Fresh Summer Salad with Sprouts

Husband was travelling last week. So I took the chance to eat what I want - read don't do any cooking. But does that mean, it has to be unhealthy week? Guess not. My little one made it easy for me as he decided all he wanted to eat this week was Rasam Sadam (rice) and Vendakka (Okra) or Potato curry.  His meal was ready in 15 minutes every day :-)

We don't eat raw vegetables as much as we should. This colourful and protein filled salad is a sure winner.



This can be served as a salad meal on its own as the sprouts and chickpeas make it quite filling. Other options to use it

• As a salad along with a subzi for rice/roti
• As a wrap - use a tortilla wrap or pita wrap. You can also melt add some cheese and heat it up for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese
• As a sandwich filling

Ingredients

Cucumber 1/2 cup chopped
Carrots 1/2 cups grated
Tomato 1/2 finely chopped
Moong Sprouts 1/2 cup (Use this raw or just steam in microwave for 2 minutes)
Chick Peas cooked 1/2 cup (Sprout this as well if you can)
Coriander Leaves to garnish
Lemon/Lime Juice 2 tsp
Salt and chilli powder or pepper powder to taste

Method of Preparation

1. Prep the vegetables and sprouts as mentioned above.

2. Mix all the ingredients to make the salad.

Linking this to Show me your Hits - Carrots and Beets. Sangee Event hosted by Anusha

Nankatai - Indian Cookies

Those who have been following me know that I am so scared of baking. When I say baking, I am not talking about making cakes and all those wonderful stuff. Even turning on the oven to bake some vegetables scares me. I have tried making cakes a couple of times and most have ended in disasters.

I decided the time has come for me to get over that fear. With that in mind I started making a few things - mainly vegetable side dishes. That step went well. I even made my version of Dil Khush and Pizza. But I knew that those were minor steps. The big step is when I actually make a cake. That has to wait for now. 

For this month's Blog Hop I was paired with Veena. There were quite a few recipes in her site that I liked and I started bookmarking them to find 'the' one that I wanted to make. When I saw the recipe for Nankatai I knew this is my chance to do a little something to face my fear. I am glad I did. It turned out really good. My son called it cookies and kept asking for more. What better compliment can you ask for.

Ingredients - Makes 15 Cookies

Maida/All Purpose Flour 1 cup

Sugar Powdered 1/2 cup

Ghee 1/2 cup 

Cardamom 1/4 tsp

Baking Soda a pinch

Salt 1 pinch

Method of Preparation

1. Take ghee in solid form in a bowl (i made ghee by melting butter and once done I kept in freezer for 5 minutes). It should not be hard or melted.

2. Mix in the powdered sugar. Whisk till it is nice and creamy. I used a hand blender and worked for a few minutes

3. Add the maida, cardamom, baking powder and salt. Mix well with hand for a minute or two. Let it sit for 20 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 190C. Greese a cookie sheet. Make 15 small balls out of the dough and flatten to form a cookie shape with your hand. 

5. Arrange with some space in between and bake for 12-14 minutes. 

6. Cool for 15 minutes and store in an airtight container.

Notes - Updated on 15/06/2012 

1. The cookies on the farther end of the sheet were slightly browned at the base. The ones near the oven door were better. So next time, I am thinking may be I will rotate the tray half way thru...

2. I tried sticking some pistas on the top. I did not press some of it in well. A few got burned :-)

Linking this to Blog Hop Wednesday - Recipe by Veena

Linking this to I love Baking
Linking this to Lets Cook - Kids Special
Linking this to Cookie Mela

Cucumber Mint Sandwich

Did I tell you about the one sunny day we had last weekend? We did make the most of it before the rain has taken over our life again.... We went for a nice walk in a local trail - Basing Trail in Basingstoke. Can't believe there were sections of this trail we had not walked before. Thoroughly enjoyed the day.



Lunch was a packed sandwich. Cooling cucumber for a nice warm day. And amazing flavours from the mint and coriander. All packed to go.... Made a mini version without the chutney for my little one as well.



