Shimla Mirche ke Chawal | Spicy Green Bell Pepper Rice

Fried rice recipes are so easy to put together. A well spiced fried rice dish tastes wonderful warm or cold and makes for a simple and flavorful recipe for a packed lunch or a picnic lunch. Though fried rice recipes are often made with leftover rice, I love to make them with fresh rice too. They make a great one pot meal for lunch or dinner and then if I have any leftover I use it for the lunchbox. If you have an office microwave, you can carry this for lunch the next day too.

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!!

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.

Masala Matar | Green Peas Masala

Regardless of season I always keep green peas in my refrigerator or freezer. They are perfect for adding to pretty much any curry or dal and also make great stuffing for parathas, pooris, and kachoris!! Fresh peas tend to be so sweet and delicious that I generally make very simple recipes with peas. They taste best when they are just a little undercooked and not over seasoned. But once in a while I like to indulge and make curry rich dishes that include peas. My brothers visit last weekend was one such occasion and I wanted to make loads of special food to spoil him.

Whole Green Lentils and Kale Kootu

Its been the most incredibly busy week. Its also been some time since my last post and I have been trying to get this recipe out on the blog for the last 4 days!! Anyway, I guess its better late than never. This is a deliciously nutritious recipe for whole green lentils with kale. You can enjoy this quite simply in a soup form or with rice.

Great Northern Beans Curry | White Beans in a Tomato Gravy

Simple gravies that go well with flat breads and rice are a staple of the Indian kitchen. I love cooking with beans and use a great variation of gravies to curry them Sometimes its just being creative with whatever is on hand. Sometimes its a pre-planned project complete with roasting spices, grinding, frying, and then boiling the beans in the said curry.

Quinoa Pongal with Kale and Peas | Savoury Quinoa Porridge

If you are looking for a quick whole meal there is nothing like kichidi (kedgree) or pongal (porridge)!! Both are very similar savoury complete meals that combine and cook together lentils and rice often with a medley of vegetables and spices. When I was growing up, kichidi was a favourite meal at least once a week. Pongal is something I was introduced in my college days over shared tiffins!!

Til Chatni | Sesame Seeds Powder | Chutney Powder

Dry Chutney Powders are a perfect accompaniment to a simple dinner of dal, rice, and vegetable. I learnt about these powders when we moved to Mumbai and I began school there. The variety of dry powders and their delicious hot and spicy taste were a treat to my tongue. I loved to eat them with everything - yes pretty much everything! I included them in sandwiches, inhaled them with batata vadas and sago kichidi, and sprinkled them on dal and yogurt.

Hara Matar Kootu | Green Peas Kootu

Here is a simple and healthy recipe for you and your family. A mix of yellow moong dal, green peas and a freshly prepared spice mix, this kootu is simply heartwarming. I love to make this recipe in the winter when its snowing outside and so cold you would not want to budge. The ultimate in comfort food, enjoy this kootu with hot rice and dollop of ghee on the top!!

Phool Gobhi Rassa | Cauliflower in Coconut Milk

Good quality cauliflower is a rare and prized vegetable here in winter. While in Delhi, we got some of the best cauliflower in this season. However with inches of snow covering the ground here we rarely get to see a decent head of cauliflower between December and March. All the vegetable comes from the warmer climes and has for so long sat in some cold storage chain that it becomes a challenge to cook it. But sometimes you get lucky and I got some really beautiful organic cauliflower at my local market the other day. I wanted to do justice to this lovely vegetable and so chose this delicious and simple curry to enjoy it in!!

Peas Nutri-Nuggets Curry | Curried Peas and Soy Nuggets

I love cooking with soy nuggets, they are so versatile and wonderful! What I like most about them apart from the fact that they are nutritious is that they absorb the flavour of pretty much any curry they are cooked in. I always keep a stash ready in my pantry especially for days what I want to make a one pot meal or simply a quick curry.

