Coconut filled Sweet Appam

For the coconut filling :
Fresh grated coconut - 1 coconut
Dark Jaggery / Molasses - 1 cup approximately, depending on the quality of the jaggery and sweetness desired
Water - 2 tbsp
Ghee / Clarified Butter - 1/2 tsp



Place the jaggery in a large heavy pan with 2 tbsp. water and put it on medium flame. Once the jiggery melts, add the grated coconut.



Continue to stir once in a while. Slowly the coconut gets cooked and the mixture becomes thick and bubbly. Now stir continuously till the mixture is almost dry and leaves the sides of the pani. Add the ghee and mix well.



Remove it from heat and leave it aside to cool down a little.
For Appam :
White Rice - 1 cup
Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
Water - 5 cups


Ghee for cookin the appams


Mix rice, dal and water and soak overnight or for a few hours.


Remove from the soaked water and blend the mixture in a blender with a few tbsp. of fresh water till it becomes a smooth paste.


Cover and keep the paste overnight  to ferment.


Once it is fermented, add a little water to the rice dal paste and mix well to make a thick pancake like batter.


Heat a abelskiver / paniyaram pan and add a little bit of ghee to each of the holes. Drop a tsp of batter and then put small portions of the coconut mixture. Add some batter again to cover the filling. Now cover the pan, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 5 minutes. Then turn the appams and cook on the other side till brown and crispy.


Serve hot as it is or with chilled sweet thickened milk.


Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2016/01/jaggery-and-coconut-stuffed-sweet.html

Green Peas Paratha / Green Peas Flatbread

Frozen green peas - 1 lb
Green Chili - 2
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Oil - 2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a few pinches


Roasted ground cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 tsp
Salt





For the Paratha:
Whole wheat flour - 2 cups or an equal mix of APF and WWF
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt
Water

Oil / Ghee for cooking the parathas







Blend the peas with green chili and ginger in a blender. Remove and keep aside.




In a pan heat oil. Add hing and the green peas paste. Then add cumin powder, fennel powder, salt and cook stirring constantly till the water dries up and the mixture changes color and becomes a little dryish. Check for seasoning and adjust it. Cool the mixture.







Mix the oil and salt with the flour well and knead into a soft dough using sufficient water.



Make balls of the dough, fill them with the peas mixture and roll them like paratha. Cook in a hot skillet with a little oil.


Serve with plain yogurt and hot pickle.

Quinoa with French Lentils

Quinoa - 1/2 cup
French Lentils - 1/2 cup (cooked with 1 cup of water, drained of all liquid and kept aside)
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Onion - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped
Roasted Peanuts - a handful
Roasted Cashew nuts - a handful
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp


Place the quinoa in a strainer and wash well for at least a couple of minutes. Add 1 cup of water and cook on medium heat till the water dries up and the quinoa is fluffy. The quinoa looks transparent when it is cooked. Keep aside.



Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Then add cumin seeds, chopped onion, grated ginger, chopped green chilies. Saute till the onion turns light brown.




Add the roasted nuts, quinoa and french lentils. Adjust salt and mix everything well and cook for a few minutes more.



Add a dash of lemon juice and serve with fried / poached eggs.

Malpua

Flour - 4 tbsp.
Semolina / Suji - 1 tbsp.
Dry Mawa / Full Fat Milk Powder - 4 tbsp
Desiccated Dry Coconut - 1 tbsp.
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Milk


A mix of Oil / Ghee to deep fry


For Syrup:
Turbinado Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Cardamom Powder - a pinch


Mix flour, semolina, mawa, coconut, fennel seeds together and add sufficient milk to make a thick batter like mixture. Keep it in the fridge for atleast a few hours to soak well.


Once the mixture is soaked well, remove from fridge and if required add a little water to make pouring consistency. Bring it to room temperature.


For syrup, bring sugar and water to a boil and let it boil for a few minutes to thicken it slightly. Add the cardamom powder and keep the syrup warm.


Heat sufficient ghee / oil in a shallow flat pan. Pour ladle full of the batter and fry for a few minutes. Once the bottom side gets slightly brown, turn and cook the other side till it gets brown.


