Mukimame (Green Soy) and green peas balls with corn and cheese filling

I am clearly at home today, and doing my most favorite thing...cooking and making something delicious and nutritious at the same time!!

A high protein snack doesn't have to be non vegetarian or boring. These super tasty balls made with mukimame + green beans + oats with a cheesy corn filling made in my favorite "Appe Pan"...will surely make everyone in the family happy:))

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen mukimame
3/4 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup oats
1/3 cup bread crumbs or 3 bread slices
1/3 cup Sooji (cream of wheat)
3 tsp( Ginger+ garlic+ green chili paste)
3 tsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt
Oil

Filling:
1 cup corn kernels
1/2  cup (Cheddar + Parmesan cheese)
1/2 tsp chili powder


Method:
1) Microwave the mukimame and green peas for 3 mins. Grind them in the mixer along with oats, ginger-garlic- green chili paste and cilantro.
2) Mix the bread crumbs/ crushed bread slices, sooji, salt,cumin and form into dough. You can add more oats/sooji if the dough is loose.
3) Mix corn kernels, cheeses and chili powder
4) Form the mukimame dough into balls and stuff with corn and cheese filling.

4) Heat appe pan on low to medium heat.Add few drops of oil. Place the mukimame green peas balls in the appe pan.Cover with lid.Cook till golden brown on one side.Then flip and cook on the other side with a drop or two of oil.

5) Serve hot along with ketchup/ hot and sweet chili sauce!!

 A tasty and high protein snack with warm cheesy filling ....yummmm ooo!

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.

Happy New Year 2014 with Colorful Mini Idlies made with Vegetable Purees!!!

Here's Wishing You and all the Lil Ones a Happy and Healthy New Year 2014 filled with lots of Colorful veggies and fruits!!!

 It was New Years Party and I was planning on making Idlies. I had seen 'Colored Idlies' on a food forum I subscribe to and couldn't resist making these lil nutrition packed bite-size idlies for the Lil ones.I was surprised that the vegetables did not impart much of a taste to the idlies and gave gorgeous colors. They looked too pretty to be real and can make the Prettiest of the Appetizers!!

Doesn't it look like a Artist's Color palette? 

Batter-

 After steaming the idlies-

 Recipe:

1 Cup Urad dal

2 Cups Rice

Salt

2tsp Oil

Oil Spray

Green peas puree(about 2tbsp for 1/2 cup batter)

Grated beets(about 1tsp for 1/2cup batter)

 Turmeric (about 1/2tsp for 1/2 cup batter)

Method:

1)Soak the dal and rice together for 4 hours.
2) Grind into fine paste in a mixie/blender with water to make a semi-thick consistency batter.
3) Ferment overnight till the batter doubles in size ( I pre-warm the oven for 8 mins on the oven 'warm' setting.Then turn the Oven OFF.Put the batter in the oven and cover with a lid.OR you can leave the oven light on overnight to make some warmth in the oven and help the batter rise.)
4) Just before cooking Idlies, add the salt, stir gently 2-3 times.Over mixing will result in flat idlies.
5) Spray the idli stand  (I used a microwaveable min idli stand) with oil cooking spray. Add vegetable puree to 1 cup batter in separate bowls.Mix gently.Add more puree if needed to achive desired color. 

 

6)Add batter to the idli molds and steam for 15-20 mins .

7) Serve steaming hot along with Chutney/ Sambar or Skew them into skewers/ toothpicks for the Prettiest of Appetizers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomato Rice and Mixed Vegetable Pickle

Blogging has become a rare treat for me lately. Sometimes I miss the laid back life I had, with ample time to make whatever delicious food I wished for and taking plenty of pictures and writing about it.
Anyways, here I am today sharing the lunch we had this afternoon...
I made this tangy- spicy 'Tomato Rice' and a side of 'Mixed Vegetable Pickle' made by my mom in law...

 

Tomato rice
Ingredients:
2 Cups cooked rice cooled
2 ripe tomatoes chopped
1/2 onion chopped
2 clove garlic chopped
1/2tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
2-3 Red chilies
7-8 curry leaves
1tb each Urad daal, Chana daal
2tb groundnuts
1tbsp oil
1tsp mustard and cumin seeds
salt
sugar
Chopped Cilantro

Method:
1)  Heat 1tsp oil, fry the dal and peanuts till golden brown, keep aside.
2)Heat oil, add mustard, cumin,curry leaves,garlic,tomatoes and onion.Fry till the onions and tomatoes are cooked well and the water evaporates.
3) Add the garam masala,red chili powder,salt,sugar cooked rice mix well.Add the fried dal and peanuts.Garnish  with chopped cilantro.
Serve hot along with Pickle or Yogurt.

