Soy Kheema Mattar

Just like you would make the meat kheema mattar, we tried a version with soy granules which makes  a healthier option and another new recipe for vegetarians. Soy granules are a great way to add tons of protein to your daily diet. So definitely give this one a try.

Prep Time: 25 mins
Ingredients

Soy Granules: 1 cup
* We used the Nutrela soy granules we found at the Indian grocery store
Onions (finely chopped): 1/2 cup
Tomato (pureed): 2 med sized
Green peas (mattar): 1/3 cup
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
Green chillies: 2-3
Cumin seeds/Jeera: 1 1/2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
Chilli powder: 2 teaspoons
Coriander powder : 2 teaspoons
Garam masala: 1 teaspoon
Chicken masala: 1 teaspoon (optional)
Whole spices: 2 Bay leaves, 4cloves, 1 star anise and 1 cardamom
Coriander leaves to garnish
Oil
Water to cook the soy granules

Boil 3 cups of water with some salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Add the granules and let it cook. It will expand a bit and soften up. Cover and leave it on low gas for about 5-10 mins. Turn off the gas and keep aside. Heat oil in a deep kadai or dish. Add the cumin seeds. Add the green chillies and ginger garlic paste and saute. Now add all the whole spices, saute. Put the chopped onions and fry. Add some salt and all the spice powders and saute well. When the onions have cooked, add the tomato puree and 1/4 cup of water  and cover cook. Now strain the soy granules and add to this mixture. Add the green peas and let it all simmer in the gravy on low heat. Adjust the spices accordingly. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with rotis.

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Here is our try at  America's Favorite, the yummylicious chocolate chip cookie. Have them plain or dunk them in your milk coz they'll bring a smile with every little bite.

Prep Time: 20 - 25 mins
Ingredients

Whole Purpose flour: 1 cup
Sugar: 3/4 - 1 cup
Baking powder: 2 teaspoons
Egg: 1
Butter: 1 stick or 1/2 cup
Vanilla Essence: 1 teaspoon
Walnut (chopped): 1/3 cup
chocolate chips: 1/3 cup

Beat the sugar and butter until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla essence and beat well. Meanwhile sieve the flour, baking powder with a pinch of salt and keep aside. Slowly fold the flour into the beaten mixture. Finally add the nuts and the chocolate chips.  Mix everything into a smooth dough. 

Preheat the oven for 375° F. Scoop out the dough and put it on to the ungreased cookie sheet. The trick to get round cookies is to use a mini ice cream scoop. Do not flatten them out before you bake.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the sides of the cookies are golden brown. Though the center might look uncooked, take it out and cool it down for another 15 minutes. Serve warm.
If you leave them inside the oven for longer they might turn into crispy cookies.

Mooli Paratha (Radish Paratha)

Another great delight in the paratha category is often neglected because its competition is always the mighty aloo paratha. But beyond the the tedious effort that goes into grating these strong tasting root veggie, the final result is sure to impress those taste buds. This is a great healthy wholemeal by itself, so try out it for your next lunch/dinner.

Prep Time: 30 mins
Ingredients

Dough
Whole wheat flour/Atta : 3 cups or as per your requirement
Radish water* +Water : 1/2 cup(little or more) enough to make a smooth dough
a pinch of  salt

Filling
Radish/Mooli (grated): 1 cup
Green chilies (chopped): 1-2
Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Jeera powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala: 1 teaspoon
Fresh coriander leaves (chopped): 1 tablespoon
salt to taste
Oil 

*First squeeze out the liquid from the grated radish and keep aside. You can use this water while kneading the chappati dough. 

Knead a smooth dough by mixing enough water and a pinch of salt to the whole wheat flour and keep aside. Finally apply 1 tablespoon of oil to firm up the dough. In a deep nonstick pan/kadai dry roast the grated radish with all the masala until dry and slightly toasty. This process not only eliminates all the water for a dry filling, but also takes away the pungent flavor from the radish.

Make round balls of the dough. Flatten them a little so you can make a pocket in your palms. Put the filling and seal it back. Roll it out into flat circles. Dust as much as flour you need to roll them out. Fry these on the tava with oil/ ghee.

Serve hot with the pickle of your choice. We personally prefer the Punjabi mixed vegetable. Don't forget a bowl of curd too.

Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a classic Italian desert which  literally means "Pick me up" since it could never be left behind because of its irresistible taste. Every bite you take mesmerizes your palettes with a fusion of coffee and chocolate in a smooth cream. Though it might seem like  a big deal to put it together, its rather very simple  to make.  Here's our take on the recipe which is definitely worth a try.

