Roasted pepper and Onion with Beans Tacos

                   Who doesn't like Mexican food? After coming late from work, I generally prefer to make a quick delicious meal. If you are also in same boat as me, these tacos definitely fit the bill.
                  It is a nice combination of roasted peppers and smoky flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes. You could add many toppings like lettuce, sour cream etc as you like, but I like mine to be minimal so that the actual flavors of the stuffing are not diluted.
              I do hope that you like this quick healthy dinner.
Ingredients:

• 1 cup thinly sliced red Bell Pepper
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced Onions
• 1 tsp Black Pepper powder
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Onions
• 3 minced Garlic cloves
• 2 cups Black beans
• 1/2 cup diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 2 tsp red Chili powder
• 6-8 Corn Taco Shells
• 1 cup Salsa
• 1 cup diced Avocados
• 1/2 shredded Cheese (Can use vegan cheese also)
• Olive Oil

Instructions:

      For roasted peppers and Onions:

• Preheat the oven at 450°F.
• Add the sliced peppers and onions to a bowl. Add some Olive Oil to the bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper and mix it well.
• Arrange the mixture on a large baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
• Stir and roast again for 10-15 minutes or until the peppers are tender and beginning to turn slightly black.
• Remove from oven, transfer to the bowl and keep aside

      For the bean stuffing:

• Heat some oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds.
• Once the seeds start to crackle, add the garlic and chopped onions and saute till they are translucent.
• Now add the cooked black beans and fire roasted tomatoes. Add about 1 cup water and salt and chili powder and mix it well.
• Let it simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes, until most of the liquid is evaporated.
• Take it off the heat. Now, gently mash the beans until the mixture is thick but still chunky. 
• Transfer to the bowl and keep aside.

     For assembling the tacos

• Heat the taco shells in microwave for couple of minutes
• Take a taco, add some stuffing to it.
• Top it with some roasted peppers and onions.
• Garnish with some avocado, cheese and salsa.
• Serve immediately and Enjoy!

Hope you enjoy this quick meal! 

Eggplant Parmigiana

                     Eggplant Parmigiana is one of my husband's favorite Italian dishes. He always wants to order it, especially at Olive Garden, but since we usually share the entrees and I don't like eggplants, he can't order it most of the time. So I made a plan to make it for him.
                   The Eggplant Parmigiana that you get in restaurants are extremely greasy and cheesy and so I decided to try to instead bake it without oil and minimal cheese. Also, traditional Eggplant Parmigiana recipes use egg yolks to stick the bread crumbs to the eggplants, but since we don't eat eggs, I used rice flour paste instead.
                  So, here is a healthier version of the Olive garden styled Eggplant Parmigiana. Hope you all like it.

Ingredients:

• 1 big Eggplant
• 1 cup Bread Crumbs
• 1 tsp Black Pepper powder
• 1 tsp Basil leaves
• 1 tsp Parsley leaves
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
• 1 cup Marinara Sauce
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsp Rice flour
• 1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (Optional)

Instructions:

• Take the bread crumbs in the bowl. Add salt, pepper, basil leaves, parsley leaves and lemon pepper and mix it well. Keep it aside.

• Slice the eggplant into slices, of about 1/2 inch width.
• Sprinkle some salt and pepper on both sides of eggplant and place them on the baking tray.

• Roast the eggplants in pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes at 400 F. 
• In the mean time, dissolve the rice flour in 1/2 cup water and make it like thin paste.
• Place the rice flour paste and bread crumbs mix next to each other.

• Once the eggplants are well done, remove them from oven.
• Soak the roasted eggplants in the rice flour paste to wet them nicely and then dip them in the bread crumbs mix. 

• Make sure the eggplants are coated properly on both sides.
• Continue the same process for all the eggplants and again place them on the baking tray

• Cover the tray with the foil and bake again for 20 minutes at 400F.
• Once it is done, spread about 1-2 spoons of marinara sauce on each slice. You may use as much sauce as you want, but excess sauce may make it a bit soggy.
• Sprinkle some cheese on top of it.

• And bake uncovered for another 2-3 minutes, till the cheese is nicely melted
• Serve hot and enjoy.

Bombay Grill Sandwich

         Bombay Grill Sandwich reminds me of my college days. I used to hang out with friends and usually end up having a quick snack, usually a grilled sandwich from a roadside stall. It is one of the favorite snacks of every Mumbaikar, and is ubiquitous throughout Mumbai.
        The double-layer grilled sandwich is loaded with vegetables and flavors. The first layer is usually either boiled potatoes or spiced potatoes stuffing and the second layer is all vegetables and cheese. The heart of the sandwich is the chutney, which can either make it or break it. I always use my homemade chutney, but you can choose to get one from the stores, but make sure it has a fresh taste to it.
        After coming here, I got to try numerous varieties of sandwiches, but I would still say nothing can beat this grilled sandwich. So today I decided to make this sandwich at home, and walk down the memory lanes of those golden days.
           
