Pearl Barley and Spinach Patties

"Barley"...yet another grain..I hadn't cooked with before. Yesterday, I cooked it with an intention to make Barley soup..but these patties came impromptu to my mind...and made a delicious evening snack!
Pearl barley:

Barley is yet another "Nutritional powerhouse"(http://www.barleyfoods.org/nutrition.html) It has the slow digesting carbohydrates called "beta glucans" in the grain.I also read that, the beta glucans and the fiber is distributed throughout the grain and hence...even if it is "pearled" barley( bran and outer layers removed)...it is still better than many other refined grains.(http://www.oprah.com/health/Why-Barley-Makes-the-Best-Breakfast)
 Cooked Pearl barley:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pearl barley (pressure cook in 1 cup water plus little salt)
1/2 cup finely chopped spinach
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 boiled potato(mashed)
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs( E doesn't like his sandwich with crust.I cut them off,freeze them..pulse them to make these whole wheat bread crumbs.)
1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/2tsp red pepper flakes
1/4tsp cumin
salt
olive/ canola oil for shallow frying

Method:
1) Cook the pearl barley in pressure cooker -3 whistles.Let it cool completely.
2) Mix the cooked barley,chopped spinach,onion,mashed potato,garlic,red pepper flakes,cumin,salt,1/4 cup of bread crumbs and mix well.
3) Heat a non stick pan with oil for shallow frying.
4) Make patties with the above mixture.Roll them in the bread crumbs and fry on medium- low heat till they are golden brown and crisp on the outside.
5) Serve hot along with your favorite sauce/ maggie hot and sweet sauce( I love it!!)/ green mint chutney.

"Everyday Cooking"-Veggie Puffs/Pattice

If anyone asks me..what was my favorite weekend breakfast back in India(Pune)? The answer will be the 'pattice' from Green bakery!

It used to be kind of a 'delicacy',because these bakeries will only make those on certain days of the week..and that too you have to stand in a queue to get this on busy weekends!

And ya...there were weekends when we went to the bakery a little late in the morning....and they ran out of the pattice.''Pattice NOT Available' the board would say.How heartbreaking was that!They were 'so' much in demand!

Even now,when 'M' and I go back to India,one of our 'culinary' agendas is eating the Green bakery pattice. They make such a flaky pastry stuffed with spiced potatoes and peas. We even make use of our 'jet lag' and wake up early and walk to the bakery very early in the morning to buy the pattice. 'M' always has one question.....if they are 'so' much in demand ...and they run out of the pattice early in the mornings itself.....then why don't they make more of those???????

They should work out their 'Supply-Demand' equation again!(His MBA is speaking here!)

Here in USA...you don't get the pattice anywhere....but you do get the Puff pastry.I tell you..I was so glad when I discovered that! So I started making my own 'veggie puffs' ...close enough to the 'green bakery way'!

Ingredients:

1 packet Pepperidge farm puff pastry

2 boiled potatoes mashed well

3/4 cup boiled green peas

1 tbsp chopped onion

1/2tsp garlic ginger paste

1/2tsp Garam masala

1/4tsp turmeric powder

1/4tsp chili powder

1/4tsp cumin-coriander powder

5-6 curry leaves

1/4tsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp mustard and cumin seeds

2tsp oil

Salt to taste

Method:

1) Thaw the puff pastry sheets as instructed on the packet

2)Preheat oven to 400F

2) Heat 2tsp oil,add mustard, cumin,curry leaves and fry for few secs.Add ginger garlic paste,turmeric powder,chopped onion and fry.

3)Add the mashed potato,peas,chili powder,garam masala,cumin coriander powder,fennel seeds, salt,and mix all together.Fry till everything warm ups.

4) Cut the puff pastry sheets in desired shape.Stuff with the above stuffing.I usually make 'triangle' puffs (like green bakery),but this time made the rectangle ones.

Press the edges with a fork and place on baking sheet.

5) Bake for about 25 mins or till golden brown and flaky

5) Serve warm with Ketchup/ mint chutney

Variations:

Very versatile and can be stuffed with 'anything'.....spiced shredded boneless chicken, egg bhurgi(spicy scramble eggs),boiled eggs, minced chicken/lamb(kheema) etc.

About the picture:

'M' took this picture and it was his idea to put those 'ketchup' lines in the background, on the plate! How cool was that!

Note:

I am sending this recipe as entry for Meeta's "Monthly Mingle: Brunch" hosted by http://whatsforlunchhoney.blogspot.com/

"Everyday Cooking"- Potato and green beans patties

'E' goes to Pre school on Monday,Wednesday and Fridays..so these are the days.... I can do elaborate cooking. For lunch made green bean subzi and chapatis.Now you will say..what's so elaborate in 'Green bean' subzi..but believe me....with 'E' hanging around in the kitchen with me...with all his toys(made into an obstacle course for me), his constant nagging, emptying the shoe-closet in the dining room,demands that I should race his 'hummer' truck once in a while, draw a car on a paper even when I am making dough for chapatis.....ufff....and what else...the list goes on.....With all this ....peeling green beans,cutting into small pearls....let me tell'ya verryyy time consuming...

So after he went to school.....I made the green beans subzi..with green beans cut like small pearls, onion,tomatoes and garlic.This is not the usual way I make it,but tried this one out today.It came out OK....not as I had expected.

In the evening,for dinner,hardly had any appetite for the same green beans and chapati.So turned them into these delicious patties with potatoes and made a complete meal by serving those like 'burgers' in whole wheat bread.Also,realised that, its a great way to 'hide' the beans into the potato,so kids cannot make out what they are eating!Though I cannot complain about my little 'E'..he likes the green bean subzi with chapati.

Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 large boiled potatoes -mashed

1 cup green beans (cooked and seasoned with turmeric,chili powder,cumin-coriander powder and salt) or prepared leftover subzi

1 tsp garlic ginger paste

1-2 tsp mint leaves chopped( Mint is imp.It will cover the 'beany' taste of beans )

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1/4tsp garam masala

salt to taste

Bread crumbs to fry

Oil to fry

Tomatoes,onion slices to garnish

Method:

1) Heat 1tsp oil in a pan.Add cumin,garlic ginger paste,fry for a min.

2) Add the mashes potatoes,green beans,chilli powder,mint leaves,garam masala,salt etc and mix all together

3) Let cool.Mix well.

4) Make into patties,roll into seasoned (salt,chili powder) bread crumbs and shallow fry in oil

5) Serve with Ketchup/mint chutney and with tomato and onion slices (like cutlets)

6) Can be eaten as veggie burgers in burger buns or plain slice bread.

7) Instead of mixing the green beans,they could also be stuffed inside the potato covering and then shallow fried.