Roasted Chicken Sausage Pasta with Pomegranate Garden Salad

The July sun's scorching up the East Coast, not to mention, late sunsets and long, humid days. The kids love it, however. I mean, who won't like to stay out playing till nine in the night, carelessly chasing fire flies and never wanting to accept that it's almost beyond dinnertime!

The hardest thing for me is to have my little boy stocked up with energy for his summer evening playtime. Summer vacation in a new neighborhood brought with it new friends for him and new challenges for me to keep him up and running. I would have to ensure he's eaten a healthy lunch before he steps out.

I always stash up on boxes of pasta and tons of veggies to make this easy lunch for him. He loves pasta. Yes, most kids do! But, more often than not we all end up cooking pasta along with store-bought sauces. In my case however, my son is not fond of ready sauces, which certainly increases my efforts, but gives me more opportunity to explore new flavors that enhance pasta. So, most often I end up making pasta in other ways.

So, here's a dish that can perk up your protein and satiate your taste buds!

Brown Rice Spaghetti with Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken

A couple of stores in the US carry some really interesting things. Among others, I hate why Trader Joe's hasn't yet opened a store around where we live. So, every time I'd go to meet people who lived near one, I'd never miss a chance to hop by and gape at all the line-up of organic, naturally delicious stuff they stock up. I flip like a teenager in love, each and every time I see their packaging and brown bags made using recycled paper.

On one such voracious trip to Trader Joe's I picked up this packet of brown rice spaghetti. Following the package instructions, the first time around I cooked it and tossed it in some regular marinara sauce. No great shakes. Tasted good. But, this spaghetti was so earthy and wholesome I just had  to put it to better use.

On another (not so voracious) mundane grocery shopping day, I picked up some Oscar Mayor  Carving Board Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken. I could possibly eat just this thing all by itself and not want anything else with it. Randomly cut the chicken into chunks, add tomatoes, onions, lettuce, seasoned bread croutons and your favorite dressing and it is a meal in itself! 

And, on another wonderful day when I really was voraciously hungry, I married the most delicious spaghetti with the best deli chicken in town and made this scrumptious lunch.

You need very few ingredients for this one but the outcome will make people thing you slogged for hours in the kitchen. You can even make this with regular pasta and deli chicken (or cooked shredded chicken). Yum is the word. Try it for yourself!

Creamy Mushroom Farfalle with Steamed Veggies

Ever come across a moment in life that changes the way you see a certain thing, person or sometimes even a situation? Among other larger such 'moments-of-change', to me is hidden this one moment that revolutionized the way I saw a little button of a thing - Mushroom. And, such was the theme for last month's Free-Spirit Bloggers. It was chosen by none other than Anupama of Love and Lentils. 

Anupama challenged us to pick out a food/ingredient that we steer clear of. Something we've never liked as a child or even as a grown up and cook with it. Not to forget she asked us to have fun doing so. Here's my story keeping in mind this wonderfully challenging theme.

It would seem normal for a pure vegetarian to state he or she did not like mushrooms because of its taste and texture. But for me, being a meat-eater did nothing towards how I saw mushrooms until very recently. I must thank my very close pal, V, for introducing me to this way of cooking mushrooms. V found this recipe in some cookbook, apparently. Now, there's almost nothing to hate and everything to love when I think of mushrooms.

I love pasta, but I never for once imagined it would gain a new dimension of taste when you throw is a dash (or more, ahem!) of cream and mushrooms. I was so in love with it the day I ate it and now, I make it for lunch at least once a week (cutting back on the cream of course!). I must add my son loves this as much as I do. So, all you moms looking for a fresh new perspective on pasta - This is IT!

What's even more awesome is that you can club this with a side of fresh steamed veggies and voila what do you have? Creamy Mushroom Farfalle with Steamed Veggies!!

Pasta leaves me stumped when it comes to showing off its ability to adapt and absorb any flavour you toss it in. And this recipe is a winner, hands down. In fact, if you love mushrooms, but not pasta you GOTTA TRY THIS. You will come back to me and thank me, telling me this was your 'moment-of-change'.

Paneer Butter Masala

Siri Pulipaka decided this months theme for us, Free-Spirit Bloggers. To say she took us down memory lane is one thing, but here's what she did. She left us there to wander about all those memories and the restaurants we'd visit as children. And, the most important thing she made us do: Re-live the moments in that restaurant eating the one dish that always made its way to the waiter's order note-pad. 

For me it's always been Paneer Butter Masala. The moment we'd grab our seats in any restaurant, the one thing we knew we were going to order was this. Everything else did not even matter. I still remember us driving up to the Karnataka State Billiards Association (KSBA) on weekends for Bingo Nights. I was very young to understand the game. So I'd sit there munching on appetizers, trying to understand the game, telling Dad and Mom  I see the number on their sheets, knowing well what followed for dinner.

While I spent all of my childhood and teenage years, gorging down this North Indian delicacy, things changed after I stepped into wed-lock. Once I learnt the basics around the kitchen, I wanted to, for certain, learn to make this favourite. I still remember the very first time I made it (a pretty home-y version sans cashews and cream) and was super excited. Almost as if I had created a new being or something. Then on, I explored various ways of making paneer butter masala - From recipe books, magazines and the internet. I've come down to one recipe, a combination of a little bit of everything I've read. And, this one works every time and gets me the results I'm looking for.

