Fusilli with Kale, tofurky, and Lemon Cream Sauce

I make pasta once a week. My neighbor shared this pasta recipe with me. The actual recipe used sausage but she replaced that with Tofurky which is pretty much the same texture. This recipe is incredibly easy and delicious! I love citrus and the lemon in this dish. The dark, earthy kale is offset by the brightness of the lemon cream sauce with aromatic heat from crushed red chile.  Nutmeg and garlic bring the flavors to a different level.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp crushed red chilli flakes
• 1 pound Tofurky, chopped roughly
• 1 bunch of kale, roughly chopped
• 2½ cups half and half
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound dried Fusilli pasta
• 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley, for garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil in a 6-qt saucepan over medium-high heat, add garlic, onion and red chili flakes, cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add Tofurky, and cook 10 minutes. 
2. Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add half and half and bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally until reduced by a third, 7 to 8 minutes. 
3. Stir in Parmesan, lemon juice and zest, nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper; set aside and keep warm.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add Fusilli and cook, stirring occasionally until al dente, 10-12 minutes. 
5. Drain, reserving ¼ cup cooking water; add both pasta and water to sauce and cook about 5 minutes more. Serve garnished with parsley.

Ginger Pear Tea

I love ginger!  I use it as often as I can.  My morning chai has a good dose of ginger - along with the tea, it wakes me up, so when I came across this recipe, I had to try it.  The natural sweetness of pear, paired with the sharp ginger taste, make good complimentary flavors.  The drink is very comforting.  It can be had as a good afternoon "tea time" drink, brunch item or can also be served for desert.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar (or even less)
• 2 large pears, peeled and coarsely grated
• 1-inch piece ginger, sliced into 1/8-inch coins (I used a little more ginger)

Method:

In a medium pot, bring water, grated pear, ginger and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the pears are very soft, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Can drink it warm or refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Spicy Vermicelli Upma

The dish “upma” was in the news a few years back. Floyd Cardoz, winner of the Top chef masters with his winning “Upma” dish brought it to the limelight. Traditionally it is made of rava (Semolina).  Upma is being now made with various other ingredients. No matter where you go in India, Upma is a favorite hot breakfast/brunch food. Originally from South India, this tasty dish can be eaten for breakfast, brunch or as a snack and is so wholesome you can even make a meal of it! I used Vermicelli to make it and this is my version of "desi istyle" spicy noodles. you can also use regular mini macaroni pasta to make this dish.


This recipe will serve 3 people
 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Vermicelli
• 1 diced potatoes
• 1 diced Onion
• 1/2 diced Tomato
• 1/2 cup Frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup Frozen green peas
• 1 diced Carrots
• 1/2 red & 1/2 green diced Bell peppers
• 4 (finely chopped) Green chilies
• 1 inch piece (finely chopped) Ginger
• 5-6 Curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Clove & Cinnamon powder 
• 1 tbsp Ghee / Clarified Butter
• Salt to taste
• Some chopped cilantro (For garnishing)

  Method:

1. Heat 1/2 tbsp ghee in a pan on medium heat. Add the vermicelli and roast till they get golden in color. It may take around 2 minutes. Remove them from the pan.
2. In the same pan, add the remaining 1/2 tbsp ghee. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilies, ginger, paprika, clove & cinnamon powder and curry leaves. Cook until the mustard seeds start spluttering.
3. Add chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent.
4. Then add carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, frozen green peas, corn kernels, add salt to taste. Cook till they turn soft. It may take around 2-3 minutes. Keep stirring in between. 
5. Mean while, bring a pot of water to boil, add oil to the boiling water, (this keeps the vermicelli from becoming sticky) add the roasted Vermicelli to that and cook for two - four minutes till the vermicelli is cooked. drain the excess water.
6. Add the cooked vermicelli to the veggies and mix everything well.
7. Finally, add the chopped tomatoes. 
8. Garnish with the Cilantro and serve hot or at room Temp. 

Cous Cous with Vegetable Stew

I ate this dish for the very first time at my sister-in-laws house and it was really comforting. Couscous is a coarsely ground semolina pasta & a stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. I always like to make things that are less complicated but filled with flavors & this dish is a perfect definition of that. It is really simple to make & yet it looks like one has put so much effort into making it.