 Mixed Vegetable Pickle:
1/2 cup each of Cauliflower(chopped), carrots (chopped) and frozen green peas(thawed).
1tsp chopped ginger
2tbsp Suhana Pickle masala
2tsp Lemon juice
1tsp oil
1/2tsp mustard seeds
salt
sugar

Heat oil, add the mustard seeds till they splutter. Mix with the chopped vegetables,ginger, pickle masala, lemon juice,salt and sugar.Mix well.
This pickle can stay in the refrigerator for few days.

Celebrating 300th Blog Post!!

A very special blog post- It's the 300th Blog post and today happens to be Women's Day!!!
Happy Women's Day to all you beautiful ladies, who make Sizzling good food for their families and thanks for visiting 'TheSizzlingPan' and encouraging me.This blog means a lot to me and you make it a 'happier place' for me!!!
So, for the 300th Blog Post...I wanted to try something NEW...which I hadn't cooked before...some new ingredient...some new dish...something brand new for myself and my family!!

Quinoa Veggie Upma:

I had never tried or made Quinoa before, but had heard a lot of good things about this mighty little whole grain.It looks similar to 'Jowar' but very much smaller grain size.It has a High protein content, low in fat, rich in iron and many more reasons to include in your diet. More about Quinoa nutrition:
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/healthnutrition/qt/Quinoa-Nutrition-Facts.htm
I had a pack from Jungle Jims in the pantry, and couldn't wait to try it!

I used the Quinoa to make the very familiar 'Upma' with carrots and peas,so that it will be easy to accept this new grain in the family!!

Ingredients:
1 Cup Whole grain quinoa
1 and 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup Chopped onion
1/4cup Chopped carrots
1/4cup green peas
1/4cup corn kernels
1/4cup roasted peanuts
2-3 green chilies chopped( add more or less to adjust spiciness)
 2 tsp oil
1tsp Cumin seeds
1/2tsp Mustard seeds
1/2tsp sugar
1/2tsp ginger paste
4tsp lemon juice
salt
Cilantro for garnish

Method:
1) Wash the quinoa 2-3 times with water.Drain the water. Boil 1cup quinoa in 1and 1/2 cups water and little salt for 15-20 mins until cooked. It will fluff up.I covered it with a lid and stirred occasionally.
2) Heat 2tsp oil in a pan. When it heats up, add mustard,cumin,onions.Saute for 2 mins.Add other veggies,ginger paste and chilies.Let them cook.Add the roasted peanuts and fry for few more seconds.
3) Add this to the cooked quinoa and mix.Add sugar,Squeeze lemon juice on top.
Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot!!!

Spooky Halloween Pasta! Spaghetti with Worms (Zucchini strips) and Worm eggs(Peas)

Looking for a cool Halloween pasta idea??? Here is one!! A vegetarian Spooky Halloween Pasta...Spaghetti with Worms (Zucchini strips) and Worm eggs(peas)!!!! Sure to scare the scariest of the scariest:))
So this year for Halloween, we are going to have 2 devils ( both E and M as devils), Little 'A' as fairy and me the black cat!! Can't wait for the Halloween party!!

Here is how I made the Spooky pasta:

Ingredients:(Serves 6-8)
1 Pkg Thin Spaghetti
2 Zucchinis cut into thin length wise strips
1/2 cup green peas
2tbsp olive oil
1tsp minced garlic
2tsp butter
1tsp flour
1/2tsp black ground pepper
1/2tsp basil
1/2tsp red chili flakes/  red chili powder
1/2tsp Italian seasoning
4tsp lemon juice
salt
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Method:

1) Cut Zucchini length wise into thin strips.
2) Boil pasta as per packet directions in salted water
3) Heat olive and butter in nonstick pan. Add crushed garlic and flour. Let it cook for few seconds. Do not let it brown.Add the zucchini strips and toss gently
4) Add the seasonings,peas and toss the pasta in.
5) Squeeze the lemon juice and take off the flame
6) Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

"Fusion Cuisine'- Methi 'Ricotta' Mutter

'Ricotta cheese' isn't my refrigerator staple,but I am seeing that I am buying it more often than before and experimenting with it. It is a not 'real' cheese, has very creamy texture and blends well in both sweet and savory dishes. More so....I have started using it in Indian cuisine..making Pedhas, Rasmalai and now this -Methi 'Ricotta' Mutter.....which is as you all might know....a variant of  Methi 'Malai' Mutter.
Fenugreek/Methi has a distinct 'bitter' taste to it. If the bitterness in not your favorite..and you prefer mild tasting curries....this one is a good choice.
Last week, couple of my friends went to NY city for a weekend trip.I had asked them to get me some fresh methi from the Indian Grocery store.'M' isn't a big fan of just stir fried methi......so I thought I will make 'Methi-Mutter' but with Ricotta instead of the 'Malai'.