Mildly spiced, creamy cashew sauce with succulent paneer cubes. What wouldn't go with it? Roti - Yes! Naan - Yes! Kulcha - Yes! Plain white/brown bread - Yes! Rice - Yes. In fact, I could down bowls of Paneer Butter Masala all by itself!!

Grilled Veggie Seekh Kabab

Summer's here. Almost synonymous with blazin' hot grills, chilled soda, sun-hats, flip-flops and most certainly a whole lot of fun. The mention of the grill would've probably had you thinking of charcoal burning and meat sizzling away on the heat. But, no. This summer, how about going green? All of us could do with an extra serving of veggies. And, what better way to get them in than make vegetarian versions of popular non-vegetarian dishes? That's what we Free-Spirit Bloggers have in store for you this month. 

All of us have in store veggie versions of recipes that normally are made using meat, poultry and/or seafood - all of which also look non-veggie, too. Hmm! Now, that's reason enough to skim through all our blogs, eh? I'll give you just the place where you can get all of this, so you can take a look at what the other Free-Spirit Bloggers are upto, but before that take a peek at what I have in store for you. I decided to take this month's theme a notch further and do away with much of the oil/grease that normally accompanies non-vegetarian dishes. So, the gill was the answer! Whatcha waitin' for? Better not be Christmas - It's way too far to have your mouth drooling the way it is! Go and turn on your grill and gorge on some grilled veggie seekh kababs.

Home-style Vegetable Biryani

It always leaves me amused, how my son would gorge down an entire plate of peas pulao at a restaurant buffet and make faces when I make the same thing at home. How can something that's gone cold and was probably made many hours before it made its way to his mouth taste better than the same thing made fresh and served piping hot at home?

Isn't it pretty wild how the same dish prepared by two families, or even two different people in the same household, can taste entirely different. Sometimes, even when the recipe followed is the same. On par with this thought, I put forth my version of the famous one-pot meal, Vegetable Biryani.

Biryanis are so versatile and each person tends have their own ways of making it. Some make it from scratch and some by purchasing store-bought biryani mixes. It is made either with meat, chicken, seafood or vegetables. No matter in what way it is prepared, this will always be a delicious part of any meal...or better yet, make a meal in itself!

While in most cases we prepare non-vegetarian biryani from scratch at home, every once in a way I give my vegetables a chance to treat themselves to this delicacy. So, one Sunday I dished up Vegetable Biryani and Chicken Chettinad as an accompaniment. Who can ask for a better weekend luncheon?

Saucy Indo-Chinese Coriander Garlic Chicken

There's definitely something about the fusion of Indian ingredients with Chinese delicacies. Something that makes one wants to go back for more than one serving. And, that's exactly what happened to me when I ate this dish at an Indo-Chinese restaurant. The combination of a garlic-y sauce with lots of fresh corainder all done up into a gulp-me-down chicken gravy cannot be resisted by a die-hard Indo-Chinese food fanatic like me!

A few days after we devoured this, I began getting haunted by the flavours - almost as if they continued to linger over my tastebuds, daunting me. I simply had to try making my version of the same at home - and soon! So, I did and here it is, just for you!

So, quickly prepare yourself some fried rice to go with this and lay the table for a hearty meal!

Masala Chicken Burgers

It's been a while since I made these now. Over a month really. Somehow, I got too carried away posting cakes and bakes and these drool-worthy fellas sat on the back burners, awaiting their chance to get published on SSTT.

Would'nt it be a shame on me if I had not tried making burgers at home living in the country that almost eats them as a staple meal? What had me running to fetch the ingredients for the same was the show - The Next Food Network Star. Why? This showcased competitors (chefs or otherwise) who'd compete to win a show on the network. Nice, eh? I had my eyes on one participant - Aarti Sequiera, an Indian, who was mixing Indian flavours onto American classics with so much ease, that I simply HAD to do something on those lines at home. Thanks Aarti, for the inspiration! The outcome - Juicy Indo-American Chicken Burgers! Oh and yes Aarti won the challenge and hosts her show on Food Network. She's already had 3 episodes on TV and she sure rocks! Check out her page here. And, when you're done, read up my recipe!

Now, stop drooling and grab those ingredients. This one's so easy, you could be eating it even before you think.

Chicken Manchurian

I have'nt till date met a person who despises Manchurian - chicken or otherwise. It's no surprise that this dish has found its way to the streets of India. And, as always, we Indians manage to add our 'tadka' to everything that hits our shore - be it food or anything else! Indo-Chinese cuisine is one such product. Like Chinese food itself was'nt hearty and filling, we jazz it up to suit our tastebuds and churn out plate after plate on every other street/restaurant.

I can still feel the heat from the chillies in the Cauliflower Manchurian and Vegetable Noodles I used to eat at least twice a week at the street-food vendor back in my college days. Some metabolism I had, eh?! Oh, that feels like ages ago and I am beginning to feel old saying all this. So , before I get way too nostalgic, let me get down to sharing this scrummy recipe with you!

