We Indians love snacking especially when we sip our evening tea; okay not only then but anytime of the day as long as it is served fresh & hot and puff is definitely one of the favorite snack. It is very easy to prepare and is an instant hit. Of course, when I say it is very easy to make it is because I used Peppridge Farm's Puff pastry sheets that you find in the frozen aisle. You can also make the pastry shell from scratch but it requires a little extra timing and planning. You can check out the details on how to make from scratch here. Recently, my friends threw a snack party and all I had to do was make the filling and stuff it into the pastry sheets. Then, when the party started, I baked them in the oven for a fresh, hot, flaky puffs. So, give it a try. Your imagination is the limit for the filling.

Recipe: (Makes approx. 12)

4 medium size aloo
1/2 cup thawed mutter
2 tsp red chili powder or per taste
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 small bunch of dhania (herb) finely chopped
2 tsp amchur powder or per taste
1 - 2 green chili finely chopped or per taste
Salt per taste

Thaw the pastry sheets to room temperature. Boil aloo and mash. Add mutter and all the above ingredients and mix well. Taste & adjust seasonings.

Aloo filling for the puffs

Cut the pastry sheets into 3 equal parts. Take a handful of the filling and place it on the sheet a little away from the center as shown below so that the other loose end can be folded easily.

Filling on the puff pastry sheet

Wet your fingers and apply water all around the corners of the sheets. Now fold the loose end of the sheet and press it against the corners. If there is too much filling it might come out of the sheet, so make sure to use just enough.

Unbaked puff pastry sheets with filling

If needed you can brush the outside with some oil, I did not. Bake it in a 375F for about 15 mins or until golden brown. Serve hot as is.

Fresh & Hot from the oven ~ Puffs

Quinoa

Quinoa pronounced as Keen-wah protein is a seed that has a crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked. It is an ancient grain native to South America. It gives great stamina and used in ancient times by warriors. Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. It is a well balanced grain making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. So, today we have quinoa upma.

Recipe: (for 4 people)

2 1/2 cups quinoa
1 carrot diced
1 bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion diced
< 1/4 cup corn
1 medium potato diced
1 green chili or per taste chopped
1/2 tsp haldi powder
1 tsp red chili powder or per taste
1/2 lime or lemon juice or per taste
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ghee
2 tsp rye
Dhania (herb) for garnish

Vegetables for upma

Wash quinoa well and soak it for an hour, then heat ghee and toast quinoa for a few minutes, then pressure cook it with 1 & 1/2 times water for each cup i.e., 1 : 1 & 1/2. In the mean time, heat oil, add rye and let it splutter. Now add onions and sauté until translucent. Add potatoes, carrot and let it cook. Cover with a lid if needed. When the vegetables are almost done, add bell pepper, corn , haldi, chili powder salt, lime juice, mix well. Cool the quinoa a little bit after cooking then mix it with the vegetables. Garnish with lots of dhania before serving. Tastes heavenly and packed with protein, fiber and many more essential nutrients.

Quinoa Upma served for Eat Healthy - Fiber Rich

NOTE: The reason to cool quinoa a little is because otherwise they tend to get a bit mushy.

In my earlier post about Stuffed Shimla Mirch I promised that I will share another recipe from leftovers. So, today I will live up to my words & fulfill my promise. It is pasta tikki.

Orzo pasta leftover from my earlier Stuffed Shimla Mirch

Yes, we all must have had Aloo Tikki whose main ingredient is aloo. It is eaten essentially as a street food snack but with additional condiments such as chole etc could be made into a complete meal. Today, I made tikki from the leftover orzo pasta from my stuffed shimla mirch. Of course the pasta in itself had all sorts of vegetables & spices that it could have been a meal by itself. But what if you have some more leftovers and want to eat something different? That's where my pasta tikki was born.

