Upma

Date: 2/12/2011
By Varsha Bhatia

This light and easy dish is great as a Sunday morning breakfast, afternoon snack or anytime meal. Enjoy it with some crispy Papads or if those are not easily available top with some crunchy potato chips. It is often eaten with Indian pickles. Either lemon pickle, mango pickle or a tangy Punjabi vegetable pickle.

Ingredients:

• Semolina 1 cup (Rava)
  
• Onion 1/2 cup finely chopped
  
• 3/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables OR Carrot 1 chopped, French Beans 1/3rd cup chopped, Frozen Peas 2 teaspoons
  
• Black Mustard Seeds 1 teaspoon
  
• Curry leaves 5-6
  
• Green Chili (or jalapenos) 2-3 chopped coarsely (more for spicier flavor)
  
• Coriander Leaves 2 tablespoons chopped
  
• Lime Juice a few drops or Yogurt 1 tablespoon
  
• Hot Water 2 cups
  
• Sugar 1 teaspoon
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Oil 3 tablespoons
  
  Optional:
  
• Tomato 1 small chopped
  
• Cashews (15-20)

Method:

• Heat oil in a wok/kadhai.
  
• Add the black mustard seeds. When they stop sputtering, add the curry leaves.
  
• When these turn crispy, add the chopped onion.
  
• Sauté the onion for a few minutes and then add the green chillies.
  
• Now add the chopped vegetables (optional tomato).
  
• Sauté. After 5 minutes add the salt and sugar.
  
• Add the hot water.
  
• Now add the (pre-roasted) semolina. Mix well.
  
• Cover and cook on low-medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
  
• When you uncover the kadhai, the semolina would have absorbed all the water.
  
• Turn off the heat. Mix gently.
  
• Turn the upma over gently onto a serving dish.
  
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately. You may also top it with freshly grated coconut.

(Note: You may also use quinoa instead of semolina! It need not be pre-roasted though)

Corn Pullav

Date: 2/5/2011
By Preeti Jariwala

A non-traditional Pullav which is neither too rich nor too hot.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ teacups uncooked rice
  
• 1 packet frozen whole corn OR 2 teacups cooked corn
  
• 1 capsicum (green bell pepper)
  
• 1 large tomato
  
• 3 spring onions (green onions)
  
• 1 onion
  
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
  
• 4 tablespoons oil
  
• Salt to taste

To be ground into a paste

• 4 green chilies
  
• 25 mm. (1”) piece ginger
  
• 6 cloves of garlic

Method:

• Boil the rice. Each grain of the cooked rice should be separate.
  
• Open the packet of corn and thaw in a colander.
  
• Cut all the vegetables into small pieces. Chop the leaves of the spring onions.
  
• Heat the oil in a vessel and fry the onions for a little time.
  
• Add the paste and fry for 3 minutes.
  
• Add the curry powder and fry again for 1 minute.
  
• Add the tomatoes, capsicum, and spring onions and cook again for 3 minutes.
  
• Add the corn, rice and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
  
• Serve hot.

Pasarattu (Moong Dal Dosa)

Date: 1/29/2011
By Sridevi Suvarna

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Moong Dal
  
• ¼ cup raw rice
  
• one onion (finely chopped)
  
• 1/4 tsp Ginger (finely chopped)
  
• Coriander leaves (finely chopped)
  
• 1-2 Green Chillies
  
• Salt as per taste

Method:

• Soak the moong dal for about 4 to 6 hours in water taken in a bowl.
  
• Wash them and grind to make smooth paste along with the chillies and ginger.
  
• Heat a flat griddle on high flame.
  
• Pour the batter on it and spread the batter on the pan moving from center to the corners.
  
• Give it the shape of round pancake.
  
• Sprinkle little oil on its sides and cook it for 2-3 minutes.
  
• Turn over and cook again.
  
• Add the chopped onions, chopped coriander leaves and salt to the above prepared dosa.
  
• Serve it hot with coconut/tomato/ peanut/ or any other chutney.

Bread Uppittu

Date: 1/29/2011
By Mangala Achar

Ingredients:

• 7-8 Bread slices (include the end pieces also)
  
• 1 big onion chopped
  
• 2 green chilies chopped
  
• ¼ cup peanuts
  
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
  
• 1 tbsp urad dal
  
• 1 tbsp channa dal
  
• Pinch of asafoetida
  
• ¼ tsp yellow powder
  
• 8-10 Curry leaves
  
• Cilantro for garnish
  
• 2 table spoon grated fresh or frozen coconut
  
• 2 table spoon oil for seasoning
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Lemon juice to taste

Method:

• Cut the bread slices into medium size pieces.
  
