Mexican Pizza

Here is my version of  a delicious Mexican pizza. Try this once and I am sure you will make this often. This can be a filling lunch,dinner or any time snack.
Ingredients
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1 (16 oz) can no-sodium black beans, drained
2 tomatoes chopped fine
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp paprika powder
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced thinly
4 oz mushroom, sliced thinly/4 oz soy granules
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
Sliced avocado and cilantro for topping
Lime juice
Method:
Heat oven to 350°F.
Brush a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the oil and arrange tortillas in a single layer. Bake 5-6 minutes or until browned slightly.
While tortillas bake, heat remaining oil in a skillet and cook onions until translucent. Add garlic and tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes break down to a mushy consistency. At this stage add paprika and cumin powder I sometimes even add chicken masala powder in place of cumin and paprika, add the soy granules now if you are using them saute for another 2 minutes. Now add beans and partially mash with a potato masher or the back of a fork.
Remove tortilla pizzas from oven and top each with bean mixture, spreading evenly. Top with cheese. Distribute veggies evenly. Bake until cheese has melted and crust turns crispy and lightly browned, approximately 10-15 minutes. Serve with cilantro and avocado. Lime juice really brightens up the dish.

Deconstructed Deviled Eggs

If you are looking for ways to use up eggs from your Easter egg hunt left-overs, here is a popular and easy dish which is even further simplified. Hope you would all enjoy this as much as we did.
Recipe source: Honestly yum
Ingredients:
12 eggs
1/3 cup of good mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of white vinegar
1/2 shallot
Parsley
paprika
Celery salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method:
Make medium-boiled eggs. Bring a small pot of water to a boil (make sure the pot is wide enough so all the eggs fit in one layer). Use just enough water so they barely cover the eggs. Lower the heat to a very gentle simmer. Place the room temperature eggs in the boiling water very carefully. I use a large spoon to slide them in. Cook for 6-7 minutes and immediately remove from heat and run under very cold water to stop the cooking.
Peel the eggs and slice the eggs in half. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over them.
To make the dressing, combine mayonnaise, dijon mustard and roughly chopped 1/2 shallot in a food processor and blend. Add the vinegar and blend again until smooth. Place a dollop on each egg and add a pinch of paprika over the eggs.
Roughly chop the parsley and add a pinch on each egg.

Onion 'N Carrot Samosa

Last few days had been cloudy and wet.There is some thing with  rainy days, that I don't feel guilty having fried snacks on those days. This easy peasy yet tasty samosa is what I made to please my craving.

Ingredients:

Wonton wrappers

Onion thinly sliced - 3/4 cup

Carrot grated - 1/2 cup

Green chillies finely chopped - 2

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Cilantro - few finely chopped

Poha / aval / flattened rice - 1/2 cup

Salt as needed

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Take sliced onions and carrot mix with salt and set aside for 15 minutes. Squeeze out the water from onion and carrot as much as you can. Mix rest of the ingredients except wonton wrappers and oil. Now take a wonton wrapper and  put the filling in the middle on one side and fold the wrapper in such a way that you get a triangle samosa. Seal the ends with some water. Deep fry samosas in hot oil until golden brown.Serve hot. 

Khaman Dhokla

Till a few years back I believed making Kaman Dhokla was a very difficult task which only a seasoned cook can accomplish. This may be because most of my Gujarati friends depended on their moms or in laws to make these or resorted to instant versions of dhokla, never daring to try it out themselves. A while ago I saw a few recipes online as well as in magazines for making these, but still I didn't try making them as I was still not convinced. Over an year ago Kaveri, one of my blogger friends posted this on her blog and as I have always gotten  good results from trying out  her recipes I thought of giving this a try. I was so happy with the result that I have made this a zillion times since then. This is so easy to put together and tastes better than any other I have tasted.
Recipe Source: Palakkad Chamayal
Ingredients:
Chickpea flour/Besan – 1 Cup
Curd – ½ cup
Water – ¼ cup
Green Chilly – 1 or 2
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
Oil – ½ tbsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – a pinch
Eno – 1 packet /1 &1/4 tsp
Salt to taste

