Stuffed mini Bell Peppers

Hi all, we're back with a long. 2 months long vacation to India. It was quite a relaxing and a memorable trip, as got to spend some quality time with my parents and brother family. It's so wonderful to be around them. It's always exciting to see the kids getting along with their cousins and having fun, sleep and stay together. I treasured this vacation and hope to see more of this in future.

Once the vacation is done its time to get back to the routine and your normal life, kids r ready n excited to get back to school and I am ready to start the new year running with them all day. I wish them great success and lots of good memories. Saying all this I want to get to the dish I made today.

It's stuffed mini bell peppers, I am not a big fan of stuffed dishes but lot of people have asked me or mentioned about this and I had to try out to see what's the big deal about stuffed. Indeed it's worth all the time and effort as it tastes and looks yummy. It takes a little extra time in preparation than in cooking, so if you make more and freeze it save a lot of time in cooking.i loved the colors and the sweetness in this dish. Only complaint with this dish was its dry for roti/chapathi and my family likes a gravy dish. But I loved the taste and texture and more than all it's easy to make. Thanks to my cousin Savitha for sharing the recipe .

Ingredients:

5-6 Mini bell peppers

1 tsp Coriander seeds

1 tsp Jeera seeds

1 tsp peanut

1 tsp sesame seeds

4-5 Red chillies

1tbsp Dry coconut

1/2 tsp tamarind paste/powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp Olive oil.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 300*F .Wash the bell peppers and dry and keep aside. In a frying pan, dry roast coriander seeds, Jeera seeds, sesame seeds, peanut, red chillies and dry coconut. Once it's cooled, grind it into fine powder and add tamarind and salt and keep aside. Now take the peppers one at a time and slit open in the back till 3/4th for all of them. Now fill the filling well and place them in an oven safe dish. Sprinkle some olive oil on the top. Now cook in the oven for about 20 mins or till the peppers have wrinkles on the skin. Once done decorate it with chopped coriander leaves and serve warm. It's good as an appetizer or with rice or roti.

Fruit Spring roll

This is a no cook spring roll, so healthy and tasty. It can be served either as appetizer or as dessert.Its easy to make and it can be a game for the guests to do their spring rolls by themselves. These spring wraps/rolls are easily available in the Asian section of the supermarket. I usually have this in my pantry as they have a very long shelf life. All you do it get the filling ready and soak the roll sheets in water and stuff it. As simple as it sounds. Its yummy and even my son enjoyed it as it was filled with his favorite fruits.

Recipe Coutesy: "Everyday Italian "-Giada de Laurentis from Food Network.

Ingredients:

4 Spring Roll sheets
2-3 Strawberry
1 Mango
1tbsp Honey
Hand full of Rice Noodles
1tsp Chives/dill

Method:

Cook the Rice noodles and drain it and put it in a bowl. Add honey and chopped chives/dill and mix it well and keep aside. Now chop long strips of strawberries and mango . Now soak a sheet of spring roll sheet in warm water and when soft spread it on a kitchen towel and add the noodle mixture and mango and strawberry and roll it once and then the sides and roll again. You can dip it in honey or enjoy just like that.

Vegetable Pot Pie

Now a days I am trying some new dishes which I would have never thought of trying it at home. After getting calorie conscious I am digging for new dishes with less calories and more vegetables and filling. This is one such dish which has high amount of vegetables and flavors but if done individual pot pies it cuts a lot of calories in the pie base. This was a nice change on a cold/rainy day. The crust was crispy with soft and tender vegetables and the perfect sauce with it.

Ingredients:

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)[I used Canola oil]
2 cups sliced yellow onions
1 fennel bulb,
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
Pinch saffron threads
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups large-diced potatoes (1/2 pound)
1 1/2 cups Green Beans
1 1/2 cups carrots
1 1/2 cups butternut squash
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
1/2 cup minced parsley

For the pastry:

1box of ready pastry mix.