Ingredients

2 lb Chicken breasts (You can use bone-in or boneless) - Washed and cut into bite sized pieces

1/4th Cup Cornflour dissolved in 3/4 cup of water
5 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2inch stick of Ginger, grated
1 Cup Onions, julienned
3/4 Cup Chopped Scallions (Green Onions)
3 Green Chillies, chopped
1/4 Cup Fresh Coriander sprigs, chopped
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
2-3 tbsp Chilie sauce
1/2 tsp Red Chillie powder
1/2 tsp Ajinomoto (I just use very little to give the dish some authentic Chinese flavour. This is optional. You can use only regular salt, too, if you're not feeling that indulgent)
Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Heat oil in a wok/kadai
- Stir the cornflour in the water to form a thin batter. Add some salt and the red chillie powder to this to give it some flavour
- Dip the chicken pieces in this batter and deep fry. Place fried chicken pieces on paper towel drain any excess oil. Oh, yeah let's try to get a wee bit close to being healthy at least at one step ;)
- Now in a shallow saucepan, heat about 2 tbsp. of oil and add the green chillies, garlic, ginger and onions and stir until the onions are transparent
- Add the coriander and stir further
- Lower the flame and pour in the sauces
- Now add ajonomoto and some more salt and fry for a good minute on a medium flame
- Toss in half the scallions and fry for about 30 seconds
- Add fried chicken pieces and fry until well coated with sauce mixture
- Sprinkle left over scallions and serve hot

SERVES 2-3

Veggie Thai Curry - Customized!

Thai cuisine was as new to me as the country itself. Not that I have ever been there, but coming to the US sure did give me scope enough to hog on different types of cuisines. I heard that making Thai food at home was pretty easy. Besides, considering preparing our Indian food itself is so elaborate, I knew it could not get anything more detailed. So, I called up my friend Sathya who happens to love to explore new dishes and has loads of cook books and recipes (Sath, you really should start blogging!) and borrowed this recipe from her. Thai food, just like Indian, has many flavours working simultaneously - making eating a feast in itself!

Although the orginal version called for a lot of peanuts, I slightly customized this recipe as per my family's needs since my hubby is not too fond of these. I have mentioned where exactly you toss those nuts in, so that you wont be missing out on a single thing!

 

Ingredients
Choice of vegetables - Washed and chopped/julienned (I have used brocolli, carrots, cauliflower. You could add tofu as well. I did not have it on hand so I went ahead without it)
1/2 Onion (Medium sized) - Julienned
1 Cup/8 fl. oz - Coconut Milk
2-3 Whole dried red chillies (Use more if you want to increase the spice quotient)
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 inch stub of Ginger
6 Cloves of garlic
1 tbsp peanuts, skin-off (I have not used this)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!!

Method
- Steam your veggies until soft. I had to fully cook mine to make sure my little son was able to eat! You could even opt to microwaving or boiling the veggies depending on how well cooked you want them to be.
- Grind together, in a blender, the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, red chillies, onion and peanuts into a fine paste using minimum water
- With your blender running, slowly pour in coconut milk to make a smooth gravy like fluid
- In a non-stick sauce pan, heat oil and pour the gravy
- Allow it to reach a  rapid boil and then simmer for a few seconds
- Toss in the cooked veggies and salt. You could also add raw veggies at this point instead of cooking them beforehand and allow them to cook in the gravy itself
- Add the lemon juice
- Serve hot with a fresh tub of steamed white rice or try it along-side Asian Style Fried Rice, like I did.
Heaven on your plate!

SERVES 2-3

Asian Style Fried Rice

We all end up doing some ridiculously dumb things some time or the other. For me, one such time was when I was really out of ideas as to what to make for dinner and I simply cooked up rice and sat wondering what to do next! I wanted to eat something beyond the regular Tomato Rice, Pulao or any other rice preparation that I would normally churn out. I sat watching TV and suddenly like a lightening, it struck me: Indo-Chinese. I mean HOW could I have not thought about it earlier. And, to my luck I had scallions stocked up from my Chicken Manchurian fiesta I had the previous night. The rice had cooled down to room temperature, I had a good stock of soy and chillie sauce...everything was so in sync and yes, and you guessed the rest - Asian Style Fried Rice was born!

Ingredients

1 Cup Rice, washed and drained

1 Bunch of Scallions, washed and chopped

1/2 Cup Onions, julienned

1 Green chillie, slit (Add more if you like things hot :P)

2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste

1 tsp Fresh Garlic, coarsly chopped (Yes, I love additional fresh garlic in just about anything!)

3 tbsp Soy Sauce (Add more if you desire)

1 tbsp Red Chillie Sauce

1 tsp Ground pepper/Pepper powder

Ajinomoto or Regular salt, to taste

1/4 Cup Oil (You can use olive oil for extra flavour)

Method

- Cook the rice in 1 3/4 cup of water and set aside to cool to room temperature. Spreading the cooked rice over a large plate speeds this process and yields fluffy rice

- In a large wok/kadai, heat about 1/4 cup of oil

- Once it is hot, add the slit green chilli and onions and stir until the onions are translucent

- Add the coarsly chopped garlic and stir fry

- Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for another minute or so

- Throw in half of the chopped scallions and fry

- Now, lower the flame and add the red chillie and soy sauces and stir

- Toss in the rice, salt/ajinomoto and pepper and stir fry thoroughly (Boy, they dont call it 'fried' rice for nothing...all you do is fry in every darn step!)

