Tacos with bean filling

     This a lovely Mexican dish which reminds me of our very own chaat to me.It has this crunchy touch with spicy filling which satisfies all the senses.My friend Hetal , once on one of our outings to downtown showed me the taco shells she uses.I picked it up and made them last week.It was a super hit.I had tried making the shell before, but now since they are readily available, the quick snack is great to make. It has the goodness of beans and lots of salad too.
Ingredients
Taco shells                                   6-8 nos
Boiled red kidney beans/rajma      1 1/2 cup
Chopped onions                           1 no
Chopped tomatoes                       3 nos
Sliced tomatoes                            1 no
Chopped green chilli                     1 no
Chopped red peppers                   1 no
Chopped garlic                             1 tbsp
sliced red bell peppers                  1/2 no
sliced onions                                 1 no
roughly chopped lettuce                1 handful
lime juice                                      1 tbsp
Chilli powder                                1/2 tsp
Cumin powder                              1/2 tsp
pepper powder                             1/4 tsp
onion powder                               1/2 tsp
garlic powder                               1/2 tsp
olive oil                                        1 tbsp
Cheese shredded                         as required
salt to taste
Method
Prepare the taco shells according to the instructions.Mine said to bake for 10 mins at 180 deg.
Heat oil and add chopped garlic and saute.Add chopped onions and saute.Put in green chilli and chopped tomatoes.Cook well till mashed.
Add the herbs and seasoning and salt.
Now put in the beans and cook to dry the water.
Add the chopped bell peppers.Keep aside.
Now mix salad leaves, sliced tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and add lime juice and salt.
Now put the beans mixture in each shell, top with salad and then with cheese.Serve immediately.

Sarson ka saag

     We are die hard fans of this beautiful and aromatic dish from Punjab in India.The thought of piping hot sarson ka saag with makki ki roti and butter,chaas and salad is something to die for.Moving here ,this winter being 1st,was feeling a bit homesick for this dish.Often while crossing the fields, I saw the mustard feelds with yellow flowers here too, and I would scream at the colors.And to this my husband would say,"that is not mustard, that is rapsol fields".The other day at a Turkish vegetable shop, I saw this plant and just smelt it.It looks and smells just like mustard plants.I took a small bunch and decided to try making the saag.And VOILA, the saag was deadly and tasted just like the authentic one.And now we are so thrilled and I make it to satisfy my cravings.The turks use it as a salad.So here is the recipe.If you have sarson or rapsol, combination remains the same.
Ingredients
Mustard leaves/rapsol leaves                500 gms
Spinach                                                200 gms
Green chilli                                           2 nos
Ginger piece                                        1" piece
Chopped onions                                  1 no
Chopped tomatoes                              3 nos
Chopped ginger                                   1 tbsp
Chopped garlic                                    2 tbsp
Lime juice                                           1 Tbsp
Chilli powder                                       1/2 tsp
Coriander powder                               1 tbsp
Haldi                                                   1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Hing                                                    1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds                                        1 tsp
ghee                                                    2 tbsp
wheat flour                                          2 tbsp

Method
Clean the leaves and put green chillies and ginger and boil till they are soft.Blend to make a puree.
Heat 1 tbsp ghee and add hing, cumin and let them crackle.
Add 1 tbsp chopped garlic and ginger and let them color.Add chopped onions and let them cook to brown.
Now put chopped tomatoes and cook so they are soft.Add 1/2 the chilli powder, coriander powder, haldi and salt and let it cook till oil starts to come out.
Mix wheat flour with some water and pour into the curry.Let it cook, it would help to make it thicker and homogeneous.Add lime juice.
Heat 1 tbsp ghee and add chopped garlic and let it brown well.Add chilli powder and put this on the saag and serve it hot with maize rotis.Splendid Punjaabi khaana is ready.You can also serve it with butter, gren chilli and lots of salad and chilli and garlic pickle.
Now pour the puree of leaves and cook well.

Mint/Pudina chutney

      I am not too fond of mint , but there are days when certain foods make you want that hint of mint.Just a nice sweet and sour mint chutney makes your food very yummy, increases the appetite.Here is a recipe of a lovely mint chutney, right now I am hooked on to.I love to eat it with a misi roti, paratha or even a kachori.Try this out even as a dip with vegetable sticks,nachos, chips, cutlets and kebabs.
Ingredients
Mint leaves                           a packed cup
Roasted peanuts                   2 tbsp
green chilli                            2 nos
ginger chopped                    1 tbsp
garlic                                   4-5 cloves
chopped coriander              1/2 cup
hing                                     1/5 tsp
cumin seeds                         1/2 tsp
black rock salt                     1/2 tsp
sugar/optional                      1/2 tsp
Thick tamarind(pulp)           2 tbsp
salt to taste                                                
 Method
Put all the ingredients in a blender and churn well till smooth and even.Chill in a bottle.Serve with food of your choice.

