Split Moog Daal Falafel

My cousin from London came to visit my new born and she was a great help and a very good company for me. I never ever thought that she would fry things as she was not into cooking, in fact i still remember she use to wear gloves when she needed to kneed the dough so that her nails and fingers won't get messy. All that being said she made this dish for me and it was deli-sh. After that i have made a few times and it is definitely a delicious new twist to the traditional falafel.


This Recipe will make 10-12 Falafel patties

Ingredients:

• 1 Bowl of Split moong Daal (Soaked overnight)
• 4-5 Cloves Garlic
• 2-4 tsp crushed green chillies
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-2 tsp crushed ginger
• 2 tbsp finely chopped of fresh cilantro

Method:

1. Grind all the above listed ingredients with very little water. (Adjust the seasoning according to your taste)
2. Deep fry the bhajiyas.
3. Serve the bhajiyas in a pita pocket, your choice of salad, Humus sauce, Yougurt sauce & hot sauce:)

Cilantro and lime black bean Burger

This burger can be a real good competition to a meat burger. It has the really good flavor, texture and presentation not to mention it is healthy & delicious. Some patties are so complicated to make, but not this one, it's quick and easy. Try it, you will want to make it over and over.

Makes 7-8 Burger patties:

Ingredients for the Burger:

• 1 cup minced onion (combination of white and whites from a spring onion)
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper (combination of and green)
• 1 minced jalapeno pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans (do not drain the liquid)
• 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup corn chips, crumbled
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• olive oil, as needed

Method:

1. Sauté onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat until tender.
2. Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, paprika and salt. Cook an extra minute.
3. Add beans and heat through.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine beans/veggie mix, breadcrumbs, corn chip crumbs, cilantro, and lime. Stir to combine.
5. Remove about one cup of the mixture and place it in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Return pureed mixture to the mixing bowl and mix well.
6. From mixture, create 7-8 veggie burger patties about 3 inches across.
7. Cook patties in a lightly greased skillet about 4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and warmed through.
8. Serve on a bun with cilantro & jalapeno butter spread, honey mustard, hot sauce. Garnish with baby spinach, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, cucumber and onion slices along with avocado slices.

Popsicles

Popsicles are very easy to make at home and perfect for a hot summer day. You can make homemade popsicles with fruit juice, which won't be loaded with food coloring and corn syrup. It's a fun activity to do with my kids, they love making them. Out of the many flavors that I have made, these are the ones that stood out the most and are a little different than what you could find in the stores.

Creamy Coconut Lime Popsicles:

Ingredients:

1 14oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 Cup canned coconut milk
1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
2 limes (zest & juice)  

Method:

1. Whisk together the condensed milk & the coconut milk
2. Add the lime juice and stir.
3. Fold in the lime zest and shredded coconut.
4. Pour into freezer pop molds and freeze over night.

Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles:

Ingredients:

1 Pint of strawberries hulled & roughly chopped
1/4 cup sugar or 4 tbsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup greek yogurt (6-8oz)

Method:

1. Combine the strawberries and sugar in a small bowl. Let stand about 20 minutes to macerate the fruit, stirring occasionally. The fruit will soften and become syrupy.
2. Pour the strawberries and syrup into a food processor or blender. 
3. Add the lemon juice and pulse a few times until the fruit is pureed.
4. Stir the yogurt into the strawberry mixture until combined. 
5. Pour into molds and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight. To remove, run hot water over the outside of the mold until you can gently pull the Popsicle out.

Mocha Popsicles:

Ingredients:

2 cups (500ml) extra-strong coffee or espresso
2/3 cup (160ml) sweetened condensed milk (more or less according to taste)
1 1/2 tablespoon of unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder

Method:

1. Mix the coffee with the sweetened condensed milk. 
2. Add the tablespoon of cocoa powder. Taste, and add a bit more milk or chocolate powder, if desired. (A spoonful or two is fine, but any more and the Popsicle won’t freeze as hard).
3. Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze until solid. Mine took about 8 hrs.  To loosen the Popsicle out of its mold, hold under warm water until it slides out. 

   
     

Mint Chole with Homemade Bhature

One of my friends from Singapore, who has her own food blog makes really good food. Once while her mom was visiting her, I happened to try this dish at her place I loved it so much that I had to try making it. Traditionally, bhatura dough is made using rising agents like soda bicarbonate/baking soda, curds and leaving it for hours to ferment before they could be rolled out and deep fried. This recipe of bhature is one that uses mashed potatoes to soften up the bhaturas. Moreover, these bhaturas do not turn rubbery and chewy when they are eaten cold. The difference in the Chole recipe is the use of mint. Typically whenever I cooked chole I never use mint, but I must say this one is super delicious.