Mushroom Pepper Pulao | Mushroom Pepper Pilaf

There is nothing a like a wholesome one pot meal on cold winter evenings. These days we are right in the middle of a cold spell, cold days and even colder nights. There are inches and inches of snow on the ground and pretty much everything is frozen. Luckily we have lots of sunshine and bright days that make the early sunset more tolerable. Thanks to the sunlight we see an endless stream of birds on the trees and the occasional squirrel and wild rabbit too!! 

Hara Masala Makai Pulao | Spicy Green Corn Rice

Last night I made this simple Corn Pulao with Gajar Koshambir (Carrot Salad) for dinner. We were just back from a long weekend and craving some good home cooked food. I already had some Arhar | Toor Dal | Pigeon Pea ready in the freezer. So while it defrosted, I decided to rustle up something special as well as quick.This Corn Pulao is a little different, as I decided to add cilantro to the cooking process. This gave it a really fresh and tangy taste which was balanced beautifully by the sweetness of the corn.

Kathal Pulao | Rice with Tender Jackfruit

Kathal or raw Jackfruit is not available in my part of the world. Even Indian stores do not carry it. The only way to indulge any craving for Jackfruit is to get it canned from Asian stores that import it from Thailand. I remember Kathal largely from my time in Delhi. My Mum would get it from vegetable vendors in the Sarojini Nagar market when it was in season. Kathal is not an easy vegetable to prepare, just the peeling, cutting, separating the seeds and removing them from their tough shells is a cumbersome task. This is usually made even more difficult by the sticky sap that oozes out of the peel when it is cut into!! We were kids in school and for us it seemed more like an adventure - to get to the delicious flesh of this wonderful vegetable!! And so the end result was always more than worth the trouble.

Patta Gobhi Ki Bhurji | Creamy Scrambled Cabbage

One of the simplest yet most delicious recipes that I gleaned from my Mum's cooking is Patta Gobhi Bhurji. A creamy cabbage dish made to suit an Indian meal, its both fast to cook and nutritious to eat. Mum made this for me when she was here last month. I can still taste the Bhurji bursting with flavour in my mouth!!

Aloo Phoolgobhi Sabzi | Aloo Gobhi | Potato Cauliflower Fry

The simplest of vegetables prepared at mealtimes in the winter in north India is aloo gobhi. While regional variations abound, this simple recipe is a staple in homes in Uttar Pradesh. It can be served with any flatbread - chappatis, parathas, and even pooris. I love it with chana dal and plain home made yogurt.

Adzuki Beans with Swiss Chard

This is one of my very favourite recipes, and I love to make it on winter evenings. Once cooked, adzuki beans are very creamy and with the addition of a green almost resemble a thick hearty soup!! They absorb seasoning very well yet retain their own particular taste. This recipe will go well with Indian style flat breads, as well as any freshly baked wheat bread. We love it with Basmati rice.

Herby Oven-Baked Chips

With Thanksgiving round the corner, I am sure that everyone is drawing up a special menu for the meal that forms the centre piece of the day. While its great to have all the traditional favourites, vegetarians can sometimes face a bit of a challenge. And it can take a tremendous amount of self-education, thoughtfulness, and care if you are expecting friends who follow a vegan or gluten-free diet or are simply allergic to multiple ingredients that are a part of the treats prepared for the day.

My contribution to this effort is as humble as it is simple. Herby oven-baked chips are one of my very favourite recipes and I hope that they would appeal to all the above diets!!

Ingredients:
6-8 baby red potatoes
1/2 tsp mixed Italian herbs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed pepper
1/4 tsp dehydrated garlic powder
1 tsp olive oil

Method:

1. Wash the potatoes and do not peel. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Then slice each half lengthwise once again slices just under 1/2 " thick.
2. Once all the potatoes are cut, wash once again in cold water, drain, and place in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil on the potatoes. Next sprinkle the herbs, salt, garlic powder, and crushed black pepper.
3. Mix well to coat the potatoes well. Place them on a cookie or jelly-roll pan.
4. Bake at 425F in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the slices are well cooked, and browning around the edges.
5. Remove and serve warm.