For tempering
Oil – 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Green chilly – 1 Slit
Asafoetida – 1/8th teaspoon
Fresh Coriander/Cilantro Leaves for garnish

Method
In a blender add  turmeric powder, salt, sugar, green chilly, ginger, oil,water,lemon juice and curd and whip to smooth.  Add chickpea flour and blend once more to form a smooth batter.Transfer this to a bowl
Meanwhile heat a steamer with water for steaming. Add the eno fruit salt to the chickpea flour mixture mix gently and pour immediately into a  greased cake pan or plate. Steam for 7 to 8 minutes,
Remove and allow to cool.
Heat a small  pan with oil. Add mustard seeds, once they crackle add asafoetida powder and the slit green chilly.
Pour this over the steamed dhokla, garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Cut into desired shapes and serve with chutney of your choice

Cheesy'N Garlicy Cauliflower Bread

I am yet to see any kid who doesn't like pizza. But that is not the same when it comes to veggies for most kids. One of the complaints that I often hear from moms is about how difficult it is for them to make their little ones have their daily dose of veggies. But what if you can make a pizza with just the veggies only - and tasting as delicious as a real pizza? Well, look no further. This recipe is so easy to make and so...so delicious that your little ones would be after you asking for more.

Recipe Source:Mom,What's For Dinner
Ingredients:
1 &1/2 cups cooked, riced cauliflower
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
Olive oil
For Topping:
2 tablespoons softened salted butter
 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
*Optional Marinara sauce for dipping
 Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Wash the cauliflower and rice the cauliflower. I minced it in my food processor.The minced cauliflower should be around 1 1/2 cups, for that amount I used half a medium sized cauliflower.Now microwave this for 5 minutes.Let it cool.

Meanwhile prepare your baking sheet or pan by spreading a small amount of olive oil on it and top with parchment paper,I used aluminium foil and it turned out sticky at the edges.
In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg, Parmesan and Mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir.
Transfer to the baking stone or sheet, and using your hands, pat out into desired shape
Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven.

Mix 2 Tbs butter and garlic in a small bowl and.spread the butter and garlic mixture over baked cauliflower bread and top with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses.

Place back in the 450 degree oven until all cheese is melted.
Slice and Serve!

Gobi Manchurian

This is one of the universally loved Indo-Chinese dishes. I haven't come across anyone, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, who doesn't like this. The beauty of this is that you can have it as an appetizer/starter or as a side-dish that goes well with fried-rice, noodles or any of the Indian breads. Even though this involves deep frying, for those health-conscious friends of mine there is another option. Instead of deep frying the fritters, you can bake it at 400 degree F in an oil sprayed baking tray. Just make sure that you add a tablespoon of oil in the batter before dipping the cauliflower to get crispy fritters.
Ingredients:
1 Cup Maida or All purpose flour
1 Cauliflower
1/4 cup Corn Flour
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp Oil
3 tsp Tomato Sauce
3 tsp Chilli Garlic Sauce
1/2 tsp Soya Sauce
1 tsp Vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped Onion
1/4 cup Spring Onion
2 tsp Garlic
1/2 tsp finely chopped Green Chilli
1 green pepper sliced
1 tsp Corn Flour
1 tsp Sugar
Method:
To make Fritters
Mix allpurpose flour and corn flour, black pepper, salt, in a bowl ,add water, stir well and make a medium thick batter not too thick or too thin.
Cut florets from cauliflower, dip florets in batter and deep fry till they turn golden color.
For Sauce : The amount of sauce given is for a dry version if you want a more saucier version double or triple the ingredients.
Heat  oil, add chopped onion and saute till onions becomes translucent. Add green chillies and garlic. Saute for 30 secs. To this add black pepper, tomato sauce,  chilli garlic sauce / chilli sauce , vinegar, soya sauce,green pepper, sugar, salt to taste and mix well. Add fried cauliflower fritters, coat well with sauce.Garnish with spring/green onion

Popeye Pie

We mothers know how difficult it is to make our little ones have some veggies. When Aishwarya was small, Popeye was a big help in getting some greens into her mouth. She used to love that program so much that she used to eat spinach with no complaints. And thanks to that, she still continues to love spinach in whatever form. So when I came across this recipe  with her childhood hero's name, and with spinach as the main ingredient, I never had a second thought in trying this out. And guess what, this turned out to be quite a hit.

