Dry Okra Curry

(From Banu's Cookbook)



Ingredients:
4 cups of Chopped Okra
2 tsp of Olive Oil
Cumin seeds for Seasoning
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 - 3 tsp Cumin Powder
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
Lemon Juice - about 2-3 Tbsp

Method:
1. Heat a heavy bottomed wide wok. Add the olive oil and cumin seeds.
2. Once the cumin seeds turn brownish, add the chopped okra and immediately add the lemon juice.
3. Mix well once. Reduce the flame to medium low.
4. Cook the okra until it starts to brown. Do not cover the pan. Cook it open.
5. Do not stir too many times otherwise the okra will get gooey. Just stir it one or two times.
6. Once the okra has started to turn brown, add the salt, turmeric, cumin and red chill powder.
7. Mix well and continue to cook on medium heat until it is well done. If you do not like it well done, you can switch off the heat earlier.

Notes:
1. You do not need too much oil for this curry as you are adding lemon juice. You can add bit more lemon juice than I mention if you like your curry tangy.
2. I just wipe the Okra and then chop it. I do not really wash it in a lot of water etc. This also helps in not making the curry very gooey.
3. You can add other powders per your taste like Garam masala etc. I like this combination and keeps it tasty and simple. 

Curried Green Beans

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
2 cups of washed and chopped green beans
1 tsp of Olive Oil
Cumin Seeds for Seasoning
Mustard Seeds for seasoning
Curry Leaves for seasoning
IP Salt to Taste
1 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1 1/2 tsp Corriander Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Tumeric Powder
1-2 tsp Lemon Juice
Chopped cilantro for Garnishing

Method:
1. Remove the ends of Green Beans, wash and chop them.
2. In a pan, heat olive oil and add Cumin and Mustard Seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and the chopped green beans and mix well.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook the green beans by covering the pan. Do not add any extra water. Green beans get cooked by the condensation that forms when you close the pan with a lid.
4. Keep stirring it in between and once the green beans are almost cooked (about 9-10 mins depending on the quality of green beans) - add all the spice powders including salt and mix well.
5. Continue cooking until the green beans is well done.
6. Add Lemon juice and chopped cilantro and serve it hot.
7. You can serve it with Tofu like I have done in the picture or with IP Potato puree

Notes:
1. You have to cook this in low fire without any water, else the green beans will become soggy.
2. The curry leaves add a nice taste to the curry, so try to add that as much as possible. 

Egg Curry in Tomato and Garlic Gravy (Sauce)

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
6 boiled Eggs cut in half
4 cups of tomatoes chopped
3-4 Garlic Cloves
2 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Tumeric powder
1 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
IP Salt to taste
Chopped Cilantro for Garnishing

Method:
1. Heat a pan and add 1 tsp of Olive Oil. Add chopped tomatoes and garlic and cook well on medium heat until the tomatoes are completely cooked.
2. Let this cool down and come to room temperature. Blend this mixture in a blender or food processor with just a tad bit of water.
3. Heat the same pan with 1 tsp of Olive oil and put cumin seeds and all the spice powders and fry for a few minutes.
4. Add the blended tomato mixture and cook for a few more minutes.
5. Add the halved boiled eggs and ip salt and mix well gently.
6. Reduce the heat and cook for 5-6 minutes so that eggs absorb the spices.
7. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

This recipe creates two IP Servings of 2 cups of Vegetables and 6-7 ounces of protein when you eat three eggs with half of the sauce.

You can serve this with a IP potato puree pita bread if you so desire.

Notes:
1. You can add 1-2 tsp of splenda if you feel that the tomatoes are a bit sour. I personally like the slightly sour taste of tomatoes, so I did not add any splenda.
2. You can even reduce the tomatoes and add some spinach for a slightly different taste.
3. You can use this tomato gravy and add it to other vegetables as well like bell peppers and cauliflower. Just reduce the tomato to 1 cup and and another cup of vegetables. It is better to roast these vegetables first. I will post another recipe soon.
4. You can use canned sauce, but somehow the taste is much better with fresh tomatoes.

