Hummus and Curried Cauliflower Tartine

Hummus and curried cauliflower tartine

Quick and delicious hummus and curried cauliflower open faced sandwich.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Recipe adapted fr:here , Le pain Quotidien Cookbook
Ingredients:

1. Cauliflower ,cut into very small florets- 1/2 of a small
2. Turmeric powder -3/4 to 1 tsp
3. Cumin powder - 1 tsp
4. Freshly grated nutmeg - 1 pinch
5. Cinnamon powder - 1 pinch
6. Fresh Thyme leaves - 1 sprig( i used 1/4 tsp dried thyme)
7. Extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp
8. Salt - to taste

To serve:

1. Whole wheat sandwich bread,or sourdough bread,lightly toasted - 4
2. Hummus- as required( approx 3/4 cup)
3. Spring onion,chopped -1 tbsp
4. Extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp
5. Chili flakes - as required

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 220 deg C.In a bowl,combine together cauliflower florets,turmeric powder,cumin powder,nutmeg,cinnamon,thyme,olive oil and salt .

Transfer this to a baking tray ,bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly brown on top.Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

To serve ,spread hummus on the bread and top with the curried cauliflower.Sprinkle the spring onion and chili flakes on top and drizzle with olive oil .

NOTES

• You find the recipe for hummus here.

Gothambu Puttu | Wheat Puttu

Gathambu Puttu

Healthy Steamed wheat flour cake.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:

1. Wheat Flour- 1 cup
2. Salt - to taste
3. Grated coconut - as required
4. Water - as required

Instructions:

Dry roast the wheat flour over medium low heat ,stirring continuously for about 5 minutes or until the colour changes slightly.Set aside to cool.

Transfer the wheat flour to a mixing bowl ,add salt and  mix well.Sprinkle water little at a time and mix well using your fingers until you get a crumbly texture with tiny lumps.(The mixture should  not be dry and should be just wet enough for steaming.)

Transfer this mixture into a mixer /food processor ,pulse for few seconds.

This is done to remove the lumps and to make it soft.

Add 1 or 2 tbsp of grated coconut  into the puttu mould.Spoon in the wheat mixture until the mould is halfway filled.Next add 1 or 2 tbsp of grated coconut and fill the remaining half with the wheat mixture.Finish off with 1 or 2 tbsp of grated coconut ,if desired.

Steam it for about 5 to 8 minutes.Transfer the cooked puttu to a serving tray.Serve with banana and pappadam or kadala curry.

NOTES

• Make sure you add water little at a time.If there is too much water in the wheat flour mixture,puttu will turn out hard.
  

Broccoli Paratha| Step by step recipe

Broccoli Paratha

Broccoli masala stuffed Indian flatbread.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 6 to 8 parathas
Ingredients:

1. Whole wheat flour- 1 Cup( extra for dusting)
2. Water - as required
3. Salt - to taste
4. Oil / Ghee - as required

For Broccoli stuffing:

1. Broccoli,grated- 1 and 1/4 to 1.5 cups
2. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Onion,finely chopped - 1/4 cup
4. Green chilies,finely chopped - 1 ( or according to taste)
5. Ginger ,finely chopped - 1/4 tsp
6. Garlic ,finely chopped - 1/4 tsp
7. Kashmiri chili powder- 1/4 tsp( or to taste)
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Garam masala powder- 1/4  tsp
10. Coriander leaves,chopped - 1 tbsp( optional)
11. Salt- To taste
12. Oil- as required

Instructions:

In a bowl,combine together whole wheat flour,salt and sufficient quantity of water and mix well.Knead to form a soft dough.Cover and keep aside for atleast 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan,add cumin seeds and saute for few seconds.Add onion,green chilies ,ginger and garlic.Saute until onion turns golden brown.Now add kashmiri chili powder,turmeric powder and garam masala powder.Saute for few seconds.

Add grated broccoli and salt to taste.Cook until all the moisture evaporates. Divide the dough into 6  or 8 equal parts. 

Roll a portion of the dough into a circle of 4" diameter on a lightly floured surface.Place 1 tbsp  broccoli filling in  the center.

Bring all the sides to the center and seal tightly.Pinch off the excess dough,if desired.Dust the surface with whole wheat flour ,roll the stuffed dough lightly to form 6 to 7 " circle.(Lightly dust the parathas with flour,if it sticks to the rolling pin or the  working surface.)

Heat a nonstick /iron tawa ,place the paratha and let it cook until the color changes slightly for about 15 seconds over medium high heat.Flip the paratha and cook for few more seconds.Drizzle 1 tsp oil over the paratha.Flip the paratha again and gently press using a spatula.Cook until golden brown spots appear on both the sides.Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.Serve hot with pickle and yogurt.

NOTES

• For best results, drizzle ghee over the parathas. 

Aloo Palak Curry | Step by step recipe

Aloo palak curry

North Indian style Potato - spinach curry.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:

1. Spinach,cleaned- 1 bunch
2. Green chilies - 1 or 2( or according to taste)
3. Cinnamon - 1" piece
4. Cloves - 1
5. Cardamom- 1
6. Bay leaf - 1
7. Onion,chopped - 3/4 cup( 1 medium)
8. Ginger and garlic,finely chopped- 1.5 tsp
9. Coriander powder- 1 tsp
10. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Cumin powder - 1/8 tsp
12. Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
13. Tomato,finely chopped - 1/2 cup( 1 medium)
14. Sugar - 1/8 tsp
15. Water - as required
16. Potato,cubed and boiled - 1 large
17. Kasuri methi - 2 large pinches
18. Garam maasala - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
19. Cream - 1/2 to 3/4 tbsp
20. Salt - to taste
21. Oil - as required

Instructions:

Bring water to a boil in a large pot.Put the palak leaves in the boiling water ,and allow them to boil for 1 to 2 minutes.Transfer the cooked palak to a bowl containing ice cold water.( This is done to stop the cooking and to preserve the green colour.)Drain and puree the spinach along with green chilies in a blender.Keep aside until required.

