Western / Denver Sandwich

Yesterday was a busy day; we  were all so engrossed with what we were doing that we didn't  realize we hadn't had our breakfast. At about 11 Aishwarya told us that she has made us a special brunch; an all American sandwich called a Western/Denver Sandwich. When we took a bite into the sandwich we realized that  it is none other than our own omelette sandwich from India. This led to a big argument about the origin of the sandwich and its name. So to put everything straight we googled Western/Denver sandwich and Aishwarya was indeed right there existed a sandwich by this name,we also learned that in some places its called a cow-boy sandwich. Whatever the name or wherever it originated I guarantee this is one yummy and filling sandwich and that  we were  so proud that our little girl was so thoughtful and could put together such a delicious brunch. I am now looking forward to more dishes to be made by Aishwarya.

Ingredients
1/4 cup chopped onion
 1/2 teaspoon diced green chilli
1/4 cup diced red/ green pepper
 1/4 cup diced cabbage(optional)
 1/4 cup diced cooked ham (optional  )
 2 tablespoons
 1 tablespoon  milk
 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley(optional)
 4  Eggs
 1/4 teaspoon  freshly ground pepper
 1/4 teaspoon   Salt
 4 slices bread, toasted

Method:
In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion and green pepper in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Stir in ham if using and parsley. Whisk the eggs, salt, pepper and milk. Add egg mixture to skillet (mixture should set immediately at edges).
As eggs set, push cooked edges toward the center, letting uncooked portion flow underneath. When the eggs are set; cut into wedges. Spread each slice of toast with  remaining butter. Serve omelet wedges on toast.

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.

Spinach, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomato Omelet

Hope you all wonderful mothers had a fabulous mothers day. I sure had one  with lots of pampering. My day started off with this delicious omelet and grilled veggies courtesy my dear hubby. This was one delicious breakfast which I would love to have any day.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
2 tablespoons oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons crumbled Feta
Method:
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch each of salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, swirling it to coat the pan. When the butter stops sizzling, pour the egg mixture into the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the bottom is set, about 10 seconds. Using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, pull the set eggs at the edges of the pan toward the center, allowing the unset eggs to run from the center to the sides. (Adjust the heat if necessary to prevent browning.) Continue to cook until a thin layer of unset egg is visible on top.
Sprinkle with the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and Feta; fold the eggs over the filling. Transfer to a plate and serve

 Mother's day present by Aishwarya

Huevos Rancheros

Today got up late and lazy which is norm for me on any holiday . But I woke up with a big appetite. As I got up late, I thought of combining the breakfast and lunch in one meal - have a big meal that would keep my family full till the dinner-time. When I checked my refrigerator  I had some veggie loaded chillis and some ripe avocados that needed to be used up. As always I had Tortillas  in my pantry. So whipping this up took only about 10 minutes and it was one delicious and wholesome meal.
Huevos rancheros - means "Rancher's Eggs" in Spanish and is a traditional mid-morning food served in Mexican farms. Non-Mexican additions like cheese, sour cream, lettuce etc. also became part of the many variations of the basic recipe over the years.

Recipe source: Foodnetwork
Ingredients
One 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 large clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1 jalapeno pepper (seeded if desired)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 ounces cured chorizo, casings removed, diced
Vegetable oil
Four 6-inch corn tortillas, plus more for serving, optional
One 16-ounce can refried beansor vegetarian chilli optional
4 large eggs
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced, for garnish
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled queso fresco or grated Monterey Jack, for serving
shredded iceburg lettuce
Sour cream, for serving
Method:
In a food processor, combine the tomatoes (with juices), cilantro, onions, garlic, jalapeno, and salt; puree until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a small skillet and simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Cover and keep warm over low heat.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chorizo until browned, about 5 minutes. Add to the sauce and cover again.

Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the fat in the skillet. Place a tortilla in the skillet and cook until light golden but not crisp, about 30 seconds. Flip and cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer to an individual plate. Cook the remaining tortillas, adding a bit more oil to the pan if necessary.