Crispy Baked Tofu on Cauliflower Rice

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:

Cauliflower Rice:
1/2 Head of Cauliflower - Riced in food processor about 2 cups.
3 Garlic Cloves Minced
1 inch Ginger Minced
2 Baby Bokchoy Chopped roughly
1/8 tsp of Sea Salt
2 Tbsp of Water or Low Sodium Vegetable Broth

Tofu:
1 package of Extra Firm Organic Tofu

Sauce:
1.5 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1/4 cup of Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 tsp of Garlic chilli paste
2 Tbsp of Walden Farms Maple Syrup
1 tsp of Lemon Juice
2 tsp of Splenda Granular

Method:
1. Mix all the sauce ingredients together and keep it aside.
2. Press the tofu to remove all the water using a Tofu Press. If you do not have one, you can put it in between paper towels and put some heavy weight on it like canned beans, to remove the excess water. You need to press it for at least 30 mins to remove all the water.
3. Pat the tofu dry, cut it into 1 inch pieces and then bake it in the oven at 400 deg F for about 25 mins.
3. Let the tofu cool for about 10 mins. Marinade it in the sauce for another 10 mins at least.
4. While the tofu is baking and cooling. You can rice the cauliflower.
5. In a pan add 1 tsp of Olive oil, add the minced ginger and garlic, saute for a few mins. Add the riced cauliflower and mix well. Add a 2 tbsps of water or vegetable broth and reduce the flame to medium low. Cook the pan and let the cauliflower rice steam well. It takes about 10 mins. Then increase the flame, add 2 tsp of the sauce and the chopped bok choy and stir well. Cook for a few more minutes.
6. Remove the rice into a bowl. Now, in the same pan add the marinated tofu and saute for a few minutes until browned. You do not need any oil for this. The marinade will help brown the Tofu.
7. Add the tofu on top of the fried rice, garnish with some chopped green onions and serve hot.

Notes:
1. You can add toasted sesame oil to the sauce for extra taste. I was trying to keep this Ideal protein friendly, so I did not add it.
2. You can also add Egg to the fried rice if you want. Since, I had tofu as my main protein, I did not add egg.
3. You can also add other vegetables like Bell Peppers, Spinach etc
4. It feels like this recipe requires a lot of time, but lot of this can be done before hand and then tossed together.
5. You can increase the "hot" factor of the sauce by adding more chilli paste per your taste.
6. Soy Sauce adds quite a bit of saltiness to the sauce, so I did not add extra salt to tofu.
7. You can substitute Honey or Agave Nectar instead of Walden Farms Maple Syrup.
8. You can serve the Tofu on white fried rice as well.

Tomato and Wheat Flour Dosa (Crepe)

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
1 Cup of Wheat Flour
1/3 Cup Rice Flour
4 Medium Tomatoes
1 Medium Onion Chopped Fine
1/4 Cup of Chopped Cilantro
4-5 Green Chillies Chopped (or more per taste)
Salt to taste
Oil for Cooking

Method:
1. Sift the wheat and rice flour along with the salt.
2. Puree the tomatoes in a food processor or blender.
3. Add the tomato puree to the flour mixture and mix well. Add more water to bring it to a pouring consistency. It should not be too watery but not too solid either.
4. Adjust salt if needed as you are adding some water.
5. Add chopped onions, green chillies and cilantro.
6. Heat a non stick pan or a cast iron pan, pour a ladle of the crepe mixture. Cook on both sides with oil.
7. Serve it hot with some pickle, chutney or jam on the side.

Notes:
1. You can cover the Dosa/Crepe on one side to hasten the cooking process.
2. You can avoid rice flour if you do not want to use it. Does not change the taste much. Texture might be a bit more softer without rice flour.
3. I like the taste of Onion when eating the Dosa, so I chop it and add it. But if you do not, you can chop it extra fine in the food processor before adding it.

