Rajma Chawal (Red/Kidney Beans and Rice)

Hmmm Rajma Chawal is one of the comfort foods that can be enjoyed anytime of the year. It makes a great dish when you are entertaining a large crowd. It also gives a sense of richness in your meals along with that comfort feel. A lentil highly rich in protein content is commonly used in the northern parts of India. It compliments very well with rice, hence the dish goes by the name rajma chawal.
Let's go to the recipe:

RAJMA CHAWAL

Ingredients:
for Rajma

• 1 cup rajma(red beans) soaked overnight
• 1 big onion chopped
• 1/2 can tomato paste (small) (around 2 tsp)
• 1 tomato chopped
• 2 tbsp oil (use less if you want)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 & 1/4 tsp chilli pwd*
• 1/2 tsp turmeric(haldi)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala pwd
• 1 tsp kasoori methi(dry fenugreek leaves)
• salt to taste

for Chawal(Rice)

• 1 cup rice, washed and drained
• 3-4 cups water
• pinch salt

Preparation:
Rajma:

• Boil the soaked rajma with water, kasoori methi, salt, 1/4 tsp chilli pwd. (I usually pressure cook for 10min) It should be little mushy when it's cooked.
• In a pan, add oil, saute chopped onions till light brown, add ginger garlic paste and saute for a couple of minutes more. 
• Now add tomato paste, saute for a couple of minutes, throw in chopped tomatoes and let it cook till it leaves oil on the sides.
• Add spice powders- chilli pwd, turmeric, garam masala and mix it well.
• Now add the boiled rajma in this mixture and adjust water content(from the boiled rajma itself) as per the consistency of your choice, thick or thin.
• Bring it back to a boil. Adjust salt as per your taste.
• Garnish it with cilantro. It's ready to be served.

Rajma Chawal

Rice:

• In a vessel add water, rice and salt and cook for 20-22 minutes on medium high flame.
• You will see that the rice is cooked and water has reduced. 
• Switch off the gas and drain the remaining water out of the rice in a colander. Your chawal is ready to be eaten with Rajma.

*You can also make it in a rice cooker.
*Please adjust chilli powder as per your spice level.

NjoY!!

Nutrition Fact: Fibre of all stars Rajma/Red beans/Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. It gives you energy to burn while stabilizing blood sugar. It's a slow burning carbohydrate and good source of vitamin B1 for good memory. An antioxidant and powerful protein lentil.

Kheema Matar Masala Bread/Pav

Mutton Kheema is one of the most favored and loved minced meat available in India. It tastes very delicious when prepared with correct spices. Used to be one of my most favorite dish of our sunday meals. I say sunday because in most households non-vegetarian is cooked during weekends. The flavors, the aroma sends me back in time :) I have found a place here where I can get fresh lamb meat kheema. So once in a while, I indulge in this preparation and enjoy this dish with my family just the way I did when I was a child.
Let's go to the recipe:

 Ingredients:

• 1 lb mutton Kheema (minced lamb meat)
• 2 med size finely chopped onions
• 2-3 med size chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste (fresh even better)
• whole masala (4 cloves, 1 2inch cinammon stick, 1 cardamom, 4-5 black pepper)
• 1 cup coconut milk (thin)
• 1/2 cup peas (optional)
• handful cilantro
• 1 tsp red chilli pwd
• 1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
• 1/2 tsp cumin pwd
• 1 tsp coriander pwd
• 1-2 green chillies slit ( if you want more spicy)
• 1 tsp meat masala or garam masala
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1/2 lemon juice
• salt to taste

 Preparation:

• In a pan, add 3 tbsp oil, add whole masala and stir for few sec.
• Add chopped onion and saute till light brown color, add ginger garlic paste and saute for couple of minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes and let it cook till the oil leaves at the sides. Stir in between.
• Now add all the powders, chilli pwd, turmeric, cumin, coriander, meat masala and stir for couple of minutes. 
• Add mutton kheema and mix it nicely with the masala, add salt, 1/2 cup water and let it cook for good 15 minutes on med heat. Keep stirring in between, add water if needed.
• In the meantime get coconut milk ready. I use store bought tin. You can make it at home by grinding coconut and extracting milk.
• Now add 1 cup coconut milk and peas, green chillies and let it cook till done, maybe another 10 - 15 minutes. When you taste it, should melt in your mouth :)
• Squeeze lemon juice and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with pav or bread or nan or rotis( You can eat it with wheat bread but I like to have it with white bread, once in a while I give in :))

Notes: This method is one of the ways to make Kheema Matar Masala, South Indians also make a masala based on grated coconut where coconut is ground with spices and added to the kheema and it tastes very yummy too. But that recipe some other day! For now enjoy this dish made in a simple manner.
Instead of coconut milk in tin, you can use coconut milk powder too.