Ingredients:
20 oz. spinach, chopped (I used frozen)
2 tbs. olive oil, divided
1 tbs. butter, melted
1 large onions (about 3 cups), diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
4oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2eggs, lightly beaten
4 oz. cottage cheese
1/2 lb. phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
Method:
Saute onions in 2 tbsp.olive oil until lightly golden. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. If using frozen spinach, squeeze as much moisture out of thawed spinach as possible and then separate the clumps. Stir in spinach and all herbs and spices into the onions and cook out all remaining moisture. Remove the spinach mixture from the heat and taste it. It should taste spicy but the salt should be on the lower side as the feta cheese will add additional saltiness.
Once the mixture cools slightly, stir in the eggs and cheeses. Line one 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and  combine remaining oil and butter. Lightly brush the bottom of  the foil-lined pan with fat mixture. Cut the phyllo sheets to fit your pan and layer 1/2 of the sheets into the pan, brushing every 3rd layer with the oil/butter mix.  Put the spinach mixture and  press firmly into a solid layer. Top with remaining phyllo sheets, again brushing every 3rd layer with butter and oil.  Place pan in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove pie from freezer and (cut only through the top layer of phyllo, dividing the pan into 6 sections). I forgot this step when baking this but, this will make it easier to make clean cuts later.
Bake the  pie at 350 for 45-60 minutes or until top layer of phyllo is browned.
If you want you can freeze the pie  and  bake without thawing at 350 for 60-90 minutes.

Spring Roll

Last few days I had been making sweet dishes and snacks mostly that Jay began to complain. Though Aishwarya and me are both sweet lovers, Jay prefers the savory stuff generally. In fact, he often says that he would have eaten more than the amount of sweets in the first few months of our marriage than he had in his whole life till then ! So to pacify him, I thought of making something savory and crunchy.
Spring rolls gets its name from the season of spring - the time when the vegetables that goes into making this are in abundance and the spring festival when it used to be consumed typically. These days these are almost synonymous with Chinese cuisine. These come in a variety of different ways - fried or non-fried, sweet or savory - but typically would have a wrapper which is filled with whatever you prefer.
What I have here are the fried spring-rolls with vegetable filling.
Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, small diced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 head small cabbage, thinly sliced
4-5  mushrooms, , diced
1 1/2 cups soy granules washed in warm water
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cube of tastemaker
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
 1 egg, white and yolk separated
1 package large (8 inch) spring roll wrappers

Method:
In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except egg yolk and wrappers.
Brush egg yolk on three corners of wrapper. Add 2 tablespoons of filling in center of wrapper, Fold the spring roll skin from the bottom over the mixture, making a tight tube of the mixture. Fold corners in from the sides, and press to stick against folded roll. Then roll to the other end and stick it shut.  Repeat with remaining egg roll wrappers.  Deep fry the spring rolls in oil at 350°F for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Work in batches. Flip half way through. Remove and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Pizza Quesadilla 'N Guacamole

Ever since the school reopened, my daughter returns home hungry for something to eat. From this year she is in middle school and has longer hours to spent at the school. Plus, she also has PE to do. I guess all this is making her hungrier by the time school ends. So I need to have something to feed her when she is back from school and this is one such dish which is easy to make yet is well liked.
Pizza Quesadilla
Ingredients:
8 flour tortillas
8 ounces of shredded mozzarella /provolone cheese
1 16-ounce jar of pizza sauce
 Method:
Pre-heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add one tortilla and cook until soft, about 15 to 30 seconds.Turn this over and brush tortilla with a thin layer of pizza sauce (so thin that if you turned it over, none would drip).Now spread  1/4 cup or little more of cheese mixture on one half, fold in half, and cook on both sides until cheese melts  and tortilla is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Repeat with  remaining tortillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4, serve with a little bowl of pizza dipping sauce.

