Garlic Tomato Rice Bowl

It is too hot today, it reminds me  of an Indian summer :(

I was away from home for 3-4 days and we had great time with our friends. Whenever we have travel plans, my food choices became limited, but now there are no worries because you can find vegetarian options, vegan meal, and healthy food everywhere. My husband always picks a restaurant where I can get vegetarian food or vegan food easily. We went to Cactus Club Cafe few times and I just loved the food. I was looking at the menu and I found fajitas and I just loved it! Black beans, salsa, grilled vegetables and more and I asked them to eliminate chicken. Also, you can have the jambalaya rice bowl too.

Mostly we all love rice, in different preparations or just by itself. I always try to create rice recipes and this one is our favorite. I used garlic mostly in all curries and in all spicy dishes to get the best aroma and taste and also garlic is healthy too.


Cancer , Interrupted: Garlic & Flavonoids

Garlic Tomato Rice Bowl

 Ingredients (serves 5):

1 1/2 cup long grain basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon shahi jeera
3 pods of black cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
11/2 tablespoon garlic paste
1/4 cup onion finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon spring onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder


Procedure:

1. Wash rice 2-3 times with water and soak in water for 30 minutes in medium sized pot.
2. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, shahi jeera and cardamom in soaked rice.
3. In small pan heat 2 1/2 tablespoon of oil at medium heat .
4. Add cumin seeds and add chopped onion. Saute onion for 5-6 minutes until onion becomes light brown. Lower the heat.
5. Add garlic paste and saute for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add tomato puree, 1/2 teaspoon salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cilantro and stir well for 6-7 minutes.
7. Let it cool down and set aside.
8. Now boil rice at medium high heat and add 1/2 tablespoon oil.
9. After 15-17 minutes check if rice is almost done but should not be over cooked.
10. Drain excess water through sieve and let rice cool for 5 minutes.
11. Mix rice and tomato mixture well and heat for 5 more minutes to incorporate well.
12. Serve in serving bowl and garnished with spring onion.

This is what I like to order  from Cactus Club Cafe menu:

Jambalaya rice bowl

Fajitas

Chicken Biryani

Lots of spices are used in this dish but it is worth it to take some effort to make it.

The spices and condiments used in biryani may include ghee (clarified butter), nutmeg, mace, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions, and garlic nuts, resins but the main ingredient is saffron... my favorite one :)

This dish can be made with vegetables, chicken,meat, shrimp, pork, or even only with nuts. Biryani is served with yogurt, paratha, naan, boiled eggs, raiyta, curry, or korma.

So what are you waiting for? Lets start!!!!

Vegetable Biryani

Ingredient: (serve 7-8)



3 cups Basmati Rice  
1 kg Chicken (chicken thigh or drum stick) 
1/4 Teaspoons Turmeric  
Salt  To Taste
1 Tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste 
1/2 Tablespoons Cumin Powder  
1/2 Tablespoons Coriander Powder 
2 Tablespoons Red Chilly Powder 
1/2 cup Fried Onions (I used Exotic brand) 
2-3 pieces Mace  
2 Teaspoons Shahi Jeera  
5-6 Green Cardamom  
4-5 Cloves  
2 pieces 2" long Cinnamon Sticks  
2 Bay Leaf 
1 Cup Yogurt
1/2 cup Coriander Chopped  
1/2 cup Mint Chopped  
4-5 Green Chilly lengthwise cut  
1/2 Cup Oil  
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
2 Tablespoons Clarified butter(ghee) 
8-10 strands Saffron 
2 Tablespoon Milk 

OR 

If you want to make Vegetable Biryani:

Use Listed Ingredients above with these vegetable or your choice of vegetables.

1/3 cup Carrot cut in small pieces 
1/3 cup Potatoes cut in small pieces 
1/3 cup Coli flower small floaters 
1/4 cup Red Onion julians  
1/3 cup Green Peas 
1/3 cup or less Golden Raisin
1/3 cup Cashew nuts (I used Costco's salted cashews) 



Procedure:

1) First make a powder of all the spices (shahi jeera, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf) by roasting them at low medium heat for 6-7 

2) Take a bowl, add chicken pieces and add ground spices powder , chilly powder, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, salt, coriander powder, curd, chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves, fried onions, green chilly, lime juice, oil, and mix it well, and put it in the refrigerator over night.

3) Soak the rice for 30 minutes. Heat water in a vessel and let it come to a boil add oil, salt,    Shahi jeera, bay leaf and add basmati rice 

4) Cook the rice till it is 3/4 cooked. Don't cook them fully.

5) Heat non stick wide pan at medium heat. Add layer of marinated chicken, spread it          evenly in pan.

6) Make layer of 70-75% cooked rice on top of the chicken. Make sure some of the water      should come with rice to cook chicken. Don't drain all of the water from the rice.

7) Sprinkle fried onions.

8) Add dissolved saffron strands in milk , then add ghee (optional) and put the lid on to cover pan tightly.

9) First cook it on high for first 4-5 minutes then reduce the flame to low, And cook it for 25 to 30 min and switch off the flame.

