Bell Pepper Masoor Dal w/ Bhel Puri Supreme

This is an easy and super delicious dal that we enjoyed for two days in a row... The recipes is adapted from Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries. I tend to change the methods a bit.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup masoor dal, washed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 - 4 fresh, green chilies, stems removed and thinly sliced
• 1 medium tomato, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• salt, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• handful cilantro leaves, chopped

Method:

Put washed dal along with 3 cups water in medium saucepan and bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat. Skim off and discard any foam that forms on the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the dal is tender.

While dal is cooking, heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat and add bell pepper and chilies and fry until bell pepper begins to brown , about 10 - 12 minutes. Stir in the tomato, salt and turmeric and scrape the bottom of skillet to deglaze it. Pour in 2 cups water and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomato is softened and turnes slightly pulpy, 5 - 8 minutes.

Once the dal is tender, poor the bell pepper sauce into the pan. Raise the heat to medium and continue to simmer the dal, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the flavors mingle and the sauce thickens slightly, 5 - 8 minutes.

Stir in cilantro and serve!

I followed the previous tried recipe for Bhel Puri I found here but instead of peanuts I used cashews and walnuts, I added cucumber, grated carrots, and a few other things that I forgot because I didn't write it down, grrrr... but the point is, this stuff is awesome simple or "supreme!"

~"Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is!" - Benjamin Franklin~

Super Easy No-Bake Nachos

Try this for some really easy, super tasty, semi-homemade nachos...

You'll need:

• corn/tortilla chips (I used yellow and black corn)
• ground beef/chicken/or boca (recipe below)
• cheese sauce (recipe below)
• guacamole (make it easy, use a powder mix and add it to mashed avocados, tastes great!)
• salsa (again, make it easy and use a powder mix added to chopped tomatoes)
• sliced jalapenos
  
• lettuce, chopped

For ground beef/chicken/or boca:

You can use a pack of taco seasoning mix or you can add salt, pepper, chilli powder and cumin powder to taste. I like to cook a pound of ground beef or boca with 1/2 cup water to make it the right texture. Try different seasonings and spices to find a taste you like.

For cheese sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 cup milk
• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon paprika

Melt butter and whisk in cornstarch. Add milk and cream cheese until cream cheese melts. Add cheddar cheese until melted. Whisk in paprika and hot sauce until creamy.

Lay chips out evenly onto plates. Cover each chip with a jalapeno. Spoon some meat/boca mixture onto each chip. Next, pour some cheese over the chips. Repeat this process to get two or three layers on the plate. Top this with the salsa and lettuce, and serve guacamole on the side.

~ "Dense, unenlightened people are notoriously confident that they have the monopoly on truth." - Joshua Loth Liebman ~

Spanakopita & Minestrone "Stew"

I came up with this recipe for Spanakopita when I was much younger and still unable to handle the phyllo dough properly. My Spanakopita would always come out looking a little rough, but I had found the taste I really enjoyed. Now I can finally handle the phyllo dough. Since Chelsea wasn't excited about this for dinner, I made some Minestrone for her. This version of the soup is much chunkier with a bit less broth than a recipe would usually call for, but feel free to increase the broth, decrease the vegetables or pasta, or substitute vegetables of your own choosing.

For the Spanakopita:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 small - medium bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 18 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• salt to taste
• 1/2 box (1 roll) phyllo dough, thawed
• 1/2 - 1 stick melted butter

Heat oven to 375 º F. Grease or spray sides and bottom of 8 x 8 square baking dish. Heat oil in a medium skillet and cook onion, bell pepper and garlic until onions turn translucent. Stir in spinach, feta, dill and salt and taste. Stir in egg.

