Kung Pao Potatoes

Kung Pao starts off with fresh, moist, un-roasted peanuts or cashew nuts. These are often used instead of their pre-roasted versions. The peanuts or cashew nuts are dropped into hot oil on the bottom of a wok first, then deep fried until golden brown before the other ingredients are added. I tried this dish in London a few years ago at a restaurant called Daal Chinni and I instantly fell in love with the concept. I love fries and also I happen to love Asian food. This recipe is a combination of both and I promise you will love it too. Experimenting with some sauces one day, I thought of trying to make the potatoes I ate in London. This recipe comes close to what I had in London.  I have made it for a few of my friends and they have all asked me to make it over and over again.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 large Yukon Gold Potatoes 
• Oil to fry
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1-2 tbsp. sambal oelek sauce (ground chilli paste)
• 1/4 cup naturally brewed dark soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2-3 tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. corn starch
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup cracked cashews
• Thinly sliced spring onions (for Garnish)

Method:

1. Mix all the sauces along with the ginger and garlic and keep aside.
2. Cut the potatoes length wise like you will fries & rinse them with cold water.
3. Pat dry the cut potatoes on a kitchen towel.
4. Mean while in a deep frying pan heat up the oil to fry cracked cashews till they are golden and take them out on a paper towel to drain the extra oil.
5. Fry the potatoes in the same pan till they are golden and crispy, take them out on a paper towel.
6. Heat the sauce mixture with the corn starch and whisk the mixture till it come to a boil.  Make sure there are no lumps. 
7. In a large bowl pour the sauce over the fried potatoes until they are completely coated - like a glaze on the fries.
8. Mix in the fried cashews and garnish with spring onions.

Mee Goreng (Indian Version)

Another great recipe from the play dates when my son was a baby. One of the moms, and good a friend of mine, who is from Singapore, originally made these and I asked her for the recipe right away. It is really easy to make! For a kid friendly version make it a little less spicy.

Ingredients

• 1 packet fresh egg noodles
• 2 medium sized red onions, sliced
• 1 medium red pepper (optional)
• 1 packet Chinese spinach, chopped (I use choy sum, it has yellow flowers )
• 1/2 cup cubed fried tofu
• 1 small can of peas
• 1 1/2 tsp green chili, ginger and garlic paste
• 3 serving spoons of tomato ketchup
• 3 serving spoons of chili sauce
• 3 serving spoons of soy sauce
• 3 serving spoons of ketchup manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

(Noodles are spicy so adjust the chili to your taste)

Method

1. In a large pot, stir fry chopped onions in some oil until light golden.
2. Add the chili, ginger, garlic paste, chili powder, salt and turmeric and cook for a minute.
3. Add the tomato ketchup, chili sauce, soy sauce and ketchup manis. Stir everything and let cook another minute.
4. Add in tofu cubes, peas and spinach. Cook till spinach wilts a little. 
5. Then add in the fresh egg noodles and stir until all the ingredients are mixed well.
6. Taste the noodles and if more salt and spice is required, add some chili powder for spice and salt .
7. Take a flat pan and pan fry mixed noodles lightly, with a little bit of oil, in batches - one serving at a time.

Chipotle Enchilada Sauce

The chipotle pepper is a smoked or dried jalapeño pepper that originated in the area surrounding Mexico City. The peppers may have been smoked to keep them from rotting, since the jalapeño is prone to quickly deteriorating when stored. Everyone who has tried these enchiladas have loved them!  From the recipe below, you can customize the sauce to fit your taste, plus the sauce can be stored and used later.  We also use it in our quesadilla - just spread some on the tortilla before adding the cheese.

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce (depending on how hot you want it - remove the seeds if you want the sauce to be mild), minced
• 2 tsp. adobo sauce
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. cumin
• salt and pepper to taste 

For the enchiladas:

1. The enchilada filling can vary: you can stuff them with just cheese or cheese and vegetables (bell peppers, onions, spinach sauted lightly with taco seasoning), or with avocado.
2. For the tortillas, you can use the corn ones, or flour ones, or there are now different varieties with different flavors. I like to use ones made with both corn and regular flour.

Method: 

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. 
2. Add the onions and cook until translucent. 
3. Stir in the garlic and chipotle peppers and after about 30 seconds, add the flour.
4. Cook off the raw flour and then add the vegetable broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, bay leaf, oregano, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. 
5. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. 
6. Simmer to combine the flavors as you prepare the rest of the meal. Season to taste if necessary. 
7. Puree if you want - I sometimes pulse processed the sauce to make it nice and smooth.

Broccoli & Cheese Melts

My son had very good eating habits, but recently he doesn't feel excited when he has to eat vegetables. So that's where I have to get a little creative and try to make the vegetable fun and exciting for him. This warm sandwich is a perfect example of that. It has a lot of Broccoli along with other vegetables and is so delicious that not only does my son like it but my daughter and husband are a big fans too.


