Asparagus and Papdi Lilva Bean Pesto tart

Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. It is a good source of  calcium, fiber, protein, vitamin A, C, E, K, folic acid and what not! It has no fat, no cholesterol and is low in sodium. On top of it, it is utterly delicious! I love its delicate flavor and tender texture. I was googling for some easy-to-make asparagus recipes and I stumbled upon www.veganyumm.com. Original recipe was made with white beans. Since I love papdi lilva beans (chikkudu gingalu) and I always try to add them in my diet, I changed recipe to my taste. Original recipe was vegan. I added whole milk instead of soy milk. Also, original recipe had dijon mustard, I skipped it since I didn’t have it ready ;-)

Even with my customized version, this tart turned out just yummy! 

Ingredients:

Papdi lilva beans(chikkudu ginjalu)         6 oz or 150 grams

Cashew nuts                                        ¼ cup

Pesto paste                                         1 tsp

Whole milk                                          ¼ cup

Fresh lime juice                                    2 tsp

Fresh Asparagus                                  12

Puff pastry sheet                                   1

Sall, pepper, pam stray/olive oil

Method:

1.   Thaw puff pastry sheet for 40 minutes and meanwhile, pre heat oven at 400˚F.

2.   In a food processor blend beans, cashew nuts, pesto paste, lime juice and salt. While blending, add milk to make it into fine paste.

3.   Carefully place thawed pastry sheet on a parchment paper or greased aluminum foil (grease with pam spray/olive oil) and roll it out into rectangle.

4.   Add bean-pesto mixture leaving 1 inch border on all sides.

5.  Trim Asparagus to tart width wise and place one by one next to each other alternating their direction over bean-pesto paste.  

6.   Spray Pam or brush spears with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper.

7.      Slide parchment paper/ aluminum foil on baking tray and bake for 25 minutes until sheet is puffed and turned golden brown. By this time spears should also be tender.

8.      Cut tart into 4 pieces and serve hot.

*Serves 2 people       

Gobi Manchurian (Batter-fried Cauliflower)

Gobi manchurian is an Indo-Chinese appetizer. Indo-Chinese cuisine is immensely popular in India. In this cuisine, Indian vegetables are cooked in Chinese method with both Chinese and Indian seasonings. These tangy-spicy fritters are a very popular street food in India.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower                                                                         1(medium sized)

All-purpose flour (maida)                                                      3 tsp

Corn flour                                                                           3 tsp

(You can also use rice flour as a substitute)

Red chilli powder                                                                 1 tsp

Water                                                                                 ¼ cup

Salt to taste

Oil (any) for deep fry

Sauce:

Garlic                                                                                3 cloves

Ginger (finely sliced)                                                           1 tsp

Spring onions                                                                     ¼ cup

Bell pepper (green or red)                                                    1

Thai chillis                                                                          2

Soy sauce                                                                          2 tsp

Red chilli sauce                                                                  2 tsp

Tomato ketchup                                                                 1 tsp

Vinegar                                                                             1 tsp

Panda express Kung pao sauce (optional)                           1 tsp

Water                                                                                ¼ cup

Oil (any)                                                                            2 tsp

Method:

1.   Cut cauliflower into bite sized florets. Take a bowl and mix all-purpose flour, corn flour, salt, red chilli powder, cauliflower florets and add ¼ cup of water. Mix well and leave for about 10-15 minutes.  

2.   Mince garlic, chop spring onions and bell pepper to into long pieces. Chop thai chillis into small round pieces.

3.   Heat oil in a pan. Add ginger, garlic, thai chilli and sauté for 1 minute. Add bell pepper, spring onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add soy sauce, vinegar, red chilli sauce, kungpao sauce, tomato ketchup and salt and mix well. Add ¼ cup of water and cook for 2-3 minutes.

4.  Heat oil (for deep fry) in a wok and fry cauliflower florets in batches till golden brown. Place cauliflower fritters in a plate lined with paper towel.

5.       Add cauliflower fritters to the sautéed gravy and mix well.

6.       Serve it as an appetizer or as a side with fried rice.

*Serves 4 people.

Bruschetta with Tomato, Red bell pepper and Basil

I love home-made Bruschetta with fresh basil and garlic! It is flavorful and damn easy to make. Usually Bruschetta is made with tomatoes and basil but I added red bell pepper to my recipe. Also, tomatoes are parboiled and the skin is peeled. I didn’t parboil them and left the skin as it is and sautéed veggies slightly.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes                                                          3 to 4

Red bell pepper                                                  1

Garlic cloves                                                       2

Basil leaves                                                        8

Balsamic vinegar                                                 1 Tsp

Olive oil                                                              1 Tsp

Sourdough bread or any other French or Italian bread                         

Salt and pepper to taste  

Method:

1.   Chop tomatoes, red bell pepper and garlic into small cubes. Chop basil leaves.

2.   Heat oil in a pan and add garlic first, sauté for 1 minute. Add red bell pepper and sauté for another one minute. Finally add tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar and sauté for one minute. (Tomatoes must not be overcooked). Sprinkle salt and pepper.

