Blackened Cajun Tilapia with Santa Fe Rice

Ingredients:

1 filet of Tilapia
Dash of salt and black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cajun powder
Some All purpose flour

Make a thick marinade with cajun powder and olive oil.  (Do not make it too runny)

Wash and pat dry the tilapia filet.   Drizzle some olive oil on the filet and rub the fish down with the oil using your fingers.  Season both sides with a dash of salt,  black pepper, and garlic powder.  Dip the filet in all purpose flour and dust excess flour off.  Heat oil or butter in a pan.  Keep the flame on medium.  Add the fish cook for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes.  Using a brush, brush the top side of the filet with the cajun/oil marinade. Flip the filet and let it blacken for a minute or two. You may have to drizzle some olive oil (do not add butter at this time).  Brush the remaining marinade on the top side of the filet and flip and allow the other side to blacken as well. Serve hot. 

Note: Fish cooks relatively faster than chicken or other meat. If you are new to fish cooking, it is always better to cook more than less.  I generally butterfly cut any meats/seafood so it cooks fast without risking overcooking the meat/seafood.  My mom often cooks seafood covered so it steam cooks.  If you do cover and cook, continue to cook the fish for a minute or two uncovered in the end so that any condensed water eveaporates.

Zhatpat Veg Biryani - Quick and Easy Spicy Veggie Pilaf

6 to 8 cups of leftover cooked white rice
3 cups of frozen mixed veggies (corn/carrots/beans)
2 small onions (cut lengthwise)
1/2 cup fried onions (store bought packet)
1 and half tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
2 to 3 tbps of tomato paste
6 tsps of Shaan Bombay Biryani Masala (Stick with 4 if you dont want it too spicy)

Heat oil in a pan (okay dont be shy, add some more!) Add the onions and sautee till golden brown. Add the fried onions and mix well.  Add the garlic and ginger paste. Sautee well.  Add the tomato paste and sautee. Let it sit until the paste leaves oil on the side.  Now its time to add the veggies.  If you using frozen veggies out of the freezer thaw them in the microwave soaked in water first. Drain all the water. Add the veggies and mix well.  Add the Bombay Biryani Masala powder. Add some water and let it cook. You may have to add water (about 1/4 cup each time) about 3 to 4 times till the mixture is well incorporated and the masala powder is cooked. 

For those who do not know how Biryani is served - it is basically like a lasagna. There are layers - first the rice then the masala as prepared above (we did a veggie masala here, but one can do chicken biryani masala, lamb biryani, or beef biryani masala) and then another rice layer and then another masala layer so on and so forth!

Back to our recipe - Before you start layering the biryani, make sure the veggie mix that you have just made is "Wet" but not "Watery".  There should be just enough water so that the rice sort of soaks in the water when you do the layers.  Too watery of a mixture will make the rice mushy! 

Now for the most important part - How to cook the rice!! The rice should be al dente. If the rice is mushy, the biryani will not taste as good. I used about 6 to 8 cups of leftover white rice.  If its not at room temperature, heat the rice in a microwave.  Layer the biryani as described above - rice first followed by the masala, then the rice, followed by masala and a thin top layer of rice again.  Cover with a foil and let sit until you are ready to serve. When serving, make sure you cut through all layers. 

Note:
1. Note the 6 to 8 cups is already cooked rice.
2. When cooking rice, add salt and oil to the rice. Remember one part rice to two parts water. When the rice is cooked al dente, spread the rice flat in a casserole pan to prevent it from cooking further. I will have a separate post on exact cooking times some day.

Sukha Methi Dal

1/2 cup frozen methi
1/4 cup split masoor dal
2 small potatoes, diced
1 serrano pepper, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
A pinch or two of jaggery
Salt to taste

Tempering on the top:
Generous portion of oil, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, dash of hing, 1/4 tsp turmeric, handful of peanuts.

Pressure cook the methi and dal with some water. Drain the water so the mixture is quite dry after taking out from the pressure cooker.   Heat oil and garlic. When slightly brown and aromatic, add the chopped onion. Sautee till translucent.  Add the ginger followed by the green chilli and give it a stir. Now add the potatoes and let them cook on low flame stirring the mixture once in a while.  When potatoes are half way cooked, add the methi and dal mixture (do not add any remainder water). Sautee for 2 to 3 minutes.  Now add the cumin, coriander, garam masala, jaggery, and salt and stir. Let any water that may have gotten in evaporate.  Keep stirring and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes on low flame. 

