Lauki Dal

I did not have much time or options to make for lunch today. All I had in my refrigerator was lauki(bottle gourd), ribbed gourd and 4 eggplants. I decided to make dal with lauki and chutney with ribbed gourd. I made the dal in Instant Pot.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon ghee
1/2 inch cinammon stick
1 clove
1 red chili
2 green chili, slit
1  onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
2 cups peeled and chopped lauki
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2teaspoon garam masala
salt to taste
1/3 cup masoor dal
1/3 cup toor dal
1/3 cup moong dal
3 cups water or more

Method:

1. Set Instant Pot on saute mode. Heat oil and ghee. Add cinammon, clove, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start popping add red chili and green chili.
2. Add onion and saute for couple minutes. Add tomato and saute. Add lauki and saute for 3 minutes.
3. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin and coriander powder. Mix well. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes. Add garam masala and salt. Add some water and scrape anything stuck to the bottom.
4. Stir in masoor, toor, and moong dal. Add 3 cups of water or more if needed. Turn off the cooker(press cancel).
5. Cover IP with the lid. Press pressure cook setting(manual for 14 minutes on high pressure). Open after pressure is released, or gently release pressure after a few minutes.
6. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot with roti or rice.

Note:
This can be cooked in the traditional pressure cooker too. 

Sour cream Coffee Cake

I like to bake when the kids are home. I made this delicious coffee cake this evening using a recipe from Food Network Kithchens. Its a sour cream coffee streusel cake.

Ingredients:

For Streusel:

1/4 cup sugar

3 packed tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinammon

For Cake:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pinch nutmeg powder

1 pinch ground mace

3/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the pan, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

1. Mix together all the ingredients for streseul in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously brush a round 9x2-inch round cake pan with butter. In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and spices together and set aside.

3. In a standing mixer, or with electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated.

5. Mix the vanilla with the sour cream. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream until just combined.

6. Spread half the battr into the prepared pan and sprinkle with half the streusel.

7. Spoon the remaining batter on top and spread it out with a spatula. Scatter the remaining streusel over the top of the batter.

8. Bake the coffee cake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until golden brown and a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Veggie-stuffed Holiday Wreath

My kids look forward to the Christmas party at our friends' every year. Plenty of food and great company. I always bring my signature 7-layer Mexican Dip every year. But I also like to bring another appetizer and a dessert. This year I changed my mind 3 times in one week as to what to bring. On Friday as I was browsing the internet for holiday vegetarian appetizers I chanced on this Veggie-stuffed crescent wreath by Pillsbury and settled on this for the party.

Ingredients:

1 Veggie burger

2 cups broccoli florets, finely chopped

1/3 cup diced red pepper

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 cup chive and onion creamcheese spread

2 cans (8 0z) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 egg beaten

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 deg. F. Heat buger until brown on both sides. Remove from the oven, dice and place in a bowl. Add vegetables in the bowl. Add seasoning and mix well.

2. Unroll both cans of crescent rolls; separate into 16 triangles. On an ungreased cookie sheet, arrange the triangles with the shortest side towards the center, overlapping in wreath shape leaving a 4 inch round circle open in the center. Press  overlapping dough to flatten.

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3. Spread creamcheese on dough to within 1 inch of points. Spoon vegetable mixture on widest part of dough.

4. Pull the the ends of the circle over the broccoli mixture and tuck under dough to form ring.Carefulully brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

5. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes. Carefully loosen the wreath from the cookie sheet with a broad spatula onto a serving platter. Serve warm.

Note:

I used egg substitute instead of egg.

Air Fryer Onion Pakoda

Recently I bought an Air Fryer, which is very popular these days. Cooking with very little or no oil. I tried making Onion Pakoda uing the air fryer today. It turned out very well.

Ingredients:
2 big oinions, chopped
4 green chili, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
handful fresh curry leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp oil
salt to taste
1 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup chickpea flour (besan)
water

Method:

1. Place chopped vegetables in a large bowl.
2. Mix salt, chili powder, asafoetida and 2 Tbsp oil.
3. Mix rice flour and chick pea flour with hand. Add enough water to bind.

