TUNA FRY (INDIAN STYLE)
Ingredients:-

Canned Tuna - a 12 oz can( i use tuna in water) you can also use salmon, i prefer salmon as there is less smell to it.
Oil - 1 or 2 table spoons
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Onions finely chopped - 1 large
Ginger - Garlic paste  - 1 tea spoon or crush 2 cloves of garlic  and a small piece of ginger
Green chili chopped - 1(optional)
Salt to taste

Red chili powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Coriander powder - 3/4 tea spoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tea spoon
Garam masala - 1/2 tea spoon

OR substitute these powders with a 1 table spoon of meat masala powder any brand , plus a Little garam masala for that nice aroma
Directions:-
Open the lid of the canned Tuna around , leave the lid on, push it down with your thumb and drain the water from the can as much as possible.
Heat oil in a non stick pan and mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds. Slide in chopped  onions and saute till it turns brown for like 7-8 minutes. Add ginger and garlic , fry for a minute and add the powders and mix well.
Stir in the Tuna from the can and combine everything well. Saute the mix for nearly 10 minutes , until it is done and dry and brown. Sprinkle some water in between , for it to prevent from sticking to the bottom.
Serve warm as a side , a wrap or sandwich it :)

TUNA CUTLETRecipe for Kerala Style Fish cutlets with Canned Tuna
Serves - 3-4 ; Makes around 20 cutlets
Total cooking time - 30 minutes
Ingredients:-
Canned Tuna - 15 oz
Potato - 2
Onion finely chopped - 1
Curry leaves chopped - 6-7
Meat masala - 1 tea spoon or use a mix of Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp, Chili powder - 1/4 tea spoon + Turmeric powder 1/4 tea spoon.
Egg - 1 or 2
Bread Crumbs
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Bowl 1
Ginger -an inch piece
Garlic - 6-7 small cloves
Green chillies - 4-5 nos
Fennel seeds - 1/2 - 1 tea spoon (optional)
Black pepper- 1/2 to 1 tsp
Method:-
Open the lid of the canned Tuna around and leave the lid on,push it down with your thumb and drain the water from the can as mush as possible.(If using regular fish :-Clean and cut the fish.Cook it with 1/2 tsp of pepper powder and salt and a little turmeric . Shred the fish using a fork or your hands Drain the excess water.)
Cook the potatoes until they are tender,mash it and keep it aside.
Crush all in Bowl 1 in a coffee grinder or small jar of blender.
Heat oil in a pan and add chopped curry leaves and onions,saute it till they are soft.
Add the crushed Bowl 1 mix and fry for till the raw smell disappears.
Add the  spice powders and fry it for a minute or two
Add fish/tuna and salt ; sauté  well for 8-10 minutes, or until it is dry, remove from fire and let it cool
Then add mashed potatoes and mix it well with your hand to make a dough
Make small balls in round,oval or in the shape you want, with your hand.
Dip this balls in beaten egg and roll it in bread crumbs
Deep fry it and drain on paper towels.
Serve Warm with Onion salad or ketchup( Maggie's masala chili is awesome if u r that spice loving )
To make Onion Salad thinly slice Onions,and green chilies . Mix it well with salt and a tsp of vinegar!!!

Kadhi
Ingredients
2 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
1 1/2 cups curds (dahi)
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
2 curry leaves (kadi patta)
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
salt to taste
For The Tempering
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
1 red chilli , broken into pieces
2 tsp ghee
Method Combine the besan, curds and 2 1/2 cups of water in a deep pan and whisk well.
Add the ginger-green chilli paste, sugar and salt, mix well and bring it to boil, while stirring continuously. Keep aside.
For the tempering, heat the oil in a small pan and add the cumin and mustard seeds.
When the seeds crackle, add the asafoetida, curry leaves and red chillies and stir for 15 seconds.
Pour the tempering over the kadhi and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve hot garnished with coriander.


Badshahi kadhi
Ingredients

For the rice
1 cup rice (chawal)
1/2 cup toovar (arhar) dal
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
1 stick cinnamon (dalchini)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
2 tbsp ghee
salt to taste
For the potato vegetable
4 medium sized potatoes, cubed
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
2 onions, sliced
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
3 tbsp curds (dahi)
2 tbsp ghee
salt to taste
For the tempered curds
1 cup fresh curds (dahi)
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
4 to 6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1 tsp ghee
salt to taste
For the garnish
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
Method
For the rice
Clean, wash and soak the rice and toovar dal for about 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker, add the cloves and cinnamon and stir fry for half a minute. Then add the asafoetida and turmeric powder.
Add the rice, toovar dal, salt and 4 cups of hot water and pressure cool till the rice is slightly over-cooked. Keep aside.
For the potato vegetable
Heat the ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds to it. When they crackle, add the onions and fry for some time till they turn translucent.
Add the ginger-green chilli paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the potatoes and salt and saute for some more time.
Add the curds, mix well and keep aside.
For the tempered curds
Whisk the curds with salt and keep aside.
Heat the ghee in a small pan and add the mustard seeds to it.
When they crackle, add the curry leaves and pour over the curds. Mix well.
How to proceed
Place the potato vegetable at the bottom of a serving dish.
Top with a layer of the rice over it.
Pour the curds on top and garnish with the chopped coriander.
serve hot.

rawa idli

Ingredients
For the Batter
2 cups Idli Rava (Cream of Rice)
1 cup Sabudana (Sago pearls/Jevvarisi/Sabakki)
2 cups fat free Greek Yogurt + 2 cups water (see Tips)
1/2 cup grated coconut (frozen works too)
little salt to taste (see Tips)
Tempering/Seasoning for half the batter
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
handful of roasted cashews (see Tips)
1-2 green chillies, thinly sliced, as per taste (optional)
few curry leaves, torn
few cilantro sprigs, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp Baking Soda (see Tips)
1 tsp Ghee (or oil)
 method: easy, you know what to do


JACK FRUIT SEEDS (In Kerala, we make use of almost everything from the Jack fruit tree.  Excuse the exaggeration but think about it.  We use the leaf to scoop gruel and in spite of having cutlery we still do it for fun.  We cook the jack-fruit when its raw and eat it with a gravy, when ripe, of course, we eat them as you would any other fruit.  We seldom stop there.  Steamed rice flour topped with jack-fruit, mix of rice flour and fruit pressed between a banana leaf and pan baked are all but a few things variations.  The outer covering cut into small pieces are fed to the cattle.  Now for the seed.  The topic of today's discussion.  Its hard and seems rock like when raw but when cooked powders like baked potato.  Most times it is sauteed with coconut pieces or otherwise made into the scrumptious gravy paired with mangoes like I am sharing with you.  Another summer treat these are some dishes which makes me nostalgic beyond my own comprehension. Hope you will see now that it is no exaggeration when I say we make good use of Jack-fruit tree!



Jack fruit seeds curry

Ingredients:
Raw Mango slices- 1/2 cup (3/4th of a mango)
Jackfruit seeds- 10-12
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Coconut grated- 3-4 Tbsp
Cumin seeds(jeera)- 1/4 tsp
Green chillies- 2
Shallot- 1
For seasoning:
Coconut/ any cooking oil- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Red chillies- 2
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Method:
1.Slice the mango after removing the skin. Cut each jackfruit seed into 4 pieces.
2.Cook the Mango slices and jack fruit seeds together after adding some salt and turmeric and water in a pressure cooker.
3.Grind together the grated coconut, cumin, green chillies and shallot together.
4.Mix this with the cooked veggies and cover and cook again for 3-4 minutes.
5.In a small pan do the seasoning(heat the oil,splutter the mustard seeds and throw in the red chillies and curry leaves and saute) and pour over the curry. Mix and serve with rice.

SODHEE (a srilankan dish)
Ingredients:
Coconut – 1
Onions (medium sized) - 2 or 3(chopped)
Tomatoes-3(chopped)
Green Chillies - 2 or 3
Fenugreekseeds-1 tsp
Turmeric-1tsp
Potatoes (medium sized) - 2
Carrot (medium sized) – 1
Curry leaves-1 string
Garlic - 1 or 2 cloves finely minced
Lime (squeezed) – 1/2
Chopped Coriander for garnishing
Method
1.Grate the coconut & extract milk 3 times. Keep aside the milk that was extracted the first time. The 2nd & 3rd portions are kept together.
2.Heat the 2nd&3rd portion milk in a vessel. Add Fengu seed,chopped onion,tomatoes,green chillies,garlic,curry leaves,turmeric&vegetables (they should be cut into medium sized pieces).
3.Cook the veg in that. Stir frequently. Add a little water if required. When the veg's are cooked, add desired amount of salt.
4.Then add the first portion of coconut milk. Stir continuously.
5.When you see bubbles in the edges & slight swelling of the kulambu, (curry) remove from fire.
6.After removing from fire add the squeezed lemon & chopped coriander.
7.Serve hot with rice


STEW (vegetable)INGREDIENTS:
POTATO2
CARROT1
ONIONS2
GREEN CHILLI3-4
WHOLE BLACK PEPPER1/2 TSP
THIN COCONUT MILK1 AND 1/41 CUP
THICK COCONUT MILK1/2 CUP
CINNAMON1 SMALL PIECE
GINGER SMALL PIECE
GARLIC2 PODS
CLOVES3
CURRY LEAVES
SALT TO TASTE
 METHOD:
Boil the potatoes , peel the skin and cut them into cubes.
Chop the onions into thin slices.
Slit the green chillis into two.
Peel the skin of the carrots and chop into pieces.
Crush the ginger and garlic using a mortar and pestle.
In a pan, add oil and throw in the cloves, cinnamon, crushed ginger and garlic and green chilli.
Now add the onions and saute for few seconds in medium flame.
Add the whole pepper too
Add the carrots and saute for a minute. Be careful not to burn.
Now add the thin coconut milk. I used the store bought coconut milk. As it was thick i diluted 1/4 of thick coconut by adding  1 cup of water.
If adding green peas add at this stage.
Let this boil in medium flame for about 10 to 12 minutes, till the carrots becomes soft. Add the cubed potatoes and add the thick coconut milk
If adding green peas add at this stage.
Mix well and bring it to a boil. Switch off the flame and add curry leaves and salt.
The gravy will be thick and if you want to make it thin add 1/2 cup of plain milk to this or if you want this to be very thick soak 7-8 pieces of cashew nuts in warm water and grind them into a smooth paste and add it in the last. Mix with the  thick coconut milk and add to the gravy.


