Pea-Lafel (Peas and Mukimame falafels)

Around the World in 30 Weekends!! The segment I wished to complete by cooking a dish from 30 different countries on 30 weekends.It is going slow for sure...but I am sure I will get there someday:))

Here are my other culinary travels:
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/search/label/Around%20the%20World%20in%2030%20weekends

So here is Weekend Number 8:: Israel....and the famous street food from there.. "Falafels"

A friend had mentioned this recipe and how super tasty it is.I tried it over the long weekend and it made a wonderful dinner!!

 In my little research..I found a interesting fact....we have been calling soybeans all wrong!! We called all tender green soybeans..Edamame right??? But actually...
Edamame: When young soybeans are still in the pod
Mukimame: Shelled soybeans without the pods (So here I used Mukimame)

The recipe was adapted from:
http://www.aartipaarti.com/2009/10/28/aarti-paarti-ep-29-pea-lafel/

Here are the changes I made:

No Fenugreek seeds
Add 1/2 cup Feta cheese
Add some red chili powder
Shallow fry after rolling in all purpose flour

Served here with a Whole wheat and Oats Pita bread...on a bed of spinach,tomatoes, sliced onion and topped with yogurt sauce.

Shahi Corn-Paneer

Like most of us like having, certain staple ingredients in the pantry/ freezer.....I always have a pack of frozen paneer and some frozen naan/roti. Paneer subzi with naan is a big favorite for my little ones! Once in two weeks...we make a 'semi homemade' meal of  their favorite 'Shahi Paneer' or 'Orange bhaji' as they like to call it due to the orange hue the curry has :)  along with some store bought Naan.

Ingredients:
1 Cup cubed Paneer
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 Green pepper chopped into bite size pieces
Some dried cranberries, raisins and cilantro for garnish

Curry paste:
1 large onion chopped into large pieces
3 tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup cashews (or use some cashews and some almonds)
1/4 cup Heavy cream
2 tsp Ghee/butter
1tsp Shahi paneer masala/Kitchen king masala
1tsp sugar
1/2tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2tsp Shahi jeera
1/2tsp kasuri methi leaves
1 bay leaf
oil
salt


Method:
1) Heat 2-3 tsp oil, fry the chopped onion till golden brown.Add the tomatoes and fry till cooked. Let it cool down. Puree the onion and tomatoes along with cashews, ginger, garlic. Keep aside
2) Heat 2 tsp ghee, add shahi jeera, bay leaf, green pepper saute.Add the curry paste and cook for 3-4 mins.
3) Add the paneer cubes, corn, kitchen king masala, red chili powder,salt,sugar, heavy cream etc and let it simmer for 4-5 mins.
4) Garnish with kasuri methi, raisins, cranberries and chopped up cilantro.

Serve hot along with naan/ chapati/roti or rice!!

You will love the rich creamy gravy...a true 'shahi' experience!! 

Spinach-Arugula-Apple salad with Mango Vinaigrette and dried cranberries

Couple weeks ago, a friend had made a similar salad with Spinach-Arugula, pears, apples and with a Orange Vinaigrette dressing. We had loved the how the fruits and the fruity dressing pair well with the baby Spinach and arugula!!

So yesterday when, I found a fresh mix of baby spinach and arugula at the grocery store I couldn't wait to make the salad myself!!

Ingredients:
Baby spinach and Arugula
Sliced apples
Dried cranberries
Optional -toasted walnuts/ sunflower seeds

Dressing:
Mango vinaigrette: Mix 2 tsp olive oil+ 6 tsp mango juice+ 1 tsp apple cider vinegar..some salt,black pepper and italian seasoning..

Method:
Whisk everything together and pour over the greens and sliced apples. Top with dried cranberries/ nuts

Oats-Almond Breakfast bars (Eggless)

Honestly,breakfast is not a issue for me...I have a good breakfast of a 'non sugary' cereal and add almonds and frozen blueberries to it.Love it! Feels like a good way to start the day!
The issue is however, those 3-4 o' clock hunger pangs. I usually try to eat a fruit at that time, but often still feel hungry by the time I come home...especially with the 1 hour commute that I have.

I have experimented with several homemade versions of cereal/bars before and here is the link to those recipes:
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/search/label/Homemade%20Cereal%20bars

For larabars:
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2014/02/larabar-like-healthy-chocolate-bars.html

This Oats-Almond bar ....is easier, is eggless, has no added fats and can be rolled out as cookies too!! Just roll into round balls, press them and bake!