Remove and place it on a paper towel to soak up excess oil. Then dip it in the warm sugar syrup. Let it soak for a minute and remove it from the syrup and place it on a platter. Fry the entire batter in batches.


Malpoa can be served hot or at room temperature.

Green Peas Kachori with Chholar Dal

Frozen green peas - 1 lb
Green Chili - 2
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Oil - 2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a few pinches


Roasted ground cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 tsp
Salt





For the kachori:
Whole wheat flour - 2 cups or an equal mix of APF and WWF
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt
Water

Peanut Oil for deep frying







Blend the peas with green chili and ginger in a blender. Remove and keep aside.




In a pan heat oil. Add hing and the green peas paste. Then add cumin powder, fennel powder, salt and cook stirring constantly till the water dries up and the mixture changes color and becomes a little dryish. Check for seasoning. Cool the mixture.







Mix the oil and salt with the flour well and knead into a soft dough using sufficient water.



Make small balls of the dough and fill them with the peas mixture. Seal them well and roll them into puris using a little oil if needed. Deep fry the kochuries.




For Chholar Dal :





Chana Dal - 1 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Whole Garam Masala - a mix of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chopped Coconut pieces - 2 tsp
Bay leaves - 2
Whole Dried Red Chilies - 2
Ginger - 1 inch grated
Salt
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Ghee
Water - 4 cups








Heat a mix of ghee and oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, whole garam masala and the red chilies. Saute for a few seconds. Then add ginger paste and the chopped coconut pieces and fry till they turn slightly brown.


Now add the washed dal, four cups of water, turmeric, salt and sugar. Cook in the pressure cooker for 10 minutes after full pressure is reached.


Cool slightly, discard the whole garam masala and bay leaf and then mash some dal with the back of the spoon to thicken it. Mix well and serve with hot kachories.

Roasted Whole Fish with Vermouth and Tomatoes

Trout or Bronzino - 1 whole fish, cleaned and gutted ( around a pound or less in size)                      

Lemon - 1/2 thinly sliced

Garlic - 4 or 5 cloves, crushed or sliced

Olive Oil - 2 tbsp

Cherry Tomatoes - a few

Shallots - 2, cut into wedges 

Dry Vermouth / Dy White Wine - around 1/4 cup 

Dry Thyme - a sprinkle

Any Fresh herbs - a handful, I used cilantro 

Green Chili - a couple, chopped or you can use freshly ground black pepper

Salt                     

                       

Preheat the oven to 450 F.
 

Season the fish with salt and pepper.

Stuff the fish with some lemon slices, 2 cloves crushed garlic, a few herb sprigs and green chilies.

Drizzle the outside of the fish with olive oil; season.

Pour 1 tbsp olive oil in a large roasting pan. Add the tomatoes, shallots, some lemon slices, vermouth, dry thyme and the remaining crushed garlic; toss. Arrange the fish on top.

Roast until the fish is brown and crispy and opaque and the tomatoes are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Divide the tomatoes among plates. Using a serving fork and serving spoon, carefully lift the fillets away from the bones; arrange on top of the tomatoes.

Adapted from http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/quick-roasted-branzino-with-dry-vermouth-and-tomatoes/

Egg Korma

Poppy Seeds - 1 tbsp
Sesame Seeds - 1 tbsp
Slivered Almonds - 2 tbsp
Broken Raw Cashewnuts - 2 tbsp
Water - 1/2 cup

Yellow Onion - 1/2, chopped
Oil
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Whole Garam Masala - 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 1 bay leaf , 1 cardamom
Ginger Garlic Paste - 4 garlic cloves and one inch ginger, grated
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Tomato Puree - 1/2 tbsp or 1grated tomato
Yogurt - 2 tbsp, beaten well with some water

Boiled Eggs - 4
Turmeric and Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Salt

Cilantro for garnishing

Boil almonds, cashew nuts, sesame seeds and poppy seeds in half cup of water for 15 min.

After 15 minutes, remove from heat and blend it in a blender with fried onions into a fine paste.

In hot oil add bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.

When it sizzles add cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, tomato puree. Cook for a minute.

Then add the blended paste, tomato puree, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, cayenne powder, salt and mix it well. Cook on low heat for a few minutes. If it starts to stick to the bottom, sprinkle a little water.