Now we will prepare a garnish on the top by heating oil in a tempering pot. You will need a significant amount (say about 6 to 8 tbsps). When hot add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them sputter. Now add the hing, turmeric, and peanuts. Turn the flame to low and sautee with a spoon.  Remove from heat and pour over the prepared Sukha Methi Dal.

Dal Methi

1 tbsp Ghee
14 tsp mustard seeds
Dash of hing
1 finely chopped garlic
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 medium tomato
Handful of chopped cilantro
1 medium serrano pepper, slit lengthwise
1/4 cup split masoor dal
1/2 cup methi leaves (frozen)
1/2 tsp jaggery/gul or pinch of sugar
1/4 tsp each of turmeric powder, cumin and coriander powder
Salt to taste

Pressure cook the methi and dal together. When ready, add ghee to a pot. When hot add mustard seeds and when they sputter, add hing.  Add the garlic, ginger, and green chilli and give it a stir.  Add the finely chopped tomatoes and cilantro followed by turmeric powder and stir on low flame.  Let the tomatoes disintegrate just a little. Now add the dal and methi mixture.  Add cumin, coriander, and some more turmeric if you would like. Add salt and jaggery.  Add some water and using a whisk beat the dal so that it disintegrates.  Cover and let it come to a rolling boil. 

Serve with rice or rotis.

Shenga ani Danyachi Dal - Lentils with Drumsticks and Peanuts

1 cup Split Masoor Dal
1/4 cup Split Udad Dal
1/4 cup Split Mung Dal
20 pieces of Drumsticks (I used frozen)
1/2 cup raw peanuts

1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 to 4 kokum
2 green chillies
2 garlic pods and 1 inch ginger
1 medium tomato finely chopped
Dash of hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp kasoori methi
Salt to taste
Pinch of sugar


Pressure cook all the dals together. Also pressure cook the drumsticks and peanuts with some salt.  Reserve the liquids.

Heat ghee. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and let sputter. Add the asofoetida or hing.  Add the kokum and green chillies followed by tomato.  Add the garlic and ginger.  Stir and add turmeric and red chili powder. Beat the dals really well.  Add reserved water and some more if necessary (depending on how thick you want the dal).  Add the drumsticks and peanuts.  Add kasoori methi and stir well.  Add salt and sugar to taste. 

Let the dal come to a rolling boil.  Garnish with cilantro.

Murg Lal Mirach - Red Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:
4 Chicken thighs
Marinade: Salt, Meat tenderizer, 1 tbsp Chicken Tandoori Masala, 1 tsp Garlic paste, 1 tsp Ginger paste, and 1/2 tsp Turmeric

Masala:
1 Medium onion, square cut
1 Red pepper, deseeded and square cut
2 stalks green onion, chopped
1 garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp ginger, chopped
1/2 tsp each of cumin, coriander, red chilli powder, turmeric
1 tsp tava fry masala

Marinate the chicken for atleast 1 hr.  Preheat the oven to 350F.  Put an aluminun foil on an oven proof tray.  Lightly oil the foil  Bake the chicken for 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked.  The chicken meat should be white when pricked on the inside.  Remember to flip the chicken halfway through the cooking so both sides cook evenly.  Spray nonfat cooking oil if the chicken seems dry when flipped.  When cooked remove from the oven, and set aside.

Blanch the red pepper and the onions in a microwave.  Immerse the square cut red peppers and the onions in water in two separate microwave safe bowls.  Cook the red peppers and onions in the bowl separately for a few minutes.  They should soft but not overcooked since we still have to cook them in a pan.  Drain the water from both the onions and the peppers.

Heat oil in a pan. Keep the flame on medium high to high.  All the ingredients are going to follow one after the other almost like stir frying.  Add the onions and sautee. Add the garlic and ginger and sautee well.  Add the red peppers and keep sauteeing.  Add the green onions and sautee.  Add the spices - cumin, coriander, red chilli powder, turmeric, and tava fry masala.   Now add the cooked chicken along with any juices that settle on the oven tray.  Mix well and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes so that the spices cook. 

Serve with rice or naan.

