Banana & Chocolate Whoopie Cakes

“A hint of banana,

With chocolate smooth,

Moisture that rolls

From tooth to tooth.

Black & white

The cream at the seam,

Oozes at each bite

Takes you to a dream.

Breakfast or dessert

Eat solo, or share,

Eat it all day

For all I care!”

Ingredients

For the cakes

1 overripe banana, mashed

1 large egg

100 gm dark chocolate

½ cup brown sugar (adjust to taste)

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons greek yogurt

½ cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

A pinch of salt

Others

½ cup whipping cream + 1 tablespoon sugar, whipped to icing thickness

1 small banana, sliced

Drinking chocolate powder, for dusting

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt and keep aside.

Melt the chocolate in a double broiler (over a pan of simmering water) till melted. Add the sugar and vanilla essence and mix well. Cool to room temperate. Add the egg and beat well. Stir in the mashed banana, oil and yogurt, followed by the flour mixture – 2 tablespoons at a time. Fold in all the flour till well incorporated.

Fill the moulds of a mini cheesecake pan with the batter (1/2 level mark) and bake at 350 F for 20-22 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from moulds and cool.

Divide each cake into half.  Put some whipped cream and banana slices in the centre. Cover with the other half and add more cream and banana slices. Finish with a dust of chocolate powder. Serve fresh.

A moist bite sized cake, with the goodness of banana and richness of chocolate. Quite cute to serve at a party don’t you think?

Spicy Rajma (Kidney Beans) with Baked Eggs

“These curried eggs

Will leave any meal behind,

With it’s flavor and spice

It’s an epic find.

Warm and comforting

A recipe from a hunch,

Coupled with some bubbly

For that perfect weekend Brunch.

Don’t divide, don’t share

One of them, one for you,

And as you take that bite

You’ll say Thank You Shu!”

I hear you, this is not Tapas. But hey, if I experiment with a dish as beautiful as this, it's only fair that I share it with you.

I was inspired by mexican style eggs we had for Brunch the other weekend. And if Mexicans can do it, so can we. Warm & comforting, this was a quite a satisfying meal-in-a-pot - even for me - someone who doesn't quite like eggs! The spiced flavors from the kidney beans compliment the eggs very well, making is the kind of dish love on the weekends with a glass of chilled mimosa. 

Sharing? What's that?

Ingredients

1 cup boiled kidney beans (don’t drain the liquid)

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, sliced lengthwise

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

3-4 green chilies, finely chopped

1 teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchoor)

A pinch of asafetida powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup frozen sweet corn

½ teaspoon salted butter

2 small-medium sized eggs

Salt & pepper to taste

PS- Would also work great if you have left over kidney bean curry. The flavors always taste better after a day or two!

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degree F.

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the cumin seeds, green chilies, onions and tomatoes and cook till onions are translucent. Cover and cook for another minute till the tomatoes are tender and begin to leave water. Now add all the dry spices, and the kidney beans, along with ½ cup water. Cover and simmer on medium flame for 8-10 minutes. Remove cover, turn flame to high and cook for another 3-4 minutes, till the gravy is thick. Keep aside to cool.

Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium flame. Add one egg along with the kidney beans and corn. Mix to scramble slightly, and let the mixture set for a minute. Remove from heat and break the other egg on top. Transfer to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, till the egg is cooked through. (I don’t like the centre runny but if you prefer it that way then cook for only 7-8 minutes, or just till the whites are cooked).

Sprinkle with chopped onions, cabbage, salt, pepper & paprika and serve hot.

10 Things You Can Do with Leftover Lentils & Beans (A Recipe Revisit)

"Too many leftovers, not enough mouths to feed

Oh that pot in the fridge, looks in dire need,

Of love, care and a celebration new

Where you can have your dal, and eat it too,

Don't give in to the stares, the eyes that shed a tear

'Please consume me', or banish me to the sewer,

Instead work your magic, save a starving children few

Abracadabra, shazaam, a re-invented meal for you!"

Did your less than perfect measurements resulted in an excess portion of your much-loved beans or lentils? Or did you have a party where beer won over the barrel of dal soup? Nodding your head? Let's be honest, this is a problem for most people. And yes, it happens to me too. More often than you can imagine actually!

