baked glazed carrots

       Carrot is such a lovely vegetable.I love the color and specially the nice tender ones are sweet and so crunchy.Full of beta carotene ,which are great for eyes, I try and use them in various ways in my diet.The other day,the carrots were too many and needed to be used up.I really racked my brain and thought of how they could be combined with other things to make them work on my palate.They needed to be luscious and a bit of sweet and mmmm a bit of spice and .......basically a bit of everything and that too baked.My tongue and mind were playing a havoc and finally came to this recipe.I served it with savory waffles.This can be also eaten as a warm salad too.

Ingredients
Carrots peeled                                   5 nos
Onion slices thick                               1 no
Red bell peppers chopped                  1/2 no                              
crushed garlic                                     3 nos
grated ginger                                      1 tbsp
crushed chilli flakes                            1/2 tsp
Crushed pepper                                 1/4 tsp
honey                                                1/2 tsp
Italian herbs                                       1/2 tsp
Oregano                                            1/4 tsp
Olive oil                                            1-2 tbsp
salt to taste
Lime juice as per choice

Method
Cut carrots into 1 cm ovals diagonally.
In a baking dish put in the carrots,onions,bell peppers,crushed garlic,ginger and everything else too.
Mix them well.
Add about 1/4 cup of water and cover well with aluminium foil.
Bake in pre heated oven at 180 deg for 15-20 mins.
Remove the cover and bake again for 10 mins till the edges of carrots brown a bit.
See that there is a bit of juice from the carrots still in there.
Top with lime juice and serve.They luscious and delicious.

Palak missi roti

    One good way of giving nutritious food is having missi roti.I love the various ways you can make them.Anything can be put in and you make these rotis and serve them with makhani dal and pickles.It has a lot of texture and the flavors which blend well.I make them various ways, this being one.Serve them HOT smeared with butter for best effect!
Ingredients
Wheat flour                                1 cup
Besan                                        1/2 cup
Ragi/millet or any other flour       1/2 cup
Oil                                             2 tbsp
Curd                                          2 tbsp
Chopped spinach                       1 cup
chopped onion                           1/2 no
chopped chilli                             2 nos
Ground flax seeds                       1 tbsp
chilli powder                               1/2 tsp
coriander powder                       1 tsp
Tumeric powder                         1/2 tsp
Hing                                           a big pinch
ajwain/carom seeds                    1/2 tsp
salt to taste
Method
Take the spinach in a bowl and add all the spices,oil,chillies,onions,curd and mix well.
Add the flours and mix into a dough.Keep for half an hour.
Make small ball,roll into a small roundel.
Smear a bit of oil on it.Fold the edges and make a ball again.Roll into a small 6" roundel.
Cook on medium heat on both side till golden brown.
Smear with butter an serve hot.

Snacky french fry

There is hardly anyone who does not like french fries.I love to give my family the ones we bake, less fat and less guilt.But by themselves, it can get pretty boring.I tried this like a salad/snack with my dinner and we all loves it.Its good to have it even as an evening snack to kids or lunch box recipe.Must try.
Ingredients
French fries                   250gms
Sliced tomatoes             2 nos
Sliced onions                 1 no
Skiced bell peppers       1/2 no
Sliced red raddish          2-3 nos
Halved green olives        8-10 nos
Lemon juice                   2 tsp
chilli flakes                     1/4 tsp
Tobasco sauce               a few dashes
salt to taste
Chopped parsley/chives/basil for flavor
Method
Bake the fries with a bit of salt till they are crisp (about 180deg temperature).
In a bowl,mix all the ingredients and toss well.
Top with a sprig of green and serve at once.