Arroz y Habichuelas in Taco Sazon - Rice and Beans in Taco Seasoning

1 small onion, finely diced
1 medium tomato, finely diced
1 Bay leaf
1 to 2 tsp Taco Seasoning (I used McCormicks)
Pinch of Goya Sazon
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of salt, black pepper, and Italian spices
5 oz Pink Kidney Beans
1/2 tsp turmeric and cumin powder, each
3/4 cup cooked brown rice

Heat oil.  Add the bay leaf.  Add the onions and sautee till translucent. Add the finely diced tomatoes.  Add the cooked brown rice and sautee well.  Add the taco seasoning, garlic powder, goya sazon, black pepper, italian spice mixture, turmeric, and cumin powder.  Sautee well for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat.  Add the pink kidney beans.  Mix well and cook for another minute.  Voila!!! Dish is ready to eat!

Note: The taco seasoning and the goya sazon are both a bit salty. You may want to add the salt at the table depending on personal taste.

Rotini Pasta in Asparagus Cream Sauce

My friend Keya motivated me to think about kid friendly recipes. I have heard that many kids hate veggies. Not my son! Atleast till now!! Anyhow, if your kid is one of those non-veggie eaters, then definitely try this pasta. They will not even know where the asparagus, carrots, and celery are!!

1 cup rotini pasta
1/2 cup each of carrots, onions, and celery, chopped
6 stalks of asparagus, finely chopped (keep the tips aside for garnish)
Pinch of turmeric
Dash of garlic powder
1/8 tsp of worcestershire sauce
1 cup of milk
Pecorino romano cheese, shredded

Cook the pasta according to package direction. Reserve the liquid. 

Heat some butter in a pan. Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pan. Cook covered by adding some of the pasta water until soft.  Add the asparagus and continue to cook covered.  This whole process should take about 10 minutes.  Do not let the veggies burn ofcourse.  Stir them around and keep adding a little water if necessary. Now add the garlic powder, turmeric, and worcestershire sauce.  Stir and cook till the asparagus and all veggies are thoroughly cooked.  Let cool. Now blend it in a food processor to make a sauce. Add milk (a little at a time) to get a thick saucy consistency. 

Heat some butter in the same pan in which you cooked the sauce.  Throw the pasta and toss till any remaining water evaporates.  Throw the sauce in and toss well so that the pasta is well coated.  Add some pecorino romano cheese on the top. Let melt. 

Remember the asparagus stems we saved. Take the pasta out and cook the asparagus tips in the pan. Garnish the pasta with the tips.

Chicken n Rice

I cannot believe that I only have 2 chicken recipes on my blog to date! Once a meat eater, I am turning vegetarian!!! I had to cook something meaty today so I went with the basic chicken and rice.  I have come to terms that a) I do not like chicken that much and b) I need massive Indian spices to mask the chicken taste. So, I was not a big big fan of this dish. But,  hey it was worth a mention.

Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs
1 cup each chopped carrots, onions, celery
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
4 tbsp crushed tomatoes (I used the canned kind)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Dash of sazon goya seasoning
White cooking wine for deglazing
1/2 cup green peas
1 cup rice, precooked
Olive oil, salt, black pepper
Italian seasoning
Lime juice

Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs.  Rub some olive oil on the chicken and season with salt, black pepper, 1 tsp garlic paste, and ginger.  Refridgerate for minimum of 30 minutes and maximum of 2 hrs.  (The reason I do this is because the garlic/ginger paste takes away the chicken's raw smell)

Heat oil in a pan.  Add the onions. When translucent, add carrots and celery.  Add 1 tsp garlic paste and mix well.  Sautee for 3 minutes or so.  Add the tomato paste and mix well.  Add the parsely, some salt, black pepper, and goya seasoning.  Add the green peas, cover, and let cook for 3 to 5 minutes.  Set the sauce aside. 

Heat oil in a stainless steel flat pan.  Place the chicken pieces and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes.  Flip the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes.  Keep the flame on medium high.  The chicken will stick to the pan so keeping the flame on high will burn the chicken.   Add some Italian seasoning onto the chicken and cook for another minute.  Pour some cooking wine onto the pan and using a steel spatula loosen up the brown bits.  Cover and cook for  to 10 minutes.  Now add the sauce to this pan.  Coat the chicken with the sauce. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked.  Chicken is cooked when it is white on the inside.  Thighs take a long to cook so be patient. 

In a bowl add the cooked rice, drizzle some olive oil, salt, and black pepper.  Move the sauce and chicken to one side of the pan. Add the rice to the other side. Mix some of the sauce with the rice. 