Recipe:

Leftover orzo pasta
2 -3 medium size aloo
1 green chili chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chili powder or per taste
1 -2 slices of bread
Some dhania (herb) finely chopped
1 -2 tsp chaat Masala
1 tsp garam masala (optional)

Boil aloo and mash it. Add the pasta and all the ingredients and mix well. Run cold water over bread slices, then squeeze out the water well. Crumble it and add it to the mixture and mix well. Bread acts as a binding agent. Make small balls of the mixture by placing in between your palms, then press it to flatten a bit. I used heart shaped cookie cutter and made hearts out of this mixture.

Orzo pasta tikki ready to be pan roasted

Heat a non-stick pan, add 1 tsp oil, spread it and place the tikki's but not over crowd it. Let it cook on medium flame. Do not flip it for at least 3 -5 minutes. Gently flip the tikki to brown on the other side. Press it with a spatula to flatten a little to cook through and turn golden brown. Pasta Tikki is ready to be served as is or with a side of dhania chutney

Orzo pasta tikki for Monthly Mingle

TIP: Make sure to flatten the tikki while cooking so that it can cook through well and brown. Also, if your pasta does not have much vegetables, you can always add it along with aloo and mix before making tikki's. Also, the above ingredients are for 1 - 1 & 1/2 cup of pasta

Aloo in Palak Gravy or simply aloo palak is a very popular dish in India. Palak is seasonal and taking advantage of this iron rich, dark green leafy vegetable is a must; at least in my family. So, I keep up the tradition and cook palak whenever I find it fresh. These days I find really scrumptious palak in the farmer's market. They are truly a feast to my eyes before a feast to my mouth. I bought the chinese version. Yes, chinese spinach or chinese palak has a thick, fleshy, dark green leaves as compared to the Indian version and after I saw them this weekend, I could not pass it on. So, aloo in palak gravy became our meal.

Recipe: (For 4- 6 people)

1 bunch palak
8 - 10 round baby aloo, cooked and peeled
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 medium size tomato
Green chilies as per taste
1 tbsp dhania powder
2 tsp mirchi powder or per taste
1 tsp haldi powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
2 tsp jeera

Pressure cook the palak with little water. Add a little oil and sauté the onion and green chili. Now, purée the mixture with cooked palak and tomato. Use the water used to cook the palak while puréeing. Heat oil in a skillet, add jeera and let the aroma infuse. Then add the boiled aloo, spices & sauté a little bit and then add the palak purée. Bring it to a boil. Serve hot with a side of Naan or Roti.

Aloo in palak gravy with Naan bread

TIP: You can add ginger & garlic while sautéing the onions and purée it along with palak. Also, you can add cream in the end for extra flavor.

What could be more appeasing to your palate than eating fresh hara channa that is in season. Aloo, a quintessential vegetable in every household is another all time favorite for the mass. To add more interest, how about a combination of aloo and hara channa cooked in an aromatic gravy that is not only nutritious but delicious? Today that's exactly what was cooking in my kitchen this afternoon. Just a few simple ingredients and you are all set to prepare this dish. The aroma from the spices filled the air and even when my family was not hungry, none of us could hold on any further.

Recipe:
4 - 5 aloo boiled, diced
1 large onion
2 - 3 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 - 2 bay leaf
2 tsp rye
1 tbsp of oil
1 tbsp of masala or per taste
Salt to taste

Grind together onion, tomato puree, cloves with little water. Heat oil in a pan, add rye until it splutters. Then add cinnamon stick, bay leaf and let the aroma infuse in the oil. Now add the ground paste and saute until oil separates on the sides/raw smell is no longer sensed. Now add the spices and mix well, then some water to make it a gravy and add the hara channa. Let it cook with a lid on it. Add salt, then the cut aloo. Bring it to a boil. Garnish with fresh dhania. Serve with hot Paratha or Roti or Naan bread or Tortillas or even with some rice.

Aloo Hara Channa Gravy

Vegetables for rava idly

The idli or idly, is a savory dish popular throughout southern India. They are round in shape and are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented lentils and rice. The variation of rava idly comes from using semolina and it is a much healthier version because it is made from wheat and/or vegetables. Most often rava idly's are eaten at breakfast or evening tiffin, served with chutney or other accompaniments. Steamed and made with rava and vegetables - what could be more tastier and healthier? I doubt it. They are so easy to make than regular plain idly's because plain one's need soaking, fermenting and grinding before cooking them. But these humble rava one's make use of basic pantry ingredients and takes very less time before it is ready to be served on the table.