Guacamole
Ingredients
3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 tsp  cayenne pepper/2 green chillies sliced
1tbs olive oil

Method:
In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper and olive oil . Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Italian Cheese Bread

If you are looking for an alternative for garlic bread look no further. This bread is the perfect one for you. This savory bread can be had as a part of your main course,appetizer or snack This is so easy to put together and tastes awesome.  

Ingredients:
Bread:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Topping:
1/4 cup prepared Italian salad dressing/dressing of your choice
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Dash pepper/Chilli flakes
1-2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Methods:
In a bowl, add the lukewarm water along with sugar and yeast. After it yeast proofs, add all the other ingredients listed under bread and knead to form a soft dough. Add additional flour if needed. Turn onto a floured surface; knead for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes punch the dough down; place on a greased cookie pan or a pizza pan  and pat into the pan uniformly. Brush with salad dressing. Combine the seasonings; sprinkle over top. Sprinkle with cheeses. Allow the bread to rest for 15 minutes or so. 
Pre-heat the oven to 450*F. Bake for 11-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Honey Cauliflower

Happy Father's day greetings to all the dads out here.Today being fathers day I thought of posting a savory and sweet dish: two flavors loved by the dads in my life. My dad loves anything sweet; no wonder I am such a sweet lover. And my husband loves savory over any other flavor. So this sweet and savory dish is for you wonderful dads. I am sure that this crispy cauliflower, coated with Indo-Chinese sauce would be a much  loved appetizer in your next get-together .
Ingredents:
1/2 kg cauliflower cut into small florets
8tbs cornflour
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 egg
Water as needed
Oil for deep frying
1 tbsp white sesame seeds roasted
For Sauce1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup clear honey
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs Chilli sauce (or to taste)
2 tbs Tomato ketchup(or to taste)
1tbs Thick Soy sauce (or to taste)
2 tbs minced ginger

Method:
Mix the cornflour, salt, pepper, egg and enough water to make a batter of pouring consistency. Heat oil. Dip cauliflower into batter and fry till cooked through but crisp (like a pakora). Remove from the oil and transfer on to absorbent paper. Just before serving mix honey,chilli sauce,tomato ketchup, lemon juice and soy sauce. Heat a sauce-pan and add butter and ginger once the ginger turns slightly brown add the mixed honey mix and  mix the fried cauliflower into it and heat over high heat to heat through. Serve hot, garnished with the sesame seeds.

Parmesan Puff Pastry

After my last post of Napoleon, did I realize that I haven't yet posted my favorite go to appetizer; the one I go for when  I am having a party and am short on time.This is such a simple and easy recipe that even Aishwarya or Jai could make it(and often ends up making thus giving me more time to concentrate on other courses.)This sure would be crowd pleaser.
Recipe Source:Paula Deen
Ingredients
1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup butter, melted/Olive oil
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.On a lightly floured surface, unfold pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 13 strips, about 3/4 by 10-inches apiece.In a shallow dish, combine cheese, basil, and garlic. Brush pastry sticks with melted butter. Roll pastry in cheese mixture, lightly coating each side. Gently twist pastry sticks, and place on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Baked Crispy Kale Chips

If you are looking for a  low calorie nutritious snack, go no further. If you are like me who cannot stop at eating just one, this is the perfect one for you. These are so crispy and they kind of melt in your mouth. Yet these are so easy to make. Thanks for all your good wishes for Aishwarya; she is doing better and we are hoping to have her up and running in no time .