This recipe will make 12 sandwich:

Ingredients:

• 24 white bread slices
• Butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 Cheddar & or Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 4 cups Broccoli florets, finely chopped
• 1 Tomato, finely chopped
• 1/2 Red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 Green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 Red onion, finely chopped
• 1 Carrot, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Fresh Mint, finely chopped
• 2-3 Garlic cloves, minced
• Salt & black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp red Chilli flakes

Method:

1. Chop all the vegetables and mint leaves.
2. In a pan, heat up some olive oil and saute everything (except the mint) on a very high flame for about 3 minutes till all the vegetables are tender but not mushy.
3. Add salt, pepper, red chilli flakes & paprika & mix it all well.
4. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
5. Add the chopped mint and let the mixture cool down.
   Grate the Parmesan & or cheddar cheese and mix with the cool vegetable mixture.
6. Butter one side of the bread and place it butter side down in a sandwich maker or a panini press.
7. Fill with the Broccoli mixture and cover it with another slice of the bread (this time the buttered part goes on the top).
8. Brown the bread to desired crispiness.

Spinach Muthiya

Muthiya is a very common and staple food in Gujarati Households. The name came from the way they are molded into a long cylindrical shape. The dough is pressed in the palm-making a fist. A closed fist in Gujarati is called mutthi hence the name of this dish is Muthiya. They are steamed dumplings made with wheat and other flours with leafy vegetables. This is a very good way of incoporating vegetables without highlighting them. I learned this recipe from my mom. I am using spinach but other veggies can also be used such as fenugreek leaves, cabbage, bottle ground, zucchini, shredded carrot etc.

This recipe will serve 2 people:

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups spinach, chopped
• 1 cup besan/gram flour
• 1/2 cup multi-grain flour or whole wheat flour  
• 1/4 cup semolina/rava or Handva flour
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2-3 tbsp tamarind sauce 
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp oil (to add in dough)
• 1 tsp cooking soda or Eno
• Salt per taste

To grind coarsely:

• 2-3 Green chilli 
• 3-4 Garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 inch Ginger root

For Tempering:

• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2-3 tsp white sesame seeds
• 5-6 curry leaves
• pinch of hing
• 2 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Grind, coarsely, the green chilli, garlic, ginger and keep aside.
2. Chopped spinach & keep it aside.
3. Take gram flour, semolina and multi grain flour (or wheat flour) in a bowl, and add turmeric powder, salt, cooking soda, sugar, cumin seeds, ground green chilli-garlic-ginger and mix well.
4. Now add oil, tamarind sauce and spinach, knead well like chappathi dough - add water if needed.
5. With greased hand, make small muthiyas (as shown in the photo) and steam cook for 20-25 minutes. If you make small size muthiya, it will cook quicker.
6. After the muthiya are ready, heat a pan with oil and add the musturd seeds, sesame seed, curry leaves and hing and also add the steam cooked muthiyas and fry while turning until they start to brown.
7. Serve hot with any chutney or sauce.

Mexican Bhel

I ate this dish at my sister-in-law's house and loved it the very first time I had it. Traditionally, Bhelpuri is made from puffed rice and Sev. This recipe has the same concept but is made with a Mexican twist.
Instead of using puffed rice and sev I used a combination of pinto and black beans. I used the toppings that you find in tacos and burritos. 

This recipe will serve 3-4 people

Ingredients for the base: (this should be like a very thick stew)

• 1 can of each Black & or Pinto beans
• 1 small can of tomato sauce
• 1 cup of Veggie Stock
• 1 tbsp Taco Seasoning
• 1 1/2 tsp each Onion and Garlic Powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Frying the Tortilla chips:

• 4-5 Large flour tortillas 
• Oil for shallow frying

Method: 

Cut the tortillas into small diamond shape and shallow fry them till they are browned and crispy.

Toppings:

• 2 Tomatoes diced
• 1 Onions diced
• 1 Peppers diced
• 1/2 Lettuce finely shredded (I used romaine)
• 2 Cucumber diced (I used Persian)
• Guacamole per taste
• Salsa or Pico-de-gallo per taste
• Fried Tortilla Chips for garnish
• Mexican blend finely shredded cheese
• Sour Cream

Method:

In a deep dish, place the base of beans first and then add toppings you like.
Enjoy:) 

Tawa Pulav

Some times left overs can be the limelight of a dish. Some thing about left over rice makes the consistency of this pulav so much better and here is what I do to make it extra special. This recipe will make you want to make it over and over again.


This recipe will serve 3-4 people

Ingredients:

• 1tbsp butter

• 1tbsp vegetable oil

• 1tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp fennel seeds

• 2 inch ginger, grated

• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 large potato, diced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1/2 large onion, diced

• 1/2 large green and red bellpepper each, diced

• 1 large tomatoes, diced finely

• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

• 1tbsp Pav Bhaji masala (I added about 1 1/2 tbsp)

• 1tbsp red chili powder (use according to taste)

• 1/2 tbsp of paprika

• 1/4 tsp each clove & cinnamon powder

• 1/2 cup green peas, frozen (if using fresh, boil before hand)

• 1-2 green chilies (or as desired)

• About 2-3 cups cooked rice (leftover rice works great, if you cook the rice ahead of time the consistency and texture of the Pulav will come nicer)

• Fresh cilantro leaves to garnish, as desired

• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the butter and oil in a pan (You can either use all butter or all oil for the recipe). 
2. Add the cumin and fennel seeds, when aromatic, add onions, ginger, garlic, chili along with salt and let it cook till the onions become tender. 
3. Add the clove & cinnamon powder along with potatoes and carrots. Let the veggies become a little tender.  
4. Add the chopped tomatoes & bell peppers. Cook in high heat for a few minutes until water starts oozing out of the tomatoes, and then reduce the heat & add the peas.
5. Add the remaining spices and mix well. 
6. Add the rice and cilantro. 
7. Give it a toss and cook for another 2-3 minutes.    