Prep Time: 1 hr + setting time
Ingredients

Egg yolks: 3

Mascarpone cheese (80z): 1pack

Sugar: 1 cup

Heavy whipping cream: 1 pint

Lady fingers/ Savoiardi*: 2 packs( about 40 fingers)

Ghiradelli dark chocolate bars: 4-5

Milk chocolate: 1 small bar

Expresso*: Double shot

Water: 1/2 cup

Marsala wine: 4-5 tablespoons

Kahlua (coffee liquor): 3 tablespoons

Cocoa powder: 1 teaspoon for dusting

*We just got a double shot of regular expresso from one of the local coffee shops.

 *The lady fingers are easily available in most of the local grocers (Safeway/ Fredmeyers)

Beat the egg yolks + 1/4 cup of sugar until ivory and smooth. In a double boiler beat the egg yolk mixture. Add the marsala wine and keep beating until it starts to thicken. This takes about 5 mins. Move it aside. When this cools, add the entire package of mascarpone cheese and fold it until smooth. If you over do the mascarpone cheese it can become a little crumbly. Beat the whipping cream slowly adding the 1/2 cup sugar with a hand blender until it has stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the yolk+cheese mixture. This makes the main creamy layer in this desert.

Now for the coffee-choco concoction. In the double boiler melt 2 bar of the dark choc + 1 bar of the milk chocolate. Turn off the gas and and add the kahlua and the expresso with the water. Add 1/4 cup of sugar to this and mix well. This is what we will dip the lady fingers into.

Take a glass flat dish preferably to set the Tiramisu. Dip the ladyfingers one by one into the coffee concoction and lay it down. Dont dip for too long as they will immediately break down. Layer it with whipped mixture. Repeat until its over ending with the whipped mixture on the top. Typically cocoa dust is spread on the very top, but we like to use a mix of grated dark chocolate and cocoa dust.

Cover it with cling wrap and leave it in the refrigrator for about 6-8 hours.

Cut and serve and defenitely enjoy every bite of this fabulous desert.

Sooji Toast

This recipe was taught to us by a dear friend who impressed our palettes on a lazy Sunday morning with this yummy Sooji Toast. Its a very quick and easy option for snack time or breakfast made with  ingredients you would find everyday in our Indian homes.

Prep time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Bread Slices: 4

Topping

Rava/Sooji/Semolina: 1/4 cup

Yogurt : 4 tablespoons

Onions (finely chopped): 2 tablespoons

Green bell peppers (finely chopped): 2 tablespoons

Carrot (grated): 1 tablespoon

Green chillies (chopped): 1-2

Cilantro (chopped): 1 tablespoon

Ginger (finely chopped): 1/2 teaspoon

Garam Masala: 1 teaspoon

Chat masala: 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon

Salt and pepper to taste

Butter: 1 tablespoon

Combine all the ingredients of the topping in a bowl and keep aside. It should be of a pasty consistency (not very thick or not very runny), easy enough to spread on the bread slices.

Butter both sides of a bread slice and press down on a hot tava. Don't let it get crispy, just slightly toasty. On one side spread the topping and turn it down on the tava. Let it get cooked on medium heat until golden brown. The sooji will stick on to the bread firm creating a nice crust. Once fully cooked, cut in triangles and serve hot with Maggi Hot and sweet ketchup. Repeat with all the bread slices until your topping is finished.

*We suggest the hot and sweet ketchup, because it tastes best with that compared to the regular tomato ketchup.

Oats Soup

Oats are great for all ages and mostly consumed for health reasons. This fibrous cereal is also known to improve cholesterol numbers. And with the addition of spinach leaves and no oil, this is an all in all super healthy soup. So definitely give it a try.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Oat meal: 1/2 cup

Baby spinach leaves: 1/4 cup

Tomato (chopped): 3-4 tablespoons

Garlic pods (crushed): 2-3 pods

Milk: 1/2 cup

Water: 1 1/2 cups

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Boil the water in a pot. Add the oats, spinach, tomatoes and crushed garlic pods. Let everything come to a good boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Finally add the milk and give a final boil. Pour into soup bowls and enjoy it hot.

Aval (Rice flakes) Upma

Here's one quick recipe for a very naadan tasting snack which is also a popular option for breakfast in our homes. These flattened rice flakes are very filling and can be made in so many delicious variations.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Aval/ Rice flakes/ Poha: 2 cups

* We used thick rice flakes. Another tip is that if you make this with the Kerala special red rice flakes, it tastes even better.