3.   Cut sourdough bread diagonally into ½ inch thick slices and bake at 350 degree temperature for 10 minutes. (Pam spray generously over bread slices before placing in oven).

4.    Place toasted bread slices on a serving platter (olive oil side up) and using a spoon, add sautéed topping to bread slices and serve hot.

*Serves 4 people

Godhuma ravva upma/cracked wheat upma

Godhuma ravva upma is one of the simplest, easiest and wholesome breakfasts. Upma in general has lot of variations and in the one I prefer, tomatoes, onions and black chickpeas are the main ingredients. Tomatoes give the tangy flavor and of course, who wouldn’t love onions? Black chickpea is high in protein. Cracked wheat is nutritious and rich in fiber. It is suggested for the ones who want to shred some pounds and are concerned with heart’s health. You can find cracked wheat (fine) in any Asian/ Indian store. 

Ingredients:

Cracked wheat (Godhuma ravva)                                               1 cup

Water                                                                                           2 ½ cups

Tomato                                                                                         1

Onion                                                                                            1

Black chick peas  (senagalu)                                                        ½ cup
Salt  to taste

Seasoning (popu) (you can find the spices mentioned below in any Asian/Indian store)

Mustard seeds                                                                           1 tsp

Senaga pappu (yellow split peas/channa dal/split gram dal)      ½ tsp   

Minapa pappu(white lentils/urad dal)                                          ½ tsp

Asafoetida (hing/inguva)                                                            1 pinch  

Thai chillis                                                                                   2

Dry red chilli                                                                              1 (torn into 2 pieces)

Oil                                                                                               2 tsp

Curry leaves                                                                                3-4

Method:

1.       Soak black chick peas (senagalu) in water (with water sufficient enough for all the seeds to soak) overnight

2.       Boil soaked chickpeas either in microwave or in pressure cooker or in steamer. (it requires about 10-12 minutes in microwave)

3.       Chop tomato and onion in to small square pieces. Chop thai chillis into long pieces.

4.       Heat oil (in medium-high heat) in a cooking pan and add mustard seeds followed by the white lentils, yellow split peas. Let the lentils, peas, and cumin change color and mustard seeds splutter. Add asafetida, curry leaves, thai chillis and dry red chillis and stir fry for a few seconds.

5.       Add chopped onions and tomatoes and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add boiled black chick peas (senagalu) and stir fry for 2 minutes. Let black chick peas absord the flavor of spices and onion, and tanginess of tomatoes.

6.       Add water and salt. Let water boil. (it takes about a minute) Add cracked wheat (godhuma ravva) and stir for few minutes. You can stir either till it gets cooked or close the lid and stir occasionally. It might take about 5-7 minutes to cook.

7.       Stitch off the stove and garnish with coriander if you like and serve hot with ghee/clarified butter (optional)

 * Serves 2 people

Kajjikaayalu (Stuffed crispy fritters)

Kajjikayalu are one of the famous Andhra (South Indian) sweet delicacies. I remember helping my mom in making kajjikayalu. She used to make in large amount and store them in big boxes for our afternoon tea-time sweet cravings! There are various types of fillings. My mom prefers roasted Bengal gram-coconut-jaggery filling. Subtle sweetness of kajjikayalu makes you want to eat more and more!

Roasted Bengal gram is called Putnalu in Telugu and Dahlia in Hindi. Putnalu by itself can be great guilt-free snack. You can get them in any Asian/Indian store. Check for the name Dahlia or roasted Chana split. 

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour/Maida                                               1 cup

Filling:

Grated coconut                                                            1 cup

(Either fresh coconut or frozen grated coconut that you can buy in any Asian/Indian store)

Putnalu/dahlia                                                                ½ cup

Grated Jaggery or sugar                                                ¾ cup

Oil                                                                                3 cups (for deep fry)

Method:

1.       Make dough with all-purpose flour using required amount of water.

2.       Blend putnalu, grated jaggery or sugar into fine powder.

3.       Take the blended powder into a bowl and add grated coconut.

4.       Make small lemon size balls with the dough and roll each ball into thin puri.

5.       I use Kajjikaya peeta/mold (available in market). It saves lot of time and energy ;-) Grease mold with oil and place rolled puri on the mold as shown in the image below.

6.       Using a spoon, add approximately 2 spoons of powder and close the mold. Remove excess dough as shown in the image below.