- Fry (Yea! again) the rice on a medium high flame until it is coated well with the sauces and onions mixture

- Top up with the remaining half of the chopped scallions and serve piping hot with your choice of favourite gravy. I served mine with some tangy, spicy Thai Curry...so you know what is coming next on SSTT! Ah, can't I keep one little secret?

SERVES 3

Puran Poli, 2K Visitors And A Thank You Note!!!

Yes, it is celebration time again. This time because SSTT touched 2000 visitors since March 2010. I know there are food blogs out there who have this much traffic in say about a week or so.. but this is big for me. Now, for those of you who have begun to think I made Puran Poli to celebrate 2K visitors I would like to correct you - Nopes! Here's a little story. I wanted to make them for Ugadi/Gudi Paadva but missed making them since we had a simple celebration at home. But the urge to eat puran polis had not died in me - after all we make such delicacies only once in a way! And, just in time for this moment, a friend of mine who is expecting her first baby, asked me if I could make her some. I grabbed the opportunity and made a whole-sale stock of puran polis. And as if all this was'nt enough, I receive this special Thank You note from Sanyukta of Creative Sanyukta. Thank You, gurl! Those of you who have not already seen her blog, take a peek.. she has some really innovative presentations happening there!

I am supposed to pass this to my blogger friends, so here goes!

Madhuri of Cook-curry Nook
Suma of Cakes & More!!
Gulmohar and Nostalgia of Collaborative Curry
Mallika of Veg Bowl
Priya of Priya's Easy and Tasty Recipes
Jothi of Panch Pakwan

And, all of you who continue to drop by SSTT...this one is for you, too. Thank You!!

Now for the recipe of this very popular Maharashtrian sweet treat - Puran Poli!

Ingredients
3 Cups - Maida (All purpose flour)
2 1/2 Cups Toor Dal (Some people use a mixure of toor and channa dals. If doing so, then make sure you soak the channa dal overnight so that it gets cooked well)
1 1/4 Cup Jaggery, made into tiny chunks (You can use jaggery powder to make things easier!)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Cardamom seeds, powdered
A pinch of salt
Oil
Ghee
Water

Method
- Mix together maida, salt, turmeric
- Pour water and make a soft, pliable dough. Ensure you do not add too much water
- Towards the end of the kneading process add about half a cup of oil and knead using both your hands applying pressure and simultaneously incorporating the oil into the dough. Continue kneading for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour another 4-5 tbsp of oil over the dough
- Cover and set aside for about 2 hours
- Pressure cook the toor dal with just enough water to cover the dal by about 1 inch in the pressure cooker
- Once the pressure has released, drain any excess water and mash the dal to form a soft dough-like texture. It is essential that you have no water content left after you pressure cook the dal so that your stuffing (Puran) turns out super-soft and easy to handle
- In a large non-stick saucepan or a large wok, heat about 2 tsp of oil and transfer the cooked dal
- Add the jaggery chunks/powder and stir for about 20 minutes on a medium-low flame until the jaggery melts and incorporates itself into the dal to form a soft stuffing for your polis
- Stir in the powdered cardamom seeds and continue stirring in order to evaporate any liquid content left over in the stuffing. Turn off the heat as soon as you have a soft dough-like stuffing/puran ready
- Now clear up your counter space and set up your work area with a bowl of oil, a bowl of all purpose flour to dust, your rolling pin and...roll up your sleeves!
- Make lime sized balls of the puran and maida dough
- Using your hands made tiny cup like shapes out of the maida by rotating the dough between your thumbs and fingers (Or you could opt to simply roll them out into a circle using a rolling pin)

- In the center of each 'cup' place a ball of puran, seal as you would a paratha and set aside (like in the picture on the right side). Do not make too many of these at one go since they tend to dry out and you might have difficulty in rolling them out. Make your polis in batches instead
- Once you have about 10 of these ready, on a well oiled surface, roll them like you would chapathis/paratas, only being extra careful so that you do not end up with puran outside the dough. Use smooth, stretching motion to roll these babies, dusting flour along the way
- Place a griddle/tawa on a high flame and when its screaming hot, turn down to medium-low heat
- Place rolled out puran polis on the griddle and cook on both sides using genourous amounts of oil
- Serve hot with ghee and warm milk

Makes about 35 puran polis.

Chicken Chettinad

Yeah, yeah Chicken Chettinad. Sounds great I know. Tastes even better. But dont begin to assume I knew it the moment I got my hands on the chicken. (*thud* There goes my image in the dumps). We all love this dish, and it is on almost every menu card in nearly every Indian restaurant that serves up non-vegetarian Indian cuisine. So, over the past few weeks I was taken over by a sudden obsession to try out a new type of a gravy using Chicken. Something other than my regular C Cubed. It just had to be something spicy so this one came to my mind. I chanced on this recipe on Indian Food Forever, a website that I think carries quite a decent collection of recipes. The original recipe calls for poppy seeds. I normallly do not use them and did not have them on hand. If you do, then go ahead and 'pop' them in when you try this out. I am sure they'll render a great flavour!