           [UPDATE] This was the winning recipe at the recently held Vegan Sammich Throwdown in Berkeley. For the competition, I made some tweaks to this recipe. The changes are highlighted below.

Ingredients:

• 6 Bread Slices of your choice.
• 1 cup Cilantro-Mint chutney
• 1/4 tbsp softened Butter (Used Earth Balance Vegan Butter)
• 1 Cucumber sliced
• 2 Tomatoes sliced
• 1 Green Bell Pepper Sliced
• 1 Onion Sliced
• 2 cheese slices (Used Daiya Vegan Cheddar Cheese) 
• 1 cup spiced potato stuffing (Recipe Below)
• 2 tbsp Sandwich Masala. I used the store bought Spicezza sandwich masala. You can make it at home too. I will post the recipe for the same later.

Instructions:

• To make the spiced potatoes stuffing. Boil 2 potatoes and mash them. Add some green chili paste, salt, Black pepper and garam masala to it. Add some chopped cilantro leaves and mix it well. The stuffing is ready
• The stuffing for the competition was same as above except that I also added some grated beetroot and crushed green peas which gave the stuffing a lovely red-purple color
• Keep all the vegetables and ingredients ready before starting to assemble the sandwich.

• Take 3 bread slices and apply butter. Then apply the cilantro-mint chutney generously to the bread.

• Sprinkle some sandwich masala on all the 3 slices.
• Then, take about 2 spoons of potato stuffing and spread properly on 1 slice and sprinkle some masala on it.
• For the second layer, place a couple of slices of all the vegetables and cheese slices on the second bread and again sprinkle some masala

• Place the third bread on it with the chutney side down. 
• Once this double layer sandwich is assembled, place it carefully on a preheated sandwich grill machine or a panini press. 
• If your grill is not nonstick, you might want to apply some butter on the top of the sandwich. It also makes it more crispy and tasty.
• Grill for about 30-45 seconds or depending upon your machine.

• Once it is done nicely from both sides, cut it in half
• Serve with chutney or tomato ketchup of your choice
• Enjoy! 

Kothimbir Vadi

              Sunday is usually a lazy day for most people. We usually meet up with our friends on Saturday and end up sleeping really late and that, in turn, leads to late Sunday mornings. So we prefer having brunch since we have already passed the breakfast time. Today was a similar day for us and I was thinking to make something today that is quick, tasty and heavy too. I was looking online for some options and I stumbled upon Kothimbir Vadi, a Maharashtrian dish.

             Kothimbir Vadi or Steamed Cilantro-Chickpea snack, is a very popular dish from Maharashtra, a western state of India. There are plenty variants of this snack. Some prefer it deep fried, some like it stir fried, while some like it simply steamed.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups finely chopped Cilantro
• 1.5 cups chickpea flour (Besan)
• 2 Tbsp Ginger-Chili paste
• 1 tsp Red Chili powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp Soda-BiCarb (Baking Soda)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin (Jeera)
• 1 Tbsp Oil

Instructions:

• In a large bowl, add the cilantro and chickpea flour.
• Then, add all the spices, salt, chili powder, turmeric, baking soda and ginger chili paste and mix them well.

• Now, slowly add some water to it to make a batter. The batter should be of thick consistency and not too watery.

• Pour the batter onto a greased pan. Then, using a pressure cooker or a steamer, steam it for 15 minutes or until it is cooked.
• The best way to know if it cooked or not is insert a knife or a toothpick and it should come out clean.
• Once they are cooked, let it cool and cut into small pieces.

• Meanwhile, heat some oil in the pan.
• Add the sesame seeds and mustard seeds, and once they start to crackle, add the cumin seeds and then the cut pieces and mix them well.
• Garnish with coconut and serve it hot.
• Enjoy with your favorite chutney/sauce or simply as is.

