[VeganMoFo 2016] Tofu Masala Recipe

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What do you do with a slab of tofu lurking at the back of the fridge and with no more than 20 minutes on hand? You make today's recipe - an easy yet hearty Tofu Masala of course! When I saw it on Food and Wine for the first time, I wondered how ordinary the ingredients list is. But the end result in terms of flavor was nothing but ordinary. On a crazy weeknight, I served this dish with some prepared rotis and a bowl of fruit. Satisfied with happy bellies, we both called it a day and I thought how sometimes keeping the spices to minimum is a good thing. Trust me, this recipe is a perfect example of that! Do give it a try. Bon Appetit.

[Pressure Cooker Recipes] Quick Lobia Masala Recipe | How to make Black-Eyed Peas Curry | Step-by-Step

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Can someone pinch me please? Is it February already? Where did January go? 2016 has started on such a busy note for me. As usual things were super crazy on most of the days and in the little free time I got, all I wanted to do was slouch in my couch and read books of all kinds - a simple and uncomplicated way to relax. But, honestly a corner of my heart was also longing to sit up, write a few words and publish a blogpost. So, before that feeling of enthusiasm goes away; before am swayed into the monotony of everyday activities that constantly need my attention, here I am sitting in a coffee shop, enjoying a cup of coffee with warm blueberry scone on the side and typing this super quick and easy black eyed pea curry recipe for you all. I make this dish often, on a weekly basis and sometimes substitute with other kinds of beans such as pinto, black bean, red beans and even chickpeas. Either way, it serves as a healthy side dish to a bowl of rice or for a bread/roti. Enjoy!

* This "Pressure Cooker Recipe Series" is dedicated to my awesome project manager at work Robin  and to the glee on his face when he cooks something delicious in his new pressure cooker. He especially loves to make Dhal with geee (that's how he says it for ghee!), ginger, tomatoes and spices * :-)

More Black Eyed Pea recipes:

Easy Scrambled Eggs with Black Eyed Peas and Potatoes
Creamy Goan Curry with Black Eyed Peas
Black Eyed Pea and Stewed Tomato Salad
Accara | Black eyed pea Fritters

Homestyle Rajma Masala Curry | Step by Step Recipe

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We are a family of dal-lovers. We were a family who took many short road-trips, to be out of the city and to get some fresh air into our lungs. It was during one of those trips at a roadside dhaba, I ate the most flavorful and simply-made bowl of rajma with fresh roti from a tandoor. It was all that it promised - creamy, not-too-spicy and with a big dollop of cream & fried chilli on top. I was an enthusiastic 11-year old, discovering new food (with the help of my mother) and that combination simply bowled me over. I still remember my school friends from Northern part of India just couldn't understand the zealousness and what was such a big deal about it!. Till today, the memories of that first bite are fresh and this recipe for red beans curry with rice or bread is (and will be) my absolute definition for comfort food. Enjoy!

This recipe is an entry to My Legume Love Affair # 81, hosted this month by me. Have you sent yours yet?

Update: Here is a lovely roundup of all recipes submitted to MLLA 81.

Lauki Palak Ke Kofte (Kofta) Masala | Bottle Gourd and Spinach Balls in Tomato Gravy Recipe + winners for the giveaways

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The months of November and December were just like any other until a few years ago. They became a season of music, joy and merriment once I moved to US. the holiday baking, the beautifully decorated christmas trees, the snowmen, the brightly lit up reindeers in front of almost every house, the gifts, the carols dimly humming at all cafes, the deals to buy super cool stuff dead cheap, meeting friends & family and travelling - all these symbolize the holiday season now. After experiencing all these for 6 long winters, the memories come back to me, regardless of where I am right now, right this moment.

New York is a magical city and every time I hear this song - Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams, it reminds me of time I spent there. Awesome time, I tell ya which I will cherish forever, and ever!

