March Lentil Madness - The More Lentils, the Merrier!

Just because National Nutrition Month (March) is coming to an end, doesn't mean your effort to eating right has to. It's important to eat a well balanced meal with protein, carbohydrates, and fat to maintain an active lifestyle and enjoy life.

Below are few more lentil enriched dishes that we know you will enjoy:

Chunky Chana (chickpea) and Potato Curry

Steamed Rice and Lentil Dumplings (Undrallu) with Ginger and Coriander Sauce

Easy Indian Chili

Pongali

Easy Dal Makhani

 The fun just started! We have more dishes for you to try...

March Lentil Madness Continues with Yellow Cucumber Dal

There are a variety of dishes that can be made with different kinds of dal. In South India, when we make dal, we usually cook it with vegetables and spices and eat with rice. One of my favorite dishes is with Dosakaya.  

Dosakaya dal mixed with rice and garnished with sesame and potato vadiyalu (fritters)

Dosakaya is a type of cucumber; which is yellow in color (pictured below). We use this vegetable when making this dish as well as when making pickle. Pickle means vegetables and spices that are cured in oil (like kimchi). 

It's time to get cookin'. Below are the ingredients for making the Dosakaya dal:

2 medium firm Dosakaya (yellow cucumber, pictured above)
1 cup Toor dal
1 tsp chili powder or as per taste
1 tsp Tamarind paste (or lime size tamarind can be used)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt, as per taste
Ingredients for seasoning
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1-1/2 tsp cumin seeds
10 to 12 curry leaves (fresh or dried)
1/8 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)

We like using our pressure cooker when cooking dal. It's easy and cooks the dal fast. Let's begin: 

Peel and chop dosakaya into 1" pieces. (Please note: we don't discard the seeds; it's as per your taste.)

Add toor dal to the pressure cooker and wash dal. Then add water to the cooker so that the water reaches 1" above the dal. Next add dosakaya, turmeric powder, chili powder, and salt. 

Pressure cook the dal and dosakaya for 12 to 15 minutes until done. After the pressure is released, open the lid and mix in the tamarind. (Please note: if using tamarind, soak it in hot water and squeeze out the juice to add to the cooked dal mixture. If using tamarind paste, just measure out the amount and add it). Mix lightly to not mash the dosakaya pieces. 

In a small saucepan, heat oil over a low-medium flame for the seasoning. Next add mustard and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add hing (asafoetida), and curry leaves. Turn off the stove, and add the seasoning with oil into the dal and serve hot.  

Bon Appetit! 

March Lentil Madness - Spinach and Mango Dal

HAPPY NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH!!!

As college basketball season gains momentum, so should our focus on eating better and putting the Spring back into our step. We're celebrating National Nutrition month with dal or lentils. Dal dishes can be prepared and enjoyed in many ways.

Spinach and Green Mango Dal

Ingredients

1 medium green (unripened) mango, peel and chop into 1" cubes

10 oz (or 250g) frozen chopped spinach

1 cup Toor dal (also known as pigeon peas)

1-1/2 tsp red chili powder (or 3 green chilies, chopped)

1/2 tsp fenugreek powder (also known methi powder)

1/2 tsp Turneric powder

1-1/2 tsp salt or as needed

Ingredients for seasoning

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped finely

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp (a pinch) Hing

Procedure
We used a pressure cooker for this recipe but a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch Oven can be used as well.

Cook toor dal, mango, green chilies, fenugreek powder, and turmeric with sufficient water in a pressure cooker until dal is cooked well. Then set aside. Next, heat oil in a medium saucepan and add mustard and cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add hing and garlic. Stir for one minute and add the frozen spinach. Mix well and cook under closed lid for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and add the cooked dal and mango mixture. You may add additional water until it's to your desired consistency. Finally, add salt and cook under covered lid for additional 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat.

The spinach and green mango dal is now ready to be served and enjoyed with your favorite grains, whether it be rice or roti.  

