Ratatouille Lasagna

One dish that was easy, flavorful and relished by my family…this one! It combined two of our favorite dishes in one. Baked for my son’s birthday, he relished it very much. 

INGREDIENTS

10 sheets of lasagna 

500 gms of spicy pasta sauce 

1 large Aubergine chopped 

1 zucchini chopped 

1 cubed onions 

200 ml white sauce 

1/2 cup tomato purée 

1 tbsp chopped garlic 

2 tbsp olive oil 

1/4 cup basil 

Salt 

1 tsp Italian spices 

1/2 cup grated cheese 

METHOD

1. Mix all the chopped vegetables with salt, pasta sauce, tomato purée, garlic, oil, spices and salt. 

2. Put half the vegetables in a baking dish and line it with 5 of the pasta sheets. 

3. Pour half the white sauce and spread well. Sprinkle half the cheese. Put few basil leaves. 

4. Layer another one on top the same way. Sprinkle cheese and crushed chilies for extra spice. 

5. Put it into a hot oven preheated at 200 deg C. 

6. Bake for 45 mins, cover half way it it starts to brown. The liquid will cook the pasta well. 

7. Sprinkle more cheese and bake for another 10 mins. Push the sides down as they tend to curl up. 

8. Once done, remove from oven and keep it to rest for 15 mins outside. This helps the lasagna to come together and not fall apart. 

9. Cut and serve hot with fresh basil leaves on top. Enjoy with a glass of wine! 

Moong misal

 I love misal. It’s perfect in rainy days and also great in days when you are lazy but crave spice. It satiates hunger pangs well and is versatile. I made this with moong. Try mixed sprouts or combinations of few lentils. I serve this with aloo tikki, bread or buns besides rice. There are lots of recipes  mine is simple yet delicious and easy  

Ingredients 

2 cups moong sprouts 

1 chopped onion 

1 cup tomato purée 

1 tbsp ginger garlic 

2 chopped green chilies 

1/2 tsp jeera 

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

1/2 tsp methi seeds 

Hing 

2 tbsp oil 

1/4 cup coconut grated or flakes 

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp haldi 

1 tsp goda masala/ garam masala 

Salt 

Lemon juice 

Coriander leaves 

1 chopped potato( optional) 

Method 

1. Heat oil, add mustard, jeera and methi with hing. Let them crackle. 

2. Add garlic, ginger , green chilies and onions, sauté. 

3. Add all spices and coconut. Sauté for few mins. 

4. Add the tomato purée and cook for few mins. 

5. Add potatoes and sprouts. Adjust water and pressure cook for 10 mins. 

6. Release pressure, add coriander leaves and lemon juice. 

7. Serve hot with red raw onions and green chilies. 

Baked broccoli in tomato cream sauce

This is a 5 min recipe which is extremely tasty and can be eaten just the way it is or with a slice of bread! The crunchy broccoli added great flavor to the baked. Do not over bake or else broccoli would not taste well. It’s creamy without much need for cheese. I just added a tbsp on top for my satisfaction.  

Baked broccoli 

1 broccoli cut into florets 

1/2 cup ready made tomato sauce 

1 cup white sauce( I used tetra pack) 

Salt 

Chili flakes 

Garlic powder 

1 tbsp grated cheese. Add more if you like. 

1. Mix everything together and toss well. 

2. Put into a preheated oven and bake. 

3. Half way through mix the vegs around. 

4. Bake till golden brown on top. 

5. Serve hot! I just enjoyed it the way it was!

Zucchini Raita

Zucchini raita is one of our favorites to add in our meal on a warm day. Here is the recipe. I have sautéed here but I also just grateful it raw and use. Tastes amazing. 

1 zucchini grated 

1/2 red onion chopped 

2 green chilies chopped 

1/ 2 tsp ghee

1/2 tsp jeera 

Salt 

Chili powder 

Coriander leaves

Yoghurt 

Heat ghee and add jeera. Put in the green chilies and onions and sauté till golden. Put in the zucchini and sauté for few mins. Add the salt, chili powder and sauté for few seconds. Put into the yoghurt and adjust consistency. Add pinch of sugar if sour. Top with coriander leaves and serve chilled.

Potato peas pillows

I miss samosas and a rainy day is a time to miss India more. Often on rainy days, we would enjoy them from the closest samosa shop! Frying is an effort and this version is a good compromise. But enough to be made again as they are healthy and tasty. Baking is therapeutic and is easy to make for a family when they crave samosas. 

INGREDIENTS 

For the covering~ 

1 cup maida

1/2 cup whole wheat flour 

2 tbsp semolina 

1 tsp baking powder 

2 tbsp curd 

2-3 tbsp oil 

Salt 

Warm water to knead 

For the filling~ 

2-3 boiled potatoes grated big 

1 tsp grated ginger 

2 chopped chilies 

1/2 cup boiled peas 

Salt 

1/2 tsp coriander powder 

Chili powder to taste 

Garam masala - optional 

1/2 tsp Amchur 

Lemon juice 

Coriander leaves 

METHOD 

1. Mix the flours with baking powder and oil. Rub well. 

2. Add yoghurt and warm water and knead well to a firm dough. 

3. Rest for few hours. This helps it to become a bit fermented. 

4. Mix all the ingredients for the filling. Adjust to taste. 

5. Roll out the dough into thin rectangles. If it’s thick they won’t be as crisp. 

6. Put the fillings and roll over. Seal sides. Pillows are ready. Brush with oil and keep. 

7. For rolls, roll into long rectangle. Put filling in the center and wrap both sides. Cut into thick strips. 

8. Put onto a baking tray and bake at 200 deg C till crisp. Relish with imli chutney, green chutney or chili garlic chutney. Send to school as a lunch option too.