EGG PLANT
Ingredients:
3 Chinese eggplants
1 sprig of Spring Onion (Scallion) or a few shallots (small red onions)
1 tblspful Fish sauce
1 tblspful Oyster sauce
1 tblspful Soy sauce
1-2 tblspful brown or white sugar
Some chinese basil (fresh basil is the best)
1 tblspful grated garlic
1 tblspful sweet vinegar
3 tblspful water
A little olive oil
1/2 teasp salt
Method:
1. Cut eggplant into 1 inch long strips. Put in salted water before cooking. Slit spring onion.
11. Heat a wok pan with 5 tblspful of oil. Drain eggplant and put in the wok. Stir fry over high heat until it gets brown and soften. Take out and drain out the oil.
111. Prepare the sauce in a bowl, mixing all three kinds of sauces (fish, soy & Oyster) with sugar, grated garlic, vinegar & water.
1V. Put 1 tblspful of olive oil in the wok. When the oil sizzles, add the prepared sauce and when the sauce gets heated, add the prepared eggplant. Lastly add slit spring onions & basil. Mix well.
Good with any kind of rice, string hoppers, hoppers and pittu. Enjoy !!!

COWPEAS SALADIngredients: (for 5 portions)
3 cups Cow pea
1 tbs chilli flakes
2-3 dry red chilli, cut into pieces
2 springs Curry leaves
half onion sliced
1 tbs ginger,garlic paste
1 tspn mustard seeds
1-2 tbs oil to fry
salt to taste
(Pinch of baking soda-optional)

Method
Soak Cow pea in water for about 6 hours.
Hint: Add a pinch of baking soda when soaking. This will soften cow pea.
When you are ready to prepare the salad,
First boil soaked cow pea.
Drain the water.
Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil in a pan.
Add mustard seed when oil is heated.
Then add ginger, garlic paste.
When you get the fragrance, add onion & curry leaf, also dried red chili.
Mix well.
Then add chili flakes & mix.
Now it is time to add boiled chick peas.
Mix well & add salt to taste.
Remove from the burner .
Cow pea salad is ready to serve...

BAKED FRIES

Ingredients

• 6 large jalapeno peppers
• 4 large poblano peppers
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons spicy mustard (recommended: Gulden's)
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the seeds from all of the peppers and cut into 1/2-inch lengthwise strips.
Set up a breading station: 1 pan of 1 cup of flour, 1 pan of eggs beaten with milk, 2 tablespoons of flour and mustard, and 1 pan of bread crumbs seasoned with cheese, and salt and pepper, to taste.
Coat the peppers in the flour, then in the egg mixture and then in the bread crumbs.
Arrange the chili fries on a nonstick baking sheet and roast for 18 minutes, turning once.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter

CORN BALL

• Boiled potatoes – 3
• Boiled or frozen corn kernels – 1 and 1/4 cups
• Garlic pods – 6
• Small green chilies – 4 to 5
• Cilantro, finely chopped – 1/2 cup
• Corn flour – 3 tbsp
• All purpose flour – 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp
• Freshly ground black pepper – 1/2 tsp
• Paprika powder – 1 tsp
• Cheese – 2 cups (I used mozzarella and Italian blend)
• Italian bread crumbs – 3/4 cup
• Panko bread crumbs – 3/4 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying
•  METHOD:
  • Heat a skillet or pan and spray a little oil and spread the garlic pods and cook till they are soft and brown on both sides.
  • Press it with a fork and cook both the sides. Grind garlic with green chilies and 1/4 cup of corn to a coarse paste and transfer it to a mixing bowl.

• Peel and mash potatoes and add it to the bowl followed by the remaining corn, paprika, ground pepper and salt. Blend everything well.
• Check for salt and add more if required at this stage.
• Now add a tbsp of all purpose flour or maida (all purpose flour) and 3 tbsp corn flour, mix well.
• Sprinkle the chopped cilantro and a cup of cheese. Mix well and add the remaining cheese and blend everything well.
• Take a tbsp amount of prepared mixture and roll into smooth balls. Roll as many balls you want. Refrigerate the balls for a minimum of half an hour.
• Mix 1/4 cup of all purpose flour (maida) with water and make a thin batter.
• Mix panko bread crumbs and Italian bread crumbs together and keep it ready.
• Heat oil for frying over medium heat.
• Remove the balls from refrigerator and drop one by one in the flour batter and coat it nicely.
• Transfer it to the bread crumbs and roll it and fry it in oil over medium heat. Do not fry it for a long time since cheese starts oozing out.Serve hot with ketchup or by itself. If you make it ahead you can heat it in a preheated oven (at 350ºF) for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.

VEGETABLE BREAD

Here is the recipe:
Ingredients (For 5 Vegetable roti)

5 uncooked Godamba  (wheat) roti / (paratha) (tortilla)
1 boiled potato-mashed
A handful of sliced spring onion or leeks (I used spring onion)
Sliced mixed vegetables of your choice (Carrot, cabbage etc)
Few curry leaves sliced
Onion sliced
1 tsp Chili powder
Salt & pepper to taste
1-2 tbs oil

Method
To prepare the filling,
Heat oil in a pan, once oil is hot; add mashed potato together with other vegetables. Mix & add chili powder, salt & pepper to taste.
Cook the mix well & switch off from the flame


 PANEER TIKKI
Ingredients:
Grated Paneer - 1 cup
Big Potato - 2 nos.
Big Slice Bread (tear in to small pieces) - 2 nos.
Chopped Onion - 1/2 cup
Chopped Green Chilies - 1 tbsp
Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp
Cornflour - 2 tbsp
Salt as per taste - Oil for frying - Black Pepper Powder - as per taste
Water as needed - Instructions:
In a bowl,  add paneer, potato, onion, green chilli, cornflour, coriander leaves, bread pieces, salt and pepper.
Shape each portion in to round and flatten slightly to make tikkis and keep aside.
Using a little oil, cook the tikkis on a non-stick tawa till both sides are Golden brown.
Serve hot tikkis with green chutney and tomato ketchup.

Mawa Barfi

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Mawa - 3 cup
Sugar - 11/2 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Desi Ghee ( clarified butter) - 3 tbsp
Instructions:
Heat the ghee in a heavy bottom pan, add mawa or khoya.
When mawa melted then add sugar.
Reduce the flame and cook till the mixture become thick.
while cooking, keep stirring continuously to avoid burning.
Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
Remove from flame and pour in a well greased plate.
Smooth en the top level.
Press the top level lightly and allow to cool in refrigerate about 1 hour.
Cut into square or diamond shape.



STUFFED TOMATO
Ingredients:
Small Tomatoes 1/4 tsp green chilli finely chopped, 1/4 tsp dry mango powder, 1/2 tsp coriander leaf, 1 tsp cumin powder, rock salt to taste - 4 nos.
Large Potato (boiled and mashed) - 1 nos.
Grated Paneer - 1/2 cup
Chopped Green Chilies - 1/4 tbsp
Dry Mango Powder - 1/4 tbsp
Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) - 1/2 tbsp
Cumin Seed - 1 tbsp
Rock salt to taste - Instructions:
Cut tomato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp.
In a bowl, mix the potato(boil and mash), roasted cumin seed, coriander leaf, green chilli, mango powder and rock salt.
Heat the oil in a pan over moderate heat. Add the potato mixture.
Cook for mix for 3 min. then add the grated paneer and mix well.
Cook until mix become little golden brown.
Divide the mix equally between the tomato.
Heat the oil in a pan over moderate heat and place the stuffed tomato.
Cook on a low heat till golden brown.
Serve hot stuffed tomato with tamarind chutney.

Biryani.......
Biryani, biriani, beryani or beriani (Hindi: बिरयानी, Telugu: బిర్యాని, Urdu: بریانی) is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice (usually basmati) and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from thePersian word beryā(n) (بریان) which means "fried" or "roasted". In India, the recipe of biryani developed to its current form. Local variants of this dish are popular not only in the Indian Subcontinent but also in Southeast Asia, Arabia, and within various Asian expatriate communities in the Western World.

