Curried Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables

Quinoa - 3/4 cup
Water / Vegetable Stock - 2 cups
Salt
Turmeric - a pinch
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp
Roasted Coriander Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp
Golden Raisins - 2 tsp
Roasted Cashewnuts - 1 tbsp
Olive Oil - 1 tsp

For grilled vegetables:
Brinjal - 1/2, cut into 1/4 inch roundels
Red Pepper - 1/2
Green Pepper - 1/2
Red Onion - 1, cut into roundels
Olive Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Salt
Pepper / Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Parsley / Basil / Thyme - optional

Fried Egg - 2, (optional)

Mix the vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper and marinate for 10 minutes.

Wash the quinoa under running water for a couple of minutes. Put it in a sauce pan with 2 cups of water/veg stock, salt, turmeric, coriander cumin powder, chili powder, olive oil and bring to boil.

Reduce the flame and simmer till all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, add the raisins and cashewnuts and cover and keep aside.

Heat a stove top indoor grill pan. Brush with olive oil. Add the vegetables and grill on both sides till done. Sprinkle any fresh herb on top.

Serve the quinoa with the grilled vegetables and a fried egg.

Chanar Dalna / Paneer Curry

Adapted from http://ahaar.blogspot.com/2011/07/chanar-dalna-matar-paneer.html

Homemade paneer - 1 cup, cut into cubes
Warm salted water for soaking fried paneer - 1 cup
Potato - 1, small, cut into cubes
Green Peas - 1/2 cup
Peanut Oil- 2 tbsp
Whole Garam masala - 1 tsp (3 cardamom, 1 cinnamon, 6 cloves)
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Green Chili - 2, chopped
Tomato - 2, grated
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Roasted Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Salt
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro - a handful, chopped

Heat a tbsp of oil in a skillet. Add the paneer cubes and saute till light brown. remove and soak in warm salted water.

 In the same skillet, add the cubed potato and a little salt and fry till half cooked and light brown on all sides. Remove and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the whole garam masala, bay leaf and cumin seeds. Then add the chopped chili, grated tomato, grated ginger, turmeric, chili powder, cumin and coriander powder. Cook on low fire for a few minutes. Sprinkle water in between if required.

Once oil begins to separate from the masala, add 2 cups of water, sugar and the fried potato and green peas. Cover and cook till the potato is soft.

Adjust salt and add the paneer pieces and cook for a couple of minutes more. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top and serve.

Pasta with Peas, Carrot & Mascarpone Cheese

Adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pastina-with-peas-and-carrots-recipe/index.html

Whole Grain Pasta - 1 cup
Shallots - 2, finely chopped
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped or 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Garlic Cloves - 4, finely sliced
Carrot - 1, cut into very small cubes
Frozen Green Peas - 1 cup
Homemade vegetable stock / water - 1/4 cup
Mascarpone Cheese - 1 tbsp
Salt
Black Pepper
Basil Leaves - 5
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Cook the pasta in plenty of salt water till al dente. Drain and mix a tsp of olive oil and keep aside. (Ideally we should cook the noodles and the vegetables simultaneously so that the noodles can be drained and directly added to the almost cooked vegetable and sauce without waiting).

Add half tbsp of olive oil in a big skillet. Add the garlic, green chili and shallot and saute till the shallot gets soft and slightly caramelised.

Add the carrot and sprinkle some salt and pepper. Mix well. Add some vegetable stock and cover and cook for a few minutes till the liquid evaporates.

Add the frozen peas and cook for a minute.

Now add the cooked pasta and mascarpone cheese. Toss everything together.

Remove from heat, add some chopped basil leaves on top and serve.

Peach Crisp

Adapted from http://www.ecurry.com/blog/desserts/a-berry-nutty-crisp/

Organic Peach - 1 big
Raw Honey - 1 tbsp
Sliced almonds - 1 tsp
Lemon Zest / Orange Zest - 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1/2 tsp or Orange Juice - 1 tsp
Cornstarch / Arrowroot Powder - 1 tsp

Rolled Oats - 1 tbsp
Almond Flour - 1 tbsp
Cold Butter - 2 tbsp
Coconut Palm Sugar - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon powder - a pinch
Nutmeg powder - a pinch

Cut the peach into small pieces. Add honey, sliced almonds, lemon zest, lemon juice, cornstarch and mix well. Leave aside for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Mix rolled oats, almond flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then mix it with the cold butter, working with your fingers so that we get a crumbly mixture.

