Broccoli Potato with Cumin

Broccoli - cut into medium sized florets, 2 cups
Red Potato - 1, small, cut into small cubes
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chilli - 2, chopped
Red Onion - 1/2, thinly sliced
Turmeric - a pinch
Ginger - 1/2 tsp, grated
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Aamchur / Dried Mango powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Water - 2 tsp

Heat a cast iron skillet. Add oil, cumin seeds, green chillies. After a minute add the sliced onion.

Saute till the onion gets a little soft. Add the chopped potato, ginger, turmeric and salt. Saute till the potato cubes are cooked.

Now add the broccoli florets, coriander powder, cumin powder and aamchur. Toss well. Sprinkle a little water and cover and cook for a couple of minutes.

The broccoli florets should be bright green and crunchy and should not be overcooked.

Caramel Custard

Whole Milk - 2.5 cups
Eggs - 3
Granulated Sugar - 1/2 cup  + 1/2 cup
Water - 1/4 cup
Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp

Take a round steel pan which can fit into a rice cooker. Keep aside

Heat the milk along with 1/2 cup sugar till the sugar melts. Add vanilla essence and let it cool to room temperature.

Take a saucepan and add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Heat on low fire till the sugar melts. Increase the heat to medium high. The mixture becomes bubbly and changes color. Keep on heat till the sugar caramelises and becomes golden brown. watch carefully so that it doesnt burn. As soon as it caramelises and reaches golden color, pour the sauce in the steel round pan. Leave it to cool down.

Beat the eggs well and add to the milk. Once the caramel cools down, sieve the milk egg mixture and pour it on the caramel. The mixture has to be sieved to get a smooth custard texture. Cover it tightly with an alluminium foil.

Add 3.5 cups of water to the rice cooker and place the steel pan with the custard mixture in it.

Steam for around 40 minutes. Remove and cool down. Place it in the fridge for atleast an hour.

Remove the foil and invert it on a serving plate.

Boondi Raita

Besan - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup

Yoghurt - 2 cups
Rock salt - a pinch
Sugar - 2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Paprika - 1/4 tsp

Sift the besan with a flour sifter. Add water slowly and make a batter by mixing simultaneously using a wire whisk. The batter should not be too watery and should be of dosa batter consistency.

Heat oil in a kadai over medium heat. The oil should be sufficiently hot before dropping the batter. This can be tested by putting a drop of batter in the oil. The drop should immediately bubble up.

Now hold the ladle over the kadai and pour some batter on it. The drops of batter will fall on the oil and immediately bubble up. Remove the boondis once they begin to change color. Leave the boondis on a paper towel to soak excess oil.

Before frying the next batch of boondis, wipe the ladle completely clean. If the ladle has some batter clinging to it, the next batch of boondis will not be round and they will have an elongated shape. Continue frying like this for the entire batter.

Beat the curd well with rock salt, sugar, cumin and chilli powder. Reserve a handful of boondis and add rest of them to the curd and mix well. Leave on for 10 minutes so that the boondis can soak up some liquid and become soft. Sprinkle paprika and the reserved boondis on top and serve.

Red lentil Soup with Baby Spinach

Dried Red Lentil / Mushurir Dal - 3/4 cup
Tomato - 1, chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt
Water - 3 cups
Shallots - 3, finely sliced
Garlic - 4, thinly sliced
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Baby Spinach - 2 cups
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to pop, add shallots, garlic and green chilli. Cook till the shallots begin to change color.

Now add the red lentil, chopped tomato, salt, turmeric, water and cover and cook till the lentils is done. It should take around 20 minutes.

Once the soup reaches the desired consistency, remove the cover and add the spinach leaves. Cook for a few minutes more till the leaves begin to wilt. The leaves should remain bright green and should not be overcooked.

Remove from heat, add a dash of lemon juice on top and serve immediately.

Alu Bhaja

Red Potato - 2 medium sized or Japanese Yam - 1 big
Salt
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Peanut Oil - 1 tbsp

Wash the potato and leave the skin on. Cut them into thin strips. Take a large pan full of water and put around 2 tsp salt in it. Soak the potato strips in the salted water for atleast 30 minutes. Then drain the water and keep the strips aside.