Unroll phyllo flat and cover with damp paper towel to keep from drying out. Take the first sheet and lay it into the bottom of the baking dish and brush with melted butter. Take another sheet and lay it the opposite direction and brush again with melted butter. Do this until you have about 1/3 of the package used, brushing each layer with melted butter. Next, spread the spinach mixture into the baking dish and and begin covering, layer by layer, with the remaining phyllo dough, brushing each layer with butter, until there are no sheets remaining. Next, take a sharp knife and cut away the extra dough hanging over the baking dish and brush the sides with butter to seal edges. Cut through the top phyllo layers before baking, into 4 or 6 pieces. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

For Minestrone Stew:

• 5 cups vegetable stock (I used Better Than Bouillon)
• 30 ounce can stewed tomatoes
• 1 large potato, cubed
• 1 leek, sliced
• 6 - 8 ounce baby carrots
• 1 small zucchini, halved and sliced
• 2 teaspoons greek seasoning
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  
• 1 can (15 ounce) cannellini beans
• 1 can (15 ounce) corn
• 1 bunch spinach, washed, stems removed, and sliced
• 1 - 2 cups shell pasta
• salt and pepper, to taste

Combine vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, potato, leak, baby carrots, zucchini, beans, corn, and seasonings and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft. Mix in spinach and pasta and cook until pasta is done.

I served this with french bread brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with Za'atar, warmed in the oven.

Kicked-Up Double Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Here's my version of a favorite appetizer :) I haven't tried making this with cream cheese yet, but I really want to try... If you have, let me know how you like it!

Ingredients:

• 10 ounce box frozen spinach, squeezed & drained (you may use half if you want less spinach)
  
• 1 - 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
• 3/4 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded (mozzarella may also be used, but then It's not kicked-up ;)
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• salt & pepper, to taste

Method:

Combine all ingredients until well incorporated. Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees F., uncovered, for about 20 - 25 minutes. Put under a broiler for the last couple minutes to brown edges a bit. Enjoy with chips, bread, whatever you'd like!

Cabbage Pakora's & Tamarind Chutney

This pakora recipe is from Beyond Curries... I didn't use the cumin seeds or ginger, but next time I want to try this with the ajwain seeds (they are a favorite of mine!) They were really easy to make and my daughter loved them! I paired them up with a new recipe I tried for Tamarind Chutney on Manjula's page... This was really easy to make and is the best recipe I've tried so far... I didn't use the ginger powder as I didn't have any, so I replaced it with chaat masala. Try and enjoy :)

Sri's Bhaji's

I told him to use some sweet potatoes along with the other veggies... They were good! He used 2 parts Besan to 1 part rice flour and added some asafoetida, turmeric, cayenne pepper, black salt, and water and mixed to a batter consistency.

Mix, mix and muck...

He likes to use his hands...

Watching the frying very intently, with his hands on his hips and that look on his face...

Taadaa! There they are, waiting to be devoured!

~ "Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity... Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind" - Marcus Tullius Cicero ~

~ "Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart" - Bible ~

~ "Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness... It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose" - Helen Keller ~

~ "The lover heals the world not by a vague and abstract love for everybody and everything, but by becoming passionate and vowing fidelity to concrete relationships, persons, institutions and places" - Sam Keen ~

~ "We are not judged by the degree of our light but by fidelity to the light we have" - William Ellery Channing ~

~ "For fidelity, devotion, love, many a two-legged animal is below the dog and the horse... Happy would it be for thousands of people if they could stand at last before the Judgment Seat and say 'I have loved as truly and I have lived as decently as my dog' and yet we call them 'only brutes'!" - Henry Ward Beecher ~

Baingan Bharta

Here's my recipe for Baingan Bharta... I came up with it by accidentally using 1 eggplant instead of two in a recipe from Betty Crocker's Indian Home Cooking and realizing that it would have been too mild if I had used 2 eggplants. I also added Kitchen King masala and a teaspoon of sugar, which balanced out the bitterness. A lot of recipes I come across use coriander and cumin powder separately, but I like to make combo coriander/cumin powder at home, grind it myself and use that instead of using the powders separately. I also avoided separating the onions in two batches and frying one in oil... I just added the whole onion to the eggplant and fried it together.

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, about one pound
• 3 teaspoons coriander/cumin powder (I like to make my own, It's much better!)
• 1 teaspoon Kitchen King Masala
• salt, to taste
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce (I pureed 2 roma tomatoes)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
• 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

Method:

Heat coals or broiler for direct heat. Pierce eggplant with fork a few times to vent steam. Grill
15 - 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until skin is blistered.