Ingredients
For the masala
1/2 Cup Grated coconut
1" stick Cinnamon
1tsp Fennel seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Coriander seeds
3pcs Cardamom (Badi elaichi)
2 Cloves
1 Star anise
6-8 Whole red chilies
2 tsp Poppy Seeds (Optional. I have not used this)

Other Ingredients
2lbs Chicken, washed and cleaned, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
 1 Cup Onion, chopped
1 tbsp Ginger, chopped
2 tbsp Garlic, chopped
1 tsp Red chili powder
3/4 Cup Tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp Lemon juice
10-12 Curry leaves
Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
1/2 cup Oil
Salt To Taste

Method

- In a large wok/kadai, dry roast the ingredients for the masala
- Grind the roasted masala ingredients to a fine paste in the blender using minimum water
- Add the ginger and garlic to this paste in the blender and run it further to make a smooth paste/masala
- Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel
- Fry the onions till golden brown
- Toss in the curry leaves and allow to splutter
- Now add the ground paste and sauté for about a minute
- Add the tomatoes, red chili powder and turmeric powder and sauté.
- Add the chicken, mix and cook for 5 minutes and then add 2 cups of water and lemon juice
- Stir
- Add salt and cover and cook till the chicken is done. You could opt to pressure cook at this point.
- Serve piping hot chicken chettinad, garnished with coriander leaves along-side steamed rice, rotis or pooris

SERVES 4

Mixed Vegetable Paratha

I would be lying if I said I make these often and that I am a pro at it. Honestly, I hardly make stuffed parathas of any kind although I love eating them. So, every now and then when I have the mood for it (psst... when I dont want to make many dishes for dinner!) I end up making these savoury, healthy flat-breads on which we feast! Yes, the picture below does little justice...but I really did not know how else to click it. Besides, I was way too eager to eat them screaming-hot-outta-the-griddle alongside Sanjeev Kapoor's Chatak Chillie pickle which finds its spot on my plate at almost every meal.

Ingredients
2 Cups Whole wheat flour
1 Medium sized potato, washed and peeled (This helps with the binding of the stuffing)
1.5 Cup of mixed veggies, washed, cleaned/peeled and roughly chopped (I've used peas, cauliflower, carrots and green beans)
1/3 Cup Onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
2 Green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp Jeera (Cumin seeds)
Oil
Water
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Knead the whole wheat flour into a soft, pliable dough using water
- Once all the flour holds together as one, add about 1/3rd cup of oil and knead well for about 3 minutes to ensure that the dough is soft and easy to roll out
- Cover and set aside
- Boil all the veggies (potato included) in the pressure cooker (or microwave) with some salt and minimum water
- Drain any excess water and mash the vegetables to make a soft textured paste. This is easy only if you have no water content left from boiling the vegetables
- Heat about 1 tsp oil in a wok/kadai and add jeera
- Once it splutters add the finely chopped green chillies, ginger-garlic paste and onions and fry for about a minute
- Now add the boiled and mashed vegetables
- Adjust salt and stir until any left-over water/moisture evaporates, but the mixture still retains a soft texture
- Set up your work area with your rolling board, rolling pin, a wide bowl of whole wheat flour for dusting while you roll
- Make lime sized balls of the vegetable filling and set aside
- Wash hands and now make slightly larger than lime sized balls of the dough
- Roll out the dough using the flour to dust your rolling board (so as to avoid sticking) into about a 2.5 to 3 inch wide circle
- Place the vegetable filling in the center and cover it from all sides and seal from above
- Press slightly to ensure a tight seal. Meanwhile place your griddle/tawa on the stove on a medium flame so that it heats up
- Now douse this in whole wheat flour and dust your rolling board with more flour
- Roll out to make parathas to your desired thickness. Make sure you use smooth, 'spreading' motions as you roll so that you dont end up with torn parathas
- Toss vegetable parathas on the hot griddle/tawa
- Apply oil and fry on either side until cooked through
- Serve hot with pickles and yogurt

SERVES 3-4 (Makes about 10-12 parathas)

Kheema Balls And Coconut Gravy

This happens to be one of my husband's favourite dishes. Sadly, for him I do not make it too often. Not because I do not want to..but simply because it carries with it way too many calories, which he too agrees is not good for us. But, whenever we make it, the fried kheema (minced meat) balls find their way into our tummies before even taking the plunge into the gravy. So, basically this is like a two in one preparation. You can serve the fried kheema balls as an appetizer and dunk some of them (if they escape everyones hands!) into the gravy.