(If you don’t have mold, place powder in the centre of the puri (rolled dough), fold the puri into semi-circle shape. Wet your fingers and seal the edges)

7.       Heat oil in low-medium flame simultaneously.

8.       Gently take out the stuffed puri and slide it into the heated oil. You can fry 5-6 pieces at the same time.

9.       Fry till golden brown and serve cool with tea.

Tomato Perugu Pachadi (tomato-yogurt chutney)

Yogurt based chutneys/pachallu are among the most common type of chutneys/pachallu in South India. In general, Andhra food is famous for pachallu. At home, we feel our meal is incomplete without a pachadi. My mom is a great expert in making this pachadi. Recipe is simple and takes about 10 minutes to cook. This flavorful pachadi is made with sautéed tomatoes and yogurt. 

Ingredients:

Tomatoes                                                                            3

Thai chillis                                                                            3

Yogurt                                                                                 1 ½ cups

Salt to taste

Popu/Seasoning:

Oil                                                                                        2 tsp
Mustard seeds (aavaalu)                                                      1 tsp

Yellow split peas (senaga pappu/chana dal)                          1 ½  tsp

White lentils (minapa pappu/urad dal)                                   1 ½ tsp

Asafoetida (inguva/hing)                                                       1 pinch

Curry leaves                                                                        5-6 leaves

Dry red chilli                                                                        1 (tear into 2 pieces)

Coriander leaves                                                                  few (for garnishing)

Method:

1.       Chop tomatoes in to square pieces. Chop thai chillis into long pieces.

2.       Heat oil (In medium-high heat) in a cooking pan and add mustard seeds followed by the white lentils, yellow split peas. Let the lentils, peas, and cumin change color and mustard seeds splutter. Add asafetida, curry leaves, thai chillis and dry red chillis and stir fry for a few seconds.

3.       Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for 8-10 minutes.

4.       Turn off stove and add beaten yogurt in to the sauté. Add salt to taste and mix well.

5.       Garnish with coriander leaves and serve this spicy-tangy chutney with rice/roti.

Idli (Steamed Lentil Cake)

These soft, fluffy lentil wonders are ideal guilt-free snacks/light meal. Idli is one of the first solid-food introduced to the toddlers for they are soft to eat, easy to digest and of course delicious! Remembering my childhood days of eating Idli with ghee (clarified butter) and sugar makes my mouth water ;-)

It takes about 20 minutes time to prepare batter, but the batter stays good for at least 5-6 days if refrigerated and making idlis with batter takes only 10 minutes! Idlis are cooked on steam and are made with urad dal (Split/whole white lentil - it is also sometimes referred as black lentil. White lentil is nothing but black lentil with skin removed) and rice flour. Urad dal is rich in protein, calcium and fiber and hence, my mom always made it a point to make us have Idlis at least 4 times a month. Idlis are so often made at our home in India that I almost got bored of it and used to skip breakfast and grab some junk food. I never thought I would miss Idli until I came to USA. Now I realize what a healthy and delicious option it is! ;-)

Ingredients

Urad dal (split/whole white lentils)                                                     1 cup

Rice Flour (Idli ravva)                                                                      2 cups

(If you don’t have rice flour, soak rice of (any kind) overnight and blend coarsely. The blended rice must be of 2 cups.)

Ghee/clarified butter (for greasing pans)

Salt to taste

We use Idli plates to make Idlis. They come in various sizes. You have microwavable idli plates option too!

Method:

1.       Soak urad dal in enough water overnight. Dal must be soaked for at least 6-8 hours.

2.       Drain water and blend urad dal in a wet grinder/blender into smooth frothy paste. During the process, add only the amount of water that is required for blending/grinding.

3.       Remove batter in a vessel and add ravva/rice flour/coarsely blended rice without any lumps.

4.       Add salt to taste and the batter is ready

5.       For soft, fluffy idlis, batter must be kept covered in a warm and dry place overnight for fermenting. After fermenting, the batter will be almost double in volume.

6.       Check consistency of the batter. It must be of medium consistency. If it is not, add water accordingly.

7.       Grease Idli plates with ghee/clarified butter. If you do not have ghee you can also use regular unsalted butter for greasing.

8.       Pour batter with spoon in the round impressions of the idli plates.

9.       Cook for 10 minutes in microwave. If using pressure cooker, cook for 15-20 minutes.

10.   Remove idlies with a spoon and serve with karapodi/coconut chutney/sambar. Kids love them with sugar and ghee.

Tips:

1.       Add 2-3 soaked fenugreek seeds during grinding/blending batter. They help in quick fermentation.

2.       Fermentation: During winters or in not-so-warm climates as in east coast, pre-heat oven for about 8 minutes.  Turn it off and wait until oven is warm (not too hot). Place batter inside oven, close and leave it in overnight.