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups cleaned chopped methi leaves
1/2 cups frozen green peas
1/4 cup chopped onion
2tbsp Ricotta cheese
1tbsp milk powder
1 cup Milk
2 tsp ketchup
1/2tsp cumin
1/2tsp cumin-coraineder powder
1/4tsp chili powder
1/4tsp garam masala
1pinch black pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
1bay leaf
1tsp ghee/butter
1/4tsp sugar
salt

Method:
1) Heat ghee/butter.Add cumin, bay leaf.Add onions saute till translucent.Add the chopped methi.Saute 2 mins
2) Add the milk, all the spices, milk powder, ketchup and let the methi cook on low flame
3) Add green peas and Ricotta cheese. Mix well.Let it boil for 2 mins.The curry is pretty thick.
4) Serve hot with naan/roti/rice.

"Appetizers"- Potato Balls with Spicy Green Peas filling

Usually, when 'M' gets home from work in the evening, he is pretty hungry. Loves to have some snack when he gets home.Couple days ago, this recipe came as 'extempore' .I was thinking what I can make for the snack today? Opened the refrigerator....found couple boiled potatoes ( my moms trick..to have couple boiled potatoes on hand!) and some left over 'spicy peas filling' Tadah......and we had an amazingly delicious snack within 15 mins. 'M' said he would rate these as one of the best appetizers he ever had! I said....WHY NOT??? Potato.... that too fried till golden brown......what can go wrong? It has to be delicious!!!! Even little 'E' munched on these and kept asking for more 'Vala'(i.e Vada) .....that's what he was calling them!

Potato Ball Covering:
1and1/2 cup mashed potato (without any lumps)
1/2 cup Seasoned bread crumbs
1/2tsp Cumin
1/2tsp Chili powder
1/2tsp garlic paste
Salt
oil for frying
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs for light dusting the balls.

1) Mix together mashed potatoes, bread crumbs, salt, cumin, chili powder,garlic etc.Knead well.Keep aside.

Spicy Green Peas filling
1 onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2tsp garam masala
1/2tsp cumin
1/2tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp cumin-coriander powder
1/2tsp Chili powder
1/4tsp turmeric
salt
oil

1) Heat oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds amd let them splutter.Add the cumin seeds,onion and fry till golden colored.Add the tomatoes and rest of the spices.Fry 2-4 mins
2) Add the green peas and salt and fry again till the filling dries up.Let it cool.

Assembling Potato Balls with Green peas filling:
1) Take about 2tsp mashed potato mixture in hand.Make a depression in the middle.
2) Place 1 spoonfull filling in the center
3) Carefully cover with potato mixture and make into a round ball.
4) Roll the ball into bread crumbs. Dust any excess bread crumbs.
5) Heat oil in a deep pan. When hot enough to fry, carefully fry the Potato balls in the oil till golden brown from all sides.
6) Serve hot with Ketchup/ Hot and Sweet sauce/ Mint Chutney.

Variations:
The Potato balls can be stuffed with pretty much anything.....Chicken kheema, Paneer, Spinach, Corn or even some thick Green chili-coconut chutney.They all taste yummy!

Enjoy the slight- crunchy, but soft outer potato covering stuffed with spicy green peas to satisfy your craving for a delicious evening snack!

"Appetizers" -Phyllo 'Potlis' with Spiced Green Peas

I know what you are thinking...."She is obsessed with 'Phyllo dough'! Actually it  is not a 'obsession' but more of a 'fascination'.....how many different ways can I use the Phyllo dough! I am just experimenting with shapes, fillings, toppings, tastes- sweets-savories etc. And since I still have half of the phyllo dough sheets still sitting in my refrigerator...you may expect to see more of 'Phyllo' recipes!

Anyways...
Last afternoon, I was thinking what shape to go for today... And I remembered the 'Potli' style bags famous in India.They come in all different colors, sizes with pretty bead work and fancy strings.They are really  very pretty!Perfect I thought! I could do that! I can mold the phyllo into little 'Potlis' and stuff them with spicy green peas filling!

Here is the recipe:

For the Phyllo Dough

 6 sheets of Phyllo dough thawed at room temperature

1/2 tbsp butter melted

1)Place 1 Phyllo sheet on  a flat surface.Brush butter on the surface.

2) Place the next sheet on top.Press flat gently.Apply butter.Repeat for all 6 sheets.

3) Cut into 6 squares of equal size. If you want 'bigger' Potlis cut into 4 squares.

4) Keep covered with moist cloth untill ready to use. They dry up fast!

