Cream of Buckwheat Dose (Dosa or Crepe)

 (From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 cup of Cream of Buckwheat

2 tbsp of Whole Urad Daal (Urad Gota)

1 tsp of Methi Seeds

1/4 Cup of NuMeal Flour

1/4 Cup of Rice Flour

Handful of Cilantro

2-3 Green Chillies (Optional)

1 Cucumber medium sized peeled and chopped

Salt to Taste

Oil for Cooking

Method:

1. Wash the Cream of Buckwheat a couple of times and soak it for 15-30 mins with the Urad Daal and Methi seeds with just enough water to cover it. Do not soak it with a lot of water. 

2. I used Vitamix to grind the batter, but you can use any blender of your choice. In the Vitamix, add a few ice cubes, soaked buckwheat mixture, 1/4 cup of NuMeal, 1/4 cup of rice flour, salt, cilantro, green chillies and the chopped Cucumber. Do not add any extra water and grind it into a smooth paste. You can use the Vitamix Tamper to mix the ingredients if needed.

3. Pour the batter into a bowl and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. I rested the batter for about 20 minutes as I was doing the chutney during this time.

4. Heat a Cast Iron Tawa well. Then reduce the heat completely to low, sprinkle some water to bring the temperature of the Tawa down and then spread the Dosa Batter evenly. You can then increase the gas to medium high and cook the Dosa with some oil.

5. Once the dosa starts browning, you can flip it over and cook the other side for a few minutes. 

6. Serve it hot with chutney of your choice.

NOTES:

1) You can also use a small or half bottle gourd instead of the cucumber (Take the seeds out).

2) If you try to pour the dosa batter and spread it when the tawa is super hot, it will clump up and not come out good. So, always reduce the gas, sprinkle some water on the tawa to reduce the temp, wipe it with a lint free cloth, then pour the dosa batter and once it is poured and spread, you can increase the heat. 

3) Green chillies and cilantro is optional but gives you a good taste. 

4) Rice Flour is optional, it helps crisp up the Dosa, so I added it. 

5) NuMeal is a complete protein and you can order it here.

https://mynumeal.com/

Karnataka style Avarekai Upma with Cream of Buckwheat

 (From Banu's Cookbook)

This recipe is an adaptation of the original recipe from Svelte Zone. 

Avarekai (aka Surati Papdi Lilva) Uppitu (aka Upma) is a popular breakfast dish in Karnataka, especially in Winter as these beans are more widely available then. This particular upma is made with Rice Rava or Cream of Rice rather than Sooji or Semolina. Instead of Cream of Rice - I have used Cream of Buckwheat to add that extra oomph. 

Ingredients:

1 cup of cream of buckwheat

1 - 1 1/4 cup of Cooked Surati Papdi Lilva or Avarekai Beans

1 medium sized onion chopped finely

3-4 green chillies or per your taste

A few curry leaves

1/2 inch of ginger grated

1 tsp of lemon juice

2-3 tbsp. of shredded coconut for garnishing

1/4 cup of finely chopped cilantro for garnishing

Oil for cooking (I used coconut oil)

For Seasoning:

1 tsp of Mustard Seeds

1 tbsp of Urad Daal

1 tbsp of Channa Daal

Method:

1. Dry roast the Cream of Buckwheat for a few minutes (maybe 7-8) minutes on medium heat until you see it change color ever so lightly and you can smell the fragrance of the buckwheat. Set it aside.

2. I use frozen Surati Papdi Lilva and pressure cook it with a bit of salt until it is firm but yet soft and cooked. (About 3 whistles and release pressure naturally).

3. Heat a pan, add coconut oil and add all the seasoning ingredients. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the ginger, green chilles, curry leaves and sauté for a few mins. Add the chopped onion and cook on medium low heat until onions get pink and transparent (about 5-6 mins). 

4. Now add the cooked Avarekai, some salt and mix well and sauté for a few more minutes.

5. Keep 2 cups of water to boil or as I do - use a kettle to boil some water.

6. Now add the cream of buckwheat to the onion and beans mixture, add some more salt and mix well.

7. Reduce the flame to low and add boiling water to this mixture. Be careful when adding water as it can splatter. I used 1:2 ratio. For 1 cup of buckwheat flour, I added 2 cups of water or slightly less based on what kind of water logged veggies you have in the mixture. Since Avarekai will not let out a lot of water, I added 2 cups of water. Mix it all well and let it cook on Medium heat for a few minutes until the water is absorbed.

8. Once the water is absorbed, reduce the flame to low again and cook with a lid one for 5 mins or so. This process creates a steam and cooks the buckwheat very nicely.

9. Once the buckwheat is fully cooked, add lemon juice and cilantro.

10. Switch off the flame and garnish with grated coconut (you do not want to add the fresh coconut when the upma is super hot because it will cook the coconut and make it lose the taste).

Notes:

1. You can use other veggies like carrots, peas etc to make the upma instead of Surati Papdi Lilva

2. You can also add slivered almonds or cashew nuts to give it a bit more punch. But since I like avarekai a lot, I did not add anything else to take it away from the avarekai flavor. 

Banu's Version of Muthiya

 (From Banu's Cookbook)

Muthiya is a Gujarathi Dish. It is a dish that is steamed and then pan fried. There are different versions of this dish. I wanted to share my version of it. 