 

Today's recipe too - Lauki Palak Ke Kofte (Kofta) Masala brings back loads of memories when my mother used to make this along with a simple Rice Cooker Biryani as our Sunday special. :-)

Scroll down to know the lucky winners who won the previously announced giveaways - Canon Powershot camera, 25$ amazon and olive garden gift cards.

Enjoy!

{Recipe} Lauki Palak Ke Kofte (Kofta) Masala 

Lauki Palak Ke Kofte

ready to be fried..

To serve as an appetizer, ignore the gravy and use as-is. Yum! 

Notes: 

1. For lesser calories, the bottle gourd-spinach balls can be baked with a brushing of oil.
2. If using tomato puree, use finely chopped onions and there is no need to grind into a paste.
3. Let the balls be dunked into the tomato gravy before serving so that they soak up all the lovely flavors.

Makes for around 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

For the Kofte -

1 medium sized lauki (bottle gourd) ~ around 2 cups of grated lauki
1 cup chopped palak
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
oil - for frying

For the gravy -

2 onions, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped (or you can use tomato puree as well)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt - to taste (Adjust little by little as the kofte have salt too)
1/2 tsp or more garam masala
a pinch of sugar
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp of beaten yogurt (optional)
chopped coriander, for garnishing

Preparation:

1. Grate bottle gourd. Taking some at a time, using a muslin or thin cloth and squeeze all the water out of it by pressing between the palms. Finely chop spinach.

2. In a bowl, mix in squeezed bottle gourd, spinach and rest of the ingredients listed under "For the Kofte". Donot use any water. The liquid in the chopped spinach is enough to make into a dough. Make small lemon sized balls.

3. Heat enough oil in a kadai and gently fry few balls at a time until golden brown. Drain excess oil on paper towels.

4. For the gravy - heat a tbsp of oil in a kadai. Add ginger garlic paste and onions. Let it cook for few minutes. Add tomatoes. Stir well and cook until mushy. Cool a bit and grind into a fine paste.

5. Add the tomato-onion paste into the same kadai and add all the spices & seasonings - salt, turmeric, garam masala and sugar. Add a cup of water. Cook until oil starts to separate. Stir in the yogurt if using.

6. Drop the kofta balls into the gravy. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander. Serve with rice, roti or any kind of bread.

Serving Suggestions: Home-made Coconut Milk Fried Rice , Perfectly Baked Brown Rice, Methi Pulao, Gobhi/Cauliflower Paratha, Palak Thepla and Roti Telur 

Now are you ready to know who won the three exciting giveaways announced for this holiday season. Here are the lucky ones -

The 25$ Amazon Gift Card goes to Comment # 94 which is from - Carolsue.

The 25$ Olive Garden Gift Card goes to Comment # 7 from Mary

One lucky Indian reader who won the Canon Powershot A810 Point & Shoot Camera (Choice of color - Black, Silver or Red) along with 4 GB SDHC Card is Comment # 22 from Lubna 

Hearty Congratulations to all winners and I will contact you pretty soon for your shipping details and Thanks all for enthusiastically participating in all the giveaways!

~~ Happy Holidays ~~


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until next time,

{Recipe} Paneer Jalfrezi (Indian Cottage Cheese with Mixed Vegetables) with Home-made Coconut Milk Fried Rice + winners for Quick Fix Indian giveaway announced

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It's monsoon time here in Hyderabad with heavy, sporadic rains almost every evening. A hot cup of chai with few spicy crackers or sometimes just biscuits on the side along with a book in hand is a usual affair.  Here are my latest reads  -

1. Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot #10) by Agatha Christie - Can I say am in love with Mr.Poirot, such a witty guy. I can't wait to start on other books in this series.

2. Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella - a total chic flick. this is my second book of Sophie's and I feel her stories are perfect to me made into a bollywood movie. Anybody agrees with me? ;-)

3. Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. - If you are up for an emotional roller coaster ride, then pick up this book. The language by the author is simple, prose good and there are many parts of the book which will sting you like a bee and make you realize the hardships of the poor. The plotline seems predictable, but actually its not and I like the way it unfolds in both the worlds of Asha and Kavita. These characters will stay with me forever. It is the sad and unfortunate reality (which I completely detest) of the society today that boys are favored over girls and after reading this book, it made me realise how lucky I am to have such progressive parents who still to this day strive for the betterment and happiness of me and my little sister.

Paneer Jalfrezi (Indian Cottage Cheese with Mixed Vegetables) with Fried Rice

So, during my weekend grocery shopping I spotted these beautiful red and yellow peppers, all I could think was Paneer Jalfrezi, a colorful, dry side dish very popularly made  in many indian restaurants. Accompanied to that was a usual fried rice but with a twist of home-made coconut milk. These were served as a Sunday lunch to for few close friends and family, thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Adding coconut milk was amma's idea. Full credit to her as the rice had a nice, slightly mellow hint of coconut-ey flavor which added a new essence to it.

Slightly sweet and spicy - What a beautiful pepper(s) to cook with. 

One can never have too much paneer. ;-)

Veggies, chopped roughly to the size of paneer - ready to be sauteed.

All mixed in and simmering. 

Rice on the side - home-made coconut milk with no preservatives add a nice touch to the usual fried rice. 

pressure off, ready to be fluffed with a fork!

Want to grab a plate?

Paneer Jalfrezi

{Recipe} Paneer Jalfrezi with Home-made Coconut Milk Fried Rice 

Home-made Coconut Milk Fried Rice - Cut a whole coconut into pieces and grind it until smooth paste. In a muslin cloth, squeeze as much coconut milk you can into a bowl. Give it a rest for few minutes and squeeze for more.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 bunch mint leaves, chopped (2 tightly packed cups)
3-4 green chillies, slit in the middle
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala or biryani masala
3 cups home-made coconut milk diluted with little water
3 tbsp oil
1 cup mixed vegetables, chopped - carrot,beans,peas etc (optional)

Preparation:

1. In a pressure cooker, heat oil, add onion, mint leaves, ginger-garlic paste and fry these for 2 mins.

2. Now, add in garam/biryani masala, green chillies and vegetables(if using any). Cook these for 2-3 mins.  Season with salt, add rice and cook for a minute.

3. Finally add the coconut milk and pressure cook until 1 whistle. Turn off the heat and once pressure has subsided, fluff with fork.

Serve hot with any spicy side dish and raita.

Paneer Jalfrezi (Indian Cottage Cheese with MixedVegetables)

Ingredients:

1 cup of paneer/indian cottage cheese, cut into strips (immerse in salted hot water until use)
3 cups of mixed veggies - I used 3 kinds of bell peppers - green, yellow, red and zucchini
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
3 tbsp of tomato puree (add one more finely sliced tomato if there is no tomato pure on hand)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
salt to taste
1/8 tsp turmeric
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) - optional
4 tbsp vegetable oil
lemon juice and coriander leaves - for garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add onions and ginger-garlic paste. Saute on medium-low heat for few minutes. Add mixed veggies. Cook half-way through. Make sure the veggies are still crunchy and not mushy.

2. Add tomatoes, tomato puree, tomato ketchup, salt and turmeric. Mix well. Add 1 cup of water as well.

3. Add chilli powder and coriander powder. Rub the kasuri methi between your palms and sprinkle the leaves. Cover and cook on low for few minutes, stirring once or twice in the middle.

4. Lightly squeeze water out of paneer pieces and add to the veggies. Gently mix. the spices must evenly coat the paneer. Let it simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes, covered.

5. Turn off the heat. Add lemon juice and top with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or roti.

Lunch/Dinner served - Paneer Jalfrezi (Indian Cottage Cheese with Mixed Vegetables)

*****************************************************************************************************************************************

The two lucky winners (randomly chosen by my mom) who won a copy each of  Quick Fix Indian Cookbook by Ruta Kahate giveaway are - Nupur (US) and Hamaree Rasoi (India)

Here were their comments -

NupurJuly 16, 2012 7:34 PM

Good looking tater tots!

