Thai Red Curry with Vegetables

So easy to make and so tasty to tongue!
This is one of the recipe that you can never go wrong with.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown jasmine rice or long-grain brown rice, rinsed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small white onion, diced
• Pinch of salt, more to taste
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (about a 1-inch nub of ginger)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 red bell pepper, Cubed
• 1 yellow or green bell pepper, cubed
• 2 carrots, peeled and Cubed
• Hand full of snap peas
• Hand full of broccoli florets
• 2-3 tbsp Thai Curry paste
• 1 can (14 ounces) full-fat coconut milk
• 1 Cup Baby Spinach
• 1½ tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1½ tsp rice vinegar
• Garnishes/sides: handful of chopped fresh basil or cilantro, optional red pepper flakes, optional sriracha or chili garlic sauce

Instructions:

1. To cook the rice, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rinsed rice and continue boiling for 30 minutes, reducing heat as necessary to prevent overflow. Remove from heat, drain the rice and return the rice to pot. Cover and let the rice rest for 10 minutes or longer, until you're ready to serve. Just before serving, season the rice to taste with salt and fluff it with a fork.
2. To make the curry, warm a large skillet with deep sides over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add a tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, while stirring continuously.
3. Add the bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli & carrots and cook for until they are fork-tender, 3 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the curry paste and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
4. Add the coconut milk and Spinach to the pan along with ¾ cup water and 1½ teaspoons sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the peppers, carrots and Spinach have softened to your liking, about 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Remove the curry from heat and season with rice vinegar and soy sauce. Add salt (I added ¼ teaspoon for optimal flavor), to taste. Divide rice and curry into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if you'd like. If you love spicy curries, serve with sriracha or chili garlic sauce on the side.
6.   For Protein, I added tofu to the recipe (it's optional).

Gujarati Kadhi

One never knows what their hit dish is till they get told over and over again to make that dish. This is my hit dish. Gujarati Kadhi! Goes very well with rice or Roti. Growing up my mum made this all the time but I never bothered to learn how to make it until I got married and found out that my husband loves Kadhi. One of my very good friends also thinks that I make the best kadhi and so for those reason I decided to blog it!

Ingredients:

for the kadhi:

• 1 cup yogurt
• 2 to 2.5 cups water
• 2 to 2.5 tbsp gram flour/chickpea flour/besan
• 1 tbsp total of crushed ginger, green chilies, and garlic paste
• 1 tbsp brown sugar or jaggery... add more for more sweetness
• salt to taste
• coriander leaves for garnish

for the tempering:

• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• a pinch or two of asafoetida/hing
• 2 broken red chilies, deseeded
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp ghee/Clarified butter

Method:

1. Mix the chickpea flour/besan, ginger green chili-garlic paste, yogurt, sugar and salt with the water.
2. Beat to a smooth mixture.
3. In a medium sauce pan, fry all the tempering ingredients in the tablespoon of Ghee.
4. Add the yogurt-water mixture.
5. Bring to a boil first and then simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.
6. Continue to stir in between to avoid lumps from getting formed.
7. Garnish kadhi with chopped coriander and serve hot with rice or rotti.

Spiced Apple Moscow Mule

I love Mules! They are my favorite drink, they are warm and have a subtle taste one can enjoy with all kinds of food.
This is my spin to the traditional Moscow Mule.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Vodka
• 2 ounces apple cider
• 1 ounce spiced simple syrup (ingredients below)
• Ice
• 4 to 6 ounces ginger beer
• Apple slices, mint, and cinnamon sticks, for garnish

Spiced Simple Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 or 5 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 star anise

Instructions

Spiced Simple Syrup.

Makes ¾ to 1 cup syrup

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Add cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 10 minutes until mixture has begun to thicken a bit.
5. Turn off the heat, cover, and allow syrup to cool completely (30 to 60 minutes).
6. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves from syrup; discard. Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Spiced Apple Moscow Mule Cocktail

1. In a copper mug, add vodka, apple cider, and spiced simple syrup.
2. Add ice.
3. Top off with ginger beer.
4. Stir and garnish with cinnamon stick and mint. Add slice of apple, if desired, for garnish.

Creamy Mushroom Cheddar Soup

I have not blogged in a very long time. Going back to work, Kids and social life take up pretty much all the time. But I couldn't resist to share this one. One of my friends, who is a foodie, shared this with me & I absolutely loved it. Its one of those one pot meal that hits the spot.

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) package baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
• 2-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup sliced green onions (white and light green parts only)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-1/2 cups packed shredded cheddar cheese
• Fresh chopped parsley and garlic croutons, for garnish
• Salt & black Pepper & red chili flakes to taste

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add mushrooms and green onions and saute until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add flour and stir well. Slowly add milk and vegetable broth, stirring well to combine.
4. Add bay leaf and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, about 20-25 minutes.
6. Adjust the seasoning with salt pepper and red chili flakes.
7. Gradually add cheese and stir until melted. Top with parsley and croutons.