Ingredients:

1 cup of Finely Chopped Spinach
1 medium sized zucchini grated
1 inch of ginger finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
3 green chillies (or per taste) finely chopped 
1/2 cup of Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 cup of Saki Flour (By Svelte Zone)
2 tbsp. of Chickpea aka Besan Flour
1 tsp of Turmeric Powder
1 tsp of Garama Masala Powder
2 tsp of Dhaniya-Jeera Powder
1 tsp of Red Chilli powder
1 tsp of Sugar
1 tsp of Jeera 
1 tsp of Ajwain seeds
2 tbsp. of Yogurt
1/2 Lemon Juice
Salt per Taste

For Seasoning:

2-3 tbsp. of oil
2 tsp of Mustard Seeds
1 tbsp. of White sesame seeds
A pinch of Asafetida
A few curry leaves
Chopped Cilantro and Fresh coconut for Garnish

Method: 

1. In a large bowl, mix all the grated/chopped veggies, flours, spices, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and sugar. Mix it gently and well until they are all incorporated together. You do not need to any water because the vegetables have a lot of moisture, along with the yogurt and lemon juice. 

2. Divide the dough into four parts and roll it out into rolls (like sausages). 

3. Heat water and grease the steamer. Place the rolls a bit apart in the steamer and steam them for about 15 - 18 minutes. Let it cool for about 5-6 minutes. Then cut then out into slices.

4. Heat oil in pan. Once it is hot, add mustard seeds, sesame seeds, hing and curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the cut slices of steamed/cooled Muthiya and cook on both sides for a few minutes until they are lightly browned. You do not need to cook it a lot because it is already steamed.

5. Garnish it with some freshly chopped cilantro and coconut. 

6. Muthiya is ready to eat with some hot coffee or chai. 

Notes:

1. You can add more veggies like grated carrots or cabbage etc. Or replace zucchini with carrots or some other vegetables.

2. You can replace Saki flour with regular wheat flour. You can do a mixture of wheat flour and jowar flour. 

3. You can skip the sugar, but a that little sugar gives the dish a nice taste.

Edamame Curry

 (From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked Edamame
2 Medium Onions Chopped (1 for masala and 1 for cooking with edamame)
2 Tomatoes Chopped
2-3 Green Chilies
10=12 - Almonds - soaked and deskinned
1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut
1 inch piece of Cinnamon
2-3 Cloves
1 tsp of Fennel seeds
2 tsp of Cumin Seeds
1 Cardamom Pod
Small Piece of Star Anise
2-3 Black Pepper
A few Curry Leaves
A few bay leaves
Oil for Sautéing
1 tsp of Turmeric Powder
1 tsp of Red Chilli powder
2 tsp of Dhaniya-Jeera Powder
1 tbsp. of Tamarind Paste
1 tbsp. of Jaggery Powder
Chopped cilantro for Garnishing
Salt to Taste

Method:

1. Cook Frozen shelled Edamame either on Stove top or Microwave until it softens to touch. Keep it aside.
2. For the Masala - Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan - add 1 tsp of Fennel seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, Cloves, Cinnamon, Star Anise, Cardamom, Black pepper and Sautee well. Add 1 chopped onion and Sautee for 4-5 minutes until onion is translucent. Then add the green chilies and chopped tomatoes and sautee until tomatoes are mushy. 
3. Let this masala mixture cool. In a blender, grind into a smooth paste - the sautéed masala ingredients, 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut, deskinned almonds and tamarind pate. Set this aside.
4. In a pan heat about 2 tsp of oil, add mustard seeds and once they splutter, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and bay leaves. Then add 1 chopped onion and sautee well. Once the onions have turned light brown, add the cooked edamame pods and mix well.
5. To this - add turmeric powder, red chili powder and Dhaniya Jeera powder and some salt. Mix well. 
6. Add the ground masala paste, some more salt and jaggery powder. Mix well and bring it to a boil on low to medium flame. 
7. Once it has come to boil, reduce the flame to low and let it cook for a few more minutes - this will allow the edamame to absorb the flavors. 
8. Turn off the flame and garnish with chopped Cilantro.
9. Serve it hot with chapathi or dosa or barley. 

Notes:

1. You can add a few more almond and skip the coconut. 

2. Instead of coconut, you can add some coconut milk and reduce the water while grinding.

3. You can add some potatoes with this if you liked the taste of it.

4. You can reduce the tamarind or skip it if you tomatoes are quite sour. Mine was not, so I added the Tamarind paste.

Besan and Oats Chilla aka Savory Pancake

 (From Banu's Cookbook)

Besan Chilla or Puda is not a new recipe. But I just changed a few things in this recipe to suit me and thus posting it here. 

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Besan aka Chickpea Flour

1/2 Cup Oat Flour

1 Tbsp of Chia Seeds 

1 Egg

1 inch Ginger

2-3 Green Chillies or per your taste

1 Large Roma Tomato

1 Cucumber Grated

1 Large carrot Grated

1/2 of Large Red Onion Chopped finely

Handful of Cilantro chopped finely

1 tsp of Tumeric

1 tsp of Cumin Powder

1 tsp of Jaggery powder or brown sugar

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

1 to 1 1/4 cups of water

Method:

1. In my Vitamix blender, I blended the egg, water, both the flours, tomato, ginger, turmeric, cumin and salt well until there were no lumps left in the batter.