We received an honorable mention on 2016 National Nutrition Month Blogroll - Savor the Flavor of Eating Right for this post. We're so excited!! 

Keep Calm and Eat Tomato & Coriander Soup

With this ever changing weather, it feels nice to relax and enjoy the day with a bowl of hot soup and a good book. Check out our spin on the traditional "rasam" dish, which we turned into a soup. Let us know what you think. 

Ingredients
- 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp coconut milk powder
- 2" fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 2 small green chilies, chopped
- 1 tsp salt (or as needed)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup water

Procedure
Mix corn starch and water. Place all ingredients and starch mixture into a blender and run until it is a smooth uniform liquid. Transfer the liquid into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Switch off the stove and serve hot.


Quick Tips
- We used our Vitamix blender (Smoothies option) for blending all the ingredients.
- For more "rasam"/soup recipes, click here.

Gluten Free Valentine's Sweets for Your Sweetheart

This Valentine's Day surprise your "sweetie" with sweets that don't break their diets!

Ragi Laddus

Go the distance and make something healthy for your loved ones. Ragi Laddus made with Indira Foods Ragi Huri Hittu Special are rich in calcium, iron, protein, fiber and gluten free. These laddus or balls can be enjoyed as a dessert or for breakfast.

The mix contains popped ragi (finger millet) powder, sugar, dried coconut, cashew nut, milk powder, cardamom and nutmeg. 

It is very easy to make these laddus with this mix. For every cup of the mix, you add 1/2 cup of milk and mix into a dough like consistency. Then you roll into lime size round balls. 

Quick Tips

- Indira Foods Ragi Huri Hittu Special can be purchased at most Indian grocery stores; we bought ours from Patel Brothers. 

  
For other gluten free dessert ideas, please check out Ricotta Kalakand (milk sweet) and Mango Rice Pudding. Wishing you and yours a Happy Valentine's Day!!

Healthy Start with Super Foods

We are continuing our tradition for Dusshera with dishes made with Super Food ingredients such as brown rice, lentils, tofu, quinoa, and leafy greens for eating healthier and better.  These dishes will bring balance to all the foods you may be making for the holiday season.  

We're starting off the dishes with TOFU!! It's healthy, protein enriched and easy to cook. 

Tofu Butter Masala Curry

We're always trying new spice mixes to help us in the kitchen. At one of our most recent grocery shopping trips to Patel Brothers Cash and Carry (in Parsippany), we found Suhana branded Paneer Butter Masala Mix -  great for gravy style curries. 

You can use this spice mix with any protein (paneer, tofu, or meat). We had tofu at home so we used that instead of paneer. Below is our recipe:

Ingredients
- 1 cup tofu (firm or extra firm), cut into 1" cubes
- 2 medium tomatoes, crushed (or you can use 150 grams of tomato puree)
- 1/4 cup frozen peas and carrots (optional)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 50 grams of Suhana Paneer Butter Masala Mix
-  3 tbsp unsalted butter 
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 cup water


Procedure
1) Make a paste of Suhana Paneer Butter Masala Mix and milk and set aside. 
2) Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onion and cook until the onion mixture looks translucent. Then add crushed tomatoes and cool till the oil oozes out. 
3) Add the paste and cook for two to three minutes. 
4) Add water, tofu, and butter. Cook till gravy thickens. Then add frozen peas and carrots and cook for a couple minutes. Turn off stove and garnish with fresh coriander. 

***Enjoy with your favorite flatbread, rice and/or quinoa.***

Spice Mix Review
The spice mix is easy to work with and doesn't require a lot of steps. A lot of times, we find that spice mixes tend to be on the spicy side but this spice mix was just right. Everyone enjoyed the curry and it was easy to eat with chappati or roti as well as rice. We would definitely recommend all to try.

Celebrating Flavors with Tandoori Tofu and Coriander Chutney Sandwiches

Congratulations to Swathi for sharing her re-creation of one our recipes with us. 