These chips are soft on the inside, but really crispy and crunchy on the outside. I found that while they are already very flavourful, adding the garlic gave them a lot of added punch. They can be made in advance. Just place them in an ovenproof dish and leave in a warm oven until ready to serve. Though these chips are great for a quick snack, I often combine them with a hearty soup. They are a great substitute for bread. But they do make a simple, easy to put together, colourful and spicy addition to any Thanksgiving table:)

This recipe goes out to Allergy Mom @ The Allergic Kid who is hosting the 'Thanks for "Nothing" Thanksgiving Roundup.

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007-2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Indian Street Food: Rice Plate Chole | Chickpeas with RIce

Now that's an unusual name for a recipe isn't it? Not if you've been to University in Delhi, Bombay, or many of the other metros in India. When I was completing my Masters in Delhi, I spent long long hours soaking up books in the library. Reading often gave way to a ravenous appetites and late after the local cafes and canteens closed doors, it was the corner shops and street stores that catered to the hunger of budding professionals. I remember stepping out of the library with some buddies, turning a quick corner, and ordering a steaming hot Rice Plate. Quite simply this comprised a plate heaped with rich and served with a deliciously simple curry, usually either chole (chickpeas) or rajma (red kidney beans). At what can only described as a nominal price, each plate served was always enough food for two!! Filling, satisfying, and nutritious, it was an excellent motivation to go back and hit the books.


This is my version of the very same chole made to go with rice. I add cinnamon, star anise, and nutmeg as they impart a delicately sweet flavour to this otherwise spicy curry. Here's to some great memories of Delhi, University, and the ubiquitous corner shop with a Rice Plate menu!!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chickpeas, soaked overnight
2 onions, chopped fine
3 tomatoes, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1" piece ginger, minced
6-8 curry leaves
1" piece ginger, minced
1 black cardamom
2 points star anise (from 1 flower)
1/2 tsp cumin
6 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
A few shavings nutmeg
Small stick cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Drain the chickpeas, and pressure cook with with some fresh water, the cinnamon stick, black cardamom, star anise, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, peppercorns, bay leaves, a few shavings nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and ginger.
2. In a deep frying pan, add the oil. Once it is heated, add the cumin, the curry leaves, garlic, ginger and onions. Fry until the onions are golden brown, then add the tomatoes, salt to taste, turmeric, chilli powder, and 1/4 cup water. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and you have a semi liquid curry.
3. Pour the chickpeas with the liquid they were cooked in into the tomato-onion paste. Stir, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Check for seasonings and adjust according to taste.
4. Serve hot with plain rice, or for a treat enjoy with Zeera Chawal (Cumin Rice). Enjoy!!

I am sending this recipe out to Sri of Cooking for All Seasons for Curry Mela. This will be my very first entry to her Mela series :)

I am also sending this out to Aparna My Diverse Kitchen who is hosting this month's Think Spice, Think Nutmeg.

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007-2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Bhuna Masala Lobhia | Black-Eyed Peas in a Spicy Tomato Sauce

Lobhia or Black-eyed beans are one of the more popular beans cooked across the Indian sub-continent. They are easy to prepare, very tasty, and chock full of nutrition - including calcium, folate, and Vitamin A!! They can be prepared in a dry vegetable style or in a more soupy way as a curry. They are excellent served with Parathas or rice.

Ingredients:
2 cups lobhia, soaked overnight
1 black cardamom
1 tsp cumin
6 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 small piece star anise
2 cloves
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt, to taste
2 large dried red chillies
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 large onion, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

1. Pressure cook the lobhia with a pinch of salt and turmeric. If you do not have a pressure cooker, cook it in a pan until soft.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Next add the cumin, cardamom, bay leaves, black peppercorns, cloves, and star anise. When these spices release a delicate aroma, add the onions and fry until transparent. Now add the chillies, and the chopped tomatoes.
3. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Now add the beans along with the water they were cooked in. Mix well. Boil and the cook on reduced heat for another 10 minutes.
5. Adjust the seasonings, and serve steaming hot with rice.

Note: This curry can be frozen and will stay well for at least a month in the freezer. Pull it out when you have surprise guests for a meal, or you need to add one dish to your dinner!

Vegan Recipe

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007-2013. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.