Ribbon Pakoda

Vegetable Thai Red Curry

2 cups of vegetables(broccoli, zucchini, carrots,mushrooms,babycorn)
1 cup extra firm tofu
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp cornflour
salt to taste
a few basil leaves
1 tsp lemon juice
a little lemon zest
1/2 tsp sugar


Red Curry Paste-
5 red chilles
1 clove garlic.
1 inch piece ginger
5 small red onions
5 stalks of cilantro
a few peppercorns
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
2 tbsp coriander powder
2 tbsp cumin seeds powder

Blend to a fine paste with a little water.

Method-

Heat oil, add the masala paste and fry till well done.Add the tomato paste, saute for a few minutes.
Add the cut vegetables, add salt and  and cook till almost done. You want the vegetables to remain crisp.
Add tofu and let the the flavors blend.
Add the coconut milk mixed with cornflour.
Cook on simmer till the curry gets thick.
Add chopped basil a little lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar.
Serve with rice.

Tomato Rasam

I got one tomato from my garden today, and decided to make Tomato Rasam, add a few more grape tomatoes, that I had in the fridge. The utensil I used to make the rasam is a special type of metal called 'Eayum Chembu', for some reason gives rasam a special flavor.

2 medim sized tomatoes
1 tsp tamarind paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
a pinch of asafetida
1 tsp rasam powder, add more if you want it spicier
salt to taste
2 tbsp cooked dal( I used masoor dal)
1/4 tsp sugar
a few curry leaves
1 tbsp cilantro
few drops of lemon juice

masala to be ground-
Blend coarsely in the blender, one garlic clove, 1/2 inch ginger, a few peppercorns, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, and couple ofcurry leaves.

tadka-
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 dried red chilli
a few curry leaves
a pinch of asafetida

Method-
Heat 1/2 tsp oil, add the blended masala, and saute for a few minutes, add chopped tomatoes, saute again for a couple of minutes.
Add 1and 1/2 cups water or so
, tamarind paste, salt and turmeric.
Once it comes to a boil, add rasam powder, dal, curry leaves, sugar, and keeping the heat on medium, cook till the tomatoes are done.
Remove from heat, add the tadka, then add cilantro, lemon juice.
Serve as a soup or with rice.
 

Kanda Poha (Aval Upma)( Beaten Rice Flakes)

3 cups Poha (thick)(Beaten Rice Flakes or Aval)
1 large onion
4 green chilles
4 curry leaves
1 small potato cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
2 tbsp or more fresh lemon juice

Tadka-
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp udad dal
1/2 tsp hing

Method-

Wash poha,  rinse a couple of times, and leave to drain, while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.
Cook the potaoes with a lilltle water in a microwave for 4 minutes and keep aside.
Slice onion lengthwise, green chillies.
Heat oil add, mustard seeds, urad dal, once they pop add the hing, the onions, green chillies, curry leaves.
Saute till golden add the potatoes, turmeric and a little salt.
Stir for a few more minutes, add the poha, ssome more salt, sugar and stir well till blended.
Cover, leave on medium heat, till the flavors marry.
Add lemon juice and cilantro, stir well, take off heat.
Cover and keep for a couple of minutes and serve.

 

Keera Kootu(Greens with Split Yellow Lentils)

3 cups spinach chopped or any kind of greens
1/2 cup cooked split lentils( yellow or red)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Spice powder-
1 tbsp chana dal
2 red chilles
6 peppercorns
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Dry roast all the above ingredients, and powder finely in a blender.

Tadka-
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal

Heat oil, add mustard seeds and urad dal, once the seeds pop, add spinach, cooked dal, salt, turmeric and the spice powder.
Add 1/2 cup water, cook till everything blends together, and spinach is cooked.
Serve with bread or rice.

 

Kadala Curry without coconut

Kadala curry, a quintessential dish from Kerala, served usually with rice, appams or puttu. There are two versions to this dish, one with coconut, which is usally made it when there are a lot people to be served and the quick and easy one without the coconut. 

1 cup black chana soaked overnight
Cook in the pressure cooker with enough water until done.