Method:

Melt the butter/oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and saute until translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the flour, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly add the stock, saffron, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream and season to taste. The sauce should be highly seasoned.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Lift out with a sieve. Add the beans, carrots, and squash to the pot and cook in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add the potatoes, mixed vegetables, onions, and parsley to the sauce and mix well. Let it stay warm.

For the pastry, make the pie base as given in instruction on the box.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.Make 4 pie base for an ovenproof bowls filled with the filling.. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the butter wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the sides, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.Vegetable Pot pie is ready. Serve at Room Temperature.

Corn-Methi Baked Cutlets

Cutlets baked is somewhat not digestible right?...I felt the same way when i saw this recipe in Parita's blog. Thanks Parita for this recipe but I fell in love for 2 main reasons 1. Being the photography 2. Being "baked". Now a days I so freak out of deep fried....'baked' sound makes me feel good and light. Cutlets are my all time favorite snack, as its healthy because of lots of vegetables in it. This is a very simple and easy to make cutlets. It can be deep fried or shallow fried but I chose to stick with the baked part. Mine became a little bland as I reduced the quantity of spices in it but it will be yummy if its spicy. So follow the exact amount of spices in the recipe.

Ingredients:

1cup Boiled and mashed potato
1/2cup Fresh Methi leaves(chopped)
1/2cup Sweet corn
2tbsp Bread crumbs +2tbsp (for rolling it)
2 green chillies finely chopped
1tsp sugar(i skipped it)
1tsp chat masala
1tsp lime juice
salt to taste

Method:

Mix everything other than 2 tbsp bread crumbs for rolling. Make a nice dough,add extra bread crumbs if the dough is too soft. Divide into equal 8 parts and make small balls out f it and flatten it flat. Now roll each cutlet in the bread crumbs(i used regular bread crumbs as i didn't have coriander bread crumbs) and place it on a greased baking sheet and spray cooking spray on the top as well and bake at 400*F for 15 Min's on each side. Enjoy it hot with a green chutney or ketchup.

[Note: These cutlets can be used as Patty in the burgers.]

Cabbage Pakoda

Its similar to Onion Pakoda.

Ingredients:

1.5 cup Shredded Cabbage
1/2cup onion
1tsp Cumin seeds
1tbsp Besan flour
1tsp Rice flour
a pinch of hing and turmeric powder
1-2tsp Red chili powder
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

Mix the onions(cut them into long thin strings, like you would usually do for onion pakoda) and cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle salt on in and mix well and keep aside for about 5 mins. Water starts to separate from onion. Now add Besan flour, rice flour, chili powder, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and hing and mix well. Make equal portion of balls and deep fry in oil and serve warm with chutney or sauce.

[Note: U can add finely chopped ghee chillies too if you like the pakoras spicey]

Pav Bhaji

A good friend of mine wanted Pav Bhaji recipe from me, so here you go Darshana, hope u like my version.

Ingredients:

1pack Pav/Dinner Rolls(I usually buy Sara Lee brand)
1tbsp Butter
2/3 Lemon slices

For Bhaji
----------
1cup Mixed Vegetables (Cauliflower,peas,Carrot,Beans, capsicum/bell peppers, tomato, potato)
1/2cup Finely chopped Red Onions
1-2tsp Pav Bhaji Masala
salt to taste
cilantro for garnish

Method:

Pressure cook the vegetables for 1 whistle.In a pan add 1 tsp butter/oil and add 1/2 the onions and saute it well,now add Pav bhaji masala and saute for few more seconds till the oil separates. Add the cooked vegetables(Mash it well before adding) and salt and mix well and let it boil once, add a little water if required(let the bhaji bee a little on a thicker consistency).

Toast the pav/dinner rolls by cutting it into half, with a little butter and keep it on a serving plate with bhaji on one side and a little chopped onions on the top with butter and cilantro.Serve hot.