Dal wada curry

Eating dal is healthy and most of us enjoy it every day. I love the brown lentils we get here easily. Lots of fiber and texture. I try and use a lot of it. This is one recipe I tried and my family loved it. Sharing it so that we can enjoy it in another form.  Relish with parathas or rice! 

INGREDIENTS 

For wada~

1 cup brown dal soaked (can use moong, masoor, chana) 

1 chopped onion (optional) 

1-2 Green chili chopped 

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 

Hing 

Salt 

1/2 tsp Chili powder 

1/2 tsp crushed saunf 

Oil to fry 

For curry~

2 tbsp oil 

1/2 tsp jeera 

1/2 cup tomato purée 

1 sliced onion 

2 chopped green chili 

1 tbsp ginger garlic crushed 

1/2 cup curd 

Salt 

Chili powder 

Haldi 

Coriander powder 

2 cups water 

Corina der leaves 

METHOD

1. Grind dal with little water. Add all other ingredients and fry wadas in hot oil. 

2. For curry, heat oil, add jeera and sliced onions, sauté. 

3. Add ginger garlic paste and all spiced. Sauté. 

4. Put all the spices and sauté for few secs. Add tomato purée and curd. Stir and add water for as much gravy as you like.

5. Boil with green chilies and coriander leaves. 

6. After a boil put in wadas and cover to allow gravy to seep in. Do this about 10 mins before serving as wadas absorb gravy. Adjust water again. 

7.  Serve hot with rice or parathas! 

Tindli ka achaar

 Tindli is one vegetable my kids love. I wanted to pickle it and see if it works. And it did!! Loving the flavors. Can’t wait for a few days and enjoy with rice! 

INGREDIENTS 

1 cup washed and sliced tindli 

1/2 sliced onion 

2-3 chopped garlic 

6-8 roughly chopped green chilies 

1 tsp roasted crushed mustard seeds 

1/2 tsp roasted crushed methi 

Hing 

1 tbsp ready made pickle masala 

1 tsp haldi 

1 tsp chili powder 

Salt 2 tsp 

Juice of 1 lemon 

2-3 tbsp oil 

METHOD 

1. Dry the tindli and chilies well. 

2. Heat oil and add ginger garlic paste and onions. Sauté till golden. Add tindli and garlic  

3. Put haldi and salt and sauté on high heat till bit golden.

4. Add the green chillies, spices and salt and toss well. Pour in the lemon juice. Toss well. Cool and fill in jars. Relish with rice and dal! Keep in sun for few days for better taste. 

Karela ka achaar (pickle)

Karela is one of favorite vegetables. Since it’s not as easily available, I really wanted it to last as long and what better way than making a pickle! I used South Indian spices to make it and I must say it’s just phenomenal! Can’t wait to relish with paratha! 

INGREDIENTS 

1.5 large cup sliced karela 

1/2 sliced onion 

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 

2 tbsp chana dal 

1/4 cup oil 

8-10 chopped roughly green chilies 

2 tbsp mustard seeds roasted and ground 

1 tsp roasted and crushed methi 

1 tsp sambhar masala 

2 tbsp chopped tamarind 

3 tbsp thick tamarind paste 

1 tsp chili powder 

1 tsp haldi 

Hing a large pinch 

2 tsp sugar 

3 tsp salt 

1/2 lemon 

METHOD

1. Dry green chilies and karela well for few hours. 

2. Heat oil, add hing and chana dal and sauté. 

3. Add onions and ginger garlic paste. 

4. Add onions and sauté till light Golden. Add karela and sauté well. Add salt and haldi. Sauté till half cooked. Add the green chillies  sauté for few seconds  

5. Add the spices, tamarind and sauté well. Add sugar and lemon juice. 

6. Let oil ooze out. Cook and put in bottles. Enjoy with parathas or curd rice! Keep in Sun for few days for the flavors to blend! 

Tang ki mirch

My dad’s recipe! My dad made these to spice out our meal! Always a hit with everything  

INGREDIENTS 

8-10 green chilies slit 

Salt 

2 tbsp oil 

Amchur/ lemon 

METHOD

Heat oil on tawa, kadhai, add slit green chillies with loads of salt. Sauté in high heat. Once half cooked, wilted or colored, sprinkle lots of amchur to make them crispy or lemon juice if you don’t have amchur. Relish with dals. It’s such a simple dish but goes with lovely missi rotis, dals like whole mung or urad.

GREEN CHILI CHUTNEY

Green chili chutney...Really spicy but goes amazingly with anything. I used to make these with spl red chillies in jakarta. Here I tried with green and it’s a killer! 

8-10 Green chillies as sharp as you can find( can use red too)

2-4  garlic cloves

salt 

1/2 lemon 

1 tbsp mustard oil 

1/4 cup water

METHOD

Put everything in a blender and grind with water and lemon juice. Make it watery. Add mustard oil for extra zing! Use on dosas, hot rice, serve with pakodas!