Vegetable Jalfrezi

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1, cut into small florets
Onion - 1
Carrot - 4
Green Pepper - 2
Green peas - 1/2 cup (fresh or frozen)
Tomato - 1 de-seeded and cut into big pieces
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Tomato Sauce - 8oz
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp (Dry roast 2 TBSP coriander seeds until golden brown and grind to a fine powder)
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 TBSP

Method:

1. Cut onion and green peppers into big chunks.  Cut the carrots into long thin strips.
2. Steam cook the cauliflower and carrots for five minutes and set it aside.
3. Heat oil in pan and add the onion.  Fry for 2 minutes.  Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for another minute.
4. Add the tomato sauce and cook until the oil separates.
5. Add the green peppers and peas and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add the steamed vegetables, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt.
7. Mix well and cook until just tender.  Do not over cook the vegetable.  
8. If the curry is too dry, sprinkle little water over the vegetables and let it cook.
9. Add the tomato and lemon juice and mix well.  Cook for a minute and remove from heat.
10. Serve hot with chapati or naan.

Kandan Thippili Rasam - Indian Long Pepper Soup

Botanical name for long pepper is Piper Longum.  The bark of the plant is called Kandan Thippili and the dried fruit is called Arisi Thippili.

            Kandan Thippili and Arisi Thippili                                         

Click here and here for some facts about Kandan Thippili and Arisi Thippili.  It is available in herbal medicine shops(Nattu marundhu Kadai) in South India.

This rasam is very effective remedy for common cold and cough.


Ingredients:
Thoor dal - 1/4 cup
Tamarind Paste - 1 TBSP
Tomato - 1 medium, pureed
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Ghee / Clarified Butter - 1 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Fry the following ingredients in 1 tsp of oil and grind to a smooth paste:
Kandan Thippili - 4 sticks
Arisi Thippili - 5
Whole Black Pepper - 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Red chili - 1
Curry Leaves - 5

Method:

1. Pressure cook thoor dal until soft.  Let it cool and grind.
2. In a large pot, add the pureed tomato, tamarind paste, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt.  Add 1 cup of water and let it boil for 10 minutes.
3. Now add the ground thoor dal and thippili paste, 1 cup water and boil  for another 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.
4. Heat ghee in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds and add it to the rasam.
5. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
6. Rasam can be served with rice or as a soup.

Variation:
Add 5 to 6 garlic cloves along with tamarind water and cook until tender.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Ingredients:

For the batter:
All Purpose Flour - 2 1/4 cups plus 2 TBSP, divided
Sugar - 1 cup
Baking Powder - 1 TBSP
Salt - 1/8 tsp
Milk - 1 1/4 cups (I used almond milk)
Oil - 1/4 cup (Vegetable or Canola)
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Vanilla - 1/2 tsp
Blueberries - 1 1/4 cups (fresh or frozen - not thawed)

Topping:
Flour - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 2 TBSP
Cold Butter or Margarine - 2 TBSP

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Lightly grease the muffin pan or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, combine milk, oil, yogurt and vanilla.
4. In another bowl, toss blueberries with the remaining 2 TBSP flour.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
6. Add blueberries and gently combine.
7. In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar and butter or margarine and mix with your finger until mixture is crumbly.
8. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each cup until almost full.
9. Evenly sprinkle topping on each muffin.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until muffins or golden brown and a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove and let it cool completely.

Sending this to Lisa's Sweet for a Saturday #17

Recipe from Kris Holechek's Vegan Baking book.

Minty Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1
Mint Leaves - 1 cup
Green Chilies - 2
Whole Black Pepper - 1 tsp or to taste
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger - small piece ( I used mango ginger)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tsp

Method:  

1. Wash and cut the cauliflower into big pieces and steam cook until tender.  Let it cool.
2. Heat oil in a skillet and fry cumin seeds, fennel seeds, ginger and black pepper for 30 seconds.
3. Add the mint leaves and saute for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until it welts.  Let it cool.
4. Grind the cooked cauliflower and the fried ingredients with enough water until smooth.
5. Transfer soup into a large pot and add salt.  Bring it to a boil.  
6. Remove from the heat and serve hot.

Papaya - Nuts Smoothie

Ingredients:
Papaya Chunks - 1 cup
Ripe Banana - 1
Dry Figs - 3
Dates - 5
Almonds - 10
Walnuts - 10
Orange Juice - 1 cup
Mango Juice - 1/2 cup
Honey - 2 tsp (optional)
Ice cubes

Method:

1. Soak the figs, almonds and walnuts overnight in water.
2. Grind the soaked nuts and figs with enough juice to a smooth paste.
3. Add the fruits, dates and both the juices and blend with some ice cubes.
4. Add honey for sweetness, if needed.

Happy Mother's Day!

Paneer Bhurji

Ingredients:
Grated Paneer - 2 cups
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Roma Tomatoes - 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger and Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Green chilies - 3 or to taste
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp
Red Chile Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Kasoori Methi - 2 tsp
Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 TBSP
Few Curry Leaves
Fresh coriander Leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.  Add the chopped onion, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves and fry until the onion turns transparent.
2. Add garam masala, red chili powder, kasoori methi and turmeric powder.  Mix well and cook for a minute.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another minute.  Do not over cook the tomatoes.
4. Add the grated paneer and salt and mix well to coat.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add the lemon juice and mix well.
5. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
6. Serve with naan, chapatti or roti.

 I made Paneer Doasi:

Enjoy!