Chana - Methi

1 cup of black chana
1 cup yoghurt
1 piece of ginger cut into strips
2 tspn besan
1 ½ tspn chana masala
I medium red onion
1 cup of fenugreek
1 tomato
½ tspn zeera
1 green chili

1. Boil the chana in salt.
2. Heat the zeera in some oil. Saute the onions. Add the ginger after the onions are soft. Fry for another minute.
3. Add the chana masala.
4. Add the chana. And tomatoes.
5. Mix the besan, green chili and the yogurt.
6. Add to the chana
7. Cook till the raw smellof besan goes away.
8. Add the fenugreek
9. Garnish with coriander leaves

Spicy Pot pie- makes 2

My partner is an avid carnivore and he digs pot pie. I tried and trashed many pot pies. I was using the ususal medley of frozen vegetables ( peas, beans, carrots) with the bechamel sauce. I thought the recipes were inspid, just not spicy enough. And then I just experimented with the following recipe and he licked the platter clean.

2 large potatoes – boil
½ cup of peas
1 tbsp oil
2 tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1 onion
2 Tbspn hot mango pickle masala
1 tspn coriander powder
1 tspn red chili powder
½ tspn turmeric
2 blocks of frozen fenugreek
½ tspn cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves
½ tspn garam masala
Frozen puff pastry – bring it out to thaw
Parmesan cheese
2 - 13 oz gratin dishes, which have been buttered

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and the onions. Cook till translucent. Add the spices.
2. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Add the diced potatoes. Coat with the spices. Add finely minced garlic.
4. Add peas and fenugreek.
5. Add achaar masala. Cook till done and add garam masala. Mash the vegetables a little with a heavy spoon.
6. Add coriander leaves and distribute in the gratin dishes.
7. Once the pastry has thawed, roll it out. Put a gratin dish on top and cut a circle around the dish so nearly an inch hangs outside the dish.
8. Cover the dish with the pastry. Make small vent on the top.
9. Bake for 25 minutes, till pastry is golden brown. Add parmesan on top of the pie.
10. Let the pie rest for at least 20 minutes and then serve with a garnish of coriander leaves.

Omelettes

1. Cheddar cheese, tomatoes, cilantro, Thai chilly
2. Mushrooms sautéed till wilted, black pepper , garlic
3. Tomatoes, green chilly , cilantro
4. spinach, onion, feta, sun tried tomatoes
5. ricotta, sun dried tomatoes, pepper flakes, lemon zest, spinach, onion (sauté onion and spinach, when cool add rest of the ingredients)


For the perfect omelette

Beat the following –

12” non stick skillet
1 tbspn water
3 eggs
Hint of turmeric and paprika
Salt
Black pepper

Brush some oil on the skillet. Heat on medium high. Put your palm above the pan, till you can feel the heat. Add the egg mixture. Bring the flame down to medium.

When the mixture starts to curdle, start moving it around so it doesn’t set. Keep doing till nearly set. The mixture should be a little runny on the top and light yellow on the bottom. Move around the liquid yolk on the top, till it is evenly distributed. Wait for the liquid to set. Now add the filling on half of the omelette. Fold the other half. Shift the half folded omelette towards the center of the pan and cook for another minute or two, till the cheese in the filling melts and the other half is glued.

Slide gently on a heated plate. ( plate which has been in the oven at 200 degrees till you make the omelette)

Paani Poori

I got the poori from the Indian store.

For the paani – Blend the following

1 cup of mint leaves
½ cup of coriander leaves
3 tbspn tamarind – soaked in warm water. Remove any seeds.
½ tspn chaat masala
1 tbspn zeera powder
1 tbspn Salt
1 tbspn Sugar
½ tspn black pepper
Juice of half a lime
1 pinch of heeng
4 green chilies
¼ tspn sonth

Now strain this mixture along with 4 cups of water. Fill each puri with 1 tspn boiled potatoes and 1 tspn kala channa.

Dutch baby

3 eggs, 1 cup of flour, 1 tspn vanilla, 1 cup of milk, 3 tbspn sugar – blend.

Heat 2 tbspn butter and add to the mixture.

Bake in a 400 degrees pre heated oven for 20 minutes.

Dust confectionery sugar on top. Serve with whipped cream, berries, or maple syrup.

Open Toasts

Mix 1 cup of ricotta cheese, 2 large tbspn sun dried tomatoes chopped walnuts, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt.
Grill toasts and serve with this spread.

Another combination
Fromage blanc cheese, finely sliced pears and pecans.