Recipe Source: Food Network
Ingredients
1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt, for sprinkling
Method:
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Kale should be thoroughly dried or else you will end up with steamed or discoloured kale chips.Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes.

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.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

For this month's Blog Hop Wednesday by Radhika,  I am paired with Princy. This was a rather busy week for me so I was on the look out for an easy  dish to try out and when I saw this  I didn't have to think twice before trying it. As usual  I tweaked a bit and instead of the plain version I thought of going for the the roasted red pepper one as the weather was unusually chilly today and I wanted something to lift my spirits up.  The end product was this yummy and healthy dip.

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans,rinsed and drained
1 (4 ounce) jar roasted red peppers or home made
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
2 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoon sour cream
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
Method:
Puree the chickpeas, red peppers, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cumin, cayenne, olive oil and salt in an electric blender or food processor.  Process, using long pulses, until the mixture is fairly smooth, and slightly fluffy. Make sure to scrape the mixture off the sides of the food processor or blender in between pulses. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Sprinkle the hummus with the chopped parsley before serving.
Sending this over to

and Priya's The Big Chutney Chow Down

Scallion'N Garlic Pancakes

Scallion pancakes are pan-fried bread. It has origins in the Chinese culture. Unlike a true pancake, it is made from dough instead of batter and is a lot like Indian parathas and other simple flat breads. I have used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour  and and alterd the filling to my taste.This would make a nice appetizer or a filling breakfast.
Ingredients:
Dough
Whole wheat flour-1 &1/2 cups
 Luke warm water-2/3rd cup
Oil -1 tbs
Salt-1/4tsp
Filling 
Scallion/Spring onion-1 cup(thinly sliced)
Garlic-4 cloves(thinly sliced)
Chilli flakes-1tsp
Salt -1/4 tsp
Vegetable oil-2tbs
Method:
Mix flour, salt , water and oil together to make a soft dough (add more water if needed).
Knead the dough on a lightly greased surface to make the dough smooth and pliable.
Set the dough aside and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes or more.
Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.
Mix all the ingredients listed under the filling.
Roll the dough out into a thin pancake about 1/4th inch thickness.Spread a thin layer of the filling over the pancake roll the pancake like a rug, wind the pancake into a spiral as if shaping a cinnamon roll, then tuck the loose end underneath.Roll out the rolled pancake to 1/8th inch thickness, pan-fry in a little oil on both sides until golden Slice into quarters or eighths and  serve.
Sending this over to Kaveri's  Herbs and Flowers in my platter event

Hara Bhara Kebab

For this week's Blog hop Wednesday by Radhika, I was paired with  Archana . She has a wonderful food blog with so many tempting dishes.While going through her blog I came upon  this recipe and remembered a promise I made to my daughter last summer when we were in India. While restauarnt hopping there, Aishwarya had tried this and as she is a big fan of anything green, got a big liking for this. She made me promise that I would try this out once back in the US,but I completely forgot about this until I saw it in The Mad Scientist's Kitchen.  Thank you Archana, you  just made my daughter one happy girl.
Recipe source:The Mad Scientist's Kitchen
Ingredients
3 potatoes, peeled and boiled
1 cup frozen peas,
1 1/2 cups spinach leaves, washed and finely chopped
2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped
2tbs mint chutney
1tbs chat masala
3tbs slightly crushed cashew nuts
3 tbsp corn flour
3 tsp olive oil
Method:
Blanch spinach and green peas,squeese out the water and puree both spinach, peas and chillies without addding water. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the oil. Mash until fairly smooth.
Take a spoonful of the mixture, the size of a golf ball, and flatten it to make a burger shape. Repeat with the remaining mixture.Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan and lightly fry the patties for 2 minutes on each side, cooking them well. Drain on kitchen paper towels. Serve hot.

