Roasted Cauliflower Bisque

I’m back from another brief hiatus. In what feels like a blink of an eye, winter has snuck up on us here in the east coast. The sun goes down so early which means it is a gloomy drive back home. There is nothing better than a warm and creamy bisque that hits the soul satisfying spot! The natural creaminess of cauliflower  is the perfect base. Roasting it adds great nuttiness which is an ideal combination with garlic and thyme.

1 large head of cauliflower
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
2 tbsps butter, unsalted
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1 cup light cream
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 tbsp fresh chives, snip using scissors into 1/4 inch pieces
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cut the cauliflower into flowerets (1-inch pieces) . In a large non-stick baking sheet spread out the cauliflower, garlic, and onions evenly.  Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil, coat and toss gently. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until golden. Check once at the 30 minute mark and then add additional 5-10 minutes according to doneness.

In a soup pot, melt butter and add the bay leaf.  Mix in the roasted cauliflower mixture along with the salt and toss together gently.

Add the vegetable stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes over medium heat. The mixture will be thick, so add in the cup of water and mix well. Discard bay leaf and puree the mixture using a hand blender until smooth.

Stir in cream, cracked black pepper and thyme. Heat soup over moderate heat for 5 minutes until re-heated through. Serve warm with chives and a dash of cayenne pepper. The cayenne is optional, adjust according to your heat preference.

Stir Fried Garlic Tofu Noodles

Some of my favorite weeknight dinners are simple stir fried dishes. This version came about simply with ingredients I had in my fridge, combined with my love for singapore noodles. With garlic, ginger and turmeric as base flavors, this stir fried noodle is a great way to incorporate tofu into your meals.

8 oz rice noodles (approx.220 grams)
1 large red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
2″ piece ginger, peeled
5 cloves garlic, peeled
5 indian green chillies (makes this dish spicy. substitute with 1 serrano to make it mild or feel free to leave out chillies all together)
3/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
4 cups fresh baby spinach, washed
2 cups sweet corn (I used frozen, can be substituted with fresh)
14 oz extra firm tofu  (you could also used super firm tofu)
handful of fresh cilantro, washed and chopped
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp canola oil

Cube the fresh tofu into 1″ pieces and place between dry towels and gently squeeze any excess moisture out. Make sure you don’t break the pieces.

In a pan heat one tbsp canola oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tofu to the hot oil. Make sure you stand away and drop the pieces in gently, facing away from your body. There will be some spluttering. Let cook for 3 minutes. Gently move the tofu around and get an even light brown on them. Remove the tofu onto a paper towel using a slotted spoon and let them rest.

Add the remaining tbsp of oil to the leftover oil in the pan and heat over medium heat. Finely chop ginger, garlic and chillies together. Add the cumin, coriander and turmeric powders to the oil and fry for 20 seconds and then add the chopped garlic, ginger and chillies. Fry over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add thinly sliced red onions and sautee for 7-8 minutes until the onions are cooked and start slightly browning. Add 4 cups of spinach along with a tsp of salt. Mix well and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. The spinach will wilt and give out a bit of water which should help you scrap any spices in the bottom of the pan and create a unified aromatic base for our noodles.

Add the frozen corn with the remaining tsp of salt, mix well and cook covered for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Uncover, increase the heat and cook another 5 minutes. Add the pre-sauteed tofu to the corn mixture and toss together gently. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes which will allow the tofu to soak in all the flavors of the vegetables and spices. Add almost all of the chopped cilantro with a little saved to add just before serving and turn of the heat.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add a few drops of oil to the water and then drop the rice noodles in it. The oil will keep the noodles from sticking to each other when cooked and drained. Cook the noodles according to your package instructions. Mine took just about 3 minutes. Drain the noodles, let sit for a minute to make sure all the water is drained.

Add the noodles to the vegetable-tofu mixture and toss together gently. Use tongs to separate the noodles and mix well to make sure all the spices, vegetables and color mix evenly.

Sprinkle the reserved fresh cilantro on top and serve warm.