Roasted bringal/eggplant relish

    Bringal is one of my favorite vegetable.There are so many things one can cook with it.The various kinds in the market make this vegetable very good for playing around with it in various cuisine.This time I had this nice round clean bringal which I decided to roast.But when I scooped it out after roasting , there was just 1 bowl of flesh.Thought should make it into a relish or a raita.This can be eaten as a raita with the Indian food or as a dip with chips or nachos.We just loved it .I will now try and make more variations to this now.
Ingredients
Roasted and scooped bringal                1 small cup
Fresh curd                                            1 cup
chopped onion                                      1/2 no
chopped tomatoes                                1 no
chopped chilli                                       1 no
chopped garlic                                     1 tbsp
chopped coriander/mint                       1 tbsp
cumin seeds                                         1/4 tsp
Olive oil                                               1 tbsp
chilli flakes                                           1/2 tsp
salt to taste            
Method
Heat oil and add cumin.Let them splutter.
Add chopped garlic and chilli and let them color.
Now put chopped onions and let them cook till they are translucent.
Now out the salt and chilli flakes.Mix well.
Mix in the mashed bringal flesh .Remove from the stove.
Add beaten curd.Now put chopped tomatoes and coriander/mint and mix.
Chill and serve as an accompaniment.

Mixed sprouts in gravy

   Sprouts are one of my favorite things to eat in any form.I like to mix different whole pulses and make them in different ways.They are high on fibre and great in nutrition.And adding them in your diet would benefit the body in different ways.I use this particular recipe with rice as a combination.Eat it just this way or maybe a slice of toasted bread.
Ingredients
Mixed sprouts(used horse gram,                     2 cups
black eyed beans,white peas)
Chopped onions                                                    1 no
Tomato puree                                                        1/2 cup
chopped potato                                                     1 no
chopped chilli                                                        2 nos
Crushed garlic                                                       2 tbsp
curry leaves                                                          10-12 nos
Chopped ginger                                                    1 tsp
Oil                                                                        2 tbsp
mustard seeds                                                       1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds                                                         1/2 tsp
hing                                                                       1/5 tsp
Thick tamarind pulp                                               2 tsp
Besan(horse gram flour)                                        1 1/2 tbsp
Coriander powder                                                2 tsp
Haldi                                                                    1/2 tsp
chilli powder                                                         1/2 tsp
salt to taste
Method
Heat oil .Add hing, mustard and cumin and let them splutter.
Add crushed garlic, ginger ,curry leaves and green chillies.
saute and add chopped onions.Let them brown.
Add besan and saute on slow heat.
Add tomato paste,mix well.Now add salt, chilli powder,haldi and coriander powder.Cook for 2 mins.
Now add potato and the sprouts.Mix well.Add about 2 cups water and pressure cook for 5 mins or cover and cook till sprouts are soft but not mashy.
Now add tamarind pulp and adjust salt and consistency.
Top with coriander and serve hot with rice.

Mixed flour pancakes/dosas

       After a heavy lunch of rajma and rice wanted to make a more snacky dinner and ended up making this tasty variation of pancakes/dosas.I love to use various kinds of flours in my food specially the ones which have a texture are more grainy or are full corn.Gives extra taste, fiber which we so require for the body and high on nutrition too.So here goes.
Ingredients
Full corn wheat four                               1 cup
Ragi flour                                              1/2 cup
Semolina                                               1/2 cup
sour curd                                               1 cup
hing                                                       1/4 tsp
chilli powder                                          1/2 tsp
chopped coriander                                 1/2 cup
cumin seeds                                           1 tsp
salt to taste
Method
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and thin it with water.keep aside for 15 mins.
Add more water to adjust consistency and make it into pouring consistency.
Heat a griddle and grease it with oil/butter.Spread a thin pancake and put oil.Cook till golden on both sides.
Serve with chutney of your choice.

Tomato and carrot chutney with flax seeds

         This chutney found my way on a plate because I love flax seeds as they are good for health.I eat them daily but my kids had to start getting used to it.So this was a good way to start.I made a nice mixed flour dosa/pancakes with loads of texture.Kids loved it.so here is this lovely recipe.
Ingredients
Chopped onions                          2 nos
Chopped tomatoes                      4 nos
Chopped carrot                           1 no
peeled garlic                                6-7 cloves
red chilli                                      1-2 no
flax seeds                                    1 tbsp
curry leaves                                 10-12nos
oil                                               1+1 tbsp
hing                                             1/5 tsp
urad dal                                       1 tsp
mustard seeds                              1/2 tsp
salt to taste
Method
Heat 1 tbsp oil and add all the onions, garlic, red chilli ,flax seeds and curry leaves.
When they turn translucent, add tomatoes, salt and hing.Cook till water evaporates.
Cool and grind finely.
heat oil and add hing, mustard seeds and urad dal.When they crackle and urad dal colors, add the chutney and cook for 5 mins.Serve with dosas, idlis, dhoklas etc.

