Cucumber-Onion-Pomegranate salad

Looking for a 'cool, crunchy, colorful' and delicious salad??? Here is one for you! The crisp green cucumber slices with the crunchy 'mildly' spicy white onions (actually red onions would be fantastic in here!) and the pretty- red juicy pomegranate...all come together to make this beautifully refreshing cool salad!!

Ingredients:
1 Seedless English cucumber, sliced
1 small white onion sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1-2tsp olive oil
1/4tsp oregano
salt and pepper

Method:
1) Mix all the ingredients ...except the salt and Keep the chopped veggies in the refrigerator to 'chill' them.
2) Just before serving, sprinkle salt. Serve cold!

"Appetizers"- Thai Stir Fried Tofu

I am like the person who can eat 'Everything'...well almost! What I mean is...I like to try different foods and my palate is appreciative of various tastes. My little 'E' is learning to eat different foods and getting to know different tastes. I am surprised ( touchwood!) he even likes vegetables like cabbage, eggplant, cauliflower that I did not care for when I was a kid!!! I have seen, he likes well seasoned food......may that be Indian,Italian,Chinese or anything else. I was sure he wouldn't like plain Tofu or things like Tofu milkshake. So I made this tangy yummy appetizer and he loveeeeddd it! (Ofcourse without the peanuts...coz he gets a rash sometimes after eating peanuts)

Ingredients:
1 cup 'Extra firm' Tofu cut into bite size cubes
1/4 cup Onion cut into bite size chunks
1tsp Pad thai sauce
1tsp soy sauce
1/2tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2tsp ketchup
1/4tsp red chili paste/hot sauce/red pepper flakes
1 pinch black pepper
1tbsp coarsely crushed peanuts
cilantro for garnishing
salt
oil

Method:
1) Dab the cut tofu on paper towel to remove extra moisture
2) Heat little oil in non stick flat skillet. Lay the tofu on the heated oil.Let it brown on one side.Then turn on other side.
3) Add the ginger garlic paste, onions and stir fry on high heat.The onions should remain crisp.
4) Add all the sauces, black pepper and mix well.Turn off heat. Check for salt (as soy sauce is salty)
5) Garnish with peanuts, cilantro.

5) Serve warm as appetizer or as a side dish along with Fried Noodles/ Rice etc.

"Everyday Cooking"- Whole wheat Veggie+Paneer Frankies/Wraps

'A' mentioned yesterday about the chicken frankies she made for sunday night dinner....and here I was drooling with the thought...and couldn't wait to bite into one!
When me and my sister were in school,our parents would take us to 'Pune Camp' during Christmas to see the festivities.It is here that we had our first 'frankie'. It was a flour tortilla with egg coating wrapped around spicy chicken and onion....it was just yummmm! They serve it sizzling hot along with raw onions.Just mouthwatering and a 'all -in -one' meal too!
There are many types of frankies -either with chicken/meat filling or veggie or paneer filling.It is a very famous street food in 'Mumbai'.
Since then, my mom would always make it for us at home....and she had added her 'own touch' to it. Here is how she makes veggie frankies.She uses mixed veggies to make the filling. The chapati/tortilla is smeared with tangy-spicy-sweet mint chutney.The roll is warmed up on a flat pan/tava with a little butter on top!

Ingredients:
For the Chapatis/Tortillas/Wrap
They are usually made with 'All purpose flour' and little whole wheat flour added to it.But my mom and hence me.... prefer to use the 'whole wheat flour'.
1 cup Whole wheat flour (if you want all pupose flour add 1/2 cup whole wheat flour+1/2 cup all purpose flour)
2tsp oil
salt
Mix flour,oil , salt and knead into a soft dough with water.
Roll out the dough into circle thin chapatis/tortillas.Roast lightly on hot flat pan/tava.The chapati will finish roasting after the filling is filled.

For the filling:
1/4 cup finely chopped cabbage
1/4 cup finely chopped cauliflower
1/4cup finely chopped carrots
1tbsp finely chopped capsicum/green pepper
1tbsp corn kernels
1 boiled mashed potato
1/4 cup chopped paneer
1 onion finely chopped
1 onion sliced ( to garnish)
1/2tsp Ginger garlic paste
1/2tsp chili powder
1/4tsp garam masala
1/8tsp Chaat masala
salt
oil
Heat oil in a skillet.Add the ginger garlic paste,onion.Fry for 2 mins.Add the rest of the veggies,paneer and fry again till the veggies are cooked through.
Add the salt, chili powder, garam masala,chat masala etc and mix.

For Mint chutney:
1/4 cup mint paste
1/8cup jaggery
1/2tsp tamarind extract
1/4tsp chili powder
1/4tsp cumin-corainder powder
1/4tsp crushed garlic
salt
Mix everything together and make into a smooth paste.The chutney should be 'Tangy-spicy-sweet'.

Assembly of the frankie:
You can brush the chapatis with beaten egg mixture to give a 'egg coating'. I did not use egg for this one and kept it 'vegetarian'.
1) Take 1 chapati, apply spoonfull of mint chutney on all sides.
2) Add 2-3 spoons of the above filling.Place few slices of raw onions on top.
3) Roll into 'cigar' shape by tucking the ends as you roll.The roll will be nice and tight and the filling will not drop out.
4) On a flat pan,heat a dab of butter/oil. Place the frankie roll on it (the seam side down) Roast till golden brown.Carefully turn on the other side and roast again
5) Serve hot with Ketchup/ hot and sweet sauce/ raw onion slices/ green pepper slices etc.