2. I poured the batter into a bowl. To this I added the grated cucumber, carrot, chopped red onion and Cilantro. 

3. I added the Jaggery powder and added a bit more water to make it thick yet pouring consistency. 

4. Heat a nonstick pan and spread some oil on it. Spread the batter as thinly as you can. Cook it well on both sides on medium heat. It will take some time, but it will get cooked well and become crispy.

5. Serve it hot with some pickle and yogurt. 

Notes:

1. You can add Rolled oats - instead of oat flour, the batter will be a bit more textured as the rolled oats will not be super smooth. 

2. You can add other vegetables like spring onions, grated zucchini, bell peppers etc. The more veggies you add, it might be harder to spread it thin. So chop the veggies as thin as you can. 

3. If the chilla or pancake is spread thin, it will become nice and crispy and not soggy and gooey. That is the key and plus the heat is critical. Do not cook it on high heat. 

4. You can skip the egg if you want to keep it Vegan and instead add some nut butters like almond or peanut butter. It will taste very well too and still give you some additional protein.

5. You can do roll up omlette style with these pancakes with avocados in the middle. 

6. You can serve it some chutney or curry too. 

7. You can skip chia seeds or add some flax seeds if you prefer it or flax meal.

Oats and Poha Chivda

 (From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1 Cup of Thin Poha Flakes

1/2 cup of Peanuts

1/4 cup of Almonds (whole skinned)

1/4 cup of Broken Cashewnuts

1/4 cup of Roasted Bengal Gram Daal

1/4 Cup of Dry Coconut Slices

3-4 Red Chilies

8-10 Curry Leaves

1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds

Salt to Taste

Olive Oil for Sautéing - About 2 Tbsp

1/4 - 1/2 Tsp of Amchur Powder

1/4 - 1/2 Tsp of Chaat Powder

1/2 tsp of Red Chili powder (or more per your taste)

1 Pkt of Stevia in Raw

1/4 Tsp of less Hing

1/4 Tsp of Turmeric Powder (Optional)

Method:

1. Heat a pan on low to medium heat and roast the rolled oats until they become crisp. They also start changing color slightly and also you can start smelling them. Roast them well on low heat (patience) until they are crisp. You can crunch them with your fingers. Set them aside.

2. In the same pan, roast the poha flakes. I have used the thin flakes, you can use a bit thicker one too. Roast them in low/medium heat until you start to see them brown slightly. Set aside.

3. Clean the pan out of all debris, wipe it down and and heat the 2bsp oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. As the mustard seeds crackle, add the curry leaves, red chillies and Hings. Saute for a few seconds. Add the dried sliced of coconut and all the nuts and roast them well on medium heat. If you feel like something is burning - you can reduce the heat some more. 

4. Once all of these are roasted well (peanuts will start peeling skin when it is well roasted),  add the poha and oats to this mixture. Add turmeric powder, salt, stevia packet and all the spice powders. Mix well but gently. You do not want to break the oats and poha too much. Do wide sweeps to mix it well. If you feel like the mixture is too dry, you can add a bit more olive oil. 

5. Reduce the heat to lowest setting as you mix the Chivda together. Taste and adjust Salt and Stevia powder as needed. 

6. Switch off the heat and let it cool and come to room temperature and Oats/Poha Chivda is ready to be had with a cup of hot tea or coffee. 

Notes:

1. Almonds being meatier of all the nuts takes the longest to roast. So, if you want super crunchy almonds, Roast them separately well and then add it in the end before the spice powders and mix it well,

2, You can add plain sugar or raw sugar or cane sugar or organic sugar instead of the Stevia. I just did not want to add Sugar. You would have to experiment with these - start with less and add more as needed. 

3. You can add raisins too, but I do not like the raisins when they are fried or sautéed, so I did not add them. 

4. I will experiment with Walnuts and Pecans next time and keep you posted.

5. You can do this just with Oats and skip Poha if you want. 

6. Turmeric powder is optional. 

Almond, Oats and Chia Seeds Laddu

 (From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Fine Almond Flour

1/2 Cup of Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1/4 cup of Cashew Nuts

10-12 Whole Skinned Almonds

1 Tbsp of Chia Seeds

1 Tbsp of Ghee (Optional)

2 Tbsp of Almond Butter

1 Tbsp of Honey

1/2 Tsp of Ground Cinnamon powder

1/2 Tsp of Cardamom Powder

Method:

1. Dry Roast the Old Fashioned Oats, Cashew nuts and whole skinned almonds on medium to medium-low heat until they are golden brown. You can start smelling the cashews and oats. Set it aside to cool.

2. In the same pan, add 3/4 tbsp of Ghee and 1/2 cup of Almond flour and roast it well until it is aromatic - about 3-4 minutes. Set it aside. 

3. Coarsely grind the roasted oats, cashew nuts and almonds in a food processor. It would be nice to get bits of cashew and almonds when you bite into the laddu.

4. Mix the ground oats and nuts mixture with the roasted almond flour mixture. To this add the Almond Butter and Honey, Chia Seeds, Cinnamon powder and cardamom powder. You can add a pinch of Himalayan pink salt too.

