Mushroom Sesame Bites

Great finger food for parties which can be made ahead and stored in the refridgerator. And when required can be heated in microwave.

Ingredients :

Mushroom : 10 -15 medium sized or 1 cup(Cleaned and chopped into slices)

Cheese : 1/2 cup (Grated)

Bread :3 slices

Sesame Seeds : 1/4 cup

Garlic : 4 to 5 flakes (Peeled and chopped )

Chilli Flakes : 1/2 tsp

Basil Leaves : 5 to 6 (finely chopped)

Salt : according to taste

Black Pepper Powder : 1/2 tsp

Vegetable oil : 1 tsp +to roast the bread on tawa

Procedure :

1. Heat oil add chopped garlic and once the garlic turns slightly brown add the chopped mushrooms.

2. Cook till all the water is evaporated and now add pepper powder, chilli flakes, salt, basil leaves and cheese. Switch off the flame.

3. Divide the mixture into 3 parts.

4. On a flat tawa heat 3 slices of bread and spread the mushroom mixture on the top.

5. Now sprinkle the sesame seeds on top of them and make sure it sticks well.

6. Once the sesame seeds are stuck flip and cook for a minute or so on the other side.

7. When the bread is cooked on both the sides and turns crispy cut them into 4 strips and serve with ketchup or mint chutney.

Cranberry Rice

When I found this recipe I tried it instantly. And the rice tasted just like Puliyogare. The sour Cranberries give their own flavor to the rice.

Ingredients :

Rice : 1 cup (sona Masoori rice)
Cranberries : 3/4 cup
Onion : 1 medium sized
Green Chilli : 2
Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin : 1 tsp
Urad Dal : 1 tsp
Peanuts : 2 tbsp (Optional)
Asafoetida : a pinch
Curry Leaves : few
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Salt According to Taste
Oil : 2 tsp

Procedure :
1. Cook the rice as usual and bring it to a room temperature.
2. In a wide pan heat oil and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, Urad Dal, peanuts, curry leaves, asafoetida.
3. Now add the finely chopped onion and cook till they turn slightly brown.
4. Add the washed and quatered cranberry pieces followed by turmeric powder and turmeric powder.
5. Once the cranberries turn slightly squishy add the cooked rice and the requires amount of salt. Serve it hot.

Vegetable Oats Uthappam

Ingredients :
Oats :1 cup
Dosa Rice : 1/2 cup
Urad Dal : 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Buttermilk : 1/4 cup
Green Chilli : 2 -3
Salt According to Taste
Oil : To roast the dosa
Veggies : Onion, Capsicum, Tomato

Procedure :
1. Soak Urad dal and rice together for 4 to 5 hours.
2. Dry roast the oats slighly and powder it in a blender.
3. Grind the soaked urad dal and rice mixture into a paste.
4. Add the powdered oats and blend in the mixer grinder for one last time.
5. Ferment the batter for 5 to 6 hours.
6. Add buttermilk, cumin, and salt in the morning and give it a mix.
7. Spread the batter on the tawa. Add some veggies on the top and cover with a lid.
8. Let the top cook in the steam.
9. Serve it hot with chutney.

Vegetable Kurma

One of my favourite side dish to savour. I don't need a roti/puri. I could just gulp up the curry as a snack.

Ingredients :

The Spice mix :
Grated coconut : 5 to 6 tbsp
Cashew : 5 to 6
Chana Dal : 1/2 tbsp
Coriander Seeds : 1/2 tbsp
Garlic : 3 to 4
Ginger : 3/4 inch
Kashmiri Red Chillies : 4-5
Byadagi Chillies : 4 to 5
Fennel Seeds : 1 tsp
Cinnamon : 1 inch
Cloves : 2
Cardamom : 2
Poppy Seeds : 1 tsp

Other Ingredients :
Carrot :1 medium
French Beans : 1/3 cup Chopped
Green Peas : 1/2 cup
Potato : 1 cup
White Mushroom : 4-5
Onion : 1
Tomato :1
Turmeric : 1/4 tsp
Yoghurt : 2tbsp
Water : 1.5 cups
Oil : Few tbsp
Curry Leaves : a few
Salt : According to taste
Coriander Leaves : for garnish

Procedure :
1. Grind all the ingredients given under spice mix. Add a little water and make a paste of it.
2. Wash, peel, dice and steam all the vegetables.
3. In a deep bottomed pan heat oil add finely chopped onions and curry leaves.
4. Once the onions turn slightly pink add tomatoes, turmeric powder and saute till the tomatoes soften.
5. Now add spice mix and saute till the oil leaves the sides.
6. Now add the cooked vegetables and yoghurt. Add water as required and cook till it comes to a boil.
7. Add salt and garnish with Coriander leaves.