Recently, one of my relatives reached out and asked us for some protein enriched recipes to make for her family. One of the recipes that came to mind instantly was the Tandoori Tofu curry. It's easy to make, healthy and high on the protein list. She tried the recipe and shared her experience with us. We love it when people make our recipes their own. 

Check out the Tandoori Tofu and Coriander Chutney Sandwiches above. Don't they look so tasty and inviting. I just want to take a bite into one right now. 

She modified the recipe so she could stuff the curry into the bread rolls to make sandwiches. She spread coriander chutney on one side and Tandoori Tofu curry on the other side. She also added cucumber and onions slices and sprinkled a little lemon juice to add more flavor. 

Mama Mia! My mouth is watering just thinking about all these flavors. Great job Swathi! 

QUICK TIP:

- Shred or grate the tofu before making the curry so it won't be clumpy in the sandwich. 

- The bread rolls can be substituted with any other kind of rolls if you are allergic to gluten like potato rolls. This curry goes well with jeera rice. 

FEEDBACK FROM OUR READERS:

 What do you think of this sandwich idea? Have you tried our Tandoori Tofu recipe? Please share your thoughts with us. 

Click here for more recipes.

Vangi Bhath - More Than One Way to Eat Rice!

You know what the Chinese and the Indians have in common? RICE!! It's our STAPLE food. We eat it with everything. 

We Indians ESPECIALLY LOVE mixing it with SPICES and VEGETABLES to make it more flavorful and different. The spices make the STAPLE food more interesting to eat. 

Here's a signature rice dish from Karnataka (a state in Southwest of India) called Vangi Bhath. It's made with a special blend of spices called Vangi Bhath spice powder (which include coriander, black gram dal, cumin, red chili, Fenugreek, cloves, and cinnamon), eggplant or brinjal, curry leaves, peas, cashews, mustard seeds and of course, plain white rice. 

I love eating Vangi Bhath with a little bit of YOGURT!

Quick Tips:

- To make the rice dish, simply follow instructions on the back of the spice powder packet. 

- These packets are available at most Indian grocery stores such as Subzi Mandi or Patel Brothers. 

Lentil, The Other Protein

Easy Dal Makhani with Salsa

Creamy Tofu and Karela Curry

This is for all vegetarians and healthy conscious people alike. A well balanced meal includes carbs, protein, fats and oils. When it comes to choosing the right ingredients to add the proper nutrients to our meals, one that comes mind is TOFU.

What's so great about Tofu? 
- Low in sodium and cholesterol  
- Low glycemic index
- Good source of protein, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, copper, selenium, calcium, and manganese. 

With all these positive attributes, what's not to love. We like using a couple different varieties of Tofu: Firm, Extra Firm and Tofu Steak (available in Cajun, Garlic & Pepper, Grilled). These add extra flavor to our dishes.

One of the many ways we use Tofu is adding it to our vegetable gravy curries that are eaten with Indian flatbreads (such as roti, chappati, naan, paratha), and/or brown/white rice. This week's tofu recipe includes Karela (also known as Bitter Melon or gourd), another healthy and nutritious ingredient. So let's start cooking!

Creamy Tofu and Karela curry served w/ Brown Rice & Roti

Ingredients:
- 1 lb Karela, chopped into 1" cubes
- 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
- 7.25oz Firm Tofu, drained and cut into 1" cubes

- 3/4 cup Salsa (Mild, Medium or Hot)
- 2 to 3 tbsp Ranch dip*
- 1 tsp Mustard and Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Turmeric (Haldi)
- 2 to 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 tbsp Salt (or as needed)

Procedure:
In a large saucepan, heat oil and add mustard and cumin seeds for seasoning. When they start spluttering, add onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add karela, turmeric, and salt. Mix well and cover pan with tight lid. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until karela is cooked. (Hint: Test it by piercing a knife or fork through a piece of karela and it should go in easily.) Next add tofu pieces, salsa and dip. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes.