5. Mix it all well and then grease your hands lightly with the remaining 1/4 tbsp of Ghee and make small balls out of this mixture. You have to press hard when forming the balls and then roll them lightly in the palm of your hands to get the round shape. 

6. If you feel like the balls are not holding well together or breaking - keep them in the Refrigerator for a couple of hours after making them so that they can harden. Well mostly, honey and almond butter and any oils from the nuts harden thus creating a good bind. 

7. You can serve them cold or bring it out to room temperature and then service. 

The laddus were very well formed. Not crumbling at all. Had a good texture and enough sweetness. Hope you try this out. Let me know how it came out or what modifications did you make...Thanks. 

Notes:

1. You can add Crushed dates instead of Honey/Almond Butter to give this some sweetness. 

2. You can also add Flax seeds / Flax seed meal along with the rest of the ingredients.

3. You can add raisins to give some more sweetness and moisture.

4. You can also add Vanilla Essence and/or Maple Syrup (Maple Sugar / Jaggery) - to get the sweetness in this dish.

Slightly Low Carb Pasta

 (From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked low carb/high protein pasta (I used Barilla Red Lentil Penne)

4-5 cups of assorted veggies - Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Broccoli, Bell peppers, Onion, Carrots etc.

1/2 cup of chickpeas (optional)

3-4 tbsp of Pesto Sauce (I used store brought Delallo Simply Pesto Traditional Basil Pesto Sauce)

1-2 tbsp of smoked paprika / crushed red pepper flakes

1-2 tbsp of Italian Seasoning

Black pepper and Salt per Taste

Olive oil to saute vegetables.

Handful of fresh Basil leaves for Garnishing

For the Sauce:

3/4 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream

1/4 cup of Cream Cheese - softened at room temperature. 

3-4 Garlic Cloves - chopped finely

1 tbsp of Butter

2-3 pinches of grated nutmeg

black pepper and salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil the pasta per the directions on the box. I like mine a bit al dente. Rinse in cold water to stop cooking process. Measure out 1 cup of cooked pasta aside. 

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onion and carrots first. Once they are slightly browned, add the rest of the veggies and cook on medium high heat. 

3. After 5-6 mins of cooking, add the italian seasoning, paprika / crushed red pepper, a bit of salt and mix well. 

4. Reduce the flame and allow the veggies to cook a bit more.

5. Meanwhile for the sauce, mix the softened cream cheese and whipping cream together. In a small pan, heat the butter. Add the chopped garlic cloves.

6. Once the garlic is browned, add the cream cheese and cream mixture and let it come to a boil. Reduce the flame, add some black pepper, pinch of salt and grated nutmeg. Mix well and boil it until it reduces a bit. If you like thin sauce, you do not have to reduce it much. 

7. Add the Pesto sauce and the cooked pasta to the vegetable mix. Mix well. Add the sauce and mix it all well together. 

8. Add salt if needed, add the basil leaves and mix well. Serve it hot with black pepper on top. 

Notes:

1. For the sauce, you can skip the cream cheese or replace it with Parmesan cheese. I like the texture better with cream cheese and I used very little of it. You can experiment with the measurements till you get a consistency that you like. 

2. You do not need flour for the sauce as both Cream Cheese and Cream thicken on their own when heated for a bit. 

3. You can add mushrooms, cauliflower or any vegetables that you like. You can add peas instead of chickpeas. I like the protein and texture of chickpeas, so I added them. 

4. If you do not want to use store bought pesto - here is a link for a Basil Pesto recipe that I had posted a while ago. 

5. You can add additional parmesan cheese on top if you like it and or season it with more fresh basil. 

Ajawain Leaves aka Doddapatre Soppu Chutney

 (From Banu's Cookbook)

The plant that these leaves are a part of is also known as the 'Indian Borage,' which is also called the ajwain plant sometimes. The leaves of this plant are the real stars. They are bright green in color and are broad and pulpy. The reason these leaves are known as ajwain leaves, despite being a part of a completely different plant, is that they have a smell that is similar to that of carom seeds. This is known as "Doddapatre" or "Sambhar" Soppu in Kannada. 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp channa daal
2 tbsp ural daal
1 tsp jeera seeds|
2-3 red chillies

25-30 Ajwain leaves
1/4 cup fresh grated coconut
2 tbsp Tamarind paste
2 tbsp jaggery
salt to taste

For Seasonining:
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad daal
curry leaves a few
Oil for cooking and seasoning

Method:

1. Dry roast channa daal, urad daal, sesame seeds, jeera and red chillies until it is golden brown. Set it aside.
2. Wash the ajwain leaves well so that there no dirt and bugs, let it dry for some time. Chop the leaves roughly.
3. In a pan, heat a tsp of oil, add the chopped ajwain leaves and sauté for a few minutes until you see the leaves soften and leave some water. 
4. In a blender / grinder - add the roasted daals, grated coconut, tamarind paste, jaggery and salt and blend it well.
5. Now to this add the sauted and cooled ajwain leaves and pulse it a few times. Do not grind the leaves into a smooth paste. 
6. Heat some oil, add mustard seeds and once they splutter, add urad daal and curry leaves. Add the seasoning to Chutney
7. Enjoy the Chutney with hot rice and ghee. 