Raspberry and Persimmon Juice

Ingredients :
Persimmon : 1
Raspberry : 1/2 cup
Water : A little
Sugar/ Nectarine/ Honey : Optional and can be adjusted according to your preference of sweetness

Procedure :
1. Grind the Raspberries in a blender and strain the juice to remove the seeds.
2. Peel the persimmon and grind it again with a little water.
3. Add the strained raspberry juice to it. And blend it with any sweetner.

Paneer Palak

Ingredients :
Spinach/ Palak : 1 medium Bunch
Paneer : 1 cup of cubes
Onion : 2
Tomato's : 3
Green Chilli : 4-5
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp
Jaggery : 2 tsp (Optional)
Oil : 1 tsp

Procedure :
1. Wash the leaves 3 to 4 times to remove the mud if any present on the leaves.
2. Heat a pan add the cleaned leaves and cook till they shrink. Grind them in a blender.
3. Also grind the onion, tomato's and green chillie and make a paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan and roast the onion paste till they start leaving the oil on the side and keep it aside.
5. Now add oil and roast the spinach paste and cook till the oil leaves the side again.
6. Now add the roasted onion paste and add water to make it of a gravy consistency.
7. Add chilli powder, cumin and salt according to taste.
8. Add the chopped paneer pieces and bring it to a boil.
9. Add the powdered jaggery and serve hot with ghee rice or roti.

Prune and Date Roll

A simple no sugar dessert. Can grab it on your way out as a snack bar for breakfast.

Ingredients :
Date : 1 cup
Prunes : 1 cup
Pista : 2 tbsp
Cashew : 2 tbsp
Almonds : 2 tbsp
Walnuts : 2 tbsp
Raisins : 2 tbsp
Cranberry : 2 tbsp
Shredded Coconut : just for rolling the dry fruit roll
Coconut Oil/ Clarified butter : 1 tsp (Completely optional)

Procedure :
1. Chop the date and prunes into tiny pieces.
2. Heat a pan and add coconut oil/ clarified butter and add the chopped dates and prunes. This step is purely optional. If using soft dates to can just mash them in a bowl using a fork. Just so that the chopped nuts stick to them.
3. Add the chopped nuts, raisings and cranberries.
4. Mix them well and make a dough and then shape into a cylindrical roll.
5. Roll them over shredded coconut and cover them with a parchment paper and place it in the refridgerator.
6. Cut them into tiny pieces and serve.

Peach and Carrot Juice

Another simple fresh fruit juice for your mornings.

Ingredients :
Fresh Peach : 1
Carrot : 1 small
Water : a little
Nectarine/ Brown Sugar/ Sugar : depending on your preference of your sweetness

Procedure :
1. Deseed and peel the peach and cut the carrot into small cubes.
2. Add a little water and blend them all together by adding the prefernce of your sweetness.

Sweet Potato and Pecan Salad

This was my second Thanksgiving in US.And I finally decided to embrace the American Holidays. Thought about preparing an Indian style Thanksgiving meal. I was very confused as to what to cook. I didn't want to miss the basic essential elements of American Thanksgiving meal at the same time. This one dish particularly impressed me a lot. I picked it up from a food group.

Ingredients :
Sweet Potato : 1
Orange/ Clementine : 2
Pecan : 3/4 cup
Cinnamon : 1 tsp
Honey : 1 tbsp

Procedure :
1. Peel the skin and cut them into small cubes.
2. Grate the zest of one clemetine around 1 tbsp and keep it aside.
3. Squeze the juice of both the clementine, add the cinnamon and honey to it and add the cut sweet potatoes and pecans to it.
4. Pre Heat the oven to 350 degree faranheit.
5. Bake them for 20 to 25 minutes.