Nutrition Facts: Eaten in moderation it can provide benefits in the department of minerals and vitamins. Very good source of iron in the form of heme iron, that's easily absorbed in the body. Has vitamin B-12 which helps in production of red blood cells.

Zucchini Paneer Flapjacks

These flapjacks have the potential to become yours and your kids favorite breakfast or teatime snack. Very easy to make, these delicious flapjacks can be sitting on your table to be devoured in no time. Made with zucchini and paneer as main ingredients, it tastes delicious.  I came across this recipe in a magazine while I was at a salon. Cudn't resist making a note of it in my mind and made it that week itself. Give it a try and I know you will not regret it.

Let's go check the recipe:

ZUCCHINI-PANEER FLAPJACKS

Ingredients:

• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup grated paneer (indian cheese)
• 1 tsp all purpose flour(maida)
• 1 egg slightly beaten
• salt as per taste
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• handful chopped cilantro
• 1 green chilli chopped (optional)
• oil to shallow fry

Preparation:

• Squeeze out all the water from the grated zucchini. 
• Mix paneer and zucchini together.
• Add all purpose flour, egg, salt, pepper, cilantro, green chilli and mix everything together. Make a semi solid batter.
• Heat a big Tava/Griddle and drop this mixture in small circles (like omelette) and fry on both sides evenly applying little oil on a medium flame. 
• Your flapjacks are ready to be devoured :)

NjoY!!!

Nutrition Facts: 
Zucchini is a popular squash in America. It looks like cucumbers. A low calorie vitamin and mineral source which plays a good role in anti-aging(skin), a good fibre helping in constipation. Paneer is Indian cheese rich in protein and calcium.

Konkani Fish Curry (Alle Piyav Ambat)

Grew up eating this curry with fresh local fish like mackerel, king fish, sardines, pomfret etc. Strangely while growing up I used to not enjoy this curry so much but as an adult, I can't stop drooling over it especially when my mom makes this curry. I have to make it once in 15 days atleast!!! Else strong cravings kick in till I end up making it :) So this is basically a classic konkani dish, also called as alle piyao (ginger onion) coconut base curry. Every non-vegetarian Konkani enjoys this dish and you will too.
So let's get to the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1&1/2 cup freshly grated coconut [I use frozen grated coconut here :)]
• 5-6 dry red chillies [I use Byadgi dry red Chillies, can use more for spiciness]
• 1 medium size onion finely chopped
• 2 inch ginger minced
• 1-2 green chillies
• 5-6 fresh schezwan peppers (tephal)
• big marble size tamarind 
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
• salt to taste
• fresh tilapia 2-3 fillets cut into medium size square pieces (or any size that you prefer)

Preparation:

• Marinate the fish with 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp chilli pwd, salt for some time. 
• In a mixer add coconut, tamarind, dry chillies, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2-3 schezwan peppers and grind the masala. It should be ground fine. In the end, add remaining schezwan peppers and just pulse for 3-4 times. Masala is ready, keep aside.
• Now mix chopped onion, ginger and green chillies together nicely, (can use hands) you can smell that nice aroma.
• In a pan, add the grated masala and bring it to a quick boil, add the onion mixture and bring to another boil, let it simmer for 7-8 minutes. Add salt, add tilapia fillet and let it cook in the gravy. Gravy color starts changing to dark red. It depends on the chillies that one uses or chilli powder. 
• Switch off the gas and serve it hot with rice or roti's or bread slices.

NjoY!!

*Notes: 

• Marinating fish is basically done to take that stinky fish smell away, you can add little quantity of turmeric/chilly pwd for tilapia as it doesn't smell so much.
• Szechuan peppers are spicy and most effective when used fresh. Once the freshness start to fade away, use more quantity in your preparation. While eating, if it comes in the mouth don't eat it, because it will give a very harsh peppery effect in the mouth.
• Best fish to be used for this curry are king fish, mackerel fish, pomfret etc.

Nutrition Value: Tilapia is a delicious, lean white fish that has a wide variety of associated health benefits, including its ability to help reduce weight, boost overall metabolism, speed up repair and growth throughout the body, build strong bones, reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, lower triglyceride levels, prevent arthritis, protect against cognitive decline, prevent various types of cancer, reduce signs of aging, boost the health of your hair, and strengthen your immune system.