Aaloo Palak

This recipe is very special and one of my favorites. I am thrilled to share my simple , easy to follow recipe of this traditionally  slow cooked laborious process, all without compromising on an ounce of flavor.

My home made version is not doused with cream and butter which often is the reason for flavor in many restaurants. I like to rely on the natural taste of the ingredients and add to the deliciousness with perfect combination of spices and stay away from the cream.

Much like for me,  this will quickly become one of your favorite weekend meals.

1 pound of baby potatoes, boiled and peeled (around 10-12)
3 bags of baby spinach (about 12-13 cups of fresh spinach)
1 large red onion, peeled and diced
3 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
3 green chillies (substitute: 1 serrano)
3 cloves
1/2 inch stick of cinnamon
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsps salt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander powder
3 tbsps cilantro, washed and finely chopped
In a large saute pot, melt 2 tbsps butter and add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the cumin seeds and just when it starts turning light golden brown,  add chopped onions. Keep sautéing on medium-high heat until the onions are golden brown, around 10-12 minutes. Drop the heat to low.

In the meantime, using a blender, make a puree of roughly chopped tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. No extra water needed since the tomatoes will lend a lot of water.

Add this pureed tomato mixture to the simmering onions. Make sure you are on low heat, there will be some spluttering. Mix well and let cook covered for 15 minutes until the tomato puree and spices are cooked and infused together with the onions and cumin.

Uncover and let the tomato sauce simmer on low heat. In the meanwhile, puree the baby spinach in a blender with few tsps of water. You will have to do this in batches. Make sure the spinach is a puree and not too watery. It is raw spinach at this time.
Add the pureed spinach to the simmering tomato sauce. Mix well and let simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes, while mixing every 10 minutes. You will notice a change from a bright green to a darker and earthier green as an indication of being done.

Add salt, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well, add the halved cooked baby potatoes to the spinach sauce. Let simmer over medium heat for another 20 minutes. Check for seasoning, sprinkle cilantro and turn off the heat. Tastes great with any indian bread or basmati rice.

I like to serve this the day after because the baby potatoes have more time to absorb all the flavors. Tastes quite divine!

Macaroni – The Simple Indian Way

This is my favorite go-to recipe. With ingredients that I always have readily in my pantry, it makes for a delicious, comforting and easy to make meal.

1 pound elbow macaroni
2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
5 indian green chillies, finely chopped  (substitute: thai chillies or serrano chillies)
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped into bite size pieces
4 large tomatoes
1 cup green peas
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 tsp salt
3 tbsp canola oil

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add cumin and coriander powders. Fry for 30 seconds (the spices can burn easily, so keep stirring) until the spices are slightly toasted. Add the finely chopped garlic, chillies and onions. Saute until the onions turn translucent.

Add the sliced onions in and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the onions turn golden brown. I finely dice a couple of onions to blend into the dish and leave a couple of onions sliced to give a bite to the dish.

Puree 4 whole tomatoes (no water added). The tomatoes itself, will give enough water to make this a thin puree. Pour this over the golden brown onion mixture. Add 1 tsp salt, green peppers and green peas.

Mix well, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water and cook covered over medium heat for another 10 minutes. This will cook the raw tomatoes along with the peas and soften the green peppers.

Add the garam masala and cilantro. Add another 1/3 cup of water and cook uncovered for 10 more minutes.

During this time, bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil and drop the elbow macaroni in. Cook according to packaging instructions. Around 6-7 minutes until al dente (perfectly cooked but with a slight bite). Drain the pasta and put the hot pasta back in the pot it was cooked in.

Add the tomato-peas-onion sauce to the cooked pasta, mix well an serve hot with your favorite bread.

Spiced Lentil and Bean Stew

Inspired by the classic Ethiopian dish, and with my inclination towards indian spices came about this hearty and ‘warm your belly’ lentil stew. If you love earthy, warm spices, this will hit the right spot. Just the perfect bowl of dinner for the winter.

