Saucy Mediterranean Pasta

Ingredients

1. ½ bag of spiral colorful pasta

2. ½ cup of chopped black Spanish olives

3. ½ cup of pickled vegetables

4. 2 big tomatoes chopped or 1 big can of crushed tomatoes

5. 1 big onion chopped

6. 3-4 florets of broccoli

7. 2 tbsp of olive oil

8. 1 tbsp of garlic minced

9. 1 tbsp of dry thyme powder (use fresh leaves if you have)

10. Salt and Black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Fill a big pan with water for pasta and set it to boil with lid closed.

2. In another non stick pan add olive oil.

3. Add garlic and onions and cook till golden brown.

4. Now add Tomatoes and cook for another five minutes.

5. In the mean time add salt to boiling water for flavoring pasta and add pasta to cook. Close the lid and let it cook.

6. Now return to tomatoes mixture and add broccoli.

7. Add salt and pepper to mixture along with thyme powder.

8. Transfer the mixture to mixie/blender and mix it well. Close the lid, its hot mixture.

9. Spread the cooked pasta in serving tray and add the mixture on top of it.

10. Garnish with olives and pickled vegetables.

11. Serve hot.

-Chitra

Spicy and Sour Eggplants / Chatpate Baingan

  

Ingredients

1. ½ kg small purple baingan / eggplants

2. 2 big onions chopped vertically

3. Salt to taste

4. 2 tsp of red chili powder

5. 1 tbsp of mango / amchoor powder

6. 2 tsp of turmeric powder

7. 2 tsp of coriander powder

8. 2 tsp of cumin powder

9. Oil

Directions

1. After washing the baingan thoroughly pat dry them with kitchen cloth.

2. Cut the baingan stems and make two cuts cross wise for filling.

3. In a bowl add salt, red chili powder, turmeric, amchoor, coriander, cumin powder and mix it well with spoon.

4. Now fill in all the baingans with the masala and keep them aside for 30 minutes at least.

5. In the mean time in a non stick pan add 1 tbsp of oil and add onions to it.

6. When the onions are caramelized take it out from the pan.

7. In the same pan add all the baingans carefully with 2 tbsp of oil. Fry them until turned soft and changed color.

8. Now place the onions in serving bowl and then add the baingans on the bed of onions.

9. Serve hot with rice, or chapatti’s

-Chitra

Adraki Paneer

Ingredients

1. 200 gms of adraak peeled and chopped in thin slices

2. 200 gms of paneer

3. 2 big onions with 2 cloves of garlic grated

4. 3 medium tomatoes grated with 2 green chilies and 1 tbsp of coriander / dhaniya leaves

5. 1 tbsp of tomato sauce

6. ½ tsp of turmeric powder

7. Salt and Red chili powder to taste

8. 1 tsp of coriander powder

9. ½ cup of lemon juice

10. Oil

11. 1 tsp of poppy / sarso seeds

12. 1 tsp of cumin seeds

Directions

For Ginger:-

1. In a non stick pan add 1 tsp of oil; add cumin seeds, poppy seeds. When they crackle turn off the gas and pinch of salt and red chili powder.

2. In a grater add this mixture and add lemon juice. Mix it well till the mixture is well blended.

3. Now dip all the ginger slices in this lemon mixture and marinate it for 10-12 hrs minimum and 1-2 days. This can be used as Aachaar /pickle also with hot parantha’s or puri’s.

For Paneer:-

1. In a non stick pan add 1 tbsp oil on a medium heat and add coriander.

2. Add Onions and cook them until caramelized.

3. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce.

4. Add salt, red chili and turmeric powder

5. Cook on simmer for 15 minutes.

6. Now add the 2-3 tbsp of ginger slices marinated before with some juice.

7. Turn off the heat and add paneer cubes let it cook with lid on.

8. Garnish with ginger slices and serve.

-Chitra

Kayree Panha/ Kachche Aam ka Panna

'Kairi Panhe' or 'Kairi che pahne' is a maharashtrian name for this raw mango drink. Kairi means 'raw mango' in marathi language. 'Aam(mango) Panna' is a Hindi name for this drink.