[Note: You can add any vegetable of your taste with potato as standard ,it makes the bhaji thick]

Moong sprout Cutlet

Ingredients:

1cup Moong sprouts
2 green chillies finely chopped
1 cup Boiled and Mashed Potato
1tsp grated Ginger
1tsp Garam Masala Powder
2 slices White/Wheat bread
2tsp oil
salt to taste

Method:

Keep a tava on the flame and preheat it.Mix the Moong sprouts,Mashed potato,green chillies, ginger,garam masala powder,salt and soaked bread(soak the bread in a cup of normal water and squeeze all the water) and keep aside. Now divide it into equal sized balls.Now take one ball and flatten it a little and put it on the tava and apply a little oil on each side and shallow fry it.Serve hot with ketchup/chutney.

Baby Corn Manchurian

Manchurian is an appetizer very popular in India. Gobi Manchurian is every bodies favorite but it can be made with paneer, tofu or baby corn.Here I tired with baby corn as i had a can bought from the grocery stores and was just sitting in my pantry from quite sometime. Me and my husband love baby corn in any form but honestly loved this baby corn Manchurian.It was very tasty and crunchy.Any Manchurian is time consuming and long process but its worth all the effort.

Ingredients:

1can Baby corn(Fresh baby corn if available)
1tbsp All purpose flour
1tsp Corn starch
1drop Red food color(optional)
water
Oil for deep frying +1tsp
1/2cup Onions finely chopped
1-2 Green chillies finely chopped
1tsp Garlic paste
1tsp Ginger paste
1 green onion
1tsp soy sauce
1tsp chilly sauce
salt to taste
coriander leaves for garnish

Method:
First heat the oil in a pan.Now wash the baby corns and dry them well with a tissue.Now mix all purpose flour, corn starch a pinch of salt, food color with enough water and make a batter.Dip the baby corn individually and deep fry them till it turns brown.cool it on a tissue.

Now take a different pan and add a tsp oil and add onions and saute',add ginger garlic and green chillies and fry then well.Now add fried baby corn, soy sauce and chilly sauce and saute them on high flame for 1-2 Min's and add green onions and pour it on a serving plate and garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with soy sauce/chilly sauce.

I am sending my post to Nithya & Pavithra's First event"Garnish the Dish".

Note:Always saute the Manchurian in a high flame so it gets crispier and roasted a little.

Muthia(Steamed Dumplings)

Muthia is a very popular Gujarati dish, but its even made in south India with Toor Dal called "Nuchnunde"(will post this recipe sometime soon).Its a very healthy appetizer b'coz its steamed. Its so tasty that you can't resist by eating just one....you just keep eating. I found this recipe on Manjula's Kitchen an online website who has lot of video clips too.

Its a simple snack and doesn't take much of your time and most of the ingredients are available at home.The recipe calls for cabbage but i tried using Romaine Lettuce, as my Sister-in-law had tried and she said it tasted good. I guess this Muthia's can be done with any leafy vegetable, like Spinach or Cabbage(even Red cabbage).So its a must try snack.It can be served with green chutney or tamarind chutney but I did with a little hot and sweet Ketchup as I didn't have patience to make them.

Ingredients:

2 cups Finely chopped Romaine Lettuce(any lettuce with do)
1cup Besan/Gram flour
1tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Turmeric powder
1tbsp Kasoori methi/dried fenugreek leaves
1tsp sugar
salt to taste
2tsp oil
1tsp Mustard seeds
Cilantro for garnishing.

Method:

Take a big bowl and add the shredded Lettuce,cumin seeds, turmeric powder, Kasoori methi , sugar, 1tsp oil, salt and mix well. Now add besan little by little and mix and make a soft dough, no need to add water as the lettuce is moist enough to make the dough.You can add a little more besan if the dough is too soft.Now grease the steaming plate with a little oil and divide the dough into 8 balls and place it on steaming plate ans steam it for 8-10 Min's.