Everyone can do with a bit of variety in their day to day meals, so here are 10 great ways to use those  lentils & beans that have been lingering in your refrigerator. Don't let them eye you into guilt-eating into them. Re-create, re-serve & rejoice. Then eat them.

1. Party favorites - Lentil Phyllo Cups

2. A step away from the usual - Lentil Paranthas

3. Dinner for two - Lentil Pasta

4. Vegetarians deserve meat too - Kidney Bean Kebabs

5. Breakfast anyone? Lentil Pancakes

6. Enjoy a healthy snack with these - Eggplant & Lentil Fritters

7. A bit of work, but why not! Lentil & Cabbage Tarts

8. Simplicity galore, the everyday staple - Wholewheat Lentil Roti

9. A twist on the Indian rajma curry - Mexican Beans & Rice or Beans & Sausage Rice on Potato Cups

10. Dress your meatballs - Chicken meatballs in Dal

Like leftovers, old recipes need to be brought out from that closet too.

What are your left-over secrets? 

29 Indian Tapas in 29 Days - A Recap

March 1st to 29th were exciting, yet trying days for me. I made a promise to the virtual food blogger world that I will come up with 29 new & original recipes for Indian Tapas in the 29 days that followed the launch of my business. 

Did I succeed? You tell me! And be kind - I am petrified of failure. 

How did it feel? Apart from aching arms (from the cooking), numb taste buds (from all the tasting) and sore eyes (from all the photo taking & editing), it was quite a ful-'filling' experience. 

For those who missed it, or are lazy to search for the recipes, here is a quick recap. 

29. will be taking a short break for an upcoming event. More recipes to follow after that! Till then, try these and tell me which ones were your favorites? Please comment on this post and let me know!

1. Mint Chicken Dumplings
2. Curried Guacamole
3. Indian Macaroons
4. Hakka Noodle Petites
5. Drunken Semolina Cakes
6. Indian Sushi
7. Beer Bread Pakora
8. Peach Gujia Parfait
9. Rice Cake Bhel Puri
10. Samosa Cups & Mini Naans
11. Paneer, Edamame & Carrot Stew
12. Onion Parantha Cones with Pickled Tomato Chutney
13. Okra Chips with Yogurt Sriracha Dip
14. Eggless Caramel Bread Pudding
15. Brown Rice Kimono Balls
16. Hot Chocolate Barfee
17. Shrimp Red Curry Idli Pops 
18. CousCous & Mint Chicken Tikka Cups
19. Spinach Corn Deep Dish Pizza Bites
20. Cucumber Boats
21. Masala Chai Cookies
22. Paella-style Spinach Biryani
23. Farro Dosa with Curried Chicken Salad
24. White Chocolate-Thandai-Malibu Mini Mudcakes
25. Chicken & Farro Siu Mai
26. Mango Phirni on Edible Spoons
27. Broccoli Pakora (Fritters) Sticks
28. Masala Gobi (Cauliflower) 'Pizza'
29. Turkey Poori Rolls with Chili Mango Chutney

Baked Chocolate Banana Fritters (Gulgula)

(When it comes to baking, the sky's the limit!)

“Pancakes or cookies

What do you see?

Take your pick

And that’s what they’ll be.

Good for breakfast

Or that picnic for two,

Take them for a ride

Just a book & you.

Ready in minutes

With effort close to none,

Even the photographs

Are bites of fun.

Bananas & chocolate

A combination for keeps,

You don’t have to crawl the web

To learn how to make these.

Addictive, I confess

I’ll try not to eat more,

And save some for the hubby

But then…he’d never know!”

It was a beautiful day today. As I walked home after my morning latte (I buy those. Some things are better left to the experts!) all I could think of was cooking something that will look beautiful in that light. Yes, my mind works in strange ways. I wasn't feeling overly creative, so all I could come up was this - also limited by the ingredients I had at home & the time I wanted to spend indoors. But they turned out so well, not to mention brilliantly simple & easy, that I decided to post the recipe. I know I know. If you add chocolate to anything it becomes tasty. But since there is no law against that, I will take my chances.

