" Aroma From a Guest Kitchen"- (Guest= Bhavana Paralikar) -Mushrooms Stuffed With Prawns

Guest: Bhavana Paralikar
Dish: Mushrooms Stuffed with Prawns
 I know Bhavana from college years. We studied together for 3 years, but never did we realize that we share 'love for food'.But after coming to USA and getting in touch through facebook...I realized how amazing Bhavana's cooking is. She is an artist.She makes these lovely chocolates (I will have her share those here next time) and delicious non- vegetarian and vegetarian dishes.
Today she shares this signature dish with us:

Ingredients:

Mushrooms : big 10 pieces

Prawns: 200 gms small ones

Onion: 2 medium sized

Peas, corn(optional)

Oil (2Tablespoon)

Garlic, dry coconut coriander paste

Red Chili powder, turmeric, salt to taste

Cheese

Recipe:

1.Heat oil in a pan.

2.Add garlic+coriander+dry coconut paste.saute'

3.Add finely chopped onion and turmeric, red chili powder, salt to taste

4.Add prawns

(If you want you can add corns and peas..just to make your dish colourful.)

Cook the Prawns and try to make it dry ..masala prawns and keep aside.
5.Take mushrooms (the ones which I had got were really palm sized..that's why I thought of stuffing them)

6.Now clean the mushroom from roots and keep in salted water for 10-15 mins. Remove from water and apply little butter to mushrooms

7.Add the stuffing of prawns and grated cheese on top of stuffing.

8.Microwave it till mushrooms become tender.

9.Serve it with tangy homemade chutney or tomato ketchup.

10.It s a good starter !!

~ Bhavana

"Everyday Cooking"- Mango and Black bean Salad

Still on track ladies!!!  Yes....trying to eat salad everyday! Like I mentioned in the previous posts, I am trying to eat 'right' and get back to pre- pregnancy weight. Let me tell ya.....it's a longg way though!
This salad is a 'left over' special.Like 'M' jokes: I am the queen of making something out of nothing...or more so leftovers!
I usually buy canned Black beans.It is my pantry staple.I use them to make quesadillas, black bean burgers etc.
Black Bean Burger:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/10/everyday-cooking-black-bean-burger.html
Black Beans and Corn Quesadillas:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2009/09/everyday-cooking-black-bean-and-corn.html

So since I had some beans left over from the quesadillas, I had the Feta cheese tub since last week ....viola..this salad came into being! The combination is more like mexican.....where they use lot of black beans, mangoes in the cooking...So here's how to put it together...

Ingredients:
Greens of your choice: Romaine lettuce, Spinach, Iceberg lettuce,Arugula,Radicchio,Red Cabbage etc
1/2 Semi Ripe Mango Cubed
Cooked black beans rubbed with salt and chili powder
Toasted Croutons
Feta cheese
Salt
Black Pepper
Dressing: I used none.The combination of Mango,feta and flavored black beans gave the salad enough flavor.Also I realized that Mango tastes good with Black pepper....it really goes well together.
Method:
1) Wash and cut the greens, drain well
2) Mix all the above ingredients in proportion that suits your taste.
3) Done!

 

Enjoy Guilt Free!

"Everyday Cooking"- Pasta Shells stuffed with Spinach,Mushrooms and Ricotta Cheese

 Making Pastas can be 'simple' or 'elaborate'.It depends on how you choose to make it.On busy days, I make pastas that are simple, just throw in cooked veggies and marinara sauce (store bought sometimes!) in cooked pasta and Done! But this was not one of those days. I chose to spend some quality time with my Pasta!
Not many times have I made 'stuffed' pasta...for the time it takes and for it's 'heaviness'.It can be a pretty heavy meal mind you! But instead of just stuffing the pasta with cheese, I used a lotttt of Spinach and mushrooms and a 'Skim' Ricotta cheese. The deal wasn't bad at all...in fact it was DELICIOUSSSSS and pretty looking!!!!

Ingredients:(Makes about 6-8 servings)
1 12oz pkg of Jumbo Pasta shells
1 15oz Skim Ricotta cheese
3/4-1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella)
3 cups chopped spinach
1cup chopped mushrooms
1tsp minced garlic
1tbsp chopped onion
1 cup crushed tomatoes (saute chopped tomatoes till cooked)
1/2tsp sugar
2tsp olive oil
Italian seasoning
Black pepper
Red Pepper flakes
Some milk

Method:
1) Saute chopped spinach,1/2tsp garlic and mushrooms in little oil. Saute till all water evaporates.Add salt and red pepper flakes.Drain if necessary and keep aside and cool.The water can be used in soups or the marinara sauce.

2) Heat little oil, add chopped garlic, onions, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, sugar.Cook for 2-3 mins.Marinara sauce is ready
3) In the sauteed spinach mixture add the ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning and some salt.Mix.
4) Cook the Pasta shells as per packet directions.Drain and let cool a little.
5) Stuff the shells with spoonful of spinach-ricotta mixture.

6) Arrange in 'oven safe' baking dish. Spread marinara sauce and shredded cheese on top.

7) Sprinkle little milk on top and cover with aluminum foil.Bake at 325 for 20-30 mins till the cheese melts.

8) Serve the pasta steaming hot with a salad or a soup.
Salad:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/03/everyday-cooking-field-green-salad-with.html 
 Soups:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/search/label/Soup