• Dry roast the bread pieces.
  
• Heat oil in the pan, season with mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, asafoetida, yellow powder.
  
• Add the peanuts (if they are raw peanuts roast them first)
  
• Add curry leaves, green chilies & onions.
  
• Fry the onions until they change color.
  
• Add dry roasted bread pieces mix well.
  
• Add salt & lemon juice for taste & mix.
  
• Dress with grated coconuts & chopped cilantro.
  
• Serve hot with coffee or tea.

Sabut Masar, Gajjar Bhaji and Sada Chawal

Date: 1/22/2011
By Mini Jain

Sabut Masar (Whole Brown Lentils or Flageolets)
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups brown lentils or flageolets
  
• 2 to 4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
  
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  
• 6 cups cold water
  
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

Method:

Pick over the lentils and wash them under running water in a colander.
In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, combine the lentils with the garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric and water. Raise the heat to high and bring to a full boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Lentils and water should become smooth in consistency.

While the dal is cooking, prepare the baghar. If using fresh tomatoes, peel first before chopping. Heat the oil in a small saucepan or skillet. Stir in the cumin, mustard and fennel seeds and cook until they sizzle and begin to darken. Add the onion and saute until golden brown. Add the tomatoes, and cayenne and cook on medium, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or burning. Cook until the oil separates and the tomatoes are soft and dark and rich in color.

Pour the baghar into the dal and stir to blend. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Adjust for salt. If the dal is too thick, add a little hot water. Sprinkle with garam masala and serve.

Gajjar Bhaji (Dry-cooked Carrots)
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds carrots
  
• 3 to 4 tablespoons oil
  
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
  
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon amchur powder or 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1 cup chopped tomatoes
  
• 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
  
• 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped

Method:

Peel the carrots and slice them into thin rounds (slightly thinner than 1/4 inch).

Heat the oil on medium in a deep skillet. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. The cumin should sizzle and darken almost immediately.Stir in the ginger and brown it slightly.

Reduce the heat to medium low. Stir in the turmeric, cayenne, ground coriander and ground cumin. Mix well. Stir in the carrots and salt. Cover and cook for about 7 to 8 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

Add the sugar and amchur powder (or lemon juice or tomatoes). raise the heat to high and cook until all the moisture is absorbed.

Sprinkle with the garam masala and chopped cilantro before serving.

Sada Chawal (Plain Rice)
Ingredients:

• 2 cups Basmati rice or long grain rice
  
• 1 tablespoon butter or oil
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 4 cups water

Method:

Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes. Drain it in a fine sieve or colander.

In a heavy pot, heat the butter or oil on medium. Add the drained rice. Stir lightly until the rice grains are lightly coated with butter or oil. Add the water and bring to a vigorous boil on medium high. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the water boils down to the level of the rice. Stir with a fork. Cover the pot and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir gently with a fork again. Turn the heat off and let the rice rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Plain rice can easily be made into Zeera Rice (Cumin Rice). Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds to the butter or oil and proceed as with Plain Rice.

Note: Plain rice can be prepared without oil or butter. Just add rice and water and cook as the recipe requires.

Bread Pakora

Date: 1/8/2011
By Riya Arora

Ingredients:

• Gram Flour - 200 gms
  
• Bread Slices - 5
  
• Baking powder - 1/4 tsp
  
• Turmeric Powder - 1/8 tsp
  
• Salt - 3/4 tsp (or as per taste)
  
• Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
  
• Coriander seed powder - 1 tsp
  
• Ajwain seeds - 14 pieces
  
• Oil - to fry

Method:

• Take Gram Flour out in a bowl. Add water and Baking powder make a paste which is neither too thick nor too thin (No lumps either).
  
• Mix: turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder, coriander seed powder, ajwain seeds in the paste and stir well.
  
• Cut the bread into your favorite size (square or triangular).
  
• Put oil in the frying pan and heat it.
  
• Dip the bread in gram flour paste and put it in the hot oil. At one time fry 2 to 3 bread pieces, while turning them. Fry them till the Bread Pakoras turn brown. Spread a napkin paper on the plate. Take out the Bread Pakora from the frying pan and put it in the plate. Like this, prepare all the bread pakoras.
  
• Your delicious Bread Pakoras are ready now. Serve and eat them along with coriander chutney.

Salad

Date: 12/4/2010
By Natarajan Raman

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
  
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
  
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
  
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Method:

• Place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Cover with lid, and shake until ingredients are well mixed.
  
• In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Shake lime dressing, and pour it over the salad. Stir salad to coat vegetables and beans with dressing, and serve.