Mint Aloo Chaat

This is the 6th week of Blog Hop Wednesday and this week I am paired with Radhika, the mastermind behind this series. As many of you know, she has a wonderful food blog; and each time I visit her space I find recipes that call out to you. This recipe caught my attention due to its simplicity and ease of preparation. It was well liked by my family. I especially loved the freshness that lingers back in your mouth even long after having this.
Recipe Source: Tickling Palates
Ingredients:
Baby Potatoes-1/2 Kgs.
Coriander leaves-1 bunch
Mint leaves-1/2 bunch
Ginger-1/2"
Green chillies-3 – 4
Corn flour-1 tbsp
Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
Salt-To taste
Butter-2 tbsp
Method:
Pressure cook the baby potatoes with a pinch of salt and remove the skin. If your potatoes are big cut them in two.  Wash the coriander and mint leaves.  Grind  the leaves, green chillies, ginger and salt together to a fine paste adding just little water.In a bowl mix the corn flour with little water without any lumps. Add this to the ground green paste and mix well.Put  potatoes into this and mix well to marinate. Let it stand for 10-15 mins.Melt butter in a pan and add the marinated baby potatoes and mix well. Cook over low flame till the butter mingles with the potatoes and coats it well. Take care not to burn.
Switch off the stove and sprinkle chaat masala generously and give it a toss. Transfer to a plate and serve hot.
Sending this over to Blog Hop Wednesday

Apple 'N Carrot Turnover-A Tribute to Steve

The news of the sad demise of Steve Jobs was a rather upsetting one, though expected. We all knew that he was not keeping well,  but we were hoping for him to comeback bouncing to active life the way he had done always - whether in career or life.
For me living in Cupertino, Apple is a part of the everyday life. I have to pass the Apple headquarters almost every day. I see Apple employees tutoring kids in my daughter's school, and of course, so many of my neighbors work for Apple. And one of the first things that my friends from India ask me when they realize that I live in Cupertino just a block away from the Apple Headquarters is that whether I had ever seen Steve Jobs. I used to joke that Steve used to have lunch at our place every other day! But the sad part is that though I had lived for over 5 years now so close to Apple, I had never once got a chance to see this icon of Silicon Valley entrepreneurship even once!
I dedicate this apple turnover to the memory of one of the ever resilient and iconic figures  of the new generation.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cups (1/4-inch) diced peeled carrots
1 cup (1/4-inch) diced peeled gala apple
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly pepper flakes
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoons dried basil
1 recipe of pie crust (use only 1/4 cup sugar)
1 tablespoon milk
Cooking spray
Method:
Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and chilli flakes sauté for 3 minutes. Add carrots; sauté for another 3 minutes. Add apple; cook 2 more minutes or until carrot and apple are tender. Stir in salt. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. Gently stir in cheese and basil. Separate pie dough into 8 pieces. Roll each portion into a 5-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.(Combine 1tbs mustard sauce and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl. Apply a thin layer of this on the rolled out dough - this is an optional step, only if you love the flavor of mustard sauce). Spoon about 2 tablespoons apple mixture onto half of each circle, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Fold dough over filling; press edges together with a fork to seal. I have used a mold.  Brush milk over dough. Place turnovers 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 19 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Paniyaram

For this week's Blog hop Wednesday by Radhika, I was paired with Monika. She has a wonderful food blog with so many tempting dishes.But this being the week after Onam, I wanted to try something simple and not been blogged by me yet. My search ended at this simple yet scrumptious snack/breakfast dish.
Recipe Source:Sin A Mon
Ingredients:
Idly batter-2 cups
Salt to taste
Ginger green chili paste-2 tsp
Onion chopped-1 medium
Curry leaves a handful
Cilantro - 1 tbsp chopped
Method:
Mix all the ingredients into the Idli batter  and mix well .Check for salt /seasonings.Take an unniappam chatti (or an aebleskiver pan) . Grease the molds with ghee or vegetable oil.Spoon  the batter into the greased molds till 3/4 full. Cover and cook till golden brown on low to medium heat.Flip slowly with a flat teaspoon  or skewer and cook on the other side.Serve hot with chutney,sambar or ketchup
Sending this over to Blog Hop Wednesday