You will need:

3 cups lentils (regular brown or puy)
2 cans dark red kidney beans (pre-cooked)
1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
1 large onion, finely chopped (yellow or white)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2″ piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter
2 large tomatoes, chopped ( for plum tomatoes, use 4)
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 cups vegetable stock (you can substitute with water)
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1 sprig, fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice

For the Spice mixture:
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 tsp cardamom (i use whole ones)
4 cloves
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 tbsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt

In a dry skillet, add all the above spice mixture  ingredients. Toast over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Keep tossing making sure the spices don’t burn. Powder these ingredients in a blender along with the chopped ginger with no liquid. It has to be a dry powder. Frying whole spices and freshly grinding them adds immense flavor to the stew. If you don’t have access to fresh whole spices, as a substitute, you could use the pre-powdered version of all the above spices and just mix them together in a bowl.

In a large pot, add 6 cups of water along with the lentils and bay leaf. Boil the lentils for about 45 minutes. Around the 30 minute mark, check to see the doneness and adjust amount of water and cooking time accordingly. The lentils after 45 minutes, should be cooked but not mushy. It should be firm and al dente since it is going to cook a bit more while putting together the stew.

Drain the lentils, also drain the can of kidney beans and set aside.

In a large pot, add the butter and vegetable oil. Once the butter is golden brown, add the onions and garlic. Sauteé for 10 minutes until the onions soften.

Add the ground spice mixture and cook for 7-8 more minutes making sure the spice powder is mixed evenly.

Add the chopped tomatoes and salt , cook 5 more minutes.

Add tomato paste, mix well and then add the vegetable stock.

Simmer over medium heat for 25-30 minutes.

Now add the cooked lentils and beans, simmer 20 more minutes.

Check for salt, top with the chopped cilantro, mint, lemon juice and turn off the heat.

I prefer this stew just on it’s own with a little extra squeeze of lemon, but you could also serve it with your favorite bread.

Black Bean Salad with a Mint-Lemon Dressing

This is a recipe I frequently make and definitely one of my favorites. It’s a wholesome salad with a perfect combination of textures. The creamy black beans and crunchy vegetables, with fresh herbs and lemon makes this a flavor packed, quick and easy to make salad.

1 32oz can, cooked black beans (drained and washed)
1 small onion
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh mint
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro
1 serrano chili (substitute:jalapeno)
1 large tomato, cubed
2 medium carrots, cubed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
juice from 1 lemon
juice from 1 lime
1/4 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp salt

Finely chop the mint, cilantro, serrano chilli and onion together. I used a manual chopper, but use whatever you have. In a mixing bowl, add the rinsed black beans, tomato and the herb onion mixture. Sprinkle salt, lemon zest and toss together.

Add the chopped carrots, green peppers, lemon+lime juice and mix well. I like to serve these in lettuce cups with my favorite rye baguette, makes for a great lunch. It can also be served as a side with entrees.

Bread Upma

Bread Upma literally translates to scrambled (sauteed) bread. This is my childhood memory on a plate. A staple in south indian households, often a great after school snack for kids, and a great way to use day old bread.

This demonstrates the simplicity of good food. Served with mint chutney, this is my perfect supper.

Although often made with plain white bread, I used simple wheat to make it more hearty.

10 slices wheat bread (serves 4), crumbs removed and chopped into 2″ pieces
1 tbsp canola oil + 2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp channa dal (bengal gram lentil)
1 tsp urad dal (black gram lentil)
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder (popularly available brand is “L.G”)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 chillies, finely chopped (indian, thai or serrano kind
3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp lemon juice

Heat oil and butter in a pot, over medium heat. Just when the butter starts melting add mustard seeds and asafoetida. When the butter starts turning golden, add both lentils in. Fry for a minute until the lentils starts turning golden brown.

Now add the finely chopped green chillies and onions. Fry for 5 minutes until the onions soften and are cooked thoroughly. Sprinkle a teaspoon of salt, mix well and drop the heat to low while preparing the bread to add in.

