Vegan Breakfast Ideas: Hash Browns

Hash browns are for lazy days, fried and crispy it makes for a great compliment with baked beans on toast, or sauteed mushrooms and many others. Its fast to make and yummy, gets polished off in minutes! I usually use around 3-4 potatoes depending on the size and fry it either in separate batches or make two smaller ones in one pan.

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Crispy hash browns

Prep Time 10 - 15 minutes

Ingredients
3-4 potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
*optional 1 tsp Nutritional yeast

Grate the potatoes and spread it out on a plate
Dab the liquid off with a kitchen towel
Add a pinch of salt and let it sit for a minute
Squeeze out the liquid from the grated potatoes: the trick is to squeeze out as much as possible for crisper hash browns

Heat a flat pan on medium flame and add oil, spread it around.
Add the potatoes and flatten it by spreading it around the pan.
Press down to bind it together tightly, it should have around 1/2"thickness
Sprinkle salt, pepper and *nutritional yeast over it
Lift one corner after a few minutes and check o see if its done.
Once its become golden brown flip the whole hash brown over gently with a flat spatula
Leave on flame till the other side has also become golden brown
Slide it on a plate gently and serve hot

Vegan Breakfast Ideas: Sauteed Mushrooms

Sauteed mushrooms are simple to make, light and healthy. Can be had with fresh bread, as a topping for toasts and in sandwiches. The mushrooms should be fresh, thats when it comes out well. Avoid ones that have blackened. 
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Sauteed Mushrooms with corn and asparagus

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Breakfast ideas: hash browns, sauteed mushrooms and
baked beans with toast

1 pack of fresh mushroom
1 onion
5-8 peppercorns crushed
Salt to taste
1 tsp olive oil
Optional: 2 baby corns, 2 sticks of asparagus, 1/4 yellow pepper, small piece broccoli 

Slice the mushroom into thick slabs
Roughly chop onions into large pieces
Heat oil in pan and add the peppercorns
Add the onions and fry till it turns pinks
Add the mushrooms and optional veggies.
Stir fry for a couple of minutes
Remove from flame as soon as mushroom looks cooked
Serve hot with fresh bread, use as a topping or in sandwiches.

Pita bread Pizza

My sister in law had shown me how to make chips out of pita bread, its a simple and easy snack to make. I tried adding some toppings...bliss. Its a simple enough recipe, and toppings could be varied. So I have given recipes of both,the pizza and the chips. It can be made in the oven or on gas.

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Vegan Pita Pizza

Pita Pizza
Prep Time :15 mins

2 Pita bread cut into pizza slices, and mildly toasted

1 big / 2 small brinjals

1 tomato chopped fine

3 leaves of spinach shredded

Salt to taste

Dry herbs like sage, oregano thyme etc

Olive oil

*Optional Tabasco sauce

*Optional cashew cream cheese/ Hummus

Pre heat Oven to 110, or if cooking on gas, pre heat a non stick flat pan

Make thin slices and roast brinjals with a sprinkling of herbs and salt.

Cut the roasted brinjal into halves

On the toasted slices, *add a layer of hummus/cashew cheese, which is optional.

Add a 1/2 slice of brinjal, tomatoes and spinach

Sprinkle herbs, salt and *Tabasco

Spray the baking try/pan with some oil

Place the slices on the baking tray or on the pan 

Bake for around 10 minutes, if cooking on a flame around 15 minutes on slow flame.

Serve hot!

Vegan Pita Pizza

Pita bread chips
Prep time : 15 mins

2 pita breads cut into pizza slices
Dry herbs like sage, oregano etc
Olive oil 

Preheat oven or pan
Spray or add oil to the baking dish or pan
Add the pita bread slices and spread out in one layer
Sprinkle herbs and a pinch of salt over it and keep it in the oven or over a low flame.
Take it out in about 5 minutes, flip pita slices over, sprinkle some herbs, salt and some oil and replace in oven/flame
With the temperature set on 110, it takes approximately 10 - 15 minutes.
Check to see that to doesn't get burnt and is evenly crisp.

This works very well with hummus, cashew dips and sauces.