Sprouted Moong Chilli

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Sprouted Green Moong Daal
1/2 Cup of Chopped Red Onion
1 Cup of Chopped Yellow Squash
2 Cups of Chopped Spinach
1 Tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste
1/2 Tsp of Turmeric
1 Tsp of Cumin Powder
1 Tsp of Corriander Powder
1 Tsp of Red Chilli Powder
1/2 Tsp of Chaat Powder or Amchur Powder
Mustard Seeds for Tempering
Salt to Taste
Onion for Sauteing

Garnishing:
Chopped Red Onion
Sour Cream (Optional)

Method:
1. Cook the Sprouted Moon Daal in pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles or on stove top until it is fully cooked.
2. In a pan, heat the oil, add Mustard seeds and once it splutters, add the chopped onion and saute until it is translucent
3. Add the chopped squash and spinach and saute for a few more minutes. Add few table spoons of water and cook it until the squash is cooked.
4. Add turmeric and then add the cooked sprouted moong daal.
5. Mix it all well, add the rest of the masala powders including salt and cook on slow fire until everything is blended well.
6. Serve it hot with garnishing of chopped red onion and sour cream.

Adai with Avocado and Cheese Filling

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Adai is a pancake made with Lentils and Brown Rice. I put my own version of Avocado Chutney filling inside the pancake along with some shredded low fat pepper jack cheese for a yummy meal option.

ADAI

Ingredients:
1 cup of Urad daal
1 cup of Channa daal
1 cup of Toor Daal
1 cup of Yellow Split Moong Daal
3 Cups of Brown Rice
6-7 Red Chillies (Optional - instead you can use fresh green chillies)
Salt to Taste
Mustard Seeds for Seasoning
Oil for Seasoning and cooking

Optional:
1 Medium Red Onion - Finely Chopped
1./2 Cup of Cilantro - Finely Chopped


Method:
1. Soak all the ingredients overnight or at least 4-6 hours and then grind them to a smooth paste.
2. Heat the Oil, add mustard seeds and once they splutter, add it to the batter. Add salt to taste.
3. At this point you can add the optional chopped onion and cilantro.
4. Heat a flat pan and pour in few spoonfuls of the batter and spread it out to the thickness you like and then cook both sides with some oil and the Adai is ready to eat.

AVOCADO CHUTNEY

 Ingredients:
2-3 Ripe Avocado's
1 Green Chilly (or more if you want it spicy)
1 Lemon - Juiced
1/2 Small Red Onion - Chopped Fine
Salt to Taste
Oil to saute

 Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan, add the onions and green chillies and saute until the onions are translucent.
2. Remove the Avocado skin and chop the fruit. Mix it with the sauteed onions along with salt and lemon juice. Mix it well.
3. Avocado Chutney is ready.

I cooked an Adai Pankcake, took it out of the flat pan and when it was still warm put some of the Avocado chutney in it and sprinkled some low fat pepper jack cheese and then folded it in half. 

Radish Paratha and Strawberry Chutney

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Radish/Daikon (Mooli) Paratha

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups of Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tbsp of Yogurt ( I used Fat Free)
1 tsp of Salt
3/4 cup of Grated white Radish or Daikon
1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder (or more per taste)
1 tsp of Turmeric Powder
1/4 cup of water (less or more as needed to finish the dough)

Method:
1) I use the food processor with dough blade, add all the ingredients apart from water and mix well. Then add very little water as needed until the dough forms.
2) If you are doing this with hand, same process. Add all the ingredients together in a bowl except water and mix well and then add as little water as needed to finish the dough.
3) Put the dough in a container and store it in the fridge for at least 20-30 mins.
4) Make golf ball sized balls out of the dough. Sprinkle some dry flour on a rolling board, roll out the dough. Keep it a bit thick. Heat a flat pan, put the rolled paratha and cook on both sides with oil.
5) Hot Moooli Paratha is ready to serve. You can eat this with some yogurt dish, or pickle or like I did with Strawberry Chutney (Recipe Follows)

Notes:
1. You can also add chopped Corriander leaves to the dough.