Now lower the heat and add beaten curd and let the mixture cook for 25 min with a lid on it.

In a separate pan, heat oil. Apply salt, a little turmeric and red cayenne to the boiled eggs. Add the boiled eggs to the oil. When the eggs sizzle take out the eggs and add them to the gravy. Remove from heat.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dog Biscuit

Pumpkin Puree - 1 cup (use 100% pure pumpkin)
Peanut Butter - 4 tbsp.
Egg - 1, (can also use half cup pumpkin puree and 2 eggs)
Flour - 11/2 cups (I used an equal mix of brown rice flour and whole wheat flour)
Coconut Oil / Butter - 1 tsp

Heat oven to 350F.

Mix pumpkin puree and peanut butter together. Add egg.

Now mix in the flour so that the mix forms a sticky ball. Adjust the flour as required.

Sprinkle some rice flour on the rolling surface. Apply the coconut oil / butter around the dough and roll into half inch thick. Cut into small desired shape. Transfer into parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake for around 20 to 25 minutes till the cookies start browning.

Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

 

Dudley, patiently waiting for the cookies to cool

Pumpkin Muffins for Dog

Flour - 12/3 cup ( I used a mix of whole wheat and brown rice flour)
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 tsp
Molasses / Brown Sugar - 2 tbsp. (It can be skipped)
100% Pure Pumpkin Puree - 13/4 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup ( I used about 2 tbsp peanut oil)
Eggs - 2, lightly beaten
Water - 1/3 cup

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 3 mini muffin tins or one mini muffin and one regular muffin tin with oil or butter.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and add oil, pumpkin puree and molasses .

Sieve flour and baking soda over the bowl. Add cinnamon and mix well. As needed add water until the mixture is of the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Drop spoonful of mixture into muffin cups, filling 2/3rd of the way.

Bake for around 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Cool completely and store in an airtight container for 5 days in the refrigerator.

The pictures here are not so pretty, but my dog loved them.

Green Papaya Curry with Mustard

Raw Papaya – half, peeled and cut into small cubes
Potato – 1 small, peeled and cut into cubes (optional)
Mustard Seeds
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder – a pinch
Salt
Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds –1 ½ tsp
Hing - 2 pinches
Curry Leaves – 4
Green Chili – 3
Red Chili - 1
Urad Dal - 1 tbsp.
Turmeric - a pinch
Water - 1 cup
Cilantro for garnishing


Take 1 tsp of mustard seeds and using a mortar and pestle make a powder. Keep aside.


Heat oil in a pan. Temper with 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and hing. Add the urad dal, green chili, red chili, curry leaves and fry for a few minutes till the urad dal begins to change color.


Add urad dal, turmeric, salt and water. Mix well and cover and cook till the papaya pieces are tender.


Add the mustard powder and cook for a few minutes more. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed rice and dal.
Adapted from http://vegrecipes4u.com/green-papaya-curry/

Steamed Modak

Rice Flour - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Salt - a pinch

For filling :
Fresh Coconut - 1, grated
Gur / Jaggery - around 1/2 cup, depending on how sweet you want
Poppy Seeds - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Water - 1 tbsp

Roast the poppy seeds in a heavy bottomed pan for a couple of minutes. Add jaggery and a tbsp of water and let it melt.

Now add the grated coconut and 1 tbsp of ghee and cook on medium low till the mixture comes together, around 10 to 15 minutes. Check for sweetness and add more jaggery if required.

Remove from heat and cool the filling.

Bring 2 cups of water to boil. Add salt and 2 tbsp of ghee. Add the rice powder and mix well. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate. Immediately knead to make a soft ball. Do not let the mix cool down.

Make small balls, flatten them, fill about a tbsp of coconut filling and close the cover and shape them.

Steam in a steamer / rice cooker for 15 minutes.

Serve immediately with dollops of ghee on top.

Mushroom, Arugula & Gruyere Omelette

Organic Eggs - 4
Water - 2 tsp
Olive Oil / Butter - 1 tbsp.
Salt
Pepper
Green Chili - 2 (optional), finely minced
Baby Arugula - a handful
Gruyere Cheese - a few pieces
Cooked Mushrooms - 1/4 cup (optional)

Break the eggs in a bowl. Add 2 tsp water, salt and pepper and beat until just fluffy. Do not overbeat. If using green chili, add it to the mix.