Notes:

1. You can use more or less ajwain leaves per your taste and same goes to red chillies.
2. You can use your choice of red chillies, green chillies or even whole peppercorns. 
3. You can add garlic if you so like, but I feel like in this chutney it will take away the taste from the ajwain leaves. 

Lauki aka Bottlegourd aka Doodhi Paratha

 (From Banu's cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 Medium Sized Lauki - Peeled and cut into small pieces.

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 Tsp Red Chilli powder

1/2 Tsp Chaat Powder

2.5 cups of Wheat Flour

2 Tsp of Ajwain Seeds

Salt to Taste

2 Tbsp of Oil

Oil for Cooking

Method:

1. In a pan, heat a little bit of oil, add the chopped Lauki Pieces and let them cook on medium low fire. Once they are almost done, add a bit of salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and chaat powder. Mix well and saute for a few more minutes. 

2. Lauki has lot of water in it, so you do not have to add any extra water to cook the lauki.  Let the cooked lauki cool down. Make it into paste in the blender or food processor without any extra water. 

3. To this paste, add dry wheat flour, a bit more salt, Ajwain seeds and 2 tbsp of Oil and mix well until it is all incorporated and you get a smooth kneaded dough. I did not need to add any water to make the dough, just the paste was sufficient. But if you feel like you need some water, add it in very little by little, almost with a tea spoon. It is very easy to add more water and you will end up with a very water dough. 

4. Spread some oil on the dough and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

5. Heat the Griddle. Make lemon sized balls from the dough and roll it out. Cook it on the Griddle on both sides with a bit of oil. You can use ghee as well to cook the paratha.

6. Serve it hot with some pickle and raita. 

Notes:

1. If the lauki is very tender, you do not have to remove the seeds. Just peel and chop. If you feel like the seeds are hard, then you can remove it.

2. You can add additional seasoning to Lauki per your like, like Amchur powder or Jeera Powder etc.

3. The paste though thick looking is more than sufficient to form a good dough. So be careful with adding more water to make the dough. 

Tindora Masala Rice in Instant Pot

(From Banu's Cookbook)



Ingredients:

2 Cups of Basmati Rice - Washed and soaked for 10-15 mins.
2-3 Cups of Vertically sliced Tindora (I used Frozen Tindora 12 oz pack)
1 Cup of Green Peas (I used Frozen)
1 Large Onion Chopped lengthwise
1 Can of Coconut Milk (I used 13.5 oz can)
3-4 Tbsp of Vangibhath powder (I used MTR)
Salt to Taste
Ghee for Sauteeing
1/2 tsp of Turmeric powder
1 Tbsp of Channa Daal for Seasoning
1 Tbsp of Urad Daal for Seasoning
2 tsp of Mustard seeds for Seasoning
A few curry leaves for Seasoning
Chopped Cilantro for Garnishing

Method:

1. Put the Instant pot on Saute Mode. Once it is hot, add ghee. Add mustard seeds.
2. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add channa daal, urad daal and curry leaves. Saute for a few mins until daals turn golden brown.
3. Add chopped onion and saute until onion turns pinkish brown. About 5-7 minutes.
4. Now add the Tindora and Peas, turmeric powder and saute well until the Tindora is almost cooked.  Add Vangibhath powder and mix well and saute just for minute. At this point the whole masala and vegetable will burn quickly, so keep sauteing it and do not leave it unattended.
5. Drain and add the rice to Instant pot along with coconut milk. Mix well.
6. Now add 2.5 cups of water to the mix and mix it all well. Water should be about 1 inch over the rice mixture. This way you can adjust the water.
7. Add salt and mix it all well, scraping the bottom of the instant pot. Close the lid, put the vent to sealing. Cancel Saute mode and chose rice mode. By default this should be 12 mins on low pressure.
8. Once the rice mode is done, let it release pressure naturally. Be careful when you are opening the lid as there can be water condensation there that you do not want falling on the rice.
9. Take a fork and poke and rake the rice a bit to release any steam that is still lurking. Add chopped cilantro for garnishing.
10. Serve it hot with some yogurt, raita and/or papad.

Notes:
1. Do not add too much coconut oil as the rice will become sticky and a bit gooey.
2. Do not over soak the rice as it will become mushy.
3. You can use Fresh or Frozen Tindora. I used Frozen because they are easy and I always have them handy.

Eggplant Curry

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
3 Medium Sized Long Purple Eggplants - diced into cubes (see image at the end of the post)
1 Medium Onion - Chopped
Oil for Cooking
2 Tbsp of Jaggery
Salt to Taste
1 tsp of Turmeric powder
Mustard Seeds and Jeera for Seasoning
Hing for Seasoning
Curry leaves for seasoning
Chopped Cilantro for Garnishing

For the Masala:
2 Tbsp of Coriander Seeds
2 Tbsp of Urad Daal
4-5 Red Chilies (adjust according to your spice levels)
1 Cup - Fresh or Frozen / Thawed Grated Coconut
2 tbsp of Tamarind Paste