***Quick Tips: 
- If ranch dip is not readily available, add sour cream. 
- Add a tablespoon of brown sugar to reduce the bitter taste of Karela.  
- Check out other yummy Tofu recipes: Tandoori Tofu, Potato & Tofu with Spiced Tomato Sauce

Seasoned Brown Rice Enriched with Lentils & Vegetables

Rice is a staple food in most, if not all, Asian dishes. In South Indian cooking, white rice is served with all of our vegetable curries and rasams. After reading more about the various kinds of whole grains that are beneficial for us, we made a healthy switch to brown rice - which brings us to the first super food ingredient. Brown rice has a lower glycemic index than white rice. That means it doesn't raise blood sugar levels as much after you eat it. Any measure that can be taken to lower the risk of getting diabetes sounds good to me. It's also a great source of fiber, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B-6.

Below is a great way to spice up brown rice and enjoy eating healthier.

Seasoned Brown Rice with Moong Wadi and Stir Fry Vegetables

Ingredients:
- 2 cups Brown Rice/Brown Basmati*
- ½ cup Moong Wadi (Sun-Dried Lentil Clusters)
- 2 cups Frozen Asian Stir Fry Vegetables
- 8oz can Tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Chili Sauce (Asian variety)
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 4 tbsp Olive oil/Vegetable oil

Procedure:
In a large saucepan heat oil, add moong wadi and stir fry until they turn yellow to reddish-brown color. Then add cumin seeds; when they splutter, add rice and fry until mixture becomes whitish. Next add ginger-garlic paste, chili sauce and garam masala. Fry for two minutes and transfer the contents into an electric rice cooker. Then add 6 cups of water, tomato sauce, salt, and allow it to cook. (Hint: use the cup that comes with the rice cooker for the water measurement; otherwise measure 4 cups of water using a regular measuring cup) Stir every 5 minutes to evenly cook. When rice is more than half cooked, add frozen vegetables. Mix well, close cooker with lid and cook until it's done.

***Quick Tips:
- 1/4 cup of uncooked rice = 1 serving
- Check out another great recipe with brown rice.  

 

It's All About The Peppers!

Liz Applegate Ph.D., (author of "Hot Stuff!" article in Runner's World), put it perfectly when she wrote "richly colored chilies are packed with a range of antioxidants, including vitamin A and vitamin C. These nutrients may aid in recovery and help prevent ailments such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer". She went on to point out that chilies also aid in weight loss, alleviate muscle pain, and reduce the risk of getting Diabetes. I don't know about you, but those are some good reasons to start consuming chilies. I like the idea of eating my vegetables to stay ahead of the curve...and staying away from medicines until I have no choice.

Peppers are an integral part of our cuisine's spice mix. One of my favorite dishes where peppers play an important role is Chili Poppers. It closely resembles an appetizer called Jalapeno poppers, which is most commonly found in many American restaurant menus. Another dish that is on the list is Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers, that we eat with rice because it is definitely on the hot end of the scale.
On the subject of peppers, this next dish is peppers on a new scale...a more sweeter scale that is. We love cooking with sweet peppers. They're so flavorful and "sweet" like cherry tomatoes...and who doesn't love cherry tomatoes. 

I love the orange and red ones!

And since it was Hot and Spicy Food Day recently, we increased the "heat" of these peppers by stuffing them with Falafel. The sweetness from the peppers was a good combination with the Mediterranean spices and flavors. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Tarazi Falafel mix
• 20 to 22 Sweet Peppers
• 1 medium Onion, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• ¼ tsp Salt (adjust as per your taste)

Procedure:
Make the falafel mixture as per instructions on the box and allow it to soak for 30 to 45 minutes. Then add the chopped onions into the mixture. Make a slit into the peppers without cutting them in half. Scoop about a tablespoon of the mixture and stuff it inside each of the peppers. In a shallow non-stick pan, heat oil, add all the peppers and sprinkle salt. Shallow fry the peppers under closed lid, turning them over in between for even frying. Remove from heat and serve hot!