Heat the refried beans, if using, in a small saucepan. Spread the beans on the tortillas.I have used a  chilli that I made with black beans and kidney beans and loaded with veggies

Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Working in batches, crack the eggs into the skillet. Cook until the bottoms are set and the edges golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until set, about 1 minute more. Place some lettuce on the tortillas followed by beans or chilli ,sauce top it with 1 egg. Sprinkle with the avocado, cheese and additional cilantro. Top with a dollop of sour cream. Repeat  with the rest of tortillas.

Anda Paratha - Egg-Stuffed Indian Flatbread

If you don't have enough time to make an elaborate meal, yet want to make sure your family gets their daily dose of proteins, carbs and veggies, this is the dish for you. This is also ideal if  you want to sneak in some veggies into your kids diet. With Aishwarya, my problem is that though she doesn't mind having most of the veggies,she doesn't like to have eggs in most typical forms. So this is one of the ways I can get some of the goodness of the eggs into her.
Ingredients:
Wheat flour  -  2 cups
Eggs - 4 nos
Fresh Cilantro, diced - 3 tbsp
Green chilli peppers, diced - 4-5 nos
Fresh spinach - 1/4 cup, optional
Ajwain (carom seed) - 1/2 tsp
Mozzarella cheese - 1/4 cup, optional
Chaat masala - 1/4 tsp, optional
Salt - to taste
Butter - as required

Method:
Mix the wheat flour with 1 egg, ajwain, salt, green-chilli and 1 tbsp of cilantro. Add 1/2 a cup of water to this and mix it well. Form it into a dough with the consistency of the usual roti/chapatti dough, by adding additional water as may be required. Let it rest for at least 15 mts.
Beat the remaining 3 eggs along with the spinach and a bit of salt in a bowl. Take a golf ball sized dough and roll it out as thin as possible into a disc shape. Put this roti on a heated tawa (pan). Now take about 3 tbsp of egg mix and spread it over the entire top of the roti. Sprinkle cilantro and cheese over the eggs. Now fold the paratha from 3 sides to form a triangle. Flip the paratha over and roast by applying butter on both sides till done.
Sprinkle a pinch of chat masala and serve it hot. You may serve it with a dollop of yogurt or with some ketchup or mint chutney.

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.

Tomato Egg Kurma

This is a recipe I had in my collection from almost 10 years back. If I remember correctly, I had noted this down from one of the cookery shows in some Malayalam channel. This is a simple recipe, so easy to make, yet gives good results. When I am short of time and want to give the feeling of having made something special, I make this. Even without adding nuts or coconut milk this curry has the rich gravy for a good kurma.

Ingredients:
Onion - 2 nos, diced
Tomato - 2 nos, diced
Eggs - 2 nos, hard boiled
Garlic - 5 cloves
Green chilli - 3 nos
Curry leaves - a few
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1tsp
Meat masala/vegetable masala - 1 tsp

Method:
Separate the yolk of the hard boiled eggs and cut the whites into small pieces. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai and when hot add onion, garlic, green chilli and curry leaves. Add all the other powders and saute till the raw smell is no more. Add tomato saute for a minute and add 1 glass of water. Add salt to taste and crumble the egg yolks into it. When the gravy thickens, add the egg whites. This curry goes well with chapathis or rice.

Marbled Tea Eggs

This is something that Aishwarya and me tried making for Easter.We wanted some thing new to share with her little friends.I am sure you may be wondering why now  as its way past Easter.This can be had any day by itself or with your favorite Chinese food
Ingredients:
Eggs-8

Green onion-1 Chopped

Ginger -2 tsp minced

Soy sauce-1/4 cup

Dark soy sauce-1/4 cup

Dark brown suagar - 2 tbs

5 spice powder - 1/2 tsp

Star anise - 3

Cinnamon sticks -1

Method:

Boil the eggs with water covering them, over medium heat for 10 mts. Cool the eggs and gently tap each egg all over with a spoon until there are hairline cracks covering the entire shell. Return the eggs to the pan, add all the remaining ingredients and top up with enough water to cover the eggs. Simmer for 15 mts at low heat. For more intense color you can boil up to 1 hr. Let the eggs cool in the liquid in refrigerator, overnight. You can store this up to 1 week this way. When ready to serve, remove from the liquid, peal off the shells and serve.