Take a cast iron skillet and heat the peanut oil well on medium high heat. Once the oil is heated enough, add the potato strips and chilli powder. Toss well and cook stirring occasionally till the potato gets slightly browned and crispy. Check seasoning. Additional salt may not be required as the potato was soaked in salt water.

Remove on a paper towel to soak excess oil. Serve with mushurir dal and steamed rice.

Kale Chips

Kale - 1 bunch
Olive Oil - 2 tsp
Salt
Red Chili Flakes

Wash the leaves well and dry with paper towel. Remove the stem and tear the leaves into bite sized pieces.

Spread the leaves on 2 baking sheets. Add olive oil, salt and red chili flakes and mix well.

Bake in 375F preheated oven for 20 minutes until the edges are brown and the leaves are crispy.

Uttapam

Brown Rice - 3/4 cup

Urad Dal - 3/4 th cup
Methi Seeds - 10
Brown Rice powder - 2 tbsp
Salt
Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
Tomato - 1, finely chopped
Green Chilli - 4, finely chopped
Cilantro - 1/2 bunch, finely chopped
Oil for cooking the uttapam

Soak brown rice, urad dal and methi seeds overnight. Wash, drain and grind the mix finely adding a little water as required. Add rice powder and salt and cover and leave it to ferment for 12 hours.

Mix a little water to make the consistency like pancake and add chopped onion, tomato, chilli, cilantro. Adjust salt.  Heat a non stick pan. Put a ladle full of mixture, smear a little oil and cook till golden brown on both sides. Serve with sambar and chutney.

Papaya Curry, in Pressure Cooker

Raw Papaya - 1 small, peeled, deseeded and cut into cubes
Potato - 1, Yukon gold, cubes
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp.
Cumin Seeds / Jeera - 1 tsp
White Onion - 1 small, chopped
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Yogurt - 1 tbsp.
Turmeric -1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Roasted Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Salt
Tomato - 2, grated
Water - 2 cups
Ghee - 1 tbsp. (optional)
Cilantro - a handful, chopped (optional)

Mix , cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric and a little water with the yogurt to make a thick paste. Keep aside

 Heat a pan and add 2 tbsp. of olive oil and cumin seeds. Add the chopped onion and ginger and cook for a few minutes.

Then add the spice paste in yogurt and grated tomato and cook on medium high heat for 5 minutes stirring continuously, till the spices are cooked and oil releases. 

Add papaya and potato, saute for 5 minutes and then cook in pressure cooker for 10 minutes after full pressure is reached..

 Remove from heat, cool a little and add a tbsp of ghee and some chopped cilantro on top and serve.

Mustard Greens Dal

Tur Dal / Pigeon peas - 3/4 cup
Mustard Greens - 4 stalks, remove the stem and finely chop the leaves
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 4
Asafoetida / Hing - 2 pinch
Green Chilli - 2, chopped
Shallot - 1, thinly sliced
Tomato - 1, chopped
Sambar Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Salt
Water - 2.5 cups
Oil - 1 tbsp

Heat oil in the pressure cooker pan. Temper with mustard seeds, green chilli, curry leaves and hing.

Add the sliced shallot and saute till light brown. Add chopped tomato, mustard greens, sambar powder. Cook for a few minutes.

Now add the tur dal, salt and 2.5 cups of water and cook in the pressure cooker for 10 minutes after full pressure is reached.

Serve with steamed brown rice.

Minestrone Soup

Garlic - 3 pods, thinly sliced
Sweet Onion - 1/2, chopped
Celery - 2 sticks, thinly chopped
Carrot - 1, chopped
Jalapeno - 1/2, finely chopped
Red Bell pepper - 1/2, chopped
Tomato - 2 (big), peeled and chopped
Dried Oregano - 1/4 tsp
Dried Basil - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Dried Mixed Beans - 3/4 cup (kidney, pinto, cannelini), soaked overnight
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Dried whole wheat pasta - 1/2 cup (optional)

Heat oil in pressure cooker pan. Add garlic and onion. Saute till the onion gets soft.

Add celery, carrots, pepper, jalapeno, tomato, oregano, basil and cook for a few minutes.

Add soaked beans, 4 cups of water, salt, sugar and pepper and cover and cook for 25 minutes after maximum pressure is reached.

Remove pressure, add the pasta(if using) and boil the soup till pasta gets cooked.

Serve with some crusty whole grain bread.

