Add 4-5 popcorn kernels and cover the pot and wait for them to pop
When the kernels have popped, add the rest of the kernels, 1/2 tsp salt and toss them in the oil and then spread them evenly at the bottom of the pot
Put the lid back on and turn the heat off for 20-30 seconds
Turn the heat back on (medium) and as you hear the kernels pop, every once in a while shake the pot so that the un-popped kernels fall to the bottom of the pot and the lighter popped kernels move to the top
When the popcorns have stopped popping, gently remove the lid, add the remaining 2 tbsp chili oil with its spices, 1/2 tsp salt and mix well so that the chili oil and salt gets coated to the popcorns
Remove the popcorns to a wide bowl, let them cool a bit and then enjoy!
28 oz San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes or 10-12 tomatoes , finely chopped
1 tbsp red chili flakes
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt or to taste
Pizza base
Trader Joe’s pizza crust
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pizza toppings
1 green capsicum sliced
1 red capsicum sliced
1 red onion sliced
1 cup chopped pineapple
1 cup grated cheese
Other optional ingredients are sliced olives, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, etc.
Method:
Spicy marinara sauce
In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat
Add 4 cloves thinly sliced garlic and 1 finely chopped onion and sauté till they become translucent, making sure not to burn them
Add tomatoes, stir well, bring to boil and then simmer on low heat for 6-7 minutes stirring regularly
Let the mix cool completely
Blend the mix to smooth sauce
Add the sauce back to the saucepan, add 1 tbsp chili flakes, 1 tsp cumin powder, ½ tsp chili powder and salt. Mix well and turn on the heat to low – medium level
Cook the sauce for 8-10 minutes stirring regularly, till it becomes thick in consistency
Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool.
Pizza base
Brush the pizza crust on both sides with extra virgin olive oil
Pizza
Preheat the oven in bake mode (with convection on) to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
Evenly spread the pizza sauce on top side of the crust
Layer the vegetable toppings
Sprinkle salt and oregano
Layer the grated cheese
Put the pizza in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes
Take the pizza out of the oven, let it cool a bit on a cooling rack, move it to a cutting board, cut into pieces and enjoy!
In a bowl add rawa, yogurt, water, salt and mix everything properly and keep aside for at least one hour
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, fennel seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and sauté it for a minute and add it in the soaked rawa mixture
To a small cup, add 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp oil and mix well and then add it to the rawa mixture
Now grease the idli mould with ghee
Optional: Place 1 – 2 cashew pieces in each mould
Add the mixture in but to not fill it completely
Put it in the hot steamer for 6-8 minutes
Remove and serve warm with coconut chutney and sambar!
In a large bowl, sieve the flours, semolina, salt, baking soda, asafetida, turmeric powder, sugar and mix well
Add sesame seeds and mix well
Add fenugreek (methi) leaves, chili-garlic-ginger paste, yogurt, lime / lemon juice, 2 tbsp oil and make dough. Methi leaves should provide sufficient liquid to form the dough. If necessary, add 2-3 tbsp water and make medium-firm dough
Gently cover the dough with 1 tsp oil and let it rest for 10 minutes
Put oil in a frying pan on medium heat
From the dough, make small-medium marble size balls and very gently give the muthia oval shape
Deep dry the muthia in batches on low heat for 3-4 minutes, till they are deep golden brown in color. Fry on low heat so that they are cooked through
Take out the muthias on paper covered plate and let them cool
2 large or 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into medium pieces
1 cup green peas
1 large or 2 medium size tomatoes, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into medium pieces
1 small beet, peeled and cut into medium pieces
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
Additional ingredients
Butter, cut into pieces… equivalent to 2-3 tbsp
1 onion, finely chopped
1 capsicum, finely chopped
1 large or 2 medium size tomatoes, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, grated
6-7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
2 tsp pav bhaji masala
2 tsp kasuri methi
1 tsp salt
Some more ingredients!