Chicken Molagu

Chicken Molagu is a quick dry chicken preparation and I have fallen in love with it from the word go. Very delicious and a finger licking good dish, guaranteed !! It's a south Indian style of preparation and thanks to a fellow foodie Reshma Chander who introduced me to this dish. If you like it, it can be a regular dish seen on your plates ;) Very flavorful with key ingredients like curry leaves [ yes in a chicken curry ], fennel seeds, and little bit of spices. This is a winner recipe.

Let us take a look at this Chicken Molagu recipe:

CHICKEN MOLAGU

Ingredients:

• Chicken 1.5 lb (750gms) cut into bite size pieces
• Onion 4 med size 
• Tomatoes 4 med size 
• Curry leaves 2-3 sprigs 
• Oil 4 tbsp or as reqd
• Cinnamon 1’’
• Cloves 2 nos
• Cardamom 2 nos
• Saunf(fennel seeds) 1 ½ tsp
• Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp 
• Red chilli pwd 1 tsp
• Kashmiri chilli pwd 1 tsp
• Haldi/Turmeric pwd ½ tsp
• Coriander pwd 2tsp
• Pepper pwd 1 tbsp 
• Coriander leaves handful
• Water ½ cup
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• In a pan heat 4 tbsp oil, add 1 piece of cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 cardamoms and 1 ½ tsp saunf fry on sim gas till u get a good aroma.
• Add chopped onions and fry it to a light golden color, now add curry leaves and fry for a minute. 
• Take about 2 tbsp of the fried onion, curry leaves and keep aside for garnish.
• To the remaining fried onions add 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste. Fry for a minute. 
• Then add chopped tomatoes and fry for 2 more minutes. 
• Add red chilli pwd, kashmiri chilli pwd, coriander pwd, salt to taste, haldi pwd and fry well till the mixture gets soft and mushy.
• Add the chicken pieces and half a cup of water. Close lid and let it cook till half done.
• At this point add pepper pwd and handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves. Close the lid and cook till done, until water evaporates and masala coats the chicken pieces.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and top it with the fried onions and curry leaves that were kept aside. Chicken Molagu masala dish is ready to be relished.

Health Benefits: Chicken is a very good source of protein. It helps one build muscles, keeps your bones healthy, relieves stress, boosts immunity and promotes heart health. Always buy organic or a good quality chicken and try to include it in your diet regularly.

Bukhari Rice with Mint flavored Chicken

Today out of the blue I thought of making this Bukhari Rice that I had seen on internet and TV a while ago. Have never tried having it in restaurants before, but the description and look of it made it interesting and appealing. It's an Arabic meal with flavorful rice that has subtle spices and is served with a variation of meat and vegetables on the side. So without any ado, let's take a look at this exotic middle eastern preparation of Bukhari Rice with mint flavored chicken.

Ingredients:
For Mint Chicken Roast:

• 2 chicken breast, cut into pieces you prefer
• 1 handful pudina
• 2 handful cilantro
• 3 big pods garlic
• 1-inch ginger
• 3-4 green chillies
• 1/2 tsp jeera
• 1/2 tsp dry pomegranate seeds.
• 1/2 cup hung yogurt (thick with no or less water) or sour cream
• salt to taste
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 small onion sliced

For Bukhari Rice:

• 2 cups Basmati Rice
• 1/2 cup sliced onion
• 2 cubes bouillon chicken stock- about 2 cups
• 1 & 1/2 cups water
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste ( if it's fresh even better)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2-3 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cups pine nuts (can substitute it with cashews)
• salt to taste
• make a powder of 4-5 cloves, 4-5 green cardamoms seeds, 1-inch stick of cinnamon

Preparation:

For Roasted Minty Chicken:     

• Make a paste of mint, cilantro, garlic, ginger, green chillies, jeera, pomegranate seeds. 
• Marinate pieces of chicken breast with this paste along with yogurt(or sour cream), lemon juice and salt for around 2 hrs atleast. 
• In a pan, add oil, add onion and saute till it gets dark brown, now add this marinated chicken and cook till done (about 20 min), don't add any water, if it looks very dry, add sparingly. Your chicken is ready.