Two Corn upma

        The other day I walked into the specialty foods department of the supermarket and came across ground maize used for polenta.I made it and tasted really good.have to still make it one more time and put it on the blog.This evening decided to use it for an Indian dish.Thought of making umpa.The texture is just like suji (semolina) and I thought it would great to try it out.I used it with a bit of suji to just give myself a bit of mental support that it would taste right, do not worry.And it did.The kids loved it.I thought of putting this recipe across.I used corn and beans but we can use many other vegetables to vary the taste.It is delicious!
Ingredients
Maize semolina                                 3/4 cup
semolina                                           1/4 cup (optional)
chopped onions                                1 no
chopped beans                                 3/4 cup
boiled corn                                       3/4 cup
Chana dal                                         1 tbsp
urad dal                                            1 tbsp
curry leaves                                      10-12 nos
oil                                                     1-2 tbsp
chilli powder                                     1/2 tsp
lime juice                                          1 tbsp
sugar                                                1 tsp
salt to taste
hing                                                  1/6 tsp
mustard seeds                                   1tsp
Method
Heat oil and add mustard seeds and hing.Let them crackle.
Add dals and let them brown a bit.
Add the onions and curry leaves.Let them get translucent.
Add the vegetables and let them saute a while.
Now put the semolina and let it saute at low heat till golden.
Add chilli powder, salt and sugar.
Add 2 cups of water and let it cook.It will thicken up.Add 1 cup more water slowly and let the semolina cook further.Cook on slow heat now.
Add lime juice and mix.
Cover and keep on low fire for 3-4 mins.
Top with coriander leaves and butter and serve with pickle and corn chips.Enjoy!
    

Dal palak -Lentil with spinach

       This one of the most loved dishes in my home.It has the goodness of greens and proteins from lentils.Goes very well with rice or chappatis.If made a little thin,can be had almost like a soup.The goodness and smell of fresh spinach makes me want to eat bowl fulls of this lovely dish.
Ingredients
Bengal gram lentils                   100gms
Chopped spinach                     2 cups
chopped tomatoes                    2 nos
chopped onions                        1 no
chopped garlic                          1 tbsp
chopped ginger                         1/2 tsp
chopped green chilli                  1 no
lime juice                                  1-2 tsp
chilli powder                             1/2 tsp
coriander powder                      1 tbsp
tumeric powder                         1/2 tsp
garam masala                            1/4 tsp
bay leaf                                     1 no
cloves                                       3 nos
cumin seeds                               1 tsp
hing
salt to taste
Ghee/oil                                    1 tbsp
Method
Soak lentils (chana dal) for 30 mins.Pressure cook with water,tumeric and salt to 2 whistles in pressure cooker.
Heat ghee/oil and add hing and cumin seeds.Put in the bay leaf and cloves and let them colour.
Put in ginger and garlic and let them get golden.Now add chopped onions and let them cook till golden brown.Now put chilli powder, coriander and garam masala and stir well.
Now add the tomatoes and let them cook well together.Drop in chopped spinach and mix well.Simmer for 5 mins.Pour in the boiled lentils and mix well.Adjust consistency by adding more water if required.Boil for about 10 mins.Finally pour in the lime juice and serve piping hot with rotis or rice.

Zucchini and chana dal sabzi

       I looked into my fridge and found one zucchini staring back at me.Was wondering what to cook with it for the three of us which is nice.My tongue was dying for some different taste of zucchini.One thing led to the other and soon I made this preparation which was relished by us with hot rotis.It has the goodness of green vegetable and the proteins from lentils.I also make it with gravy and serve it with rice.
Ingredients
Zucchini chopped into1cm cubes                                 1 no
Horse gram(chana dal) soaked                                    3/4 cup
Chopped onions large                                                 1 no
chopped tomatoes                                                      3 nos
chopped garlic                                                           1 tbsp
chilli powder                                                              1/2 tsp
coriander powder                                                       2 tsp
tumeric powder                                                          1/2 tsp
bay leaf                                                                      1 no
oil                                                                              1 tbsp
cumin seeds                                                               1 tsp
garam masala/hot spice                                              1/2 tsp
hing                                                                           1/4 tsp
Amchur powder/lime juice                                         1 tsp
salt to taste                                                                                                
Method
Heat oil in a pan.Add cumin and hing and let them crackle.
Drop in garlic and let them get golden.Put in onions and let them get brown.
Add the tomatoes and salt and cook till a bit soft.
Put in the lentils without the water.Turn them and add about 1/2 cup water and cover to cook.
When half cooked, add the spices and saute.Now add the chopped Zucchini.Mix well and cover to cook.
Turn them now and then and make sure it does not get burnt.
Make sure the lentils and vegetable does not get mushy and the vegetables has no water left.Add the amchur powder and mix.Serve with hot rotis.

TIP-
You can also put water in it and make it into a curry which you can eat it with rice.Just make it a little more cooked and the lentils need to be a bit mushy.