Place eggplant in a large bowl and cover. Let stand 30 minutes. Peel and discard eggplant skin. Mash until smooth.

Stir in coriander/cumin powder, salt, cayenne, turmeric, onion, tomato sauce, sugar, kitchen king masala, lime juice, gingerroot, garlic, and cilantro.

Heat ghee in large skillet over medium-high heat and sizzle cumin seed until darkened. Add eggplant mixture and fry 15 - 20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in garam masala, remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!

~ "No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how" - Rhett Butler (Gone With The Wind) ~

Mriganayani's Bhel Puri & Award

Here I am sharing a recipe for Bhel Puri I found on Mriganayani which I made with the previously tried recipe for Tomato Rice and Raita. I always loved getting Bhel Puri in the restaurants but now I will make it more often right at home because it was so easy and tasted just as good.

And I wanted to thank Rohini (Curries and Spices) for sharing her Yummylicious Food Blog award with me... I'd like to pass this to all my fellow food bloggers :)

~ "... the mistake of assuming that 'absence of evidence' of a scientific nature is 'evidence of absence' - Huston Smith ~

~ "God is defined by Jesus but not confined to Jesus" - Huston Smith ~

Veg. Egg Rolls & Cashew Chicken

I got the idea for these recipes from a book called Quick & Easy Thai Cuisine Lemon Grass Cookbook. Both the recipes have been changed slightly to suit my tastes. The Cashew Chicken, by the way, is the best I've ever made at home!

For egg rolls:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 ounce bag shredded red cabbage
• 10 ounce bag matchstick carrots
• handful of mushrooms, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 egg yolk, beaten, to seal wrappers
• 1 pkg. egg roll wrappers
• about 3 cups oil for deep frying
  

Method:

Heat oil in frying pan. Add all vegetables and seasonings and cook until vegetables are wilted, but still slightly crisp. Cool and drain of remaining liquid.

Place approximately 2 tablespoons of filling in each wrapper, fold lower portion of wrapper, fold in sides and roll. Brush upper portion with some egg, and finish rolling. Continue until filling is gone.

Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain.

For Cashew Chicken:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• about 1 pound chicken, sliced
  
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
  
• 3/4 - 1 cup roasted whole cashews
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 1/2 sliced red bell pepper

Method:

Heat oil and add garlic, chicken, and all sauce ingredients. Turn heat to high and reduce sauce until a glaze forms. Add red bell pepper until it starts to soften. Mix in roasted cashews and garnish with spring onions.

"Malaysian" Curry and Samosa's

I was at a Chinese grocery store a couple weeks ago with my friend, and we were just browsing... It was my first time in the store, I love going to new stores and finding foods I haven't seen before. I was so excited when I found some packets of instant Thai tea!!! Something else I found was a packet of Malaysian Curry Powder, which I decided to pick up and try. It turned out to be a great powder for whenever I'm in the mood for something different. I didn't follow the recipe on the back of the pack, as it called for milk and I didn't have any... So I tried something different, and I really loved it. Of course, this is something of my own making using the curry powder, just something that tasted good!

Ingredients:

• 2 yellow onions
• 3 green chilies, seeds removed
• 14 ounce can coconut milk
• 2 large chicken breasts, chopped
• 2 - 3 carrots, cut into matchsticks
  
• 2 - 3 tablespoons Malaysian Curry Powder
• salt, to taste
  
• few tablespoons vegetable oil
  

Method:

1. Fry the onions and green chilies in oil until the onions start to brown. Grind along with the can of coconut milk.
2. Fry the chicken in oil until it starts to turn white. Add carrots, salt and curry powder, fry for a few more minutes. Add the coconut milk mixture and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until desired consistency is achieved. Serve with rice!!!
   

Another thing the powder came in handy for was a tasty filling for veggie samosas. I was running out of groceries and hadn't gone shopping in awhile, so I used what I had and made these yummy samosas. I had a partial bag of mixed veggies in the freezer and some leftover rice from the night before. So, I fried the veggies with a couple teaspoons of the curry powder, and threw in some rice, heated it up... cooled it down, stuffed it in some dough, fried it up, and enjoyed!!!