4. Pre-heat air fryer at 370 for 5 minutes. Spread pakoda in the basket with hand. Spray with little oil. Set air fryer for 12 minutes. Check once in between. remove when cooked.

Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)

 Green papaya is used in South East Asian cuisine for making curries or salad. It can also be used as meat tenderizer. Green papaya salad or Som Tam is a spicy Thai side dish made with fish sauce. I have been searching for a vegetarian version of the salad and came upon a nice recipe on the Spruce Eats. I have tried it many times and love it. I have modified the recipe a little.

Ingredients:

2 cups green papaya, peeled and grated or julienne cut
1/4 cup green beans, sliced 2 inch long
1/4 cup carrot, peeled and grated or julienne cut
1/4 cup cabbage, sliced into thin strips
4 spring onion, sliced
8-10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

For dressing:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Thai chili or green chili, minced (more if you want it spicy)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon raw sugar or brown sugar or honey or agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoon roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon vegetarian tom yum paste
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Method:

1. Place the vegetables in a large bowl.

2. Crush garlic and chili in a motor pestle. Add brown sugar, salt, tom yum paste, 1 tablespoon peanuts, oil, and soy sauce. Mash with pestle.

3. Toss salad with dressing. Serve on a bed of lettuce if you want and top with remaining crushed peanuts.

Kitchidi

Kitchidi is a very popular dish throughout India. It is a one pot dish cooked with rice and mung dal and mild spices. One can add various vegetables to make it a scrumptious meal. It most certainly is a comfort food when one is sick. I always add different lentils and grains in my kitchidi. It is easy to make it in Instant Pot as well.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon ghee
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1 clove
1 green chili, slit
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon raw peanut
1 dried red chili
1/4 teaspoon asafotida
1 carrot, diced
1 small potato, diced
1/8 cup diced zucchini
1 tablespoon green peas
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 cup rice(any variety)
1/4 cup broken wheat(wheat germ)
1/4 cup mung dal
1/4 cup whole green mung beans
salt to taste
4 cups water


Method:

1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker or pan on medium low heat. Set on saute mode if using IP.
2. Turn the heat to medium. Add cinnamon, clove, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, peanuts and red chili and asafotida. Saute till mustard splutters and peanuts are roasted.
3. Add diced vegetables, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt. Saute for 2 minutes. Next add rice and dal. Add 4 cups water. Check for salt and add more if required.
4. Cover pressure cooker. Place the weight. Cook for 6 or 7 whistles. Turn off the stove, wait for pressure to release and serve hot with a some ghee on top with khadi. For IP, cancel saute mode. Cover with lid and weight. Set IP on pressure cook mode(manual) for 14 minutes on high pressure. Wait for natural release.

Milagaipodi for Idly/Dosa (Gunpowder)

Milagaipodi is a staple condiment in any Tambhram household. Idly with milagaipodi was almost the only breakfast we had during the week while growing up in India. Never got tired of it. Idly dressed with lots of milagaipodi, well soaked always tastes best when eaten a few hours later or even the next day. We also mix idly and podi together with oil, it looks like idly rice 😉

Ingredients:

1 cup chana dal

1 cup urad dal (black or white)

2- 2 1/4 cup red chili (or to taste)

2 teaspoon asafotida 

1 Tablespoon white sesame seeds(optional)

Small ball (gooseberry size) tamarind.

oil for roasting

salt to taste

Method:

1. Roast chana dal, and urad dal separately in a pan with little oil(2 teaspoons per batch) in batches, until golden brown and aromatic. Allow to cool separately.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in the same pan and roast red chili little at a time till crisp but not burnt. Roast tamarind with the last batch. Allow to cool. 

