Vegetable Bruchetta cuplets |Meatless Monday | Dominex Eggplant

One fine evening , my doorbell rings and the mailman hands over a mail addressing me . That moment !! Though I've received many earlier this is so special in so many ways.After I quit my job for my kiddo .... no official mail , no continuous calls .... .Now , blogging has brought back that to me.

Also this is my first experience of receiving such coupons and gifts and doing a sponsored post Anyways, this was a nice experience!!!

After I received coupons from Dominex , I picked up  Eggplant cutlets and Angel Bowl's vegetable Bruchetta. We all settled to try vegetable bruchetta . It was light , fresh and well seasoned and above all yummy. The best part was minimum oil too. Since that being a weekend I chose to make a snack and it was an instant hit.

Dominex has a variety of products with eggplants making a complete meal.For more than 25 years, Dominex has been and continues to be the leader in frozen, specialty, all natural eggplant products. Our great-tasting product line-up offers something for everyone; whether health-conscientious, vegan, or vegetarian. 

Yes, That's the story of Vegetable bruchetta cuplets !!

All you need is 15 minutes for the cuplets to bake that's it . Just assemble and create this magic !!

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Breads ................................... 10
Dominex Angelbowl Vegetable bruchetta ...... 1 pack * refer notes
Cucumber .................................................. 1 diced
Roma tomatoes ....................................... 2 , seeded and diced
Italian Herbs ............................................ 2 tbsp
Red chilli Flakes ...................................... to taste
Salt .......................................................... to taste
Pepper ................................................... to taste
Parmigiano Regiano ................................ few shaves


Method

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Trim the ends of breads and gently press them in a muffin tin.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Mean while thaw the vegetable bruchetta .
• Gently reheat.
• Add in the diced cucumbers and tomatoes.
• Take the cuplets and fill them with vegetable bruchetta mix.
• Sprinkle some red chilli flakes , dry herbs and grated Parmigiano  Regiano.
• Enjoy the fresh and crunchy cuplets !!

Notes:
You can make fresh ones by sauteing some onions, garlic, tomatoes , eggplants and zuchini , season with italian herbs, salt and pepper

Brazilain Lemonade Mocktail

It's almost end of the month and that means time for ChefsAcrossBoundaries ! This month the super talented couple Priyanka and Souvik  from giggling spoon had picked up Brazil as the destination to expand our culinary horizon.With so much to try from this cuisine and understand , it was all fun to do this journey.

With scorching sun and the temperatures in 90's I can't think of anything else than something cool to quench our thirst and keep me hydrated.Here in my part of the world , it's almost 8 months cold ,so the transition of getting ourselves prepared to overcome the heat is quite tedious . Nevertheless I'm happy that coming out and meeting friends, walking and chatting .... there is so much to do out and I'm no exception.Simple and light food, quick and easy to make is my  choice these days.

I was intrigued to taste the Brazilian lemonade when I started my research in google.Without any hesitation I made and i just loved it. But later came this idea of a mock tail. Seasonal produce and colors were the inspiration and the result was just too good.

The best part is very simple ingredients, fuss free and above all it just takes 5 minutes . Why wait .... just get started and there you will have this yummy mock tail ready for you in no time.

Ingredients

Watermelon ................................  1 cup , cubed
Ginger .......................................... 1/2 inch piece
Mint ...............................................3 leaves ,optional
Sugar /honey ................................. if needed

Lime ........................................... 1 or 2 if small

Sweetened condensed milk .......... 4 tbsp
Ice cold water ............................... 3 cups
Salt ................................................. a pinch

Method

• Blend watermelon with honey , ginger and mint along with a cup of water.
• Reserve it ( you can choose to strain  the juice).Refrigerate.
• Now wash the lime thoroughly and cut them into thin slices.
• Blend lime, condensed milk and water and set aside in refrigerator.
• To serve, add some ice cubes over a glass  and add the water melon juice and top it with some lemonade.
• If you prefer some fizz , you can add some club soda or sparkling water ( I don't drink soda & I haven't used here).

Enjoy unlimited !!

Light Vegetable Korma | no coconut no cream version

Korma |Kuruma |Qorma , a quintessential part of Indian Food, is said to have its roots from Mughal Cuisine. These are basically gravies served with Indian Flat breads ( Roti , Naan ,Kulcha) and pulav varieties. In South , the custom is to pair them with Idiyappam and aapam .