Now a little inspiration history before we get to the recipe. Gulgulas or fried banana fritters are a breakfast dessert made around the festival of Holi. What's a breakfast dessert - well a sweet dish that's eaten first thing in the morning! True story. I am not sure whether it's the banana that makes people justify that these deserve a spot on the morning table, or it was someone's attempt at an indian banana muffin - albeit a successful one since you can't go wrong with frying! Either way, they're simple and palatable - and honestly that's all I care about. Just like the other Holi sweetmeat, Gujia, versions of the banana fritters are eaten all over India, and I thought 29. may as well have a stab at it. I added chocolate & fennel to the mix, and baked them as mini cookies. (If you have never tried the combination of banana and fennel, then you're missing out!). So even though they looked like cookies, they tasted slightly like pancakes (not rocket science since both use pretty similar ingredients). But I love when the mind plays games on the taste buds, so I'll be bringing these out for breakfast when someone visits me next.

Enough said, read on!

Ingredients (makes around 22 small fritters)

1 overripe banana

½ cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

4 teaspoons brown sugar (or to taste)

3 teaspoons whole milk

1/3 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

A pinch of salt

Mix all the dry ingredients and keep aside.

Mash the banana with a fork till it becomes soft and pasty,. Mix it with the dry ingredients and work into a thick batter by slowly adding milk. Use a teaspoon and line little dollops of this mixture on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes – till they rise a little and just become firm on the outside. Make sure not to over bake as we want them to remain soft & gooey on the inside. Serve fresh with maple syrup, chocolate sauce or honey.

So easy right!?

EatWriteRetreat Recipe Contest - Farro Dosa w/ Curried Chicken Salad

“Farro oh Farro

What are you,

A grain of sorts

Nutty, with a chew.

Great in salads

Forget boring ol’ rice,

Adds a zing to soups,

For a healthier bite.

But what about food

Indian, with some spice,

Can you be versatile

To grab the prize?

Soaked & ground

You mingle and meet

Lentils, chili & others

For a delicious treat.

With a kick of curry

Oh, what a steal,

You’re truly transformed

Into a pancake meal!

Passing the test

You’re a friend new,

Now just make me win

Pretty, will you?”

A short video to start your experience. Did you enjoy it? (I can't figure out why it shows up twice though!)

I usually don't write a story to go with my recipe posts as I believe that poetry and pics can achieve that which words never can. However, since this is an entry post for the Eat Write Retreat recipe contest, I thought I should talk about the inspiration behind the dish.

When I first tasted the Tuscan Fields farro, it reminded me a little of brown rice, yet had a nutty grain or lentil like texture to it. So I decided to re-create something that uses both rice & lentils. That was just the beginning. As I pondered over various dishes I have made, I resolved that I wanted the final result to possess 4 main attributes:

1) Be inspired from an Indian dish (staying close to my roots!)

2) Be creative - well, because that's what I do.

3) Have an element of fusion cuisine.

4) Be bite size, to honor & respect my (very new!) business focusing on Indian Tapas.

That's it. With those elements in mind I got started, and it wasn't long before I came up with this! (I actually tried only 1 other dish, which is posted HERE). Well, I lie. I also did try farro with indian curry, and it was absolutely divine! But being Indian, it was too simple to enter that in this contest. And i'm a bit of a perfectionist!

Anyway, back to my dish. Dosas are a popular South Indian snack/breakfast dish and are essentially pancakes made of a rice-lentil  batter blend, and eaten with a variety of chutneys or lentil curry. Traditionally you would need to not only soak the grains overnight, but also ferment the batter before you can partake some of the crisp goodness (what people do for food eh!).  I, on the other hand, made my mini dosas from Tuscan Fields Farro Perlato and green lentils - soaked but not fermented. To complete the dish (the fusion) I served it with a cold yogurt based salad of curried chicken & Farro Alle Verdure. So what you see here really is Farro-on-Farro!

Enough said. I will finally let the recipe & the (many) pictures do the rest of the talking.

