Baingan Bharta (Roasted Eggplant curry)

Can't believe year is going to end in couple of weeks. November and December goes quicker than any month. Holiday season means baking, good food, meeting friends and lots of deals. I am eagerly waiting for upcoming holidays to relax and have some good times with my friends.
Coming to tonight's recipe, last week my friend brought me big fatty eggplants from farmers market. Initially I thought I will make andhra style eggplant chutney but decided to make baingan bharta for dinner.

Baingan Bharta is nothing but charcoal roasted eggplant cooked in tomato, onion spicy mixture.  Usually in India eggplants are roasted on direct fire to infuse smoky flavor in the dish. Since our house is electric stove I used oven to roast eggplants.

Next time when you find big fatty eggplants try this recipe.



Ingredients:

2 Egg plants (big fat eggplants)
2 medium sized onion finely chopped
3 tomatoes finely chopped
2 or 3 green chilies (split length wise) increase as per your spice level
1tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1tsp red chili powder(optional.. As per your spice level)
4 garlic pods (crushed)
1tbsp oil
1/2tsp cumin seeds
curry leaves (optional)
salt as per taste

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 450 F. Sprinkle few drops of oil and rub on egg plants and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 mts. Depending on your oven power adjust the time. Once eggplants are baked turn off the oven and let it cool for few minutes and remove the skin and chop.



In a pan add oil, once oil is hot add cumin seeds. Once cumin seeds starts splattering add crushed garlic and cook for a minute. Now add chopped onions, curry leaves and cook till raw smell of onion goes away. Add tomatoes, spices(cumin, chili, salt and coriander powder). Cook on a medium heat till tomatoes are completely cooked. To cooked tomatoes mixture add chopped eggplant and cook for 8 to 10 mts while mashing and mixing eggplant in spice mixture.Adjust salt and turn off heat. Serve with hot rotis or rice.

Mint Rice

Yesterday was just like any other weekend. Only difference is, we continue to do our tradition of decorating christmas tree. After all the chores, I had no energy to cook multiple dishes for dinner so decided to cook simple rice. So ended up making mint rice (pressure cook method)

Here is our Christmas tree:



Here is the recipe.



Ingredients:

Mint - 2 bunches
cilantro - 1 bunch
Rice - 2 cups
6 green chillies ( increase or decrease as per your spice level)
ginger - 1/4 inch
salt - as per taste
garlic - 2 pods
4 cloves
bay leaf
onion - 1 medium size cut in strips
1tbsp cashew nuts (Optional)
oil

Preparation:

Pressure cook method: 


Wash and chop mint and cilantro and grind into coarse paste along with green chilies.
Make a paste of ginger and garlic and keep it aside.

In a pressure pan add oil. Once oil is hot add cashew nuts, cloves, bay leaf sauté till they are light brown then add onions and ginger garlic paste. Once onions turn golden add mint, cilantro paste and cook for 2 more minutes. Now add washed rice, water(1:2 ratio) and salt. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and turn off the heat.


Using Cooked rice method: 

Cook rice (using 1:2 ratio of rice to water). Once rice is cooked spread it out in a wide pan and cool it.
Wash and chop mint and cilantro and grind into coarse paste along with green chilies.
Make a paste of ginger and garlic and keep it aside.

In a wok add oil. Once oil is hot add cashew nuts, cloves, bay leaf sauté till they are light brown then add onions and ginger garlic paste. Once onions turn golden add mint, cilantro paste and cook for 2 more minutes. Now add rice and salt and mix well and turn off the heat.

Delicious mint rice is ready to be served. Serve with raita.

Lentils with Swiss Chard

I never heard nor tasted swiss chard when I was in India. In India we usually cook lentils with spinach, gongura(red spinach), fenugreek leaves, Amaranth leaves, tender tamarind leaves etc. After coming to USA learned different greens (kale, swiss chard, collards, arugula etc, . Out of those greens I love the taste of Swiss chard and Kale. Research shows that Swiss chard is one of the best greens with full of antioxidants.  I do cook regularly swiss chard and kale either salad form or lentil soups. Yesterday's lunch was swiss chard lentil soup.  Thought of sharing this healthy recipe with all of you so here is the recipe






More information about Swiss Chard : Source WHFoods..

Link

Few lines from that page: " Swiss chard is not only one of the most popular vegetables along the Mediterranean but it is one of the most nutritious vegetables around and ranks second only to spinach following our analysis of the total nutrient-richness of the World's Healthiest vegetables."


Rooster near our house: My daughter took this pic : Loved the way she captured the colors and the rooster.