For Bukhari Rice:

• Soak rice for 1-2 hours in water. 
• Fry nuts and raisins in 1-2 tbsp of oil, keep aside. 
• Heat oil in a non-stick wide bottom pan, add cumin seeds, add sliced onion, fry till light brown and then add ginger garlic paste fry for 1-2 minutes, add carrots, drained rice, powder of 3 spices and quickly stir the mixture for a couple of minutes. Now add 2 cups chicken stock and 1&1/2 cups water, salt and half quantity of nuts and raisins. 
• Close the lid tight, cook on low flame(very important) and forget about it for 20-25 minutes. 
• Switch off the gas wait for 5 minutes, add the remaining nuts and raisins, slowly and gently mix everything again and your exotic rice is ready to be served. 
• Can be served with chilled yogurt, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions!

NjoY Cooking!!
recipe credits to seema hussain a fellow foodie.

Nutrition Value: Chicken is a good source of protein. Children love it mostly. And adding flavors of mint/cilantro infused in yogurt will definitely add more range of flavors to their taste buds :) ( so I hope:)) 
I want to try this preparation on brown rice too where we will have added nutrients to this Arabic flavorful dish. Rice is low in calorie content if eaten in proper proportion, it's actually a great staple food esp, beaten, brown, parboiled versions.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Spring Rolls- brings a lovely picture to my mind, where I am seated in a restaurant having manchow soup and spring rolls :), now fried ones :). Thought of making a healthier version of spring rolls, which are non-fried and it's called Vietnamese Spring Rolls. The fun part is you can fill this rice paper with your favorite healthy choice of vegetables and enjoy with a spicy or sweet dip. It's nothing but a roll of happiness :)

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients: 

• 6 Rice Paper [you can find it in any Chinese or international markets]
• 1 cup sprouts [ you can substitute sprouts with thin vermicelli noodles ]
• 2 med size carrots thinly julienned
• handful chopped cilantro
• handful chopped mint leaves
• 6 large cleaned and cooked shrimps [ you can opt this out if you are a vegetarian ]
• salt and pepper to sprinkle
• some hot water in a wide bottom pan

Preparation:

• Get all ingredients in front of you, make a little assembly line.
• In hot water, dip 1 rice paper and keep for 1 sec, just to soften, remove and place on a cutting board or a big plate.  
• In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of sprouts/vermicelli, mint, cilantro, carrots leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side. Lightly sprinkle salt/pepper.
• Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the carrots. 
• Repeat with remaining 5 other rice papers. Your Rolls are ready. Cut it in half and serve.
• Can serve with peanut sauce or hot chilli sauce, sweet sauce.

One dip is as follows:
4 tsp fish sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp garlic chilli sauce

In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, sugar and chili sauce. 

Nutrition Value:  Very low-calorie snack/appetizer with loads of vegetables stuffed in it and one will also get a dose of protein if shrimp is added.

Mango Ice Cream

First and foremost 'Mango' word gets the drool in line, in our mouth and then adding ice cream to it, it's just ready to explode out ha ha ha. I co-relate mango with my mom, because that's her favorite fruit. I can even go to an extent of saying, she might just choose mangoes over her daughters in the summer season of mangoes hehee...I love mangoes too, I mean who doesn't? I came across this recipe 10 years ago and have been making it since then. Everytime I make it, it's a big hit! It's so easy to make that you will be thrilled to learn this recipe. I can see few bachelor's doing a happy dance :) So put on that chef cap and make this recipe like a boss :)

Ingredients:

• 1 30 oz tin of Mango Pulp (or homemade mango pulp even better)
• 1 8 oz of cool whip (whipped cream)
• 1 14 oz tin of condensed milk
• 1/4 tsp kesar crushed in few drops of milk
• handful of your favorite nuts roughly chopped (pistachios, cashews, almond)

Preparation:

• Take mango pulp, condensed milk in a bowl, and mix everything together.
• Now fold in gently cool whip with a spatula. 
• Now whisk this mixture with hand mixer high for 2 minutes and low on 2 minutes till its nice n smooth. 
• Take 1/4 tsp kesar, add warm milk and crush it. 
• Pour it on the mixture, slowly swirl it, add half of chopped nuts over the ice cream and freeze it till the ice cream gets set. Add remaining crushed nuts over it before serving or you can pour some caramel sauce too.  

Njoy!!

Nutrition Facts: Mango is considered as the king of the fruits in Indian subcontinent. It's an exotic tropical treat which can be enjoyed over the summer season everywhere. It really is a special fruit rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidant compounds. According to new research study, mango fruit has been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. It is abundant in vitamin A.

Happy Moments!