This Recipe serves 3-4 people

Ingredients for Veggie Stew:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 to 2 bay leaf
• Dash of dried basil
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 small can of Italian canned tomatoes
• 1/4 cup celery, cubed
• 1/2 cup turnip, cubed
• 2 zucchini, cubed
• 1/4 cup onion, cubed
• 1/2 cup peppers, cubed
• 1 large carrot, cubed
• 1/2 cup corn kernels & peas
• 1 tsp garlic & ginger paste
• Jalapeno pepper sauce & chiili pepper hot sauce according to taste (I use ones from Trader Joes)  
• salt & black pepper to taste

 

Method:

1. In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil, add bay leaf, fennel seeds and dried basil leaves to and let cook till fragrant.
2. Add the onions, carrots & turnip to that along with the ginger garlic paste. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then add all the other vegetables and cook them another 4-5 minutes.
3. Add salt and pepper.
4. Add the vegetable stock  & canned tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Lower the heat and add the hot sauce to the stew.
6. Let the stew simmer till it becomes thick - stew consistency.
7. Mean while cook one box of couscous as per the instructions.
8. Serve couscous over the hot stew.

I pair this dish with Fattoush.

Fattoush

Fattoush is a Lebanese salad. It includes different vegetables and herbs according to the season and your taste. The vegetables are usually cut into large pieces. It is usually seasoned with Sumac. I make Cous-Cous with vegetable stew a lot and this salad goes very well with it. Toasted Pita chips are used instead of Croutons for the crunch factor. It is light, colorful and very refreshing.

This Recipe will serve 2-3 people

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers
• 2 radish, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup mint, roughly chopped
• 2 pita bread
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying

Dressing:

 

• 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
• 2 tsp sumac (a spice you should find it in the grocery store)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp agave nectar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Wash the tomatoes, radish and cucumber and chop into cubes. Mix together in a large bowl and add the sliced onion, and the herbs. Season with a little sea salt and set aside.
2. To make the dressing, add all the ingredients together in a jar and shake well. Pour about half over the salad.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cut the pitas into quarters and then place in the pan, in batches, turning, for 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden. Once all the bread is fried, blot the excess oil with paper towel and break the bread into smaller pieces while adding to the salad.
4. Toss the whole thing and add more dressing if desired.

* Feta cheese can also be added for additional texture!

Soft Tacos

Taco can be fancy or simple, but they sure are our all time favorite Mexican dish. I make this once a week and we never get tired of them. My kids love them too. My 22 month old daughter eats a de-constructed taco without the tortilla. I have made this a few times for friends and they love them as well. It is super easy to make and you can easily modify the recipe to fit your taste.

Ingredients:

8 Small Corn Tortilla
1 15 oz can black bean 
1 of each, sliced: onion, red & green bell pepper 
Corn kernels
Sour cream 
Cheese (three blend Mexican)
1/2 tbsp oilve oil
1 tsp taco seasoning
Salt & black pepper to taste

For salsa recipes refer to the posts below:

Pico D Gallo
Mango Salsa
Guacamole

Method:

Cooking the veggie fajitas: 

With the olive oil and taco seasoning, saute the onions, red & green bell peppers and corn on high flame for 2-3 minutes -  adjust cooking time depending on how crunchy you like the veggies.

Cooking the Beans:

Drain and rinse the beans.  Heat them in a pan with taco seasoning salt and black pepper. 

Assembling the tacos:

Assemble the Tacos the way you like. If you don't like soft tacos you can assemble the same on a hard taco or tostada. 

 

Kothu Paratha

Kothu Paratha (means minced paratha), is a popular dish in South India. It is made using paratha, egg, meat, and salna (a spicy sauce). I tried the vegetarian version of this dish in a local restaurant near where we live and it reminded me of the street food we get in India. Salna can also be used with any paneer or tofu dish as a base. It's a quick meal which is filling yet light. You can use home made paratha, or use ready made ones.

Salna - Plain Gravy/Spicy sauce for making Kothu Paratha: 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion, roughly chopped 
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped 
• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut, grated
  
• 1 tsp poppy seed(khus khus)  
  
• 1/4 inch piece ginger 
• 2 cloves  garlic  
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds  
  
• 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds 
• A pinch of turmeric powder 
  
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil  
  
• Salt to taste

For Tempering (the following ingredients are separate from the list above):

• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• Small piece of cinnamon stick
• 1 clove
• 1 cardamom pod
• 3 to 4 curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp red chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp biriyani masala (I like using MDH brand)

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan. 
2. Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and coriander seeds and cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, grated coconut and poppy seed and let cook until the mixture gets into a gravy like consistency.
4. Once it is cooled. Grind to a fine paste. 