Remove the crusts off the bread and chop once vertically across the middle and thrice horizontally to create 6 pieces out of every slice. Prepare all 10 slices similarly. Add the pieces to the onion mixture and mix well. Add the tablespoon of water so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Mix this all together so the spice onion mixture coats all the bread pieces evenly. The volume of the bread will drop but, it will still keep it’s texture.

Leave on low heat for 5 minutes stirring once in  while. This will help the bread soak up all the flavor from the onion spice mixture. Add chopped cilantro and lemon juice, stir and serve hot with mint chutney.

The lentils stay crunchy, the spices with the little butter add a nutty savory flavor with the bread hearty and chewy. It really is a party in your mouth.

Ziti with Broccolini and Spinach in Roasted Garlic Marinara

Quick and easy to put together, combining some store bought ingredients with fresh veggies, this makes an ideal weeknight meal. This was my dinner tonight. With broccolini and spinach in my pantry, I added tangy olives and garlicky marinara sauce to make a warm and comforting dinner.

1 pound ziti
2 bunches, broccolini (around 4 cups) ends trimmed
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large potato, peeled and sliced thin lengthwise
1 pound baby spinach, washed
1/4 cup marinated green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
6 cups roasted garlic marinara
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp crushed red peppers (optional)
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp canola oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the pasta in and cook 7-8 minutes until al dente (refer to your package instructions for exact cooking time). Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and just when it starts roasting, add the chopped onions. Cook over medium-high heat until onions are slightly browned. Add olives, spinach and 1 tsp salt. Cook until the spinach wilts. Add potatoes and saute for 5 minutes until the potatoes just start cooking.

Add the broccolini and another tsp of salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce, crushed red pepper and basil. Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta into the sauce, toss together to make sure the pasta is coated well with the sauce. Serve warm with your favorite bread.

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Green Lentil Soup

This is a soup recipe adapted from BHG. The original recipe called for pumpkin, red lentils and chickpeas, but with sweet potatoes, green lentils (french puy lentils) and chickpeas in my pantry, I decided to improvise. The sweet potatoes and green lentils turned out to be a great substitute for the pumpkin and red lentils.

I also had sage in stock. Since I am a sucker for sage with sweet potatoes, I decided to fry the sage in butter first and then start the soup with the sage infused butter. The crispy butter fried sage also makes a great garnish.

I was quite pleased that I could make enough and share with friends at work. It turned out to be a great lunch perfect for that rainy day!

4 medium sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed
1 32 oz can chickpeas
3 cups green lentils, dried ( I prefer using dried and cooking it in stock, rather than using pre cooked lentils)
1″ piece ginger, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 large tomatoes, chopped
6-8 fresh sage leaves
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 dried bay leaf (optional)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
4 tbsp butter
12 cups vegetable stock
2 tsp salt ( split into four 1/2 tsp quantities to be added in layers)
juice from 1 lemon

Melt butter over medium heat until it turns golden brown. Add sage leaves which will start becoming crispy after some spluttering. Remove sage and set aside.

In the sage infused butter left behind in the pan, add garlic, ginger and onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the onions are cooked translucent.

Add chopped carrots, 1/2 tsp salt and sauté for 5 minutes until the carrots just start getting tender. Add cubed sweet potatoes, chickpeas, 1 tsp salt, turmeric, cumin and coriander powders. Cook for 10 minutes until the sweet potatoes just start cooking.

Add chopped tomatoes, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the sage leaves. Cook for 2 minutes and add the lentils, bay leaf and measured vegetable stock. Cover and let cook over medium heat for 40-45 minutes.

Uncover and check for doneness. The lentils should be perfectly tender (but not mushy), the sweet potato, chickpeas and carrots should also be tender yet hold their shape but will melt in your mouth into an explosion of flavors. Add chopped cilantro and lemon juice, turn off the heat and serve hot with any fresh baked bread of your choice.

I served the soup with pumpernickel bread and loved the combination of the smoky earthy soup with the deep and intense pumpernickel bread. The combination was perfect.

Onion-Cheese Taquitos with Tomatillo-Mint Sauce

Taquito, a Mexican dish is basically a small rolled-up tortilla with any kind of filling usually meat or cheese. Traditionally the filled tortilla is deep fried.