Strawberry Chutney

Ingredients:
2 cups of Chopped fresh Strawberries
1/4 Cup of Jaggery or Brown Sugar
Salt To Taste
Black Pepper to Taste
2 Tsp of Jeera Powder
Oil for Sauteeing
Mustard Seeds for Seasoning

Method:
1) Heat a pan, add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. Add chopped strawberries once the mustard seeds splutter, add the chopped strawberries and saute for a little while
2) Add the salt and Jaggery and cook until the strawberries get cooked. Add black pepper and jeera powder and the chutney is ready :))

Notes: You can add other spices like Coriander seed powder etc, I just kept it simple.

Channa Daal and Methi Scramble

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup of Channa Daal (Picked over, rinsed and soaked overnight or at least 4-6 hours)
1 bunch of Methi Leaves (Washed and Cleaned)
1 inch piece of Ginger
3-4 Green Chillies
Salt to Taste
Oil to Sautee
Mustard Seeds for Seasoning
Hing for Seasoning

Method:
1. Drain the Channa daal.  Grind the Soaked Channa Daal, methi leaves, ginger, green chillies and salt in the food processor with no water. . You can make it into a very smooth paste or just a bit coarsely like I have done it.
2. Steam this ground mixture in the pressure cooker for just three whistles. If you do not own a pressure cooker, you can steam in a microwave steamer for about 6-8 minutes.
3. In a pan, heat some oil and add Mustard seeds and once it splutters, add hing and then add the pressure cooked channa daal mixture and mix well.
4. Channa Daal and Methi Scramble is ready to be eaten. You can eat this by itself with a piece of toast or some crackers or you can serve with some rice or chapathi.

Notes:
Channa daal is very healthy and has very low Glycemic Index and does not get mushy very easily making it easy to use in many recipes. Here is one of my favorite links on Channa Daal.

Tindora Gravy Curry

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Chopped Tindora
1 Medium Onion Chopped
2-3 Cloves of Garlic
1 inch piece of Ginger
1 Tsp of Poppy Seeds
1 Tsp of Sesame Seeds
2 Tsp of Coriander Seeds
1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
1/2 Tsp of Cumin Powder
1 Tsp of Red Chilli Powder
A few pinches of Hing
1 Tsp of Tamarind Paste
Mustard Seeds for Seasoning
Curry Leaves
Coriander leaves for garnish
Oil for Sauteing
Salt to Taste

Method:
1.  Steam the chopped Tindora. I used a Microwave steamer (Steamed it for 6 Mins). But you can para boil it or just steam in a rice cooker or even pressure cooker.
2. Roast Poppy Seeds, Sesame Seeds and Coriander seeds with a few drops of oil until they are golden brown. Take it out of the pan and in the same pan add a bit more oil and fry the Onion.
3. Once the Onion is transclucent, then add the ginger and garlic and fry a bit more.
4. Let all of this come to room temperature. Then grind all the ingredients that you roasted into a smooth paste with tamarind paste. Use as little water as you can. You really do not not need too much water.
5. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and hing. Also add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and Cumin powder and roast for a little bit.
6. Turn the fire to low, and then add the ground masala paste and fry for 5 mins or so on very low fire.
7. To this add the steamed Tindora & Salt to taste and let it cook well on low fire.
8. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve it hot with Rice or Chapathi.

Notes: You can add either roasted ground nuts or coconut in the masala. But I skipped both to keep it a bit more healthier version.

Paneer Stirfry with Cabbage and Bell Peppers

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Fresh Paneer (Cubed)
1 small head of Cabbage - Finely Chopped
1-2 Bell Peppers  - Chopped (I used a combination of Yellow and Red Bell Peppers)
Oil To Sautee
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1-2 Tsp of Cumin Powder
1 Tsp of Corriander Powder
1 Tsp of Red Chilli Powder
Salt to Taste

Method:

1. Pan fry the paneer cubes with very less oil in pan and keep it aside. In the same pan, heat some more oil and sautee the bell peppers.
2. In a Wok, add some oil and once it is hot, add some cumin seeds and then add all the dry powders and saute for a few mins and then add the chopped cabbage and cook it for 10 mins with a lid on and very slow fire. This way you can cook the cabbage completely and yet keep it crisp and not soggy.
3. Once the cabbage is done, add the paneer and the bell peppers, salt to taste and mix well. You can garnish this with chopped coriander leaves.