Vegetable Appam

             It has being quite a long time since my last post. It was an extremely busy couple of months, first moving to a new place and then a month long trip to India. Getting back to work after a good vacation is always tough. But I am excited to get back in my kitchen and do some cooking, and share them with you.
             Today I got a bit late returning back from work and ran out of groceries. So we had to think of something quick from limited available ingredients. And the first dish that came to my mind was Vegetable Appam. I learned it from my mother-in-law, she made it for us when we were home last month and we loved it a lot. This is ideally suited for breakfast/brunch but we can have it as a light and quick dinner too.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cup Semolina
• 1 cup plain Yogurt
• 1/4 finely chopped Onions
• 1/4 finely chopped vegetables (I used cabbage, bell peppers, green peas)
• 3 finely chopped Green Chilies
• 1/4 finely chopped Cilantro
• A pinch of baking soda
• Salt to taste
• Oil

Instructions:

• Take the semolina in a bowl and mix it with yogurt to make a thick batter. If it gets too thick, add some more yogurt. Mix it well and keep it aside for 15 minutes or so.
• In the meantime, heat the appam pan on medium heat. The  appam pan is very similar to the Aebleskiver pan.

• Now add the onions, vegetables, green chilies and cilantro and mix well.
• Then add the salt and baking soda and mix it well. 
• The batter should be of thick consistency, a little thicker than the pancake batter.

• Once the pan is heated, put the batter in each mold of the pan until it is full.

• Once the bottom side is done,about 2-3 minutes, flip the appams over carefully

• Then let them cook on other side for 1-2 minutes until they are cooked and crispy.
• Make the remaining appams in the same way.
• Serve hot with chutney or you favorite sauce.

Vegetable Momos

                    Momos are steamed dumplings originating from the Nepal-Tibet region. Traditionally, they are made with meat filling in the mountains. The vegetarian version is made with veggies and tofu. Here is one of the vegetarian versions.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Refined flour (Maida)
• 2 tsp Oil
• 1/4 cup grated Carrots
• 1/4 cup grated Cauliflower
• 1/4 cup grated Cabbage
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Bell Peppers
• 2 finely chopped Green chilies
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Cilantro
• 2 tsp Black Pepper
• Salt to taste
• Water

Instructions:

• Sieve the flour
• Add 2 tsp Oil, salt and water to make a smooth semi-soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep it aside
• In a separate bowl, mix the grated carrot, cauliflower, bell peppers and cabbage
• Now add the green chilies and cilantro and mix well
• Then add salt and pepper and mix it well and keep it aside.

• Now, to make momos, knead the flour properly and divide into smaller portions.
• Roll out each portion into a thin disc.
• Put about 1 tbsp stuffing mixture in the center and fold towards the center from all 4 sides and press to seal.

• Now steam these dumplings in a steamer spaced properly for about 10-12 minutes

• Serve hot with some Thai chili sauce.

Szechuan Black-Eyed Pea Salad

                   Recently both me and my husband have been trying different salads. Today I tried a different type of salad which is a little spicy, a little tangy, loaded with protein and fiber with a hint of Chinese taste.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Black-Eyed peas
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green Bell Pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Tomato
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Cilantro
• 1 minced Jalapeno
• 2 Avocado cubed
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Szechuan Sauce
• 2 tsp Black Pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Cook the black eyed peas. I prefer to use pressure cooker to boil it. If using a pressure cooker, cook for just 2 whistles. Make sure they are not overcooked else they will become mushy.
• Once the black eyed peas are cooked, drain the water and keep them aside
• Mix together the black eyed peas, bell pepper, onion, tomato and jalapeno in a large bowl
• Toss avocado and lemon juice in a separate bowl. Add salt and pepper to the bowl
• Add the avocado mixture to the black-eyed peas mixture
• Then, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Szechuan sauce in the bowl used for avocado
• Add this dressing to the mixture and toss it well
• Finally add cilantro and serve

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

         Today, I got back late from work and was too tired to make an elaborate dinner. I was thinking to make something that is really quick and healthy but still tasty. 
           So here is a quick 10 minute recipe for Baked Stuffed Tomatoes. You may experiment with different kinds of stuffing, and you may also use other vegetables like Bell Peppers or Mushrooms as the base instead of the Tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 4  medium firm Tomatoes
• 1/4 cup Cheese (I used a combination of Mexican and Italian cheese blend)
• 1/4 cup Chopped Onions
• 1/4 cup Chopped Bell Peppers
• 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
• 8-10 fresh Mint Leaves
• 1 tsp Dried Basil
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
•  Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Preheat the Oven to 400^o F.
• Cut the tomatoes into half
• Then scoop out the inside of each tomato carefully with a knife and keep it aside

• Take the onions, peppers,mint leaves, cheese and the tomato pulp in a bowl
• Now, add the basil, pepper flakes, salt and pepper and mix it well
• Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet with the cut side up
• Put some stuffing mixture, about 2 spoons in each of the tomato half

• Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned

• Serve warm and enjoy

Spinach Crostini

              As you may have guessed from my previous posts, Spinach is one of my favorite greens. Considering the abundant nutrients in these little green leaves, I try to incorporate in various different dishes and always love experimenting with it

               So here is my yet another spinach dish, Spinach Crostini.