Lamb Biryani (malabar style)
You will need:
Mutton - 1kg or 2.5 lbs (you can substitute chicken)
Onion – 500 gm or 4 medium ones
Tomato - 200 gm or 2 medium sized ones
Green chilies – 100 gm or about 15 in number (Use 20-25 for 2 kg mutton..depending on the hotness of the chili.)
Ginger - 50 gm or a 4” piece
Garlic pods – 50 gm or 8 cloves (big)
Pepper powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Plain Yogurt- 3/4 cup (thick)
Fennel(Perinjeerakam/Saunf) - 1 tsp
Poppy seeds (Khus khus) - 1 tsp
Mint leaves (Pudhina) - 1/2 bunch
Coriander leaves (Malli ela/Dhania) - 1/2 bunch
Curry leaves- a handful
Lemon juice- 1 1/2 tsp or juice of 1 lemon.
Clarified butter (Ghee) - 1/2cup or 1/4 cup mixed with ¼ cup oil
Cashew nuts – 20 gm or a handful
Raisins- 20 gm or a handful
For the rice:
Basmati rice - 1 kg/ 4 cups
Cinnamon (Karuvapatta) - 4 sticks
Cloves (Carambu) - 4
Cardamom (Elakkai) - 4
One bay leaf, salt.
Lemon juice- 1 1/2 tsp or juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
Biryani Masala:
Cinnamon 2 inch piece
Cardamom 8
Cloves 8-10
Nutmeg 1
bay leaves- 1
Mace 5-6
Caraway seeds 1 tbsp
Star Anise-1
Dry roast all together and grind to a fine powder.
Preparation:
1. Clean the mutton and cut into medium sized pieces. Wash and drain.
2. Soak the fennel seeds and poppy seeds in a bowl with water for an hour at least and grind with very little water to a very fine paste. If it still feels grainy, add a tablespoon of grated coconut to grind it well. Keep aside.
3. Grind together the ginger, garlic and green chilies into a coarse paste. Chop the tomatoes into cubes and slice the onions. One onion should be sliced extra fine. This one is for the fried onion garnish.
4. Marinate the mutton with the ginger garlic chili, and all the other spices and ingredients except the onions, biryani masala and herb leaves. Add salt too and keep covered for an hour at least. Clean and soak rice for 10 minutes. Keep aside.
5. Heat three fourth of the ghee/oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add the garnish portion of the sliced onions and fry, till golden brown and crisp. Sprinkle some sugar over the onions to speed up the crisping. This should take about 10 minutes. Remove the onions and fry the cashew nuts on medium heat till it turns brown on all sides. Drain and remove. Add the raisins now and stir till they plump up. Remove onto paper towels. This ghee/oil is used for flavoring the rice so save it.
6. Heat up the remaining oil and add the rest of the sliced onions and sauté it till it becomes translucent. Add the marinated mutton, the poppy seed mixture, the biryani masala and the coriander, mint and curry leaves and mix thoroughly. Keep it covered and cook on medium heat for an hour, checking frequently till the oil starts to separate and the meat gets almost cooked but still has a bite left. If the mutton normally requires a long cooking time, you can pressure cook it for just one whistle and then simmer on slow heat to concentrate the gravy. Do not add water at all. Check taste and add more salt or yogurt, pepper etc if needed.
7. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
8. Heat 3 tbsp of the remaining onion ghee/oil and add the whole spices- cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves. Sauté for a second and add the drained rice. Stir the rice till it turns opaque and add 6 cups water (three fourth of the quantity required for ghee rice). Cover and cook on slow heat the rice along with all spices and salt, till all the water is absorbed. This would take about 5-8 minutes.
9. In an oven proof dish, spread half of the mutton masala and place half of rice over it. Sprinkle some lemon juice to prevent the rice from sticking. Spread the remaining masala and top it with rice followed by lemon juice. Pour 2 tbsp of ghee/oil on top of it and sprinkle some roasted onion, nuts and raisins. Close it with a layer of aluminum foil and then lid and put it in the oven for 25 - 35 minutes. Remove and let rest for another 5-10 minutes before opening.
10. Serve with coconut chutney (biryani chammandi), Pickled onions (Ulli surka), Yogurt and Papadam.

Raita (yogurt based cucumber) goes with the above dish!

• 3 cups yogurt
• 4 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1 baby cucumber
• 1 tablespoon salt

Directions:

1. Whisk yogurt until smooth and set aside.
2. Grate or dice cucumber. I think grated cucumbers enhance the flavor.
3. In a spice grinder or blender crush the mustard seeds into a powder consistency.
4. Combine yogurt, cucumber, and mustard seeds and set aside for 30 minutes. This lets the flavors blend in and the mustard can do its job.
5. A few minutes before you are ready to serve add the salt. Adjust salt according to your needs. Enjoy!

Rava Kheer

Ingredients:
Rava/Semolina (1 cup)

• Milk (1 cup)
• Sugar (1/2 cup)
• Oil/Ghee/fat (1 tbsp)
• Dry fruits (1/2 cup)
• Water (2 cups)

Method:

1. Heat Ghee/fat in a pan. Roast dry fruits in low flame. Remove the roast dry fruits and keep it aside.
2. Add Rava/Semolina to the same pan and roast it till it become ivory color (off white). Pour water and milk and boil it. Stir it frequently till the rava/semolina cooks. Add sugar and cardamom powder and stir. Garnish with roasted dry fruits.
3. Rava Payasam / Sweet Semolina porridge can be served hot or chilled.

I wanted to share some favourite Brussels sprout recipes to help liven up this traditional Christmas side dish vegetable. This is a love-hate thing and a controversial vegetable. Some people really do hate them. I certainly used to but cooking them well makes such a difference. They are often cooked very badly, by which I mean basically cooked for too long.

Traditional Brussels sprout recipes tended to suggest boiling until soft and squidgy. I even know quite a few people who like them like that. But when cooked for too long, they become mushy and - well basically quite smelly. Like many other brassily vegetables (cabbage is another guilty vegetable) they eventually emit an unpleasant sulphurous odour which also adds a bitter undertone when eaten. But there is no need to cook them for so long. They are delicious when firm and can even be eaten raw in a salad.

Choosing Brussels Sprouts

Choose sprouts with bright green leaves. As they lose their freshness, the outer leaves start to yellow so try to avoid vegetables with yellow outer leaves. Smaller sprouts are more fiddly to prepare but do have the best flavour so these are the ones I go for. Whatever size you choose, I think it's best to use sprouts that are roughly the same size so that they cook evenly.

To Prepare Brussels Sprouts

Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any outer leaves that are yellow. If they are quite large, you can half them. Wash them well. Traditionally, a cross is often cut at the base of each sprout to ensure even cooking. My grandmother did this religiously but, I have to admit I don't bother and don't find that I have any problems.

Basic Instructions For Cooking Brussels Sprouts

Place the Brussels sprouts in a pot. Just barely cover them in boiling water and cook for about 4-6 minutes. They are also very good steamed. I do this using a simple in-pot steamer. It takes about 6 minutes but will vary depending on their size. I love them this way just sprinkled with a little sea salt and black pepper but for a special meal, here are a few more interesting Brussels sprout recipes. Whichever way you cook them, Brussels sprouts are best served as soon as they are cooked. They cool fast and their texture seems to droop quickly too.

My favourite of all Brussels sprout recipes, for this dish I like to pan-fry the sprouts until just tender, then toss them with buttery, crunchy, golden sliced almonds. Cooking them quickly in a pan with olive oil transforms them to a vibrant green. The flavour is sweet but slightly charred with a tender but still crisp texture.

You Will Need

500g/1lb Brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
2/3 cup/50g flaked or slivered almonds
Prepare the sprouts as normal and cut them in half. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the sprouts and stir fry for two minutes until they take on a deep green colour.
Stir in 2 tablespoons of water, some salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cover the pan and cook the Brussels sprouts for a another 3 minutes.
In a separate pan, melt the butter and gently cook the almonds until they start to become golden. Pour the almond mix over the Brussels sprouts and gently stir through. Divine!

Dressing Ingredients

3 tablespoons of tahini
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon of grated ginger
150mls/2/3 cup/5 fl oz sunflower oil or peanut oil
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
80mls/1/3 cup/2.75 fl oz soy sauce
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar

For The Chickpea Salad

225g / 1 cup / half pound of dried chickpeas
1 small carrot, grated
1 small green bell pepper or ½ a large
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander, cilantro or flat-leaf Italian parsley
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds

How To Make The Chickpea Salad

Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of water. Drain and cook in fresh water until soft. This can take anywhere from 30 to an hour. Rinse with cold water when cooked and set aside until cool.
Make the dressing by whizzing together the tahini, garlic, ginger, sunflower and sesame oil, soy sauce and vinegar in a food processor. I like to make this dressing with a food processor or blender because it gives a nice thick and creamy texture but you can just whisk the ingredients together if you prefer. You'll get about 300mls or 1¼ cups of dressing.

Sprout Beans?

