Sweetcorn Soup

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp oil (any vegetable oil / peanut oil)
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 green chili, finely chopped
  • 2 small / medium size carrots, diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 slice (100 g) cabbage, chopped
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 can cream style corn
  • 1/2 can of garbanzo beans (optional)
  • 1 cup water

Method:

  1. In a medium pan, heat the oils on medium heat
  2. Add diced carrot and salt and cook for about 2 minutes
  3. Add chopped chili, bell pepper, cabbage and cook for 2 minutes
  4. Add spring onions, mix well and cook for 2 minutes
  5. Add cream style corn and bring to boil
  6. Turn off the heat and serve the soup hot

Serves: 2

 

December 25, 2019 – 8:51 pm Categories: Category, Soup | Post a comment

Tortilla Soup

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 medium size onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
  • 2 small / medium size carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1/2 yellow squash, diced (optional)
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 slice (100 g) cabbage, chopped
  • 2 Tomatoes, diced
  • 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/2 cup cooked corn kernels (optional)
  • 1/2 cup canned black beans (optional)
  • 2 cups water

For garnishing

  • 1 spring onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 avocado, chopped (optional)
  • 2 ounces (60 g) tortilla chips

Method:

  1. In a medium / large pan, heat the oil on medium heat
  2. Add onion and garlic and saute till onion becomes translucent
  3. Add diced carrot, squash, celery and salt and cook for about 2 minutes
  4. Add pepper, cabbage, taco seasoning and ground cumin cumin and cook for 2 minutes
  5. Add tomatoes, mix well, cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes and then turn off the heat
  6. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a high power blender that can handle hot liquid, such as Vitamix
  7. Heat the water, add the hot water to the blender and secure blender’s lid
  8. Turn machine on at slow speed and slowly increase speed to High (10)
  9. Blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute to the desired consistency
  10. Add corn kernels and black beans and pulse-blend 3-4 times
  11. Take out the soup in a serving bowl, top with spring onions, avocado and crushed chips and serve hot

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

https://www.vitamix.com/ca/en_us/Recipes/Tortilla-Soup

Remarks:

  • We tried the original Vitamix recipe a couple of time but were turned off by the taste of raw garlic and onion. We are very happy with this modified recipe where all the vegetables are stir-fried and mostly cooked before blending them.
November 29, 2019 – 9:20 am Categories: Category, Soup | Post a comment

Peanut Chutney – South Indian Style

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 cup peanuts
  • 4-5 dry red chilies
  • 1 inch ginger, chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

For tempering

  • 1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
  • 1 tsp urad dal
  • 10-12 curry leaves

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a pan
  2. Add peanuts and fry until slightly browned
  3. Remove them in a plate
  4. Add red chili, ginger, garlic and onion in the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes
  5. Add them in the plate with peanuts
  6. Let the peanuts and other ingredients cool
  7. Transfer them in a grinder along with tamarind paste and salt
  8. Add some water and grind to make a smooth chutney

Tempering

  1. Heat oil in a pan
  2. Once the oil is hot, add urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds
  3. Add asafoetida and curry leaves
  4. Pour the tempering over the chutney and mix well
  5. Serve the chutney with dosa, uttapam or idli

Serves: 6

Inspiration source:

Andhra Style Peanut Chutney (Palli Chutney) + Video

Remarks:

 

November 29, 2019 – 9:09 am Categories: Category, Chutney / Dip | Post a comment

Tomato Chutney – South Indian Style

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp chana (bengal gram) daal
  • 2 tbsp urad (black gram) daal
  • 1 tsp jeera (cumin) seeds
  • 1 tbsp peanut oil (or any other cooking oil)
  • 6 dry red chilies
  • 1 large onion – peeled and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves – peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 6 large tomatoes
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric

For tempering

  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 tbsp urad daal
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 12-14 leaves of curry leaves
  • 1/2 tsp asafoetida

Method:

  1. Heat a pan on medium heat and dry roast chana and urad daal till light brown in color and aromatic
  2. Add jeera seeds and roast for another minute, making sure it does not get too dark
  3. Remove and set aside to let it cool
  4. Add the oil in the pan
  5. Add chilies and shallow fry till they become crisp – 1 to 2 minutes
  6. Add onions and garlic and fry for 3-4 minutes, till the onions turn translucent
  7. Add tomatoes, salt and turmeric and cook for 3-4 minutes
  8. Put the mix aside to cool
  9. In a blender, dry blend the roasted daals and cumin seeds
  10. To that, add the tomato mix and blend till smooth 