How to make Idiyappam  ?
How to make appam ?

From simple veg korma to royal shahi korma ..... the choice is endless. Peas korma , potato korma , Navrathan korma .... you name it ... we have it.

I just love these korma for the aroma, the texture and flavor and most importantly the ultimate taste.I feel the house smells awesome whenever one such preparation is going on.The South Indians korma will have some coconut whereas the North Indian counter part uses some nuts and fresh cream.

I love this sinful indulgence, but occasionally.For a regular affair , I like to have a light and healthy version , to enjoy guilt free. try not to under estimate the taste and texture as this is a lighter version.

With fresh and whole garam masala and lavish use of fresh herbs , this one is equally good in taste, texture and aroma.Also , the slow cooking process and cooking the vegetables in the gravy makes it even better.

Ingredients

Onion .......................................  1 cup , roughly chopped

Tomato ....................................  1 1/4 cup  , finely chopped

Garlic......................................... 3 cloves, peeled

Ginger ....................................... 1 inch piece, peeled and chopped

Fresh Coriander leaves .............. 1/2 a bunch

Fresh Mint leaves ...................... a hand full

Mixed vegetables ........................ 2  cups ( I've used beans, carrots, peas and potato)

Fennel seeds ............................. 1 tsp

Cloves ....................................... 3 

Green cardamom ........................ 4

Cinnamon ................................... 1 inch stick

Mace ............................................ 1 small strand ( jadhipathri| Javithri)

Oil ................................................ 2 tsp

Turmeric ...................................... 1/2 tsp

Red chilli Powder ........................ 1 tsp 

Almonds ...................................... 10 

Salt ................................................ to taste

Method

• Heat oil in a kadai and add fennel , cloves, cardamom and mace. fry for 30 seconds.
• Add onion , ginger and garlic and saute until translucent.
• Add choped tomatoes and red chilli powder and some salt.
• Saute until the tomatoes turn mushy.
• Turn off the heat and add coriander and mint leaves and mix well.
• Once this cools down, blend this along with almonds and some water to a smooth paste.
• Now transfer the paste to the same kadai, add the chopped vegetables and some water.
• Cook in medium   with turmeric and salt .
• Once the gravy comes to  a boil , cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve it with Roti / pulao / Appam / Idiyappam.

Note

• Slow cooking enhances the taste
• You can add cauliflower , capsicum  too.
• Make your alternate version with Paneer or Tofu.

Idiyappam | String hoppers | Breakfast special

I'm a big breakfast girl . A healthy and hearty breakfast gives  me the energy for that day. Normally I prefer steamed and less oily kinda breakfasts along with a decent mix of some veggies and or some fruits.

Till I got married , idli with some chutney and idly powder along side a bit of curd had been the standard breakfast. I remember my mom telling us ' whoever didn't complete the breakfast will not go school today ' and we all will try to eat fast and complete. Now I do the same with my boy.

Apart form Idli , I make these idiyappam often with the processed rice flour which i get from my Mom. But now , after few trials and errors I have my recipe ready with store bought rice flour.They were absolutely soft and tasted as good as the ones that my mom makes it.

I would love to have them with coconut milk as well as a kuruma.This time I paired with a light kuruma. Yes, you heard it right. No coconut , no cahews , still a rich and creamy kurma. Well, that's the kurma you see in the picture.I like to soak my idiyappam in kurma for 5 to 10 minutes and then eat. That way the kurma drenched idiyappams will absorb all the goodness and turn out to be tasty and flavorful .

You might want to check  this Light vegetable korma for Idiappam 
Looking for some more breakfast idea ? Here is appam with vegetable stew

Ingredients

Rice flour ............................................. 1 cup
Rolling boiled water ............................ 1 1/4 to 1 1/5 cups
Salt ...................................................... to taste
Oil ...................................................... to grease ( I recommend coconut oil)


Method

• In a sauce pan,bring water to a rolling boil.
• Keep the steamer ready.
• Grease the steamer plates with some oil.
• In a wide pan , over a medium heat roast the rice flour 2 to 3 minutes.Try doing a small rangoli like (kolam) with that flour , it should flow smoothly, that's the consistency we are looking to achieve through roasting.
• Now carefully pour about 1 1/4 cup water to the rice flour and mix with a wooden spatula..
• Slowly knead the dough with hands , adding extra water if necessary.(I used 11/2 cups )
• The kneaded dough should be a soft and pliable one.
• Cover with a damp cloth and set aside.
• Grease the innner walls of the Idiyappam presser.
• Take a portion of the dough and fill the idiyappam presser.
• Press gently over the greased plates.
• Steam for 5 to 7 minutes.