Begun Bhaja

Brinjal - 1 big
Salt
Turmeric
Red Chilli Powder
Sugar
Maida / All Purpore Flour
Peanut Oil for deep frying

Wash the brinjal and pat it dry completely. Cut it sidewise into thick roundels.

Make a dry marination by mixing salt, sugar, turmeric and chilli powder. Appy this mixture to the roundels by pressing well on both sides. Marinate for atleast 10 minutes.

Sprinkle maida on the roundels, press so that the maida sticks to the brinjal and deep fry on medium heat till golden brown on both sides.

Serve with steamed brown rice and masur dal.

Boondi Ladoo

Adapted from http://www.neivedyam.com/2009/05/100th-post-boondi-laddu.html

Besan - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups

Sugar - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Saffron - a pinch
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp
Handful of cashewnuts and raisins
Edible Camphor - a pinch

Peanut Oil for deep frying
Ladle with small holes

Heat ghee in a pan. Add the cashews and raisins and fry on low heat for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of edible camphor and cardamom powder and keep aside.

Sift the besan with a flour sifter. Add water slowly and make a batter by mixing simultaneously using a wire whisk. The batter should not be too watery and should be of dosa batter consistency.

Heat oil in a kadai over medium heat. The oil should be sufficiently hot before dropping the batter. This can be tested by putting a drop of batter in the oil. The drop should immediately bubble up.

Now hold the ladle over the kadai and pour some batter on it. The drops of batter will fall on the oil and immediately bubble up. Remove the boondis after 10 seconds. The boondis should not get dark in color and should not be crisp. If a boondi is pressed between 2 fingers, it should get squeezed in and not crumble. Leave the boondis on a paper towel to soak excess oil.

Before frying the next batch of boondis, wipe the ladle completely clean. If the ladle has some batter clinging to it, the next batch of boondis will not be round and they will have an elongated shape. Continue frying like this for the entire batter.

Make a sugar syrup of 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water. Boil till the syrup becomes thick (one thread consistency). Add saffron and some cardamom powder. Add all the fried boondis and fried cashew and raisins to the syrup and mix well. Now put the syrup along with the boondis back on heat for a few minutes till all the syrup is soaked. Leave the mixture to cool down for atleast 15 minutes.

Make small balls of the mixture and press hard as a fist so that the shape holds. Cool down completely and store in an airtight container.

Chana Dal Shammi Kabab

Chana dal - 2 cups
Potato - 1, small
Salt
Shallot - 1, chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Garlic - 2 cloves

Cook the above with a little water in the pressure cooker or in a covered pan. The water should be barely enough to cook the dal and potato. When done, the dal should be soft but dry and there shouldnt be too much liquid left.

Cilantro - 1 bunch
Green Chilli - 2
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Egg - 1
Oil for shallow fry

Remove and add chopped cilantro, green chilli, garam masala powder, red chilli powder.

Make a paste in the food processor and make small patties of this mixture.

Dip each patty in beaten egg and shallow fry.

Broccoli and Fennel Soup

Broccoli - 2 cups, chopped
Shallot - 1, sliced
Ginger - 1 inch, thinly sliced
Cinnamon Stick - 1
Cloves - 3
Jalapeno - 1, chopped
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt
Crushed Peppercorn
Water or vegetable stock - 4 cups
Fennel - 1 bulb, chopped. Chop the stems and leaves and keep separately.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add the cinnamon and cloves. Then add chopped fennel bulb,ginger and jalapeno. Saute for a couple of minutes.

Add chopped fennel stem and leaves, broccoli and salt. Cook till the vegetables start getting soft.

Add stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes after full pressure is reached.

Once the pressure is released, blend the soup using a hand blender. Adjust seasoning.

Serve hot with a sprinkle crushed peppercorn on top.

Simple Baby Lettuce Salad

Mixed Baby Lettuce Leaves - 2 cups
Toasted Walnuts - 10
Dried Cranberries - 1 tbsp
Hard Boiled egg - 1, (optional), chopped

For Dressing:
Balsamic Vinegar - 1/2 tbsp
Honey Mustard - 1/2 tbsp
Olive Oil - 1/2 tbsp

In a small bowl, mix vinegar and mustard and whisk in olive oil. Pour over the lettuce leaves (and boiled eggs, if using). Sprinkle walnut and dried cranberries on top. Mix well and serve.