Coconut Chutney Red

Red Chutney is so simple to make and goes well with vada's and most kinds of dosa's. Works great using it as a spread in masala dosa's, add a layer of chutney and spread over the roasting dosa before adding the potato masala, it's like the mysore masala dosa available at eateries. Stars (*) are for optional ingredients

Red chilli chutney 

Prep Time :10 minutes

1. 1/2 coconut grated
2. 3 dry red chillies (spicy)
3. 2 dry red chilli (kashmiri)
4. 1/4" ginger
5. 2 cloves of garlic
6. 3 - 4 small pieces of tamarind (or more as per taste)
7. *2 leaves curry leaves
8. * 1/2 tsp roasted gram dal
9. Salt to taste
10. 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
11. 3-4 Curry leaves
12. 1 red chilli
13. 1/2 tsp urad dal
14. 1/2 tsp coconut oil

Grind ingredients 1- 8 together with a bit of water.
Avoid making it too pasty or grinding it too fine. Its needs to have some amount of the coconut texture
Transfer the chutney to a bowl
Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan and add mustard seeds.
When it splutters add the other ingredients and fry for a minute or less.
Pour the seasoning on the chutney and serve

This chutney is a great with dosas, idlis, vadas, upma and other south Indian fares

Cabbage salad Indian style

Cabbage salad may not be the right name for it.. Its actually a mix of dudhi (white bottle gourd) and cucumber in a super fresh and crunchy mix. But for some reason white bottle gourd is not a very popular vegetable, specially with my hubby. And I just cant think of a nice fancy name for this dish.. So...cabbage salad it is.
I made it on a day when I barely had the time to cook but had loads of fresh vegetables at home. So I tried mixing some veggies for a really fast meal. It turned out so good that my hubby wanted me to make it again for dinner! By then he knew it had bottle gourd and he still wanted more...now that is a victorious moment! I made it in small quantities and have given the ingredients accordingly. Thing with this dish is the vegetables need to be really fresh and tender. I don't peel the bottle gourd if its a small one.

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Cabbage salad and cashew cream cheese in pau

Cabbage salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

1/4 piece of a medium sized fresh cabbage
Approx 6" lengthwise piece of fresh *young bottle gourd
1 cucumber
1 green chilli minced
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 lemon
Optional: dash of any spice of your preference
Few drops of oil (olive, peanut,coconut go well with it)

Grate all the vegetables, keep them separately.
Heat oil in a shallow pan, and add the mustard seeds.
Once they start popping add the curry leaves and green chili
Add the bottle gourd and cabbage and mix well.
Let it heat through and let it cook for a minute till the vegetables look tender but still retain their color.. ( its important not to over cook)
Remove from the flame and transfer to a bowl
Add the cucumber, salt to taste, optional spice powder and lemon juice.
Mix well and serve

This goes well with dal and rice and as salad, as a sandwich filling, topping over toasted bread,  as a filling with  cashew cream cheese in pau its yum!

Bolognese sauce

This is Bolognese sauce made my style, Indian or Italian Im not sure.. :) The rich flavorful sauce has often surprised non vegetarians, they say they would not be able to make out the difference. I think the oregano and sage gives it a meaty flavor. Soya granules can be used for it, but I prefer soya chunks. Post boiling and draining water from the chunks, I grind it for a minute or so. It should not be ground too fine, because it loses its texture.
Apart from spaghetti I use this sauce for pies, as filing for toasted sandwiches or as toppings for pizza, toasted bread or toasted pita bread. Have no photos of this one yet, but will add it soon! Hope you enjoy making it...

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Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 3 large Onions chopped
• 6 -7 large Tomatoes (5 skinned and all finely chopped pieces)
• Optional : Minced 1 brinjal/aubergine or 3-4 button mushrooms
• 8 cloves Garlic sliced
• 2 Red chillies (seeded if preferred)
• 1-2 tsp dried Oregano & Sage herbs
• 1½ cups soy chunks/granules boiled and drained
• Tomato puree* (optional)

Preparation

Heat Oil in a thick bottomed pan on a medium flame.

Add the garlic and fry till it turns slightly brown

Add the onions and chillies and fry till it turns pink

Add the tomatoes and stir fry for 2 minutes

Add the soy granules and optional vegetables and mix well.

Add 1 cup of water, salt and puree*.

Cover and let it cook on a low flame for 15-20 minutes.

Add the oregano and sage, mix well. Taste and adjust spices as required

Serve with spaghetti.

Serves 2

Spicy vegetable/soya chunks curry recipe

One thing my mother made all the time were coconut based curries. She made them so well, I have rarely tasted better curries. Somehow she got the perfect balance of spices, tangyness and depth.

Following is a staple Mangalorean chicken curry recipe, can be used for soya chunks, potatoes or mixed vegetable curries.  Grinding the masala paste till its really fine plays a big role, so if you have the time and patience, try this one. Remember, using ready made powders for the spices (except turmeric) is not going to work. You could try getting some ready made Mangalore curry powder to add in the end, to enhance the taste as an option..  

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Soya/vegetable Curry

Prep Time : 30 - 45 Mins

 Prepare 

1)   1 cup soya chunks, boiled and squeeze dry thouroghly.