1 onion finely chopped
1 tbsp each ginger/garlic/green chilles minced
3 tomatoes chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp coriander pwd
1 tsp chilli pwd
salt
1/2 tsp fenugreek pwd
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
curry leaves
2 tbsp oil

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and hing.
Once the mustard seeds pop, add onions and curry leaves.
Add ginger, garlic and green chilles.
Once sauted, add tomatoes and all the dry spices.
After the tomatoes are cooked down add the kadala with the water that it was cooked in.
Add salt and cover and simmer till a nice gravy is formed.
Serve with any kind of Kerala bread or rice.

Easy Peasy huh!!!!

Til Chikki/Sesame Seeds Candy

Sesame seeds are wonderful to eat in the winter, it warms up the body and no wonder they are eaten so much in India in the cold season.

1 cup white sesame seeds

1 cup/ 200 gms jaggery

1 tbps ghee

Roast the seeds on a low flame till golden.

Add ghee to the pan, add crumbled jaggery and stir continously to melt. Remember not to add big chunks of jaggery as it will take a long time to melt and will burn too.

Once melted and starts foaming a little, add the seeds, stir well. Pour on a greased cookie tin or flat surface.

Roll it out a little to shape it using a greased roling pin.

Once it is a little cool cut into squares and serve. Yummy!!!

Kerala

Egg and Veggie Kothu Paratha

Kothu means minced and paratha as you all know is Indian flaky bread, Kothu Paratha is a street food available in the southern parts of India and is usually made with chicken and lamb. I have tried making it here with eggs and vegetables, but you could make it ony with vegetables too. I usually use leftover chapatis or parathas to make this dish, I think flour tortillas would also work. I also used cooked asparagus in this again any leftover vegetables can be use in this dish. This is such a balanced dish as it has all the food groups and can be served for breakfast, packed for lunch or even eaten for dinner.

Eggs - 2 beaten
Parathas/Leftover Chapatis/ Kerala Parottas broken into small pieces - 3 or 4 cooked
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - a few
Onion- 1/2 chopped
Green Chilli- 1 minced
Ginger and garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Cabbage 1/2 cup chopped
Carrot 1 chopped
Green Pepper 1/2
Asparagus 1/4 cup cooked
Salt to taste
Chilli pwd 1/4 tsp
Soy Sauce 2 tsp
Oil 2 tbsp


Heat 1 tsp oil, add the beaten eggs and scramble the eggs.
Remove the eggs, add the rest of the oil.
Add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
Add onion and green chillies, once the mustard seeds splutters.
Add the ginger /garlic paste, cabbage, carrot and capsicum.
Add salt and a little chilli pwd, once cooked add the asparagus.
Add soy sauce, and the parathas.
Stir well, add salt only if needed. Once everything is well combined, remove from heat.
Add lime juice and cilantro leaves and serve.

If it is too dry add a little water, I like mine a little dry, traditionally some curry or veg kurma is added to make it less dry.

Nadan Egg Curry

This is a great dish to serve at dinner and goes well with a variety of breads. I used ground coconut in this dish but the traditionally coconut milk is used. In Kerala this might be even served for breakfast.
Hardboiled eggs - 4
Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves 3 or 4
Onion - 1 chopped fine
Green chillies - 1 chopped fine
Ginger and garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Tomato -1 medium sized chopped fine
chilli pwd - 1/2 tsp
coriander pwd - 1 tbsp
turmeric- 1/4 tsp
pepper a pinch
garam masala - 1/4 tsp
coconut about 2 tbsp ground to a paste or 1/2 cup coconut milk
salt to taste

Heat oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Once it splutters add onion, saute well.
Add ginger garlic paste and tomato.
Add the chilli pwd, coriander pwd, turmeric pwd, pepper, garam masala and salt and 2 tbsp water, fry well
Adding water keeps the masala from burning.
Once everything is well cooked add the coconut milk or ground coconut(this is what I used)and eggs, cook on low heat.
Serve with rice, appams or parathas.

Honey Bunches of Oats Chivda/Cornflakes Chivda/ Mixture

I was craving something salty and sweet, and ventured to make chivda, this is a very popular snack in India, usually eaten with chai in the late afternoon. It can be also served as an appetizer and can be customized by adding whatever nuts or dried fruits one likes. I have seen people make it with cornflakes which is such a healthier version then deep frying it. I had Honey Bunches of Oats with almonds, which is my favorite cereal, but the powdered bottom of the bag part is something that I usually throw away, but I experimented by making chivda and it actually turned out pretty good.The best part was this cereal already had almonds so I didn't bother to put any peanuts but the traditional chivda has peanuts in it.



Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cup of Honey bunches of Oats or Cornflakes
a handful of cranraisins
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/8 tsp hing(asafoetida)
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 green chillies chopped
4 to 5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

Method:

Heat oil, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
Once they pop, add hing and turmeric, immediately add the green chillies and curry leaves.
Add the chilli powder, stir.
Add the carnraisins and the cereal.
Stir well on low heat until everything is well coated.
Cool and store in an airtight container for a few days.
Note: add more green chillies and red chilli pwd if you like it spicy, I did add more spice later as it wasn't spicy enough. Citric acid powder about 1/4 tsp can also be added to give it a hint of sourness.

Kung Pao Vegetables

I have been MIA for quite sometime, too much going on in my life.
For dinner I made the Kung Pao vegetables today, it comes together so quickly I decided I had to post it.

I chopped a ton of vegetables, a big bowl full, you could take approximately 2 cups, I used zuchinni, carrots, celery, mushroom, green pepper, 1 green chilli/jalapeno and onion.
For the Sauce, I mixed 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp chilli sauce or Siracha, 1 tsp of ketchup, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp cornflour with about 1/2 cup water.( Add store bought kung pao sauce if available, even a little hoisin sauce works well with the above mixture but both are optional as I have made it with just the sauce ingredients and it tastes great)

Heat 2 tbsp sesame oil, add dried red chillies about 4 or 5 broken into two, once it gets a little fried, add 1 tsp each minced garlic and ginger.
Stir, then add all the vegetables,salt and peeper and cook on high heat until almost cooked.
Add the sauce mixture, stir well once the sauce thickens which will happen quickly, add 2 tbsp roasted peanuts and 1 chopped spring onion.

Serve with rice, yummy!!!

Besan Ladoo (ChickPeas Flour Balls)

Sorry to all the ladies from the Ashram for saying that I had this recipe on the blog, for some reason I thought I had posted it. Anyways here's the recipe for besan ladoos, I know we had a blast making them and eating them for our party at the yoga ashram. Jami this recipe is especially for you!!!

3 cups besan(chickpea flour)
1 cup ghee
2 cups sugar ( I used powdered)
1/4 cup almonds chopped finely
1/4 tsp cardamom pwd
1/4 cup pistachios ground into a powder for decoration


Method:

Roast the besan and ghee on a low medium heat foe about 10 to 15 minutes till golden and until you can smell the nice aroma of roasted besan.
Remove from heat and cool for just a few minutes you do not want it to cool to room temperature.
Add the sugar and almonds and cardamom.
Mix well and make small balls.
Dip only the top of the ladoo into pistachio pwd to decorate.
Enjoy!!! Will add pics later.

Eggless Apple Cake

1 big red apple cut into chunks or 2 medium

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup milk

1 and 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda (soda bicarb)

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/4 cup walnuts

2 tbsp tutti-frutti

Preheat oven at 350 F or 180 C.

Grease a loaf tin and keep aside.

Cook the apples in the microwave for about 3 to 5 minutes till soft.

Blend the apples in a blender till smooth.

Pour this into a mixing bowl.

Add sugar, oil, and milk and blend till mixed.

Sift flour, baking soda, and garam masala pwd.

Add to the apple mixture and mix lightly.

Add walnuts and tutti-frutti.

Pour into the loaf tin and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Let cool for five minutes and then turn out of tin and cool an a wire rack.

Palak Paneer/ Saag Paneer

To make the paneer-

Boil about 4 cups of milk add 3 to 4 tbsps of lemon juice.

The curds will separate from the whey.

Then pour into a colander lined with a cheesecloth.

Pour cold water to cool the paneer down.

Place something heavy on the paneer to let it set.

This should take about 30 minutes.

Remove the cheesecloth and cut the paneer into cubes.