Kadi Pakodi

The word 'Kadi' yogurt/buttermilk based curry, throws me in the comfort zone immediately. It's a very comforting curry and I am sure it serves its purpose in summer days :) You throw in some delicious pakodis in the gravy and voila, it turns into a tasty finger licking dish. This kadi goes very well with rice, phulkas or chapatis. My neighbor in Mumbai where I was staying with my aunt, made some really spicy pakodis that went in this kadi and I used to wait for that lucky day to dawn when she would share her dish with us. God bless her soul :)
So here is the recipe:

Kadi Pakodi

 Ingredients:
For Kadi

• 2 cups yogurt
• 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4th tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
• pinch fenugreek(methi) seeds
• 1 or 2 red dry chilli
• 1 tsp grated ginger ( or just crush pieces of ginger )
• 1/4th tsp chilli powder
• salt as per taste (abt 1 tsp)
• 1 cup of water ( more if you like thin consistency )

For Pakodi

• 1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1/2 tsp chilli pwd
• 1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
• pinch asafoetida (hing)
• pinch baking soda (optional)
• handful methi leaves chopped or cilantro chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds lightly crushed
• salt as per taste (abt 1/2 tsp)
• 1 cup oil for frying

Preparation:

• For the Kadi, in a bowl add 2 cups of yogurt and 2 tbsp besan mix and whisk nicely, keep aside.
• In a pan or kadai add oil, put cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, then add tsp jeera, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, dry chilly, once it splutters add grated ginger saute, add chilly pwd, now sim the gas or off it for 30 sec ( so that the yogurt doesn't curdle)
• Pour the yogurt mixture slowly and keep stirring. Add salt to taste and another cup of water, bring it to a boil while stirring occasionally. 
• Then simmer on low heat for another 7-8 mins.
• For pakodis, take besan, add chilly pwd, turmeric, baking soda, methi leaves ( or cilantro), jeera lightly crushed, salt to taste, add water to make a thick batter. 
• In a kadai, heat oil and make tiny pakodis. 
• Once the kadi is done, just before serving add pakodis in it and serve hot.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Nutrition Facts: Yogurt and gram flour combination brings in lots of recipes mostly in the western region of India. Gram flour (besan) has a higher level of protein than wheat based flours. Most importantly it is gluten free. Rich in minerals and vitamins. Yogurt is considered as a low-calorie food with a good amount of calcium, potassium and protein. It's a natural pro-biotic.

Lal bhaji Curry (Tambadi, Amaranth Leaves)

Red leaf vegetable has so many names, I grew up saying lal maath and tambdi bhaji meaning red leaf vegetable. It's also called as amaranth leaves. It's very very nutritious and tasty, it goes very well with chapatis and phulkas. When it came to leafy vegetables I have liked 2 of them the most, fenugreek leaves and red leaves vegetables. Even today they stand out. I feel blessed that I can find these leaves in the stores out here in the USA. You can find it in Trader Joe's by the name red spinach. Gives me a soul satisfying feeling when I have either of it on my plate. Am glad my whole family enjoys it too...

Let's take a look at the recipe:

                                                                                      Lal Bhaji
Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Red leaves bunch cleaned and chopped (around 3 cups pressed) 
• 1 medium size onion 
• 3-4 tbsp oil 
• 4-5 garlic cloves whole crushed slightly 
• 10 curry leaves 
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 
• 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai) 
• 4-5 dry red chillies 
• 1/2 tsp urad dal 
• 1/2 tsp channa dal 
• 1/2 cup toor dal 
• salt as per taste 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric 
• 1/2 tsp chilli pwd 
• pinch asafoetida (hing)

Preparation:

• Pressure cook toor dal for 2 whistles and keep aside. 
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, jeera seeds once it splutters add urad dal, chana dal, dried red chillies and saute quickly till dals turn light brown. 
• Now add chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium flame till translucent. 
• Add garlic, stir well and mix everything together, now add chopped amaranth leaves, salt, turmeric, chilli pwd, hing and cook till partly done. 
• Add cooked toor dal and bring it to a boil. 
• Serve hot with rice or rotis, cucumber raita.

njoY!! happY cooking!!

-recipe was shared by a good friend Uma Prem Kumar a fellow foodie :)-

Health Benefits: 
Red leaves is one of the leafy vegetables consumed widely around the world. Its nutritional benefit list is so long that you will need fingers and toes to count :) Few of the key benefits includes- it prevents electrolyte imbalance, makes a great gluten free diet, stops hair loss and greying, improves eyesight, aids in weight management, very good for anemic patients. Packed with antioxidants, protein, vitamins, calcium, carbohydrates, iron and minerals, this vegetable is too good to ignore.