Did you know?

Green or unripe mango contains a large portion of starch which gradually changes into glucose, sucrose and maltose as the fruit begins to ripe. It disappears completely when the fruit is fully ripe.

The raw mango is a valuable source of vitamin C. It contains more vitamin C than half-ripe or fully ripe mangoes. It is also a good source of vitamin B1 and B2 and contains sufficient quantity of niacin. These vitamins differ in concentration in various varieties during the stages of maturity and environmental conditions. The ripe fruit is very wholesome and nourishing.

The chief food ingredient of mango is sugar. The acids contained in the fruit are tartaric acid and malic acid, besides a trace of citric acid. These acids are utilized by the body and they help to maintain the alkali reserve of the body.

The unripe mango protects from the adverse effects of hot, scorching winds. A drink, prepared from the unripe mango by cooking with sugar and water is an effective remedy for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Eating raw mango with salt quenches thirst and prevents the excessive loss of sodium chloride and iron during summer due to excessive sweating.

 

Ingredients

1. 2 Raw Mangoes / Ambi

2. 6 Glass of water

3. ½ tsp of salt

4. 1 cup of sugar

5. 1 tsp of cumin powder

6. 2 tsp of dried mint leaves

Directions

1. Wash the raw mangoes and boil them in water, do not remove the peel.

2. When the peel of mangoes becomes soft, it will come off easily.

3. Take off the peel and seed but scrape the pulp with fork or spoon. Careful it will be hot, let it cool down.

4. Now add sugar, salt, cumin powder and mint leaves.

5. Now put the mixture on heat again with 6 glass of water and let it reduce to half.

6. Remove from the heat and transfer it to glass bowl topped on ice tray / bowl.

7. Let it cool down and refrigerate it.

8. Serve these individual glasses with ice cubes and some fresh mint leaves or lemon slices.

-Chitra

Tangy Mexican Rice

Ingredients

1. 1 cup of uncooked basmati Rice or any long grained rice

2. 1 tsp of garlic salt

3. ½ tsp of ground cumin powder

4. ¼ cup of chopped red onion

5. 3 tbsp of vegetable oil

6. ½ cup of Tomato sauce

7. 3 tbsp of Tabasco hot sauce

8. 2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth

9. ¼ cup of green peas

10. 1 jalapeno pepper chopped finely

Directions

1. Heat oil in a non stick pan over medium heat.

2. Stir in onions and jalapeno and cook until tender.

3. Now add rice, cook by stirring constantly until golden by shaking the pan do not use the any spoon.

4. While Rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.

5. Add peas to rice and toss.

6. Stir in tomato sauce and hot sauce.

7. Add vegetable broth or chicken broth.

8. Now bring the rice to boil and then reduce the heat to low. Now cook with a lid on.

9. In between fluff them with fork. It will be ready in 20 to 25 minutes.

10. Serve warm rice on chilled lettuce leaves with a beans and chilled raita.

-Chitra

Fattoush

 

Zesty Lebanese Salad made from toasted pita / Arabic bread combined with mix vegetables and herbs is a perfect starter for your meal. It’s super healthy and refreshingly delicious. Try it today.

Ingredients

1. 2-3 tomatoes chopped in cube size

2. 1 cucumber chopped in cube size (quartered lengthwise and chopped)

3. 1 green pepper seeded and diced

4. 4 scallions / green onions chopped roughly

5. 1 cup of romaine lettuce chopped

6. 2 tbsp of parsley chopped

7. 1 tsp of dried mint

8. 1 cup of cilantro / dhaniya/ coriander chopped

9. 2 pita bread toasted and cut into cubes

10. ½ cup of oilive oil

11. Salt and pepper to taste

12. ½ cup of lemon juice

Directions

1. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, lettuce and herbs (cilantro, mint, parsley) in a bowl.

2. Whisk oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper and add to the bowl. Toss.

3. Put the toasted, baked pita bread cubed already at the top and serve.

-Chitra