Note:  Alternatively, you can cook the chicken in an oven for 15 to 20 minutes after it has been browned on the pan.  And then return the chicken to the pan with the sauce.

Note: I also added 1/4 tsp of cumin and coriander powder to the sauce.

Anda Methi - Fried egg in Fenugreek Leaves

Ingredients and Method:
1.5 cup finely chopped methi leaves
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 or 2 eggs
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 or 2 garlic pods, whole but crushed
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
Dash of Asofoetida
1/4 tsp each of turmeric, cumin, and coriander powder
1 tsp jaggery (or more)
1 green chilli

If you are using fresh methi leaves, break the tips ie leaves of the methi discarding the stems.  Wash, wash, and wash the fenugreek leaves. And right when you think you are done, wash them again. The best way would be to soak them in pot full of water and drain and repeat a few times until there is no dirt/grime left.  Now finely chop the methi with a knife. Rinse the methi again.

Heat oil and add the garlic pods. When slighly brown, add mustard seeds. When they sputter, add the asofoetida.  Now add the finely chopped onions and sautee till they are translucent.  Now add the tomatoes and stir.  Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, and green chilli.  Add the methi leaves and sautee. Cook covered for 3 to 5 minutes.  You may need to add just a little bit of water to prevent the methi from burning. Remember to cook on low to medium flame.  Add salt and jaggery (the jaggery takes away the bitterness of the methi leaves and can be substituted with sugar!)  The methi should  be cooked (when you take a bite it should not taste raw). 

This dish needs to be served right away. So do not break in the egg, until ready to serve.  Make a well in the middle of the pan.  Spray some cooking spray or a little oil for the egg. Break an egg or two. Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook for a minute or two. Gentely flip the egg and cook covered for a minute or two. The yolk should not be runny (well unless you want it but I do not recommend it!)  Voila! Anda methi is ready to eat. This particular veggie goes well with chapati or fulkas!

Mushroom n Cheese Puffs

1 frozen Pillsbury or Great Value Pizza Dough box
4 cups of mushrooms, chopped
1 cup finely julienned onions
Spices: 1/4 tsp each of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder
Salt to taste
Shredded cheese (Mexican four cheese)
One egg beaten

Filling: First lets make the filling.  Heat some oil. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them sputter. Now add the onions and stir till they are slightly browned.  Now add the mushrooms and give a stir. Add all the spices including salt.  Cook on medium heat till the mushrooms wilt all the way.  Let the filling cool down just a little bit. 

Cover: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Thaw the pizza dough.  Roll it out and run a rolling pin over to make it a little thinner. Keep the original shape intact, however, w hich will be a rectangle.  Cut the rectangle into half (now you will have two sheets).  Fill each sheet with the filling and add cheese.  Now fold it like a hot pocket or a karanji (Indian desert) or a samosa - whatever floats your boat.   

Get an ovensafe baking pan.  Line it up with foil.  Spray baking oil or brush regular oil on the pan and brush some on the puffs.  Slide the puffs onto the pan (oil side down first).  Once on the pan, brush the top side of the puffs with the egg wash (this will give the pastry a nice golden color, skip if you are not a egg eater!) 
Bake for 10 minutes. Flip the side (brushing some oil if necessary).  Bake for another 10 minutes.  Let the color of the pastry guide you!

Pico de Gallo

This is interesting: Until I started writing this blog, I never knew what Pico de Gallo meant! I mean I knew it is basically a salsa served as a side with Mexican dishes. This is wikipedias definition of Pico de Gallo - "Spanish for "rooster's beak", also called salsa fresca, pico de gallo, is a fresh, uncooked condiment made from chopped tomato, onion, and sometimes chilis (typically jalapeños or serranos). Other ingredients may also be added, such as lemon or lime juice, fresh cilantro (coriander leaf), cucumber, radish or other fresh firm pulpy fruit such as mango" Thanks Wiki! In Indian cuisine, we call this koshimbir (Marathi word).  Whatever the name, this is one killer salsa in my opinion. It goes well with grilled "anything!" or as a side in wraps/burritos or even as toppings or as a dip!


