious. The only variation was that I added a1/2 teaspoon of instant coffee powder and used honey instead of agave nectar. It was too yummilicious for a healthy cake though I have kept it plain and simple without any icing.

Hope you like reading this.

BEAN AND OLIVE DIP

BEAN AND OLIVE DIP
I love all kinds of dips. I feel that they are healthiest and filling snacking option when they are combined with any low-fat chips or breads. Any types of beans and vegetables are the ideal choices for dips. Even roasted vegetables go very well. This time, I have made a Tapenade-kind of dip. I have used less oil here than the regular store-brought Tapenades and added some fava beans. Even capers and anchovies can also be added to this dip. When choosing crackers or chips, please go for ones with whole grains for that extra fiber boost.

INGREDIENTS:
Onion, small, 1.
Diced canned tomatoes, 1 cup.
Fava beans or any kind of beans, cooked, 1 cup.
Black olives, ¼ cup.
Salt and pepper as per taste.
Cilantro for garnishing, a handful.
Dried herbs like oregano and basil, a pinch of each.
Italian seasoning or any type of seasoning mixture, ¼ teaspoon.

PREPARATION:
Dice the onion and olives into very small pieces. Cook the beans and let it cool. If canned beans are used, rinse them well before using to remove the excess sodium content. Heat a pan with a teaspoon of olive oil. When the oil turns hot, add the diced onions and sauté for a few minutes until the onions are well caramelized. Add the diced tomatoes along with fava beans, olives, dry herbs, seasonings, salt, and pepper and mix everything well. Mash the beans with the back of a spatula while mixing. Add the chopped cilantro and let it cook for 5 minutes under medium flame. Serve with any types of breads, chips, or crackers.

VARIATIONS: A clove of crushed garlic and chopped jalapeños can also be added while cooking for some extra spiciness.

BISIBELEBATH WITH OATS

BISIBELEBATH WITH OATS

I know I have been posting some weird combinations lately. Some of you may even think that I can have gone soft in the head after reading this heading, but trust me on this gals, this besibelebath with oatmeal was absolutely delicious. It didn’t taste anything like oatmeal at all. The oats blended very well with the dhal and this dish was glutinous like the original version with rice, but I didn’t add any ghee. :) I prepared this dish in 10 minutes since I had some cooked dhal already sitting in the fridge. I microwaved the veggies to reduce the cooking time. Lazy me has used store-brought bisibelebath powder here. Many of you will be having your own versions of bisibelebath, you can give it a try by substituting oatmeal with rice.

INGREDIENTS:
Oats, 1 cup.
Toor dhal, 1 cup.
Small onions, 1 cup.
Tomatoes, 2.
Vegetables like carrots, green beans, peas, drumstick, cabbage coming around 2 cups when diced.
Turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Coriander powder, 2 teaspoons.
Bisibelebath powder, 2 teaspoons.
Thick tamarind juice, 2-3 tablespoons.
Asafetida, ¼ teaspoon.
Mustard seeds, ¼ teaspoons.
Curry leaves and cilantro 2-3 sprigs.
Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Wash the toor dhal well, add the turmeric powder, and cook it for up to 3 whistles in the pressure cooker until the dhal is well mashed. Meanwhile dice the other vegetables like carrots greens beans etc. and cook them in the microwave for 5 minutes or until they are fully cooked. Peel the small onions, and dice the tomatoes. Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil turns hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the curry leaves and small onions and sauté for 5 minutes until the onions are caramelized. Now add the tomatoes and keep sautéing until everything is well blended. Pour 3 cups of water and add the chili powder, coriander powder, bisibelebath powder, and tamarind juice and let it boil for 5 minutes under medium flame. Now add salt as per taste and add the cooked dhal along with the asafetida and the microwaved veggies and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Finally add the oats, mix everything well, and cook for a few more minutes until the required consistency is reached. This dish should be a little watery, it tends to thicken up as time goes by. Garnish with chopped cilantro and add some ghee if needed. Serve hot with raita or any spicy dish. They can be had by themselves too.

CUCUMBER AND BLACK OLIVES RAITA

CUCUMBER AND BLACK OLIVES RAITA
Kristina Drociak from Stonyfield farm contacted me recently about their Oikos organic greek yogurt. She asked me if she could send me some free coupons and I could share my experience about Oikos organic greek yogurt with my blogger buddies. I was happy to do so and she had sent me a package with a cute yellow bag and lots of Stonyfield farm organic yogurt coupons. I started preparing raitas with this yogurt. It was very thick and creamy than the regular yogurt. This time I prepared a simple cucumber raita and added some sliced black olives to it. This was a new taste to me and the olives did go very well with the yogurt.

INGREDIENTS:
Thick yogurt, 1 cup.
Cucumber, medium-sized, 1.
Onion, small, 1.
Sliced black olives, ¼ cup.
Salt as per taste.
Cilantro, 2 sprigs.

PREPARATION:
Dice the cucumber and onion into very small pieces. It can also be grated if needed. Remove the cilantro from the stem, wash the leaves and keep aside. Beat yogurt well and add the chopped cucmber, onions, olives, salt, and cilantro and mix everything well. If needed, a teaspoon of water can be added while mixing to loosen it up. Garnish with cilantro and serve this raita with any variety rice or rotis.

VARIATIONS:
Diced red onions, tomatoes, and slices of green chilies can also be added here. I wanted to keep it simple this time, so I have used only cucumber and white Vidalia onions.