Butter pieces equivalent to 2-3 tbsp
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp kasuri methi
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Method:
In Instant Pot pan or a pressure cooker, add 2 tbsp oil and turn on the heat. If using Instant Pot, put in sauté mode
Add 1 tsp cumin seeds. When they start cracking, add potatoes and sauté for 1 minute
Add 1 tsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and gently coat the potatoes with the spices and roast for 1 minute
Add green peas, tomatoes and salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes
Add beets and carrots and sauté for 2 minutes
Add 1 cup water. Cook the vegetables under pressure. If using regular pressure cooker, cook for 2-3 whistles. If using Instant Pot, switch to a mode that cooks for 15 minutes under pressure
When done and safe, open the cooker / Instant Pot. Mash the vegetables and set aside
Next steps
Put a large pan on medium heat. Add butter pieces to the pan
Before the butter starts melting (do not let the butter overheat… it affects the flavor), add finely chopped onions and capsicum
Turn the heat to high and sauté for 4-5 minutes till the onions and capsicum are cooked, most of the water has evaporated and the fat starts to separate
Add ginger and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes
Add chili powder, pav bhaji masala, kasuri methi and sauté for 1 minute
Add finely chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp salt and sauté for 4-5 minutes
Add the pressure-cooked mashed vegetables, add 1/2 cup water and simmer on medium heat for 2-3 minutes
Add 1 tsp of chana dal, 1 tsp of urad dal and roast the dal till very light brown
Add 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds and let the mustard seeds crackle
Add 1/2 tsp of grated ginger, 1/2 tsp finely chopped green chili, 8-10 curry leaves and roast everything for a minute
Add 1 chopped tomato, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of coriander powder, 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of sambar powder, and mix well
Add 1 tbsp of water and mash the tomatoes
Add 3 boiled peeled and crumbled potatoes, mash them and cook for 2-3 minutes
Add some chopped coriander leaves and the dosa stuffing is ready!
3-4 tbsp fresh chopped green garlic or 1 tbsp garlic paste
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil or any other oil
1 cup finely chopped methi (fenugreek) leaves or 2 tbsp dry methi leaves (kasoori methi)
1/2 to 1 cup yogurt for kneading the dough (or as required… dough should be soft)
Some wheat flour for rolling
5-6 tsp oil for roasting
Method:
In a mixing bowl, take the flours, salt, sugar, asafetida, turmeric powder, sesame seeds and mix well
Add chili paste, ginger paste, fresh garlic / garlic paste, coriander leaves, 1 1/2 tbsp oil and mix well
Knead the dough by gradually adding 1 tbsp yogurt at a time… knead it very well to form medium soft dough
Make medium size balls from the dough (about 6-7)
Take a dough ball on a flat surface, sprinkle some flour on it and roll to around 5-6 inches in diameter. Sprinkle more flour if the dough feels too stick while rolling
Heat a nonstick skillet on medium heat and gently place the rolled dough on it
Flip when one side is partly cooked
Again flip when the second side is partly cooked
Add oil on the skillet as well spread oil on the dhebru
Cook both side till it’s light brown and fully cooked… feel free to press the dhebru with spatula while cooking
Put it aside and make the rest of the dhebra by following the same steps
Add mustard seeds, channa dal and urad dal. Fry them till the dals become light brown
Add green chilies, coriander leaves, curry leaves, cashew nuts and sauté for another 3-4 minutes. Sauté till there is no moisture left in curry leaves and green chilies and become crisp
Add turmeric powder, hing / asafetida and mix well
Add rava / sooji and roast on low to medium heat till it becomes light brown… about 8-10 minutes. Regularly keep stirring making sure rava does not burn or become dark in color (it wont taste good if it gets dark / burns)
Add salt, sugar, lime juice, mix well and roast for 2-3 minutes till lime juice moisture is evaporated and the mix is dry without any lumps
Turn off the heat and let it cool completely then store it airtight container in the refrigerator. You can use this mix to make upma for 4-6 weeks
Mix Vegetable Upma
Ingredients:
1 tsp ghee / peanut oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup mix vegetables such as chopped carrots, green peas
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 inch ginger, grated
3 cups water
1 cup instant upma mix
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
Method:
Heat ghee in a pan
Add chopped onion, vegetables, salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes
Add grated ginger and sauté for 2 minutes
Add 3 cups water, bring to boil and then lower the heat. Cover and cook the vegetables for 2 minutes
Slowly add 1 cup upma mix constantly stirring it into the water
Add chopped spinach, mix well and cook on slow heat for a minute
Turn off the heat, cover and let it rest for 4-5 minutes
Enjoy with coconut chutney and sambar!