Only the GREATEST veg puffs on earth!!!

The other day I get a call from my bf asking me how long to bake puff pastry in the oven... I tell him that the directions are on the box, he says he has followed the directions but the puffs are still not done...I am no where near where he is, so I can't take a look at them for myself... so I start asking him lots of questions about the temperature, the pan, where he put the pan, how far away from heat source, etc...
I couldn't figure out what he was doing wrong, except that he hadn't turned them or rotated them, but eventually it all worked out, even though they were a little brown in the middle... But it was so funny to hear him getting all worked up because it wasn't turning out the way he was expecting... Ever since I had made them for him, the TOO TANGY ones, he wanted to try making them... he got all interested in the puff pastry and how to use it and watched me wrap the filling... So when he went home, he made some himself and took pictures, which is just TOO CUTE!!!

I was pretty much informed, in not so many words, that his filling was better than mine... which, if I remember correctly, had potatoes, tomatoes, onions, chilies and different "masala powders" that he just threw in there (which is how he makes a lot of things, I noticed.) I guess these powders didn't have so much amchur or tamarind!!! I wish I could have tasted them, and found something to fuss about... like maybe, they weren't tangy enough!!! ;) But he always makes yummy foods, so I probably would have loved them anyway!

Poor guy (brat) suffering through the tangy puffs!

Veggie Puffs

I had a couple requests to share the recipe... I adapted this from the Vegetable Cutlets recipe from Betty Crockers Indian Home Cooking.

You will need one package of frozen puff pastry, thawed.

Filling:

• 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 small red onion, chopped small
• 1 Tbs. ginger paste
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 16 ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables of choice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbs. mango powder
• salt, to taste
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. cayenne powder
• 1/4 cup water

Method:

Heat oil in large skillet, when hot, add cumin seed and sizzle 30 seconds. Add onion, ginger and garlic, fry for 2 - 3 minutes, until onion is golden. Stir in remaining filling and fry 1 - 2 minutes. Add water, reduce heat, and cover, simmering for 10 minutes. If water remains, remove lid and simmer a few more minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stuff and bake! Eat and enjoy!

Aloo Parathas

Here is a recipe for potato stuffing I used in my parathas recently. It's adapted from a recipe in Neelam Batra's 1,000 Indian Recipes.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds (about 3 large) potatoes ( I peel them before boiling)
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
4 spring onions, white and green parts, minced
2 fresh green chilies, minced
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons chaat masala
1 teaspoon ground dried fenugreek leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
salt to taste

Method:

Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Mash them in a medium bowl. Mix in the rest of ingredients. Stuff your bread, cook, and devour!

~ "I don't mind living in a man's world as long as I can be a woman in it" - Marilyn Monroe ~

Southwestern Eggrolls

This is a previous entry that I am reposting to send to SriLekha's Chicken event.


I had this the first time at a restaurant and fell in love! I looked online for a copycat recipe and was so excited to find one. Unfortunately, the recipe wasn't all that great. That's when I set to work developing this recipe. My mom helped a lot with the dipping sauce. It took a really long time to come up with this exact recipe but it was so worth it!

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, diced small
• vegetable oil for frying
• 1/2 minced bell pepper
• 1 onion, or 1/2 cup green onions, minced
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup black beans
• 10 ounce frozen spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped jalapeño peppers
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
• 4 tsp. cumin powder
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 large tortillas

Dipping Sauce:

• 2 avocado's
• 1 cup mayonnaise
  
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3 tbsp. buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. minced parsley
  
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. dill weed
• dash garlic powder
• dash pepper

• Chopped tomatoes and onions for garnish

Method:

Prepare dipping sauce a few hours prior to eating. Mash avocado's and combine them with the remaining ingredients for dipping sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use. Meanwhile, sautee onion and green pepper until onion is translucent. Add chicken and sautee until no longer pink. Add spinach, corn, beans, jalapeños, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper until mixture is heated through. Remove from heat and add cheese until melted, stirring. Cool this mixture before assembling egg rolls. To assemble, place a bit of the chicken/spinach mixture onto each tortilla, wrapping in the sides and rolling to secure. Deep fry egg rolls until golden. Cut each egg roll in half and serve with dipping sauce, garnished with tomatoes and onions.