It's easy and quick to do at home. Many people wonder how to sprout beans and assume it's a lot of trouble. In fact it couldn't be easier. However some seeds are difficult to sprout the old fashioned way so if you love sprouts, an automatic sprouter is a great buy for the sheer variety they offer. An automatic sprouter can also allow you to very easily grow your own wheat grass.
Whatever way you do it, sprouting beans yourself means sprouts that are fresher, tastier, cheaper and full of nutrients compared to the expensive supermarket varieties. So if you want to know how to sprout beans, read on. Here are some simple steps to home sprouted beans.
You will need:

• A few tablespoons of dried beans, lentils or seeds. I usually use lentils (whole, not split), mung beans or chickpeas (garbanzo beans). These tend to be easier to sprout. You can also use alfalfa or sunflower seeds. Mung beans seem to be the easiest beans of all to sprout so you might want to start with those.
If you can, buy seeds or beans that are sold specifically as sproutable. There are some excellent sprouting mixes available which I think are well worth buying. They tend to be easy to sprout and can give you a wonderful variety of sprouts. Try the Broccoli and Friends Mix for a really nice blend of broccoli, alfalfa, radish and clover sprouts.
• A clean large glass bowl with a capacity of about 1 litre or 2 pints. Bigger is OK.
• Some cheesecloth, muslin or a light, clean tea-towel.
• An elastic band (this makes rinsing easier but it's not essential)
Get sprouting:
1. Put enough beans in the base of the bowl to cover the base. Cover with warm water and leave to soak overnight.
2. Drain the water, rinse and drain again.
Now cover the bowl with the cheesecloth or muslin and secure it with the elastic band.
3. Rinse the beans twice a day for 3-5 days. Don't bother removing the cloth when you do this. You can rinse and drain the beans through the cloth.
After 3-5 days you should have a bowl of delicious and crunchy bean sprouts. You need to use them within a day or two to keep the crunch and the vitamin content.
Uses:
Now you know how to sprout beans, it's time to get eating. They are great in stir fries, sandwiches and salads. They are also packed full of protein, B vitamins and vitamin C so there's no excuse.
Recommended...
I really like the Easy Sprout Sprouter. Simple to use and inexpensive, this is a really easy and effective way to sprout beans. The sprouter uses heat from sprouting seeds to circulate fresh air. You can also use it to conveniently store your sprouted beans in the fridge.

Sprout bean salad


3 cups fresh mung bean sprouts
1 pinch turmeric
1 green chili peppers or 1/2 jalapeno, finely minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 minced tomato, seeds and juice removed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large pinch fresh ground pepper
1 -2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Directions:
1
Mix the chili, onion, tomato, lemon juice, sugar (if using), salt and pepper together in a large bowl.
2
Add the sprouts to the chili mixture, gently combine, then fold in the cilantro.
3
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until required. Serve chilled.

 Rice & LentilsNothing fancy but cheap, nutritious and tasty.
And you could just serve it as just as it is if the fridge is bare and you need to rely on the store cupboard. Then again, it's nice to mix together a quick salsa to serve on top if you can. It adds a zing and some freshness to the plate. Alternatively, any standard Mexican accompaniments will work here, including tacos or tortilla chips.

170g/1 cup brown lentils
375g/2 cups of basmatic rice
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 small finely chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 litre/4 cups water
For The Salsa
2 cups/300g of chopped tomatoes
2 avocados, diced
juice of one lime
Large crushed garlic clove
dash of chili sauce
Tacos, tortilla chips to serve if you like!

Place all of the lentils and rice ingredients into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, turn the heat right down and cook undisturbed for 25 minutes. Leave to stand for about 5 minutes or so, then fluff up with a fork and serve. Mix of the salsa ingredients together in a small serving bowl. Serve the rice and lentils on plates with the salsa scooped over the top!

Green chick pea (you can find it in any Indian grocery store) i buy frozen.
Green chick pea salad
Ingredients
•Dry green Bengal gram ( hara chana),soaked overnight 1 1/2 cups
•Onions,chopped 2 medium
•Tomatoes,chopped 2 medium
•Green chillies,chopped 2-3
•Fresh coriander leaves,chopped 2 tablespoons
•Black salt (Kala namak) to taste
•Roasted cumin powder 1 teaspoon
•Chaat masala 1 teaspoon (optional)
•Red chili powder 1/2 teaspoon
•Lemon juice 2 tablespoons

Method
Pressure cook soaked green chana in three cups of water till two to three whistles or till done. Transfer them into a kadai and simmer till all the water evaporates. Take the hot chana in a bowl. Add onions, tomatoes, green chillies, coriander leaves, black salt, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, red chili powder and lemon juice and mix well. Serve immediately.

Wishing everyone a very happy and prosperous new year. Let’s start the year on a sweet note.
Payasam is a traditional South Indian Sweet. No feast or festivity is complete without a payasam, be it a birthday, a wedding day, or any festival. The first thing that is prepared is the payasam. There are different kinds of payasams like Nei Payasam, Semiya Payasam, Ada Pradhaman, Parippu Pradhaman, the list continues. But surely Paal Payasam is the king of them all.

Paal payasam (milk rice pudding)

Ingredients:
Milk - 4 glasses
Sugar - 1 glass
Rice(preferably Chemba Pachari) - A handful
Preparation:

Wash and dry the rice thoroughly.
Put all the contents together in a pressure cooker, close the lid without weight on and put on high flame.
Wait till steam comes, then put on the weight and simmer the flame.
Simmer it for sharp 30 minutes.
You don’t have to worry about the number of whistles.
Switch off the gas after 30 minutes and wait for the pressure to relieve, which might take some time.
Delicious payasam is ready.


Pineapple curry

Ingredients    
                              Serves 2

1.       pineapple – ½ cup ( canned is okay)
2.       Sour Curd – 2 cups
3.       Grated Coconut – 1 cup
4.       Green Chilies – 2 or 3
5.       Turmeric Powder – a pinch
6.       Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
7.       Dried Red Chillies - 1
8.       Methi seeds  - ¼ tsp
9.       Coconut Oil – 1 tsp
10.   Curry leaves
11. chilli powder

Method

Boil the pineapple with salt, chilli and turmeric powder. Grind coconut with green chillies into a paste. Use a little of the curd for grinding instead of water. Add the ground paste to the cooked pineapple. Mix well. Now whisk the sour curd without any lumps and add to the coconut pineapple mixture. Check for consistency and salt. Simmer until the kootan froths up. Do not boil after adding curd. Remove from heat. Temper with Mustard, Red Chillies and Methi seeds. Garnish with curry leaves.

Yellow curry or lentil curry 

Ingredients

1.      Split yellow moong dal – 1 cup
2.      Channa Dal – ½ cup
3.      Cocunut milk – 200 ml
4.      Jaggery – 2 cups
5.      Cardamom – a few
6.      Cashew nuts- 6- 7
7.      Raisins – a few
8.      Ghee – 1 tbsp

Method

Dry roast yellow moong dal till light brown. Keep aside. Dry roast Channa dal till light brown.
Soak Channa dal in water for about 15 mins. Pressure cook the dals separately for about 3 -4 whistles.

Heat a Kadai; dissolve the jaggery with just the minimum water. Strain the jaggery water to remove impurities. Wash the vessel in which jaggery was melted and pour the strained jaggery water back in the kadai. Let it boil for 3 – 5mins. Now mash the cooked dals slightly and add it to this jaggery syrup. Dilute half of the coconut milk with about 1 – 2 cups water and add to the payasam at this stage. (I used the packed coconut milk.) Allow to boil for 6 – 7 mins. Remove from heat and add the thick coconut milk. Do not boil after adding thick coconut milk. Add cardamom powder. Heat a small pan with ghee. Fry the cashews and raisins and add to the payasam with the ghee.

Note: If you want to use fresh coconut milk, you will require I medium sized coconut. For the thick coconut milk, grate the coconut and grind in the mixer. Now squeeze out the coconut extract with your hands. For thin milk, add some warm water to the grated coconut and run again in the mixer. Squeeze and extract coconut milk. Coconut pieces fried in ghee can also be added.

Banana dessert (nendra khaya payasam)
Nendram Pazham – 3, ripe
Thin Coconut Milk – 2 ½ cups
Thick Coconut Milk – 1 cup
Powdered Jaggery – 2 cups
Coconut – ¼ cup, cut into small pieces
Ghee – 1 tbsp

Method
Cut the nendram pazham into 2 inch pieces with the skin and steam them. Allow to cool.
Remove skin; also remove the black stem like thing from the inside of the banana.
Grind the banana and make it into a smooth pulp, do not add any water while grinding.
Heat a thick bottom Kadai, add the jaggery with ½ cup of water. Dissolve the jaggery completely.
Strain for impurities and pour it back into the Kadai.
Add the nendram pazham pulp and mix well. Stir it well and mash with the back of the spatula if you find any lumps.
Cook on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring continuously, till the banana and jaggery mixture come together as a mass.
Now add the thin coconut milk and cook on medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.
Turn of flame and add the Thick coconut milk. Mix well.
Heat a small frying pan with ghee, fry the coconut pieces in it till brown.
Add these fried coconut pieces to the prepared payasam and serve warm.
Delicious nendram pazham pradhaman is ready to be devoured.