Tempering Method: 

1. Heat enough oil, add the curry leaves, fennel seeds, cardamom, cinamon and clove.
2. Add the chilli powder and the ground paste with a little water.
3. Let the mixture come to a boil.  When the gravy thickens switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander.

Kothu Paratha:

Ingredients:

• 10 Paratha -  (Tear into very very small pieces)
• 2 to 3 sliced green chillies  
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 to 3 curry leaves
• 1 big tomato, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups of combined peas, carrots, and cabbage (finely chopped) 
• 1/2 cup salna (Use it according to your preference)
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• A handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

Method :

1. Heat Oil in a pan, add the green chilli, curry leaves and onions.  Saute till light brown and then add tomato and salt - saute till the mixture is mushy.
2. Now add the chopped carrots and cabbage.
3. When they are well done, add the Salna (Gravy) and Paratha pieces. 
4. Now add the pepper powder and microwaved green peas.  
5. Saute well until everything is blended well and slightly roasted.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with raita and lemon wedges.

Strawberry Mascarpone Granita

Refreshing in flavor and easy to make, granita is popular throughout Italy. Granitas are a mixture of water, sugar and flavoring. They are grainy in texture and are frozen in a pan in the freezer. Strawberries are my son's favorite fruit and so I thought of incorporating them into this granita. Mascarpone gives the recipe a creamy texture. The recipe is easy to make and a perfect dessert for warm weather.

This recipe will yield 8-12 servings
 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves 
• 2 cups chopped strawberries, plus 1 cup finely chopped
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• Pinch salt

Method:

1. Place the water, 1/2 sugar, and mint in a small pan and bring to a simmer.
2. Stir occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. 
3. Let simmer over low heat to steep the mint. 
4. Then strain the mint from the simple syrup. Discard the mint.
   In a food processor combine 2 cups of strawberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. 
5. Run the machine to puree the strawberries. 
6. Add the mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, and salt. Run the machine until the mascarpone cheese is fully incorporated. 
7. Add the mint simple syrup and run the machine to combine. 
8. Place the strawberry mixture in an 8 by 8-inch glass dish and place the dish in the freezer. 
9. The mixture will take about 4 hours to freeze.
   To serve, use a fork to scrape the granita.
10. Spoon the mixture into chilled bowls. Top with the finely chopped strawberries.

Tadka Dal

This is a classic recipe! My mom makes it all the time and I learned it from her. So easy, delicious & also very comforting. It requires very few ingredients and is a no brainier. Perfect to pair with jeera rice or naan/ or roti.

This recipe will serve 3-4 people

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup tuvar dal - split pigeon pea lentils
• 1/2 cup masoor dal - split pink lentils
• 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped or slit lengthwise
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1 medium size tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp grated or chopped ginger (optional)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• A pinch or two of garam masala powder (optional)
• A pinch of asafoetida/hing
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
• 1 or 2 tbsp cream (optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• salt as required

Tempering/Tadka Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil 
• 1 tsp cumin
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 2-3 red chilies
• A generous pinch of hing

Garnish: 

• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1. Rinse the dals.
2. Add the chopped onions, tomato, green chilies, ginger, asafoetida & turmeric powder along with the dals in a pressure cooker.
3. Add salt and two cups water.
4. Mix well and pressure cook the dals for 4-5 whistles or till done - based on your cooker.
5. Once well cooked then beat the dal with a hand blender.
6. Generally this type of dal is neither thick nor thin but has a medium consistency. You can make it to your consistency.
7. The dal will be creamy but a little thick after pressure cooking with 2 cups of water so add some water to get the desired consistency and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
8. Once the desired consistency is reached, you can add cream (optional), garam masala powder, crushed kasuri methi & chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame.
9. Mix well.
10. Check and adjust salt before adding the tempering. 
11. Cover the dal with a lid.
12. Begin to prepare the tempering/tadka.