~When my time comes, I hope no one drains my veins of their sustaining fluid and fills them with formaldehyde, then wastes me by putting me in a concrete box in the ground for eternity. Rather, just a simple pine box with an acorn on top of it. Find a place where a tree is needed and return me to nature. When the acorn grows, I can nourish it and give back in some measure what I've taken. Maybe someday kids can crawl in my branches or a raccoon might curl up in my trunk or the larks can sing out from my leaves. At any rate, I would rather let an oak tree be my epitaph than a marble slab be my tombstone. - Mike Royko~

Medhu Vadai's (Rice Croquettes with Cashews)

I got the recipe for these from Neelam Batra's 1,000 Indian Recipes. I like it, but I don't think I added enough salt, and next time I will try adding some black salt and see how I like it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice, sorted and washed in 3 -4 changes of water
• 1/2 cup dried white urad beans, sorted and washed in 3 - 4 changes of water
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
• 1 tbs. peanut oil (or any vegetable oil)
• 1 tsp. black mustard seeds
• 2 tbs. dried channa dal
• 1 tsp. coarsely ground fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 tsp. ground asafoetida
• 2 tbs. minced fresh curry leaves
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped cashews
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying (or any vegetable oil)

Method:

1. Setting aside 2 tbs. of the rice, soak rice and dal in water to cover by 2 inches, about 4 hours. Drain and transfer to food processor and process, adding hot water as needed to make a fluffy, semi-thick batter that can be shaped. Add the baking soda ande salt, and process again. Remove to a bowl.

2. Heat 1 tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the mustard seed. Cover the pan and lower heat until sputtering subsides. Quickly add the 2 tbs. of rice, channa dal, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, and cashews, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Mix into the batter. Cover and let rest in a warm, draft-free place about 2 hours.

3. Heat the oil for frying in a large wok or skillet until a pinch of batter dropped into oil bubbles and immediately rises to the top.

4. Take about 1 tbs. of batter at a time, and with wet hands, shape into doughnuts and drop into hot oil. Deep fry, adding 3 - 4 croquettes at a time, until golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve hot.

My daughter loves these!

Pita Bread with Zatar

This turned out yummier than I expected... I found the idea on the back of my Penzey's jar of Zatar. It's just pita bread rubbed with some olive oil and Zatar and baked for 5 minutes until warm and soft. My daughter loved it and we ate it with some broiled lamb chops. It was a nice change from having plain pita bread and something I will do again for sure!

Baingan Gobhi Bharta

This is my entry for Spicy Tasty's Fortune Cooking Contest. I wanted to do a combination of my zodiac sign along with my boyfriends, as this month is his birthday. We go very well together, as does the eggplant (Taurus) and cauliflower (Cancer) in this dish...


Taurus Man & Cancer Woman The Cancer lady knows that the way to man's heart is through his stomach and the Taurus has his stomach in just the right spot. Love at first taste ... :-) (Source: AquarianAge Romance )

This match can definitely lead to "the real thing" with a little loving care. He loves your imagination, which encourages him to be more creative in romancing you. You will satisfy each other’s deep emotional needs. He wants a private and protected love bubble to cuddle in, and that’s just what you’re looking for. He is very sure of himself and where he’s going, and that makes you feel all warm and safe. You will have a few problems when he tries to control things, but if you can get past them you could truly find love here. ( Source: Jellybean's Astro-Soulmate Guide )

Astrologically, it would be hard to manifest a better match-homebody Cancer Girl loves to share good times with her close friends and family, and hanging out is an important part of her routine. Luckily, Taurus boy feels exactly the same way, and you'll spend many peaceful moments together. ( Source: FUNgirl - Astrology )

http://www.dressking.com/horoscope/Cancer-Taurus.htm

I especially love the first paragraph :D I adapted this recipe from Betty Crocker's Indian Home Cooking.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound eggplant
• 1 pound cauliflower
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
  
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
  
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 1 tbs. lime juice
• 1 tbs. grated ginger
  
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 2 tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seed
• 1 tsp. garam masala

Method:

Broil or grill eggplant until skin is blistered. Place in large bowl, covering with plastic wrap and let stand 30 minutes. Remove skin and mash until smooth. Meanwhile, steam cauliflower until soft and mash along with eggplant.