***Quick Tip: 
- The Tarazi Falafel Mix is the traditional Mediterranean vegetarian recipe made with ground chickpeas, fava beans and spices. It is also gluten free, dairy free and wheat free. Each serving size which is 2 oz has 12g of protein. That's a winner in our book. We found this product at our local Indian store.  

Karela is the New Kraze!

Food Network seemed to have a Sweet Genius marathon tonight. One of the episodes caught my attention when I saw the Judge introduce Karela, as one of the main ingredients. I dropped what I was doing and sat down to watch it. There's no way, Karela was going to be incorporated into a dessert? This I had to see for myself. For those of you who are not familiar with Karela, it's a bitter tasting gourd/vegetable. Each chef managed to incorporate it into their dish in various forms: toasted and candied, as a relish and even as sprinkles. It was amazing to see their creativity and enthusiasm in making this bitter vegetable tasty.
I got the feeling that some of them weren't very eager to use it. It's pretty bitter! I love it though. And once you acquire the taste, you can't help but eat more of it. I'm happy to see Karela gaining more presence in the international culinary scene. Did I mention that it's good for you too? Oh yes!

Spotted Karela Ras (juice) at the Indian store

It's used as a dietary supplement (not my cup of tea in that form though). Here are some ways I've eaten it: stuffed Karela, cooked in a gravy sauce, and as a Fry (kind of like French fries). The latter is today's specialty.

For close up of Karela Fry, click on picture!

Ingredients:
- 1 lb of Karela, small and firm
- 1 medium Potato
- 1 medium Onion
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
- 2 tbsp Dry Coconut Powder
- 1 tsp Chili powder (adjust to your taste)
- 1 tsp Salt (adjust to your taste)
- 3 to 4 tbsp of Vegetable oil

Procedure:
Remove the ends of the Karela and cut into half, lengthwise and then chop into thin slices. Do the same with the potato and onion and set aside. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a non-stick saucepan and add karela and potato. Sprinkle salt and cook on medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes under closed lid. Hint: Mix the vegetables in between to prevent them from sticking to the pan. When both the karela and potato are tender and cooked, remove the lid and add onion. Then add the remaining oil and fry the vegetables (for maybe another 6 to 7 minutes) until the karela is golden brown. Then add chili powder, dry coconut powder and a pinch of salt. Mix well. It's ready to be served and enjoyed!

***Quick Tip:
- Avoid selecting fat karelas because they tend to have lot of seeds and are really bitter. That's a no, no!

For more Karela recipes, check out Indian Vegetarian Recipes blog as well. 

Chunky Chana and Potato Dip

Oh thank heavens for Lentil goodness!

Ingredients: 

- 2 cups of Whole Chana (Black or Green Chana), soaked in water overnight

- 7.75 oz of Salsa (Spice level - Medium)

- 1 medium Potato

- 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tbsp Dhanjeera powder 
- ½ tsp chili powder

- ½ tbsp or as needed of Salt

- ½ cup of Cilantro/Coriander leaves, chopped

- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Procedure:

Peel and cut the potato into cubes. In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add dhanjeera & chili powder and ginger-garlic paste. Then stir for 2 minutes. Next add salsa, the whole chana (soaked and drained) and potato pieces. Mix well and then add ½ cup of water and cook under pressure for 10 minutes. Slightly crush the chana and potatoes to make some gravy before the mixture cools down; add little bit of water if necessary. Then transfer the mixture into a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander. Voila! It's ready to be served. 

***Quick Tips: 

- We like eating it with toasted naan/pita or multi-grain chips.  It's also great as a side with jeera rice, brown rice, or even quinoa.

- If you like this recipe, you may also like Chole curry made with chickpeas.  
- Dollop of sour cream optional!