Ingredients

1 cup of tur dal/red gram
1 bunch of swiss chard (remove the stem and chop the leaves since colored stems are very hard.)
1 pinch of haldi/turmeric powder
1/2 medium sized onion - chopped
2 garlic pods crushed
2-3 green chillies (split length wise)
Salt to taste
red chili powder (optional)
2 tsp lemon juice

for tempering/popu/tadka:

1-2 red chillies
1/2tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds
Hing/ Asafoetida
1tbsp Oil


Preparation:

Cook lentils in a cooker for 4-5 whistles, keep it aside. (Note: 1 cup of lentils needs 2 cups of water to cook.)
In a seperate vessel heat oil add tempering items, once mustard seeds start splattering add chopped onions, crushed garlic and cook till raw smell of onion and garlic goes away. Now add chopped swiss chard, green chillies and cook for 5- 6 mts once the greens are cooked add the cooked dal, salt and pinch of haldi/pasupu/turmeric powder (You can add red chili powder/ black pepper if you want little spicy). Let it cook for 5-6 mts on medium heat and adjust spices. Once lentils cooked with all the spices, add lemon juice and mix well and turn off the heat. Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.(optional)




Serve with hot rice along with chips or papad or Vadiyalu.

This Lentil soup is rich in protein and good source vitamins.

Pav Bhaji

How many of you drool hearing this recipe? I do. I still remember those days where I used to travel approximately 15kms to eat Sardar Pav Bhaji in Mumbai.  Not even single restaurant till now managed to impress me for pav bhaji like the way we get in mumbai streets.  I cannot justify with my words the taste of pav bhaji which we get in Mumbai.  Somehow I manage to make pav bhaji as close as I can come to the mumbai street food taste.

Yesterday night I decide to make pav bhaji for dinner.
Here is the recipe which I follow. (Adapted from friends)



Ingredients:

1 cauliflower (cut into florets)
3 carrots cut into cubes
2 bell peppers cut in cubes
1 potato boiled and mashed
1/2 cup green peas
2 medium sized onions finely chopped
5 tomatoes or 3 cups finely chopped
2tbsp pav bhaji masala
1tbsp ginger garlic paste (optional. You can ignore this if you are using chili paste)
1tsp red chili powder(increase as per your spice level) or chili garlic paste
salt as per taste
pinch of turmeric powder
2tbsp oil or butter

To serve:

Pav,
chopped onions
lemon wedges
chopped coriander

Procedure:

Chili paste: soak 6 red chilies ,3 garlic cloves in 2tbsp water for 30 mts and grind into fine paste.

Pressure cook cauliflower, carrots, green peas and bell peppers for 1 whistle. In a thick bottom vessel/pan add butter or oil, once oil is hot add onions and sauté for few minutes till the raw smell goes away. Add ginger garlic/chili paste and cook for a minute and add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are cooked completely into a smooth paste or oil separates from tomatoes. To this add pav bhaji masala, red chili powder(if you want more spicy), turmeric powder and salt. Cook for a minute and add boiled vegetables and mashed potato and mash thoroughly using potato masher. If required add  1/4 cup of water to get the right consistency. Cook for 8 to 10 mts and adjust the salt as per the taste.

Slice pav add butter and sprinkle pav bhaji masala(adding pav bhaji masala is optional) . On a heated pan add butter and roast sliced pav on both sides till the pav is lightly browned.

On a serving plate keep bhaji garnish with chopped onions and coriander(Optional: add 1/8 spoon of butter on top of the bhaji.) and serve with roasted pav and lemon wedges.

I am sure after reading this your mouth will start drool.

Misal Pav

Since yesterday morning weather in bay area changed. Rainy, windy, gloomy weather started. This kind of weather I just crave for spicy food. So prepared Misal for yesterday's dinner. Here is the recipe which I posted few years back.
Recipe link

Kalakand from scratch and a Big Thank you

I can't believe it's Thanksgiving today. Days are going faster than I think. Most of us wait for this time of the year to celebrate festivals and spend time with family and friends. On the occasion of Thanksgiving  I would like to thank god, family, friends and everyone who inspired me and supported me.

Thanking all my readers with a simple and delicious sweet "Kalakand"

Here is the recipe for the same.

Ingredients:

8 cups of milk
2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup sugar

Procedure:

Boil 4 cups of milk over a medium heat in a thick bottom vessel stirring in between.  Once milk starts boiling add lemon juice. Milk starts to cuddle at this time. Turn off the heat and strain the milk using cheese cloth.  Keep the milk paste (Nothing but paneer) aside.