Recipe: (Makes about 12 idly's)
2 cups of rava
2 small aloo finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
peas (optional)
1 tsp finely minced or grated ginger
1/2 cup dahi
2 tsp rye (mustard seeds)
2 tsp urad dal
2 tsp channa dal
some dhania finely chopped
1 green chili finely chopped
salt to taste
Oil

Use a couple of tbsp of oil to the rava and mix well. When you take a handful of the mixture in your hand and squeeze them, you should be able to hold the shape of the rava some what. If not, add a little bit more oil. This makes the idly's come out soft. Keep it aside for about 10 -15 minutes. Add some water to the dahi and make it a butter milk. Heat 1 tbsp oil and add rye, let it splutter. Then add the urad dal, channa dal and until the color turns golden brown. Add this to the rava mixture. Add all the vegetables, ginger, chili and dahi as well and mix it well to get a little thicker than a pouring consistency.

Batter for rava idly

Pour into idli plates and steam it for about 15 - 20 minutes until cooked. Serve hot with coconut chutney or savor as is.

Rava Idly

Stuffed Aloo Sandwich

Seems like this week I am having a lot more dishes prepared with aloo. My husband can eat dishes made of aloo any day, all day. I guess it probably is true for men and kids in general I suppose (no offense to anyone here). Also, when it comes to learning to cook, I have seen my friends learn to cook aloo much quicker than any other vegetable. May be because it is a versatile vegetable and could be used in umpteen number of ways. It is also one of those vegetables which comes in handy when going on trips. Something that is solid enough to keep me full yet a no fuss meal. I make aloo sandwiches which everyone in my family simply love. I remember one time my cousin tasted it and said that he can eat it every single day of his life because he liked it so much. I was very pleased. So, today I will share this simple recipe with you and I hope you too will like it and make it a part of your travel foods.

Recipe:
Bread slices - as many number of sandwiches you want to make. (I use whole sprouted grain bread for a healthier version)
Aloo - again depends on your sandwiches
Onions finely chopped
Ginger minced well
Green chillies finely chopped as per taste
Red chili powder as per taste
Salt to taste
Garam masala for flavor and aroma
Cilantro finely chopped
Grated carrot (optional)

Boil aloo and mash it well. Mix all the above ingredients to it. Apply butter to one side of a bread and place a couple of spoonful of the aloo mixture.

Cover it with another slice of bread. apply butter on the top of the covered bread so that it can toast and get golden brown. Toast it in a sandwich maker. Serve hot as is or with a side of ketchup/cilantro chutney.

Aloo Sandwich for The Potato Fe(a)st & The Travel Food Festival

TIP: You can also spread some cilantro chutney on one side of the bread for extra zing and also some peas along with carrot if you prefer.

Poha

Poha is flattened or beaten rice, is an easy-to-cook breakfast recipe. This type of flattened rice absorbs water and gets swollen which is then used to make the breakfast dish. There two varieties of flattened rice - thin and thick because of their thickness. Poha is also used in other snack items such as mixture or chiwda or many more.

Beaten rice also a convenience food to make a rice porridge or paste by adding hot water to it, depending on the amount of water added. The best poha could be found in Indore; at least that's where I had the most mouth watering poha from street vendors. Hot steaming poha is prepared and kept warm over boiling water so that the hot moisture from the water can keep the poha warm and moist. Toppings such as onions, tomatoes, green chilies and more are kept on the side for people to add them as per needs.