Take a 16 oz ramekin and put the peach mixture in the bottom and top with the crumbly oat mixture. Place the ramekin on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes till the top is golden brown and the juices turn bubbly.

Serve warm as it is or with a scoop of vanilla icecream or whipped cream.

Dhokar Dalna / Fried Lentil Cake Curry

Adapted from http://apinchofspice.blogspot.com/2007/07/dhokar-dalna-and-deathly-hallows.html

Chana Dal / Split Bengal Gram - 1.5 cups
Green Chili - 2
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Salt
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Peanut Oil - 2 tbsp
Hing / Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Peanut Oil for deep frying

For gravy :
Oil - 1 tbsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red Potato - 1, cut into small cubes
Tomato - 2 small, peeled and grated
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Salt
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Yoghurt - 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 2 tsp
Roasted Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Water - 2 cups
Homemade Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Soak the chana dal overnight in plenty of water.
Drain the water and blend in a blender with green chili and ginger.

Mix turmeric, salt, red chili powder, cumin powder to the lentil paste.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet. Add the hing, saute for a few seconds and add the lentil paste. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes till all liquid evaporates and the mixture is of dough like consistency and sticky.

Take out and immediately pour it on a flat greased dish. Make the mixture 3/4th inch thickness and press it with a spatula to make the top smooth and flat. Cool completely (could be placed in the refrigerator for 30 minutes) and cut into small square shaped cakes.

Deep fry these cakes on medium high heat till golden brown on both sides.

Mix the yoghurt with turmeric, red chili, cumin and coriander powder and make a thick paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add bay leaf and cumin seeds.

Add the potato and turmeric and saute for a few minutes till the potato gets slightly brown.

Add grated tomato, ginger, salt, yoghurt spice paste.

Cook till oil separates from the masala.

Now add 2 cups of water and sugar and cover and cook till the potato is soft.

Add the fried lentil cakes and cook for a few minutes more. Remove from heat but leave quite a bit of gravy as the lentil cakes soak up a lot of liquid.

Sprinkle garam masala on top and add a tsp of ghee. Serve hot with steamed brown rice.

Veggie Lo-Mein in Peanut Sauce

Adapted from http://thespicewholovedme.blogspot.com/2011/05/veggie-lo-mein-in-peanut-sauce.html

Brown Rice Noodles - 4 oz
Peanut Butter - 2 tbsp
Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp
Ginger - 1 inch, thinly sliced
Garlic - 4 cloves, thinly sliced
Green Chili or Red Pepper Flakes - to taste
Salt
Mixed vegetables - combination of onion, green beans, carrots, cabbage, red pepper, green pepper, edamame, bean sprouts, baby broccoli, baby corn
Peanut Oil / Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
Scrambled Eggs (optional)

Cook the noodles in plenty of salt water till done. Rinse with cold water and keep aside.

Mix the peanut butter with the soy sauce and make a sauce and keep aside.
Heat oil in a big wok. Add the ginger, garlic and green chili and saute till the garlic begins to change color.

Add the vegetables  and a little salt and cook on high heat, tossing continuously.

Once the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy, add the noodles and peanut sauce.

Mix well and stir fry for a few minutes.

Remove and add scrambled eggs, if using and serve immediately.

French Toast

Whole Grain Bread - 4 slices
Egg - 3
Whole Milk - 1/4 cup
Honey - 2 tsp
Nutmeg - a pinch or 1/2 tsp vanilla
Butter - 1 tbsp

To serve:
Powdered Sugar
Pure Grade A Maple Syrup
Mascarpone Cheese

Beat the eggs well. Add the milk, honey and nutmeg and mix well.

Heat a skillet with a tsp of butter.

Take each slice of bread and dip it in the egg milk mixture. Let it soak up on both sides for a few seconds.

Drain the excess liquid and place it on the warm skillet. Cook till golden brown on both sides.

Remove and add a dollop of mascarpone cheese on top. Drizzle maple syrup and sprinkle some powdered sugar and serve.