This recipe reminds me of the roadside sandwiches we used to have in India. Love the way the vendor would make it as per our specifications - spice level and what ingredients. Cut into small bite size pieces. Just what you need to keep you going while on a shopping trip in the hot sun

Ingredients 

For the chutney

Bread 1
Mint 1/4 cup
Coriander Leaves 1/2 cup
Lime Juice 1/2 lime
Water 3 tbsp
Green Chilli 2 (add more for spicy version)
Salt to taste

To put together

Bread 8 slices
Cucumber 1 big (I used 10 slices per sandwich)
Cheese 4 slices
Butter 8 tsp (as needed, optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method of Preparation

1. Grind all the ingredients to form a smooth paste. Separate into 8 portions.

2. Take 2 slices of bread. Butter both the slices. Place them with the butter side up.

3. Spread one portion of the chutney on each slice.

4. Add 5 slices of cucumber on one slice of bread. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over it.

5. Place a cheese slice over it. Add another layer of cucumber. Add salt and pepper to it as well.

5. Close it with the other bread piece.

Enjoy your sandwich as is or with some tomato sauce.



Linking this to Healthy Diet - Sandwiches - Event by Priya Hosted by Kalyani

Bell Pepper Onion Rice and Awards!

Lazy day today... So was not in a mood to make any roti and curry. So made this rice. It was such a cloudy day.... raining all the time... so no scope of even a good photo.. Sigh! But the rice was super comforting. Something to just sit back, relax and eat.



Ingredients

Basmati Rice 3 cups
Onions 2
Red Peppers 3 (mine were small peppers)
Green Peppers 2
Celery 2 sticks

Peanuts 1/4 cup
Bay Leaf 1
Star Anise 3
Clove 3
Cinnamon 1 inch piece
Cardamom 2
Cumin/Jeera 1 tbsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala 1 tsp
Pepper Powder 1 tsp

Tomato Sauce 1.5 tbsp

Oil and salt to taste

Method of Preparation

1. Cook the rice with 4.5 cups of water (or as needed as per your rice type)

2. Slice the onions and peppers. Cut the celery.

3. Heat oil in a pan. Add the peanuts. Roast a little.

4. Then add all the spices - bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, clove, cardamom and cumin. Let it sizzle for a few seconds.

5. Add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes.

6. Add the peppers and celery. Saute for 5 more minutes.

7. Add turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, pepper powder and tomato sauce along with some salt. Mix and cook for a couple more minutes.

8. Add the cooked rice. Mix well and switch off.

Serve with some raita. We enjoyed the rice with some dry salad of cucumbers, carrots and onions.



Awards!!!
Want to share a couple of awards that my fellow bloggers shared with me.. I am not sure who to nominate for the awards. I love so many blogs out there. Its hard to dedicate it to a few... So please don't take it wrong... Sending it to all the friends I made in the blogging world. Without you I will not be where I am today


Versatile Blogger Award from Shabna.. Thank you Shabna for thinking of me. You have a lovely blog there and I love checking your recipes.

 

Sunshine Award from Punitha. She has a very new blog, but already has an amazing collection of recipes. Do drop in her blog and send encouragement her way. Thank you Punitha for thinking of me

Pumpkin/Butternut Squash in yogurt sauce

Pumpkin is widely used in South India to make Kootu. I am always on the lookout for dishes that suit rotis. I was looking at this recipe in Anjana's blog and took inspiration from it to make this dish.

Do check out this Pumpkin dish as well in my blog




Ingredients

Pumpkin/Butternut Squash 3 cups
Clove 2
Cinnamon 1 inch piece
Bay Leaf 1
Star Anise 2
Fennel Seeds 1 tsp
Cumin 1 tsp
Onion 1
Garlic 3 pods
Yogurt/Curd 1 cup
Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala 1/2 tsp

Method of Preparation

1. Cut the Squash into small pieces. Cook it in a pot with a little water.

2. In another pan, heat some oil and add clove, cinnamon, bay leaf, star anise, fennel seeds and cumin seeds.

3. When it sizzles, add chopped onion and garlic. Saute till  it is well done.

4. Add the cooked squash, curd, chilli powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well. Add some water if needed.

5. Simmer for a few minutes and switch off. Serve with warm rotis