My version is both vegetarian and healthy. So, I chose to bake the taquitos to make this a more everyday meal. I also crisped onions to add the sweet caramelized flavor to the cheese taquitos.

The perfect pair for cheesy tortillas are tomatillos. The easiest way of using them are making salsa verde, a tomatillo sauce which have many variations. Mine uses cilantro, mint and garlic.

8 flour tortillas ( 6″ or 8″ size)
2 cups shredded pepper jack or monterey jack cheese (I used a mixture of both)
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced lengthwise

For the tomatillo-mint sauce:

1 large can whole tomatillos( 8-10 if using fresh)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 medium yellow onion
2 jalapenos, roughly chopped ( I use the whole pepper with seeds, you can deseed to make it milder)
3 tbsp cilantro
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a saucepan add 1 cup of water, the tomatillos and salt. Bring this to a boil and cook uncovered or 7-8 minutes until the tomatillos just begin to break down. To this add the garlic, onions, jalapenos and cook covered for 15-20 minutes until all the vegetables cook to tender. Add the cilantro, mint and let cool for 5 minutes.

Blend this using a hand blender into a smooth mixture. This salsa verde makes a great side to tortilla chips, works great with fajitas, burritos and is fantastic for breakfast over eggs.

In a non-stick pan heat 2 tbsps canola oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook while stirring for around 15-20 minutes until the onions cook, brown, crisp and caramelize. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place a tortilla on a plate. Spread 3-4 tbsps cheese across it and top with 2 tbsps of the onions. Wrap the tortilla tightly and place on a greased baking sheet. Roll the remaining tortillas until you use up all the cheese onions. Arrange the tortillas on the sheet and bake for 8 minutes until the outside gets crispy and the cheese is molten.

Serve the tortillas with sauce drizzled on top.

Did I hear a Burrp?

Coconut Chayote Squash Masala

This kind of Squash, a prominent vegetable in Indian cooking, is known as Chayote squash in markets in the US. The local name we know and call it by is Chow Chow, which certainly sounds more fun! It is typically used to many varieties of stews. It is a juicy/watery vegetable with a light and delicate flavor.

This variation makes it an easy weeknight meal and an ideal side dish for Indian breads or a steaming bowl of basmati rice. Personally, the garlic-ginger-coconut combination makes it divine!

4 chayote squash, washed and peeled
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, chopped
1 large potato, chopped into 1 inch cubes
1″ piece ginger, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 serrano peppers, finely chopped
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/3 cup freshly grated coconut
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp salt

Heat a non stick pan over medium heat. Add the chopped serrano, ginger and garlic. Stir for a 30 seconds and make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the chopped onions and cook for 5 minutes until they turn translucent. Add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes soften.

Add cumin, coriander and turmeric powders. Sauté for 6-7 minutes minutes until the strong spices mellow down slightly and get incorporated well with the veggies. Add the chopped potatoes, squash, salt and mix well together. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Check a couple of times in between and stir the veggies to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom. If they do, then sprinkle a little water and lower the heat.

Uncover and make sure the squash and potatoes are cooked well. Insert a small knife into the center of veggie and make sure they are cooked through. They should to still hold their shape but also be tender.

Sprinkle the coconut and cilantro and cook uncovered for another 6-7 minutes which helps blending all the flavors together. It is best served hot like most other Indian curries.

Garlicky Carrot and Potato stuffed Wontons

This makes a perfect tea time snack and is great served as an appetizer. It’s quite easy to make and needs only a few ingredients. I love working with wonton wrappers because sky is the limit when it comes to options for it’s filling. Here is one of my creations served with a ginger-scallion sauce.

20 wonton wrappers (makes 10)
2 large potatoes, boiled and peeled
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1″ piece ginger, minced
4-6 indian or thai green chillies, minced
3 carrots, peeled and grated
2 tbsps salt
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
3 tbsp unsalted butter

For the sauce:
1 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sriracha sauce(optional)
3 tbsp  scallions, finely chopped
1 “piece fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp lemon juice

Heat a large skillet and melt butter until golden brown. Add onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies.  Saute for 5 minutes over medium-high until the onions are cooked until translucent, not just brown yet. Add the grated carrots and 1 tbsp salt. Cook for another 6-8 minutes until the carrots are done.