Quinoa Salad with Tandoori Salmon

Quinoa falls under ancient grains and is quickly gaining popularity because of its high content of protein, beats all other grains in the market. Depending on everyone's taste palate using quinoa, you can make dishes as per your liking. Here I made a simple salad with tandoori marinated salmon fish. The combo goes very well and gives your soul a satisfying feeling :) If you have not tried it before, dont wait, try it now:)

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
For Quinoa Salad-

• 1 cup quinoa
• 7-8 cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 med size sliced onion
• 1/2 med size any colored bell pepper sliced (I like to use those mini peppers- 2)
• handful cilantro or parsley
• 1/2 lemon juice
• salt/pepper as per taste
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2-3 tsp oil

For Tandoori Salmon-

• tandoori masala 2 tbsp *
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste ( if the masala already has salt in it, skip it )
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• salmon filet 4 (approx 3 inch each)
• Oil to fry the fish

Preparation:

• Marinate the fish with oil, tandoori masala, salt and lemon juice for 15 minutes atleast.
• In a shallow frying pan, add little oil, place the fillet on medium heat with skin side up and fry for 3-4 minutes. Turn over add little more oil and fry till cooked, maybe another 3-4 minutes.  Just fork it and see if done, it should be fleshy and pink color turns white...your fish fry is done.
• Take 1 cup quinoa, wash and rinse like any other grains. 
• In a pan add 2 cups water, quinoa and few drops of oil.
• Cook without lid till it comes to a boil, then cover with lid, simmer the gas and let it cook for 15 minutes. Switch off the gas, fork it to fluff and let it sit for few more minutes.
• In another pan, heat oil, add onion, saute it quickly, now add all other veggies and quickly saute it, add garlic pwd, pepper, salt. Quickly stir and add the cooked quinoa in it. Mix everything together and squeeze lemon juice. Start plating and enjoy your healthy meal!!

NjoY!!
*Notes: Tandoori Masala packets are found in market everywhere, not hard to find. I make home made tandoori masala when using in large quantities, for small amount I stick with Shaan or Everest packets. You can also add your choice of vegetables in quinoa like mushrooms, carrots, cucumber etc.


Nutrition Facts: Quinoa is a great grain to keep in your pantry these days. If you want to cut on rice, it makes a great substitute. Loaded with nutrients and protein content, it was termed as No 1 grain. You can use it in soups, salads, make upma, use in dosa batter etc. It's originally from south america and is available in market everywhere. It also comes in various colors.
Salmon, who doesnt know the benefits of salmon? :) It has earned a reputation as a healthy supportive food with good amounts of omega 3 fatty acid content which helps in cardiovascular problems, helpful in joint protection, eye benefits etc.

                

  

Achari Bhindi Masala (Okra dry Vegetable curry)

Bhindi (okra, ladies finger) is one of my favorite vegetables that is there in the market. I can eat it as fried fritter, in curry, as stir fry, stuffed bhindi....in any which way and I can't stop drooling over it. I came across this achari version and wanted to try it out, must say it didn't disappoint me. The joy of cooking with something(okra in this case :)) that is grown in your own vegetable patch cannot be described. The subtle taste of okra goes well with achari masala. Yogurt based version is also there but will try that some other time.

For now, lets see the recipe of this one!

Achari Bhindi Masala

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sliced ladies finger/ okra (bhindi)
• 1 cup cubed potatoes
• 3-4 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai/sarson)
• 1/2 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 3/4 tsp chilli pwd (more if you like spicy)
• 1/4th tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander pwd
• 1 tsp amchur/mango pwd
• 2 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
• salt to taste

Preparation:

• Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan, add the ladies finger and cook on a medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes, while tossing occasionally. Remove in a bowl and keep aside.
• In the same pan, add little more oil if needed and add cubed potatoes, cook and keep aside.
• Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil in the same non-stick pan, add the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seeds, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida and saute on a medium flame for a few seconds.
• Add the ginger and saute on a medium flame for 30 more seconds.
• Add the tomatoes, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
• Add chilli pwd, turmeric, coriander pwd, amchur and mix well.
• Add the shallow-fried ladies finger, potatoes and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with Roti's.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Nutrition Facts:
They are a good source of many important minerals such as iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium. Rich in dietary fibres and Vitamins A, K, C and folates. They make a great addition in soups, sambar curries, and in raitas.
                                                             Home grown Bhindi/Okra-->

Radish(Mooli) Leaves Pachadi (Salad)

White radish in itself is a very healthy vegetable and mind you, don't throw away the leaves that come with the roots. They make a very yumilicious salad/pachadi. It is very easy to make and goes well as a side dish. On a summer day, you can have it as a wholesome salad if you like the taste. In childhood, my mom had to make use of both parts of radish root, because my sister liked the white root grated raita while I enjoyed the leaves pachadi. Good memories are attached with this dish :) It's only in the recent years that I started seeing the leaves in the USA market and my joy had no bounds. I make it every now and then and everyone enjoys it at home. Nice peppery, lemony flavor is sure to make you fall in love with this dish.