My favorite quick-fix recipes would be grilled cheese (bread stuffed with cheese and assorted veg, and a smear of pickle and chutney). I'm located in the US, crossing my fingers that I win this fun cookbook.

Hamaree RasoiJuly 20, 2012 12:23 PMSiri , my quick fix recipe which I make quite often for my son is cut whole wheat bread in round shape with glass and grate some carrot, chopped capsicum, onion, mozzarella cheese on top and season it with salt, oregnao and cilantro leaves. Bake is for 10 minutes!!
These tarter tots are looking so cute and crispy.
Following you via subscribe and Facebook also :-)Finger crossed ;-)

Congratulations fellas. I will send you an email for your shipping addresses pretty soon. 

until next time,

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Indian Spiced Peanuts | Fried Masala Peanuts

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“What keeps me motivated is not the food itself but all the bonds and memories the food represents.”        ~ Michael Chiarello

Such is the case with me too.. 

Most of the recipes featured on this blog until now are associated with a certain reminiscence of the past.
For instance, the most popular recipe is Vegetable Biryani and Mixed Vegetable Korma. These two remind me of our leisurely, late-afternoon Sunday lunches when all four of us are at home, with no pressure of homework,  watching an old classic on Doordarshan. You see, we never had cable connection until I was 18 years old as my parents thought it would distract us from our studies :-). Atleast two times a week, my mother used to make  Khara Pongal for breakfast, which is a sumptuous meal in itself and fill our tummies until lunch time.

Every weekend we used to stay back at my grandmom's house. Very often, my uncle used to get fresh khoya from a nearby doodhwala and within an hour, each of us used to devour on these delicious sweet treats, at which my ammama is a pro - Khoya balls (Kova Billalu). If craving for something spicy, we always used to fall back on some Mirchi Fritters.

I could just go on and on linking recipes from this list :-)

spicy, crispy, crunchy peanuts - perfect for munching..

Today's recipe - "Spiced Peanuts" or simple said, desi-ishtyle "Fried Masala Peanuts" is one such easy recipe which falls perfectly under the "Munchies" category, for that time of the day - between lunch and dinner, when our stomachs grumble a little and crave for a spicy treat. It was just pure fun to dig our little hands into the jar and nibble on these while my mom is not watching. ;-)

Go on, make these for your loved ones too, gift them a jar-full and I promise, they will be super-duper happy!

Peanuts or Groundnuts

Spice mixture - chickpea flour, rice flour, salt, chilli powder, garam masala

Peanuts coated with spice-flour-oil mixture, ready to be fried.

Fry them until light golden. they gain a little more color once they reach room temperature.

these make an excellent gift to near and dear ones. :-)

{Recipe} Indian Spiced Peanuts  | Fried Masala Peanuts

Ingredients:

3 cups peanuts
1.5 cups besan (chickpea flour)
2 tbsp rice flour
1.5 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp garam masala
salt to taste
5 tbsp oil
vegetable or canola oil for frying

Preparation:

1. Dry roast peanuts. Keep aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add rest of ingredients with peanuts. Add water (little by little) and mix the nuts with spices so that its evenly coated with the mixture. (see pic above). It shouldn't be wet.

3. Heat oil in a kadai. Once hot, carefully drop a small batch of spiced peanuts and fry until golden brown. Drain them on paper towels (or newspaper works too!) to remove excess oil. Cool them to room temparature and then store in air tight container. Munch when you crave for some with hot tea or cool beverage on the side :-)

Variation(s) - the same recipe can be easily adapted to any kind of nuts like cashews, almonds, pistachios etc.