Red onions (chopped): 1/3 cup

Dried red chillies: 2-3

Curry leaves: handful

Grated coconut: 1/2 cup

Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon

Urad dal: 1 teaspoon

Oil for seasoning

Heat oil in a deep pan/kadai. Splutter the mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Add the chopped onions and saute. Just wash the rice flakes and immediately squeeze out the water. Add the squeezed rice flakes into the pan and saute well. Add the salt. Finally add the grated coconut and mix well. Turn off the heat in 5 mins.

Aval upma is ready to be served.

Palak Paneer

Heres our version of  the delicious Palak Paneer aka cottage cheese in spinach curry sauce. This dish is a sure find in every Indian menu card and is rich in iron with the all the goodness coming from the spinach leaves and calcium from the cottage cheese. We have used homemade paneer for this recipe, so from start to end its a complete homemade meal.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Ingredients

Spinach leaves (washed, blanched & pureed): 1 cup

Tomato (pureed): 1

Onion s(chopped): 1/4 cup

Green chillies: 2

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds: 1 1/2 teaspoons

Coarinder powder: 1 teaspoon

Chilli powder: 1/2  teaspoon

Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon

Kasoori Methi / Dried fenugreek leaves: 2 teaspoons

Milk/Cream: 1/3 cup

Paneer (cubed): 8-10 pcs

Oil to fry

Bay leaves: 1

Cradamom seed: 1

Cinnamon stick: 1

* You could fry the paneer cubes slightly before adding to the gravy to avoid it crumbling up. Or you could skip the frying bit and add the plain paneer cubes. If you are sauteeing the paneer, just rub the paneer in little salt, turmeric and chilli powder and saute in little oil. Another thing is if you leave these fried paneer for a long time in room temperature, it will become hard and rubbery. So immediately after frying, let  it sit in 1/4 cup warm water. You could add this water with the paneer back into gravy.

Wash the spinach leaves. Immerse in 1/2 cup boiling water for 2 mins. Drain and puree the spinach leaves into a smooth paste.

In a deep pan, heat some oil. Add the bay leaves, cardamom seeds, cinnamon stick and cumin seeds. Add the ginger garlic paste. Add the chopped onions and saute until slightly golden. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder. Add the tomato puree and mix well. Now add the spinach puree and let everything simmer on low heat. Adjust the salt and spices. When the spinach is fully cooked, add the crushed kasoori methi. Finally add the paneer cubes. Add milk/cream and mix well.

Palak paneer is ready to be served.

Dates Tamarind Chutney

A simple khatta-meeta(tangy yet sweet) chutney that is best used while making all the different kinds of chaat. Adding the dates instead of plain sugar or jaggery adds the best detail in the chutney.

 

Prep Time: 5 mins
Ingredients

Dates:  8-10
Tamarind Paste: 2 teaspoons
Chili Powder / Dried chilli powder : 1 teaspoon/ 1-2
Sugar: a pinch
Salt: a pinch
Water : 2 tablespoons

De-seed the dates  and put them in a bowl with the water. Microwave it for 1 and half mins. Mix in the tamarind pulp and rest of the ingredients. Mix and grind it all into a fine smooth paste. You could add a little more water to slightly dilute if you think the consistency is little thick. Adjust the salt.

Tamarind chutney is ready.

Upilitta Nelikka Chamanthi (Salted Gooseberry Chutney)

Here's one of our favortite chamanthis that takes us back to  eating simple meals in those olden kerala tharvadu (ancestoral home) kitchens and this one doesn't even take the  time to count from one to a hundred.

Prep Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

Gooseberrys in salt water/brine: 3-4

Garlic: 2 pods

Green chillies:3-4

Grated Coconut: 1/4 cup

Curry Leaves: few

*Since we didn't find the fresh gooseberrys to start pickling, we made this from the store bought "Grandma's Uppilitta Nellika"

Deseed the gooseberries and chop them into small pieces.Combine rest of the ingredients and grind in the mixer. Mix together and shape them into balls and serve them with steaming rice.

Happy New Year 2011!

Here's wishing all our dear friends and  readers a glorious start to a brand new year filled with abundance of love and happiness. Ring in the new year celebrations with your loved ones with ton loads of  fun, food and festivities.

With a hope to unfold many more recipes and fun ideas to cook, we send our heartfelt wishes to each and every one out there!!

Photo Courtesy: Kiran & Ashwin