Monday, August 26, 2013

Lemon Quinoa | Lemony Quinoa Pilaf


South Indian style lemon rice is probably one of my favourite rice dishes. It is a delight both to make and to eat - the fragrant tempering, the hot and sharp tastes, and the beautiful yellow colour are so inviting! Its also so easy to make that it can be ready in a snap. It is also great to make if you have left over rice from a party or get together. Lemon rice is one of the dishes I love to make when we are planning a road trip or a picnic. It travels so well, tastes delicious hot or cold, and you never have to worry about the accompaniments.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Nimboo Wali Arhar Dal | Lemony Toor Dal


Toor Dal easily qualifies to be the creamiest of dals in Indian cooking. Its also very flavourful and highly versatile. Its delicious on its own but also make for a great base for amti, sambar, khichri, and bisi bele bhaat! I am particularly fond of cooking this dal with ginger and garlic, tempering it with hing, and then adding a big squeeze of lemon into it. Delicious and heavenly!!

Monday, August 19, 2013

Cilantro Millet


Millet is a grain I use quite regularly. I use it as a substitute for rice and sometimes mill it for adding to breads. My last stash of millet finished a few weeks. So off I went to my grocery store, down the organic aisle and to my great surprise - no millet!! Then I chugged off to the local coop - no millet, next came the wholesale organic store - and yet no millet. Oh well, I thought - I'll buy it online. A few clicks later - no millet - no stock anywhere!! Strange coincidence I pondered - all the millet in my part of the world has gone off the market just on the day I need it!!

Friday, August 16, 2013

Light Rye Sandwich Bread


Weekends are for the great outdoors in our part of the world. The short summers and the beautiful autumn weather is best enjoyed walking or hiking in the woods or forested preserves. The greenery, waterways, wildlife, especially the birds make walks - be they short or long so fulfilling that it is almost a shame to spend a single day indoors.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Alsi Podi | Flax Seeds Chutney Powder


Everyone knows alsi or flax seeds are good for you, but how does one eat them? Incorporate them in your baking, sprinkle them on your granola, blend them into a smoothie, or top a parfait. Looking for new ways to incorporate flax seeds into your diet. Look no further. Here is a recipe that is not just lipsmackingly good, it adds major nutrient value to you meal. Simple, delicious Flax Seeds Podi is the perfect accompaniment to idlis, dosas, and of course rice. Just mix it with some warm raw sesame seeds oil (til tail) to a paste consistency and enjoy. By the way, I also love sprinkling this chutney dry over dals, sprouts, and salads.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Moong Dal Tadka | Tempered Mung Dal


As I had mentioned in a previous post, dal is a staple in most Indian homes and ours is no exception. I am making a lot of dals these days. I love my cup of dal in the afternoon and try to mix it around with a variety of lentils and beans all cooked and tempered in many different ways. Today I am sharing a recipe for a simple mung dal that is tempered with ginger and garlic.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Phool Gobhi ki Bhaji | Cauliflower Saute


With the temperatures diving into the 70s, the weather has turned rather autumnal around here. The leaves on the trees are still green, and there is no fall. But the sunshine seems to have acquired that mellow quality that makes autumn so incredibly beautiful. The flowers are still in bloom and we are seeing a lot of bumblebees, geese, and squirrels!! Its wonderful to enjoy the great outdoors and we have been stepping out every evening to enjoy the longer daylight hours too! That often leave me with a rather short window to rustle up a hot and fresh meal for dinner.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Patta Gobhi ki Bhaji | Sauteed Cabbage | Farm Fresh Produce


Cabbage is a wonderful vegetable. Apart from belonging to the family of cruciferous vegetables, it is packed with beta-carotene, Vitamin C, and fiber! My last visit to the farm yielded some beautiful heads of cabbage, kohl rabi, beets, and cucumbers. I was also able to get some glossy banana peppers and some fragrant lemon grass.But more about those later. Today I want to share a cabbage recipe I developed for the farm fresh cabbage I got last weekend.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Chana Dal Takda | Tempered Bengal Gram Dal and a Round Up of Healthy Me and Healthy Us


Dal is a staple in Indian homes - prepared at least for one meal if not two. As I kid I remember enjoying dal for both lunch and dinner. Moong was our lunchtime favourite and for dinner Arhar or Toor Dal always won hands down. Other dals were always included in the diet and my Mum always alternated between making the wide variety of dals and beans that are available in India. Today I follow this tradition of cooking dal at home. Often I use the pressure cooker as it is perfect to get dals ready in a jiffy. But sometimes I like to soak dals for up to two hours before cooking and then slow cook them in a stock pot on the stove!

Friday, August 2, 2013

Healthy Blueberry and Peach Cobbler | Eggless Baking


I have a weakness for peaches. And blueberries are a favourite in my family. So when I manage to get my hands on juicy peaches and fresh blueberries I just cannot resist whipping up some delicious Peach and Blueberry Cobbler! Now this may seem more like a recipe for the autumn, and yes I love baking fragrant crumbles, cobblers, and fruit cakes during the autumn. Its an ideal way to enjoy the last fruit of the summer while welcoming apples and pears into my kitchen.