~Not So Bitter Karela Curry~

You learn many lessons in life; some stick with you and some don't. My favorite is "don't judge a book by its cover". It applies not only in life but also in cooking. Just because it looks different, doesn't mean it tastes bad or is bad for you.

Sometimes it's quite the opposite; like in the case of the Karela aka The Bitter Melon. Karela is a green, prickly and bitter tasting gourd or melon. It's probably the last to be picked among the more popular vegetables like eggplant or bell pepper. However I don't think people know that this vegetable is really quite good for them. Among the Asian and African countries, Karela is noted to have medicinal value to treat many illnesses. Karela juices and pills are also available for daily consumption.

We enjoy eating Karela in a number of ways: Steamed and stuffed with masala, stir fried, and in a gravy based curry.

 

Last night we picked up some fresh Karela from the Indian grocery and made the gravy based curry as one of the curries for the week. The addition of the peanut butter, brown sugar, coconut and milk tone down the bitter taste of karela.

Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lbs Karela/Bitter Melon
- 2 Medium Onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp Peanut Butter
- 2 Dry Coconut powder
- 2 to 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
- ½ tbsp Chili powder
- ½ tbsp Salt
- 1 cup Milk
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- ½ tsp Turmeric


Procedure:
Cut the ends of the karelas and chop them longitudinally and then cut into thin slides.  Heat oil in a pan, season with mustard and cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add onion and saute them for 2 to 3 minutes. Next add turmeric and chili powder, karela and salt. Mix well and cook under low-medium heat until karela is cooked well. Now add peanut butter, brown sugar, coconut, and milk and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until all the milk is absorbed. Serve it with rice or rotis. 

***Quick Tips:

- Karela can be substituted with Kantola (another type of bitter melon, which isn't as bitter). You can find it in the frozen section in most Indian grocery stores. If using this vegetable, reduce the brown sugar and peanut butter measurements. 

Tangy Tomato Chutney

Who says you can't play with your food and eat it too? These idlis really know how to "chill" out and soak in the flavor! Can't wait to pop 'em in my mouth!

One of my favorite South Indian dishes is Idlis. They are savory steamed cakes made with husked black gram and rice. You'll never find idlis without the accompaniment of the chutney powder and/or sambhar. However lately, I've been craving for something different; that's not traditional and doesn't require a lot of preparation. We experimented with a few ingredients and came up with another option. It's called Tangy Tomato Chutney and it's also a great dipping sauce for vadas, dosas, garelu (mini lentil patties) and even paratha. 

Chutney Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs Firm Red Tomatoes, chopped
• 3 to 4 Green Chilies, finely chopped
• ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
• ½ tsp Whole Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Brown Sugar
• 2 tbsp Peanut Butter
• ½ tsp Turmeric
• ½ tsp Salt, adjust for your taste
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil, for seasoning

Procedure:

Heat oil in a saucepan and add mustard and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add green chilies and mix well for a minute. Add chopped tomatoes, salt, brown sugar and mix well. Cook them under closed lid for 5 to 6 minutes and let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Then blend the cooked vegetables along with peanut butter under pulse mode to making sure all ingredients are mixed well. Once it reaches a smooth consistency, transfer the sauce into a serving dish and enjoy with your favorite dish. 

Karapappalu - Crispy Rice and Vegetable Patties

Two weeks ago, we posted a recipe about a popular flat bread from Telangana (Southern region of Andhra Pradesh) called Sarvapindi made with rice flour and moong dal. Did you know, you can make another kind of bread with similar ingredients called Karapappalu. The name directly translates as spicy patties.

It's usually served hot with tangy achar (pickled vegetables), but can also be eaten with plain yogurt as shown above. We love making this during the winter season as it warms the senses and fills you up. 

