Open Faced Masala Sandwich

If you're looking for a colorful and healthy breakfast or lunch box idea for your little one, look no further. My little girl loves this as an after school snack too. So why wait? Don your apron and make your little bunnies happy!!
Recipe source:Shreez Kitchen
Ingredients:
Onion /Green onion-1/4  cups chopped
Tomato - 1  finely chopped
Carrot - 1/2 cup grated
Green chillies - 1 cut into thin slices
Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon squeezed
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Rasam powder - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 4
Salt to taste
Oil
Cilantro/Coriander leaves to garnish
Bread-4 slices
Butter, as required
Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when it starts to splutter, add curry leaves, green chilli and
onion. Saute till onion turns translucent.Add tomato, red chilli powder and rasam powder saute till tomatoes are almost cooked.Add carrot, salt and a little bit of water.
Cook on medium heat till carrots are cooked and there is no more water.
Now take the bread slices and lightly toast them. Butter the toast and spread a  spoonful of the carrot mixture on the toast. Cut  the sandwich  in half or serve as it is.

Aloo Bonda

It had been a very mild winter for us this year. The winter days almost felt like spring and now that the winter has ended and spring began, it has become surprisingly cold with occasional showers.  Being confined in the house during the cold and rainy days really spurs up the appetite; especially craving for something fried.
Bonda is a typical south-Indian snack,  that can be made quickly, with not much pre-planning, and using ingredients which almost always would be there around.  If you haven't tried making it, I would recommend you to give it a try as it is simple and tasty.
Ingredients
For bonda covering:
1 cup  Besan/ chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida
1 teaspoon Red chili powder
1/8teaspoon Baking soda
Salt to taste
For bonda filling
3 Potatoes
1/2 Onion(finely chopped)
2-3 Green chillies(finely chopped)
2 tsp Ginger (finely chopped)
1/4 cup Cilantro/Coriander leaves (finely chopped)
Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Mustard   seeds
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
Pressure cook potatoes till done.  Peel the skin and mash them or slice them into little cubes and keep it aside. Heat oil in pan and when the oil is hot add mustard seeds once they splutter  add curry leaves,ginger,green chillies and finely chopped onions and saute them  till onion turns translucent. Then add the turmeric powder,mashed potatoes,enough salt and mix everything well saute for another 2 minutes. Before turning of the heat add coriander leaves and give a final stir. Leave this to cool. Meanwhile make the batter for the covering by mixing all the ingredients listed under the covering ingredients and adding water little by little to get the consistency of pancake batter without any lumps. Divide filling  into equal portion and make small lemon size balls. Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel. When oil is hot take one ball at a time and dip in the batter and drop carefully into the hot oil. Deep fry till it turns golden brown on both sides. Repeat the same with rest of  the balls. Serve hot with ketchup or chutney of your choice.

Spinach Rice Frittata

Frittata is an egg based dish similar to an omelette or quiche, with additional ingredients like meat, cheese, vegetables or pasta and flavored with herbs. This is a dish of Italian origin.
Ingredients:
1 small onion
2 Tbsp butter
1 package frozen but thawed spinach
2 cups cooked rice
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup of Parmesan  cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 cup mozzarella
Method:
Saute onion in butter. Add spinach, garlic, rice and Parmesan cheese; mix well. Combine eggs, milk and seasonings, stir into rice mixture. Turn into well buttered 2 quart casserole. Top with Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
This original recipe is a mild one, suitable even for kids. But if you are someone who likes a little fire on their palette, you may add some spices or add some chilli powder to the mix before baking.

Baked French Toast a.k.a Bread Pudding

I am always on lookout for recipes that make cooking easier and this is one such  recipe. This is so easy to put together. It needs so little attention unlike traditional french toast for which you need to stand beside the stove taking care not to over brown or burn each toast. If you're anything like me you would love this.
Recipe Source:Allrecipes
Ingredients:
8 slices day-old bread
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cut bread into small pieces and put them into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon,nutmeg and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Finger Millet / Ragi Dosa

For this month's  Blog Hop Wednesday  I am paired with Prabha. And this dosa is what I tried from her space. I am a lover of  dishes made with Ragi because of its nutty taste and nutritional value and this one caught my attention. Taste wise it is almost as good as the dosas made with rice and it scores over on the health aspects.
Recipe adapated from Prabha's Cooking
Ingredients:
Ragi /Millet Flour- 1 cup
Urad dal -1/2 cup
Salt-to taste
Ghee/Butter as required
Method:
Soak Urad dal for 6 Hours and grind with a little water to make a smooth batter. Mix Ragi Flour along with batter. If the batter is too thick add more water to get the consistncy of pancake batter. Ferment the batter overnight or for about 8 hours in a warm place. After 8 hours add salt and mix well. Heat a frying pan or griddle and pour about half a cup of batter and spread thinly.After about 2 minutes apply  a teaspoon of ghee over the dosa and leave it to crisp to your taste. Serve it hot with chutney or sambar.
Sending this over to Radhika's
 

Sweet Cinnamon Flavored Oatmeal Drink

This recipe is a great alternative to the original rice horchata which take hours to make. Though it may not be authentic … it tastes great.
Recipe Source: Food Network
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick, broken into tiny pieces
4 cups water
Sugar or agave nectar, as needed
Method:
In a large pitcher, soak the oats, cinnamon and water for a minimum of 30 minutes. Blend the mixture (including the cinnamon) in a blender. Strain and sweeten with sugar or agave, to taste. Serve well-chilled or over ice.

Lemon Curd

My friend was having her baby shower the other day. When asked what her favorite cake filling was, the mom-to-be was all for lemon curd. So this is the recipe I used to make the lemon curd (though this was not the cake for the shower; this is just a test cake). The good thing about this recipe is that, unlike most of the other ones, it gives a firmer consistency for the lemon-curd, yet melts in your mouth. If you are looking for a lemon-curd recipe as a filling for your cookies or cakes, this would be an ideal one.
Recipe Source:Ina Garten
Ingredients
3 lemons
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
4 extra-large eggs or 5 medium eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Method:
Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

Lentil Salad

This is a salad recipe that is so easy to put together and tastes wonderful.  In case you want to make this ahead, it tastes good even after a day or two. This recipe was shared by a friend and I just followed it. Thank you Angela for introducing me to this delicious salad.
Ingredients:
1 packet of precooked lentils (trader Joes) / 2 cups salted and cooked lentils
Half a bunch cilantro
Half a bunch green onion
1 red pepper chopped into pieces about 1/4 inch
1 yellow pepper chopped into pieces about 1/4 inch
1 orange pepper chopped into pieces about 1/4 inch
3 stalk celery chopped into pieces about 1/4 inch
Method:
Combine all ingredients in bowl and toss with rice vinegar
Sending this over to Show Me Your HITS - Series # 2 ~ Fiber Rich Foods Event
.