Alu Potol, with tomato and cheese

Adapted from http://ushnish.blogspot.com/2011/07/patol-alu-dalna-in-cheese-parmal.html

Potol / Pointed Gourd - 10, each cut into 3 square pieces
Red Potato - 1, cubed
Tomato - 1, big, peeled and chopped
Onion - 1, finely chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Garlic - 2 cloves, grated
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt
Cheese Cubes - 2
Peanut Oil - 2 tbsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Cardamom - 2 pods
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves - 5
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Water - 1 tbsp

Mix the ground spices - red chili, turmeric, cumin and coriander with a little water and keep aside.

Mix a little salt and turmeric to the cubed potato and potol pieces and marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat a tbsp of oil in a skillet. Add the potato and saute till they are light brown on all sides.

In the same oil, add the potol pieces and saute till the potol is cooked and become light brown. Remove and keep aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the skillet. Add bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds.

Add the chopped onion and cook till the onion gets soft.

Add ginger, garlic and the chopped tomato. Cook on low fire till the tomato is completely cooked and releases oil. Sprinkle a little water if required while cooking the tomato.

Add the masala paste and the fried potato and cook for a few minutes. Add cheese, sugar, a cup of water and fried potol and stir till the cheese melts. Cover and cook for a few minutes more till the gravy thickens and oil floats on top. Serve hot with steamed rice or puris.

White Beech Mushroom stir fry

White Beech Mushroom - 4 oz
Garlic Cloves - 3, thinly sliced
Shallot - 1, chopped
Red Chili Flakes - 1/2 tsp
Salt
White Wine - 1 tbsp
Olive Oil - 1/2 tbsp

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the sliced garlic and red chili flakes. Saute on low heat till the garlic begins to change color.

Add the chopped shallot and cook till the shallot begins to caramelise. Add the mushroom and cook for a minute.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add a tbsp of wine to deglaze it.

Return the skillet to flame and cook till the liquid evaporates.

Serve hot.

Peda, Sweet Cream fudge

Organic Whole Milk - 1/4 gallon
Turbinado / Demerara Sugar - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Cardamom Powder - 1/8 tsp, a pinch

Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed pan. Simmer and cook on very low heat for around two hours. Keep stirring the milk so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.

After 2 hours, the milk gets very thick. At this point we have to continuously stir otherwise it can get burnt easily. Add the sugar and cardamom powder and continue to cook for 10 more minutes till the mixture comes together almost like a soft ball.

Spread a tsp of ghee on a plate and pour the thickened milk. Let it cool a little, then apply a few drops of ghee in the hand and make small pedas of the desired shape. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Makes around 8 small pedas.

Ghugni, sans ground spices

Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2008/05/ghoogni.html

Dried Green peas / Yellow peas - 1 cup ( Here I used dried green peas, hence the end result is a greenish yellow ghugni)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Water - 5 cups
Whole dried red chilli - 2
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Salt
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Red Potato - 1, with skin, washed (optional)
Peanut Oil - 1 tsp

Soak the peas in plenty of water for a few hours or overnight.

Heat a tsp of oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add the cumin seeds, grated ginger and red chillies. Saute for a minute.

Now add the soaked peas, turmeric, salt, sugar. Add water and potato.

Close the cooker and cook for 2 to 3 whistles.

Cool and open the cooker and remove the whole potato and keep aside. This can be used to make something else later. (The reason why I use the potato is when the potato is boiling with the peas, it releases some starch and this helps to thicken the ghugni. Otherwise sometimes ghugni cooked this way is very watery).

Serve ghugni with puri or as a evening snacks with some chopped raw onion on top.

I also make another version of ghugni which is spicy and the recipe is here.

Kanchagolla Sandesh

Adapted from http://ahomemakersdiary.blogspot.com/2011/01/nolen-gurer-sandesh-bengali-cottage.html

Organic Whole Milk - 1/2 gallon
Lemon Juice - Juice of one lemon
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Saffron - a few strands
Pistachio - 5, grated
Raisin - 10 (optional)

Sieve the lemon juice so that it has no solid particles. Mix it with 2 tbsp of water and keep aside.

Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.

As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. When the curd starts separating from the whey, turn off the heat.

Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer lined with cheesecloth or thin cotton napkin.