Source: Martin Yan's Quick and Easy

Meringue Mushrooms

For this months Sweet Punch challenge we had Meringue as the theme .We had 3 choices and I chose the Meringue Mushrooms as they looked sooo cute.This was so easy to make and turned out pretty nice.They were so light and were  melting away in our mouths in just seconds.As I made this a few days before I used them to decorate my Yule Log that I made for Christmas and I liked the overall look.Thank you Sweet Punch for this nice recipe.
Source:  joyofbaking.com
Ingredients:
2 large (30 grams) egg whites, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup (100 grams) superfine (caster) white sugar (if you don't have superfine sugar simply take granulated white sugar and process it for about 30 seconds in a food processor).

Method:
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Have two pastry bags ready (one for piping the caps and stems and one for gluing them together). Fit one small pastry bag with a number 3 (1/16 inch diameter) (.2 cm) round plain tip (used to glue the stems and caps together) and one large pastry bag with a number 6 (1/2 inch diameter) (1 1/4 cm) round plain tip (for stems and caps).  Fold down the tops of the bags to form a deep cuff on the outside and place each bag in a tall narrow glass for support. This will make it easy to transfer the meringue to the pastry bags.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (100 degrees C) and place 2 oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

In bowl of electric mixer, at moderately slow speed, beat the room temperature egg whites until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar and beat at medium speed until soft peaks form.  Continue beating (increasing speed to high), gradually adding the superfine sugar, until the whites are very stiff and glossy.  (You want to make sure that the sugar has dissolved completely - to test rub a little of the meringue between your fingers.)

With a rubber spatula place approximately 1/4 cup of the meringue in the pastry bag with the small tip (used to glue the caps and stems together).  Place the remainder of the meringue in the large pastry bag.

To Pipe Caps: Holding the pastry bag upright and close to the parchment paper, pipe the meringue with even pressure, into even rounds building up the meringue to form a 2 inch (5 cm) round that is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) high.  Sharply twist the bag and stop the pressure as you slowly move the tip off the meringue.  Try to make the top as smooth as possible but use a wet fingertip to smooth out any bumps.

To Pipe Stems: Holding the pastry bag upright and close to the parchment paper, pipe the meringue with even pressure, into a cone-shape, making the base of the stem a little larger than the top.  The stem should be about 1 inch (2.54 cm) high.  Try to keep the stems as straight as possible.  Some of the stems may fall over on their sides during baking, so it is a good idea to make extra.

Bake the meringues for approximately one hour, or until the mushrooms are firm enough that they can be lifted from the baking sheet without sticking.  Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back (about three quarters of the way through) to ensure even baking.

Remove from oven and with a small sharp knife, make a small hole in the middle of the underside of each mushroom cap.  Using the small pastry bag fitted with the 1/l6 inch tip, pipe a little bit of meringue in the hole and gently press the top of the stem into the hole.

Place the mushrooms, caps down, on a parchment lined baking sheet and return to oven for about 15 - 30 minutes, or until the mushroom are dry.  Remove from oven and lightly dust the tops of the mushrooms with cocoa powder.  Use a small pastry or paint brush to smudge the cocoa powder, if desired.

Store in an airtight container for several weeks.

Makes about 24 - 30 mushrooms (depending on size)

Kerala Egg Roast

This is a simple egg curry usually made in our house as an accompaniment to Pathiri,Appam or Idiyappam. Since typically these are taken with sweetened coconut milk, having this curry along with that adds a spiciness to the otherwise sweet overall taste - making the mix of sweet and spiciness that we all love.