Spinach Curry or
SPINACH DAAL
Ingredients
a bunch of spinach - washed and chopped
1-2 tea spoon grated ginger
1/2 cup yogurt or buttermilk
4-5 tea spoons besan (chana daal flour)
3-4 tea spoon chana dal
3-4 tb spoon peanuts (ground nuts)
4-5 green chillies - chopped.
3-4 aamsul / or 1/2 tea spoon tamarind paste
1 tea spoon sugar
For tadka -
mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, turmeric curry leaves, garlic, green chillies
and oil/ghee
salt to taste Soak chana daal and peanuts in water for an hour so that they cook faster. It’s better to use non-roasted peanuts as they absorb water nicely and taste better when cooked.
Get water boiling, add chopped spinach leaves, peanuts and chana daal and grated ginger and aamsul. Use just enough water to immerse spinach. Let the spinach and daal cook for 5-7 minutes. In another bowl, whisk yogurt and besan and add it to the cooked spinach, let it simmer for another 3-4 minutes. I like to add one/two chillies while the spinach is cooking and rest I use in tadka.
Nest step is to prepare tadka and add it to the cooked spinach. I prefer Ghee to oil for this dish. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and if you like, add a few coriander seeds. Once they start splattering, add hing and turmeric powder and then garlic and green chillies and curry leaves. Add this seasoned ghee/oil to the spinach mixture. Add salt and little bit sugar. The “patal bhaji” is ready.
A little bit of sugar nicely compliments the tangy touch added by aamsul. The garlic tadka makes this simple dish out-of-this world! i
A Quick Note -
To maintain the nutritional value of spinach, it’s important not to overcook the tender leaves. Add spinach after daal and peanuts are cooked, spinach takes hardly 2-3 minutes of cooking time.

Green peas curry (you can use fresh peas or dried peas)
GREEN PEAS CURRY
Ingredients
2 cup peas (shelled)
3/4 cup fresh coconut, grated
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp ginger, grated
8-10 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
1/2 tsp hing
2 dry red chillies/ or chilly powder as per taste
salt as per taste
1/2 tbsp coriander powder or 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp oil
1 cup water
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1-2 star anis (optional)Method -
Make a fine paste with coconut, cilantro, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, ginger and garlic. Add some water if required.
In a cooking pot, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and hing. Add turmeric powder if you like. Add curry leaves and red chillies cut into halves. Fry for another minute. Now add the green paste and let it cook until the paste starts leaving oil. Add salt as per taste. Also add star anis. Now add green peas and some water to maintain the desired consistency for the curry. Let the peas cook for 5-10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and sugar.
Serve with hot bread slices or rotis. Enjoy!

BEET ROOT SALADIngredients
2 cups shredded steamed beet (around 2 medium beets)
1/4 cup ground roasted peanuts
1/4 tsp fennel seeds (optional See Notes below)
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp तिळाची चटणी or 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped tomato (optional)
2-3 chopped green chilies
3-4 curry leaves
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp hing
1 tsp oil
salt to taste
Wash and peel beets and cut them into halves. I usually steam beets along with rice in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles. It takes around 10-12 minutes if you are using a steamer.
Once they are cooked properly, transfer them into a pot containing ice water before you start gratin;. so that they cool down quickly.
Add chopped tomato, roasted peanut powder (roughly grounded), sesame seeds, fennel seeds lemon juice and salt and mix well.
Heat oil in a small tadka pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds when oil becomes hot. Add hing powder, chopped green chilies and curry leaves. Transfer this seasoned oil to the bowl containing beets and mix well.
Notes -
You can substitute lemon juice with yogurt if you like, but make sure it brings enough tanginess to the dish.
Beets contain lot of natural sugar, so don’t add sugar until you taste it.
Roughly grounded peanuts add a nice crunch. I also like to use pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds instead of peanuts.

CARROT SALADIngredients
2 fresh medium carrots, grated
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 tb spoon peanut(groundnut) powder
1 tb spoon sugar
1 tb spoon fresh lemon juice
2 medium green chiliis, finely chopped
salt to taste
4 springs of cilantro, finely chopped
This is the simplest recipe so far. Grate carrots , chop tomatoes and ground roasted(optional) peanuts. Mix everything together with salt, sugar, green chilies ( can be substituted with red chili powder) and lemon juice. Toss everything together and garnish with finely chopped cilantro leaves. I sometimes add roughly chopped cashew nuts along with peanuts.

SABOODANA KICHDI (my friend in Mumbai makes the best!Sheela Patil )
Ingredients :
Sabudana, soaked overnight                         1 cup
Groundnut (peanut), coarsely crushed       1/2 cup
cumin seeds                                                      2 tea-spoons
Green chillies, finely chopped                        4-5
Sugar                                                                 1-2 tea-spoon
Potato, diced                                                    1 small
Ghee                                                                  2-3 tablespoons
Salt                                                                    to taste
Cilantro, finely chopped                                 5-6 springs
Lime juice                                                         to taste
Grated coconut                                               3 tablespoons (optional)
Soak the sabudana at least for 6 hours in minimum amount of water, just enough to soak all the grains.
In a wide bowl, separate the sabudana gently and mix it with peanut powder, salt and sugar. Stir it well so that all the grains get coated. Microwave the small potato cubes for 2-3 minutes.
Add ghee in a large pan and a few cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds start to crackle, add the remaining cumin seeds and finely chopped chillies. Add potato cubes and fry them for 1 minute. Add the sabudana mix and stir it together. It takes 10-15 minutes for sabudana to cook nicely. Keep stirring occasionally. If needed add few drops of water and/or ghee. When done, add some cilantro and lime juice and mix again. Add coconut and cilantro while serving.

MUSHROOM AND PEAS CURRY 
Button mushrooms, sliced 16-18
Green Peas 1 cup
Tomatoes, chopped 2 medium
Onion, chopped 1 medium
Ginger garlic paste  1 tbsp
Cream 1/4 cup
Dhana-jeera powder 2 Tb spoon
Garam masala – 1/4 tsp (optional)
Chilli powder to taste
Black Pepper powder 1/2 tsp or to taste
Saunf powder – 1 TB spoon
Salt to taste
Few cashew nuts chopped (optional)
raisins 10-12 (optional)
oil 1 TB spoon
Make sure you wash mushrooms before slicing and add a pinch of salt and turmeric to the water while washing. Slice all mushrooms vertically. Fennel powder is the secret ingredient of this recipe. Slightly roast fennel seeds before grinding them to make powder. Roasting them lightly really bring out the aroma and the flavor. We use half of this powder to flavor the oil before you add roughly chopped onion to the oil in a pan. Saute the onion till it caramelizes and then add chopped tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. If you have fresh ginger and garlic, even better. Cook the mixture till oil starts separating. Let it cool for few minutes before grinding it to make a fine puree. You might need to add some water to bring to proper consistency.
Transfer the puree to the same pan and add all the spices, including the remaining saunf powder. Add sliced mushrooms and green peas and let them cook by keeping the lid on. Mushrooms and peas don’t take long to cook so keep an eye on it. Now turn off the heat and add fresh cream and mix it well. The creamy mushroom mutter is ready to serve! Garnish it with some chopped coriander leaves.
You can use yogurt instead of cream but make sure it’s not sour. You can also use milk instead of cream but milk but I wouldn’t recommend it.

USAL (
Usal/Oosal (ऊसळ) is Maharastrian dish made of beans such as Matki, Moong or Waal^[ etc. Generally the beans are soaked in water and allowed to sprout. The sprouted beans are stir fried along with onions, spices and curry leaves in oil. Little water is put to cook the sprouts. It usually has a thick gravy. The use of spices vary according to the sprouts used and according to taste.)

Ingredients -
1 cup sprouted moong
1 cup sprouted kale chane
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3-4 curry leaves
1/2 tsp Kanda-Lasun(Onion-Garlic) masala
1 tsp Goda Masala
1 tsp red chili powder
3-4 tb spoon shredded coconut
1/2 tsp jaggery / sugar
1 tb spoon oil for phodani/tadka
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Hing powder
salt to taste
Whole Garam Masala (optional)
2-3 peppercorns
1 clove
1-2 cardamom
a small cinnamon stick.. Mix all sprouted grains in equal amount of water in a pressure cooker, add whole Garam masala and a small piece of raw onion with 1 tsp of salt and cook for 3-4 whistles. Mixing whole Garam masala and onion while cooking really induces nice flavours.

Everyday is a new adventure and even though some days are spent chasing my tail, it's never dull.  When it gets particularly crazy and I'm about to lose every shred of sanity, i brew up a nice cup of chai (tea) relax and enjoy a quiet time or go through some cookbooks! and my creative mind goes faster than a bullet train in Italy!

 

indian tea  

Masala Chai Tea, Chai Latte, or just ‘Chai’ is the beverage of choice all over India. From a construction worker to a business tycoon, everyone prefers a hot cuppa ‘chai’ first thing in the morning, with snacks, between work or after a hard days work. Most Indian homes will always serve you a hot cup of Chai Tea when you drop in on a casual visit.Depending on whether you are drinking it in the North, South, East or West India, the Chai Tea is invariably flavored with various spices (Masalas). But the tea is almost (except in the North-East) always ‘readymade’. ‘Readymade’ Chai tea is tea boiled in a mixture of water, milk and sugar and is ready to serve (i.e you do not need to add milk, sugar, or anything else). I am posting a popular Indian Masala Chai Tea recipe below. It is the perfect drink to have on a cold winter day or night. So get cosy with a book or by the fire and enjoy your hot cup of ‘Chai’ tea!
Masala Chai Tea/ Chai Latte
Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Water
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 teaspoons Tea leaves (Darjeeling, Assam, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Chinese or Nilgiri Take your pick)
• 1 pod of Cardamom
• 1 Clove
• 1/2 inch piece of Ginger
• 1/4 inch piece of Cinnamon
• Sugar to taste

Method:
In a pot, mix the milk, water, all the whole spices (masalas) and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil, add the tea leaves and keep on a rolling boil for 2 minutes or till the tea leaves are completely brewed and the tea has a golden or chocolate color. Add sugar to taste.
Strain the tea with a strainer into a serving tea pot. Serve hot in cups or mugs with biscuits and cookies.
Makes 2 cups.

