Vegetarian Chili

Winter of 2013 is turning out to be a cold one. Nothing like comfort food for times like these.

My son is used to eating American comfort food, thanks to his preschool, and keeps asking me to make Mashed Potatoes or Chili. I, of course, have to rely on Google results for the recipes. :-)

This recipe for Vegetarian Chili tastes very good and is quite healthy.

Recipe courtesy Betty Crocker: Vegetarian Chili

 

Ingredients

1 tbsp. Vegetable Oil

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 fresh jalapeno, seeded, finely chopped

2 cans of Black beans, drained, rinsed

2 cans organic fire roasted or plain diced tomatoes, undrained

1.5 cups of water

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt

1 cup organic frozen sweet corn

Sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired       

Shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired

Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired     
                   

 

Directions


1. In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bellpepper, garlic and chiles; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.

2. Stir in black beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer.                           

 

3. Top each serving with remaining ingredients.

 

 

Greek Salad

It was on one of my quests to eat healthy that I discovered Greek Salad. It was at Tony's Pizza place that I enjoyed my first Greek Salad.

Pumpernickel bread Sandwich

I had never seen pumpernickel bread back in India. After coming to the US, I first heard of the pumpernickel song on Barney :-) and then looked for it at the store. I like the texture of the bread for sandwich as it is a hearty bread that looks and tastes good.

Ingredients:

4 slices of Pumpernickel bread

Sliced cucumber – 6 slices

Tomato slices – 4

Onion sliced into rings – 4 rings

Crumbled feta cheese – 2 tbsp

Hummus – 4 tbsp

Romaine or green leaf lettuce


Method:

1. Take two slices of bread and slather hummus on one side. Place a leaf of lettuce. Then place a tbsp of feta cheese, 3 cucumber slices, two tomato slices, 2 onion rings. Place another leaf of lettuce on top.

2. Take the remaining two bread slices and slather hummus on one side and place over the sandwich. Cut into two and put a toothpick to hold the sandwich if eating later.

Kadi Pakoda

About 12 years ago, N was my neighbor in the apartment complex we lived in and would invite us to her house. She used to make awesome Kadi Pakodas. I got the recipe from her and have since been making it. Unfortunately, after we moved I lost touch with her and have been unable to connect with her. I have been searching for her on FB and Google, but no luck yet. I know she is back in Gurgaon. Hopefully, someday I will get to meet her again. It's funny how we jot down some recipes from friends and then later on remember them every time we make the dish.

Punjabi Kadi Pakoda
For Kadi:
Sour yogurt -- 1 cup
Buttermilk -- 1 cup
Besan (chickpea flour) -- 2 tbsp
Sliced Red Onions -- 1/2 cup
Chopped Ginger -- 1/2 tsp
Chopped Garlic -- 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilli -- 1
Kasoori Methi -- 1 tsp
Methi seeds -- 1/2 tsp
Jeera -- 1/2 tsp
Hing -- a pinch
Red Chilli powder -- 1 tsp
Black pepper -- 1/2 tsp
Chopped cilantro -- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil -- 2 tbsp

For Pakoda:
Besan -- 1.5 cup
Chopped Spinach -- 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder -- 1 tsp or less
Ajwain seeds -- 1/4 tsp
Baking soda -- a pinch
Red onion, sliced -- 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
Method:
1. Mix all ingredients for pakoda with some hot oil and a little bit of water. Fry in oil until golden brown. Set aside.

2. Mix the sour yogurt and besan and set aside. Make sure there are no lumps.

3. Take two tablespoons of oil in a thick-bottomed vessel. When oil is hot, add jeera, methi, dry red chilli, ginger, garlic, and onions. Fry for a few seconds and then add kasoori methi, salt, red chilli powder, hing, and black pepper. Now add 1/2 cup of cold water and bring the temperature down. At this time, add the yogurt-besan paste and mix well. Reduce flame to medium-low. Add buttermilk to make the consistency of the kadi into a thick liquid. After it has cooked for about 5 minutes, taste the kadi and adjust spices according to taste.

4. Add the pakodas and turn off the flame. Garnish with cilantro.

5. Serve with rice or roti.

Punjabi rajma

A cold, windy day with a hurricane looming over your head. All channels are constantly talking about the "monster storm" and the damage it is about to cause. All you can think about is the unexpected day off from work and kids hanging around the kitchen with you. Nothing like comfort food at a time like this.