Tempering

  1. In a small pan, heat the tempering oil on medium – high heat
  2. Once hot, add urad daal and mustard seeds
  3. Once the daal becomes lightly brown in color and mustard seeds start popping, add asafoetida and curry leaves
  4. Add the tempering to the blended tomato mix
  5. Serve the chutney with idli, dosa or uttapam

Serves: 6

Inspiration source:

https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/onion-tomato-chutney-recipe/

Remarks:

 

November 29, 2019 – 9:01 am Categories: Category, Chutney / Dip | Post a comment

Ikra

Ingredients:

  • 1 small onion
  • 6-8 small eggplants
  • 2 ribs tender celery
  • 2 medium size carrots

 

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic grated
  • 1 tsp dry oregano
  • 1 tsp dry basil leaves
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

Method:

  1. Chop all the vegetables in small pieces
  2. Heat the oil in a pan and saute the vegetable for 2 minutes
  3. Add grated garlic, all the spices, salt and sugar and saute for additional 2 minutes, constantly stirring
  4. Add tomato sauce and paste and saute for 2-3 minutes
  5. Take the pan off the heat and enjoy Ikra with any dipping bread

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

 

Remarks:

 

September 2, 2019 – 9:39 pm Categories: Category, Chutney / Dip | Post a comment

Healthy Roasted Cereal Chevdo (dry snack mix)

IMG_20190818_111031

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 30-35 curry leaves, washed and somewhat dried
  • 1 cup peanuts / chopped cashew nuts
  • 1/2 cup roasted chickpeas (dalia)
  • 1/2 cup coconut chips
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 2 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp asafoetida
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups cheerios
  • 2 cups cornflakes, a bit crushed
  • 2 cups rice crispies

Method:

  1. In a large pan, heat the oil on medium heat
  2. When the oil is hot, add curry leaves and cover the pan to prevent the oil from splattering
  3. When the curry leaves are shallow fried and become somewhat dry, add the nuts and saute till nuts become light brown in color
  4. Add dalia and coconut chips and saute for a minute or so
  5. When dalia becomes pink / light brown, add sesame and toss for 30 seconds
  6. Add raisins and mix well
  7. Add fennel seeds and mix well
  8. Add asafoetida, chili powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix well for a minutes
  9. Add cheerios and mix well
  10. Add other cereals, mix well and keep on roasting for a couple of minutes, gently stirring / mixing the chevdo
  11. Take out the chevdo in a wide container and let it cool for a couple of hours before storing it

Serves: 20

Inspiration source:

Remarks:

 

August 18, 2019 – 11:15 am Categories: Category, Snacks | Post a comment

Aloo suva sabzi

IMG_20190716_183059

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tbsp Oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 1 inch long ginger, cleaned and freshly grated
  • 1 Green chili chopped finely
  • 3 medium potatoes, cubed
  • 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1 cup Dill leaves (suva bhaji) chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon juice

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat.
  2. Once hot add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for 5-10 seconds.
  3. Then add grated ginger and green chilies. Saute for 30-40 seconds.
  4. Add potatoes and mix well.
  5. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt and mix well.
  6. Cover the pan. And cook till potatoes on medium – low heat till they are 80% cooked.
  7. Add chopped dill leaves.
  8. Mix well and cook till potatoes are cooked completely.
  9. Squeeze fresh lemon juice and mix.
  10. Serve with chapati / roti.

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

https://www.spiceupthecurry.com/aloo-suva-subzi-recipe/

Remarks:

July 19, 2019 – 7:08 pm Categories: Curry, Side dish | Post a comment

Thai Green Curry

IMG_20190707_121320

Ingredients:

Green curry paste

  • 1 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers removed
  • 3 Serrano chili, seeds removed
  • 1/2 green capsicum, seeds removed and cut into small pieces
  • 1 medium shallot, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 1-inch piece galangal (if not available, use ginger), peeled, thinly sliced
  • 1 1-inch piece turmeric, peeled, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried turmeric
  • 1 kaffir lime leaf, very finely chopped (if not available use 1 tbsp lime zest, from about 2 limes)
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar (if not available, use cane sugar)

Green curry

  • 2 cans of coconut milk (each can of 400 ml)
  • 8 oz baby corn (from can), cut into inch long pieces
  • 8 oz sliced water chestnuts
  • 8 oz bamboo shoots (thick slices)
    8 oz sliced carrots
  • 8 oz red / green capsicum, cut into 1 cm pieces
  • 8 oz extra firm tofu, cut into 1 cm pieces
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar (if not available, use cane sugar)
  • 1 bunch Thai basil leaves, picked and washed

Method:

Green curry paste

  1. Saute chopped shallots for a couple of minutes and let them cool. In our experience,  if you grind shallots / onions without sauting, they give bitterness to the end product!
  2. Finely grate bottom third of lemongrass into a blender or food processor.
  3. Then add the coriander and cumin seeds to blender and blend to smooth powder.
  4. Add the rest of the paste ingredients including sauted shallots and blend into smooth paste.