Mexican cuisine, a style of food that originated in Mexico, is known for its varied flavors, colourful decoration and variety of spices and ingredients, most of which are native to the country. The staples of Mexican foods are typically corn and beans. Corn is used to make masa, a dough for tamales, tortillas, gorditas, and many other corn-based foods. Corn is also eaten fresh, as corn on the cob and as a component of a number of dishes.The most frequently used herbs and spices in Mexican cuisine are chili powder, oregano, cilantro, epazote, cinnamon, and cocoa. Chipotle, a smoke-dried jalapeño chilli, is also common in Mexican cuisine. Many Mexican dishes also contain garlic and onions.

damas y hombres suaves cusine mexicano (Ladies and gentlemen here are some mexican cusine recipes!

BREAKFAST TACO
Ingredients
6 ounces chorizo sausage
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 dash hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™), or to taste
1/2 cup salsa
Directions
Crumble the sausage into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly brown. Set aside.
Heat one skillet over medium heat, and heat another skillet over high heat. The skillet over high heat is for warming tortillas. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Spray the medium heat skillet with some cooking spray, and pour in the eggs. Cook and stir until almost firm. Add the sausage, and continue cooking and stirring until firm.
Meanwhile, warm tortillas for about 45 seconds per side in the other skillet, so they are hot and crispy on the edges, but still pliable.
Sprinkle a little shredded cheese onto each tortilla while it is still hot. Top with some of the scrambled egg and sausage, then add hot pepper sauce and salsa to your liking.

Egg taco

2 eggs, fried Over Easy
1/2 cup Pinto Beans
2 corn tortillas
1/2 cup Salsa 2 tablespoons Kraft shredded Mexican four cheese blend
1 cup salad oil
Salt to taste


Heat 1/2 inch salad oil in a cast iron frying pan over medium high heat.  When oil is hot, cook tortillas, turning once, just until soft; about 10 seconds total.  Drain on paper towels.
Arrange tortillas on a plate, so they overlap each other by about 50%.  Spoon warm  Beans over tortillas. Spoon Salsa  over the beans.  Fry eggs, Over Easy, and place on top of salsa.  Top with cheese. Salt to taste. Re-heat for about 30 seconds in microwave oven and serve immediately!
Fish tacos

Ingredients
Tomato & Avocado Salsa, (recipe follows) or store-bought fresh salsa
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/3 cup beer
8 ounces tilapia fillet, cut crosswise into 1-inch wide strips
2 teaspoons canola oil
4 corn tortillas, warmed
Preparation
Prepare Tomato & Avocado Salsa, if using.
Combine flour, cumin, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Whisk in beer to create a batter.
Coat tilapia pieces in the batter. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Letting excess batter drip back into the bowl, add the fish to the pan; cook until crispy and golden, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Serve the fish with tortillas and salsa.

Refried Beans Supreme
1can  (16 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Refried Beans
1
cup  KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
1/2
cup  chopped tomato
1/4
cup  chopped green onions
Make It
MIX beans and 1/2 cup of the cheese in 1-quart microwavable dish; cover.
MICROWAVE on HIGH 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through; stir. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Microwave, uncovered, 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
SPRINKLE with tomato and onions.

Kraft Kitchens TipsSize-Wise
The cheese, tomato and onions liven up canned refried beans to make a flavorful side dish perfect for a special occasion.
Substitute
Prepare as directed, using TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Refried Beans with Mild Green Chiles.
Use Your Oven
Mix beans and 1/2 cup of the cheese in 1-quart baking dish; cover. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with tomato and onions.

Refried beans

1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans  or 1 (16 ounce) can pink beans
1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning (a flavored salt used in latin cooking)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 slice cooked ham or 1 slice salt pork or 1 slice Canadian bacon, cubed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (5 g) packet sazon con azafran seasoning (comes in envelopes in a box, gives color and a distinct flavor to latin dishes)
1 1/2 tablespoons sofrito sauce (comes in a jar, a necessary ingredient in Puerto Rican cooking)
1 1/2 cups white rice, uncooked
Directions:
Made by Goya brand and can be found in the Spanish/Latin section of your grocery store Cook white rice as instructions on package of rice say to (5 minute rice is perfectly fine).
make sure when you are done cooking to let excess water out of rice.
In saucepan, heat oil on low-medium heat and put in the ham, salted pork, or Canadian bacon.
once it starts to sizzle, add the garlic powder and Adobo seasoning.
Then add the Sofrito and Sazon con Azafran seasoning, stir.
Next add red beans (drain most of liquid, just a little bit is needed to pull the sauce together).
Mix and serve.
(in Puerto Rico, it is traditional to serve rice and beans with almost every meal, but mainly with pork chops (cooked with a little sofrito and adobo seasoning) on the side).

Spanish Rice ( my favorite)

2 cups long-grain white rice (Riceland)
1 -2 medium green pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
2 tablespoons tomato & chicken bouillon (Knorr brand, "Caldo de Tomato con Sabor de Pollo", in Mexican food aisle)
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt (to taste)
4 cups water
vegetable oil (no olive oil)
Directions:
Pour rice into a deep pot and stir in enough oil so that every grain is coated.
Cook rice on medium and constantly stir, using a spatula, until it becomes a light toasted color (20-25 min), be careful not to burn.
Add onion and green pepper, cook until they become soft, add more oil if needed.
Stir in tomato, cook for 2-3 minute.
Tilt pot, remove any excess oil w/ spoon.
Sprinkle bouillon and garlic salt over rice (DO NOT STIR).
Pour water over rice (DO NOT STIR), then cover.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook for 25-30 min, or until most liquid evaporated (DO NOT LIFT LID DURING THIS TIME).
Pick out large pieces of veggies w/ a fork and discard, (this step may be omitted if you chopped your veggies, I have picky eaters).
*This rice actually tastes better when cooled, and then heated in the microwave, as any remaining liquid is evaporated.

When i am at a mexican restruant i love snacking on the chips and salsa. I love salsa so much that i add that on all the food they serve and has to be spicy!
so here are some salsa recipes i have tried.

Salsa (basic)
4 medium roma tomatoes
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 serrano chili
3 green onions
4 ounces chopped chilies
1 -3 whole fresh jalapeno
1/4 cup cilantro
1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt and pepper
Directions:
Char the tomatoes over a gas grill or under the flame of a hot broiler for 2 minutes to char the skin, turning them until the peel blisters. Slip off the peel, and the flesh should still be firm. Remove the green stem core and cut the tomatoes in half vertically. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and discard.
In the food processor, drop in the garlic, cilantro, green onions and jalapenos into the bowl of the food processor to chop for just a few seconds.
Add all the remaining ingredients from the recipe, tomatoes, Serrano chili, the chopped green chilies and lime juice. The texture is somewhere between a chow-chow relish and a textured puree. You want to see tiny bits of all the vegetables throughout the salsa. Salt and pepper to taste.
Place in fridge for approximately one hour!

Salsa (2nd type)
6 large heirloom tomatoes of different colors, washed,cored and quartered
2 green and 2 red jalapenos, seeded and chopped finely*
1 sweet onion, quartered
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
Juice of 3 fresh limes
2 large bunches of cilantro, stemmed and chopped
In your food processor or blender, add the tomatoes, the onion, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, lime juice and cilantro. Pulse until not quite pureed.
(If you do not have a food processor or blender, simply chop all of your ingredients. This will be more like a pico de gallo or a very chunky salsa, however.)
Pour mixture into a large bowl. If chunks of veggies remain, chop them again. Add the japalenos, and stir well. Cover and let sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes. Refrigerate in a tightly sealed container. Will last about a week, unless it all gets eaten, which happens. Serve as a dip with blue corn or other chips or as a side dish to another meal.
If you want this hotter, add some of the jalapeno seeds or use a hotter pepper such as habanero. If you don't want hot at all, use Anaheim chiles or even plain bell pepper.
*To kick this up, roast your jalapenos over either the open flame on a gas stove or grill or broil until blackened in your oven. Take peppers from flame or heat, place in a brown paper bag, seal it up and wait about 15 minutes, until the peppers are cool. Peel and chop to use. If you make more than you need, they will save in the 'fridge for about a week, especially if you place them in a little olive oil. Olive oil congeals when cool, so you will need to warm them up a little to use.