Punjabi Rajma Recipe:
Cooked Rajma (Kidney Beans) -- 2 cups
Sliced Red Onion -- 3/4 th cup
Chopped Ginger -- 1.5 tsp
Chopped Garlic -- 1.5 tsp
Chopped Tomatoes -- 1 cup
Tomato paste -- 1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder -- 1 tsp
Cumin powder -- 1 tsp
Coriander powder -- 1 tsp
Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) -- 1 tsp
Garam masala -- 1.5 tsp
Bay leaves -- 2
Cumin seeds -- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar -- 1/4 tsp
Oil -- 2 tbsp

METHOD:
1. Take oil in a thick-bottomed vessel. When oil is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaves and then the sliced onions, ginger, and garlic. Fry it for a minute until onion becomes translucent. Now add the kasoori methi, red chilli powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder. Fry for about 30 seconds.

2. Add the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes. Add salt at this time. Add a little bit of water and let it cook for about 5 minutes. When you see oil starting to separate from the tomato paste, it is time to add the rajma beans.

3. Add sugar and allow the rajma to cook on a low flame for about 20 mins. Finally add the garam masala and chopped cilantro, if desired.

Rajma, Kadi, and Vegetable Paratha

4. Serve with hot rice or roti.

Cucumber Gojju

 Cucumber Sabji (Southekai Hasi Gojju)

This is a traditional Kannada dish. Somehow it has been ages since I made this. Quite simple to make. I remembered this recipe today as I had some really fresh cucumber and wanted to make this sidedish with Saaru. The picture below shows the recipe from my diary. In the days before my marriage, I probably scribbled the recipe, as my mom was making this, with the hopes of someday making this in my home. I made this gojju today and my American-born daughter refuses to eat it just after looking at it. I am writing this recipe with the hope that when she grows older she will come back to these type of traditional recipes and make it in her own home.



Tender Cucumber peeled and ready to be chopped.

Ingredients for the Gojju: Coconut, cilantro, Hurgadle (dhalia), Green Chillies, Ginger, Tamarind, Mustard&Cumin seeds.


The Final Product.


Recipe: Cucumber Gojju
Ingredients:
Cucumber -- 2.5 cups chopped
Coconut -- 1 cup
Cilantro - Handful of roughly chopped cilantro
Hurgadle (dhalia) -- 1/4 th cup
Green Chillies -- 4
Ginger -- 1/2 inch piece
Tamarind -- 1 tsp of tamarind paste
Mustard seeds -- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds -- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
A pinch of sugar (optional)

Method:
1. Peel and chop cucumber and set aside.
2. Fry green chillies in a little oil (a tsp of oil). Set aside.
3. Fry dhalia, cilantro, coconut in the same oil.
4. After everything is cool, grind it with the remaining ingredients.
5. Pour the ground paste over the chopped cucumber and mix well. Add salt if needed.
5. Make vagarne (tadka). Take a tsp of ghee and add 1/2 tsp of mustard. When mustard splutters, add hing and pour over the cucumber.

Mavinkai upinkai -- Mango pickle

My favorite memories are from my summers in India when my mom used to be busy making pickles and sandige. A post about sandige is for another day. This time I found some baby mangoes and decided to make instant mango pickles that only lasts for a week or so. I went to Global Foods the other day and was pleasantly surprised to see small mangoes in a bin. I picked a few and ate some up with salt and chilli powder. With the rest, I made this pickle.

Recipe: Mavinkai upinkai

Ingredients:
12 tender small mangoes -- Chopped into small pieces, about 1/2 inch size
Oil -- 2.5 tbsp
Salt -- 1.5 tbsp (or more)
Red Chilli powder -- 1.5 tbsp
Mustard seeds -- 3 tsp
Fenugreek (Methi) seeds -- 2 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) -- 1/2 tsp

Method:
1. Make sure you wash and wipe the mangoes well. It should be completely dry. Using a clean knife, chop the mangoes and place it in a glass container.
2. Mix the salt and red chilli powder with the mangoes.
3. Dry fry one teaspoon of mustard seeds and methi seeds. Make a powder and add that to the mango mixture as well.
4. Heat oil and add the remaining mustard seeds, methi, and when the mustard starts spluttering add hing. Pour this oil over the mango mixture. Stir gently with a clean dry spoon.
5. Cover and let it rest for a few hours before you eat it.