..or just grab some when hungry  or as snack with hot tea on side. Bliss!

 cya next time,

Iron Rich Foods: Paneer Methi Chaman

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Iron deficiency is one of the common problems that we, women deal with and iron rich diet is often highly recommended. Why do we exactly need Iron? - its main use is to transport oxygen to the body, ensure that our immunity system is strong and to produce energy in the body. Some of the main sources of iron are - beet root, spinach, broccoli, spinach, lentils, almonds, dates etc.

Today let us talk about our beloved Spinach. Shall we - Its not just meant for Popeye, but for all his fans too :). Me and my husband are ardent fans of both popeye and spinach. I sometimes jokingly say that my husband might be an avatar of Popeye as he can eat spinach all through the week!!

Spinach, the generously green plant is one of the popular iron foods. In a serving of 180g (3/4 cup) of spinach, body gets 6.43mg of iron.

Paneer Methi Chaman

When we are talking about *Iron-rich* recipes, the first thing that comes to our mind is -"Greens". This dish has loads of them and combined with Paneer, it tastes even better. The addition of both fresh fenugreek leaves and kasuri methi gives it an unbeatable flavor quotient.

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Serves 4

Adapted from Tarla Dalal's Know Your Green Leafy Vegetables

Ingredients -

4 cups spinach, roughly chopped

1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

2 cups fenugreek leaves, roughly chopped

1 cup paneer (indian cottage cheese), cubed

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

1/2 cup onions, chopped

1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

a pinch of turmeric

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp dhania powder (coriander powder)

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1/4 tsp garam masala

salt to taste

some fresh coriander - for garnishing

Preparation -

Step 1: Heat a small pan on medium heat and roast the dried fenugreek leaves till crisp for 1-2 mins. Keep aside.

Step 2: Boil water in a vessel and blanch the spinach and fenugreek leaves for 2-3 mins. To retain the bright green color, place the greens under cold water immediately.

Step 3: Drain the greens and blend in a mixer till smooth, adding little water at a time. Keep aside.

Step 4: Heat oil in a wide pan and add cumin seeds and onions. Saute until light golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste. Mix and cook for 1-2 mins until the raw taste disappears. Season with asafoetida, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and dried fenugreek leaves (crushed between both the palms). Saute everything for 3-4 mins on medium-low flame.

Step 5: Add salt, paneer cubes (which can be added as-is or lightly fried in 1/2 tsp of oil, like I did) and garam masala. Depending on the consistency you want, add about 1/4 cup of water if desired. Cook on a medium-low flame for 4-5 mins, stirring once or twice in between.

Step 6: Garnish and Serve.

Note: If you want a rich, creamy taste, add in cream, milk or half-and-half.

Nitin bhayya - this post is for you. I hope - aap ye bhabhiji ke liye banauge and khilaoge bhi ;-)

Have a gorgeous weekend - for people on the west coast and for east coast - Stay warm, have hot soups and enjoy the snow :)

until next time,
Siri

Beat the Heat: Minty Stuffed Parathas

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Like most of us, my body too has a tendency to build up a lot of body heat and have a lot of acidity problems from time to time. especially as I am recovering from my fever (since New Year's eve), I have been taking a lot of antibiotics and they, as we all know have their side effects and generate unwanted acids in the stomach which in turn results in a burning sensation that leads to Acidity. Not a good feeling, I tell ya!

Instead of popping antacid pills for cure the problem, I turned to some natural remedies. Alkaline foods like bajra, jowar, bananas, mint, ladies finger etc aid in reducing this acidity problem. 

..so is the today's recipe - "Minty Stuffed Parathas" which I made for today's dinner. Served with cool raita, they tasted fabulous.

Acidity or not, I think these make a lovely meal at anytime of the day.

Go on, dig in as I am not watching ;-)

Minty Stuffed Parathas

Mint has got many medicinal properties and is very well known to relieve acidity. Last night for dinner, I tried my hand on these absolutely delicious and mouth-watery parathas stuffed with veggies like cabbage, potato and peas.

I think to keep the acidity at bay, there could be a no better way!