2)    Optional: assorted veggies likes potatoes, french beans, cauliflower, cabbage cut in       large chunks

To grind

     3)    6- 10 dry red chilies (depends on how spicy you want it)

     4)     2 tbsp heaped coriander seeds

5)    ½ tsp jeera seeds

6)     ¼ tsps methi seeds

7)     8-10 peppercorns

8)     ½ coconut grated

9)     4 cloves garlic

10)   4-5 pieces tamarind

11)   Pinch of turmeric

12)   Salt to taste

Seasoning

13) 1 large onion

14) 2 red chillies

15) 1 cinnamon, 1 star aniseed, 3 cloves (lavang) crushed 

16) 2 tsp coconut oil

Roast ingredients 3 - 8, (tastes best if it’s done separately on a slow flame)

Fry the coconut on a medium flame till it becomes reddish. Make sure it doesn't get burnt

Grind all the ingredients with the garlic, with tamarind and turmeric till very fine (add water to make it pasty but not watery)

In a large vessel, heat water and add veggies and salt when it boils.

Parboil vegetables and add the soya chunks.

Add the ground masala and mix well and bring to boil.

Reduce the flame and cook till all the veggies are tender.

Taste and check for salt

*If it's too spicy, some coconut milk could be added at this point

For the seasoning heat the oil in a thick bottomed pan, add onions and fry

Add the red chilies when the onions turn pink, and the crushed spices (*add a tsp of the Mangalore curry powder) and fry till the powders separate from oil.

Add to the curry, mix well and let it simmer for a 5 minutes.

Serve hot with dosa's, rice, idli's and rice rotti (dry crisp rice dosa's available in  Mangalore shops)

* Please note: This is not the Magalore rotti gasi (curry) recipe. That shall follow soon.. :)

Channa (chickpeas) curry with coconut base

My mother was a fabulous cook... it was from both her and my father, a hotelier who loved his food and who was a hobby cook that I inherited the love of cooking and spices.  Mom made fabulous curries, traditional vegetables, idli's, dosa's and chutneys. We were spoilt as far as food goes, because even the day to day food she cooked was awesome..

Channa Curry

The two ingredient's mom was most generous with were time and love. Spices were always freshly ground, where roasting spices was required...she would roast each spice separately till our whole house would be permeated with the aromas of it. Most of our food was coconut curry based, which already requires time for grating and grinding, yet, for some dishes she would grind ingredients separately or add ingredients in phases. There were times I used to tease her about it, since everything is going to be mixed anyway, why do this at all? Her logic was that the flavors come out better, and it did.

I really miss our childhood Sundays, with steaming hot fresh soft idlis and chutney for breakfast, right on time for Mahabharat, a super popular TV series of the time.
Or hot channa curry with brun pau (a type of bread that is round, crisp on the outside and soft inside much like french bread).

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Brun pav

Mom Loved brun pav...
So, I would carry 4 loaves of pav for her when I would visit her in Bangalore while she would prepare channa curry for us.
I am not sure where mom got this channa curry recipe from, but its one of my favorites of all time...




Channa Curry
Prep Time : 30/45 minutes 

1.5 small cups channa (chickpeas) soaked overnight

Mix of whole spices like 1 cinnamon, 1 star shaped aniseed, 3 cloves and 1/2 bay leaf

3-4 tomatoes
1 onion

Salt to taste

Boil all the ingredients above in a cooker till a couple of whistles go off

1) 2  heaped tbsp grated coconut 

2) 4-5 red chilies

3) 1 tbsp coriander seeds

4) ½ tbsp jeera seeds 

5) ½ tbsp mustard seeds

6) 1 onion chopped

7) 8-10 Curry leaves 

8)1 tbsp khus khus 

9) Pinch of saunf 

For seasoning

10) 1 onion chopped

11) few curry leaves

12) 2 red chillies

13) 1 tsp coconut or oil of your choice

Roast ingredients 1- 5 on a slow flame till the coconut turns reddish

Add ingredients 7-10 and one chopped onion, fry till the onion goes a dark pinkish brown.

Put the fried mixture into a mixer and grind well. Add a little water and grind till very fine. The consistency can be pasty but avoid making it watery.

Remove the cooker lid and mash a little chole. Add the masala and let it boil for a couple of minutes (add water if too thick)

Check for salt and spices, add more if required.

Heat oil in thick bottomed pan, add onion, red chilies and curry leaves for seasoning. If you prefer it spicier add a tsp of red chilly powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala (powder) to the seasoning. Fry for a minute and add to the curry. Mix well and cook on a medium flame for about 5-10 minutes.