Green curry

  1. Heat medium / large pan and add a can of coconut milk.
  2. Stir the milk regularly for 3-4 minutes to thicken it.
  3. Add the paste to the milk and continue to stir so that the paste it well blended into the milk.
  4. Let the milk with the paste simmer on low / medium heat for a couple of minutes.
  5. Add 400 ml water and bring to boil.
  6. One by one, add all the vegetables… tofu at the last.
  7. Add sugar and bring the curry to boil. Then bring down the heat and let the curry simmer till all the vegetables soften to desired softness level (4-5 minutes).
  8. Turn off the heat, add Thai basil leaves and serve with Jasmine rice.

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/green-curry-paste

(tweaked for vegetarians)

Remarks:

July 14, 2019 – 5:06 pm Categories: Curry, Side dish | Post a comment

Guvar Dhokali Shak (Guar with dumplings)

Ingredients:

Dhokali (dumplings)

  • 3 tbsp besan (Gram flour)
  • 1 tbsp wheat flour (to make muthia softer)
  • 2 tbsp peanut (or any other) oil
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp dhana-jiru (coriander seed + cumin seed powder)
  • some water

Guvar

  • 1 lb guvar, ends removed and tough fibers from the edges removed
  • 1 tsp soda bicarb
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 2 tbsp red chili powder
  • 2 tbsp dhana-jiru (coriander seed + cumin seed powder)
  • some water

Method:

  1. Mix all the dhokali ingredients in a mixing bowl, add as little water as possible to make dough from it
  2. In a large pan, heat the oil
  3. Add guvar, salt, soda bicarb, water and gently mix… make sure there is enough water to fully cover the guvar as it’s tough to cook vegetable
  4. Press small (penny-size) dhokali from the dough and put on top of guvar. Make sure that the dhokalis touch water / slightly submerge in it) and cover the pan
  5. Cook on medium-low flame water evaporates and dhokalis are cooked
  6. Once guvar and dhokalis are cooked, sprinkle dhana-jiru and chili powder on it and gently fold so that guvar is coated with the spices
  7. Cook covered at low heat for 2-3 minutes
  8. Serve hot with phulka roti.

Serves: 4

Inspiration source: My mother!

Remarks:

June 22, 2019 – 5:56 pm Categories: Curry, Side dish | Post a comment

Valor Methi Muthia Shak (Flat green beans with fenugreek dumplings)

20190630_130146

Ingredients:

Muthia

  • 3 tbsp besan (Gram flour)
  • 1 tbsp wheat flour (to make muthia softer)
  • 3 tbsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek), pre-soaked for 2 hours and then drained
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 2 tsp dhana-jiru powder (coriander seed + cumin seed powder)
  • 1/2 tsp Soda bicarb
  • 1-2 tbsp peanut (or any other) oil
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • Some water

Valor

  • 750 grams valor (frozen or fresh) rinsed
    (if fresh, remove the tips and tough fiber from both the edges)
  • 3 tbsp peanut (or any other) oil
  • 1/2 tsp soda bicarb
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 2 tsp dhana-jiru (coriander seed + cumin seed powder)
  • some water

Method:

  1. Mix all the muthia ingredients in a mixing bowl, add water a few drops at a time to thick consistency
  2. In a large pan, heat the oil
  3. Add valor, salt, soda bicarb, water and gently mix… make sure there is enough water so that the valor is just about dipped in it
  4. Make small muthia (dumplings) and put on top of valor and cover the pan
  5. Cook on medium-low flame till muthia are cooked (will grow in size)
  6. Once valor and muthia are cooked, sprinkle dhana-jiru and chili powder on it and gently fold so that valor is coated with the spices
  7. Cook covered at low heat for 2-3 minutes
  8. Serve hot with phulka roti.

Serves: 4

Inspiration source: My mother!

Remarks:

June 22, 2019 – 5:50 pm Categories: Curry, Side dish | Post a comment