Ingredients

For the Dosa (makes around 20 mini dosas)

½ cup Tuscan Fields Farro Perlato (original/plain flavor)

½ cup green lentils (moong dal)

1 green chili (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

Olive oil for cooking

For the Salad

½ pound chicken mince

¼ red onion, sliced lengthwise

½ cup thick yogurt

¼ cup Tuscan Fields Farro Alle Verdure (with garden vegetable)

1 teaspoon fresh coriander, finely chopped

1 spring onion, finely chopped

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Make the salad

Cook the farro in ½ cup of salted water till al dente (mine took only 12-15 minutes). Drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and cook till they splutter. Now add the onions and cook till they turn translucent and begin to brown. Stir in the chicken, all the dry spices and ¼ cup water and cook covered on medium heat till the chicken is fully cooked. Uncover, cook to dry any excess liquid and remove from heat to cool. In a bowl mix the cooled chicken, yogurt, farro, spring onion and fresh coriander. Adjust seasoning if required and mix well. Keep aside.

Make the Dosas

Soak the farro and green lentils overnight. Drain the water (keep aside) and blend together with the chili (if using) to a fine paste. Add some of the drained water if the mixture is too thick (it should be slightly thinner than a pancake batter). Mix in salt & pepper and keep aside for 10 minutes to let the flavors mingle.

Heat a non-stick skillet. Mix the batter well to remove any settled sediments, and add a tablespoon of the batter to the pan (without any oil or it wont spread evenly). In a clockwise motion, spread the batter to form a thin pancake. Put a few drops of oil on top and on the sides, and cook till the underside is cooked & crisp (approx 1 minute for the mini ones). Once done, flip and cook the other side for a couple of minutes, till slightly brown. Do this with all the batter. 

Remove from heat and serve fresh with the chicken salad. Best way to eat - put a little chicken salad in the centre of the dosa, roll it up and finish in two bites!

It was a gloomy day for pictures, but I hope I did these little fellas some foodly justice!

So, will I see you at Eat Write Retreat? Time will tell. And till then, someone has to do the hard task of eating these mini roll-ups! Who's joining me? 

Kind-of-a-Kaima Idli

“I can’t stand wasting

That’s just who I am,

So I re-engineer them all

No, it’s not a sham.

Using leftovers to create

Dishes vibrant and new,

Is an art not quite common

And I will change your view

Take this dish for example

Yesterday had a name,

But I reformed its identity

To bring to it new fame.

Today in shape else

It fed me and a friend,

And that’s how my dear

You start a recipe trend!”

Kaima Idlis hail from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and are traditionally deep fried pieces of idli (steamed indian rice cakes) that have been cooked in spicy & tangy sauce. This is my version- not deep fried, but just as decadent and appetizing!

Ingredients

5 leftover idli, cut into 4 pieces (I used leftovers from here)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ onion, diced lengthwise

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-3 dried curry leaves, crushed

Salt & pepper

Chopped coriander to garnish

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and cook till the seeds begin to splutter. Now add the onions and cook till they turn transparent. Stir in the tomato paste, dry spices and ¼ cup water. Cover and cook for a few minutes, then uncover and dry any excess liquid. Stir in the idli pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes, or till they begin to become crisp on the edges.  Remove from heat, sprinkle some chopped coriander and enjoy!

Masala Chai Cookies

“Sharma-ji became famous

Making this road side treat,

A hot cup of masala chai

That you just cannot beat.

Sweet and mysterious

A pick-me-up morning sip,

A small plastic tea cup

And spices till the rim.

Dipped with glucose biscuits

For an added energy kick,

The perfect winter’s entitlement

Till the very last lick!”

Many of us grew up eating glucose biscuits dipped in our little cup of morning tea. With busy lives, and busier minds, that entitlement has somehow been lost with time. So I thought, why not combine the taste into a treat that can be grabbed on the go! I just don't want to let that childhood go. Do you?

Ingredients

For the masala chai (makes a strong 3/4 cup of masala tea)

1 cup water

½ cup whole milk

½ teaspoon cardamom powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder

2 cloves, crushed

2 teaspoon black tea leaves

For the cookies (makes around 24 3inch cookies)

2 eggs

1 cup wholewheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup fine brown sugar

6 tablespoon unsalted butter

½ cup honey oat clusters (or plain roasted oats), crushed (optional)

Make the chai

Heat water along with the spices and tea leaves. Once it begins to boil, add the milk, lower heat and let it simmer till the mixture reduces to half its volume. Strain and keep aside.

Make the cookies

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together.

Melt the butter and mix it with the cooled tea.