So here is the recipe:

Mooli Pachadi

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of Mooli/Radish leaves, cleaned nicely and chopped finely [ makes 2 pressed full cups ] 
• 1 medium size onion finely chopped 
• 1 green chilli deseeded and finely chopped(no spicy then skip) 
• 1 tsp mustard seeds 
• 5-6 curry leaves 
• pinch of Asafoetida (hing) 
• salt as per taste 
• 1 tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed 
• 1 red dry chilli 
• 1 tbsp any healthy oil

Preparation:

• Take the chopped leaves in a bowl. Do rinse off the water nicely so its not watery. * 
• Add lemon juice, salt, chopped onion and mix lightly. 
• Make a tadka, heat oil in a tadka bowl or small pan, add mustard seeds, once they splutter add red chilly, curry leaves, hing. 
• Stir quickly and pour over the pachadi. Mix everything nicely and its ready to be served. Nice peppery, lemony flavor is sure to make you fall in love with this dish. 

Notes:* to make it more yummy, you can add grated coconut on top as garnish.

You can also add roasted peanut coarsely crushed as garnish.

In India usually after one cleans the leaves, they apply salt and keep it for sometime, then rinse it off nicely.

Mooli Pachadi

Nutrition Facts:
High content of essential vitamins and minerals. Also rich in dietary fibre, hence helping in building immunity and fights fatigue. Radish leaves also demonstrate strong laxative properties that help ease constipation and a bloated stomach. Helpful in treating jaundice, pile, rheumatism and prevention of diabetes.

Green Beans Upkari (dry vegetable curry)

Yet another simple Upkari meaning dry vegetable dish from konkani cuisine. It is liked by all and is a very healthy dish. It's so simple to make, takes very little time to prepare. I love to make green beans on the days I am fasting or when I need something quickly done. It provides great energy boost and satisfying feeling. One can add potatoes in the preparation too. It is enjoyed most with roti's or rice/dal.
So here is the recipe,

Beans Upkari (Dry Vegetable)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups washed, cleaned and chopped green Beans
• 2 green chillies slit
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1&1/2 tbsp oil (I use oil sparingly, one can use 2 tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp Urad dal (split black gram)
• pinch Asafoetida (hing)
• 10-12 curry leaves
• salt as per taste (abt 1 tsp)
• 1/2 tsp amchur pwd/ mango pwd (optional)
• 1/2 cup water
• handful grated coconut for garnish

Preparation: 

• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, as it starts spluttering, add urad dal, as it starts browning, add curry leaves, green chillies stir quickly, add asafoetida. [ This is basically your tadka/tempering and work quickly on med flame else it might get burned ] 
• Now add the chopped beans, mix everything, add salt and amchur if you are using. 
• Add 1/2 cup water and grated coconut, mix everything. 
• Close the lid and on slow flame let it cook for 8-10 minutes. Open the lid, stir and mix again. 
• You can see the beans cooked and ready to be served with roti's or rice/dal.

Njoy!!

Nutrition Facts:  Fresh green beans are very low in calories and contain no saturated fat. Nevertheless, these lean pod vegetables are a very good source of vitamins, minerals, and plant derived micronutrients. Rich source of dietary fibre, Vit A, B-12 and iron, calcium, magnesium minerals. Do incorporate green beans often in your diet.

Aloo Kachori (Potato Puffs)

Potato is a staple vegetable loved by all, especially children. Can be consumed in baked, mashed, roasted whichever way, you will just love it. One of the first words my son uttered was batata(potato), he used to say it a lot:) It's easily available and there are countless ways to incorporate it in our meals. Here is one simple way that makes an impressive appetizer or a snack called kachoris.