Ingredients:
 medium roma tomatoes, chopped finely
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions (I actually do 1/2 cup as like onions!)
1/8 cup finely chopped cucumber
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of salt/black pepper
Pinch of sugar
1 serrano peper, chopped finely
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Juice of 1/2 of a lime
1 tbsp vinegar

Add all the above ingredients in a bowl. Using your hands, toss the contents while givine it a gentle pressure so as to soften the veggies. Set aside in a fridge for atleast an hour so that the contents marinate for a while. 
I absolutely love love love me some pico de gallo!

Black Beans

1 14 oz can of black beans
1/2 tsp of finely chopped garlic
Salt, black pepper, and cayenne or paprika to taste
1/8 c shredded mexican four cheese

Drain the black beans and put them in a colander.  Run water on the beans while they are in the colander.  Set aside. Heat some olive oil in a flat pan.  Add about 1/2 tsp of finely chopped garlic and roast for 1 minute or two.  Add the drained black beans to the pan.  Add salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper or paprika.  Toss for 2 minutes or so.  Throw the shredded cheese all over the beans so as to cover them.  Turn the flame off and put a lid on them. Let the cheese melt on its own.  Serve hot!

The No-Brainer Fajita Dinner

Mexican food to me is truly comfort food. And it is so easy to make.  Fajitas, especially, are very easy, low in carbs, and healthy (if you grill the meat/filling).  I realized that I had not been cooking too much meat - so I decided to make Chicken Fajitas for dinner today.  This dish is truly a no-brainer so not much to write as far as the recipe is concerned. Nonetheless, here is the recipe:

Chicken:

3 fillets of chicken, butterfly cut and pounded

Grillers (R) Chipotle Pepper marinade powder

Lime juice

Salt and Pepper

Canned pineapple slices

Wheat flour tortillas

1 medium onion, sliced lengthwise

1 medium red pepper, sliced lengthwise

Wash and pat dry the chicken. Run a knife through the center of the chicken so as to open it up like a book ie. butterfly cut it.  Now wrap it in a saran wrap and pound it down.  Sprinkle some salt and black pepper.  Follow the instructions on the Grillers marinade powder and marinade the chicken in it for atleast 30 minutes.

Grill the chicken on a George foreman or a BBQ grill or the stove, whatever floats your boat.  Remember chicken breast cooks really fast.  Poke and see if the meat is white or better yet use a meat thermometer!! Grill some pineapple slices after draining them.  Lay them on the chicken for a few minutes to get a sweet n spicy taste.  Set aside.  Grill the veggies (onion and red pepper) by throwing them on foil (opened).  Heat the flour tortillas by first lighly dabbing some water and then wrapping them in paper towel and heating them for about 10 to 15 seconds.

Fajitas are ready to be served - Start with the tortillas, add the chicken, black beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, lettuce, and grilled veggies. Wrap it up and gobble gobble!!!

Beans and pico de gallorecipe tomorrow!!

Misal Pav

Misal Pav is a truly a process!! It is a marriage of many elements - First the matki usal (pulses), second comes the Kat (spicy curry), then top it with pohe (puffed rice snack), farsan or shev (spicy snack mix), and finally onions/tomatoes/cilantro! Misal is eaten with bread just like soup and bread.

Misal starts with soaking the matki overnight in water.  Next day, drain the water.  Keep the matki in a muslin cloth or a thin cloth. Wrap it tight and put it in a colander (thanks Deepa for this tip!)  Put a bowl on top of it and keep it in a warm dry place. By the next day, the matkis should sprout!  Now its time to cook the matki usal. Add oil and when hot, add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. when they sputter, add hing. Add 2 cups of matki usal. Add 1/2 tsp each of turmeric, cumin, coriander, kala masala (if you do not have kala masala use garam masala), and chilli powder.  Add 2 cups of water. Add 2 kokums, salt, and jaggery. Cook covered until matki cooks (about 10 to 15 minutes).

