Omelette Curry

Eggs - 5
Yukon Gold Potato - 1, cut in small cubes
Red Onion - 1, finely chopped
Tomato - 1
Frozen Green Peas - 1/2 cup
Ginger - 1 inch, very finely chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
Green Chillies - 2, finely chopped
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Bayleaf - 2
Salt
Pepper
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Beat the eggs well. Add salt, pepper and about a tbsp of chopped onion. Make a folded omelette of the mixture. Cool and cut into cubes. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add cumin seeds, bayleaf and chopped green chillies.

Add the chopped garlic and ginger and saute for a few minutes.

Now add the chopped onion. Cook till the onion gets slightly brown in color.

Add the potato, salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper and red chilli powder. Cook till the potato gets slightly brown and is half cooked. Add the chopped tomato and green peas and cook till the tomato gets soft.

Add around 2 cups of water, increase the heat, cover the skillet and bring it to boil. Cook till the potato is soft. Remove the cover and add the cubed omelette. Cook for a few  minutes more till the gravy thickens. Sprinkle a dash of garam masala on top. Serve hot with puris.

Adapted from http://spiceandcurry.blogspot.com/2009/06/omeletteer-jholomelette-curry.html

Quinoa Pudding

Adapted from http://www.ecurry.com/blog/desserts/quinoa-pudding-with-rose-and-pomegranate/

Quinoa - 3/4 cup
Milk 2% - 5 cups
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Rosewater - 1 tbsp
Raisins and cashewnuts - 2 tbsp

Wash the quinoa seeds well  for atleast a minute in a fine strainer. Keep aside.

Bring the milk and sugar to a boil in a heavy bottomed pan.

Add the washed quinoa and cook on low flame for almost an hour. The quinoa should be cooked and the milk should thicken and have a creamy consistency. Note that the quinoa doesnt get too soft like rice in a rice pudding. It remains a little hard and retains its shape. For softer texture of quinoa, wash it in the strainer and leave it in the strainer overnight.

Add the rose water and the chopped nuts and serve chilled.

Shitake Mushroom Stir fry

Shitake Mushroom - 3.5 oz box - Serves one
Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
Olive Oil - 2 tsp
Red Pepper Flakes - 1/4 tsp
Soya Sauce - 1 tsp
Toasted Sesame Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth. Remove the stems and slice them.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook on low heat till the garlic starts getting brown.

Add the sliced mushroom. Saute for a couple of minutes till the mushrooms are soft and cooked. Add the soya sauce and toasted sesame seeds. Cook for a minute more. Serve hot.

Koshimbir

Greek Yoghurt - 1 cup
English Cucumber - 1/2, grated
Tomato - 1, chopped
Red Onion - 1/4, finely chopped
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Roasted peanuts - a handful, coarsely crushed
Rock Salt - a pinch
Sugar - 1 tsp

Beat the yoghurt well and mix the rest of the ingredients. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Rasmalai

My favourite dessert. Nothing can beat the light and delicate taste of cold rasmalai. Even tough I try hard not to use processed white sugar in any food I cook, this is one dessert where I cannot avoid it. Rasmalai will not be the same if white sugar is not used.

Makes around 20 medium sixed rasgullas
For Rasgulla:
Organic Whole Milk - 1/2 gallon or 1.89 L ,
Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon
Granulated Sugar - 1.5 cups
Water - 4 cups
Rosewater - 1 tsp

For Malai:
Organic Half and Half - 32 oz / quarter gallon / 946 ml
Sugar - 5 tbsp or as per taste
Cardamom Powder - a pinch
Pistachio - 1/2 tbsp, finely chopped

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 cotton napkin.

Wrap the cheese in the cloth, and rinse under cold water for atleast 3 minutes, and squeeze well.

Once it is drained, place on a dry, clean plate and knead the paneer by dragging the palm of your hand hard for atleast 15 minutes until the paneer rolls into smooth soft dough.

Divide the dough into tiny marble sized portions and roll them into smooth balls.

Mix the sugar and water in a pressure cooker on medium high heat and bring to a boil.

Add the paneer balls and close the cooker. After the pressure cooker starts steaming, turn the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove and keep aside to cool.

Now take a heavy bottomed pan. Add the half anf half and bring it to a boil. Then lower the heat and cook till the milk reduces to half. Keep stirring in between so that the milk doesnt stick to the bottom of the pan.

Once it is reduced, add the sugar and the cardamom powder. Cook for a few minutes more.

Remove the rasgulla from the syrup, squeeze well and add them to the thickened milk. Garnish with pistachio on top. For added flavor, a few strands of saffron can also be added to the malai. Let the rasgullas soak in the milk for atleast an hour before serving.

Mango Dal with Yellow Split Peas

Mator dal / Yellow Split Peas - 3/4 cup
Water - 2 cups
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt
Peanut Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green Chili - 2 + 2
Yellow Onion - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Green raw mango - 2 very small ones or 1 big one, peeled and chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch, julienned

Cook the dal with water, salt, turmeric in a pressure cooker or rice cooker till done. The dal should be very soft. Mash it well and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once they pop, add the green chilies, ginger and chopped onion. Cook till the onion gets soft and slightly caramelised.

Add the chopped mango pieces and a little turmeric. Cook till the mango pieces become soft.

Add the mashed dal. Add a cup of water, if required. Check the seasoning. Bring it to a boil and cook till desired consistency is reached. Break a few green chilies on top and serve hot with steamed brown rice.

Kale with Potatoes

Organic Green kale - 1 bunch, washed and chopped along with tender stems
Red Potato -1, cut into very small cubes
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric - a pinch
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the mustard seeds. Once they pop, add the green chillies and potato.

Sprinkle turmeric and salt and saute the poatoes till they are almost cooked and crisp on the outside.

Add the chopped kale and toss everything together. Sprinkle 1 tbsp water and cover and cook for a few minutes.

Remove the cover and adjust the seasoning. Cook without cover for a few minutes more. Serve hot.

Baby Spinach Salad

Organic Baby Spinach - 2 cups, washed and dried
Red Onion - a few thick wedges
Tomato - 1, cut in wedges
Slivered Almonds - 1 tbsp
Raisins / Dried Cranberries - 1 tbsp
Pitted Kalamata Olives - a few, chopped
Honey Mustard - 1/2 tbsp
Olive Oil - 1/2 tbsp

In a bowl mix together everything except the spinach leaves. Toss with spinach just before serving.