For the Palak Paneer-

4 cups of palak chopped or a 10 oz packet of frozen chopped spinach thawed

1 tomato

1 inch piece of ginger

2 green chillies

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp malai (top of milk)/cream

1 cloves

1 cardamon

1/4 inch piece of cinnamon

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 red onion chopped

1/2 tsp red chilli pwd

salt

2 tbsp ghee or more

Method-

Cook the palak with little water.

Grind in a Blender with the tomato, ginger, green chillies, garlic, malai, cloves, cardamon, and cinnamon.

Heat ghee, and pan fry the paneer till golden, add the fried paneer to half a cup of warm water and salt. This will keep them tender.

Using the remaining ghee, add more ghee if needed, add cumin seeds, add onions.

Saute till well browned, add the chilli pwd and then add the palak mixture and salt.

Cook till the palak mixture reduces and gets thick and creamy.

Squeeze the paneer out of the water, add to palak, stir well and remove from heat.

Serve with any kind of Indian bread.

Palak Pulao (Spinach Rice)

Pushpa Chechi this recipe is for you, I'm sorry it took me this long to put it up.

This is a nutritious rice dish, you can add other greens too, but spinach is so convenient to use and easily available. This pulao is not the fluffy dry kind of a pulao, its more like a rissotto I want to say, the rice does not get mushy or anything, but the whole thing stays together, very comforting to eat.

1 cup Basmati Rice washed and drained

2 cups chopped spinach/ palak

1/2 onion chopped fine

1/4 tsp turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp chilli pwd

salt to taste

2 tbsp oil or ghee

Grind to a paste: 1 tomato, 1/2 inch ginger, 1 clove garlic, 1 green chilli, 2 tbsp mint leaves, 1/2 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 3 cardamom pods.

Method:

Heat oil or ghee, add onion, fry till well browned.

Add ground paste, turmeric pwd, and chilli pwd.

Fry till mixture is browned and thick.

Add rice, saute for a minute.

Add spinach, saute for a minute, and add salt.

Add 2 and1/2 cup water, and cook in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle.

If not using a pressure cooker, just cover and cook till done about 20 minutes.

Once the pressure cooker cools, open and serve with raita.

I served mine with Beetroot Pachadi.

Aloo Rasedar

Aloo Rasedar is a different kind of side dish to eat with puris, especially if you get tired of eating it with the usual Aloo Sabji. This is a popular dish usually served for breakfast, in places like the Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Actually good to serve for brunch, lunch or even dinner.

1 Potato boiled and broken into big chunks

1 large tomato chopped fine

1/2 inch ginger minced

2 green chillies minced

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

a pinch of hing

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chilli pwd

1/2 tsp coriander pwd

1/4 tsp mango pwd

1/4 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

Method:

Heat oil add cumin seeds and hing, let it splutter.

Add tomatoes, grated ginger, green chillies, saute for a minute.

Add turmeric, chilli pwd, coriander pwd, and mango pwd.

Keep stirring the tomatoes, add a little water if it starts sticking to the bottom or gets too dry.

Once the tomatoes are soft and the mixture looks like it's blended well add potatoes, salt and 1 cup of water, if you want a really watery gravy add more water.

I usually put this whole thing in the pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle, but you can just cover it up and cook on low to medium heat and let it come together.

Once done add garam masala and coriander leaves, remove from heat.

Serve with puris, this will easily serve 2 to 3 people.

Broken Wheat and Rava Idlis

I'm in Mumbai right now and enjoying the monsoons and the food. We wanted a quick breakfast this morning and came across rava idlis with potatoes, they looked really soft and delicious and so tried them with some variations. I used dalia or lapsi or fine broken wheat and semolina and just a tinge of baking soda to help them rise a bit. Rava idlis are ideal when you don't want to grind or ferment the batter, or when you are stumped about what to make for breakfast. Rava Idlis are steamed rounds of semolina, almost like a quick bread but steamed instead of baked and a very popular breakfast item in South India.

1 cup broken wheat(fine variety)

1/2 cup rava/semolina

3 tsps oil

1and1/2 cup yogurt

1 cup water

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 raw potato chopped fine

2 green chillies

1/2 inch ginger grated

2 tbsps coriander leaves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

In a bowl mix the wheat and semolina add the oil mix and keep aside for a few minutes.