Add cilantro and remove from heat. Transfer this mixture to a mixing bowl and let cool. Boil potatoes and peel. Add the potatoes to the mixing bowl along with the carrot mixture. Mash together adding the remaining tbsp salt until it comes together like a filling.

Place a tbsp of the filling on a wonton wrapper. Wet the edges of with water. Place another wonton wrapper over it and use a fork to press the edges together immediately so the water helps to stick and seal the edges.

Prepare all of them and set them aside for 20 minutes before frying or steaming. In the mean while mix the soy sauce, sriracha sauce, ginger, lemon juice and scallions in a bowl and set aside. This is the dipping sauce. It is a really versatile sauce that can be used for many other asian inspired dishes.

The filled wonton wrappers can be prepared two ways. I fried half of them and steamed the remaining half.

Heat a wide-deep skillet with canola oil for frying. Keep the heat low and drop in two wontons at a time, fry until golden brown and set aside over a paper towel to drain.

In another pot, fill water about 2-3 inches high and let it come to a gentle boil. Drop in two wontons at a time and cook for 2-3 minutes until the inside is completely warmed and the skin is perfectly soft. Serve with the ginger scallion sauce.

Lima Bean Biryani

This is another one of my crazy kitchen sink recipes. Kitchen sink recipes are ones I have no plan or recipe for. I just make it up as I go along, with whatever ingredients I have at that moment. Most of the times it works well and the times it doesn’t, you don’t hear about it!

I love lima beans and I think these classic flavors go very well together and jazz up the usually challenging lima beans. It’s just another way of using the yummy beans.

2 cups lima beans, thawed ( I used frozen)
2 cups basmati rice
1 large white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large red tomato, roughly chopped
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
1″ piece ginger, peeled
3 serrano chillies, roughly chopped ( I use the whole peppers. Feel free to adjust this as you please)
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder ( Optional: don’t let not having this ingredient discourage you from trying this recipe!)
1tbsp + 1tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp butter

In a blender, add garlic, ginger, serrano chillies, cilantro, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, coriander seeds, 1 tsp salt, tomato and onions. Blend this mixture together, with no added water. The watery tomatoes yield just enough. Make this into a smooth paste and set aside.

Heat a largewide non-stick pan over medium heat with canola oil and  butter. Once the butter has melted add the remaining 1 tsp cumin seeds  and asafoetida powder.As I mentioned above, asafoetida is one of those things that not every one may have available. But don’t let not having  this one ingredient discourage you  from making the dish. It will taste great either way.

When the cumin seeds start spluttering, remove the pan from heat and  add the blended mixture. Doing it on heat will make a mess, there is a lot  of spluttering. Make sure you reduce the heat to low before returning the  pan to heat. Cook over low heat partially covered for 20-25 minutes,  stirring every  8 or so minutes. This will remove the raw smell from the  onion and spices and give room for all the flavors to meld together. Your kitchen must smell heavenly just about now!

Add the lima beans, the measured water and remaining tsp of salt. Increase the heat to medium high and cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes. Add the basmati rice, mix and let it come to a boil.

Just when it comes to a boil, cover and drop the heat to low. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the rice is perfectly done. Remove and gently fold or fluff using a spatula. Do not over mix or the rice will break and become mushy.

Garnish with cilantro and serve this dish hot with a cup of cool raita.

Roasted Garlic and Onion Soup

What could be possibly be better than a big bowl of soup with crusty bread on a snowed in winter night! Here is a light yet creamy soup with roasted garlic and onions. Infused with thyme and chives, it makes a perfect winter soup.

2 large sized garlic heads (use 4 if they are medium sized)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp butter, unsalted
2 large onions, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and chopped into small pieces (1/2″ cubes)
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
6 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup half and half
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, strip the leaves from the stem and rough chop the leaves
3 tbsp chives, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375F.