Remove from flame and serve hot with brun pav, toasted bread or rice 

Vegan milk options

So you wonder what vegans do for milk? Or think we miss our cuppa milky chai? Doesnt happen. There are so many options in healthy vegan milk.. apart from the soya one. Milk is also easily made with nuts, seeds, coconut and even rice! Similarly, there are many easy to make options in cheese, curd and even chaas.. :) Whats more, these options are so much healthier than cows/goats or any other animals milk.. ;)

Nut milks

4/5 cashews/almonds

1 cup warm water

Soak 4-5 cashews/almonds for at least half an hour (preferably 3 hours or more)

Drain the nuts and add to blender with enough water to cover it.

Grind till very smooth

Take it out and add the warm water. Strain only if required.

This milk can be heated and can be used as normal milk for cereals, chai coffee or for cooking etc. Please note Almond milk is sweeter than cashew milk,  so avoid using it for spicy dishes

Sesame Seeds Milk

1 cup sesame seeds soaked overnight

2-3 dates/1 tsp jaggery/agave syrup or sweetner of your choice

2-3 cups warm water

Drain the sesame and add in the blender with sweetner. Add water till it covers the seeds

Grind till smooth. Take the mixture out and strain.

Heat till mildly warm or have it chilled as required.

Creamy baked potatoes and mushrooms

A hot favorite with guests, and with me. Its just the easiest way to make a scrumptious party dish!

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Creamy baked potatoes and mushrooms

4-5 potatoes (chopped like wedges and soaked for a bit in salt water)

1 pack of button mushrooms

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp of herbs like sage, oregano and parsley

2 tsp peppercorn crushed

1 desert spoon dark soy sauce

Salt

“Cashew melty cheese” (optional)

Bread crumbs (optional)

Preheat the oven at 200 degrees

Take a large bowl add 1 tbsp oil and add the salt 1 tsp pepper corns and half of the other spice. Mix well

Drain the potatoes and pat dry. Add it to the bowl and toss till the potatoes are coated well.

Baked potatoes and mushrooms

Spray some oil on the baking dish and add the potatoes in a vertical line and put it in the oven , with the timer set for 20 minutes

Meanwhile prepare the mushrooms. Wash thoroughly and slice to large chunks.

In the same bowl used earlier add the second tbsp of oil, soy sauce, salt to taste  and the remaining spices and mix well.

Add the mushrooms and toss till well coated.

When the potatoes have cooked for 15 minutes take the tray out of the oven and add the mushrooms either in layers over it or in rows next to the potatoes.

Drizzle some oil over it and return to oven.

Take the tray out in 5-6 minutes and spread cream cheese over it, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake for the remaining time.

Check to see that the potatoes are cooked well, take out and serve hot.

Served with garlic bread as main course or as a starter…works like a charm!

A variation is to remove the potatoes when partially baked, add one layer of spaghetti at the base, one layer of potatoes and mushroom. After 5 minutes of baking, add the cheese and bread crumbs and bake for 10 minutes or till bread crumbs golden.

Spaghetti with the cheese mushroom potato baked 

Kachumber/simple Indian salad

Kachumber/ Indian salad

1 large onion

1 tomato

½ capsicum (green/yellow/red) either one or all of them

A variety of veggies and sprouts could be added

1 tsp minced coriander leaves

1 green chilly

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt to taste

¼ tsp of chilli/jeera powder

Cut all vegetables very fine and mix all the ingredients. 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve. Please visit us on recipes.ourfoodprint.com, for these recipes and many more! 

Dairy free vegan sour cream, cheese and melty cheese

This is one post that has been pending for the longest of times... Making cheese out of the most surprising ingredient...cashews! Creams, milk, cheese you can make them all with cashews. :)

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Cashew sour cream

Prep time : 10 minutes

½ cup cooking cashew

6 – 7 small/ 3-4 large garlic cloves

Juice of 1 lemon

1 dessert spoon olive oil (optional)

1 tsp Nutritional yeast (optional)

Soak cashews for  at least ½ an hour, longer its soaked the better, so you can even soak it over night.

Drain water and put the cashews in the blender, with the garlic, salt and just enough water to cover it.

Grind till the cashew is slightly granular, and add the lemon juice and olive oil.

Blend till totally smooth and creamy. Add the nutritional yeast and  mix

Its ready, and can be used for a variety of things like dips, as a sauce, as a base for raitha. I use Amchur (dry Mango) powder to make it sour, around ½ a tsp for a bowl should be good. However use as per your preference.

Creamy cashew cheese

Prep time :10 minutes

 1 small cup cooking cashews

1 pack tofu/soya paneer

6-7 large garlic cloves

1 lemon

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ tsp crushed peppercorns/2-3 leaves of fresh basil/  ½ tsp dried herbs like sage, oregano, chilly flakes or flavoring of your choice

Salt to taste

1-2 tbsp Nutritional yeast (optional)

Soak cashews for  at least ½ an hour, longer its soaked the better, so you can even soak it over night.

