Kohlrabi Upkari

The original recipe of upkari does not include moog daal. But I added it -  borrowing from my Maharashtrian roots - for some protein boost.

 

Kohlrabi Upkari

Kohlrabi Stir Fry

Ingredients

3 small /medium kohlrabi, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup yellow moong daal, soaked for 2 hours in water before cooking

salt to taste

 

Tempering

1/2 tbsp. coconut oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp asafetida

3 red chilies, halved/broken

 

Garnish

Freshly scraped coconut

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a kadai. Add tempering ingredients. As they splutter, add drained moong daal.

2. Saute for 5 minutes.

3. Add kohlrabi pieces. Stir.

4. Cover with a lid. Place some water in the lid.

5. Check from time to time. Each grain of daal should be separate. So do not let it overcook.

6. Add salt to taste.

7. Garnish with fresh coconut

 

Note-

1. Do not add water while cooking otherwise, it will overcook the daal.

Udadache Daangar

There are actually three meanings for the word "Daangar" in Malvani/Marathi. You understand the meaning based on the reference. First meaning is a "cutlet" like seafood preparation. Second meaning is red pumpkin or bhopLa and the third meaning is a side dish or raita prepared with urad daal flour. Today, I am featuring the third daangar - urad daal flour raita. I want to warn you that this dish may require an acquired taste.

 

Readymade daangar peeth/flour is available in many Konkani/Malvani stores in Mumbai.

Udadache Daangar

Urad Flour Chutney/Raita

Ingredients

1 cup urad daal flour

salt to taste

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp coriander powder

 

 

1/4 cup red onion, finely minced

1 green chili, finely minced

2-3 sprigs cilantro (optional), finely minced

 

1 cup buttermilk - use more if needed

 

Tempering

1/2 tbsp. oil

1/2 tsp asafetida

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

 

Method

1. Roast urad daal flour on a low heat till it is a shade darker.

2. Pour in a bowl.

3. Add salt, powders and buttermilk.

4. Make sure that there are no lumps.

5. Add onion, chili and cilantro - if using

6. Add the tempered oil.

7. Serve as a chutney with the main meal.

 

Note -

1. This "chutney" may require an acquired taste.

2. You may need to add more buttermilk, as it goes on absorbing flour, especially if it made too much in advance.

Cauliflower Wraps

My otherwise, mundane cauliflower chi bhaaji and poli combo gets a royal welcome at the dinner table when I present it as "Cauliflower Wraps".

Cauliflower Wraps
Ingredients
Cauliflower Dry Subzi
Chapatis - homemade or readymade

Garnish
A generous pinch of chaat masala

Salad
Shredded purple cabbage
Shredded lettuce
Minced cilantro

Method
1. Place shredded vegetables on the roti.
2. Place cauliflower subzi and cilantro.
3. Sprinkle chaat masala per taste. Fold over to make a burrito style wrap.
4. Serve immediately.

Note -
1. Do not make it too much in advance or it will turn soggy.
2. Any dry cauliflower subzi can be used. I used Gobhi-Paneer subzi in the picture above.


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Turkey Sandwich

Gudiya's dabba - Turkey Sandwich, homemade baked pita chips and grape tomatoes

I was raised on a non-vegetarian diet. What that meant was, every Sunday, we ate either seafood, chicken or  mutton. We mostly didn't eat it on any other day. Monday was undoubtedly meatless for religious purpose. Sometimes, Wednesday used to be an exception when some leftovers from Sunday were tolerated. Both my maternal and paternal grandmothers ate only seafood per their hardcore GSB beliefs. But they were adventurous enough to have tried making the food that was never part of their culture.

When my maternal grandfather met with an accident, he was advised to take an egg diet. He was a strict vegetarian himself. But he started taking egg as a medicine reluctantly. My maternal grandmother started making raw eggs with milk mixture for him. Seeing that, her kids wanted more adventure with eggs in the kitchen. So she started making omelets. (she called it Andyacha PoLa - egg dosa)

My paternal grandmother went a step further. Her kids tasted mutton curry at friends' house. They loved it so much that they pestered her relentlessly. Finally, she learnt the recipe from the neighbors and started cooking it for her kids.

By the time I was born, chicken and mutton had already become a staple Sunday meal for the family. Although, I never tasted my grandmothers' creations since both of them had stopped making eggs/meat dishes by then, I often get amazed by their openness to embrace the unknown territory.  Both of them never ate the eggs/meat preparations that they made. But the most touching part is that they never judged people who chose to have different choices than their own firm beliefs.

I think that's the reason I don't judge when people choose to eat beef, venison, rabbit, or want to be vegan. The greatest gift I got from my lovely grandmothers is not to be judgmental just because people have different food preferences (or any preferences for that matter!)

Now, why do I wonder about it? My daughter wants me to cook with pork, beef and turkey. This is an unknown territory for me. I just can't cook  beef or pork. Although she longs for that big Thanksgiving Turkey on the dinner table every year, it's something I just can't do. I have made ground Turkey kheema for her, but that just doesn't cut it. I do have to overcome that mental block - may be just like my grandmothers - but for now, I made this Turkey Sandwich for Gudiya's  lunchbox. She gave me 5 stars ratings and called me the best sandwich maker in the world.