Serve hot with any kuruma of your choice or with coconut milk.

Notes

• The water has to be in rolling boil , this is the key. This helps the rice flour to get partially cooked.
• If the water isn't boiled well ,the dough will remain uncooked and greasy.
• while roasting the flour , do not over roast or change the color , these will result in a hard idiyappam.
• You can spread some grated coconut on the steamer plates and then press the idiyappam over the coconut to enhance the flavor and steam as usual. Sprinkle some sugar on top and serve .
• Alternately , squeeze some fresh coconut milk, add some sugar and crushed cardamom and enjoy with warm idiyappam.

Spaghetti with Spinach-Almond pesto

When I had a choice to make for my previous post , I decided to cook a complete Italian meal and that's what I'm talking about here. As per my promise , I shared the recipe of pesto and an antipasti earlier. Now it's time for the main course. Yes, It's time for some quick and easy Spaghetti .

Creamy , zesty and yummy are the adjectives my kiddo used to to describe when I made this for a  kids party. But kids are a different story , will my food critic like it ??

Hubby comes to the dinner table and  says , 'oh! it's an Italian fare today ' , But me waiting patiently with my fingers crossed . He didn't even utter a word while eating leaves me nervous . End of the day I was cleaning the kitchen counter unable to figure out what could have gone wrong . There he comes and tells me ' You made it ! I loved it a lot and  why don't you consider making it often ? ' . Do I need to tell you how happy I was ????

The hint of lemon juice and zest just brightens up the flavors while almond leads to a nutty and creamy texture over this spaghetti.Fresh and flavorful pesto really makes a whole lot of difference, trust me.Lavish sprinkle of Buttery and creamy Parmesan and the hint of Chilli Flakes here and there took it to another level .

This recipe serves 4

Ingredients

Spaghetti ....................................................... 1 lb ( Whole wheat / regular )
Spinach Almond Pesto .................................. 4 tbsp
Salt ................................................................ to taste
EXtra Virgin Olive Oil ................................. 1 tsp
Parmesan Cheese ........................................... 2 tbsp , grated
Red Chili flakes ............................................ optional
Pepper ............................................................ to taste.


Method

• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
• Salt it generously.
• Add spaghetti and cook according to packet instruction.
• Strain spaghetti and reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooked water .
• Mean while heat a wide pan and add some oil and 2 tbsp pesto.
• Add 1 tbsp of cooked water to the pesto and add the spaghetti and toss gently.
• Now add the remaining pesto and some pasta water , and 1 tbsp Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a serving bowl .
• Top it with chili flakes, remaining Parmesan and drizzle some EVOO.
• Serve immediately.

We enjoyed this with some Crunchy Panko crusted Asparagus !!

Crunchy Panko crusted Roasted Asparagus

Every month I  do a post along with my friends,we call it #cookingwithfriends , with interest on food and food photography as the common bridge connecting  us all together. This month was about exploring a 'new vegetable '.Yes, trying a vegetable/fruit that you haven't tried so far.

The term 'new' has always been a trouble for me. Be it new place, new friends, new food and new country now.... the list goes on. I need my own time to accept all these so called new things.

Being a strict vegetarian , I always try to make use of the vegetables that are readily available. But when it comes to a new vegetable I'm always fuzzy. From Childhood I had been a tough child for my mom in this aspect.

Slowly and steadily I have gained the art of being adaptable to the surroundings. All credits to my hubby. Now I've incorporated quite a lot of new vegetables which I haven't  tried earlier. From burdock to brussel sprouts and jiccama to jalapeno .