This is my mother-in-law's all time hit recipe and holds a special place in my heart. During my newly-wed days (and even now!) I remember, she would undoubtedly make this for us whenever she would get her hands on kheema in the market ....even after a long, tiring day at work! I would stand there looking at her work her magic in the kitchen...at the most helping with peeling garlic cloves. Shame! With no prior cooking know-how, the making of this specific dish seemed far too complicated for me to even think of trying on my own. Ingredients all over the kitchen...some being blended, some chopped. I was simply dumbfounded, for all I knew back then was to fix a cup of tea for myself. But, she made it all seem so simple and always told me, "Cooking is no rocket science. Just keep trying and you will learn it all". And thanks to her support, I've finally - finally - mastered this preparation! Here it is for you all to try and enjoy.

Before you start, let me give you a heads-up on the basic method employed to make this. You make two separate fine ground masalas - One for the gravy and one to add to the kheema/minced meat to flavour the balls.

Also, if you intend making only the fried kheema balls as an appetizer then you can skip reading the coconut gravy part of this recipe.

But, if you plan to make the gravy and add the kheema balls in it then make sure you first semi-fry some kheema balls (for curry) and then deep fry rest. By semi-fry, I mean, fry for about a minute on low flame just to allow the outsides of the kheema balls to turn light brown (and to bind the kheema ball together) and set aside.

That being said I will take you through the recipe now.

Ingredients for the Kheema Balls Masala
1/4 Cup Coconut, grated(I use thawed frozen coconut flakes)
2 tbsp Garlic, grated
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
1" stick Cinnamon
4-5 Cloves
1 Cup Fresh Coriander
1/2 Cup Chana Dalia (Putane)
1.5 tsp Turmeric powder
1.5 tbsp Dhaniya powder/Coriander seed powder
1.5 tbsp Red Chilli powder (adjust to suit your taste)
2lb/1kg Kheema/minced meat(mutton/goat/lamb)- Washed
And, of course, some salt to taste!

If kheema is not very fine then you can add it in the mixer too along with masala and grind it more. You might have to do this in batches to ensure that the entire bulk of kheema is well mixed with the masala.

Method
- Add all the ingredients (except kheema) in the mixer/blender and make a fine paste with minimal use of water
- Add this to the kheema and mix thoroughly
- Make balls (about 1" in diameter) and deep fry (Semi-fry a couple, if you intend to make the gravy, and set them aside right now...else they will be eaten up. Just a word of caution!)


Ingredients for the Coconut Gravy Masala
1/2 Cup Coconut, grated(I use thawed frozen coconut flakes)
1/2 Cup Onion, diced
1/2 Cup Tomato, diced
2 tbsp Garlic, grated
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
1/2 cup Fresh coriander leaves
1" Cinnamon stick
4-5 Cloves
1 tbsp Dhaniya powder
1 tbsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Add all these ingredients in the mixer/blender to make a fine masala using minimum water
- In a pan/cooker, heat oil and add the ground masala and stir
- Add turmeric and salt and bring to a boil
- Once the raw smell goes, simmer add the half fried kheema balls
- Cover and simmer, stirring occassionally, allowing the semi-fried kheema balls to absorb the masala flavour and get cooked through (remember they were only half done when they were fried!)
- Serve hot with either plain white or Ghee rice

NOTEWORTHY NOTES
1. You can add mutton pieces/bones, if you have any left from the kheema to this gravy, but ensure you cook them well before you add the semi-fried kheema balls.
2. The gravy thickens with time, so if you plan on making it before-hand you might want to add more water and heat it just before you serve

SERVES 4-5

Panchratna Daal

Looking for a way to spruce up your daily daal? Look no further! Eat just one spoonful with a bite of a hot roti and you will find yourself reaching for second and third servings of this slurpy gravy. It is packed with proteins due to the five types of daals (from where it gets its name) and is high on taste. So, what is your excuse? Hit the kitchen now!

Ingredients
3 tbsp each of Toor, Urad, Moong, Matki Masoor and Split Channa Daal - Washed and soaked in water for about 2 hours
1 Cup Tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup Onions, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Fresh Coriander leaves, chopped
1 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
1 tsp Coriander powder (Dhania powder)
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Sabji Masala (Optional - I used Everest brand)
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
A pinch of hing/asafoetida
Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!!

Method
- Pressure cook all the daals with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder, half a cup of tomatoes, cumin seeds, a few drops of oil and the hing/asafoetida
- Once the daals are done, pour any excess water left over the cooked daals in a separate bowl and set aside
- Mash the cooked daals to a thick, paste like consistency
- In a large non-stick saucepan, heat oil
- Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter
- Add the chopped onions and fry until translucent
- Add the chopped coriander leaves and fry until they wilt
- Now toss in the remaining half cup of tomatoes and fry until soft
- Add each dry/powdered ingredient one by one and give a stir after each addition(Turmeric, Coriander, Garam Masala, Sabji Masala)
- Pour the water that was obtained on cooking the daals
- Add salt
- Allow to boil
- Now slowly stir in the cooked daals, cover and simmer
- Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rotis or jeera rice

SERVES 4

Neer Dose and Vegetable Saagu

Making dosas was once a very skillful task for me. Soaking various dals and rice in the right proportions. Then, grinding it to a fine mixture and then allowing the concoction to ferment to the right level. And as the grand finale, pouring the perfect dosa on the griddle - All seemed like a humongous task. Not that I am an expert now, but I have learnt the simple tricks of the trade to end up with some lip-smacking ones. In fact, it has been only about two years now since I have started making idli and dosa batter at home. Among the umpteen number of dosa recipes I have seen/eaten I think my personal favourite is the Neer Dosa, which if I am not wrong is an authentic Mangalorean dish. Back in India, I had a friend from Mangalore who lived in the same apartment building as us, where I used to eat this dosa very often. It pairs amazingly well with non-vegetarian and vegetarian gravies alike. I had almost forgotten this childhood favourite of mine...but Madhuri posted a different version of the same on her blog, which refreshed my memory. In this post, I've whipped up vegetable saagu that is normally served along with puris in South Indian hotels as the famous Puri-Saagu combo. The crispy yet soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture of the Neer Dosa beautifully compliments the entire experience of eating this side dish.