Recipe:
2 cup poha
1 medium size aloo (potato) diced
1 onion chopped
1 green chili finely chopped or as per taste
1/4 cup dry peanuts
Cilantro for garnish
1/2 lime or lemon juice
Salt per taste
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp haldi (tumeric) powder
1 tsp red chili powder - optional
1/2 cup mutter(peas) - optional
Oil

Run cold water over poha, drain them and keep them aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan, preferably non-stick, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add onions, green chilies and saute. Add the potatoes & peanuts, mix well and let it cook. Lift the poha with your hands and fluff it. Add haldi powder, salt to the poha and mix. The reason to add the spices to poha directly is because if you add the spices to the pan and then add the poha , you need to mix well to blend the spices with the poha but you do not want to over work it and break the poha. By adding the spices directly to the poha, and gently tossing it, the poha gets well coated. Now throw it into the pan and mix gently. Add lime juice, chopped cilantro. Serve as is or with an extra zing of spicy Bhujia .This is what I call as "Comfort food in a spoonful."

Poha - the comfort food for breakfast

Who said a chip has to be eaten with a dip such as salsa or guacamole? Today, I came up with my version of eating a tortilla chip the Indian way. If you are familiar with Katori chaat, (katori meaning a small vessel that holds all goodies) you are probably aware that the process takes time to make each katori. I thought why not I make use of the tostito's scoops and use them as my pre-made mini katori's and use it in some Indian-ized chaat. It is bite size, easy to make and tastes great.

The idea did not come to me right away but as I was contemplating to make something for an evening snack with some of my left over sprouted hara channa, my eyes suddenly spotted the tostito's left over from the Super Bowl event. The rest is history.

Recipe:

Tostito's scoops
Any kind of legume you may I like. I used sprouted hara channa
Sprouted Mung bean (optional)
Tomatoes chopped into small pieces.
Onion finely chopped
Aloo (Potato) booiled and cut into small pieces
Red chili powder as per taste
Salt per taste
Dhania (Cilantro) finely chopped
finely chopped green chili (optional)
Chaat Masala. I prefer Badshah brand.
Dahi (Yogurt), Meethi (Tamarind-Date)Chutney, Dhania chutney (optional, but preferred)
Sev (optional)

Mix the legumes, mung beans, aloo and spices. Place a spoonful of this mixture in each tostito. Pour a little dahi, meethi chutney, dhania chutney. Top it off with onions, tomatoes and fresh dhania. You can use any combinations of dahi, meethi chutney, dhania chutney and not necessarily use all three. In my experiment, using at least one of the three is a must as it makes the chaat not feel dry while eating. Enjoy your chaat.

Mini Katori Chaat

NOTE: Please adjust the number of onions, tomatoes and other ingredients to as many number of people. It's hard to measure how many pieces each person might like to eat since it is a bite size food. Hence I did not put precise information on the ingredients.

Veggies for my Upma

Upma is a quick and delicious comfort food that it is prepared in every household at least once a week(?). It is called as Upma in Malayalam & Tamil, Uppindi in Telugu, Upeet in Marathi and Uppittu or Kharabath in Kannada is a wholesome Indian dish made of rava or sooji or semolina which is nothing but a form of wheat. Added to this are vegetables ranging from carrots, peas, potatoes, peppers or simply the plain old onions.

When upma is being prepared at home, the aroma from the vegetables and the toasting of rava infuses in the air and makes one's appetite for breakfast, lunch or dinner even stronger. It's a no fuss dish and needs a very few ingredients and is sure a crowd pleaser.

Recipe: (Makes for 3 - 4 people)

1 cup sooji
1 carrot diced
1 potato diced
1 onion or shallots chopped
1/2 bell pepper diced
2 small pieces of ginger (approx. 1 tsp)
1 green chili - halved
A couple of kari leaves
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp urad dal
Salt to taste
2 - 3 tsp oil
A few slices of cashews
1/2 - 1 tsp lime or lemon juice

In a pan, heat oil and add the mustard seeds. Let it splutter and then add the urad dal and saute until it turns golden brown. Add the onions, ginger, green chili. cashews and saute. Add the rest of the vegetables and mix well. Sprinkle a little bit of water is necessary, then cover it with a lid and let it cook until the vegetables are half cooked. Now add add the sooji and toast it until you can smell the aroma.

Upma toasting

Then add 2 times water for each cup of sooji. Of course, add more water if needed. Add salt, lime juice and taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Bring it to a boil, lower the flame, cover it with a lid and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot with coconut chutney or pickle or just by itself. I am sure it will melt in your mouth.