Method:
1. Heat a pan, add some oil and add hing and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add Jeera. Then add the chopped onion and saute for 5-6 minutes until onion becomes transparent.
2. Now add the chopped Egg Plant to this and cook it covered on low to medium heat for 10 mins or so. I normally chop the eggplant when the onions are about to be done and each chopped eggplant directly into the pan. But if you are chopping them in advance, keep them in a bowl of water to prevent discoloration and add them after straining them from the water.
3. While egg plant is cooking, saute all the ingredients for the Masala except coconut and Tamarind paste. You can add a few drops of oil to help you with sauteing or do dry saute. Once the coriander seeds and urad daal become golden brown, take it off the fire and let it cool.
4. Now grind this into a smooth paste with coconut and tamarind paste.
5. Check and see if the eggplant is almost cooked. To this add the ground paste, turmeric, salt and jaggery and mix well.
6. Let it cook on low fire for 5-10 mins until all the ingredients are well blended and eggplant has had time to absorb the flavors.
7. Switch off the fire and garnish with Chopped Cilantro. Serve it hot with Chapathi or Rice.

Desperate Minestrone Soup in Instant Pot

(From Banu's Cookbook)

This recipe is exactly what the title says. Desperate Recipe when I have not done grocery shopping and I am scavenging my refrigerator and pantry. Two Fresh Ingredients that I am missing for this recipe are Spinach and Zucchini. These two add really good flavors to the soup.

Ingredients:

1 or 2 small Onions chopped fine
1 Carrot Diced
1 15 oz can of Red Kidney Beans
1 15 oz can of Great Northern Beans
1 15 oz can of cut green Italian beans
1 15 oz can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes
2 tsp of Italian seasoning
1 tsp of Basil
1 tsp of Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp of Oregano
1 tsp of Crushed Black Pepper
A bit of Pink Himalayan taste (just a little bit for flavor)
Frozen Spinach
4-5 cups of Vegetable Broth
1 cup of Shell Pasta (or any small pasta suitable for soup)
1-2 tsp of Olive Oil

Method:

1. Switch on instant pot and put it on Saute Mode. Once it shows On, add the olive oil. To this add the chopped onion and diced carrots. Saute well for 5-6 mins until the onion turns translucent.
2. Now add the seasonings and saute a bit more.
3. Add the drained and rinsed beans, Italian beans, fire roasted tomatoes, frozen spinach, pasta and the broth. Mix it well.
4. Switch off the saute mode. Put it in Manual/Pressure cook mode and cooking time is 5 mins.
5. After the cooking time is done. Do a quick release of pressure otherwise the pasta might get overcooked.
6. Mix it well and serve it hot with some grated Parmesan cheese and crushed black pepper.


 Notes:

1. I had Trader Joes Organic Vegetable Broth - 32 Fl Oz or 1 Qt - which was around 4 Cups.
2. My Frozen Spinach was from Indian store and it was in kind of cubes, so I put two cube of it.
3. I had Great Northern Beans but Cannellini beans also works very well.
4. Please have some PATIENCE as it takes time to build up pressure and release pressure as well as there is a lot of liquid in the instant pot. I did it in my 8 qt IP and it took around 3 mins to completely release the pressure.

What's in my Pantry Chilli in Instant Pot

(From Banu's Cookbook)

This is named What's in my pantry chilli, because that is exactly what this was. I did not really follow any particular recipe, I just used what was in my pantry today. So, please feel free to substitute and/or add your own ingredients.

Ingredients:
1 Medium Sized Onion - Chopped Finely
3-4 Mini Sweet Peppers - Chopped
1 Green Zucchini - Chopped
1 Carrot - Chopped
1 Small Tin of Hatch Green Chilies
1 16 oz Can of Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 16 oz Can of Sweet Corn
1 16 oz Can of Pinto Beans
1 16 oz Can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
2 tsp of Oregano
2 tsp of Cumin Powder
1 tsp of Cayenne Red Chili Pepper
2 tsp of Brown Sugar
Oil for Sauteeing
Salt for Cooking
1/2 - 1 cup of Water

For Pico De Gallo
1 Small Onion Chopped
2 Tomatoes Chopped
1/2 cup of Cilantro Chopped

Avocado for Topping

Instant Pot for Cooking

Method:
1. Heat the Instant pot in Saute mode. Put some oil. Put the chopped Onion, Sweet Peppers and Hatch Chille and saute for a few minutes (5-6) minutes or until the onions turn soft.
2. Now add the Zucchini, Carrot and all the seasoning and mix well. Cook for a few more minutes.
3. Now add all the canned ingredients, salt and some water. Basically the water should be about 1/2 inch over all the ingredients or even less.
4. Mix it all well and close the Instant pot lid. Turn the Steam Valve to sealing position. Switch off the Saute mode and chose the Bean/Chilli Mode. Mine was set to some 50 mins, but since I was using canned and not dry or pre soaked beans, I reduced the time to 25 mins.
5. Once the cook time is done, I did a natural pressure release, which means, I just waited for the pressure to release naturally. Chilli was done well and not over cooked or mushy.
6. Ladle the Chilli into a bowl, top it with Avocado and Pico De Gallo and Enjoy.


Notes:
1. You can of course do this in a regular pressure cooker or stove top. I happen to use Instant pot because it is easy to saute and cook all in one pot.
2. You can add any different kind of canned beans and some fresh tomatoes as well.
3. You can serve it with a bit of sour cream or greek yogurt too.
4. You can skip the Brown sugar, but I feel like it tempers all the sourness that is there in tomatoes etc.