Heat oil in a pan,add cinnamon,cloves,cardamom and bay leaf.Saute for few seconds.Now add onion and saute until golden.

Now add ginger and garlic.Saute until raw smell leaves.

Reduce flame to low and add coriander powder,turmeric powder,black pepper powder and cumin powder.Saute for few seconds  and add chopped tomato.Mix well and cook over medium heat.

Cook until tomato turns mushy and oil starts to separate.Now add the pureed spinach and mix well.

Add sugar , sufficient quantity of water and salt to taste.Bring this to a boil and add kasuri methi and garam masala.

Now add the boiled potato and mix well.Cover and cook for few more minutes.Finally add the cream ,mix gently and switch off the stove.Serve with chapathi or rice.

NOTES

• You can substitute fresh cream with yogurt if desired.
• Adjust the quantity of water according to the consistency required.
• You can also shallow fry the potato cubes ,if desired.
• Adjust the quantity of green chilies according to your taste.

Mushroom Fried Rice | Step by step recipe

Mushroom Fried rice

Quick,easy and delicious mushroom fried rice.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:

1. Long grain rice- 3/4 cup
2. Garlic,finely chopped - 1.5 tsp
3. Green chili,finely chopped - 1( or according to taste)
4. Spring onion whites,chopped - 1 tbsp
5. Onion,finely chopped - 2 tbsp
6. Vegetables,finely chopped - 1 Cup( use carrot,cabbage and green beans)
7. Mushroom,sliced - 1 cup
8. Capsicum,chopped - 1/4 cup
9. Soya sauce - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
10. Black pepper powder- 1 to 1 and 1/4 tsp( according to taste)
11. Spring onion greens,chopped - 1 tbsp
12. Salt - to taste
13. Oil - as required(i used olive oil)

Instructions:

Wash the rice , soak for about 15 minutes and cook  just until done.Fluff it up using a fork and allow to cool completely.

Heat oil in a pan.Add garlic and saute for few seconds and then add green chili,spring onion whites and onion.Saute until onion turns translucent.

Now add carrot,cabbage and green beans and saute for about  1 minute.Now add mushrooms and  and saute until it is done.

Add capsicum and saute for 2 more minutes.Next add soya sauce,pepper powder and salt to taste.Stir continuously for about 1 minute.

Now add cooked rice and gently mix until combined.Garnish with spring onion greens.

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of black pepper powder according to your taste.
  

Kerala Chemmeen Achar | Kerala Style Prawns Pickle

Kerala Chemmeen Achar

Kerala style spicy Prawn pickle.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 1 cup
Recipe source:Amma
Ingredients:

1. Chemmeen/Prawns- 500 gms
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Ginger,juliennes - 1.5 tbsp
5. Garlic,sliced - 1.5 tbsp
6. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
7. Kashmiri chili powder - 1 tbsp( or according to taste)
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Vinegar- 1/4 cup
10. Boiled and cooled water - 1/4 cup or as required
11. Salt - to taste
12. Oil - as required(gingelly oil or coconut oil,see notes)

For Marination:

1. Red chili powder- 1 tsp
2. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
3. Salt- to taste

For masala paste:

1. Ginger- 2" piece
2. Garlic- 7 to 8 large cloves
3. Green chilies - 4 to 6( or according to taste)

Instructions:

Coarsely grind together all the ingredients listed under ' For masala paste'.Keep aside until required.

Wash and clean the prawns.Marinate the prawns with the ingredients listed under ' for marination'.Keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the prawns,turning once in between.

Once it is done,drain and keep aside until required.

Add more oil ( if required) to the same pan,add mustard seeds and let it splutter.Next add fenugreek seeds and saute for few seconds.

Add ginger,garlic and curry leaves , saute until  raw smell disappears.

Now add the prepared ginger-garlic-green chili paste , saute until raw smell leaves completely.

Cook over medium low flame for few more minutes until oil starts to separate.In a bowl ,mix together kashmiri chili powder,turmeric powder and vinegar to form a smooth paste.Add this masala paste to the pan. Add salt to taste.

Cook over medium low flame for few minutes ,until oil starts to separate.Next add the fried prawns and mix well.

Add boiled and cooled water as required.Bring this to a boil .Cook for 1 or 2 minutes.Switch off the stove and allow this to cool completely before transferring to an airtight-glass jar.

NOTES

• I used coconut oil to fry the prawns and gingelly oil to prepare the gravy.
• Always use clean and dry spoon to take the pickle.
• You can store the pickle at room temperature for upto 1 week.Refrigerate if you want to keep it for long.
• For best results,keep the pickle undisturbed for 1 or 2 days for the flavor to develop.
• To avoid  spoilage,you may pour 1 or 2 tbsp boiled and cooled gingelly oil over the pickle.
• Adjust the quantity of green chilies and  chili powder , according to your taste.