Now, we make the Kat or Curry.  It is basically a spicy curry that has Tarri (oil plus water) on the top. Heat oil. Add 2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped) or 3 if you are brave! Add one cup of chopped onion. Roast till golden brown in color. Add 1/8 cup of previously browned shredded coconut (if you do not have coconut already roasted, dry roast the coconut on a pan first).  Keep roasting for another 3 to 4 minutes on medium flame. Now add 3/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes.  Now add 1/2 tsp each of cumin, coriander, and and turmeric powder.  Add 1/4 tsp red chilli powder and 1/2 tsp of Kala Masala. Add some water and allow the paste to cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. The tomatoes should be cooked and the paste should be a mush.  Add a pinch of jaggery and let cook for another minute or two. Set aside to cool. When cooled grind to a paste. This is called the kat (curry) which will be poured on the matki. But we are not done just as yet. Add a significant amount of oil in a pan.  This is necessary to make the Tarri (oily water).  When hot, add 2 to 4 tsbp of paprika. I use paprika instead of Deghi mirchi which gives the color without the heat.  Right away, add the ground mixture to the pan.  Let sit for a minute or two.  You will see the red tarri (watery red curry) form in the pan.  Add another cup of water, stir, and let it come to a boil on low flame.  Kat is ready!  Kat has to be a bit watery because you are supposed to eat with bread like bread and soup.  But, we skipped the bread so I kept my water qty low.  Feel free to add more water depending on how watery  you want the misal. 

Finally, its time to make the pohe (my all-time favorite snack).  I could just eat this and be happy but lets stay on track!  Thoroughly wet 2 cups of thin poha in a colander ie run the pohe under water in a colander.  Set aside for 10 minutes.   Do not soak the pohe in the water.  All we want to do is get them wet so they soften up.  Add oil to the pan. Add 1/4 tsp mustard seeds and 4 to 6 curry leaves. let sputter and now add a dash of hing.  Add one or two small finely chopped potatoes. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Stir and let the potatoes cook.  Now add the poha.  Mix well.  Add salt and sugar.  Cover and cook on low flame for a few minutes. 

Alright all the elements of Misal are ready to go.  In bowl, start assembling the following in this order: Add a ladle full of misal, top it with some kat/curry, next goes some pohe, next goes some farsan or mix shev, followed by finely chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.  Add some lime juice on the top.   

Traditionally misal is eaten with bread/pav.  But, I saved the carbs for something more carbilicous ex bread dipped in balsamic vinegratte and olive oil YUMM!!

Sprouted Moong Koshimbir

I tried to look up some information on Whole Moong because I know it is supposed to be really good for health. I found a whole bunch of stuff on Moong Dal which is basically the split version of the Moong bean.  But, the whole moong, I hear is better for you and the sprouted version of the whole moong even better. I love sprouting beans - there is a sense of excitement and anticipation! And the longer the sprouts, the happier I am.  This time, my friend Deepa gave me a tip to sprout them.  And it worked wonders.  This recipe is so quick and easy to make and goes well as a salsa or a side dish or raita or koshimbir.  I felt it was a little bland but then again spice levels are a personal thing - feel free to adjust them!

2 cups moong (after sprouting them)
2 medium tomatoes, finely diced
1/2 c red onions, finely diced
1/2 c cilantro, finely diced
Lemon juice
Salt/Sugar/Black pepper

Tempering:
Oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Dash of asafoetida
4 curry leaves
2 Red chillies or 2 green chillies

Sprouting moong is so fun! First soak the moong over night in water (or atleast for 6 hrs).  Drain them in a colander.  Now, wrap them in a cheesecloth or a thin cotton cloth.  Put this is a colander and put a bowl on top of the wrapped moong.  Keep aside in a dark spot for a day.  The moong should sprout the next day.  Next, pressure cook the moong with some water and salt.  Only 1 whistle should be enough.  Check if they are cooked and if not perhaps cook it in a microwave.  You do not want the moong to be too mushy. It should be as the Italians say "al dente". 

Now we are ready to make this healthy and oh-so-yummy side dish.  Take the moong in a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients to this.  For tempering, heat oil and add mustard seeds. when they sputter, add the curry leaves, asafoetida, turmeric powder, and red or green chillies (but not both).  Do not keep the flame too high as the contents will burn.  Add the tempering contents to the moong dal bowl and mix well. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Note:  You can also add beaten yogurt to this mixture as serve as a raita.  This could also go well as a Salsa to be served with chips.  However, it may be a bit dry to serve as a salsa. In that case, substitute the lemon juice with some vinegar.

Masala Organization

My newly married cousin Shruti is getting in the swing of the things. You know new hubby, new house, new kitchen! So she has the following question for me:

Mithu, I have a related question about storing spices and other Indian cooking essentials (legumes, rice, lesser-used masalas) in the pantry. What's the best way to stock and organize these items? Can we see a picture of your pantry or other visuals to see what kind of containers to use and how to label them? Thanks!