Drain tofu well and break into small pieces.

Drain water and put the cashews in the blender and blend till grainy.

Add tofu with the garlic, salt and just enough water to cover it.

Grind till mixed well and add the lemon juice and olive oil.

Blend till totally smooth and creamy. Add the nutritional yeast and peppercorns/herbs/flavoring.

Mix well and serve

The creamy cheese spread works very well in sandwiches/dips/sauces/and as a spread on roti, breads etc. I also use it as a creamy centre for dosas and rolls, with   Kachumber salad stuffed with it. 

Creamy melty cheese

Prep time: 10 minutes

½ cup cooking cashews

½  cup wheat flour

6-7 large garlic cloves

1 lemon

½ cup olive oil

½ tsp crushed peppercorns/2-3 leaves of fresh basil/  ½ tsp dried herbs like sage, oregano, chilly flakes or flavoring of your choice (optional)

Salt to taste

1-2 tbsp Nutritional yeast (optional)

1 tbsp soy cream powder/creamy vegan soup powder (optional)

Soak cashews for  3-4 hours, longer its soaked the better it turns out, you can even soak it over night.

Drain water and put the cashews in the blender and blend till grainy.

Add wheat with the garlic, salt, optional cream/soup powder  and just enough water to cover it.

Grind till mixed well and add the lemon juice and olive oil.

Blend till totally smooth and creamy. Add the nutritional yeast and peppercorns/herbs/flavoring.

This cheese is delish and is to be eaten cooked. It’s great for pizza’s, grilled sandwiches, dosas and bakes.

Tomato Saar

I add everyday dishes like veggie dishes, dals and saar for 2 reasons, one is the oft repeated question, if you don't eat meat or dairy products...what do you eat? See, our normal everyday food is mostly vegan, we have all the ingredients at home at any time and its really fast to make. And the second reason is, all of us are pressed for time these days, having a bunch of easy recipes that don't include 5 tablespoons of oil/ghee and heavy frying is so useful. And yes, being a south Indian, the blog will be dominated by southy food.. :)

Saar is a 'soupy' dish, its literally either tomatoes or tamarind boiled with water and seasoned with mild spices. Though it is had with rice, a vegetable dish, papad and pickle, it can be had as a soup too. Amazing as a soup during winter and monsoons.

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

2-3 large tomatoes / 3-4 small tomatoes

1 onion

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Seasoning

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp urad dal

1 sprig curry leaves

2 red chillies

Pinch of turmeric

1/2 tsp (more if you prefer it spicy) crushed pepper/pepper powder

1/2 tsp coconut oil  (or any oil except for olive/mustard)

Keep 2 cups of water for boiling

Chop tomatoes and onion into large pieces

Add it to the water with salt and bring it to a boil.

Reduce flame to medium and leave to cook for around 10 minutes.

Prepare seasoning in that time. 

Heat oil in a frying pan, add mustard and fry till it splutters

Add the urad, curry leaves, red chillies and fry for a minute.

Add turmeric and pepper powders, mix well and remove from flame.

Add the seasoning to the dish and let it boil for another 5 minutes. 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or as a soup.

#Simple #easycooking #southindianfood

Tendli & Cashew ... Traditional south Indian veggies, banana leaf style

Traditional south Indian food is synonymous with being served on a banana leaf. Offered mostly at temples, weddings, festivals or functions these days, banana leaf meals are a delight. Food served is vegetarian and mostly vegan.  It includes simple vegetable dishes, served with 2 or more salads, at least 2 rices dishes, piping hot sambhar, rasam... yum...

The beauty is that most of the dishes are simple to prepare and very healthy. The veggies are typically lightly cooked, rarely even changing color. For this recipe, the tindli is usually added to the seasoning and cooked, I prefer boiling it and then adding it the seasoning, reduces the need for too much oil. When making south Indian food, I mostly use coconut oil mixed with rice bran oil.

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Prep time :10-15 minutes

1/4 kg Tindli slit lenghtwise
1 cups cashew soaked for 3-4 hours or it can boiled in water for a minute or so.
2 green chillies slit lenghtwise
! tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dhal
1 sprig curry leaves
Pinch of hing (asofateoda)
1-2 red chillies
1 tablespoon freshly grated coconut.
1 tsp coconut oil or oil of your choice.

Boil the tindli with green chillies and salt to taste, in a cooker with enough water to just cover it.
As soon as the first whistle goes off, remove from flame and open cooker as soon as possible to avoid veggies getting overcooked.
Drain it and run tap water over the vegetables.
Heat oil in thick bottomed pan, and add the mustard seeds.
Heat on medium flame till it splutters, add urad dal, curry leaves, red chillies, hing and stir fry for a minute
Add the boiled tindli, cashew and salt to taste mix well.
Heat on medium flame for around 2-3 minutes
Remove from flame, mix in the grated coconut
Serve hot.

