Aloo Methi with Besan (Chickpea Flour)

When I'm making eggs or pasta, I love throwing some thyme or rosemary into my dish. It adds freshness and flavor. It's the same with Indian cooking. We love using mint, coriander, and methi in our dishes. The most common one is coriander; we chop up the leaves and sprinkle them on every one of our vegetable and rice dishes. 

Another one is methi also known as Fenugreek. This herb can be used fresh or dry and the seeds can be used as a spice. You can even use the fresh leaves or the sprouts as a vegetable in a dish. 

My sister's friend gave us a few bunches of this herb so we couldn't wait to make something with it. Better to use it while it's fresh! We decided to make Aloo Methi Besan which translates to Potato and Fenugreek leaves with Chickpea flour. Let's see how it's done below. 

Potato and Fenugreek Leaves with Chickpea Flour

Serving Size: 3-4

Ingredients

- 2 bunches of Methi (also known as Fenugreek) leaves, washed and chopped finely through soft stems

- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed to 1cm size

- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

- 1/2 tsp chili powder (or per your taste)

- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

- 1/4 cup Fine Besan flour (Chickpea flour) 

- 1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds

- 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds

- Salt per your taste

Procedure

Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil (on low-medium heat) in a medium saucepan.  Next, add mustard and cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add garlic and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until they are golden brown. Now add the potatoes and sprinkle a pinch of salt and allow it cook under closed lid for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring intermittently. When the potatoes are soft, add methi leaves and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. 

Remove the lid and continue allowing it to cook more until the excess moisture evaporates and the oil comes out. Now add chili powder and stir for another minute. Next add Besan flour, a pinch of salt, and one more tablespoon of vegetable oil. Stir and fry for 2 to 3 minutes under closed lid. When you smell the fried Besan aroma, switch off the heat and remove from stove. 

Serve with your favorite rice, flatbread or enjoy on its own. I love eating this with yogurt rice and/or roti. How do you incorporate fresh herbs or spices in your cooking? Please share.  

Quick Tip

- If Methi or Fenugreek leaves are not readily available, any leafy green that does relaease too much water when cooked is fine. You can try fresh coriander or kale as well. They will have a different taste. 

- Besan (Chickpea flour) can be found in most Indian grocery stores. Some Whole Foods stores have it listed as Garbanzo bean flour. 

Quick and Easy Chinese Bitter Melon Chutney

This summer, we've been pampered with all the vegetables my friend's mom has been giving me from her garden. Every time I visit, she gives oodles of Chinese bitter melon, Asian melon, and peppers. She gave us so many that we've been making all sorts of dishes with them including the Chinese Bitter Melon Stir Fry I posted a few weeks back. 

This time we let the bitter melon ripen to yellowish color and use them to make chutney to eat with rice. WE LOVE RICE!!

Below is the recipe for this Chinese Bitter Melon Chutney. Check it out and let us know what you think. 

Ingredients

- 2 large and ripe Chinese Karela or Chinese Bitter melon, chopped

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, sliced

- 2 Tbsp chutney powder

- 2 Tbsp dry coconut powder

- 1 tsp tamarind paste (or walnut size of tamarind, soaked in water)

- 1 to 1-1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

- 1 tsp salt (or as per your taste)

- 1 to 1-1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Procedure

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and saute onions and garlic for 2 minutes until onions are translucent. Then add the bitter melon and salt, saute for an additional 5 to 6 minutes or until the bitter melon is cooked. Allow it to cool. In a blender, add the sauteed bitter melon, and the remaining ingredients and grind to smooth consistency. Adjust the salt as per your taste.

The Chinese Bitter Melon Chutney is ready to be enjoyed with your favorite rice or roti. Bona Appetit!!

Hope you enjoyed our Bitter Melon recipes. Check out our recipes page for more delightful and easy dish ideas. How do you enjoy this not so bitter and healthy vegetable? Feel free to share. 

Pizza Night with Eggplant Bharta Pizzettes

5 Steps to Making Naan Pizza

Whenever it's my turn to make dinner, I choose to cook with my favorite vegetables: carrots, eggplant, and beetroot. Tonight I treated my family to eggplant bharta pizzettes. The spicy, sweet and tangy flavors of the eggplant bharta pairs well with the cheesy goodness of Cabot Pepperjack cheese. I also love using Stonefire Tandoor baked mini naans from Costco. They are small and easy to handle so each pizzetta is personalized just the way my family likes them. 

Procedure

First you chop all the vegetable for making eggplant bharta and make it. Next, grate the cheese and spray each of the mini naans with margarine or pam. Spread the eggplant bharta on to each of the naans and top it with the cheese. Last, bake it in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-20 minutes or until the bottoms are crispy. 

Bon Appetit! They are ready to eat. 

What do you make for pizza night? How do you personalize your pizzas? We would love to hear from you.

For more fun and easy dishes, check out our recipes page. 