Paneer stir fry is ready and can be eaten with Chapathi or Rice. I had it just like this with some salad.

Corn and Paneer (Cottage Cheese) Taco's

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:

2 Corn Tacos (Store Bought)
1 Cup of Paneer cubes (I cut them into kind of smallish cubes)
1 Cup of Cooked Sweet Corn Kernels
2 Tbsp of Cilantro - Finely Chopped
1/4 Cup of Finely Chopped Onion (I used Red Onion)
1/4 Tsp of Lemon Juice
2 Tsp of Date-Tamrind / Sweet Chutney
Oil for Sauteeing

For Seasoning:
1 Tsp of Jeera (Cumin) powder
1 Tsp of Dhania (Corriander) Powder
1 Tsp of Red Chilli Powder (Adjust this according to your taste)
Salt to Taste

Method:
1. Heat the Oil in a pan and add the chopped Onions and Saute until they are translucent.
2. Add the Sweet Corn and Paneer Cubes and Saute for a few more mins.
3. Add the Masala powders including the salt. Also add Cilantro and Lemon Juice and saute until everything is mixed well.
4. Heat the Taco's in the Oven per the box directions, take it out and fill the taco's with the Corn and Paneer Mixture. Drizzle the sweet sauce on top and serve it Warm.

Notes:
1. Instead of Taco's, you can use Pita Chips, Corn Tortilla Chips or Papdi poori's on a plate and spread the corn paneer mixture on it and then add the sauce.
2. You can even wrap this mixture in a plain paratha for lunch box.

Kadai Paneer

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Chopped Paneer
1 Medium Sized Onion - Chopped Fine
3-4 Roma Tomatoes Chopped 
1-2 - Capsicum (Green Bell Pepper) - Chopped
3 Tsp of Dry Corriander Seeds
5-6 Red Chillies (or more according to taste)
2 Tsp of Jeera Powder
2 Tsp of Garam Masala
Jeera for Seasoning
Oil for Sauteeing

Method:
1. Pan fry the Paneer cubes with little bit oil. Keep it aside.
2. In a pan dry roast corriander seeds and red chillies together. Grind them into a smooth paste with tomatoes.
3. Heat some oil in a pan and add some jeera seeds. Then add chopped onions and sautee until brown. Then add the ground tomato paste and saute for some more time until the raw smell of tomato is gone.
4. Then add the chopped capsicum, Jeera powder and garam masala and fry for a few minutes. We do not want to over cook the bell pepper. Then add the paneer pieces, salt and cook for some more time until paneer absorbs some of the masala.
6,. Kadai Paneer is now ready to be served with either Rice or Chapathi.

"Langar" wali Moong Daal

(From Banu's Cookbook)

We were at Gurudwara the other day and they had made this awesome Daal for Langar (Community Meal). I just fell in love with this Daal. I did research this on the Internet and this recipe is not exactly like any of those. I just took some tips and made my own recipe.

Ingredients:
1 Cup - Green Whole Mong Daal
1 Cup - Black Whole Urad Daal (Chilkewali Urad Daal)
1/4 Cup - Channa Daal
1 Big Red Onion - Chopped Finely
4 Medium Roma Tomatoes - Chopped Finely
1 Tbsp - Ginger Garlic Paste
2-3 Bay Leaves
2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
3 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
3 Tsp - Roasted Cumin Seeds - Powdered
1 Tsp of Garam Masala
1/4 Cup of Finely Chopped Cilantro
Oil
Salt to Taste