5 peppers spicy pickle

This time when I peeped into my fridge I had lovely red chillies, green chillies 2 different kinds and thought this time I would try and put all the different chillies I have in the house and make a nice spice mix that I can use as a chutney, relish or as an addition in another dish.I tried this new one and it was fantastic.I mixed it with some cooked rice and melted butter, spicy red rice is ready too.Enjoy with a nice salad.
Ingredients
Big red cillies                               5 nos
Big green chillies                          3 nos
Sharp thin green chillies                5 nos
Dry red chillies                             5 nos
Pickled green peppercorns           1 tbsp
garlic pods                                   3 nos
tomato paste                                3 tbsp
salt                                              3/5 tsp
yellow mustard seeds                   2 tbsp
Vinegar                                       2 tbsp
Olive oil                                      150 ml

Method
Clean all the fresh chillies.
Soak red chillies in vinegar for 30 mins.
In a blender put the chillies,garlic,yellow mustard seeds and vinegar chillies and grind to a coarse paste.
Heat oil and add this mixture and cook on high heat to evaporate the water in it.
Add the salt and tomato paste and keep cooking.Now add the pickled peppercorns.
Cook till all the water is gone and the oil seems to come out.
Cool and store in jars.
Enjoy with anything that needs spicing up.

Tofu burritos

   Though I have studied hotel management, we never really cooked Mexican food and I did feel a bit left out from its tastes.Its such a lovely cuisine and I feel it is pretty similar to Indian foods, loads of spices, use of tortillas and loads of beans. The last visit to the super market had me pulling out a packet of tortillas to try make something delicious.So "burritos" it was, with a nice summer salad.My family loved it.We still have 2 more left, would make something with it tomorrow.Tofu is a great way of having quality protein in the diet.
Ingredients
Tortillas                                      6 nos
Tofu chopped                             150 gms
Boiled kidney beans                    100gms
Sliced onions                              1 no
Crushed garlic                            2 cloves
Chopped red bell peppers          1/2 no
Chopped tomatoes                     4-5 nos
Cumin powder                           1 tsp
Chilli powder                             1/2 tsp
Cayenne pepper                        1/2 tsp
Garlic powder                            1/2 tsp
oregano                                    1/2 tsp
Coriander powder                     1/2 tsp
       Or
Readymade Mexican spice mix    2 tbsp
Oil                                               1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cheese sliced as required.
Method
Heat oil and drop in the chopped garlic.Add the onions and saute well
Now put in chopped tomatoes and cook till soft.
Add the spices and salt and mix well.
Put in the tofu, chopped peppers and kidney beans.Cook till well integrated.
Heat the torillas in microwave for 10 secs each or in the oven for 10 mins or on a skillet/tava for 2 mins.
Put in the mixture and cheese and roll up the tortillas into long rolls.
Serve hot with fresh salad.

Rhubarb chutney

My 1st encounter, if I may call it so, with rhubarb was many years ago when I came to Germany.A friend treated me to a rhubarb cake and I was not used to a cake that is sour.In India cakes are always sweet even if they added fruit, they added more sweet to counter the sourness.
   I saw the rhubarb sticks in the super market and thought I should try using it in my kitchen too.I made rhubarb with red beans and since it was my 1st time, I ended up adding too much and we had a hard time finishing it .For me a chutney would just be the way of adding it to my plate.I made this chutney with fresh mint and boy,was it great!It tasted really good and we had it with crackers and now eat it with rotis too.It tastes like mango chutney,though I must add I found its raw smell too overpowering for me.Try and see.
Ingredients
Rhubarb sticks cleaned and chopped             250 gms
Chopped garlic                                              5 cloves
chopped big red jalapeño                               1 no(adds a lovely color)
Fresh mint                                                      1 fist full
dry red chilli                                                   1 no
mustard seeds                                                1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds                                                  1/2 tsp
Oil                                                                 1 tbsp
Tumeric powder                                            1/2 tsp
chilli powder                                                  1/2 tsp
coriander powder                                          1/2 tsp
sugar                                                             1/4 cup( as required to taste)
Hing                                                              1/5 tsp
pickled green peppercorns                             1 tsp
salt to taste  
Method
Heat oil in a pan, add hing and red chilli.Put in the mustard and cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Drop in the garlic and let it cook till golden.
Put in the rhubarb and red jalapeño peppers and mix well.
Sprinkle all the dry spice powders and salt.Add about 1/4 cup water and pressure cook or cover to cook till soft and mashy.
Now add the sugar,peppercorns and mint leaves and cook to evaporate water till it is thick consistency.Add more/less suagr according to taste.Mix with back of the spoon to integrate all the things well.
Serve with crackers ,as a dip or with Indian food. 

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.