Combine the sugar and eggs and beat well. Fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the tea mixture slowly. Finally add the oats (if using) and mix well. The mixture will resemble a sticky dough. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time, and place it 2 inches apart on a greased baking or cookie tray. Remember, the cookies will expand a little so you do need some space in between otherwise they'll all stick together.

Bake at 325 F for 20-22 minutes- the bottom will turn brown and become crisp, but the top will be slightly risen and soft.  Cool completely and serve. Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Leftover Spaghetti Frittata

“Leftovers oh leftovers

How you trouble me so,

As soon as I think you’re done

There in hiding are some more!

Whipped up a salad

And put you in soup,

Even added you to a curry

How low could I stoop!

Then in anger and haste

I added you to my breakfast bowl,

To get you out of sight

And out of my peaceful soul.

Oh bliss, finally you’re gone

I no longer live in sin,

The last of you as a Frittata

And I win.”

Ingredients

2 cups leftover boiled spaghetti

2 large eggs

4 tablespoons whole milk

2 teaspoons grated gruyere cheese

1 cup mixed vegetables (I used red & green peppers, onions and baby spinach)

¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon dry basil

1 tablespoon butter

Some mozzarella cheese, roughly torn

Salt & pepper

Heat the butter in a cast iron skillet. Add all the vegetables and sauté for a minute. Now add the Spaghetti and the dry spices and sauté for another minute.

Beat the eggs separately with the milk and some salt & pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the spaghetti evenly and let it set. Top with the Gruyere and mozzarella. Let it cook for a minute or two and then transfer to a 400 F pre-heated oven for 10 minutes till the egg is completely cooked through. Change mode to broil for 4-5 minutes, till the cheese on top has browned a little. Remove and enjoy! 

Meatball Frittata

“A crust-less quiche

Or cousin to the omelet,

A breakfast of sorts

Or a full-on lunch set.

Wholesome, cheesy

Just grill, pour, beat,

Filling, warm

Gone in one, two, three.”

Ingredients

For the egg base

2 large eggs

4 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon grated gouda or parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon fresh chopped cilantro

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper

For the filling

1 cup mixed vegetables- I used green/red pepper, peas, diced baby potatoes

3 chicken meatballs, diced into ½ inch pieces

½ onion, sliced lengthwise

2 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon paprika

Salt & pepper

Others

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon grated gouda or parmesan cheese

Mix all the ingredients of the egg base and beat well till the eggs are somewhat light and fluffy. The cheese and other ingredients won’t let it become very light, but the ingredients should be well incorporated. Keep aside.

Pre heat the oven to 425 F. Mix all ingredients for the filling, transfer to a baking tray and roast for 15 minutes, or till the potatoes are fully cooked and the peppers are soft and begin to char in the edges.

In a cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium flame. Put the grilled vegetables on the base of the pan and add the egg mixture on top. Sprinkle remaining cheese. Cook for 3-5 minutes on medium low flame to let the egg set a little. Transfer to a 375 F oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. The eggs should set completely and the edges will begin to brown. Alternatively you could skip the step on the stove and just put the vegetables topped with egg mixture to bake directly. Remove and serve immediately. A delicious all-in-one weekend brunch!

Orange & Coconut Winter Granola

“I wolf it down, fistful at a time,

Slightly sweet, and a crunch in every bite.

Kick-start my day, and smell that cinnamon wood,

Wakes me like no other, breakfast ever could.

On the move I go, tasting that slight orange rind,

Fresh & wholesome, it’s my new healthy find”

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

3 ½ cups rolled oats

½ cup, whole almonds

½ cup of broken walnuts (you can add/substitute with nuts of your choice i.e. pecans, hazelnuts etc)

¼ cup raw sunflower seeds (you can also use pumpkin or melon seeds)

½ cup dried cranberries/sour cherries and/or raisins

½ cup of chopped dried apricots

¾ cup coconut flakes

Syrup

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup honey

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 teaspoons cinnamon

Zest and juice of 2 small oranges

Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.

In a small pot, mix the ingredients for syrup and cook on med-low heat till the liquid begins to boil slowly and evenly. Remove from heat, cool slightly and pour over the dry mix. Stir until well mixed.