Hey that rhymes ;-).

Adapted from Tarla Dala's Acidity Cookbook.

For the dough -

1. Blend into a puree - 1/2 cup mint leaves, little lemon juice, 1/2 tsp cumin leaves, 2-3 green chilli pieces along with 1/4 cup of water.

2. Mix the prepared mint paste with about 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour (atta flour), 1/2 cup bajra flour (optional, if not just use 2 cups of atta flour), 1 tsp of oil and 1 tsp of salt. Knead with about 1.5 cups of water, adding little by little into a soft dough. Rub a little oil on top and cover with some plastic wrap. Keep aside and rest for a while.

3. For the stuffing -

Sprinkle salt over 1 cup of cabbage. Keep aside for 10 mins. Then squeeze out the water using your hands. Cut 2 potatoes into halves and boil for about 10-15 mins, until tender. Peel out the skin and mash into a bowl.
Microwave 1/2 cup of frozen peas (no need to thaw) with little water for 2-3 mins. Drain water and mash.
Heat  a tsp of oil in a pan and add potatoes & green peas. Cook for 2 mins. Don't add any water. Add the cabbage & cook 2-3 mins.
Finally add 1 tsp of garam masala, little turmeric, 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder. Season with salt. Mix well. Allow it cool for a bit.

Preparation -

4. Take a lemon sized ball of dough & roll out into a chapati. Put about 1 tbsp of vegetable stuffing on each roti, close into a dumpling. Roll out slowly into a paratha.

5. Cook each paratha on a non-stick pan until you have small brown spots on each side. A little tip is to slightly press through its edges with fingers (on the pan itself) if you think the edges are a bit dough-y. Brush little oil and Store in aluminum foil until it is ready to serve.

These parathas freeze beautifully. Make them ahead, cool a little, fold them in aluminium foil and put them in a freezer bag. Refrigerate or Freeze.

I have made a couple for my breakfast tomorrow morning. Sending these minty goodies to Sanjeeta's WholeWheat for Breakfast event.

Hope you all had a relaxing weekend and all geared up for the week ahead. You all have a good one and take care.

until next time,
Siri

Stuffed Eggplant (with Onion, Coconut and Chickpea Flour)

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The book that I am currently reading on my Kindle is Dianne Jacob's "Will Write For Food" - a complete guide about how-to's to the art of food writing. The book has references and interviews with many renowned star chefs Molly O Neill (who compares making a soup to a road trip in a blizzard) to accomplished food editors like Ruth Reichl to NYT restaurant critic Mimi Sheraton and many others. Truly such personalities *show* food, not just *tell* about food by using an umpteen number of adjectives. They, through their evocative, vivid writing styles  - transport their readers to a faraway, believable neverland, just for a minute and titilate the senses by taking on a journey, with them.

As you read through the pages, one would realize how beautiful and sensual 'food writing' could be. It truly describes what are the essential ingredients required to be successful and/or passionate foodie writer and also talks about what distinguishes the great food writers from the rest. I could not  agree more when Dianne when she says, in the context of joy of food writing - "On days where you're so immersed in your work that the hours fly by, you know you've chosen a great profession".

This book is a must for all who have passion for food and who wants to write good food articles and who secretly wish to write magazine-worthy articles. :-)

..now coming to today's recipe. Eons ago, I posted a Stuffed Eggplant recipe, which takes a bit longer to make. Today's version is much simpler, without being heavy on spices and tastes equally good. The basic idea is from Raaga's recipe and I tweaked that a bit to suit our palate.

Stuffed Eggplant (with Onion, Coconut and Chickpea Flour)

This recipes calls for tender baby eggplants that are stuffed with a onion,coconut and chickpea flour mixture. The highlight of this recipe is the fried coconut, which gives a slightly sweet finish to the overall dish. Serve with plain rice and Urad dal with tomatoes for a complete, nutritious meal.