Salsa (3rd type)

Whole canned tomatoes, Rotel (tomatoes and chilies), onion, fresh jalapeno, salt, sugar, garlic, and cilantro.Dice up a little onion. You won’t need much.Throw the canned tomatoes, juice and all, into the bowl of a food processor.
That I used one can of Mild and one can of Original was purely an accident…but strangely, the balance of spice turned out to be just right.
Now, chop up one clove of garlic and add it to the bowl.
Add just 1/4 cup chopped onion to the bowl. This doesn’t seem like a lot, considering that in my Pico de Gallo recipe, I preach and preach about how important it is for the onion to receive equal billing with the tomatoes. But for this salsa, it’s best to go subtle with the onions.Next, dump in the two cans of Rotel.
Jalapenos. Slit in half lengthwise.
 Then slit the halves in half lengthwise. Make thin slices, leaving in the seeds and membranes because you’re tough. You can take it.Throw ‘em right in with everything else.Next, add 1/4 teaspoon sugar.And 1/4 teaspoon salt.Next comes some lime juice—a half a lime if it’s large, a whole lime if it’s a little one.Next, add 1/2 to 1 cup cilantro.
I’m a cilantro freakazoid, but if you’re not, feel free to go lighter.
But it really does add a lot of flavor.
Pulse it seven or eight times.This is pretty chunky
Plus, I forgot to add the cumin!Just 1/4 teaspoon will do; this’ll give the salsa just the tiniest cumin undertone. Any more than this and it starts to get a little strong. A little—dare I say?—cuminy?

Pulse it up again until it reaches the consistency you want. I like it very homogenized, without a whole lot of distinction between ingredients. I like it smooth, baby, not chunky. Everything’s evenly distributed. The flavor’s mild but spicy…without the annoying bite of vinegar.Now, be sure to taste it with a tortilla chip so you can get an accurate sense of the seasonings. Adjust as needed…but I hardly ever have to add anything at this point, beyond a little more cilantro. I never add more salt—there’s plenty on the chips!
Now, it’s ideal if you can cover and refrigerate the salsa for a couple of hours at least. This’ll help everything meld and marry and mingle and become perfect.

SALSA (3rd type) IS READY!

Salsa (4th type)

8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
2 1/2 cups onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups green peppers
1 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons pepper
1/8 cup canning salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
Directions:
1
Mix all together and bring to a slow boil for 10 minute.
2
Seal in jars and cook in hot water bath for 10 minute.
3
This is a medium salsa. This is also a chunky salsa so if you want a smoother salsa cut your veggies into smaller pieces.
4
Yields 3-6 quarts or pints. (if you are storing it) otherwise just use minimum veggies.

Simple salsa (for the ladies who likes less ingredients and less work)
Ingredients
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
8 cilantro sprigs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together. Toss thoroughly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

It is all Greek to me....ha ha..Here are some Greek recipe dishes.


Vegetable dishes that are cooked with olive oil and tomatoes are referred to as lathera (lah-the-RAH) in Greek, because the key ingredient is flavorful olive oil, or “lathi.”
The most popular vegetable to make "lathera style" is the green bean, but you can try this dish with small zucchini, okra, or peppers as well.
This version includes some potatoes and baby carrots (I find the carrots sweeten the sauce a bit) and can be a delicious vegetarian entree or a tasty side dish.
Try serving it with some crumbled feta on top and some great bread for dipping in the savory sauce.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 lbs. green beans, cleaned and trimmed
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 medium potatoes, cut in large wedges
A large handful of baby carrots
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. tomato paste
4-5 ripe tomatoes, skinned and crushed (substitute 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes)
1½ cups warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about one minute.
Add the green beans, potatoes, and carrots to the pot. Dissolve the tomato paste in the water and add, along with the crushed tomatoes, parsley, and sugar. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer covered for about an hour or until the green beans are tender but not mushy.
In the last ten minutes of cooking, add the chopped fresh dill and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Note: Be sure to monitor your liquid levels while the beans are cooking. You can add a little bit of water if needed.

In Greek: τυροκαυτερή, pronounced tee-roh-kahf-teh-REE Ingredients:
1/2 pound of feta cheese
1 pepper (mild to hot, depending on preference)
olive oil
Preparation:
Crumble the feta into small pieces using a fork.
Saute the pepper in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the skin is lightly browned. Remove the stem and discard, and chop the pepper into very small pieces. Using a mortar and pestle, add the pepper and the oil it was sauteed in to the cheese and mash until smooth, adding additional olive oil if needed to bring it to the consistency of a thick (but not stiff) dip. Serve garnished with a bit of parsley.
Alternatively: Put the cheese, pepper, and oil from sauteing in the blender and mix, adding more olive oil if needed to bring to the correct consistency.
Tip:
If you have a pepper that's too hot, slit it open down one side under running water and remove and discard the white internal membrane. Pat the pepper dry before sauteing.

Grilled vegetable Greek style6 club rolls
1 eggplant
1 red pepper
1 Vidalia onion
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces goat cheese (optional)
Fresh-cracked black pepper
Preheat oven grill. Slice eggplant, pepper, and onion approximately 1-inch thick; toss in olive oil; place on grill and cook AL dente.
Brush the rolls with oil. Layer the veggies on the rolls.
Sprinkle with cheese and pepper, and serve.

In Greek: χούμους με ταχίνι (pronounced HOO-mooss meh tah-HEE-nee) This dip is quick and easy to make, delicious, and healthy. No cooking involved. Just grab the blender and go. Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) and tahini (a paste made from roasted sesame seeds) combine to make a tasty appetizer to serve with wedges of pita bread. A favorite in Greek restaurants outside Greece (see note below the recipe).
The key to great hummus is to let the flavor of the chickpeas come through, rather than be overwhelmed by the lemon (it's easy to get too much lemon taste).
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup of tahini
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of water
parsley and olive oil to garnish
Preparation:
Put 1/2 the lemon juice and all ingredients into the blender except the chickpeas (and the parsley and oil for garnish) and blend for 5 seconds. Add the chick peas and blend on high until it reaches the the consistency of sour cream, but granular, about 10-15 seconds. Blend in remaining lemon juice to taste. If the dip is too thick but you don't want to add more lemon juice, add a little water slowly and blend until it reaches the correct consistency.
Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. (It can be eaten immediately, but becomes even more flavorful if left to chill well.)
Drizzle of olive oil over the top and add a garnish of parsley or black olives before serving. Serve with pita wedges or slices of whole grain breads.
Note: Be sure to rinse the canned chickpeas well to clear away the taste of any ingredients used in the canning process.



crepes

Crepes. Mmmmm....! So light. So delicate. So heavenly!
Yet crepes are easier to make than you might think!
Egg - Bell Pepper Crepes
Filling
Cooked Scrambled eggs (1 or 2 eggs per crepe)
Bell pepper (or other veggie of your choice)
Whole Wheat Crepes or Dinner Crepes
1 cup whole wheat flour or white flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup (to 1 3/4 cup) water
1 egg
vegetable oil or cooking spray
Mix all the crepe batter ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl. The batter should be much thinner than for pancakes. For really smooth crepes, process the batter in a food processor or with a hand-held wand. (In the interest of having less clean up to do, I usually just skip this step, mashing out the lumps with the side of my spoon against the bowl.)
Preheat a pan on medium heat with a very small amount of vegetable oil. The oil should just barely mist the bottom of the pan. When the pan is warm, pick it up off the stove and hold it while you pour a small amount of batter (about 1/4 cup..although I don't measure it) into it. As you are pouring the batter, tilt the pan slowly in all directions so that the batter spreads in a very thin layer across the bottom.When the edges start peeling away from the pan, or when the edges become lightly golden (whichever comes first), gently loosen the crepe with a spatula and flip the crepe over in the pan.
Place the bell pepper (or other veggie) onto one half of the crepe. Lay the scrambled eggs on top of that. Continue cooking the bottom of the crepe. After about a minute, fold the empty side of the crepe over the bell pepper and eggs, so that it resembles a taco with filling inside. You can serve it immediately, or cook it another minute. (If the scrambled eggs are leftover and have been in the refrigerator, cook the crepe with the eggs inside until the eggs are as warm as you'd like.)
Chocolate Crepes
1 cup all purpose flour or whole wheat flour
3 tsp cocoa
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water or milk
1 egg
Mix all the ingredients together. The batter should be much thinner than for pancakes. For really smooth crepes, process the batter in a food processor or with a hand-held wand. (In the interest of having less clean up to do, I usually just skip this step, mashing out the lumps with the side of my spoon against the bowl instead.)
Preheat a pan on medium heat with a very small amount of vegetable oil. The oil should just barely mist the bottom of the pan. When the pan is warm, pick it up off the stove and hold it while you pour a small amount of batter (about 1/4 cup..although I don't measure it) into it. As you are pouring the batter, tilt the pan slowly in all directions so that the batter spreads in a very thin layer across the bottom.When the edges start peeling away from the pan, gently loosen the crepe with a spatula and then flip the crepe over in the pan. The second side should cook much more quickly, so don't get distracted and let it cook too long.
Suggested fillings:
Nutella Hazelnut Spread with strawberries or bananas
Dark chocolate chips and bananas (partially melting the chips on top of the crepe in the pan)
Dark chocolate chips and strawberries (partially melting the chips on the crepe)
Yogurt and strawberries
Cream cheese and strawberries
Peanut butter and bananas
Chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, peanuts, or other nuts)
All-fruit strawberry jelly, topped with fresh sliced strawberries or bananas
Ice Cream
Suggested toppings:
Chocolate syrup
Sliced strawberries or bananas
Powdered sugar
Carmel sauce
Whipped topping
Strawberry syrup
Ice Cream


Fresh Fruit Crepes
1 batch of crepes Fresh Fruit of your choice
Place sliced strawberries, banana slices, and blueberries (or other fruits of your choice) in little bowls on the table. Each person places his choice(s) of fresh fruit onto his crepe and rolls it up, eating it immediately. You can use just one type of fruit per crepe, or add any combination you'd like. My family loves adding all three - strawberries, blueberries, and bananas - to the same crepe!
Variation:
For variety, try filling and folding your crepes while they're still in the pan (after the crepe has been flipped over and partially cooked on the second side). The fruit gets a little warmer that way.