Pre heat an oven to 325-degree F. Spread the mixture evenly on a cookie tray and bake on middle shelf for 30-35 minutes, turning the contents every 10 minutes so they brown evenly and the coconut doesn't burn. Watch the edges, as they tend to cook faster. Remove from heat, cool completely and store in an airtight container. Stays for up to 2 months.

Best eaten with Greek yogurt and fresh fruits. 

 

*Adapted from the Granola Recipe from The Inn on Randolph, Napa Valley

 

 

 

Wholewheat Banana Muffins

“Frantically searching

For inspiration to bake,

Turned the house upside down

For that idea, that special cake,

And then I saw

A banana, yellow and ripe

Meant to be breakfast

But forgotten, left in spite,

So I mashed and mixed

Sifted and fold,

To re-create the easiest

Of recipes ever told,

My day finally started

I had done my part,

For forty minutes later

It was holiday in my heart..”

Ingredients (Makes 8 muffins)

1 cup wholewheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ½ ripe banana, mashed

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 teaspoon pure honey

1/3 cup fine brown sugar

¼ cup 2% milk

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup chopped walnuts

½  teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and grease 8 muffin cups and keep aside.

In a large bowl sift and combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon.

In another large bowl combine the mashed bananas, egg, honey, brown sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well and then lightly fold the dry ingredients into this mixture. Do not over mix. The batter will be thick and chunky. Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tray, approximately ¾ full.  Garnish with some walnuts and a slice of banana (optional). Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Perfect treat on a cold morning with a good cup of espresso!

Corn & Mint Bread Poha

B

“Reminds me of 

Tiffin and school,

Mum packing 

A lunch so cool.

Of friends saying 

‘Oh she’s so fine’,

Going back home

For a super high-five. 

Of Sunday morning

Sizzles & food fried,

Waking me up

With a kiss oversized.

Of goodbyes, wet eyes

Hostels don’t wait, 

Her last warm hug

Put in a plate...”

Ingredients

4 slices of bread, cut into small squares

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

½ onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

½ cup corn kernels

1 cup fresh mint leaves

5-6 curry leaves

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

¼ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon pav bhaji masala

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salted butter

Salt to taste

Chat masala to garnish

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin, garlic and onions and sauté till the onions turn transparent and brown. Stir in both kinds of tomatoes, turn flame to medium and cook till the tomatoes turn tender and pasty. Add the mint leaves, curry leaves, masala, salt and corn kernels and stir for a few minutes on high flame. Now add the bread, mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame. Make sure all pieces of bread are coated with the tomato paste. Melt butter on the side and add it to the pan, while continuously stirring the bread on high flame. Remove from flame once the bread starts to turn crisp and brown.

Garnish with chat masala and mint leaves. Makes a great Sunday breakfast.

Masala Devilled Eggs

“Sit up, beware

The devil’s come to town,

Red, yellow in rage

Supporting a frown.

White marble shells

Enveloping the evil eye,

One bite, ah addiction

It’s a curse for life.”

Ingredients

For the eggs

2 hard boiled eggs

1 teaspoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon mashed potatoes [optional but a great use of leftover mash]

2 teaspoons tomato chutney (see below)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon grated cheese [gouda or cheddar]

Salt & pepper  to taste

 For tomato chutney

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium plum tomatoes, diced

1/2 red onion, sliced lengthwise

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 small bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Salt, pepper to taste

Make the chutney: Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pan. Add  the bay leaf and mustard seeds and cook till they begin to splutter. Stir in the onions, and sauté till they turn translucent. Finally add tomatoes, along with all the dry spices and cook till the tomatoes are tender and oil begins to separate from the mixture. Mash any big chunks with a spatula, remove from heat and discard the bay leaf. Keep aside to cool.

Cut the eggs in half, remove the yolks and mash them a bowl.  Mix all the ingredients for the eggs with the yolks. Beat well into a paste and put it back into the egg hollows, Spring some cheese on top and grill at 180 deg C for 5-6 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

PS - It's worth using a pastry bag to put the mixture back in the hollows. It instantly makes the eggs look party-worthy. I, clearly, was too eager to eat them!

Mushroom Toasties

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“Speckled with green

And shades of caramel,

These bite size delights

Are in one word, swell.