Add the yogurt, water, chopped potato, green chilli, ginger, cilantro and cumin seeds.

Add the baking soda and salt.

Keep aside for a few minutes.

Steam the idlis for 10 to 12 minutes, serve with chutney.

Elissery- Pumpkin and Black Chana Curry

This is for you Rana, Sumitha and Seema, for enjoying all the Kerala dishes that I make. This is a dish that you would find at any Sadya or feast.

Yellow Pumpkin peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes, I used a big wedge about 2 to 3 cups when cut up.

Black Chana 1 cup soaked for a few hours and cooked till tender or use canned Chickpeas

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Chilli pwd/ Cayenne Pepper 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

To Grind-:1/2 cup, 3 green chilles, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Tempering-: 2 tsp coconut oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp udad dal, 2 red chillies,

3 tbsp grated coconut and curry leaves

Method:

• Cook the pumpkin with chilli pwd, turmeric, and salt.
• When half cooked add the cooked black chana.
• Once the pumpkin is cooked, add the ground paste.
• Cook for a few more minutes, it should be a thick gravy not too watery and not too dry.
• Heat oil for seasoning, add mustard seeds, once they splutter add red chillies and urad dal, once they are golden add curry leaves and coconut.
• Brown the coconut till it's golden brown but be careful not to burn it.
• This is the most important part, once the coconut is the right color add to the pumpkin.
• Serve with rice or chapatis.

Savory Kozhakatta (Steamed Rice Dumplings)

These dumplings are eaten in Kerala for a snack, in other parts it's also served as a prasadam, during Navratri, Ganesh Puja, VijayDashmi etc. There are different kinds of kozhakattas, they could be sweet filled with coconut and jaggery or made with different ingredients like coconut or carrot.
I made these for Navrathri, as I was feeling a little homesick missing all the fun that was going on in India, in the US all the holidays just go by, I have to keep asking my mom 'when's Diwali', no clue when any holiday is going on. Anyways for once I knew Navrathri was ending tomorrow, and hence the dish.

Dough:
2 cups Rice Flour
2 cups water
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup coconut grated

Grind:
4 Green chillies
1/4 tsp hing
1/4 cup water

Seasoning;
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 red chilles
a few curry leaves

Method:
1.Roast the rice flour on low heat for about 5 minutes, this gives a nice flavor to the rice.
2.Heat water, add salt and oil.
3.Grind the green chillies and hing with water.
4.Add the boiling water to the rice flour, add the ground up green chillies, and coconut.
5. Stir well, don't worry about the clumps.
6.Once the dough can be handled, knead it well and make a smooth dough.
7.Heat a steamer with water, spray the plate or steamer stand with oil.
8. Make about one inch balls, they don't have to be perfect rounds, just press themm together to make dumplings.
9.Place on the steamer tray, and steam for about 6 minutes.
10. For seasoning, heat oil, add mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves.
11. Add the steamed kozhukatta, and stir well for a few minutes till dry.
12. Serve with chutney podi or chutney.

Cauliflower and Peas Stew

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 red onion chopped fine

1 medium potato cut into small cubes

1 tbsp ginger grated

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 green chilli minced

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp sambar pwd( use curry pwd as a substitute)

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp tomato paste

2 tomatoes blended

salt

1/2 tsp sugar

2 cups cauliflower cut into medium florets

1/2 cup frozen carrots and beans (optional add fresh if you have)

1 cup water

2 tbsp sour cream

2 tbsp coconut milk

2 tbsp cilantro leaves chopped

1 cup frozen peas

Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients, I think coconut milk might be the only ingredient not in your pantry, use coconut milk powder instead. Most Indian home will have all these ingredients, because these are things you need when making any kind of Indian food. Sambar powder might be another ingredient that you might not have, just add curry pwd or a mixture of cayenne pwd and coriander powder. I had some frozen carrots and beans mixture so I threw those in too.

This dish was for a Potluck Dinner for a friend's baby shower. I was also taking some steamed rice and a raita with it.

So once you have assembled all your ingredients, this is what you do,

Heat oil, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

Once they splutter, add onions stir for a few minutes add potatoes, and cook till brown on medium heat.

Then add ginger, garlic, green chilli, tomato paste, turmeric pwd, sambar pwd, garam masala and cayenne pepper.

