Undhiyu Style Mix Veg

Undiyu is a Gujrati (north Indian) dish that is pretty intricate and takes a while to cook - I remember the Gujju side of my family used to sit all day prepping the vegetables and the fritters that go along with the dish. I skipped the fritters in my recipe as I wanted something healthy. And also my undhiyu is not the real undiyu - it is just a mixed veg dish based on Undiyu - but it tasted very close to the real deal and was super duper easy!

Ingredients:
3 cups of Surti Lilva Beans

Vegetables:
1 sweet potato, cut in medium square pieces
2 small potatoes, cut in medium pieces
Half medium eggplant, cut in medium square pieces
Prep the veggies - drizzle oil on the veggies and set aside

Ground Masala:
1.5 cup shredded coconut
2 green chillies
2 to 4 cloves of garlic
1 inch ginger piece
Make a  paste of the above ingredients while adding very little water.

Spices:
Carom seeds or ajwain
Asofoetida or Hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder

1. Heat oil. Add 1/2 tsp ajwain seeds (carom seeds).  Add a dash of asofoetida.
2. Quickly add the cut veggies and toss gently with a spatula
3. Add salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder and mix so that the vegetables are coated with spices.
4. Now add the ground masala paste and mix well. Add the lilva beans and mix. Add a little water and mix. cover and cook until the vegetables are tender.
5. Adjust seasonings - salt/sugar/lime juice

Masoor Masala Pilaf with Mint Potatoes and Mint Eggs

1.5 cup of basmati rice, wash well and soak for 5 minutes and drain the water and keep rice aside
About 2 cup whole cooked masoor, washed and pressure cooked (about 3 whistles) (not masoor dal but whole masoor ) (keep the masoor al dente - if you overcook the masoor the pulav will get too mushy)
1/2  tsp ginger paste
1/2  tsp garlic paste
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 tsp tomato paste
4 cups of chicken broth (or water if vegetarian)
Whole Spices: 
1 bay leaf
1 piece of cinnamon stick
4 to 6 peppercorns
1 cardammom (crushed a little)
Biryani ka phool or Star Anise
Powder spices:
1/2 tsp each of turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, and  2 tsp garam masala or any readymade pulav masala

2 Medium potatoes
Mint chutney
4 to 6 boiled eggs
Chat masala

1. Heat oil in a flat bottom skillet. Add all the spices (listed above) and saute until fragrant. Add onion and sautee till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and mix well until the raw smell of garlic is gone. Then add tomato paste and sautee. Add all the powdered spices. This step will take a while as you want the mixture to be well integrated together. You might have to add a little water along the way to get it mushy.
2. Now add the rice (ofcourse there should be no water!) and gently fold the rice with the masala. Gently being the key word !!!  You do not want to break the rice grains as they are already soft from soaking.
3. Now add 4 cups of chicken broth, drizzle some olive oil all over to keep the pulav from getting sticky, add salt and mix gently.  Add the masoor and mix.  Let come to a rolling boil and turn the heat to lowest setting. Cover the skillet with aluminum foil and put a lid on. The foil should trap all the heat. Let the rice cook on the lowest setting for 10 to 15 minutes check if its done. If not keep longer. If the water has dried up and rice not cooked add some hot water 1/2 cup at a time and continue to cook.
4. Prep the potatoes while the rice cooks. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut in strips as seen in the picture.  Add some salt, black pepper, and paprika and toss. I used Fish Fry (found at regular grocery stores) for coating the potatoes. Toss the potatoes with some fish fry mix. Add oil in a non stick pan and when hot throw the potatoes in. Cook on medium heat while tossing them in the pan to prevent burning. Sometimes I cover with a lid and cook for few minutes just to speed the process but that might get the potatoes soggy so be careful. If they do get soggy after covering with a lid, just continue cooking uncovered while tossing. Towards the end of the cooking process, add mint chutney (about 1 tbsp or so) and chat masala and toss around. Set aside.
5. Cut eggs into half. Arrange all of them face up on a plate (meaning yellow side up).  Sprinkle a little salt, a little black pepper, a pinch of red chilli powder, a pinch of paprika, some chat masala and finally using a butter knife smear a little mint chutney. Drizzle a little oil all over in a non stick pan, put eggs face down (yellow side down) and keep it on low heat (as the mint and spices burn easily).  let the masala eggs roast a little to get a smoky flavor (only 3 to 4 minutes).

Garnish the rice with the fries and the eggs and cilantro. Serve with limes. 

Avocado Rolls

How many of us drool over the Avocado egg rolls at Cheesecake Factory!? I know I do - These came out pretty close to the ones I have eaten there. The egg rolls at CCF are made out of egg roll wrappers. But I used a 8inch tortilla as I did not have egg roll wrappers on hand.

Ingredients:
Half of a ripe avocado (not too ripe or smushy - has to be just right) cut into medium size cubes
Half of a tomato - deeseded and cut into small pieces
2 tbsp finely diced red onion
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of onion powder
Salt/Black Pepper
A  little finely chopped cilantro
A few thinly chopped green onions (green part only) (optional)


Method:
1. Gently mix all the ingredients in a bowl together. Toss gently.
2. Line the mixture in the center of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in from both sides (vertically) and then roll it up (like how chefs roll the burritos as Chipotle ;))
3. I was not sure if the egg wash would hold the thick tortilla together, so instead of using egg wash that would act as glue, I poked toothpicks to hold the roll together.
4. Now heat vegetable or canola oil to fry the roll. Keep the heat on medium as you want the tortilla to fry slowly. Fry it until golden brown. Set aside. Serve with chilli garlic sauce or any spicy sauce of your choice.

Note: You can add add finely chopped jalapenos to give it a little zest!

Yogurt Garlic Sauce Pita Pizza

This sauce is inspired by the Toum Garlic Sauce that primarily uses oil. I used yogurt to make it a little more healthy and filling.

Ingredients:
1 Pita
Shredded Mexican Cheese
Italian Seasonings
Pickle (optional)

Garlic Sauce:
2 cups full fat yogurt (or you can use greek yogurt )
1 cup olive oil
2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed and made into a paste
Little lemon juice
Salt/Black pepper

This sauce needs some preparation ahead of time. Put the yogurt in a muslin cloth and let the yogurt hang so that all the water comes out. You want the sauce to be thick but also not so thick that you cannot beat it. Leave it hung atleast for 4 hours.

Now take the yogurt out in a bowl. Add the garlic and mix well. Now add olive oil to the yogurt in a slow stream as you constantly beat the yogurt in circles to mix.  Continue until the entire olive oil is emulsified slowly into the yogurt. Add salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice.

Now you are ready to build the pizza. Heat the pita with some butter on a pan until soft.  Preheat oven to 400F. Toast the pita so that its a somewhat crispy.  Take out, smother the garlic sauce on the pita. Add shredded cheese on it. Sprinkle Italian Seasonings. And toast again until crispy.  Your delicious Pita Pizza is ready.

Note: Save the extra sauce as a dip for chips or kabobs!