I chose Asparagus this time as they are very much in season now. Then the research started . First tried sauteing them to know the taste of it and then settled on this one.I paired  this with  spaghetti with spinach and almond pesto to make a wholesome Italian fare for dinner. I must tell you this was so good that I ended up making another batch .And I had made my pesto with a hint of Jalapeno and lemon, which served as a great dip here. This is basically an Antipasti that means a started in Italian.

Disclaimer:

Cooking With Friends: This blog post is part of the monthly “Cooking With Friends” themed blog post challenge. This challenge was started by a bunch of virtual friends united by their love of food, with the aim of tackling a different food related theme each month. If you want to try this month’s theme, please feel free to do so and link your recipe in the comments section. We’d love to check it out. Meanwhile, check out what the others in the group have come up with this month.

Anjana from At the Corner of Happy and Harried, Garima from CafeGarima, Jayashri from My Veg Fare, Jyothi from Curry Tail, Madhuri from MADaboutkitchen, Subhasmita from The Flavors of Kitchen, and Dolphia  from storyofcooks

Ingredients

Asparagus ............................................. 1 lb
Panko Breadcrumbs ............................ 2 cups
All purpose flower .............................. 1/2 cup
Italian herbs .......................................... 1 tsp
Amchur powder(Dry mango powder) ..... 1 tsp (optional) , you can pick up this from Indain grocers
Parmesan Cheese ................................... 1/4 cup , grated
Red chilli powder / paprika ................... to taste
freshly cracked black pepper ................... 1/2 tsp
salt ............................................................. to taste
Vegetable oil ............................................. 1 tbsp ( i used oil sprayer )

Method

• Wash and pat dry the Asparagus.
• Preheat the oven to 425 F.
• Line a baking tray with aluminum foil.
• Mix all purpose flower, some salt and pepper and mix  with some water to make medium thick paste.
• In a wide plate , mix breadcrumbs with chilli powder , Amchur, Italian herbs, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.
• Now drench the asparagus in all purpose flower mix and roll them in breadcrumbs mixture and return them to the baking tray. Repeat the same for all the asparagus.
• Spray them evenly with oil or slightly brush them with oil without disturbing the coating.
• Bake them for 8 to 12 minutes or until you see a golden color on top.

Serve them straight from oven along with spinach pesto or marinara sauce.

Just a recap of of what I've shared earlier .
Strawberry Rose Duo Kulfi 
Jil Jil Jigarthanda
Falafal with Roasted bell pepper Thahini

Spinach Almond Pesto

As the weather is getting warm here , I tend to spend most of my time outside rather than struck inside the walls . That calls for simple and quick lunches , right ? This is one such quick recipe with no compromise on health.

My boy loves Italian cuisine a lot . I end up packing healthy and hearty pasta for his lunch box . One of his favorite is this spinach pesto . It's a complete win win for both of us, tasty for him and healthy for me.

Fresh and flavorful , creamy and healthy too ! What else one could ask for ? If you have 5 minutes, you have this lip smacking pesto ready , home made and fresh and preservative free. Just whip up with any pasta and there you are done .

Ingredients

Spinach .......................................... 2 cups
Almond .......................................... 12
Lemon juice ................................. 2 tbsp
Garlic ............................................. 1 clove
Zest of one lemon
Jalapeno ....................................... 1/4 , seeded(optional)
Parmesan cheese ............................1 1/2 tbsp , grated
Extra Virgin Olive Oil ................... 2 tbsp
Salt................................................. to taste
Pepper ............................................1/4 tsp , freshly grounded

Method

• Wash and clean the spinach and drain, heat a pan and wilt the leaves for 30 seconds, let it cool.
• Mean while , in a blender or food processor , blend almonds, lemon zest and juice first.
• Then add rest of the ingredients except EVOO and give a whirl.
• Finally add wilted spinach and blitz and while the processor is running , add EVOO through the chute.
• Look for a creamy consistency.
• Store in a clean glass jar , topped with a bit of EVOO.

Notes

I have used fresh spinach , you can use frozen too but thawed earlier.

The joy of Spring and Cherry Blossom

Finally Spring is here and we could see colors every where. This is my new attempt in capturing the moments of joy and happiness. Now that I get to walk out in the morning and evening ( ask me when am i not ?) and spend my time happily enjoying the moments with nature,I try to capture and freeze these moments for the rest of my life .This is a post of picture overload. Hope you all will like it !