Preparing the tempering: 

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Add cumin and fry - the cumin should get fried and not be raw but don't burn them.
3. Now add red chilies, asafoetida and chopped garlic.
4. Let the garlic cook just for less then a minute but make sure it doesn't burn.
5. Once the garlic gets browned, pour the entire tempering along with the oil into the dal.
6. You can mix the dal or serve the dal with the tempering on top.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Mango Salsa

This recipe will make 1 1/2 cup of salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 large Serrano chile, minced
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• Salt and ground pepper, to taste
• Juice of 2 limes 
• 1 tbsp cilantro 

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Guacamole

This recipe will make about 2 cups of Guacamole

Ingredients

• 3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tsp kosher salt (according to taste)
• 1/2 tsp fresh crushed black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 2-3 clove garlic, minced

Method:

1. In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and add the lime juice to it, toss to coat.
2. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated.
3. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash them using a fork. 
4. Then, fold in the onions, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. 
5. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. 
6. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Pico De Gallo

This Recipe will make about 2 cups of Pico de gallo 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup seeded, diced tomatoes (i use roma tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1-2 diced jalapenos (more or less according to taste)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• Juice of 2 small limes
• 3 tbsp cilantro, plus extra for garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a bowl combine all ingredients.

Mexican Quinoa Salad

For a vegetarian, there are so many sources of protein one can find these days but I find Quinoa is quite simply one of the best plant based protein sources. 
I never used to worry about calories before having kids, since my metabolism was extremely good and I could eat a lot of things and not gain a pound, but the story is not quite the same after having kids! That is one reason I love to make quinoa a lot, since the vegetable protein found in quinoa is much easier to digest than meat protein and the slow releasing carbohydrates help maintain blood sugar levels and keep you fuller longer. 
This recipe was shared by one of our friends who cooks quinoa a lot too. I must say it is super easy to make and delicious at the same time. My favorite part of this dish is the dressing, it is super easy to make and provides a refreshing feeling to the salad.

This recipe serves 3-4 People

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups black beans
• 1 cup corn, thawed
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno, diced
• 4 corn tortillas
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 to 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 avocado, diced

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, tomato, red onion and pickled jalapeno.
3. Slice corn tortillas into thin strips.
4. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil and add tortilla strips.
5. Brush olive oil on to the strips and toss to make sure strips are evenly covered.
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.
7. Bake for 10-15 minute, until crispy. (Check often to make sure the tortillas don't burn)
8. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine lime juice, chipotle chile, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, honey or agave nectar, cumin and sea salt.
9. Process until mixture is smooth.
10. Toss with the quinoa mixture.
11. Plate quinoa and top with avocado and tortilla strips. (If making ahead, wait to put avocado and tortilla strips just before serving.

Black Pepper Tofu

Tofu is so versatile, you can make it as a savory dish or you can use to make a sweet dish. It can really hold flavors very well.
Black pepper provides a different kind of heat than chile peppers, but people who are sensitive to spices may still find this too hot, so start with lesser amount of black pepper and add more later if required. Those of you who like fiery dishes may want to increase the chillies, but try not to overpower the black pepper. We love spice in our food, and here is the perfect recipe for one who loves tofu and black pepper. 

This Recipe will serve  2-3 people

Ingredients:

• 2 blocks of extra firm tofu (I use the organic one from Trader Joe's)
• Corn flour, to dust the tofu
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 2-3 small shallots (350g), peeled and thinly sliced
• 3-4 red chillies, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp chopped ginger
• 2 tbsp crushed black peppercorns
• 2-3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 1-2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1-2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 6 small thin spring onions, cut into segments about 3cm long
• Jasmine rice for serving

Method:

1. Cut the tofu into 3cm x 2cm blocks and toss them in corn flour, shaking off the excess.
2. Pour in enough oil to come up the sides of a large frying pan, and bring up to frying temperature.
3. Shallow Fry the tofu in batches in the oil, turning the pieces as you go.
4. Once they are golden all around, and have a thin crust, transfer to a paper towel.
5. Remove the oil and any sediment from the pan and throw in the butter. 
6. Once it has melted, add the shallots, chillies, garlic and ginger, and saute for about 10 minutes on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the contents of the pan are shiny and totally soft.
7. While you wait, crush the peppercorns, using a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder. They should be quite coarse.
8. When the shallots and chillies are soft, add the soy sauces and the sugar, stir, then stir in the crushed pepper. 
9. Warm the tofu in the sauce for about a minute, then add the spring onion and stir thoroughly. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Note: cut down on the sauces and crushed black pepper if you don't like it too spicy, adjust your taste.