Cut off the tail end of the garlic to expose the bottom of all the garlic cloves. Place them in a baking tray, drizzle 2 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil over them and bake in oven for 45 minutes- one hour. Remove from oven and let it cool. Once cool enough to handle, gently squeeze the garlic into a bowl and it should separate from the skin very easily. Mash together and set aside.

Heat a soup pot and add the remaining 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil with the 3 tbsp butter. Add the chopped onions and saute over medium heat for ten minutes until onions are golden brown. Add the potatoes and crushed red peppers and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the roasted garlic, the vegetable stock, lemon juice and salt. Mix well, bring to a boil and cover the soup pot. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Add the half and half, cream, chopped chives and fresh thyme leaves. Heat through for 10 minutes and serve warm with your favorite bread.

Superbowl Super Snack

Here are a few of my successful experiments of the day – three kinds of crispy snacks with two different kind of dips. It all started with a craving for crisp onion rings and french fries to mindlessly reach for while watching the game. But that unfortunately entails waiting forever to have it delivered and eating something with an unimaginable amount of grease and salt. Making a snack at home turned out to be easy, healthy and just incredibly delicious.

I made two dips – Caramelized onion Dip and a Herb infused ketchup. Served with two types of crispy potatoes and oven toasted pierogi.

Pierogis are stuffed dumplings much like ravioli. You could call this the eastern/central european ravioli! It is a pillowy soft dough typically filled with potatoes, onions and cheese. Although they taste the best made from scratch, the second best option is to buy them from the frozen section usually next to the stuffed pastas. Unlike pasta, they are typically not served with heavy sauces but more with light sauces like a brown butter sauce or just plain fried onions on top.

Inspired by fried raviolis, I oven roasted the pierogis and served then as a snack and not an entrée.

Two kinds of potatoes:
4 large potatoes( You will need long ones than the round kind)
1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp  red chilli powder (substitute paprika if you don’t want any heat)
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp  salt
1/2 tbsp dried basil

For the dips:
Dip 1 :
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup indian yogurt or greek yogurt ( if you are using regular yogurt, drain using a cheese cloth overnight to remove all excess water. you will be left with a creamy thick yogurt)
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp canola oil
Dip 2:
4 tbsp ketchup
1/2 tsp  green chilli paste
1/2 tsp mint paste
1/2 tsp coriander paste
1 tbsp water

Oven toasted pierogis:
1 pound pierogi ( frozen)
1/2 tsp salt

Pre heat the oven to 400F.

Dip 1:

Heat a non-stick pan with a tsp of canola oil. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté until the onions are browned and crispy. In a bowl mix together the sour cream and yogurt. Add the crispy onions, cilantro, crushed red peppers and salt. Mix well and serve with the crispy potatoes.

Dip 2:

Mix all the dip ingredients together and this is ready to serve! Although adding ketchup with herbs seems kinda crazy, trust me, this is the best dip you have ever eaten. It pairs extremely well with potatoes and anything that needs a kick up.

Oven toasted Pierogis:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the frozen pierogis in and cook until the pierogis float to the top. That means they are ready to come out. Drain any excess water and place them on baking sheet greased with a little canola oil. Bake for 10 minutes until brown on one side. Turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes until crispy. Serve with the spicy herbed ketchup. This turned out to be the perfect combination. Crisp on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside,  dipped into a spicy tangy sauce is just heavenly!

Potato Crisps:
Wash the potatoes well. Slice two potatoes lengthwise into large thin strips about a 1/4 inch thin. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread the slides evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, turn the slices around and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove the baking sheet, sprinkle potatoes with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp chilli powder.

Bake for another 5 minutes and serve hot with dips.

Fries:
Cut the remaining two potatoes into french fries style pieces about 1/2 inch thick. Spread them evenly on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes. They should be browned  by now, then add salt, cumin, chilli and coriander powders along with the dried basil.

Back to baking for 5 more minutes and serve hot with the dips.