Saturday, April 16, 2016

Fresh Green Peas & Potato Curry, Maharashtrian Style





Shelled fresh Green Peas - about a cup and half (from about one and a half lbs green peas with shells)
Yukon Gold Potato - 2 chopped into small pieces
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Green chili - 2 finely chopped
Fresh Cilantro leaves - about 3 tbsp. chopped for tempering + some more for garnishing
Yellow Onion - 1/2 chopped
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Coriander powder or Curry Powder - 2 tsp
Salt
Water - 2 to 3 cups


Heat a pan. Add olive oil, mustard seeds, hing, green chili and 3 tbsp. chopped cilantro (do not skip tempering with cilantro, this gives a unique taste to the curry). Add the chopped onion mix well, reduce the heat and cover the pan tightly. Cook for ten minutes, checking the onion a few times in between. Don't caramelise the onion, it should remain white but soft.


Once the onion is soft, increase heat and add the chopped potato, fresh green peas, dry spices salt and about 2 cups of water. Mix well, cover the pan, reduce the heat slightly and cook for about 20 minutes.


When the potato is done and the fresh peas are slightly soft and the gravy is thick, add some chopped cilantro. Serve hot with steamed brown rice.





Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Sprouted Mung Beans Dosa / Crepe with Vegetable Stuffing





Green Mung Beans - 1 cup
Rice - 1/2 cup (can use brown or white rice), soak for an hour
Salt
Turmeric - a pinch
Garlic - 2 cloves
Ginger - half inch
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp


For stuffing:
Ghee / Clarified Butter - 1 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry Leaves - a few leaves
Green Chili - 2, chopped
Urad Dal / Husked Black Lentils - a tbsp. (optional)
White Onion - 1/2, chopped
Carrot - 1 big, grated (and/or can use a mix of other veggies like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower)
Tomato - 1, chopped
Yukon Gold Potato - 3, boiled and lightly mashed
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Water - 1 cup
Cilantro - a handful, chopped


Soak the mung beans overnight in 2 cups of water in a mason jar. In the morning drain the water and leave the jar in a corner of the kitchen island. See to it that the soaked beans are always moist by adding some water to the mason jar and then draining it completely. Repeat this three or four times every day for the next couple of days till the beans are well sprouted.


Mix the sprouted beans, soaked rice, water, salt, turmeric, garlic and ginger and blend it in a high speed blender like vitamix to make a smooth batter. The consistency should be thinner than a pancake batter. Add the cumin seeds to the batter.


For stuffing, heat a pan. Add ghee, mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves green chili and urad dal. Cook the urad dal for a minute or so till it starts browning. Add the chopped onion and cook till onion becomes soft. Now add the grated carrot and tomato. Cook for another minute. Mix in the mashed potato, turmeric and salt and a cup of water and cook for a few minutes more. Remove from heat and sprinkle cilantro on top.

Heat an iron skillet. Brush with oil and pour a ladle full of the batter. Spread with the back of the ladle. Add a few drops of oil to the edges of the dosa.
Cook till the bottom browns. Flip and cook on the other side till brown and crisp. If you want extra crispy dosa, add a little more oil and the make small size dosa.
Stuff with the vegetable mix, roll and serve hot or serve the vegetable on the side with the dosa.







Monday, April 11, 2016

Kale Berry Almond Smoothie





Kale Leaves - 1 cup
Home-made Almond Milk -1 to 2 cups or mix 6 tbsp of blanched almond powder with a cup of water
Frozen Mixed Berries - 1 cup ( I used frozen blueberries and cherries)
Mejdool Dates - 6
Honey - a drizzle
Serves 2

Blend everything together in Vitamix for 30 seconds and serve immediately.



Sunday, April 3, 2016

Sprouted Green Mung Salad






Sprouted Mung Beans - 1 cup
Olive Oil - 1 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Onion - 2 tbsp., chopped
Green Chili - 1, finely chopped
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp.
Pink Salt
Cilantro - a few sprigs, chopped


Heat a skillet. Add the olive oil and the sprouts. Sprinkle some turmeric and cook the sprouts for a few minutes till they are slightly done but still crisp.


Remove and add chopped onion green chili, cilantro, lemon juice and salt. Mix well and serve.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Mason Jar Sprouts



Mung Beans - 1 cup
Water
Wide Mouth 1 Qt Mason Jar


Soak the mung beans or the lentils overnight in 2 cups of water in a large mason jar.
In the morning drain the water and leave the jar in a corner of the kitchen island, half covered.
Ensure that the soaked beans are always moist by adding some water to the mason jar and then draining it completely.
Repeat this three or four times every day for the next couple of days till the beans are well sprouted.
Can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.