Here goes the recipe-

Ingredients: Makes 12-15 bars
2 cups Quick Oats dry roasted
2 cups Almonds
1 Cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4tsp salt
Few sliced almonds

Method:
Pre heat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9x9 metal pan with cooking spray (make sure to grease really well...otherwise the bars stick to the pan as there is no added fat in the dough)

1) Dry roast the oats and when cooled, powder them.
2) Put the almonds in the blender and powder them. Blend them couple times more..till they start giving out the natural oils and start to come together
3) Mix together the oat powder, almond powder, dark cocoa powder,baking powder, salt and vanilla. Mix with hands.Add little milk at a time to mix and gently knead into a dough.

4) Press this mixture into the greased baking pan. Press the sliced almonds on top.
5) Cut into rectangular bars
6) Bake at 350 F for 15 mins. Turn off the oven. Take the pan out.Let them cool for 10 mins.Cut again on the lines.Put the pan back in the oven (which is turned OFF) .The slight heat of the cooling oven will help them crisp a little. Keep them in for 10 mins. Take out the pan.Cut on the lines and remove the bars gently.

( I did have a couple bars break a little....but the crumbs were delicious too :))

You will love these nutty,chocolaty but still nutritious bars any time of the day!!!

"Cranberry Almond Baklava-Cheese cake" Cups

As though, 'Baklava' wasn't delicious by itself.....I bundled it up with cheese cake topping:))
It got a whole new look and flavor in these pretty cups of Crunchy filo dough cranberry-almond-pistachio baklava topped with a cheese cake like topping!!! I bet..you can't stop eating these beauties!!

How to make Cranberry-Almond Baklava:
Ingredients:
15 Filo cups
1/3 Cup Almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries chopped finely
1/4 Cup Pistachios
1tbsp Honey
1tbsp butter melted
1tsp lemon juice
1/4tsp cinnamon powder
1/4tsp lemon zest

Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 350F
2) Toast the almonds and pistachios for 5-7 mins.Don't let them brown. Chop finely after cooling.
3) Mix together chopped nuts, cranberries, honey, cinnamon, lemon juice, zest and melted butter.
4) Spoon into the filo cups and bake for 5-7 mins at 350F till the filling is heated. Let them cool completely.

Cheese cake topping:
Mix 1/2 Cup cream cheese brought to room temperature with 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk.Mix till smooth and fluffy.
Fill into a pastry bag and pipe onto the baklava cups.
Garnish with dried cranberries.

Keep the Baklava Cheese cake cups in the refrigerator till ready to serve

Asparagus-Potato-Oats Kababs

Asparagus season is here!! And I love the beautiful slender tender stems to brighten up pastas, soups and also grilled with little olive oil, salt and pepper.

Couple years ago..I had made these 'Asparagus-Chicken Kababs' and they were super flavorful and made a classy appetizer!! They reminded me of 'Shish kababs'....ground chicken with spices...grilled on skewers.
Here the Asparagus makes an edible skewer!!

Here is the link to the Asparagus-Chicken Kababs:
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/05/appetizers-asparagus-chicken-kababs.html

On similar lines here is the vegetarian version with Oats and Potatoes-
Ingredients:

6-7 Fresh Asparagus stems

Kabab Coating:
1 Potato boiled..mashed up
1/2 cup oatmeal
1tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Kitchen king masala
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic paste
Salt
Olive oil
Pepper

Method:
1) Wash and dry the asparagus.Trim the hard end.
2) Mix ingredients for the coating.Add little water to bring it all together.
3) Press the mixture on to the asparagus

4) Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
5) Grill in a grill pan/ outdoor grill or a nonstick pan with little oil.

6) Let the kababs brown on all sides and let the asparagus become tender. Serve hot along with Chutney or Ketchup.

Raita Cups

I love to transform recipes to give them a modern touch.You will find many such modifications in my blog...
When it comes to food...I believe "Look does matter"....because You eat with your eyes first as they say!!

One such attempt was to make Modak with a modern twist...and the result was "Baklava Modak" which were published in Mid-day newspaper:
 http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2012/sep/160912-Modak-goes-modern.htm

Today I made these lovely looking Cucumber cups and filled them with Raita to make a Modern looking and healthy appetizer---- "Raita Cups".
So easy to make...yet so beautiful looking!!