Ingredients:
- 2 Carrots, peeled and grated
- 1 Chayote*, peeled and grated
- 1 bunch of Scallions, chopped finely
- ½ box or 5oz of Chopped Spinach (frozen)
- ½ cup Coriander (Cilantro), chopped
- 1/3 cup Moong dal, soaked in water for 30 min (or microwave for 2 min to reduce soaking time)
- 2 to 3 cups Vegetable Oil (for frying)


Dry Ingredients: 
- 3 cups Rice Flour
- 2 tbsp Dry Coconut powder
- 2 tbsp Sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 tbsp Chili powder (adjust to your taste)
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- ¾ to 1 tbsp Salt (or as needed)


Procedure:
Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium to large bowl and mix well. Then add all the chopped & grated vegetables and soaked moong dal to the dry mixture and mix well.

Slowly add water to the mixture and knead until it is of dough consistency. (Note: raw vegetables release water after few minutes of taking in salt, so keep the dough somewhat dry).

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Shape (lemon size) dough balls into round flat ½ cm thick patties. (Hint: To avoid dough from sticking to your fingers, slightly wet your hands.) Make 2-3 holes into each of the patties for uniform frying. Transfer each shaped patty into hot oil and fry to golden brown/reddish color. For best results: Turn each patty in-between for even frying.

***Quick Tips:

- Shredded zucchini or long squash can be substituted for Chayote. 

- You can use wax paper or plastic bag to press the dough into patties.

Rich Ricotta Kalakand

Love Milk? Then you must try this North Indian dessert called Kalakand; which is also known as Milk Sweet. It's really easy to make and fun to eat like brownies. Ooooh, just thinking about it is making me hungry.

Butter not shown

Here's what you need:

- 32 oz of Ricotta Cheese (whole milk) 

- 14 oz of Sweetened Condensed Milk

- 1½ packets (3.2oz/pk or 90g)of Evaporated Milk Powder

- 4 tbsp of Butter

- 10 Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, or Pistachios), cut into 4 pieces

- 6 to 8 Cardamom pods, seeded and powdered

Procedure: Mix evaporated milk powder and ricotta cheese together until all the liquid is absorbed. In a non-stick pan melt 3 tablespoons of butter and fry the ricotta cheese mixture for ten minutes. Add condensed milk into the cheese and keep mixing regularly to avoid the mixture sticking to the bottom. Allow the mixture to cook for 20-25 minutes or until it comes together. Now add the cardamom powder and mix well. Transfer the mixture into a dinner plate or a cookie sheet and spread evenly. In a small pan, heat one tablespoon of butter and evenly roast the nuts until golden brown. Remove from butter and gently press them onto the neatly pressed mixture in the dish. Allow the mixture to cool in the refrigerator or keep outside at room temperature and then cut it into squares. This recipe makes 24 squares.

***Quick Tip: Roohafza or Rose water can be used instead of cardamom powder to give a mild rose flavor to the sweet.

Soup To The Rescue!!

It was reported that the blizzard that hit the Northeast on Sunday, December 26th was the 6th worst in the history for the area. And to think, I was feeling bad about not attending my friend's wedding in Long Island. Phew!! We were stuck at home from 10AM 12/26 to 10AM 12/27. We had to wait 24 hours before we could shovel our way out. While most people hit the grocery stores to stock up on supplies, we decided to stay at home and out of the storm.
My mom was eager to try this new soup recipe she had in mind and so our dinner plans for the evening were set: Chat-pata Corn Soup.

Ingredients listed below are good for 3 servings:

- (1) 14.75oz can of Creamy Sweet Corn
- 1¼ tbsp of Coriander chutney
- Salt, as needed 
- 10 pieces of Fried onion rings, for garnish (optional)

Procedure:

1) Empty the sweet corn can contents, coriander chutney and 1 can of water into the blender. Blend until it is smooth for 2-3 min.

2) Pour out the blended contents into a saucepan (if a silky smooth consistency is desired, pass the mixture through a fine mesh colander or sieve) and add additional water to desired consistency. Add salt and allow the contents to come to a boil on medium heat. The soup will thicken slightly after removing from heat.

3) Pour it into bowls, garnish it with crunchy onion rings and savor the chat-pata taste on a cold wintry night.