Method:
1. Dry roast the cumin seeds and powder it into a fine powder.
2. Wash and Soak all the daal together for at least 6 hours or over night.
3. Cook the soaked daals in pressure cook with 1 tsp of oil and turmeric powder. Cooking time depends on the pressure cooker you have. You want the daal to be cooked but not totally mashed. If you are doubtful, you can cook it on stove top, it takes probably about 30 to 40 mins to cook.
3. In a separate pan, heat some oil. Add Cumin Seeds and Bay leaves for seasoning. Add the finely chopped red onion and cook well for 7-8 minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for a few more minutes.
4. Add finely chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 mins or so until the tomatoes are soft. Do not add any water other than the tomato juice that was part of the chopping.
5. Add a bit more turmeric powder, red chili powder and the roasted cumin powder at this point. Mix well and cook for a few more minutes.
6. Add this onion tomato masala to the cooked Daal (if your cooked Dal has lots of extra water, remove some of it first before you add the paste), add salt to taste and let it boil for some time until everything has blended well together.
7. Add the chopped Coriander Leaves and mix it well.
8. Switch off the heat, add the garam masala powder just on the top and cover the vessel with a lid and let the garam masala powder be absorbed slowly into the Dal.
9. Stir well before serving it.

Notes: All the langarwali daal recipes on the Internet called for just the mixture of black urad daal and Channa daal. I was not sure if I would like that and plus the daal that I had eaten felt like it had some green moong daal in it. So, I choose this combination of daal. But please do let me know if you try some other combination.

Palak Paneer Pulao

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
2-3 Cups of Pre Cooked Basmati Rice
4-6 Cups of Fresh Spinach
2-3 Green Chillies
2-3 Garlic Cloves - Chopped Fine
1 Small Onion - Chopped Fine
1 Cup of Paneer Cubes
1 inch piece of Cinnamon Sticks (Dalchini)
2-4 Whole Cloves (Lavang)
5-6 Bay Leaves (Tej Patta)
2-3 Whole Green Cardamom (Tej Patta)
2 Tsp of Garam Masala
Salt To Taste
Oil for Frying

Method:
1. Wilt the Spinach in very little water along with the green chillies. Once this is cooled, blend it into a paste in the blender.
2. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the Cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and Cardamom. Saute these for a while until they turn brown and you start smelling them.
3. Add the Chopped onions and garlic and saute them well until the onion gets slightly browned. Do not burn them, just a bit brown.
4. Add salt and Garam Masala and cook for a few more minutes. Add the chopped Paneer pieces, reduce the flame to medium and cook until you feel that the paneer pieces are cooked and lightly browned.
5. At this point add the Spinach Puree and some more salt and cook for a few minutes until you see the whole mixture mixed together well.
6. Add the cooked rice to this mixture and mix well. Let it cook for a few minutes on low flame.
7. Take it off fire and serve it hot either with Raita or chips.

Notes:
1. You can use frozen spinach instead of Fresh one.
2. You can even use pre sauteed paneer cubes - if you do so, do not saute them much after you add them to the onion mixture, else it will get very hard.
3. You can also add some red chilli powder along with Garam Masala if you want it more spicy.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did and let me know your comments if you do try it. When I was cooking this, I was wishing if I could capture the aroma of it..:))

Enchilada Verdes with spicy guacamole

(From Raghu Jana's Cookbook)

Disclaimers:
1) This is in no way an authentic Mexican enchilada. It is a home-brew version of it which we like.
2) There are no set measurements for any of the portions. They can be varied to individual taste.

Ingredients:
1 Green Bell Pepper- Chopped Finely
1 Small Can of Sweet Corn (No Salt Added) - Drained and Washed
1 Small Onion - Chopped Fine
2 Roma Tomatoes - Chopped Fine
1/4 Cup of Cilantro - Chopped Fine
1 Tsp of Oregano
1 Tsp of Rosemary
1/4 Cup of Shredded Cheese (Mozzarella and Pepper Jack Blend)
1-2 Avocados
2-3 Thai Chillies
2 Tbsp of Sour Cream
Lime Juice and Salt to Taste
Oil for Sauteeing

For the Verde Sauce:
3-4 Tomatillo's
 2-3 Green Chillies
1 Small Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic
2 Sprigs of Cilantro

Method:
Stuffing:
1. Sautee Capsicum & sweet corn with oregano and rosemary
2. Make Pico De Gallo with chopped tomato, onion, cilantro and bit of lime juice
3. Blend or Mash together - Avocado's, cilantro, green chillies, Lime juice and salt. Add the sour cream and mix it well. Gives a creamy taste.