Ingredients for Neer Doses
1 Cup Rice, soaked for one hour (I have used Soona Masoori. You can even use Basmati)
2 tbsp. grated coconut
A pinch of baking soda
Water
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste in the blender/mixer
- Add about 2 glasses (16oz) more water to the ground paste to make the batter watery
- On a hot griddle/tawa, first sprinkle water to cool off temporarily
- Once the water evaoprated, on a high flame, spread oil and pour the batter in a sprinkling action to form a complete circle
- Turn the flame to medium, hold on to your patience and wait for the dosa to cook. It will slowly form the net a net-like texture and come off from the sides indicating that it has cooked on the lower side
- Flip and fry the other side
- For every subsequent dosa, repeat by cooling off the griddle/tawa by sprinkling water and then spreading oil before you pour (sprinkle) the dosas
- Serve hot with vegetable saagu or any spicy gravy/chutney


Now that we've mastered the Neer Dose, let's discover the Vegetable Saagu recipe.

Ingredients for Vegetable Saagu
For the Masala
1/2 Cup Coconut (I used frozen coconut slices)
1/2 Cup Channa Dalia (Phutane)
2 Green chillies
2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste (You can substitute for fresh grated ginger and garlic)
3/4 Cup Coriander/Parsley
1 tsp Jeera

For the Gravy
2 Cups choice of vegetables - Boiled (I have used potatoes, carrots, green beans and peas)
1 Cup Tomato - Finely chopped
1 Cup Onion - Finely chopped
2 tsp Tamarind pulp
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Asafoetida/Hing
6-8 Curry leaves
Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Grind all the Masala ingredients to a smooth paste
- In a deep saucepan, heat oil
- Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter
- Toss in the asafoetida and the curry leaves and stir a few seconds
- Add the onions and fry until translucent
- Add the chopped tomatoes and stir until done
- Pour the ground masala and stir well
- Cook for about a minute, stirring occasionally
- Add the chopped vegetables (along with the water in which you boiled it to retain the goodness) and salt and cook another 3 minutes (keep an eye and stir, as it may boil and fly all over your stove)
- Pour the tamarind pulp and simmer for about a minute
- Stir again and if needed, add water to adjust the consistency of the saagu if it is to thick (It should not be too runny, too)
- Garnish with fresh coriander sprigs and serve hot

SERVES 4 (Makes a good 15-20 dosas. You can comfortably tuck in about 4 dosas for breakfast!)

Wheat Bread Veggie Pizza

With a toddler running the house...er, I mean, running around the house, fixing quick meals is of prime importance. I have read in umpteen number of places that kids imitate us - even when it comes to eating. And, I have observed that my son does eat better when we eat the same thing together. So, while I am trying to whip up lunch for my bundle of energy, I try to make the same item in two different ways - one high calorie for the brat and one (boo hoo) low calorie for the mom! So, when it comes to bread pizza I had to think twice. Pizza was a yes. Personally, I cannot imagine anyone not liking it! But I did not want to compromise on taste...and hence I did what I had to do. Want to know more? Read up!

Ingredients
4 Slices of bread
2 Cups Choice of veggies - Julienned/Chopped (I have used broccoli, red bell peppers, red onions, tomatoes, green beans and carrots)
1 Cup - Shredded Mozzarella cheese (I have used low fat variety)
4 tbsp Tomato ketchup
1/2 tsp chillie powder (optional)
Oil/Cooking spray
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Stir fry all the veggies (except tomatoes) to a crisp texture
- Preheat oven to 150F
- Spray/Spread oil on a oven-safe baking tray/dish
- Lay the bread slices over it
- Apply one tbsp. of tomato ketchup on each slice and spread evenly
- Divide the stir fried veggies into four portions and spread over the bread slices
- Sprinkle salt and chillie powder
- Top up with cheese
- Place in oven and bake until cheese melts and bread gets slightly toasty
- Serve hot

SERVES 2

You could add more cheese for the kids, like I have done. The first image is that of the slice that I fed my lil sonny (with more cheese), the second (less cheese) for moi!

One slice of this makes a perfect snack to refuel kids. So, this savoury dish is on its way to the Kid's Delight - Wholesome Snacks event, hosted by Srivalli of Spice your Life.

Hearty Spinach and Chicken Soup

Winters are a time when you want to cuddle up with a loved one over a cuppa hot chocolate and get cozy watching your favorite TV show. And that is such a classic cliched statement, I know...I know.