Adapted from Raaga's recipe

Preparation:

1. Heat 2 tsp of oil and add 2 cups of finely chopped onions. Saute on medium-low heat until a little brownish color. Add 3-4 tbsp of grated coconut. (I used frozen coconut, microwaved for 30 secs and fluffed with a fork). Fry until the mixture turns brown.

2. Add 1/2 tsp of ginger-garlic paste, little turmeric powder, red chilli powder (as per taste), 1/2 tsp of garam masala and salt to taste. Finally add 3 tbsp of chickpea flour (besan). Mix well and saute for 3-4 mins until the raw smell of the flour is gone. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile slit small baby eggplants (I used about 9-10 small ones) crosswise and stuff with this onion-coconut-besan mixture.

4. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and drop the stuffed eggplant carefully, one-by-one. Cover and cook on medium heat for 3-4 mins. Turn the eggplants on the other side and cook untill well done. Make sure they are just charred on each side and not burnt.

5. Serve with hot plain rice.

Happy Holidays everyone.

until next time,
Siri

[UPDATE] - Do you want to host Healing Foods event? Slots from April 2011 are available. and from January 2011 onwards, there is an Amazon giftcard to win from every Healing Food event. Click here for more details.

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Potato-Bell pepper Korma, with some *essential ingredients*

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There are some times when you start reading a book, you are transported to a different world altogether and once it is done you sigh with utmost satisfaction and at the same time wish the story would continue for ever and ever. The School Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister is one such delicious read. It is a story about a chef, a restaurenter, Lillian who teaches cooking classes every Monday, each month. A disparate group of people assemble together for one such cooking class (for various different reasons) and they are all connected by one common thing - their immense Love for Food. Each chapter tracks back and forth into each of their lives, their circumstances, their happiness, their sadness, their loss. As you read more & more eventually, you become one of them, you feel for them. Your taste buds dance and  tickle every time Lillian describes why & how a recipe is made. The adjectives with which each smell, each feeling, each gesture is described is just spell-bounding. .You will see the world and the food you make in whole new way after reading this book.

Have you read such a book that you wish to share about? please leave a comment and I would love to know about all of them. :-)

..now talking about today's recipe -

One of most popular posts (as per Blogger Stats) here on my blog is - my Mama's Vegetable Biryani and Aloo Korma (from way back in 2008). Today, I am posting a modified version of the same recipe which I made for the Diwali and Halloween potluck party at work, along with the Eggless Blueberry Coffee Cake.

Enjoy!

Potato Bellpepper Korma

A rich, dense, nutty gravy is what is needed as a base for a 'Korma", though I used it very loosely in this case as, as per wikipedia, it can be made with yogurt, cream, nut and seed pastes or coconut milk . From vegetables to eggs to even meat, anything & everything can be added to it. This korma recipe is from my mom who still cooks this up in the most delicious way. Don't be surprised when you see that the recipe asks for only 2 tablespoons of peanuts or 1 tbsp of poppy seeds. Everything get adds up and it serves atleast 3-4 servings. Tastes best when served with my mama's Vegetable Biryani.

Preparation -

Peel and cut 2 potatoes into cubes and boil them, until a bit firm.

Dry roast the following separately:

2 tbsp peanuts
2 tbsp cashew nuts
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup coconut (frozen or dry flakes)

Grind all of the above with 2 tbsp of tamarind pulp and 1/2 cup of water.

Heat oil (about 1 teaspoon) and saute 1 chopped onion, until golden brown. Add 1 chopped tomato pieces. Cook until mush. Cool down a bit and grind with little water. Keep aside.

Heat about 2-3 teaspoons of oil, add chopped bell peppers with little salt. Cook them for about 6-7 mins. then add onion paste and masala paste from Step 1. Cook on medium low flame, until oil starts to separate.

Season with salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and garama masala, as per taste. Add the boiled potato pieces. Cook for 2-3 mins.

Finally add 1/3 cup of beaten yogurt. Mix well and cook for 4-5 mins.