Verde sauce:
1. Cook tomatillos, Thai chillies, onion, garlic, and 2 sprigs of cilantro (I used a pressure cooker - 1 whistle)
2. Puree the cooked mixture and keep it heated.

To Prepare the Enchilda:
1. Heat yellow corn tortillas on a griddle (use a little oil if you like). Do not dry the tortilla out as that will make it crisp, and not good for rolling.
2. Spread cheese on the tortilla. Spoon in the other stuffing in a line in the center of the tortilla.
3.  Close the tortilla around the stuffing from both ends to create a roll. Place on a microwaveable plate with the seam down. Place 3-4 enchiladas on a plate next to each other, and sprinkle some more cheese on top. Pour the green sauce over the enchiladas, ensuring all portions get soaked, and there is some on the plate.
4. Microwave the entire dish for 1 minute so that the cheese melts.

Take out, and dig in

Red Cabbage Taco

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
1/2 head of red cabbage - shredded thinly
1 Small can of Sweet Corn (no Salt added)
2 Roma Tomatoes - Chopped
1/2 Red Onion - Chopped Finely
1/2 Cup of Finely Chopped Cilantro
1/4 Cup of Spicy Peanuts (or any other flavor that you like)
6 Tacos (You can use any brand. I use the ones that sit flat - just for ease of filling it)

For Seasoning:
1 Tsp of Chipotle Chilli Pepper Powder (Optional)
Lemon Juice to Taste
Salt and Black Pepper to Taste

Method:
1) Mix the Shredded Red Cabbage and Corn together and toss it with Lemon juice, chipotle red pepper powder, salt and black pepper.
2) Make Salsa with Chopped Tomatoes, Onion and Cilantro. Add a bit of salt to this.
3) Cook the Taco's per the manufacturer's instructions. Layer the salsa first and then top it with the Shredded cabbage mixture.
4) Top it with some Spicy peanuts and enjoy the Taco's.

Please let me know your comments and suggestions if you end up trying this recipe.

 Notes:
1) You can add some Avocado to this taco as well.
2) You can add some finely chopped Jalapeno to the Tomato salsa if you want it more spicy.

 

Cabbage Pathrode (Patra)

Cabbage Pathrode (Patra)

Recipe from Anuradha Rao’s Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 cups of rice
2 tbsp of channa daal
2 tbsp of urad daal
2 tbsp of dry corriander seeds
7-8 red chilles (as per taste)
1 tbsp of Jagger (as per taste)
2 tbsp of tamrind juice (adjust the amount if you are using paste)
1/2 head of cabbage - chopped finely
Salt
Turmeric Powder

For Seasoning:

Oil
Urad Daal
Mustard Seeds
Cury Leaves
Hing

For Garnishing:

Grated Fresh Coconut

Method:

1. Soak the rice, channa daal, urad daal, corriander seeds and red chillies overnight.
2. Grind this into a coarse mixture with less water.
3. To this, add the finely chopped cabbage, jaggery, tamrind, turmeric and salt.
4. Steam this mixture in Pressure cooker like Idli for 10 mins or so.
5. In a separate pan heat oil and put the seasoning of mustard seeds, urad daal, hing and curry leaves, to that add the crumbled steamed cabbage mixture.
6. Mix well and cook on medium fire for a few minutes until the mixture has absorbed the seasoning.
7. Add the grated coconut garnishing and serve it hot.

Tips:
You can also add chopped corriander leaves for garnishing.
You can add extra salt after mixing the cabbage mixture with seasoning if you feel like salt is less.