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Ciabatta bread
• 4 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Garlic clove halved
• 3 Garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes
• 8 cups Spinach leaves
• 1 cup Italian Cheese (I used Mozzarella and Italian Blend mixed)
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Cut the bread into 1/2 inch thick slices
• Preheat the oven at 400^o F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle them with Olive Oil.
• Bake them for about 10 minutes or until they are light golden brown.
• When done, let them cool for 2 minutes. 
• Then, with the halved garlic, rub the warm toasts to give them a nice garlicky flavor
• Set the toasts aside. Then, heat a pan over medium heat. 
• Add 3 tbsp Olive oil
• Add the garlic and saute it for a minute or until it is fragrant.
• Now add the spinach and cook it for about 2-3 minutes.
• Then add salt and red pepper flakes and mix it well
• Remove it from heat
• Now, using tongs, arrange this spinach mixture on top of the toasts evenly.
• Sprinkle it with cheese.
• Bake it for another 7-8 minutes at 400^o F until the cheese melts and starts bubbling.
• Serve hot and Enjoy!

Cabbage Poha

                   Yesterday, we were contemplating what to make for dinner when I realized we did not have much vegetables at home except for some cabbage. We usually prepare Cabbage curry with it, but we were tired of having the same curry so this time we decided to try something else.

           Poha (flattened/beaten Rice) is a famous Indian breakfast/snack dish which is usually had along with Onions or Potatoes, but I thought of trying it out with Cabbage. So here is my take on the classical dish.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups sliced Cabbage
• 1 cup Poha (Flattened Rice)
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 3-4 chopped Cashews
• 3-4 Raisins
• 4-5 Curry leaves
• 1 tsp Green Chili paste
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp roasted Chana Daal (Daliya) i.e Split Chickpea
• 1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Wash the poha under running water for a few seconds
• Toss well to drain out excess water and keep it aside
• Heat some oil on a pan, add Asafoetida
• Now add the roasted Daliya and saute it for a minute or so. Then add the mustard seeds
• Once the mustard seeds start to crackle, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves to it
• Then add the green chili paste, cashews and raisins to it
• After about 2 minutes, you will get a nice aroma of roasted nuts. At this point, add the sliced cabbage and mix it well
• Let it cook for 4-5 minutes. Make sure the cabbage is little crunchy i.e. dont cook it for long time
• Now add the salt, sugar and lemon juice and mix it well
• Lastly add the poha and mix it well
• Let it cook for a minute on slow flame
• Garnish with cilantro and serve hot

Avocado Salad

           Since coming to California, I have grown very fond of the amazing Avocados available here. Guacamole is the most common dish that is prepared with Avocados, and of course, I love that very much.

          Yesterday, I had this craving for an Avocado dish, but wanted to make something other than Guacamole. I promptly thought of making a salad along with some with fresh veggies, that is healthy and delicious and perfect as a side dish for any Avocado lover.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe Avocado
• 1 chopped Tomato
• 1 finely chopped Onions
• 1 chopped Cucumbers
• Finely chopped Cilantro
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tsp Lime (or Lemon) Juice

Instructions:

• Chop the Avocado into medium size chunks
• Add the Avocado in a bowl
• Now add the tomatoes, onions, cucumbers
• Then add salt, pepper and lime juice and mix it well
• Finally add the cilantro and mix it
• Avocado Salad is ready to eat

Jeera (Cumin) Rice

          After the hectic festivities and all the heavy food, it feels good to have something light and simple. Whats more relaxing then having simple Dal-Rice? And instead of simple white rice, I prefer to spice it up with Cumin and Cilantro which makes a big difference to the taste.

         Last Month, I gave the recipe for Dal Fry. So here is a recipe for the Jeera (Cumin) - Cilantro Rice to accompany the Dal (Lentil) Curry.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Basmati Rice
• 2 tbsp Butter or Ghee (Clarified Butter)
• 2 tbsp Jeera (Cumin) Seeds
• 1/4 cup finely Chopped Cilantro
• 2-3 Cloves
• 1-2 small pieces of Cinnamon
• Pinch of Asafoetida
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Soak the Basmati rice for 20 minutes
• Drain and then boil the the rice till it is done.
• Heat the butter/ghee in a pan, add Asafoetida
• Once the butter is heated, add the cloves, cinnamon and cumin seeds
• Once the cumin starts to splutter, add the cooked rice.
• Now add the salt and mix it well
• Add the cilantro and serve it hot with any vegetable curry or lentil curry.