For the tempering add the remaining oil to a kadai and add mustard seeds when they splutter add the cut muthia's and fry for 2 minutes and serve warm with chutney.

Chuda ( Flattened Rice Mix)

Last whole week i was busy as my Parents are here with me and i didn't even find time to post anything.But today somehow I made myself free to blog.Its so wonderful to have parents with us and show them around and to be with them the whole time. My mom is a perfect cook and i hope everybody agree that all mom's are great cook. I will try to learn some new dishes from my mom and post them here.This time i am posting one snack which my mom has prepared but I do it the same was as I learnt it from her.Its called "Chuda" a snack made with Flattened rice with a peanut tempering. Its one of the popular snack in South India.

Ingredients:
1 cup Thin Flattened/Beaten Rice
1tsp Oil
1tsp mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
1tbsp Peanut
1 tbsp Roasted Channa Dal/Dalia
2-3 Dry Red chillies
1 tsp Cashew nut(optional)
1/2tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
sugar to taste

Method:
Put the oil in a pan and keep it on medium heat.Add mustard seeds, once they crackle add peanut, cashew nut and fry till golden brown and then add curry leaves, turmeric,red chillies and switch off the flame.Now add Dalia,flatten rice,salt 'n' sugar and mix well.Cool it and serve or store it in an air-tight container.

[Note: It serves for 2 people.It stays fresh for weeks and good snack with coffee or tea.To make the flatten rice crispier just roast it in microwave for couple of minutes.]

Tomato Soup with Garlic Bread

Tomato soup is one of my favorite soup,its only because of its texture and wonderful taste. Drinking the soup with Garlic bread exaggerates its tastes.

Ingredients:

1 cup Tomato puree(take 2 tomatoes and blend it)
2-3 basil leaves(or 1/2tsp dry basil)
1/2cup Onions chopped
1 cloves Garlic
1 inch Ginger chopped
1/2cup Bell peppers chopped (Capsicum)
1/4cup Celery chopped(optional)
1 tsp Pepper flakes
1+1tsp Butter+ Oil
salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1tsp Heavy cream

Method:

Take butter and oil in a frying pan and when its hot add onions and saute'.Add ginger and garlic, then add bell peppers and a saute' few more minutes.Then add celery and tomato puree and let it boil for few minutes till the water in the tomato evaporates.Now add basil and salt & pepper, mix it well and allow it to cool. Blend everything in a mixer/blender and pour it back in the pan and boil it again for 2 more minutes and add a spoon of heavy cream to it ,pour it to a serving bowl with the store bought Garlic bread. Serve hot.



[Note: Garnish with a spoon of butter or the remaining cream.If you have a food processor then no need to cool the puree.]

Shankar Poli

Shankar poli is a very easy South Indian snack and kids love them as they are a crunchy finger foods and tastes like chips.It is made in sweet and salty versions. I have made both and both the recipes are here.I am still not sure why this kinda name for a snack.

Ingredients:

(Sweet)

1cup All purpose flour/Maida
1/2cup Powdered/confectioners Sugar
a pinch cardamom powder
1tsp Hot ghee/butter/Oil
1.5cups Oil for deep frying

(Salty)

1cup All purpose flour/Maida
3/4tsp salt
1/2tsp Ajwain/Oma seeds/cumin seeds
1tsp Pepper powder
1tsp Hot ghee/butter/Oil
1.5cups Oil for deep frying

Method:

Mix maida,sugar,cardamom powder and a spoon of ghee and make a soft dough with required amount of water and knead it well and keep aside.Do the same way for the salty dough too.Roll the dough as thin as possible with a rolling pin and cut it into diamonds with a knife or pizza cutter and deep fry them in hot oil till they are golden brown.Store them in an airtight container.Its so easy and ready to munch.

Note:Fry the sweet shankar poli first and then the salty one,so the oil doesnot get spoiled.Sweet usually burns fast so keep the flame in the medium low.