Boil remaining milk in a clean thick bottomed vessel stirring occasionally. Once milk starts boiling reduce the heat to low and cook the milk till it thickens and becomes half the quantity.(This is called khoya)  Once milk thickens add paneer and sugar and continue to cook over low heat stirring till it becomes into  a soft lump (like bread dough).  Turn off the heat and transfer to a greased plate or bowl. Cool it completely and cut into cubes or any other shape.



Garnish with silvered almonds or pistachios. (I skipped garnishing to make it nut free). Yummy kalakand ready to be served.

Gluten Free - Baby Shower cake

Finally after 3 months of break from blogging, back with today's post. 12 days back I baked this beautiful cake for one of my friend's baby shower.  This is a gluten free chocolate cake, frosted with swiss butter cream.

All the decorations are made with gum paste. Hibiscus flowers made from scratch using gum paste.  Baby is made with a mold using gum paste and decorated with color dust.

Here are the pics of the same

Vegan Moist Chocolate Cake drizzled with Vegan Salty Sweet Caramel sauce

Much awaited long weekend was over with lots of eating. The amount of food which I had over the weekend needs detoxification for at least 1 week. So I started eating salads till yesterday night. Y'day night want to indulge something sweet so tried this recipe which I was planning to do for quite some time.

All my friends knows I am not a big fan of chocolate. If you keep a box of chocolates in front of me it will just stay as it is for many weeks. But once in a while I would love to have a small piece of chocolate cake topped with ice cream or drizzled with caramel sauce. A small bite of sweet cake topped with salty sweet caramel sauce is heaven in your mouth.



Here is the recipe for the heavenly piece of bite: (Adapted from Hobby and more with slight variations. )

Ingredients:

Dry:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips(vegan)
1tbsp cocoa powder
1/4cup grounded walnuts (I grounded to fine coarse (not too coarse not too fine))
1tsp baking powder

Wet:
1/4 cup Dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Almond milk
1tbsp instant coffee powder
1tsp vanilla extract
1tsp apple cider vinegar
2tbsp flax meal

Caramel Sauce: 
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup almond milk (Increase if sauce feels too thick)
1/2 tsp oil
1/8 tsp sea salt

Preparation: In a sauce pan add all the ingredients over medium heat until combined. Increase the heat to max for 2 mts once you see bubbles turn off the heat and let it cool. If the sauce becomes too thick after it cooled add milk and follow the same process(first cook on medium and 1 mt on high heat) .



 You can use this sauce on cakes, ice creams or just have it as it is :)



Preparation:

Pre heat oven to 350 degree F. Grease 8inch or 9 inch pan.

Mix all we ingredients and warm in microwave for 1 minute. Sieve all the flours and mix all the dry in a separate bowl. Now slowly add wet to dry and mix well. Pour batter in greased pan and bake for 18 mts or until tooth pick comes clean when inserted in the center of the cake.

Cool completely on a rack and cut in desired shape. Before serving drizzle salty sweet caramel sauce and serve.  I am 100% sure once u have the first bite u will feel like you are in heaven.

Graduation Cake for my friend's husband

It's been a long time since I updated my blog. Quite busy with work and home stuff. Finally got few mts to update with the cake which I made with the help of my friend (Annu) for her husband. It is a black forest cake decorated with fondant. Everything is edible on the cake.

Initially my friend thought of ordering a cake, but due to limited time she couldn't. We decided to give a try and bake at home. My friend's friend(Suneeta) who lives in eastcoast came up with this design. Annu and myself executed very close to the design. All the hard work paid off and end product was awesome. Everyone loved it.

Here is the final product.




Making of figures: 

 

A big achievement- Finished 25 mile Tour De Cure -Napa Bike Ride...

Hurray !!!!!  Finished 25 mile (approx 27 mile) Tour De Cure - Napa bike ride in 2 hours 27mts. I couldn't believe myself that I finished the ride in short time. It was an awesome ride with breath taking views. I couldn't control my self without taking pics. Managed to take few pics using my cell phone. Riding with thousands of people and watching a red rider(Who rides with diabetes) biking with me is an awesome feeling. 

If you ever a get a chance please try to participate in Tour De cure.

Thank you all who supported me in Tour De cure.  

Pics from Ride.. 

After reaching home, sat in my patio and relaxed looking at these beautiful roses. 

Finally last weekend was an awesome weekend. It was a great feeling to support for a good cause. 

I highly encourage everyone to support for a good cause. 