Ah! That rhymed

But, just when the ever-plummeting mercury makes us lazy, all the viruses that make us ill happen to work over-time. Talk about bad luck. Cough, cough...sneeze sneeze! Ugh, even typing it makes me feel sick. Yet, some things are inevitable - and illness happens. And, when nothing seems to satisfy your taste-buds, a soup makes up for it all! What's better than a bowl of hearty spinach and chicken soup when the tissue box seems to be your best friend? Yeah, yeah this one is a wee bit too hearty and can be very filling. But hey, haven't you heard the phrase - 'Feed the cold, starve the fever'?

Oh, and there is another reason you might want to make this slurpy dish. If you are among the people who cannot stop yourself from ordering sweet-corn-anything soups when you dine out, then this is something you will love, too. Try it once and you will stop going ga-ga over the restaurant soups!

Ingredients
1 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breast - Washed and cut into about 4 large chunks
2 Cups of Spinach - Washed and julienned
1/2 Cup Corn Kernels - cooked until soft
1 tbsp - Chopped Onion (You can use green onions too)
1 tbsp - Chopped tomato
1 tsp - Garlic paste
2 tsp Corn flour
1/2 tsp Chillie powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
Water
Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- In a large non-stick saucepan, pour about 1 tsp of oil and turn on the flame
- Once the oil is warm, add the chopped onion and stir
- Add the garlic paste and fry further
- Add chicken breast chunks and fry for about a minute
- Toss in the coriander powder and sprinkle some salt and stir
- Pour water, just enough to cover the chunks
- Close and allow to the chicken to cook fully (Keep and eye on this. You might need to add more water if the chicken absorbs it all)
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, turn off the flame and carefully (yup, its hot!)pull out the chicken chunks onto your work area
- Shred the cooked chicken chunks and toss them back into your saucepan (Take care while doing this since there will be a lot of inherent heat in the chicken chunks. You could wait a couple of minutes and then shred the chicken, so that it will have cooled a bit to make it more 'handle-able')
- Turn the flame back on and add the tomatoes and chillie powder and stir well for about one minute
- Toss in the julienned spinach and stir until it wilts
- Add the shredded chicken, corn kernels and salt and stir
- Pour water (about 2 cups) and allow to boil for 2 minutes
- immer for another 2 minutes
- In another bowl, mix the corn flour with water to make a thin paste and pour it into the soup and stir
- Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally
- Serve hot with bread sticks

SERVES 2

NOTEWORTHY NOTES
a) You can add cooked pasta to this to make it more wholesome
b) Veggies only further enhance the taste of this preparation. Go ahead, and toss some in!

Super Simple Methi Pulao (Fresh Fenugreek Leaf Fried Rice)

Many people associate Methi/Fenugreek leaves to being bitter and often refrain from using them. But, there is a trick to get rid of the bitterness. All you have to do is soak the washed leaves (before cutting) in some salt water. Simple, huh?

There are umpteen number of pulaos out there, but if there is one that I would pick as my favourite it would be Methi Pulao. This one is super simple to put together and goes great with Cucumber Raita. So you do not have to make any special Kurma or gravy as a side dish. This recipe brings back memories of my childhood because its one dish that was made by my grandmother so very often. There were days I would eat this even as a snack after school/playtime. Try it once I am sure you cannot stop yourself at one serving, too!

This one is surely going to enter your comfort-food list!

Ingredients
1 Cup Rice - Washed and set aside (You can use basmati or just any variety of rice
that you normally would make white rice with. I have used Sona Masoori)
1 Large bunch of fresh Methi leaves - Washed and soaked in salt water
1 Large Onion - Finely chopped
1 Large Tomato - Finely chopped
1 tsp. Garam Masala
1 tsp. Dhania powder (Coriander powder)
1 tsp. Turmeric Powder
1 tsp. Jeera (Cumin Seeds)
1 tbsp. Garlic - grated
1 tbsp. Ginger - grated
2 Green Chillies, split
4 tbsp. Yogurt
2 Cups of Warm Water
Oil
And, of course, Some salt to taste!

You can use ginger-garlic paste in place of freshly grated ginger and garlic.

Method
- Wash the rice and set aside
- In a large non-stick pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds
- Once they splutter, add the chopped onions and fry until translucent
- Now all the grated ginger and garlic and fry for about 30 seconds
- Add the split green chillies and fry for another 30 seconds
- Toss in the chopped tomatoes and fry until the all the ingredients blend well together
- In the meanwhile, drain the water from the methi leaves and finely chop them up
- Now add the dry powders (turmeric, dhania, garam masala)and stir
- Add the chopped methi and stir until it wilts
- Pour the yogurt and mix well. This will bring the entire contents to a gravy like texture
- Add the washed rice and fry for about a minute
- Add salt and the warm water
- Cover (Use a lid with a vent) and cook
- Keep checking and stirring occasionally to avoid burning or the rice that's at the bottom of the pan
- Serve hot with any raita of your choice

SERVES 4

NOTEWORTHY NOTES
1. Agjust water quantity based on the type of rice. Basmati, for instance, takes less water
2. Add peas and diced carrots for more textures to bite into!