3. Roast sesame seeds if using in the same pan with out any oil, until golden brown and aromatic. Allow to cool.

4. In a mixer, grind red chili to a fine powder. Remove in a bowl.

5. Grind roasted dal, sesame seeds, asafoetida, tamarind to coarse powder. Add chili powder as required. Add salt and  run the mixer a couple times till everything is blended together. Check for salt. Remove milagai podi into a large bowl. Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.

Whole wheat sweet crepes ( vellam dosai)

We all have our comfort foods. Vellam dosai is my mom's. She used to make this on Friday nights when we were kids. Not one of favorite though. I prefer savory crepes to sweet ones. This one is very easy to make for anyone especially kids if they are craving for some midnight snack or breakfast for dinner I made this for dinner last night. My mom loved it and had the left over crepes fir breakfast this morning.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup rice flour
3/4 cup Panela brown sugar(vellam or gud), coarsely pounded
water to dissolve brown sugar
2 teaspoons cardamom powder
ghee for making crepes
maple syrup(optional) for serving

Method:

1. Dissolve brown sugar in a large bowl. Mix wheat flour and rice flour in, adding enough water to make a batter. Batter should be pouring consistency.
2. Heat griddle on medium. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon melted ghee on the hot griddle. Pour 1/4 cup batter. Spread gently if you want thin crepe or do not spread if you want it like pancake. Drizzle ghee around the crepe. Flip it over when color changes and cook on the other side before removing from griddle.
3. Serve warm as is or with maple syrup.

Onion Rice

My sister and brother visited us for Thanksgiving last week. My poor brother could not eat anything at the thanksgiving dinner. He was sick. He wanted some comfort food when he felt slightly better. My sister is known as the rice queen in our family. She makes yummy rice dishes and quickly made this onion rice for my brother. I made it last night for dinner with left over brown basmati rice. Boy was it delicious!

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon olive oil or any kind of oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon urad dal

1/2 teaspoon anise seeds (saunf)

3 fresh green chili, slit

4 fresh curry leaves

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

salt to taste

1 cup cooked rice

1 teaspoon ghee

Method:

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium. Add mustard and urad. When they splutter add saunf, slit chili and curry leaves. Saute for a minute. Add onion and saute till translucent.

2. Add turmeric, chili powder,and salt. Saute for 2 minutes.

3. Add cooked rice. Mix well until heated through. Mix 1 teaspoon ghee. Remove from stove and serve warm with yogurt, raita or potato chips.

This can be made in a jiffy.

No fail Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 pounds potatoes, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

9 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided

6 Tbsp. butter, diced and divided

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 cups whole milk, or as needed

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

2. Spread about 1/3 of the potato slices onto the bottom of the prepared dish. Top with about 1/3 of the onion slices. Sprinkle 3 tbsp. flour over the potato and onion.  Arrange 2 tbsp. butter over the flour. Season the layer with salt and pepper. Repeat the step 2 more times.

3. Heat milk in a saucepan until warm. Pour enough warm milk over the mixture in the baking dish so the top of the liquid is level with the final layer of potatoes.

4. Bake in oven until potatoes are tender, about 40-60 minutes.

Note:

You can substitute potatoes with yam or sweet potato.

Chocolate Pecan Scones

Cereal and penut butter sandwich becomes boring when there is a house full of people, especially for kids when they come home for holidays. My daughter brought a bunch of recipes when she came home for Thanksgiving  last week. We had a nice time bonding over baking. We had long chats about her college and her future. We made chololate pecan scones for breakfast one day over the weekend  using Ina Graten's recipe from Bon Apetit.

Ingredients:

8 oz. coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate(1 1/2 cups)

1 cup chopped pecans

3 Tbsp. plus 4 cups all purpose flour, divided

2 Tbsp. baking powder

4 Tbsp. salt

2 Tbsp. sugar, plus more fro sprinling

1 1/2 cups cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 cup cold heavy cream

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 egg, beaten with 2 Tbsp. water or cream

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

2. Combine chocolate, pecans, and 3 Tbsp. flour in a small bowl.

3. Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat baking powder, salt, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and 4 cups flour on low speed to combine. Add butter and, with mixer still on low speed, beat until pea-sized pieces of butter remain.