Let us take a look at the recipe of Aloo Kachori,

Ingredients:
To make outer Shell

• All purpose flour (maida) 2 cups 
• Cooking oil 3 tbsp or 3 tbsp ghee
• Lemon juice 1 tsp 
• Salt as per taste (1tsp)

To make the Stuffing

• 4 potatoes medium size boiled and roughly mashed
• Mint leaves chopped handful (optional) 
• Green chillies minced 1 or 2 
• Ginger chopped 1 inch 
• Dried Pomegranate seed powder 2 tsp ( if you don't have it add more of amchur pwd)
• Red chili powder 1 tsp 
• Mango powder(amchur) 1 tsp 
• Coriander powder 1 tsp 
• Salt 1 tsp 
• Cooking oil 1 tsp 
• Cooking oil to deep fry

Preparation:

• Take a big bowl and add all the ingredients listed for making outer shell. 
• Mix well and make a soft dough with cold water, cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. 
• Knead well and make equal size balls. 
• In a bowl add all the ingredients for stuffing and mix properly. 
• Make equal size balls from the mixture, slightly bigger than the dough balls. 
• Now dust the dough balls with refined flour and roll to make a medium thick puri. 
• Place the potato ball in the centre and pull and close the poori from all sides,pinch off extra dough and make a round ball. 
• Heat oil in a deep pan(kadai), add the kachoris on medium heat . 
• Now lower the flame after a minute and fry the kachoris on low heat on both sides till golden in color. 
• You can drain on a paper napkin to absorb the extra oil 
• Serve with mint chutney or date-tamarind chutney or ketchup.  

recipe source credit: Maayeka.com [ made little changes in measurement of oil and spice powders ]

Health Benefits: Potatoes are an exceptionally healthful low calorie, high fiber food that offers significant protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Potatoes qualify as a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, dietary fiber, and pantothenic acid. Vitamin B-6 helps in building cells, brain cells, cardio vascular protection (maximum benefits provided when eaten mashed, baked, roasted without oil/butter/cream)

Microwave Doodh Pedha

Doodh Pedha is one of the most common sweets found in any sweet mart throughout India. Since it's found easily I think not many people tried making it at home. It's a lengthy process of reducing the milk to a thick consistency and the whole 9 yards. But here I will be presenting a very easy and quick method to make some yummy pedhas. You can make it in 5 minutes YES just 5 minutes as that thought of eating pedhas cross your mind :)

Going straight to the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk can 
• 2 cups dry milk powder 
• 1/2 stick butter (4tbsp) 
• few pistachios chopped for garnish 
• a few saffron (kesar) strands crushed (optional)

Preparation:

• Melt the butter in a small bowl. 
• Add condensed milk and milk powder slowly and mix everything properly. 
• Microwave the mixture for 3 minutes, stirring the mixture thoroughly after every minute. (very important step :)*)
• Let the mixture cool down a little bit, then roll into small disc-shaped pedhas and garnish with chopped pistachios. 
• You can decorate it the way you like, use your imagination. I pressed our George Washington quarter coin on top and added pistachios...you can also add crushed kesar on top.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Notes:* The setting may differ a little from microwave to microwave, you have to mix the pedha mixture after every single minute. When you finish that 1 minute of heating in microwave, mixture will look porous and that means you are doing it right :)

Karela(Bitter Melon) Chat

Karela or bitter gourd, the name itself has bitter in it and this is one vegetable that will be either loved or hated :) by the crowd. Thankfully, I fall in the 'Love' category. Its health benefits and unique taste makes it up for everything. I can eat it fried, in curry, pickle or in stuffed version, it absolutely tastes gorgeous. Only way I can't consume it, is in its juice form :) Hope people switch to eating karela who don't. Here is a simple and quick recipe of this side dish.

Karela Chat

Ingredients:

• 4 medium size karela
• 2 tbsp oil (or less)
• 1/2 lime juice
• 1 tsp chat masala *
• 1 medium size red onion chopped
• cilantro for garnish
• 1 tbsp grated coconut(optional) for garnish
• salt to taste 

Preparation:

• Cut the karela into thin roundels and wash, rinse, pat dry and apply some salt, keep aside for few minutes.
• Heat oil in a wide bottom non-stick pan, add karela roundels and let it cook on med heat with no cover. Keep turning sides in between, let them cook till they look crispy and cooked.
• Transfer it in a bowl, add lime, chat masala, cilantro, coconut, onions. Mix well and its ready to eat. 

      * chat masala =  jeera powder, black pepper powder, salt,  little black salt,  amchur powder.

Njoy!!

Nutrition Facts: One of the best diet vegetables for diabetes. The insulin-like peptides, alkaloids, and charantin combine to lower blood and urine sugar levels without increasing blood insulin levels. It has blood purifying properties and is beneficial for people suffering from piles. Helps with the metabolism, strengthens the immune system, cures many skin related issues like eczema, helps women in their menstrual disorders, fights chronic fatigue etc. Too many benefits, you just cannot ignore this gift :)