Aloo Palak/ Potatoes in Spinach gravy

Last week our home refrigerator stopped working.I had to wait for 4 days till I get a new fridge. First task the moment I realized fridge is not working was cleanup. Cleaning fridge is a big task but I am glad that my habit of not storing food and making fresh food for every meal made me finish so quickly. No food wastage. Only problem I had was to finish vegetables quickly. One of the vegetable was Spinach. Made spinach rice one day and one day Aloo Palak.

Very simple to make and yet delicious with hot rotis.

Ingredients:

2tbsp of oil
1 bunch of spinach/ 4 cups of baby spinach
2 medium sized potato cubed or any shape which you like
1 medium sized tomato (finely chopped)
1 medium sized onion (finely chopped)
2-3 green chilies
1tsp cumin powder
1tsp ginger garlic paste
1tsp coriander powder
pinch of turmeric powder
1tbsp red chilly powder
1tbsp whole garam masala (2 cloves, 1/4 inch Cinnamon stick,2 cardamoms)
(You can substitute with 1tbsp masala powder instead of whole garam masala)
Salt to taste


Procedure:

1. Blanch spinach and make a puree with green chilies in a mixer.
2. Stir fry cubed potatoes till they turn golden color. (You can skip this step if you want potatoes mushy)
3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add whole garam masala, chopped onions, ginger garlic paste and salt (Salt helps to cook onions faster). Once onions turn golden color add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilly powder, turmeric powder.
4. Add chopped tomatoes. Once tomatoes are cooked completely in masala/spices add spinach paste.
5. Once spinach puree starts boiling add potato cubes. Cook for 5-6 mts on low heat. Give a taste test and adjust spices.
Turn off the heat and garnish with fresh coriander. Aloo Palak is ready to serve with nan/roti.

Adzuki Beans curry

Today I am posting the recipe with Adzuki beans. As far as I remember I never tasted these beans in India.

A year back when I bought sprouted beans packet in Costco found one of the ingredients is Adzuki beans. Couple of months back found the same beans in Indian Store named "Red Chori". These beans have unique taste and nutty flavor. Very nutritious too.

Try it out you will definitely love these like me.



Ingredients:

1 cup of Adzuki beans
2 tomatoes finely chopped
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
1bay leaf
3 cloves
1tsp garam masala powder
black pepper powder or red chili powder as per your spice level
pinch of turmeric powder
salt
1tbsp oil
1tsp ginger garlic paste
1tsp sugar
1tsp lemon juice
chopped cilantro for garnish

Procedure:

Cook Beans:
Option 1: Wash and soak beans in 3 cups of water for 6 hrs and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
Option 2: Wash and cook beans in 3 cups of water in pressure cooker for 9 whistles.
Once cooker is cooled remove strain beans and keep the water aside(do not discard any excess water) and use potato masher and mash beans coarsely.
In a stock pot add oil, once oil is hot add bay leaf, cloves, ginger garlic paste and onions. Add salt this will help onions to cook faster. Once onions turn golden color add chopped tomatoes, garam masala powder, black pepper, sugar and turmeric powder. Once onions and tomatoes cooked in spices add cooked beans and the beans water. Cook for 10 more minutes and adjust spices.(If needed add more water) . Remove from heat and add lemon juice and mix well. Nutritious curry is ready to be served. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot rice or roti.

Stuffed Jalapenos

It's been raining past few days in bay area. During this kind of weather I always feel like eating something spicy and deep fried. Decided to make Mirchi Bajji but wanted to try baked version of stuffed Jalapenos instead of deep fry version. First time i had these stuffed jalapenos are at my friend Shilpa's place. She made two varieties one is cream cheese filling another one potato filling. My favorite one is potato filling.

Here is my version of Stuffed Jalapenos for those who wants to eat spicy.

Ingredients:

10 Jalapenos
2 medium sized potatos
4tbsp grated raw mango
1/2 onion finely chopped
chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
lemon juice
salt
chat masala
red chili powder (If you want more spicy which I do ;) )

Procedure:

Pre heat oven to 400 F
Slit Jalapenos length wise and remove seeds to shape like a boat. Or Cut Jalapenos into half, length wise and remove seeds.
Boil potatoes and mash with potato masher.
Combine chopped onions, mashed potatoes, grated raw mango, salt, chili powder(optional). Taste and adjust spices.
Stuff jalapenos with the potato mix and bake for 15 to 18 mts till peppers are cooked. (Hint: peppers will turn little bit brown color.)

Remove from oven sprinkle lemon juice, chat masala and garnish with cilantro and serve.



If you are spicy lover like me cannot stop with 1.