Serves:
Makes 2 cups of upma mix and 4 -6 servings of upma
1 cup rice (any kind, such as Basmati or jasmine rice) soaked for 5-6 hours
1 medium size potato
1 medium size tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped capsicum
1 cup chopped onion
1 green chili, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp cumin seeds (Jeera)
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp chopped curry leaves
1 tsp Eno fruit salt
4-5 tbsp vegetable oil, such as peanut oil
Method:
Steam / boil the potato and once cooled, remove the skin
Drain the rice and grind with minimum water in blender
Add the potato and blend well till somewhat smooth paste / mix
Take out the mix in a large bowl and add all the vegetables, spices, herbs and salt
If necessary, add 1/4 cup water and mix well. The final consistency of the mix should be relatively thick and not too runny
Let the mix ‘rest’ by keeping it aside for 15-20 minutes
When ready to make roasties, add 2 tbsp water to the mix and in that water add 1 tsp Eno fruit salt and gently stir it in thoroughly
Alternatively, you can add 1/4 cup yogurt and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. When ready, add 1 tsp baking soda + a few drops of lemon / lime juice and stir it in thoroughly
Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet on medium heat
Once hot, pour 1/2 cup of the mix and spread it evenly in the skillet to get 1/2 cm thick layer
Cover the skillet, turn the heat to low and cook for 6-7 minutes. Periodically check to see that the cooked side is not burning / charring
Add 1/2 tbsp oil on the uncooked side of the roastie and flip over
Cook this side for 6-7 minutes. Periodically check that it is not burning / charring
Once done, keep the roastie aside for 3-4 minutes before eating. This ensures that any moisture inside is absorbed
1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight or for at least 7-8 hours. This recipe will not work with canned chickpeas since they are way too wet
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 small green chili pepper, Serrano or jalapeno pepper
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp olive oil
Method:
Drain the chickpeas and let it dry for a few minutes
Make sure that the chopped herbs are not too wet. Access water will make the falafel wet and soggy from inside. You want them moist and soft inside and not soggy!
In our experience, blending raw onions make the end product somewhat bitter. We lightly sauté the chopped onions in small quantity of oil, let them cool and then add to blender / food processor
To food processor add chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, pepper, garlic, cumin, salt, cardamom and black pepper and pulse to coarse mix
Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl, add chickpea flour and baking soda and mix well. If the mixture is too wet, you can add another tablespoon of chickpea flour. If it’s too dry and crumbly, you can add a teaspoon or two of water or lemon juice
Cover it and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to one hour
Preheat the over to 350F
To the baking pan, add 1 tbsp oil and spread it evenly to cover the baking surface
Pour falafel mix to the baking pan, gently spread it evenly in the pan. Add 1 tbsp oil on the surface, spread it evenly and bake it for 25-30 minutes, keeping an eye to make sure it doesn’t get overcooked and become too dark
Take out the pan from the oven, insert a knife and take it out. If the knife is dry, your falafel is fully cooked from inside. If the mix sticks to the knife, you may need to bake the falafel for a few more minutes
Cut into pieces and serve with tahini / yogurt sauce
Veggie Foodie 
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