Stir for a couple of minutes.

Add the blended tomatoes, stir well.

Add cauliflower, frozen carrots and beans if using, salt and sugar.

Add 1 cup of water, cover and cook for about 10 minutes or so or until cauliflower is tender.

Add sour cream and coconut milk, cilantro and frozen peas.

Stir well, and remove from heat.

You should have a thick gravy, taste and season if required.

Serve the stew with rice and raita, or any Indian bread.

Veggie Club Sandwich

A club sandwich is usually toasted bread with mayo and bacon, lettuce, and tomato. A traditional club used to be two slices, now it's usually three slices with two layers of fillings. I'm breaking all the rules, by using two slices, losing the mayo and the meat. This is actually a traditional sandwich filling that's used in India, a chutney or a pesto made out of cilantro leaves. The sandwich is usually slathered with butter to keep the bread from gettin soggy especially if you're packing it up for a picnic or eating it later. Mine I would like to think is a healthier version and you could make it low carb too, by using low cal bread. I'm tired of eating low cal, so I went all out and made it with potato bread.

I make the green chutney beforehand it's a handful of cilantro leaves, add mint too if you like, green chillies, ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Blend this and keep in the fridge it lasts for a few days.

2 slices bread

a smidgen of butter if not eating right away

green chutney

1 tbsp shredded carrot

cucumber slices

red onion slices

feta cheese(optional)

tomato slices

Toast the bread, apply butter if you're packing it up to eat later or if you just like butter.

Spread a tsp of chutney on the bread slices.

Layer with carrots, cucumbers, red onions, feta, tomato and toast.

Cut diagonally and serve.

Grilled Corn Indian Style (Roasted Bhutta)

Grilling or roasting corn this way transports me back to Mumbai, this is the time you'll see vendors everywhere roasting corn. The vendor usually roasts the corn on a charcoal grill. I used my stove top instead but you can use your grill for this too. I like the convenience of doing it inside, so I can multitask a the same time. To be honest I used to want a gas stove top, but I'm finding out, that it's easier to use the electric stove top as the heat is a little slower and you can leave whatever you're roasting on the griddle and work on other things simultaneously.

Corn on the cob

Cayenne Pepper

Salt

Lime or Lemon cut into half

Remove the husks off the corn.

Place the corn on a wire cooling rack or the contraption I have is like a little griddle or roaster with holes, which I place on my stove top.

Cook or roast the corn evenly and keep rotating the corn till it is brown all over.

Mix the salt and cayenne pepper, dip the lemon half into this mixture and apply on the corn.

Enjoy the hot and sour flavor of corn.

Crispy Mushroom and Onion Pizza

I had seen this on Everyday Food, and adapted it to whatever I had in my pantry. This was my dinner tonight, can be used as a appetizer too, very quick and no fuss meal. I used rotis which I lightly cooked on the skillet. The original recipe used Ricotta cheese and Asiago cheese. You could also add green peppers and olives or any other veggie.

2 whole wheat Tortillas 6 inch/Rotis

2 tsps olive oil

1/4 cup of cheddar cheese grated

2 tbsps of goat cheese crumbled

1/2 cup mushrooms thinly sliced

1/4 red onion thinly sliced

salt

pepper

red chilli flakes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place the tortillas on a lined cookie sheet. (If using Rotis cook lightly on both sides on a skillet)

Brush the tortillas with the olive oil.

Sprinkle the cheese evenly.

Add mushrooms and onions.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the veggies.

Bake for about 10 minutes, mine were done in 8 minutes, or till crisp and brown.

Remove and cut into quarters and serve sprinkled with red chilli flakes.

Ravioli Stuffed w/ Spinach and Cheese

Ingredients:
1 2 lb package of the Stuffed Ravioli
2 mini peppers minced
2 scallions minced
4 olives sliced
Basil leaves

Dressing:
3 tbsp EVOO
6 tbsp lime juice
1 garlic clove crushed
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper



I bought these from Costco, you get two packages of 2 lbs each, I used just one package for this recipe. You can freeze the other packet if not using right away.

Cook Ravioli as per package instructions. Meanwhile make the dressing with the Olive oil, lime juice, garlic clove, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
Add the dressing to the cooked Ravioli, add the rest of ingredients. Stir gently and serve.