Ingredients

Hard-boiled egg – 4
Onion (sliced) – 2 cups
Green chilly (sliced) – 5
Tomato (sliced) – 1
Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Coconut milk -3 tbs optional
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Salt
Oil

Method

Heat three teaspoons of  oil to it add curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste. Stir and when it gives a cooked smell add sliced onions. Sauté till the onions turn brown. Add green chillies. Saute for a minute. Add coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala mixed with a tablespoon of water. Stir well for a minute. Add 3 tablespoons of water or coconut milk.  Now add salt and the sliced tomatoes. Cook for three minutes or till tomatoes are cooked.Add boiled eggs and cook for another three minutes.

Garnish Egg Roast with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Elegant Masala

All of us has some dish or other we started with our culinary journey, and this is that one dish that I cooked all by myself first time ever. I think I was in the 6th grade at that time and came upon this recipe in a Women's Era magazine.This had only a few ingredients and tasted quite different from my mom's usual curries that everyone loved it. So I saved the recipe and used to make it often but  lately I had forgotten all about it.Yesterday my daughter was asking me when was the first time I made a dish completely all by myself and what was it. It is then I remembered all about this one and cooked it for dinner. It tasted good - just the way I remembered  it to be. So here is my first dish.

Serves 3
Ingredients:

Eggs-3 -4

Onions-3

Tomatoes-3

Ginger-garlic paste-2 Tbs

Curry leaves - few

Turmeric Powder -1/2 Tsp

Chilli Powder -1 and 1/2 Tbs

Method:

Make omelets without adding salt , cut into small pieces and set aside. Heat  2 tablespoons of oil and add the chopped onions and saute them till they turn light brown. Now add ginger garlic paste ,tomatoes and curry leaves and cook them for 2  minutes .To this add the chilli powder ,turmeric powder,salt and saute them for a minute .Add a cup of water and cook for 5 to 8 minutes.When the water reduces to half  of the initial amount add the egg pieces and cook on low heat until the egg pieces are coated with masala.

Kerala Mutta Curry (Egg Curry)

The greatest egg lover I have seen ever is my father-in-law, who would love to have eggs for break-fast, lunch and dinner (and in between snacking :-) ) if my MIL would allow it!
This is one curry that I made for him once and he enjoyed very much - so I dedicate this to him. This is derived from an old recipe of Mrs.K.M. Mathew (for those who doesn't know her, she was one of the doyen's of Kerala cooking). I got this recipe from one of her cook-books "Flavors of the Spice Coast", which I won in a cookery contest conducted by "Vanitha" the woman's magazine for which she was the Chief Editor.


Serves 6
Ingredients:
Hard boiled eggs - 6 nos
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon - 1''
Cloves - 3 nos
Cardamom - 2 nos
Onion - 1/4 cup, finely sliced
Green chillis - 2 nos, half split
Ginger - 1 tsp
Garlic - 9 cloves
Vinegar - 1/2 tsp
Thin Coconut milk - 1 1/2 cup, thin
Salt - to taste
Potatoes - 2 medium size cut into cubes
Thick coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Seasoning Ingredients:
Oil - 2 tsp
Shallots - 1 no cut fine
Curry leaves - a few
Method:
Grind all the ingredients 2 to 7 together. Heat the oil in a thick bottom pan and saute onion, green chillis, garlic and the ground ingredients. Mix the vinegar with the thin coconut milk and salt and add it to the pan. Add potatoes to this and cook till the potatoes are done, keeping the pan covered. Now add the thick coconut milk to this. Add the boiled eggs, shelled. Simmer the curry for a minute.
For seasoning, heat the oil in another pan and brown the shallots; add curry leaves to this. Add this seasoning to the curry.
This goes well with appam, puttu, kerala porotta, chapathi or even with rice.
Hope you would enjoy this as much as our family does!