I serve the Pulav with Vagareli Chaas (Buttermilk) along with some Papad.

Tofu and Spinach Paratha

Tofu is made from soybeans, water and a coagulant, or curdling agent. It is high in protein and calcium and well known for its ability to absorb new flavors through spices and marinades. One day while chatting with my friend she mentioned that her mother-in-law tried to make tofu Paratha and it tasted quite good. Instantly I thought I should try it out. So I started looking for the recipe and came across to this one which I modified a little, and my family loved it. Visually appealing and amazingly tasty, these parathas look very good thanks to the green hue imparted by the spinach, which is rich in vitamins and minerals. Spinach also provides you with powerful antioxidant protection. The paratha's came out soft and had a different texture compared with regular parathas. One of my favorite recipe, which I recommend most.


This recipe will make 14-15 Parathas

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup of wheat flour
• 1 block of super soft tofu
• 2 cups of finely chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped cilantro
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp of  jeera powder
• 1 tsp of red chilli powder
• 1 tsp of tumeric powder
• 2-3 tbsp of ginger, green chilli & garlic paste
• 1 1/2 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Drain all the excess water from the tofu and place it aside.
2. Make a dough using all the ingredients & tofu - since tofu has a lot of water in it you don't need extra water to make the dough.  Set the dough aside for 15 minutes.
3. The dough will come out soft and sticky, so you can use oil on your hands and extra flour to dust the rolling pin and to avoid from it sticking to the rolling stone and pin.
4. When ready to make the parathas, divide the dough into small golf ball sized balls. Roll one into a thin paratha. Meanwhile heat a griddle to a medium high. Cook the paratha until brown spots appear on both sides using very little oil.  
5. While one paratha cooks, roll out the next one.
6. Serve with yogurt or raita or Desi Chai.   

Banana Cardamom Muffins

Growing up, I had always been a fan of cardamom. Most people are familiar with cardamom from fragrant Indian dishes, but this flavorful spice does more than lend flavor to curries and chai. It also has numerous health benefits, such as improving digestion and stimulating metabolism. My two kids love banana & they are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. I thought of combining the two flavors together to make a dessert/brunch for the family. They are so moist, that they melt in your mouth!

This recipe will make 10-12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 large bananas, cut finely
• 2 eggs (skip to make the egg less version or use a substitute)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups all purpose flour 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F, line the muffin tin.
2. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar.
3. Add the bananas, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and mix well.
4. In another bowl, mix the salt, baking powder, cardamom cinnamon and flour.
5. Add the flour to the banana mixture and mix until just combined (Don't over mix).
6. Fill muffin tin.
7. Sprinkle some candied ginger and cardamom seeds on top.
8. Bake for 19 minutes.

Morning Star Mince Samosa (Imitation of meat samosa)

Samosas are a light pastry filled with a savory filling like vegetables or meat. One can have fun creating fillings to suit their taste. I have heard a lot of my friends, who eat meat, tell me that they tried different meat samosas and how good they were. One day surfing for imitation meat recipes, I came across the idea of making samosas out of startergrillers from morning star. I've never tried a meat samosa but the look and the texture of this samosa seemed the same. This can be served as a light snack or an appetizer. It is often served hot with a mint, tomato, or tamarind chutney.

Ingredients:

300g morning star mince (meal starters grillers)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small carrot, diced small
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and diced small 
2 cloves garlic, crushed
50g frozen peas
1 tsp ground cumin
2 heaped tsp tikka masala curry paste, adjust depending on how hot you like your food
2 tbsp chopped coriander
8 sheets filo pastry, 40cm x 28.5cm
40g melted butter
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add onion, carrot, potatoes and garlic and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add the morning star mince, cumin, tikka masala paste and the frozen peas and cook for 3 minutes. Allow to cool.
3. Lay the sheets of filo pastry on a clean work surface and cut them into three equal strips lengthways. Brush each strip lightly with melted butter.
4. Spoon a tablespoon of the mince filling onto the pastry about 4cm from the bottom. Fold the left corner of the filo diagonally to the right side of the dough to cover the filling and continue folding in the same way until you reach the end of the sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining sheets of filo.
5. Place the samosas on a lightly greased baking sheet, brush with a little more melted butter and sprinkle a few sesame seeds on each samosa. 
6. Bake at 350°C  for 15 minutes or until golden.
7. Serve with mango chutney.