This dish goes well with rice and sambhar, rasam dal.

#simple #healthy #fastcooking #bananaleaf #traditional

Khatta Alu & Puri (savory potato gravy with fried puffed wheat bread)

Weekends and holidays, are days I make a leisurely brunch. My husbands fav dish of all time is Puri Alu, and he simply loves this version of khatta alu. I really wish there was a better word to describe khatta in english apart from sour and savory.. Though a decent amount of work goes into this brunch, its so well worth the response.

Usually dairy curd is used in this dish. It is substituted it with unsweetened soy/coconut/cashew milk and loads of dry mango powder (amchur). Apparently it tastes better than the same dish with curds! Make it in big quantities, so one round can go with puri's ( deep fried wheat based pancakes), and another round can be used for various stuffing's in sandwiches, chapattis, doasa's or as a starter with puri's used in pani puri. A totally popular starter at parties

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Prep Time: 1 hour or so

Puri

My husband likes puri;s really crisp, so I add rava/semolina to the dough. Many make it with 'maida', but I use regular wheat.

2 cups wheat
2/3rd cups water
1/2 cup semolina
1 tsp peanut oil
salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a deep bowl and knead till it becomes into a soft firm dough. Make a ball of it and cover with a wet cloth. Let it set while you prepare the potatoes

Following is the recipe of the potato gravy:

Ingredients

6-7 large potatoes, chopped into big pieces
2 large onions,chopped into big pieces
1/2 tsp asofaetida/ hing
2 red chillies
5-6 curry leaves
3 large tomatoes,chopped into big pieces
2" grated ginger
6-7 cloves garlic crushed
3-4 tsps dried mango powder/amchur
1/2 cup unsweetened soy/coconut/cashew milk
1 tbsp oil  ( I use rice bran oil for this dish)
Coriander leaves to garnish

Crush together
1 star aniseed
4 cloves
1 1/2" stick of cinnamon

Masala Powder: slow roast the following, and grind till fine
3 red chillies
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp jeera seeds
2 1/2 heaped tsp dried pomegranate seeds
6 curry leaves
1 tsp khus khus

Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel on a medium flame. I prefer the cooker
Add the crushed spices and let it heat through, spread it around the base of the vessel.
Add the onions and fry till it turns pink
Add the ginger, red chillies and curry leaves and garlic, fry for a minute.
Then add the hing powder, mix well. At this point it starts smelling divine..
Now put in the potatoes, and let it fry till it slighlty browns
Add the tomatoes, mix well and let it fry till the tomato's skin starts peeling a bit.
Add 3/4th of the ground masala powder, 1 tsp amchur powder and salt. Mix well.
Add 1 cup of water or enough to cover the potatoes, cover and leave on medium flame till potatoes are cooked. If its a cooker wait for a couple of whistles to go off.

Remove lid and check salt. Add more if required.
Keep the dish on a low flame and add the coconut milk, second tsp of amchur and balance ground masala. I usually taste it at this point, and if I feel its not khatta enough or is too spicy, I add another spoon of amchur or more milk if required.  Let it cook till semi dry.

Remove from flame and garnish with lots of finely chopped coriander leaves and 1-2 minced green chillies.

Puris

Take the dough and knead it a bit again.
Make small balls of the dough and roll out into 6" circles and
Heat enough oil to deep fry.
Add the circles one at a time, and hold it down till it puffs. Turn it around and fry till brownish.
Removing from pan and drain the excess oil by placing the puri's on kitchen paper.

Serve hot with the Khatta alu.

Hummus..spiced up just a bit

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One of my favorites is Hummus, so easy to make, super healthy & can be stored and used for sandwiches for almost a week. If it ever lasts that long. Typically, it gets over really fast.

I make it in large quantities when friends are over, but no matter how much there is it is always polished off!

I use red chilies and add the barbeque seasoning from Fabindia to add a bit of spice. You could replace the barbeque seasoning with garam masala, or any masala powders used for rajmas, choles or curries.  

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients are as follows

1 1/2 cups Chickpeas/Chole,  soaked overnight or atleast for 6-8 hours

1 1/2 tablespoon Tahini 

6-7 small/medium garlic cloves (if large, then 2-3 should suffice)

2 tablespoon Olive oil

Juice of one lemon 

2-3 Red chillies

1/2 tsp Barbeque seasoning from Fabindia

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp salt

Cook the peas in cooker with enough water to cover it up and a bit more. 

Cook till a couple of whistles go off. Make sure it doesn't get overcooked and mushy.

Remove, drain and keep to cool. Keep the water aside. 