Red Radish and Spinach Curry

(From Banu's Cookbook)

I had couple of bunches of Red Radish and I wanted to try something else other than my traditional sambhar recipe with this vegetable. So, here is my experimentation of Red Radish and Spinach curry.

Ingredients:

3-4 bunches of Red Radish - Cleaned and sliced into half rounds.
2-3 cups of Spinach - Washed and Chopped
1 Large Red Onion - chopped finely
3-4 Garlic Cloves - Chopped Finely
Turmeric - 1/2 Tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1-2 Tsp (based on taste)
Cumin (Jeera) Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander (Dhaniya) Powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - 1 Tbsp
Salt to Taste
Oil for cooking
Mustard seeds, Cumin Seeds and Hing (Asafoetida) for seasoning.

Method:
1. Wash, clean and slice the red radish in half rounds. Keep it aside.
2. In a pan, heat some oil. Add Mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the jeera and hing.
3. Add the chopped onion and garlic and saute until the onion browns a bit. Do not overcook the onions. Just a little browning is good enough.
4. Now add the cut radish and saute for a few minutes. I covered the pan with a lid and cooked it for about 4-5 minutes until the radish was half done.
5. Add the masala powders at this point and mix well and saute for a few more minutes.
6. Add the chopped spinach and mix it all well. Add salt and Jaggery at this point.
7. Saute/cook for about 4-5 minutes until the spinach is done and at this point the radish will be cooked too.
8. Serve it hot with chapathi or rice.

Notes:
1. You can use the radish leaves that come with the radish as well. I felt it was too bitter, so I skipped it.
2. The radish itself will have a bite or sharpness to it, so add red chilli powder per taste.
3. You can skip jaggery. I added it because of the Radish sharpness and I thought it will temper the dish a bit.

Peas and Paneer Curry

(From Banu's Cookbook)

There are many versions of Peas Paneer aka Matter Paneer Curry out there. So I am sure mine is influenced by many of them. But here is a version that is the result of my experimentation.

Ingredients:

Paneer - 400 gms (I use Nanak Malai Paneer from Indian Stores)
Frozen Peas - 3/4 cup (you can increase or decrease this based on your taste)
2 Small Red Onions - Chopped Roughly
4-5 Garlic Cloves
1 inch piece of Ginger
4-5 Tomatoes (I used Roma Tomatoes, but any work)
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tsp Dhaniya Jeera Powder
Jeera for Seasoning
1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick, 1 small star anise, 1-2 Cardamon, 1-2 Bay leaves for Seasoning
1 can of Coconut Milk (13-14 oz can) (I get the full fat one)
Salt to Taste
Butter or Ghee for cooking
Finely Chopped Cilantro for Garnishing
1/2 tsp of Dry Kasoori Methi for Garnishing

Method:

1. In a pan, heat a bit of butter, add the chopped onion, ginger and garlic and saute on medium heat until the onions are done (they become translucent) and also it becomes a bit brown. Let this mixture cool and then grind it into a smooth paste with little or NO water.
2. Cut the paneer into the bite size that you want and soak it for 10-12 mins in Warm water, so that it softens.
3. Cook the peas, drain the water and add ice cubes to retain the green color of the peas.
4. Boil the tomatoes, peel the skin and grind it into a paste.
5. In a pan, heat some butter, add all the seasoning items - Jeera, Star Anise, Cinnamon etc and fry for a few mins. To this, add the ground onion mixture and cook for 5-7 minutes. If the mixture is splattering (as mine does sometimes), cover it with a lid, but keep the lid open, so that steam/water does not build up.
6. Once this mixture is well cooked, add the dry masalas - Dhaniya Jeera powder, Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder and mix well.
7. Add the Tomatoe paste/puree and mix well and let it cook until you can see oil separating at the edges.
8. Now add the Paneer pieces, peas, coconut milk, salt and mix well and let the whole mixture boil for a few minutes on medium or medium-low fire.
9. Turn off the heat and garnish it with Chopped Corriander Leaves and a bit of Kasoori Methi Powder (I take the dry kasoori methi leaves, crush it in between my hands and add it).

Serve it hot with Chapathi, Poori or Rice

Notes:

1. You can use home made paneer or any other Paneer. I am just giving you the brand that I like to use. You do not have to soften the paneer, but it tastes better and absorbs the masala better if it is soft.
2. You can use canned tomato puree or paste, but the fresh made one tastes better.
3. I have tried using the low fat coconut milk, the taste is way different and the curry is more watery. So, full fat coconut milk works better for this recipe.

Peppery Tofu

(Adapted from Archana Pidathala's recipe)

Ingredients:
5-6 Oz of Tofu - Pressed, drained and cut into thin pieces
1 tsp of Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Spices for Seasoning
1/4 tsp of Whole Black Peppercorns
1/2 tsp of Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp of Fennel Seeds
1/2 tsp of Coriander Seeds

Method:
1. Dry roast all the spices for seasoning until they turn slightly brown. Be careful not to burn them.
2. Let the roasted spices cool and then grind them into a coarse powder.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cut tofu pieces and saute them on a medium heat until they are nicely browned on both sides. You can cook them a bit longer if you like crispy tofu.
4. Put the spices - you do not have to add all of it, you can add as much as you like. Add salt. Mix it well.
6. Cook the tofu with spices for a few more minutes and then serve it hot with a side of vegetables. In this case I served it with some sauteed cabbage and cucumbers.