My granny thinks it hip

To eat them mid-day,

Serve, savor, steal

Just have it your way.”

  

Ingredients

1 cup chopped button mushrooms

2 tablespoon onions, finely chopped

¼ cup peas (or corn)

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 tablespoon mayonnaise (you can use the eggless version as well)

4 slices of brown sandwich bread

1/2 cup grated Gouda cheese (you can use any cheese but gouda works wonders)

¼ teaspoon ginger powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Some freshly chopped parsley

Heat the butter in a non-stick pan. Add the onions and sauté on medium flame till they turn transparent. Add mushrooms, peas, ginger powder, salt, pepper, chopped parsley and cover for 2-3 minutes on low heat till the mushrooms become dark and tender. Sauté on high flame to remove all the remaining liquid and remove from heat once done. Keep aside to cool.

Take a slice of bread and spread a little mayonnaise on it.  Cut it into 4 squares. Add one teaspoon of mushroom mixture and some grated cheese on each square. Do this with all the bread pieces. Put the squares in an oven tray and grill for 15 minutes at 200 degrees C.

Sprinkle some parsley and oregano on top before serving. Tastes fantastic with English mustard.

Fruit and Yogurt Breakfast Parfait

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“Breakfast time

Cries the tum,

Eggs or sausages

Are no more fun.

A bit of crunch

And beauties sweet

A dollop of dairy

Snap! It’s a tangy feast”

Ingredients

Fruits of choice. I used the following:

1 teaspoon chopped strawberries

1 teaspoon chopped apple

2 teaspoon sliced grapes

A few blueberries

2 tablespoons cereal- you can use any cereal you like. I usually make it with Fruit n Fibre, Special K or Post’s Banana Nut Crunch

2 tablespoon milk

2 almonds, sliced

1 cup strawberry yogurt

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Crush the cereal and put it at the bottom of a glass or cup. Add the milk and mix. Layer with all the cut fruits, and finish with the yogurt. You can add a pinch of cinnamon here. I am not a fan, so I skip it. Chill for an hour and garnish with almonds before serving. As healthy as a breakfast can be, and it tastes magnificent!

French Toast Strata

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“Layer by layer

Inch by inch,

Soaking up the zest

Of every pinch.

Enveloped in simplicity

This was sure a catch,

My french toast today

Found its match”.

Ingredients

3 eggs

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon butter or margarine

2 slices of bread

1 cup green pepper, sliced lengthwise

½ cup onions , sliced lengthwise

½ tomato, deseeded and diced lengthwise

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon cumin powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup salad leaves

½ cup grated gouda cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C.

Mix the eggs, butter and milk with some salt and pepper and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add onions, peppers, tomato, paprika, cumin powder, salt and pepper and sauté lightly for a minute or two. Make sure the vegetables don’t get too soft. Remove from heat.

Take a baking dish. Dip a slice of bread into the egg mixture and place it in the dish. Cover the slice with the vegetable mixture, and sprinkle some grated cheese. (you can also add some pork or chicken sausages to this layer for a meaty touch). Put a second layer with the second slice of bread dipped in the egg mixture. Pour the remaining egg mixture on top so that the slices are properly soaked in egg. Sprinkle some pepper and shredded salad leaves on top, and cover with the rest of the grated cheese to finish off the layers.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or till the egg is completely cooked. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Masala Scrambled Eggs

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“I see that anxiety

The laugh, the silent tease,

Yes, I can cook an egg

Even though the same I don’t eat.

Crack, mash, masala in

For an Indian twist you beg,

Can’t get enough?

Go break an egg”

Ingredients

(serves 2)

4 eggs

2 tablespoon chopped red onions

2 tablespoon chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons finely chopped green peppers

½ teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon chat masala

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped coriander for garnish

Beat eggs lightly with salt and pepper and keep aside.

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the onions and stir till golden brown. Now add the tomatoes, garam masala and coriander powder. Mix well, cover and let it cook for a few minutes till tomatoes are tender. Add in green peppers and cover for another minute. Now add the eggs, constantly stirring so they break up and don’t settle. Add in milk and stir for another 30 seconds, or till they are just cooked but not too dry.

Remove from heat, garnish with coriander and chat masala. Serves well with Toast or Croissants.