Combine chickpeas, garlic, tahini, 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil, & red chillies in a blender. 

Add 1/4th cup of the water drained from chickpeas and blend for 3-4 minutes till fine.

Remove from blender, add salt, lemon juice and the seasoning and mix well.

Make a hole in the centre, add the remaining olive and garnish with red chilli powder and some seasoning.

Best had with roasted veggies and pita bread, you can also use it as a spread for sandwiches and as a dip. 

I also use it as a creamy filling for Dosa's, a dish I learnt in a cafe in Auroville.

After spreading the dosa batter, cover and cook for a minute.
Take cover out and add one layer of hummus in a line on one half of the dosa, and  2 tsp's of "kachumber" (salad) over the hummus.
Fold the dosa over, cover again and let it cook for a minute. 

Remove cover, flip dosa, cover and cook for a minute more till slightly crisp. Remove and enjoy!

What you get is a creamy filling with crisp veggies...delish.

Cashew Cream Raita

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Its so good, Every one loves it... despite the initial scepticism of a dairy free raitha... :)

Its takes little time to make and is extremely good for health. Imagine cashews and fresh veggies...it is only going to do you good.

Cashew Cream Raitha

For one big bowl of raita you will need

1 - 1.5 cups cashew soaked in water for an hour, (if pressed for time, I simply heat the water a bit and let it soak while I'm preparing the veggies)

6-7 small cloves of garlic 

Following vegetables need to be finely chopped

1 onion 

1 cucmber 

1 red carrot (optional)

1 tomato (optional)

1 green chilly

1 lemon

1 tsp coriander leaves

2 mint leaves

Spices

1/4 tsp chilly powder

1/2 tsp crushed fresh jeera/cumin powder

1/2 tsp or more as per taste, amchur/dry mango powder

salt to taste (black salt is a great option)

Grind cashews with garlic cloves and just enough water to make a fine paste

Remove from grinder into a big bowl, and add water to make the consistently more liquid, enough to drip easily from a spoon, or the regular raita consistency.

Add the spices, lemon juice, salt and mix well 

Add the veggies and leaves, mix well.

Garnish with coriander leaves and refrigerate. Serve chilled.

Goes well with any Indian food, specially pulao's and biryanis. Change the veggies and spice and you could get a creamy spread/dip for starters too. 

Shanthz's Soy Kheema Pulao :

So, we had to shift. And for one entire week, normal life came to a stand still while we setup our new house.
And the gas stove connection was taking time to be setup. Eating food from takeaways gets to be a pain, so thats when cooking in the microwave happens. Normally I avoid using it, and do not advise microwave cooking.

One of my favorites is soy kheema pulao, adapted from a kheema pulao recipe given to me years ago by a fantabulous cook and friend of mine Shantha from Bangalore. Those days I used to eat meat, and as an ex meat eater, with some adaptions, I found no difference in the taste. Infact, soy kheema is also much faster to cook!

I have given 2 versions of the recipe as is made on a gas stove and then the microwave version
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So here goes..

1 cup soy chunks/kheema
1 cup Basmati rice ( preferably brown basmati rice)
2 large onions, sliced
2 potatoes, chopped into 1" chunks
3-4 green chillies slit vertically
1/2 bunch fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
5-6 mint leaves
2 large tomatoes sliced vertically in large chunks
2" Ginger grated or crushed
6-7 cloves garlic crushed
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil

Spices:
1 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp each of coriander and jeera powders
1 1/2 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)
1 1/2 tsp garam masala powder

Crush together
1" cinnamon stick
4-6 cloves
1 tsp pepper corns
1 clove cardomom
1.5 tsp fennel/saunf seeds

Cooking on gas flames/stoves
Heat oil in a pan on a medium flame
Add 3/4th of the spices that were crushed together and heat a bit. Let the flavored oil spread around the base of the pan.
Add onions and heat till pink
Add the green chillies, ginger and garlic and fry for a minute
Add the spice powders, and fry till oil starts separating
Add the potatoes, coriander and mint leaves and fry for 3-4 minutes till potatoes start browning slightly
Add the brown rice and salt. Mix well.
Fry with the spices for 3-4 minutes and add 2 cups of warm water to it. Bring to a boil, lower gas, cover and simmer till rice is almost cooked. give or take 7-10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and mix gently. Sprinkle the left over crushed spices on top, and heat on medium gas for an additional 5 minutes.
Cover and keep for 10 minutes to let tomatoes cook and release its flavor. Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon. Serve with Cashew cream raitha


Microwave :
Add oil to a dry glass bowl and heat in microwave for 1 minute
Add 3/4th of the crushed spices and heat for 3 minutes
Add onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies and heat for 6-7 minutes till onions look a bit brown
Add the spice powders to the hot mixture, mix well.
Add potatoes, coriander leaves, mint leaves and salt, mix, cover and cook for 3 minutes
Add soya kheema, mix well.
Add rice, stir in gently and let it cook for 10 minutes
Remove the dish, add the tomatoes, mix gently, garnish with balance crushed spices and replace in oven for cooking for another 5 minutes.