Rinse under cold water for atleast 3 minutes to remove the lemon flavor and squeeze well. Wrap the cheese in the cloth tightly and leave it in a colander for an hour to drain the excess water.

Once it is drained, place on a dry, clean plate and knead the cheese by dragging the palm of your hand hard for 15 minutes until the cheese becomes soft and oily and rolls into smooth soft dough. Add the sugar and saffron strands and knead again for 5 minutes till the sugar melts.

Put this mixture in a nonstick pan and cook on very low heat for around 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overcook otherwise the sandesh will get hard.

Remove and cool for a couple of minutes. Roll it into desired shapes, put a raisin on top and sprinkle grated pistachio. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Bagara Baingan / Eggplant in Peanut Sauce

Adapted from http://www.vahrehvah.com/Bagara+Baingan+:1375
Small Eggplants - 10, washed and dried completely
Peanut Oil - 2 tbsp
Whole Garam Masala - 5 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom, 1 bayleaf
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry Leaves - 5
Onion - 2 tbsp, chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Sesame Seeds - 1 tbsp
Shredded Dried Coconut - 1 tbsp

Tamarind - 2 tsp, soaked in warm water
Jaggery - 1 tbsp, grated
Green Chillies - 2, chopped, for garnishing (optional)

Add a tsp of oil to an iron skillet and roast the peanuts, sesame seeds and dried coconut. Once the peanuts start getting brown specks, remove from heat and cool down. Add about half a cup of water and grind in a grinder / food processor to a coarse paste. Keep aside.

Heat a tbsp of oil in the skillet. Cut each eggplant from the bottom in to 4 wedges keeping the stem intact. Add the eggplants to the skillet and shallow fry on medium low heat till the eggplants are soft and cooked. Carefully remove them to a plate without separating the wedges from the stems.

Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the whole garam masala spices and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start popping, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, hing and chopped onion. Cook till the onion gets soft.

Add the ginger garlic paste and turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli powder. Sprinkle some water and saute for a few minutes.

Now add the ground peanut mixture, tamarind extract, jaggery and 2 cups of water. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer covered on low heat for around 20 minutes. Keep stirring in between so that the sauce doesnt get burnt at the bottom.

Once oil begins to float on top, the sauce is cooked. Add the fried eggplants,  mix gravy well and cook on low flame for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped green chillies and serve hot.

Banana Thekua, gluten free

Banana / Yellow Plantain - 1, mashed
Brown Rice Flour - 3/4 cup
Amaranth Flour / Rajgira - 3/4 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup, grated
Dried Shredded Coconut - 1/2 cup
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Cardamom Powder - a pinch (optional)
Warm Ghee / Clarified Butter - 2 tsp

Peanut Oil for deep frying

Mix all the above well and form a soft dough. Depending on the size of the banana, a little more or less flour may be required to make the dough.

Divide the dough into small balls and flatten the balls into circular shapes in between two plastic sheets.

Deep fry 5 or 6 thekua at a time till golden brown on both sides. Remove on paper towels to soak up excess oil. The thekuas harden when they cool down. They can be stored in an airtight container for a week.

Sending this to http://gourmetglobal.blogspot.com/2012/06/new-blogging-event-seriestaste-of.html

Cayenne Caramel Popcorn

Adapted from http://fleurdelicious.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/cayenne-caramel-popcorn/

Organic corn kernels - 3 oz or around 1/2 cup
Peanut Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt

Butter -1 tbsp
Brown Sugar - 2 tbsp
Maple Syrup - 2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp

Take a large flat skillet and put it on medium low heat. Add oil, salt and the corn kernels. Cover with a tight fitting lid.

Gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner. After a few minutes the kernels will begin popping.

Once the popping starts in earnest, continue shaking the pan by moving it back and forth. Once in a while try to keep the lid slightly ajar away from the face for a second only just to let the steam from the popcorn release so that the popcorns are crispy.

Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat and keep the cover on for a minute.

Now heat butter in a large skillet. Once the butter melts, add brown sugar and maple syrup. Cook on low fire till the sugar dissolves.

Add a tsp of water, cayenne and chilli powder and continue to cook till the syrup becomes thick and bubbly. Remove from flame and add the popcorn immediately. Toss well to coat evenly with caramel.

Remove onto a foil lined baking sheet and spread evenly. Cool and store in an airtight container.