This recipe serves 3-4 people

Bhature:

Ingredients:

• 500 Gms Mainda (All purpose Flour)
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 small boiled potatoes, mashed
• 2 tsp yogurt
• 3 tbsp oil

Method:

Mix everything well - start making the dough, use very little water and make the dough very hard as it will become soft on its own with the moisture from the yogurt.

Leave it aside for 3-4 hours.

Roll into small or big circles and deep fry.

Chole: 

Ingredients:

• 500 gms Chole (soaked, cooked)
• 250 gms Tomatoes
• Mint Paste:
• 3/4 cup mint
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 medium onion
• 4-6 green Serrano chilies

Take all of the above ingredients (for mint paste) and grind into a paste.

  

Masalo:

• 1 tbsp. Jeera seeds
• 2 tbsp. Dhana seeds
• 6 garlic cloves
• 7-8 Black pepper seeds
• 1-2 small sticks of cinnamon
• 3 dried red chili (less if you like less Spicy)

Sauté everything on a hot pan for a few minutes until it starts releasing aroma, let it cool and then grind into a fine powder using a spice grinder or coffee grinder.

  Method:
 

1. In a deep pan, heat up some oil and fry the mint paste till the oil starts separating
2. Add the ground up masalo to pan and let it cook for two minutes before adding salt to taste
3. Then add the chopped tomatoes and let cook for a while until the tomatoes start releasing juices
4. Add the cooked chole  and let simmer for a while

• Serve the hot chole bhature with onions and lemon wedges.

Peanut Noodles

One of my friends always emails me recipes that are easy to make. This recipe is super easy, simple, yet very flavorful. I am always a pad thai fan and the flavors & textures of this recipe is very close to that. The mango in the recipe adds extra freshness.

This recipe will serve 4 people
 

Ingredients:

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 large mango, sliced into thin strips
• 1 large cucumber, sliced into thin strips
• 1 large carrot, sliced into thin strips
• 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
• Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnish
• 3 cups cooked noodles of your choice (cooked according to package instructions and drained)

Ingredients for the Peanut Sauce:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp of soya sauce
• 1 tsp Sri racha sauce
• salt, to taste

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a microwave safe bowl and heat for a minute or two, stirring occasionally until the peanut butter softens and blends well with the water. 
2. Whisk to remove any lumps.
3. In a large bowl, add all the remaining ingredients, stir in the peanut sauce and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.

Carrot Rice

I love learning & exploring different cuisines. I had this rice dish at my friends house, who can make any rice dish extra gourmet by adding her spin to it. I tried making it at home and I was able to develop the same flavors as hers and here I am, sharing the recipe. I love the spices that are used in making this rice and carrots add natural sweetness to the dish.

This recipe will serve 2-3 people.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Basmati rice
• 4-5 Carrots, shredded
• 1 Red onion
• 2 Serrano chillies
• 1 1/2 tbsp of ginger & garlic paste
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 4-5 cloves
• 1-2 Star anise
• 1 Stick of cinnamon
• 2-3 Cardamom pods
• Palm full of  fresh mint leaves, cashew nuts & raisins to Garnish
• Salt to taste

Method: 

1. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork to separate the grains.
2. Heat ghee in a pan and add all the spices from the ingredients list.
3. When they crackle, add onions and saute until they caramelize.
4. To that, add ginger & garlic paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Add carrot and salt and saute until the carrots are cooked. 
6. Remove from flame. If you like it crunchy then remove from flame when half done.
7. Add the cooked rice to the mixture. Carefully mix the rice so that it doesn't turn mushy.
8. Add mint leaves, cashews & raisins and give it a good mix.
9. Serve along with raita and gravy of your choice.

Orange Chipotle glazed Tofu

This recipe is tangy, sweet and has a kick to it. Maple syrup gives a tang but at the same time it adds sweetness to the dish. I make it all the time for my kids, yes my kids! they love it.

Ingredients:

• 2 Blocks Extra Firm Tofu
• 2 Cups of fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
• 2 tbsp. Cider Vinegar or Rice Vinegar
• 2 Chipotle Peppers in adobo sauce, minced
• 1/2 tsp. Corn starch
• Red & Green Bell Peppers
• Chilli peppers; Optional
• Onions chopped
• salt  & pepper

Method:

1. Cut the Tofu and Veggies into cubes.
2. Mix the orange juice, maple syrup, chipotle peppers, salt & pepper to make a marinate and let it sit for 30 minutes.
3. Marinate the tofu with half of the marinate mixture in an airtight glass container and let sit in the fridge for a few hours.
4. In a sauce pan heat up a little oil and sauté the marinated tofu until it is crispy.
5. Mean while, mix the remaining marinate with the marinate from the tofu and heat up in a sauce pan with the corn starch till the marinate thickens up to make a glaze.
6. Now add the veggies to the crisp tofu and sauté them for a few minutes along with some salt and pepper.
7. Now pour the glaze on the tofu and veggies and mix well.
8.  This dish can be served warm or room temperature.