Done...and paired up with cashew cream raita, given next...its a dream.

Simple Dal

Dal, made with pulses, is a staple food. Its healthy by itself, and with veggies it just gets better. I follow my mothers recipe, and like everyone I know, she had her own special recipe for dal. She used atleast 2 different kinds of pulse's for it, adds to the nutrition and gives it more texture and depth. Do modify spices according to your taste. Please visit us on recipes.ourfoodprint.com, for these recipes and many more! 

This is for you divs.. :*

Dal

Ingredients
3/4 cup tuvar dal &1/4th cup red dal (washed and soaked for some time)
1/2" ginger
2 Green chillies
Pinch of asofoetida/hing
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 large tomatoes chopped

Optional : 3-4 french beans/  1carrot/ 2-3 brinjal/aubergines 1/4th bottle gourd/ 1 potato/ 1/2 cup cauliflower or veggie of your choice

Seasoning
1/2 tsp Coconut/Rice bran/peanut oil
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp Urad dal
1-2 red chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
11/2 tsp red chilly powder
2-3 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cummin/jeera powder
Pinch of hing/turmeric
Coriander leaves for garnish

In a pressure cooker, add 2.5 cups of water, and add all the ingredients (not the seasoning ones) given above including the optional veggies. Cook in the cooker till a couple of whistles go off.
Open cooker, add salt and mix well. Set the gas flame on low and simmer while preparing seasoning.
To prepare seasoning: heat 1 tsp of oil in a separate pan, add mustard seeds.
Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the urad dhal, red chillies, curry leaves and garlic and fry for a bit
Add turmeric, hing, and all the spice powders, and stir fry a little more.
Add it to the dhal, mix well, and leave it on simmer for 15 minutes more. Check taste for salt etc. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice / rotis.

Replacing meat in traditional dishes: Manglorean Sukkha/Adjadina style

I come from a coastal community called Bunts, and our cuisine largely involve meat, fish and a vast array of exotic vegetable dishes. The great part is that almost all the vegetarian dishes are vegan! Ghee as an addition to some of these recipes is a recent phenomena. Like all regions the food evolved around ingredients that grew locally based on local climate conditions. Where coconut oil was used earlier, today unhealthy and greasy ghee has replaced it, killing milder flavors and adding a layer of fat on the food.

Really apart from the fact that ghee is cholesterol laden, ghee and cheese sometimes just seem to be a mask for tasteless food. The lightness and flavors of fresh pressed oils can add so much to the same dish.

This is an old favorite and very popular traditional dish usually made with chicken/meat. Aadjadina, is the *Tulu word for Sukkha, which means a dry dish, made with spices and fresh grated coconut.  I use soya chunks instead, and it takes half the cooking time meat would. :)

Its wholesome, spicy and is best had with dal and brown rice. Please visit us on recipes.ourfoodprint.com, for these recipes and many more!

Soya Manglorean Sukkha

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups Soy chunks, boiled and drained
• 2 Potatoes cut into big cubes
• 2 Onions
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves
• 2 Red chillies
• ¾ cups grated Coconut
• 1 tsp Jeera
• 2 cloves Garlic
• Coconut oil

Masala

• 7 – 8 Red Chillies
• 1 ½ tsp Cummin Seeds
• 3 tbsp Coriander Seeds
• Pinch of Turmeric
• 4-5" Tamarind
• 5-6 Cloves of Garlic
• ½ bunch Coriander leaves and 3-4 Pudina leaves (optional)
• 4-5 pieces Tamarind soaked in water

Preparation

Roast the masala ingredients, and grind to a fine paste, take it out and keep aside. (Add the leaves and tamarind after the spices arr ground fine, so it doesn't get gooey.) 

Add the grated coconut with the cummin and garlic to the same mixer and grind coarsely.

In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tsp of oil, and add ½ an onion.

Fry till pink and add the soy chunks and potatoes. Stir fry for 3 minutes.

Add the masala and salt with half cup water. Cover the cooker and let it cook for about 3-4 whistles.
Open cooker and simmer on medium heat till the gravy starts thickening.

Add the semi ground coconut mixture, mix and cook on a medium/slow flame till it's dry.

For seasoning, heat1 ½ tsp of oil in a separate kadhai and fry the onions, red chillies, and curry leaves.

Add seasoning, mix and serve hot

Serves 4

*Tulu: regional language of people in and around Mangalore, where the Bunt community originates from.