Quick and Easy Szechwan Vegetable Rice

We love trying new ways to spice up our meals and making them healthy at the same time. Sometimes, that is hard to do when you are busy working and do not have a lot of time. That is why we love products like Steam in Bag rice blend from ShopRite or Birds Eye Protein blends. These steam in a bag blends usually have rice/quinoa/brown rice with assortment of vegetables.

For our semi-homemade Szechwan Vegetable Rice dish, we used the Steam in Bag - White Rice with Vegetables from ShopRite. It's easy to use. Check out the recipe below:

Serving Size (4 to 6 people)
Ingredients:
- 2 packets of 12oz ShopRite Steam in a Bag - White Rice with Vegetables
- 1 large (or 2 medium) green bell pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp Szechwan chutney
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 slab of tofu*

Procedure:
Slice bell pepper and onion into thin slices and cut into halves. Next, steam the rice bags as per the instructions on the bag and put aside. Heat oil in a medium sized skillet, and add garlic, onion, bell pepper and tofu. Stir for 2 minutes. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and saute the mixture under closed lid for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the bell pepper's color changes to light green (soft texture).

Then add the Szechwan chutney and remaining salt, mix well. Add the rice from the steamed bags and mix well. Allow the rice and the vegetables to cook under closed lid for 3 minutes. Then stir for another 1-2 minutes without lid.

Voila! Szechwan rice with vegetables is ready to be served.

***Quick Tip:
Tofu chunks or slices tend to fall apart when stirred. If the tofu tub is frozen for few hours and then allowed to come to room temperature, the tofu tends to become spongy in texture and absorbs the flavors and easy to use. 

Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi with Family, Food, and Fun

Lord Ganesha's "birthday" always comes around this time of the year. And every year, my family celebrates this special day with his favorite dishes in addition to performing the prayer. One of my favorite parts of the festival (besides the food) is my dad's narration of how Lord Ganesha was born. 

My relatives were visiting this past weekend, so the "kids" (my cousin, his fiance, my sister and I) performed the prayer and of course enjoyed the food afterwards. 

Top Right: Payasam / Top Left: Undrallu - Steamed Rice, Lentil and Coconut dumplings / Bottom: Pulihora - Tamarind Rice

After all the festivities were done, we all relaxed and enjoyed the evening by sharing memories of past times and childhood stories. We would love to hear about your celebration and food you prepared for the festival; feel free to leave us comments.

Wishing you and your family a happy holiday! May Lord Ganesha remove all your obstacles and make your way or success smoother. 

To learn more about this festival, also check out this article by Lassi with Lavina.

Chinese Bitter Melon Stir Fry

Ingredients
- 2 Bitter melon (also known as Chinese Karela)
- 1 large onion, sliced and chopped in half
- 5 to 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
- 1/4 cup dry coconut
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
- 3 to 4 tsp vegetable oil
- salt for taste

Procedure
First cut the bitter melon once lengthwise and then chop into 1/4" thick slices.

Heat oil (on medium flame) in a medium saucepan and add garlic and onion. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add bitter melon, sprinkle salt and cover with lid. Stir every few minutes until onions and bitter melon are caramelized about 8 to 10 minutes. When the bitter melon is soft, remove the lid and add tamarind paste and fry the mixture for another 3 to 4 minutes or until oil comes out.

Next add chili powder and coconut powder and continue to stir fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. Switch off heat and add coriander. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Silky Broccoli Parmesan Soup

Recently, my grandma had to go to the hospital for some testing. In preparation for the test, the hospital emailed us a detailed list of all the food she had to avoid for 24 hours but maintain a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. My mom and I were trying to figure what that means and what to make for dinner that evening.  

You see, non-vegetarians can manage with boiled/steamed chicken or fish and vegetables. My grandmother is a pure vegetarian and has certain diet restrictions. After browsing through our pantry and refrigerator, we settled on soup. Everyone loves soup. 

Below is our version of a "creamy" and silky Broccoli Parmesan soup that is both high in protein and low in fat. 

Ingredients

- 3/4 lb Broccoli floret

- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

- 1/2 tsp chili paste

- 1-1/2 cups milk

- 2 Tbsp milk powder

- 1 Tbsp olive oil

- fried onions or croutons, for garnish

- 1/2 tsp salt or as needed

- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Procedure

Cut the broccoli floret into 1/2 inch pieces including the stalk. Make sure to peel the stalk before cutting it into pieces and transfer the broccoli pieces into a microwaveable container. Next, add ginger-garlic paste, chili paste, milk powder, and drizzle with olive oil. Microwave with covered lid for three minutes. Transfer the steamed broccoli into a blender and add milk and 1/3 cup of water and blend it to a smooth consistency. Transfer the soup into a saucepan and add Parmesan cheese and bring it to a boil. If it is very thick, add additional water or milk. Serve the soup hot, garnishing with fried onions or croutons. 

Quick Tip

We recommend using a high powered blender like the Vitamix blender or Magic Bullet for blending the ingredients together.