By Shruti on Indian Spices - The Basics on 8/31/10

So here is a pic of my pantry - I do not have too much of pantry space because my kitchen is quite small. So, I have two long cabinets on either side of the cooking range (see below!) 

The one on the left carries all the bulk spices on the top (things I dont need everyday!).  The bottommost shelf has small canisters of masalas. You see my hubby is a foodie and just loves buying new masalas from the store. That last shelf has about 40 masalas in there - mostly Shaan but some of Badshah and Everest as well.  My favorite is the Butter Chicken Masala by Shaan. I am sure he would vote Tava Fry as his favorite. By the way, those canisters are from Ikea. I would have liked to put them on a gradual incline so it is easy to see the labels. But, I never did that and now I know which masala/spice is where!!

The right side cabinet holds non-indian spices on the right bottom (Costco Zindabaad!) along with my homemade desi ghee (yum), and garlic pods (gotta have my garlic).  The shelves on the top have all my dals/lentils - whole mung, split mung, whole udad, split udad, green vatana, vaal, whole masoor, split masoor, and matki.

Ikea canisters hold my spices just right! The recommendation is to keep spices in the fridge for a longer life but my fridge never has space for regular stuff, let alone 40 spices.

I already posted the post about Basic Indian Spices on July 11, 2010 at http://slurpnburp-mithu.blogspot.com/2010/07/indian-spices-basics.html   My masala dabba or spice box holds my everyday spices. Actually I have two boxes - one as shown below.

The other has udad dal, dried red chillies, fennel seeds or badishape, coriander seeds or dhanay, and whole garam masalas ex bay leaf/tamalpatra, cinnamon stick or dalchini, etc.

Corn and Boondi Koshimbir

Ingredients:
2 ears of corn
1 tomato, finely chopped
1/8 c chopped red onion
1 green chilli or serrano pepper
1/4 c boondi (Fried chickpea or garbanzo beans snack)
Bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
Dash of garlic powder
Lime
Dahi Bara Chaat Masala
Salt

Shuck the corn on the cob.  Shucking means removing the husks from the corn.  Start at the tip or the head of the corn and peel the husk in a downward motion. Remove any silk threads.  Wash the corn.  Run a knife as close to the corn as possible to slice the corn off of the cob.  Roast the corn in a oven safe pan or on the stove in a pan by drizzling some olive oil and salt.  Roast for 5 to 10 minutes while tossing around every few minutes until cooked.  Let cool in a bowl.  Add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss well.  Squeeze some lime juice.  Serve immediately as the boondi gets soggy quick!

Note: Dahi Bara Chaat masala is a seasoning which can be found at an Indian grocery store. It goes really well as a seasoning for dips or dressings.  Boondi is a fried Indian snack made from chickpeas which goes in dips/dressings or can be eaten just as a snack.  One can also add some beaten yogurt to make this into a raita!

Brown Rice Tabbouleh

Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice
2 cups parsley, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 medium cucumber, deseeded and finely chopped
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Dash of garlic powder
Juice of 1/2 of lime

Cook the brown rice as per directions on the box. When cooked, put the rice in a colander. Run cold water on the rice.  Let drain and completely dry it out. Drizzle some olive oil, salt and black pepper and toss the rice. Once the rice is completely cool and dry, we are ready to assemble the Brown Rice Tabbouleh.  In a bowl, add the rice, chopped parsley, tomato, cucumber, some more olive oil, dash of garlic powder, and lime juice.  Adjust salt and black pepper to taste.

Alternatively, you can add green chilli if you want some heat or substitute roasted and crushed garlic instead of garlic powder.

Garlicky Plantain Cakes

Ingredients:

2 plantains
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin powder
Salt and black pepper to taste

Peel the plantains using a potato peeler. You may have to run the peeler twice so as to get close to the flesh.  Wash the plantain after peeling.  Cut the plantain into circles so as to get disc shapes out of the plantains.  Heat some olive oil. When hot, place the discs on the pan making sure the pan is not too crowded. Each disc should get cooked and browned.  Flip the plantain discs to brown the other side.  Now sprinkle the cumin powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss well. When cool, process or pulse the plaintains in a food processor while drizzling olive oil (only about 2 tbsp).  Adding too much olive oil will prevent the cakes from coming together.  The plantain mixture should be somewhat coarse so only a few pulses should do the trick!  Form equal sized balls and press down slightly.  Serve as a side.