Notes:
1. You can make this spice mixture ahead of time and store it in an airtight container.
2. You can modify the spices by adding paprika instead of peppercorns or red chilies etc.
3. The spice measurements were a bit extra for my 6 oz of tofu, so I ended up using only 3/4 of the mixture, but you can adjust it according to your taste.

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. 

My Version of Good Girl Moonshine

(From Banu's Cookbook)

I have always been a fan of Apple Cider Vinegar. I have used it in Salad Dressings or even just tossed with cucumbers and black pepper. I had heard of this Good Girl Moon Shine drink from several friends of mine but had never tried it. I read a lot of blogs and came up with my own version.

You can drink Natural Organic ACV with the Mother plain with some water or with some cinnamon or add it to any herbal tea. I use Bragg Organic Version. "Mother" is the most important part of the ACV that has all the good healing properties etc. But ACV is highly acidic so I would not recommend drinking it straight as it will damage tooth enamel and also your throat. You always mix it with water and drink it or do these different version of GGMS (Good Girl Moon Shine) recipes.

At the bottom of the post, I have given links to the Original GGMS and other blogs that I found helpful. You can use any tea that you like, my recipe uses the Mango tea bags as I like that flavor a lot, but as you can see from the different blog links, most any tea works good.

You might be wondering why even drink this - the benefits of ACV are numerous and ginger is just an amazing produce for your health. So combining these two and plus getting all your water intake for the day!! Win Win.

Ingredients:
4 bags of Mango Flavored Tea (I use Trader Joes brand)
3 bags pf Pukka Three Ginger Tea (Here is a link for it)
4 Tbsp of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother
3-4 Tbsp of Splenda depending on how sweet you like it.
1-2 tsp of Mango Flavor Fountain (I use Olive Nation Brand)
1/4-1/2 Tsp of Orange Extract (Olive Nation Brand Here)

Method:
1. Immerse the tea bags in 2 qt of cold water and leave it in the fridge overnight. This is what I call cold pressing or cold brewing of tea. Overnight works the best. Although I have soaked them for couple of hours in a pinch too.
2. Remove the tea bags, add the rest of the ingredients and Sweetener to taste and your GGMS is ready. I drink my 2 quarts throughout the day.

Notes:
1. You can use Ginger powder instead of the ginger tea bags, but I personally did not like floating powder in my drink, so I use the tea bags. Some of my friends even use Ginger Essential Oil. You can even skip Ginger.
2. I use Splenda as my choice of sweetener, but you can use any and you might have to experiment a bit to see how much sweetness you need.
3. I would also recommend that you start slow, maybe 2 tbsp per quart for the first week and then increase. Since I have been consuming ACV for a long while now, I had no problem with going with my 4 tblspn.
4. The extracts I have used are all optional. I just like how they make my drink taste.
5. I have bought my Pukka Three Ginger tea from Amazon.com, but I have seen them in Whole Foods and sometimes in Sprouts too.
6. ACV with Mother is available in all major grocery stores.
7. You can add some cinnamon too if you like.

Blog List:
1. Original THM (Trim Healthy Mama) GGMS (Good Girl Moon Shine) Recipe


2.  Hawaiian Punch GGMS


3. Another Version with Honey

Lemon Madeline

(Adapted from Internet Recipe)

Disclaimer: Not my Original Recipe. Adapted from a Recipe someone posted in Ideal Protein support forum on Facebook.

Ingredients:
1 IP Pancake Mix packet
1 IP Vanilla Drink Mix packet
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Lemon Peel (Optional)
Zest of 1 Lemon
2 Tsp Milk
2 Tsp Olive Oil
1/3 C Egg White
2 Tbsp of Lemon Juice (or more - as needed to make the batter moist)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 Deg F.
2. In a bowl mix the the two IP packets and baking powder well. This step is quite critical. Take some time to mix all of them well. I mix for about 40-50 secs with a whisk.
3. Add the Lemon Zest, peel and all the wet ingredients.
4. Mix well gently. Do not over mix it or beat it. More like fold it all in together until the batter is moist.
5. Spray a Madeline pan with Olive oil spray.
6. My Pan had 12 slots and I spread the batter evenly between all the 12 slots.
7. Bake for about 8-10 Minutes. Mine felt done around 8 minutes. So I removed it, took them out of pan and let it cool.

Dipping Sauce:
2 Tbsp Walden Farms Marshmallow Dip
2 Tbsp of Lemon Juice
A bit of lemon zest

Mix all the ingredients together well with a whisk. I added a bit of water as well as the WF marshmallow dip was bit clumpy.

Notes:
1. I did not need additional lemon juice than 2 tbsp. The batter was quite moist.
2. Fresh Lemon juice makes a big difference in this recipe.
3. I used this Madeline pan - from Amazon.com
4. I arranged the Madeline's in such a way that you could see how much dark the backside had become.
5. I used the Lemon Peel from Penzey Spices.