Chana Daal Bhel Puri

 

Chat Pati Chaat in five minutes.....


Ingredients

1. 1 pound Roasted Chana daal/lentils ($5 per pound from Indian Store)
2. 1/2 cup of finely chopped red onion
3. 2 tsp. of chopped cilantro/dhaniya
4. ¼ cup of lemon juice
5. 2 chopped green chilies
6. ½ tsp of ginger
7. ½ cup of cucumber
8. ½ cup of finely chopped tomato without seeds
9. Salt and pepper to taste
10. ¼ vinegar (optional)
11. 2 tsp. of hot sauce
12. 3tsp. of Ketchup (any brand)

Directions

1. Take a big bowl and add Chana Daal with all dry ingredients. Mix together and keep it aside before your guests arrive. You can make this ahead of time and keep in cool place.
2. Now before serving add Lemon juice and hot sauce and garnish with chopped cilantro.

   -Chitra

   
   

Veggie Paradise Pizza

Who does not love pizza..........It is not Italian favorite anymore, but everyone loves it......kids love it and adults enjoy as much as kids.

So, here we make our own fresh veggie pizza at home in just 30 minutes.

All ingredients

Ingredients

• Store brought fresh pizza dough
  
• ½ cup diced red bell peppers
  
• ½ cup dice green bell peppers
  
• ¼ cup of sliced red onion
  
• ½ cup black pitted and diced olives
  
• ½ cup of mushrooms sliced thinly
  
• ½ tsp. of oregano
  
• ½ cup of skim milk/ low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
  
• Red chili flakes to taste
  
• 1 tbsp. of olive oil
  
• 2 tsp. of pizza sauce or you can make your own (recipe follows)

Directions:-

• Roll the Dough with some dry flour on wooden base or kitchen counter until it is your desired shape (round or rectangle)
• Preheat oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Spray some Oil on baking sheet and out your pizza on it.
• Spray some olive oil or brush olive oil on first side and dig small little holes with the help of fork in pizza so that olive oil flavor can come in bread.
• Repeat this with the other side after one side has been cooked or turned light pink brown (usually takes 10 minutes each side on 450 degrees)
• Now take the pizza bred out and cover the top with sauce and some cheese, heat this for 10 minutes or till the cheese melts.
• Now at last is toppings time, which are vegetables or Chicken etc. and some more cheese. This recipe is for All Veggie Surprise, but if you want you can use Chicken or Pepperoni. It is just cooking time of vegetables will be lot less then any kind of meat.
• When the vegetables turn little brown and cheese melts you pizza is ready.
• Take out the Pizza and let it sit for 3-4 minutes, it will be hot to slice it. I know it is not easy to wait after that. Grab your slices and enjoy with your family.

Pizza Sauce: - Heat 3 tsp. olive oil and add thinly diced onions and two cloves of garlic. When Onions turn little brown add can of diced tomatoes. Let it cook for 10 minutes until sauce is little reduced and then add salt and add 1 tsp. of oregano and red chili flakes. Let the mixture to cool down and now mix it well in your blender with 1tsp. of hot sauce and salt and pepper to tatse. Your sauce is ready. Store it in glass bottle or can. You can use the same as any kind of pasta marinara.

You can get your kids involve in choosing and putting the toppings on your bread, it will be family Pizza time and for health conscious people now you know how much fat and calories you are serving your family. If you are living alone, it can be treat for yourself doing something great or celebrate anything, it can be bad day as cheer up day, njoy :)


-Chitra

Asian Style Fish Sticks / Pakoras

Ingredients

· Two wheat bread
· 2 tsp of Olive Oil or olive oil spray
· One Lemon
· One tsp of fresh cilantro/dhaniya

For Marinating

· 1/2 cup soy sauce (preferred-low Sodium)
· 2 cups of fresh orange juice
· 2 tsp. of sugar
· 2 tsp. of fresh chopped cilantro
· 1 tsp. of fresh chopped ginger
· 2 cloves of minced garlic
· 2 fresh fillets of Salmon (preferred – Atlantic)
· 1 teaspoon of hot sauce
· 1 teaspoon of hot chili flakes or red chili powder

 

Marinated Fish in Sauce

Directions:-

• Cut two fillets into bite size pieces (approx. 6-7 pieces)
  
• Marinate them into zip lock bag or plastic container from 4-24 hrs and keep it aside in fridge (preferred overnight)
  
• Take out the fish 20 minutes before cooking to allow them to come in room temperature.
  
• In the mean time grate the bread slices into fresh bread crumbs and take them out in separate bowl or tray.
  
• Heat oil in a non stick pan/skillet.
  
• Take out the fish and roll it over bread crumbs until they are all coated with it.
  
• When the pan has turned hot turn down the heat to medium and put the fish piece one by one. Turning heat to medium will not smoke into your kitchen.
  
• Do not flip the fish until it has been cooked to 5 mins. Or the breaded fish has turned golden brown each side.
  
• Take another small pan and pour the marinating sauce into it and reduce it till it turns thick.

When the fish is cooked sprinkle fresh cilantro/dhaniya and lemon juice over it and place it over the marinating sauce. Serve hot.

-Chitra