Carrot and Onion Rice Adai

This adai tastes like a rava dosa and a onion uthappa, and is so easy to make as there is no fermentation.

2 cups raw rice

3 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)

1 tbsp cooked rice

2 tbsps onions finely chopped

1 carrot finely grated

1/2 green chilli finely minced

1 tbsp ginger grated

1 tbsp cilantro minced

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp salt

a pinch of hing

oil for making the adais

Soak rice for a few hours or overnight, grind smoothly with 1/2 cup water add cooked rice and besan and blend well.

Add all the other ingredients to the batter.

Make adais and serve with chutney powder and yogurt.

Unniappam/Neyappam

1 cup rice flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

1 cup jaggery

1/2 cup water

1 banana mashed to a smooth paste

4 green cardamons powdered

1/2 tsp ginger powder

Canola Oil

Method:

Heat jaggery with water and cook till melted completely.

Leave it aside to cool.

Add both flours to the cooled jaggery mixture.

Add the mashed banana and cardamon and ginger powder..

Mix well and keep aside for 2 hours.

Heat the Appakara(a pan with indentations in them), add oil about halfway upto the indentations.

Meanwhile stir the batter add a little water if it's too thick.

Add a tbsp of batter in each cook for about or so then turn and cook both sides.

Remove add more oil if required and cook all the unniappams.

Makes about 20 unniappams.

Instant noodles

1/2 cup cabbage sliced thin

1 carrot sliced into thin shreds

a few green beans sliced thin

1/2 onion sliced

1 garlic clove crushed

1 green chilli minced

1 tsp ginger minced

1tbsp oil

1/4 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tsp soy sauce

1tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tsp red chilli sauce

2 packets ramen noodles or any instant noodles

2 cups water

1tsp sesame oil

1tbsp cilantro minced

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Microwave beans with 1 tsp of water to for 2 minutes.

Heat oil, add red chilli pepper flakes, onions garlic, green chilli, and ginger.

Saute till light brown.

Add vegetables and a little salt and pepper,and cook for a few minutes.

Add soy sauce, tomato ketchup, and red chilli sauce.

Add water, break noodles into half and cook till dry add sesame oil and cilantro, stir well.

Serve hot or cold.

murukku

rice flour 2 cups

urad flour 1/2 cup

jeera seeds 1/2 tsp

sesame seeds 1/2 tsp

ajwain 1/4 tsp

pepper pwd 1/2 tsp

soft butter 1/2 stick

salt 2 tsps

hing 1/4 tsp

water 1 cup approx

Method:

Mix flours butter, ajwain seeds, sesame seeds, cumin seeds and pepper pwd.

Add hing and salt to water.

Add this water little by little to make to a soft dough. You might not need all the water or you might need more.

Use a Murukku Press to make murukku.

Fry on medium heat till golden.

Sprouted Mung Bean Curry

This is a nice and spicy dish especially in the winter months to warm one up.

Soak whole mung beans for about 8 hours in cold water, once they get plump, drain off the water and cover with a wet paper towel and keep for a couple of days. The ones in the picture took 4 days to sprout that long. I kept rinsing them with fresh water everyday.

1 cup dry mung beans soaked and sprouted

2 tbsps oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 red chillies

1/2 tsp hing

1/2 onion minced fine

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp green chillies paste

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp sambar powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp tamarind paste

Salt

Heat oil add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, and hing, once they splutter,

add onion and saute till golden brown.

Add the ginger paste, garlic and green chillies paste.

Stir for a minute add the spices, chilli powder, turmeric powder, sambar powder and garam masala powder.

Add about 2 cups of water and the mung beans.

Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat, cover and cook till the beans are tender and the gravy has reduced.

Add tamarind paste and salt, Cook for a few minutes.

Remove from heat, garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serve with rice, rotis or any bread.

This recipe is an entry to two events one is to Suganya @ Tasty Palettes who is hosting the Sixth Helping of My Legume Love Affair - Hot & Spicy ,created by Susan of Well Seasoned Cook, and the other event is JFI Sprouts hosted by http://www.ammaluskitchen.infovegan/.

Enjoy!!!