Melt-in-your-mouth Vegetable Upma served with coconut chutney

Aloo Tikki or Potato Cutlets is one of the most popular snack dishes in India. Aloo Tikki comes under a collective group of snack items called 'Chaat' . In India, street vendors cook hot, spicy and yummy chaat on hot griddles fresh to order. The aroma of the spices invites all on goers whether they are hungry or not. The distinctive, tangible touch of flavor sensed with every spoonful makes one feel blissful. People stand in line and wait for their turn to be served; and when it arrives you have to see them finish it in no time. It's an art.

Recipe:
6 - 8 medium size potatoes - red or white
1/2 cup thawed and crushed peas
1 tbsp grated or finely chopped ginger
1 green chili finely chopped
some freshly chopped cilantro
1 - 2 tsp red chili powder or as per taste
salt to taste
3 - 4 tbsp bread crumbs
1 - 2 tsp garam masala
Oil for cooking

Cook the potatoes and mash them well. Mix all the above ingredients in the list. Make small balls of the mixture by placing in between your palms, then press it to flatten a bit.

Aloo Tikki ready to be cooked

Heat a non-sick pan or iron skillet and drizzle some oil. Place the patti and cook it on medium flame. Once golden brown, flip it to cook on the other side. Add some oil if needed. You can cook many patties at a time on the pan depending on the surface area. You can eat hot and fresh tikki just plain or with chole, drizzle of dahi(yogurt), tamarind date chutney, cilantro chutney. It could also be used as a burger in between bread. It tastes heavenly eaten any way of your choice.

Aloo Tikki served with chole (recipe here)

Soups are always comforting and soothing. It could be had as part of a meal or a whole meal by itself depending on it's ingredients. I was in a mood for something thick, hearty, wholesome, satisfying and of course what can ring a bell but Soup. I wanted something like a minestrone yet something different. I thought I will put my culinary skills to test and tried my variation of Minestrone. The result was a humble satisfying meal with pleasantly surprising medley of flavors which did not clash with each yet stood by itself in every scoop.

There is no hard and fast rule for this soup. Just throw in whatever vegetable is available fresh and use your imagination of herbs and spices to suit your taste. Of course, try my recipe and I bet you will fulfill the desires of your taste buds.

Vegetables and Rigatoni Pasta saute

Recipe: (Makes for 4 - 5 people)

Few Broccoli florets
1 potato diced into 1/2" thick pieces
1 beet, diced into 1/2" thick pieces
1 carrot cut into 1/2" thick round pieces
2 -3 shallots diced
Parsley - fresh or dry
Basil - fresh or dry
1 cup Rigatoni Pasta - I use Brown rice pasta
1 8oz can chickpeas
Few Crimini mushrooms cut into half or any mushroom of your choice
2 -3 garlic cloves crushed
1 scallion or spring onion or green onion chopped
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Heat oil in a sauce pan, add the garlic and shallots and saute. Now add the potatoes, carrots, beets, pasta and mix so that the oil coats all through the vegetables. Add some water and cover it with a lid until the pasta and vegetables are almost cooked. Now add more water depending on the consistency you like, salt and pepper & bring it to a boil. Add the chickpeas, mushroom, broccoli and mix well. Finish it off with herbs, scallions and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve it with toasted bread if needed.

Rigatoni Pasta with Vegetables and Chickpeas served with whole grain bread

Boiled Aloo

Aloo or Potato is a vegetable that every kid and adult loves to eat every single day. Somehow I was not a big fan growing up as there were so many variety of vegetables to choose from growing up back in India. Later on when I started to notice the versatility of this vegetable I really started to appreciate it more and more. The umpteen variety of dishes that could be made from this vegetable is something to be awed at. It is is rich carbohydrates, Potassium and Vitamin B. You don't have to make anything complicated to enjoy this vegetable; something as simple as baking it and sprinkling with salt and pepper is enough to relish this wonderful vegetable. I call aloo sabzi as "quintessential every household food". Of course, the preparation is different in every household and today, I will share my version.