Spicy Green Peas filling

1 onion finely chopped

1 tomato finely chopped

1 cup frozen green peas

1/2tsp garam masala

1/2tsp cumin

1/2tsp mustard seeds

1/2tsp cumin-coriander powder

1/2tsp Chili powder

1/4tsp turmeric

salt

oil

1) Heat oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds amd let them splutter.Add the cumin seeds,onion and fry till golden colored.Add the tomatoes and rest of the spices.Fry 2-4 mins

2) Add the green peas and salt and fry again till the filling dries up.Let it cool

Phyllo Potlis assembly

1) Take 1 square of layered phyllo dough.Place 1 spoonfull filling in the center.

2) Pull up all corners gently and make into 'Potli'/Pouch.

3) Tie with 'Aluminun foil strips' or green onion leaves.I used aluminun foil strips.

4) Place on baking sheet and bake at 400 F for 20-25 mins untill the 'Potlis' turn Golden brown on all sides.

5) Serve warm with Ketchup/ Hot and sweet suace.Untie the aluminum foil before serving OR for more 'Interest' let your guests untie the 'Potli' before eating.

Untie the 'Potli'...Bite into the crisp buttery Phyllo dough and savor the Spicy green peas!

"Appetizers"- Vegetable Samosas

Just couple days ago,I was craving 'Samosa'. It was so much easier in India...you crave something...either ask 'mummy' to make it for you or just go around the corner and buy it from the store!There were so many chaat,fast food stalls everywhere....that your cravings were never left unfullfilled.

But here is USA, especially in small town like Ithaca,you have to make everything yourself.When I was pregnant (with 'E') I was craving Pani poori soo much.But none of the stores in Ithaca carried it then.So 'M' went all the way to Syracuse(about an hour from Ithaca) on a weekend and bought packets of pani poori ...so that I could eat till my heart content!

Anyways....good old memories...

Last year I read this interesting book...'The Hindi Bindi Club" by an Marathi author Monica Pradhan.It was about immigrant families and especially about 3 women and their 3 daughters who were born and brought up in USA. The book discusses challenges of women shaped by ancient ways but living modern lives.Their struggle between their traditional upbringing and the 'new' land they were living in.

One more interesting fact of the book was, after every chapter the author writes about some 'recipe' related to the chapter content.It is from this book that I got my recipe for vegetable samosas.

I was very confident about making the filling for samosas..it is a 'no brainer'....but the pastry covering...not so easy!! I tried this recipe from the book and it comes pretty good.

I substituted  the 'vegetable shortening' in the book with vegetable oil.I do not cook myself with 'shortening' so did not have any on hand.But...vegetable shortening is the best shortner (shortens wheat gluten strands) and makes the best flaky pastry....as I learn from my food science courses.So if you really want to make it 'authentic' try some vegetable shortening.But my samosas with butter+oil came out flaky and crispy too!!

Ingredients

For the Pastry/Dough:

2 cups All purpose flour

2tsp corn starch

3/4stick cold butter

2tbsp vegetable oil

1/2tsp Ajwain seeds

salt

Oil for frying

Ice cold water to make dough.(Add ice cubes to water)

1) Cut cold butter into small pieces.

2) Mix with the flour and corn starch by gently rubbing the butter on to the flour.The mixture should look crumbly.

3) Add oil,ajwain,salt and slowly add ice cold water and knead the dough firmly.

4) Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Secret to best flaky pastry is keeping everything cold till ready to fry.

For the Filling:

2 Potatoes boiled and mashed

1/2 cup boiled green peas

1 onion chopped

1/2tsp ginger garlic paste

1/2tsp Garam masala

1/2tsp Cumin-corainder powder

1/2tsp chili powder

1/2tsp turmeric

1/2tsp mustard seeds

1/2tsp Cumin

1/2tsp Fennel seeds(Gives nice flavor.Try it if you haven't used it before!)

5-6 Curry leaves

1/2tsp Mint powder/paste

1tsp chopped cilantro

salt

oil

1) Heat 1tbsp oil, add mustard,cumin,curry leaves and fennel seeds.Add chopped onion,ginger garlic paste,turmeric and fry.

2) Add the potatoes,peas and mix well.Add the mint paste,cilantro,garam masala and other spices and fry.

3) Let the filling cool.

Assemblying the Samosas:

1) Knead the dough again before rolling out.Take a small portion of the dough.Roll out into a circle(about 6 inch).

2) Cut into half moon shape.Arrange with straight edge close to you.

3) Fill 2 spoons filling in the center

4) Fold the right edge over the left edge.Press it shut

5) Press the semicircular bottom with fingers.The samosa resembles a triangle now. You can press the edges with a fork to seal well and make it look prettier.

6) Fry in hot oil on low-medium flame.This is important to make the Samosas crisp.Fry till Golden brown.It takes time for samosas to change color and become crisp.Be patient!

7) Serve hot with Mint chutney/ Ketchup/ Tamarind chutney/ Maggie Hot & Sweet sauce.

8) Enjoy every Bite!!!