Turkey Sandwich - makes 1 Sandwich
Ingredients
2 Whole wheat bread slices
1 slice Mozzarella cheese, cut into halves
2 slices Deli Turkey or chicken - preferably organic
1/2 tsp oven roasted tomatoes
1 tsp mayonnaise
A few drops of mustard
few fresh spinach leaves

Method
1. Spread little mayo over both bread slices.
2. Place half a slice of cheese.
3. Place few spinach leaves.
4. Top with turkey slices
5. Squirt few drops of mustard and spread.
6. Now add oven roasted tomatoes.
7. Place remaining half of the cheese.
8. Enclose with the bread slice.
9. Now, place on a hot griddle or tawa. Toast on a low flame till cheese melts and holds the sandwich together. Flip and toast on both sides.
10. Take out and cut into two halves.

Note -
1. You can use 2 slices of cheese but I like to limit the cheese intake.
2. I really use a tiny amount of mayo but if you like the flavor, please feel free to use more.


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Grape Tomato Pizza

 

 

My Pizzeria adventure continues...


Grape Tomato Pizza (Makes 1 pizza)

Ingredients

1 readymade pizza crust (See note below)

1 tbsp. homemade or readymade basil pesto

5 Grape Tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

 

Garnish(Optional)

Crushed red pepper

 

Method

1. Preheat oven 400F.

2. Place readymade pizza crust on a baking or pizza tray.

3. Spread basil pesto around the crust leaving about 2" border around the circumference of the crust.

4. Scatter grape tomato halves over the pesto.

5. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over.

6. Bake for about 5-6 minutes or till the cheese is melted.

7. Cut into wedges.

8. Garnish with crushed red pepper if using.

 

Note -

1. I used Whole Foods Brand Whole Wheat Pita for this recipe.

2. In summer, when there is abundant Italian Basil growing in backyard, I use homemade pesto. But here, I used Costco brand Basil Pesto.

3. You can most certainly make homemade pizza crust.

 Grape Tomato Pizza & Arugula Pizza

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Arugula Pizza

 

Arugula is leafy greens with peppery bite. It also goes by the name "Rocket" due to the unique shape of its leaves. Arugula pizza is baked first and then you add fresh Arugula on top. In my Pizza escapades so far, this is my husband's most favorite pizza.

Arugula Pizza (Makes 1 pizza)

Ingredients

1 readymade pizza crust (See note below)

1 tbsp. readymade oven roasted tomatoes with Italian seasoning

A handful of Arugula

1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

 

Garnish(Optional)

Crushed red pepper

 

Method

1. Preheat oven 400F.

2. Place readymade pizza crust on a baking or pizza tray.

3. Spread Oven roasted tomatoes around the crust leaving about 2" border around the circumference of the crust.

4. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over.

6. Bake for about 5 minutes or till the cheese is melted.

7. Cut into wedges.

8. Garnish with crushed red pepper if using.

 

Note -

1. I used Whole Foods Brand Whole Wheat Pita for this recipe.

2. I used Costco brand oven roasted tomatoes. It has lots of oil. So try to use only tomatoes, shaking off as much excess oil as possible, before spreading on the crust.

3. You can most certainly make homemade pizza crust.

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Chicken Pesto Pizza

 

 

Have you ever met those annoying people who wonder & ponder over every bite they put in their mouth at restaurants? They want to know what ingredients may have gone in that morsel? Well, then you have met either me or people just like me. My husband thinks that I eat less and wonder more about the recipe.  Oh well, that's just the way it is! Recently we went to a Pizza place that serve a variety of pizza (potato pizza, anyone?). So it's very natural that you will now see a plethora of Pizza recipes at Enjoy Indian Food!;-)

 

Since most of the ingredients below were store bought, this pizza appeared even on a very hectic week night dinner table.

 

 

Chicken Pesto Pizza (Makes 1 pizza)

Ingredients

1 readymade pizza crust (See note below)

1 tbsp. homemade or readymade basil pesto

2 strips  grilled/baked/roasted boneless, skinless chicken, cut into cubes

1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

 

Garnish(Optional)

Crushed red pepper

 

Method

1. Preheat oven 400F.

2. Place readymade pizza crust on a baking or pizza tray.

3. Spread basil pesto around the crust leaving about 2" border around the circumference of the crust.

4. Scatter chicken cubes over the pesto.

5. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over.

6. Bake for about 5-6 minutes or till the cheese is melted.

7. Cut into wedges.

8. Garnish with crushed red pepper if using.

 

Note -

1. I used Whole Foods Brand Whole Wheat Pita for this recipe.

2. In summer, when there is abundant Italian Basil growing in backyard, I use homemade pesto. But here, I used Costco brand Basil Pesto.

3. You can most certainly make homemade pizza crust.

 

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