Cinnamon Apple Crepes
Crepe Batter
1 cup regular flour or whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 egg
1 TBSP Apple Juice Concentrate
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
vegetable oil or cooking spray
Filling
Apples (1 apple for every two crepes)
About 3 tsp of water for cooking apples
Honey
FILLING (optional)
Raisins
Pecans or walnuts
Powdered Sugar
Cinnamon
Peel and slice the apples (about 1/4 inch wide). Cook in a very small amount of water (or try cooking in apple juice) in a small pot on the stove for about 3 minutes, or until tender.
While the apples are cooking, mix all the crepe batter ingredients (except the oil) into a medium sized mixing bowl. The batter should be much thinner than for pancakes. Add additional water or frozen apple juice concentrate, a tsp or so at a time, until the batter is thin.
Preheat a pan on medium heat with a very small amount of vegetable oil. The oil should just barely mist the bottom of the pan. When the pan is warm, pick it up off the stove and hold it while you pour a small amount of batter (about 1/4 cup..although I don't measure it) into the pan. As you are pouring the batter, tilt the pan slowly in all directions so that the batter spreads in a very thin layer across the bottom. When the edges start peeling away from the pan, or when the edges become lightly golden (whichever comes first), gently loosen the crepe with a spatula and flip the crepe over in the pan. The second side should cook much more quickly. In my opinion, the best, most delicate and delicious crepes are cooked until they have only just a hint of color.
Remove the crepe from the pan and place on a plate. Add several slices of cooked apples in a line across the center of the crepe. Drizzle with honey. Add any of the following items that you'd like: a sprinkle of cinnamon, nuts, or raisins. Roll the crepe up, and top with additional filling items, including a sprinkling of powdered sugar on the top, if you'd like.

crepe egg burritoingredients
whole wheat flour (1 cup) sifted
egg (2 large)
baking soda (pinch)
salt to taste
spinach (fresh 1 cup)
mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup)
Pam cooking oil (2 spritz)
milk (4tbsp)
Method: In a bowl mix in the flour, egg (beaten 1) milk & baking soda. Beat it nicely to smooth paste without any lumps. keep aside.
then beat another egg add in the spinach and mix.
make the crepe on the hot pan by suing Pam cooking spray first on the hot griddle then add in the spinach egg mixture over it with cheese.
that is it. crepe burrito is ready to eat. make sure you fold it right. the cheese will melt in and keep the crepe together.

now to OKRA (one of my favorite vegetable) 

This simple dish tastes great with hot chapatis (Indian flat bread) or parathas (pan-fried Indian flat bread). Team with a dish like Rajma and you've got a terrific vegetarian meal.
Bhindi, also known as Okra and Ladyfinger, is a versatile and easy vegetable to cook. You can fry it, curry it, stuff it.... It is also one of my top favorites veggies. Here are some delicious dishes you can make with it.

Bhindi (okra/lady finger)
Ingredients:
1/2 kg fresh okra tops and tails cut off and diced into 1" pieces
2 tsp vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion sliced thin
2 green chillies chopped fine
6 cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp dry mango powder
2 large tomatoes cut into small cubes
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a wide pan on a medium flame and add the cumin seeds. Fry till they stop sizzling.
Add the onion, green chili and garlic and fry till the onions turn light brown.
Add the okra and mix well.
Add the coriander and dry mango powders and mix again. Season to taste. Fry for 5-7 minutes.
Add the tomato and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve immediately with hot chapatis (Indian flat bread) or parathas (pan-fried Indian flat bread).

okra in yogurt sauce
Ingredients:
500 gms okra tops and tails removed and then cut into 1" pieces
3 tbsp vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp onions seeds
2 large onions cut into slices
2 large tomatoes cut into cubes
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
3 tbsp yogurt
Salt to taste
Chopped fresh coriander to garnish
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a deep pan and add the cumin and onion seeds. When they stop spluttering, add the sliced onions.
Fry till the onions are golden. Add all the spices and stir well. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Now add the okra and mix. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, yogurt and salt to taste and mix well.
Cook till okra is soft.
Garnish with cilantro

Stuffed okra
Ingredients:
500 gms baby okra
5 tbsp coriander powder
3 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp raw mango powder
1/4 tsp coriander
1 tsp red chili powder
2-3 tbsp vegetable/canola/ sunflower cooking oil
Salt to taste
2 tbsp cornflour
Vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil for deep frying
Preparation:
Wash the okra and pat dry with a clean cloth. Make a partial lengthwise slit (like a pocket) in each okra (such that it does not completely open up).
Mix all the spices, salt to taste. Add enough cooking oil and mix well to form a thick paste.
Stuff the slit in each okra with a little bit of this paste. Lay the stuffed okra in a plate to form a single layer.
Sprinkle the stuffed okra with the cornflour and then roll around to coat well.
Heat the cooking oil for frying, in a deep pan on a medium flame. When hot, add the okra and fry till crisp. Drain and remove from oil.
Serve immediately with plain boiled rice and a Dal (lentil dish) of your choice.

Sambar ( lentil curry with okra)

Ingredients:
2 cups Toor or Tuvar (split yellow pigeon peas)
4 tbsp Sambar Masala
1 cup chopped eggplant (cut into 2"cubes)
1 cup chopped potato (cut into 1"cubes)
10 pearl onions, peeled and cored
10-12 baby okra
1/2 cup pumpkin
10-12, 3"long pieces of drumstick (optional)
Golf ball-sized lump of tamarind
3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp mustard seeds
8-10 curry leaves
3 dry red chillies
Salt to taste
Chopped fresh coriander leaves
Preparation:
Boil the lentils and Sambar Masala with enough water till they are soft. The consistency should be that of a thick soup.
Soak the tamarind in a small bowl of hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze well to remove all juice.
Add this puree to the lentils. Mix well. Add salt to taste.
Simmer and add the potatoes to the lentils. Cook till the potatoes are half cooked. Now add the other vegetables and cook till done.
Heat the ghee in a small pan and add the dry red chillies, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Fry till the spluttering stops and add to the boiled lentils. Mix well.
Garnish with chopped green coriander and serve hot with Idlis, Vadas or plain boiled rice.

Sindhi okra kadhiIngredients:
1 cup Toor/ Tuvar Dal (split yellow pigeon peas)
8-10 large tomatoes sliced thick
3 tbsp vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 green chillies slit lengthwise
1/4 tsp asofetida powder
3 tbsps Bengal gram flour (besan)
1 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup baby okra (whole or with tops and tails trimmed)
1 cup beans cut into 2" pieces
1 cup carrot cut into thick slices
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Soak the Toor/ Tuvar Dal in hot water for 1 hour.
Boil the Dal in a pressure cooker with water and the tomatoes till done. To do this, once you have closed the pressure cooker cook on a high flame till you hear the first whistle (pressure release). Now reduce the flame to a simmer and cook till you hear 2 more whistles. Turn off the fire.
Whisk the Dal and add hot water (if necessary) till you get a smooth, soup-like consistency.
Heat the oil in a pan on a medium flame. Add the cumin and fenugreek seeds, green chillies and asafetida. Cook till the spluttering stops.
Now add the gram flour. Cook till the raw aroma of the gram flour is gone - it will turn pale brown.
Now add the red chilli powder and turmeric powder and turn off the flame.
Add this mix to the Dal. Season with salt to taste.
Add the vegetables and cook till done.
Serve piping hot with a long-grained, fragrant rice like Basmati and Poppadom's (papad).

Okra dry
Eat this okra dish with plain boiled rice and your favorite Dal (lentil dish) and you've got a tasty and nutritious meal.
Ingredients:
1/2 kg okra
1/2 cup Bengal gram flour (besan)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
4 tsp chaat masala
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil for deep frying
Preparation:
Wash the Bhindi and then dry thoroughly. If this is not done, the Bhindi will be sticky and slimy when cut in the next step. Remove the top stem of each Bhindi and then slit diagonally into thin slices.
Heat the cooking oil on a medium flame. Do not heat the oil too much as okra burns quickly when deep fried.
Put the okra in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle all the other dry ingredients on it. Season with salt just before frying or else the okra will release water and become soggy.
Deep fry the okra a little at a time, until crisp and drain on paper towels.
Garnish with the lime juice and serve with plain boiled rice and your favorite Dal



Avocado

AVOCADO TACO
Ingredients:
1 medium white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
1 can no-salt-added pinto beans (about 3 cups), rinsed and drained
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 avocados, thinly sliced
Method:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until beginning to stick to skillet. Stir in 1/2 cup broth and continue to cook 6 to 8 minutes or until onion is translucent and very tender. Reduce heat to medium-low, add beans and cook 2 to 3 minutes to soften, stirring frequently. Mash beans with a potato masher. Stir in remaining broth, cumin, pepper and salt. Cook 2 minutes longer or until warmed through, stirring occasionally and adding water or more broth as needed for desired consistency.
In a dry skillet, warm each tortilla to soften. Top with a generous scoop bean mixture. Add lettuce, tomato and avocado. Fold in half and serve with your favorite salsa.