Recipe:
5 -6 medium size aloo
2 medium size tomato
1 medium size onion
2 -3 cloves of garlic
1/2 -1 tsp ginger (optional)
1 green chilli chopped
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
1/2 - 1 tbsp Masala
Salt to taste

Boil aloo and cut in cubes. Puree tomato, onion, ginger garlic. In a pan, heat oil and add the chillies and jeera. Add the tomato/onion puree, masala and saute well until oil separates. Add some water to increase the gravy. Optionally you can also add some milk. If the tartness is less in the gravy, add some beaten yogurt mixture. Allow it to boil, add the aloo and salt. Mix well. You can also squeeze some lime or lemon juice or even amchur powder. Serve hot with Chappatis or Rotis or Naan bread or Tortillas or simply bread.

Aloo Sabzi with Roti

Pav Bhaji is a dish which is a medley of mashed vegetables and spices served with Pav or Bread. It is mainly considered as a street food in India which is rich is flavor and aroma. One can say that "Who wouldn't like Pav Bhaji?". From kids to adults, everyone loves Pav Bhaji and is always a hit with the whole family. It is also a very easy recipe although it looks complex. As long as you have a few necessary ingredients for getting the real bhaji taste it definitely is an easy dish to prepare. I can describe this dish in one line as "aesthetically pleasing Mumbai street food". The taste of this varies a little bit in every city but the basic ingredients remain the same. Today, I will share with you my version of this mouth watering recipe.

Recipe: (Makes for 4 people)

6 medium size potatoes
1 large & 1 medium size onion chopped
3 - 4 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 - 1/2 head of cabbage
1/4 - 1/2 head of cauliflower
1 medium size green bell pepper (capsicum) chopped
1/4 - 1/2 cup peas
2 carrots
2 - 3 tomatoes chopped
A couple of lime or lemon wedges
Salt to taste
Pav Bhaji Masala (I prefer Badshah brand's taste). You can also get it from Amazon or Indian stores.
1/2 stick Butter (Unsalted preferred) or 2 tbsp ghee
1 Packet of Pav or Bread
Cilantro for garnish

Wash the vegetables. Cut the potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage and carrots into large pieces and pressure cook them until they are soft enough to be mashed. In the large vessel, add some oil (or butter or ghee if you prefer). Add the garlic and onions and saute. Now add the tomatoes and saute well. Add the pav bhaji masala and saute for just a few more seconds before adding the mashed vegetables. Add salt and mix well. Taste it and adjust it by adding more pav bhaji masala. In the end add the chopped bell pepper and peas. If you are adding fresh peas, add it right after the onions. Squeeze some lime juice. You can also top it with off some butter or ghee.

Heat a pan, add butter or ghee and toast the pav for a few seconds until they turn golden brown. Flip and do the same. Serve the bhaji hot with chopped onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice on top of the bhaji with the pav.

Today we are planning to attend a Dandia raas with some family and friends. We have decided to meet up a little early so that we can have dinner together and get ready for the celebration. Since of us have other chores to take care potluck came to our rescue where I chose to prepare a vegetable dish. It is Aloo Beans.

Aloo Beans

Ingredients:

1/2 pound string beans cut small
1 & 1/2 cup frozen potatoes or 2 medium size potatoes diced
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
2 - 3 cloves
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp red chilly powder or per taste
1 & 1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp Amchur powder
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
Salt to taste
In a pan heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Let it splutter to infuse the flavor and aroma into the oil. Then add the cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Now add the string beans and saute for a few minutes. Cover with a lid to cook until half done.

NOTE: If you are using frozen cut potatoes, this is the time to add it. If you are using fresh potatoes, then add it along with the string beans right at the beginning.
Now add the spices mentioned including the Garam Masala and Amchur powder and salt to taste. Mix well for a few minutes until cooked. Your dish is ready!. You can serve this with some Chappatis or Naan bread or even Pita Bread or Tortilla to complete your no fussy meal.

If you cannot get Garam Masala or Amchur Powder it's totally okay. You can skip the Garam Masala. You can add some lemon juice as a substitute for Amchur powder.