Stir in ground coriander, ground cumin, salt, cayenne, turmeric, 1/2 cup onion, tomato sauce, lime juice, ginger and 1/4 cup cilantro.

Heat vegetable oil in large skillet. Add cumin seeds and sizzle 30 seconds. Add 2 tbs. onion and sautee 2 to 3 minutes, until golden.

Add eggplant mixture and fry 15 to 20 minutes or until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Stir in garam masala and remove from heat.

Serve sprinkled with remaining onion and cilantro.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Happy New Years & Fried Goodies

I decided to take the filling for my Boca Changa's and put them inside the wrapper I use for my Samosa's. It was different but a nice change. I served it with some Cilantro chutney which was my favorite part! That was about the most of the cooking I did over my vacation :D I went out to eat too much and gained three pounds!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!!!!!!!!

~ Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man - Benjamin Franklin ~

~ The proper behavior all through the holiday season is to be drunk. This drunkenness culminates on New Year's Eve, when you get so drunk you kiss the person you're married to - P.J. O'Rourke ~

Southwestern Egg rolls

I had this the first time at a restaurant and fell in love! I looked online for a copycat recipe and was so excited to find one. Unfortunately, the recipe wasn't all that great. That's when I set to work developing this recipe. My mom helped a lot with the dipping sauce. It took a really long time to come up with this exact recipe but it was so worth it!

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, diced small
• vegetable oil for frying
• 1/2 minced bell pepper
• 1 onion, or 1/2 cup green onions, minced
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup black beans
• 10 ounce frozen spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped jalapeño peppers
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
• 4 tsp. cumin powder
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 large tortillas

Dipping Sauce:

• 2 avocado's
• 1 cup mayonnaise
  
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3 tbsp. buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. minced parsley
  
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. dill weed
• dash garlic powder
• dash pepper

• Chopped tomatoes and onions for garnish

Method:

Prepare dipping sauce a few hours prior to eating. Mash avocado's and combine them with the remaining ingredients for dipping sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use. Meanwhile, sautee onion and green pepper until onion is translucent. Add chicken and sautee until no longer pink. Add spinach, corn, beans, jalapeños, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper until mixture is heated through. Remove from heat and add cheese until melted, stirring. Cool this mixture before assembling egg rolls. To assemble, place a bit of the chicken/spinach mixture onto each tortilla, wrapping in the sides and rolling to secure. Deep fry egg rolls until golden. Cut each egg roll in half and serve with dipping sauce, garnished with tomatoes and onions.

~When my time comes, I hope no one drains my veins of their sustaining fluid and fills them with formaldehyde, then wastes me by putting me in a concrete box in the ground for eternity. Rather, just a simple pine box with an acorn on top of it. Find a place where a tree is needed and return me to nature. When the acorn grows, I can nourish it and give back in some measure what I've taken. Maybe someday kids can crawl in my branches or a raccoon might curl up in my trunk or the larks can sing out from my leaves. At any rate, I would rather let an oak tree be my epitaph than a marble slab be my tombstone. - Mike Royko~

Vegetable Fritters

These came about from a recipe I had tried in a cookbook that looked really good, but didn't turn out to be very tasty. I meddled around, added and replaced different ingredients, and this is what I came up with...after so many times of trying. I use different vegetables each time for variety. They are really good and get eaten up very fast in my house!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups garbanzo bean flour
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1 tbs. mango powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 1 potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1 carrot, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 green pepper, cubed
• handful of cilantro (I just pick off the leaves and leave them whole)
• 3/4 cup water
• oil for deep frying

Method:
Combine flours. Add mango powder, cumin, salt, cayenne, baking soda & turmeric. Add potatoes, carrots green pepper & cilantro. Add water to make batter. Heat oil, deep enough to drop tbs. of batter that can float. Fry fritters, turning occasionally, until golden. Enjoy!

~To live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering - Viktor Emil Frankl~