All you need is:
1 Cucumber
1/4  red onion finely chopped
2tbsp thick yogurt/ Greek yogurt/ strain water out of regular yogurt
2 pinches red chili powder
salt, sugar
Cilantro for garnish

Method:
1) Peel cucumber like this...leaving alternate bands of skin ..to get a pattern on the cups.

2) Cut into 5-6 large pieces and core out the center

3) Mix onion, yogurt, chopped cored out pieces of cucumber,salt, sugar, red chili powder to make raita
4) Spoon the raita into the cucumber cups

5) Garnish with cilantro...keep cold till ready to serve

High Fiber Idlies

Here I am in a time crunch to Cook....Click and Blog. However, I do post pics and short recipes on my facebook page ...
https://www.facebook.com/Thesizzlingpan

Here is the recipe from last week that I posted there-(Just Copy and Pasting :))

High Fiber Idlies

1 cup urad daal
1.25 cups brown rice
1.25 cups wheat dalia
1/4 cup cooked rice

Soak, grind and ferment like usual idli batter. Steam and serve hot with sambar and chutney. I had them 'duboke" in sambar.. With some sev on top... Just the way my dad used to like :))

"Mahim /Bombay Ice Halwa" like Halwa

I call it "Mahim/Bombay Ice Halwa" Like  Halwa.....because The texture wasn't quite the same...as I couldn't get it to roll thin enough.....but Taste wise...it was Ffffabulous!!

Every now and then....I want to try my hands at the traditional Indian sweets.Not only are they delicious...but involves quite some craftsmanship and talent. I have tried and semi-failed numerous times...mostly in terms of texture....haven't yet gotten the sugar consistency judgement under my belt.
Anyways...
I had read this recipe on the forum I subscribe to....with some modifications...here is my version...

Ingredients: This makes a LOttt of Halwa. 4-5 Chapati Size rolls
1 heaped cup All purpose flour
1 cup water ( or 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup milk)
2.5 cups sugar
3/4 th cup Ghee
2 tsp Rose essence
1tsp Cardamon powder
1tbsp Chopped Pistachios and Almonds.

Method:
1) In microwave safe glass bowl, mix all ingredients except the chopped nuts with a hand mixer..till smooth
2) Microwave for 18 mins.After every 5 mins, take out and mix.Mixture will get thicker.

3) Let it cool for 2 mins.
4) Place a large spoonful on buttered surface.Roll out with buttered Rolling pin.Press the chopped nuts and roll again.

5) Cut into desired shape.

6)Store in airtight container.

Red Quinoa Tikkis

It was the first time I had bought this 'Red' variety of Quinoa and wanted to try something with it...that the kids would enjoy too. Lately, they have been fans of  'Sabudana Tikkis' and I have to keep a frozen pack handy, as the demand strikes almost anytime:)
So...I thought...May be if I make Red quinoa tikkis with crushed peanuts, cumin etc ..similar to Sabudana tikkis...they would probably eat it...And THEY DID!!

Ingredients:
1 Cup Red Quinoa
2 Cups water
1/2 Cup Crushed roasted peanuts
1-2 green chilies finely chopped
1tbsp Chopped cilantro
1/2tsp Cumin
Salt
some sugar
Oil to shallow fry

Method:
1) Wash the Quinoa and pressure cook it with water and little salt.Let it cool down.

2) Add the Crushed peanuts, green chilies, chopped cilantro, salt,cumin, sugar and knead.
3) Form into tikkis.
4) Shallow fry on a nonstick pan with little oil.
5) Serve with Ketchup/ Chutney/Yogurt.

Larabar like "Healthy Chocolate bars"

I love the 'simplicity' of the larabars.No long list of artificial ingredients....just a few ingredients making a nutritious and delicious snack.They are still high in calories.....but nutrition packed calories..not the 'empty' kinds.
The base is almost 'Mejdool dates' every time....and then you can flavor them by adding different ingredients.The result is a 'chewy' delicious bar! There are a zillion varieties like...Cashew cookie, banana bread etc etc

I had read this recipe to make homemade larabars on:
http://mywholefoodlife.com/2013/02/09/homemade-chocolate-larabars/
So simple and easy to make...it was done in minutes!

Ingredients: Just 3!!

6 Mejdool dates de seeded
3/4 cup Almonds
1/3 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:
Just Pulse everything together in a mixer till it starts to come together....press into bars...cut...DONE!
I store mine in the refrigerator.