Heat a cast iron skillet. Add the olive oil and pour the beaten eggs and cook on low flame.

Once the eggs are no longer runny, spread mushrooms, baby arugula and gruyere cheese on top and fold into half. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Shrimp Pad Thai

 

Brown Rice Pad Thai - a handful (can reduce the quantity of noodles and add more cabbage)
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Sweet Onion - 1 small, sliced
Garlic - 4 cloves, thinly sliced
Ginger - 1 inch, thinly chopped
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped
Vegetables - 2 cups (a mix of cabbage, red peppers, bean sprouts, carrots)

Shrimp - 8 oz, cooked
Eggs - 2, scrambled

For sauce:
Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp
Tamarind - 1 tsp, soak in 1 tbsp warm water for 15 minutes
Palm Sugar / Jaggery - 1 tbsp, grated
Rice Wine Vinegar - 1/2 tbsp.
Fish Sauce - 1 tsp

Coarsely ground roasted peanuts - 1/4 cup

Cook the noodles according to directions on the box. Rinse in cold water and keep aside.

While the noodles is cooking, squeeze the juice out of the tamarind and discard the tamarind pulp. Mix this juice along with the soy sauce, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, grated palm sugar. Taste the sauce, it should taste sour first and then sweet.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chili and saute for a minute. Then increase the heat and add chopped vegetables. Cook only for a couple of minutes on high flame. Do not overcook as the vegetables should remain crisp.

Add the scrambled eggs, cooked shrimp, boiled noodles and the tamarind sauce. Continue to cook on high heat for a few minutes, stirring and mixing the noodles continuously. Check for seasoning.

Remove from heat, toss the ground peanuts on top and serve immediately.

Vegetable Fried Rice, the easy recipe

Cooked Rice - 2 cups, rice should be cooked just till done and at least a few hours before making the                                         fried rice so that it is completely cooled
Clarified Butter / Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.
Sweet Onion - 1/3 cup, finely chopped
Mixed Vegetables - finely chopped - green peas, carrots, green beans, bell peppers
Roasted Unsalted Cashewnuts - a handful
Pulao Masala - 1/2 tsp, optional, if you want spicy Indian flavor or alternatively can add a tbsp of soy sauce for Chinese flavor
Melted Butter - 1 tbsp
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Heat Olive oil /butter is a large heavy bottomed pot.

Add the chopped onions and cook on medium heat till the onion begins to caramelize.

Then add all the vegetables and cashewnuts and increase the heat. Mix salt and fresh black pepper cook for 5 to 10 minutes on high flame till the vegetables are done but still crisp. Sprinkle pulao masala of soy sauce, if using.

Mix rice, toss well and adjust seasoning. Cook for a couple of minutes more. Adjust seasoning, add a tbsp of melted butter on top and serve hot.

For chicken fried rice - add roasted chopped chicken breasts and scrambled eggs after the vegetables are cooked.

Beetroot and Quinoa Burger

Quinoa - 1/4 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Beetroot - 1, small
Carrots 1
Potato - 1, small
Black Salt
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onions -1 big, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tbsp
Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs - 1/2 cup
Cornstarch / Arrowroot - 1/4 cup
Roasted Peanuts (coarsely ground) - 2 tbsp
Oil for shallow frying
 
Wash the quinoa and cook with half cup water till done. Fluff with fork and keep aside.

Steam the beetroot, carrot, potato in a steamer and let them cool, Mash the vegetables coarsely and add salt to taste.

Heat oil in a big skillet and add the chopped onions. Fry the onions till golden brown. Add grated ginger and cook for a minute more.

Now add the mashed vegetables and cooked quinoa. Add cumin powder, red chili powder, mix well and cook for a few minutes. Turn off the flame and add roasted peanuts to the above.

Once it is cool, make small balls out of this mixture. Now mix the cornstarch with some water to make a batter. Dip each of the above-made balls in the batter. Afterwards coat each ball with the bread crumbs, press to make like patties and place onto a plate.

Repeat the process for all the balls and then place them in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up.

Heat the oil in a skillet and shallow fry each patty on both sides till golden brown. Serve with salad and ketchup.