Variation: Any veggie can be substituted with bell peppers and potato. I made the same with boiled eggs and it tasted equally yummy. 

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

until next time,
Siri

YRTML: Punjabi Chole

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Flowers in the farmer's market, today

Looking at any beautiful flower reminds me of Rabindranath Tagore's poem - 'Flower'.

Pluck this little flower and take it, delay not! I fear lest it droop and drop into the dust.

I may not find a place in thy garland, but honour it with a touch of pain from thy hand and pluck it.
I fear lest the day end before I am aware, and the time of offering go by.

Though its colour be not deep and its smell be faint, use this flower in thy service and pluck it while there is time.

I am not sure whats the inner meaning of this poem and for me, it just tells - Time is ticking away, enjoy the life, the most in this moment, while there is time. Not Past, Not Future, but live in Present. :)

So,as I had some free time on hand this weekend, I thought why not make Anita's ever-famous, ever-controversial - Punjabi Chole, which requires to ground one's own masala. Let me tell you one thing about the bhunao masala - it is lovely, fragrant and adds a nice color & authenticity to the dish. Take my advice, grind a bit more than required. I added a tbsp of it to eggplant and S just loved it. I am sure it will go well with almost any vegetable like potato, okra etc.

Click here for the recipe and Serve with some rice or roti.

Enjoy,

Hope you all have a wonderful week ahead.

Siri

[Farmer's Market Series # 1] Mountain View, California and Mutter Paneer Tava fry Recipe

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Fall is here and so are the bounty full of beautiful fruits and vegetables in the markets. No, I am not talking about the Super markets like this & this where water is sprinkled all-day-long to give a fake-fresh-look to the fruits & vegetables. Yes, I am talking about our age old 'Farmer's Market' where we get to see & meet the *real people* who have grown the produce. It has been almost 2 weeks that we moved to Mountain View & it was time for us to check out its popular Farmer's Market, which is open only from 9am to 1pm, every Sunday.

Make sure you have lots of cash & a recyclable (optional, just make you feel more greener) bag to fill up the produce before you hit the market. You get almost everything here - from the freshly baked bread to juiciest & sweetest asian pears to squeezed pomegranate juice, in its purest form (with no added sugar).

All those who are enthusiastic about gardening can pick up fresh herbs for a very reasonable price to grow in your balconies or backyards and if you wish to know tips & tricks about how to grow them, all you need to do ask the guy there. He will be more than happy to share all his trade secrets with a huge smile on his face. :)

Hitting early to the market is a good idea as then you can have the best ones to choose from. Also, almost every stall has free samples of their produce, so don't have your breakfast. *wink*. Trust me, by the time you reach the last stall, you will burp with contentment.

Fresh basil and an my invisible foodie-mate, standing right beside me was screaming for some home-made pesto.!

a variety of peppers, almost in every color. Beautiful.

These sun-dried apricots were absolutely delish.

As we were running low on cash this time, we didn't shop around much at Farmer's market. Next week, we are determined to get lots of stuff. I will take some pictures then and share with you all. 

Inspired by her raw vegan challenge, WE have decided to eat raw food at least once a day, from next week onwards to kind to detoxify our bodies. A challenge we have never done before. So, wish us all the very best and I will keep you posted about our progress. :)

Today's dish (not a recipe per say) as simple as it can get. I had some fresh peas to be finished off and a half a cube of paneer & no tomatoes. (this was before I hit the market). I have never had a Mutter Paneer without tomatoes, meaning I always had with a gravy-like consistency. Out of the whim, I served this with some rotis and raita on the side. It was absolutely delish. Its kinda a funny how things just fall into place when cooking up a recipe, Isn't it. :)

Mutter Paneer Tava fry

In a pan, heat some oil and add chopped onions. Saute until translucent and then drop paneer cubes & peas together. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Season with salt, red chilli powder and some garam masala. Garnish with cilantro and squeeze some lemon juice at the very end. Serve.