4. Pour cream in a glass bowl, add eggs, and whisk until combined.  With mixer still onlow speed, pour cream mixture into butter mixture and beat just until blended. Add chocolate mixture and beat until just combined (dough will be very sticky).

5. Turn dough onto a well-floured work surface and knead a few times, dusting with flour so dough doesn't stick to surface, until pecans are well distributed.  Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll dough 3/4"-1" thick. You will see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut dough with 3" cookie cutter. Place rounds on prepared pans. reroll scraps, cut out more rounds, place on prepared pans. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake scones, rotating pans top to bottom halfway through, until tops are lightly brouwned and insides are fully baked, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature

Spinach Puffs

This Thanksgiving I wanted to make something different for rolls. Normally I make corn bread. Browsing on the internet I found something different on Bon Apetit test kitchen. Spinach Puffs! It is similar to spanakopita, only this is like a muffin instead of triangles. It was an easy recipe to follow and quick to make.


Ingredients:

2 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
1 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon chopped dill
2 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 large eggs
2 sheet frozen puff pastry(from a 17.3-ounces package), thawed, rolled out to a 12"square, kept chilled
Standard 6-cup muffin pan

Method:

1. Using your hands, squeeze spinach until dry, forcing out as much water as possible.
2. Mix spinach and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, beat 2 eggs to blend and fold into spinach mixture.
3. cut puff pastry into 3 equal strips. Reserve 1 strip for another use. Cut each remaining strip into 3 squares.
4. Place a square in each muffin cup, pressing into bottom and up sides and leaving corners pointing up.

5. Divide filling among cups.

6. Fold pastry over filling, pressing corners together to meet in center.

7. Preheat oven to 400^F. Beat remaining egg to blend in a small bowl. Brush pastry with egg wash. Bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let puffs cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out puffs onto rack to cool slightly before serving.

Notes:

Spinach puffs can be assembled 3 hours ahead. Cover them and chill until baking.
Egg wash is optional. It gives pastry an nice sheen.
I used egg substitute instead of eggs in this recipe.

Vegetarian Chilli

Slow cooked chili on a cold winter night is something to die for. It is a one pot meal that is nutritious and tasty. Usually I make in in a slow cooker or crock pot. I start the cooker in the morning before going to work and the whole house would be filled with the aroma of chili by the time I get home. I was pressed for time yesterday as I was busy getting organized for Thanksgiving. So I made a quick version in Instant Pot Pressure cooker.  This can be made in a stockpot over the stove in 30 minutes or less.  

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil, plus more for frying

1 onion, chopped

1 zucchini,diced

1 small green pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 cup medium chunky salsa

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15- ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup vegetarian soy crumbles

1 (15-ounce) can pureed tomatoes or tomato sauce

3 cups low sodium vegetable broth

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 (5-6") corn tortillas, sliced into 1/4"-wide strips

sliced pickled jalapenos(optional)

Method:

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy pot over medium high. Cook onion, garlic, green pepper, zucchini till onion is translucent. If using Instant Pot, set the cooker to saute mode and follow the method.

 2.Add salsa, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder, until fragrant and slightly reduced, 1-2 minutes. 

                                                    

3. Add soy crumbles and cook for 2-3 minutes.  If using Instant pot, press cancel after this step. Press pressure cook on manual setting, for 14 minutes and follow the next step.                                                                                    

4. Add black, pinto, and kidney beans, tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper. Bring it to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors are blended and chili is thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Mix 1 Tbsp. mesa or corn flour with 1/4 cup water and stir into the chili if it is not thick.
If using Instant Pot, add all the beans, tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper. Set the cooker to manual mode pressure cook, for 14 minutes. Release pressure after 10 minutes. Open the cooker and check for thickness and stir corn flour if needed.

5. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, fry tortilla strips, turning occasionally, until crisp and pale golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer strips to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately season with salt.

6. Ladle chili into bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese, and top with crispy tortilla strips and jalapenos.