10) Never mix the biryani just check it by removing the top layer of rice and check if chicken is cooked properly.

11) Serve hot with coriander as a garnish.

OR

If you want to make Vegetable biryani:

1. Follow the same procedure and marinate all vegetables instead of chicken and keep them in refrigerator for 2-3 hrs.
2. When you heat the pan add 1/2 tablespoon ghee and add rasins and cashews and saute them until raisins get puffed. Then add a marinated vegetables layer then a rice layer.
3. Sprinkle half fried onions, coriander and chopped mint, 1 tablespoon ghee, then make another layer of vegetables then rice and sprinkle fried onion, coriander and mint.
4. Add rest of the ghee on rice and cover with lid and cook for 20 mins until vegetables cooked.
5. Serve hot.

Mango Kulfi

This has been a long awaited post! Mangoes... who says no to mangoes?! No one! My family just loves mangoes and I love to make so many different varieties of food with the use of mangoes. I bought a box of mangoes from Walmart and made mango kulfi for a change. I tried so many times to make kulfi but somehow it was not perfect, but I finally got it right this time. I used mascarpone cheese in my recipe and made another flavor. I will post that soon here. Today I wanted to share this recipe with you all. Hope you will like it and please share your suggestions and tips too!

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 1/2 cup Whipping cream 

1/2 cup Condensed Milk (Eagle Brand)

1/2 cup fresh Mango cut into small pieces

1 slice of whole wheat bread 

Procedure:

1. On medium heat boil whipping cream and condensed milk for 7-8 minutes.
2. Let it cool down at room temperature.
3. Cut the sides of bread and use core of it to make crumbs.
4. Add bread crumbs into milk mixture and whisk.
5. In plastic container pour this mixture and freeze it for at least 3 hours.
6. After 3 hours, take it out and churn it with whisk and add mango pieces.
7. In four small ramekins pour this kulfi mixture equally.
8. Cover these ramekins tightly with plastic wrap and then with aluminium foil so it can freeze perfectly without making any ice crystals.
9. Keep for 8 hours in freezer to chill or over night for best result.
10. At time of serving take them out of freezer and place in warm water container so you can easily serve.

Wrap up your kulfi ramekins :

We have a farm and in the front yard of our house in India we have mango trees and those mangoes are so sweet and heavenly delicious. I was reading one article and this amazing website dragged me there. 

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-health-benefits-of-mangos.html

Our farm house and mango trees!!!!

Calamari & Chipotle Dip

Fifa, Wimbledon, and a lovely summer day... perfect way to get back into normal everyday life!

This was my first attempt at making calamari and according to my family I have succeeded at making it!!
It kind of reminds me of when we went to an awesome beach near our house, in India; it was called Khimeshwar. Such a clean beach and definitely a very peaceful place. I had never been there but me and my family loved it.

Chipotle Dip (Make 1/2 cup)


Directions:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili
Pinch fresh or dried thyme
Pinch ground cumin

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mix well unto a paste consistency is achieved.

Calamari (serves 4):

Calamari

250 grams squids
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
Salt as per taste
1 cup butter milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon rice flour
1 teaspoon all purpose flour
Oil to fry


Procedure:

1. Wash and clean squids properly under water and drain.
2. To absorb extra water place them on paper towel and cover with paper towel too .
3. Heat oil in frying pan or fryer at medium high heat.
4. To prepare batter , add all ingredients in one mixing bowl .
5. Once oil is properly heated, add squids into batter and fry them as single squid ,so they wont stick with each other.
6. Fry them until golden brown and place them on paper towel to absorb excess oil.
7. Serve hot with chipotle sauce and lime. Squeeze lime juice on squid to get extra tangy flavor.

Fruit Cake

I'm finally back to home sweet home!! Missing my parents and all my family members badly:( I can't believe how fast these 2 months have gone by with all love,car,heat,sweat,spicy food and mangoes in India. Summer in India is killer I tell you,so now I would prefer to go in the winter.

I met many street food venders and shopkeepers who were fantastic and kind enough to help me and teach me so many good food tricks. I will share with you soon so don't forget to visit my blog! My dearest mom taught me and give me tones of homemade spices to use here. Oh God...at the age of 76, she is so active and still makes such delicious food. I'm definitely missing my Ma and my wonderful father.

How awesome is it to have a family who loves me like crazy. I am so lucky to have world's best brothers who still love,care and treat me as a small baby! What else do you expect from family...just love love and love. Nothing else.

I'm sharing this yummy recipe with you all, so enjoy! Hope you all will share love and spread love amongst others too and be kind:) Until next time!

Ingredients(serves 6-8):

3/4 cup candied glazed fruit mixed peel

1/2 cup unsalted butter,room temperature

1/2 cups granulated white sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon  pure almond extract

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup ground almonds

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup whole milk

Directions:

1. Preheat over for 350 degrees. Keep oven rack in the center of the oven.
2. In a bowl combine the glazed fruit mix.
3. In separate bowl, whisk the flour,ground almonds,baking powder,salt together.
4. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in separate bowl with hand mixer or stand mixer
5. Add eggs,one at a time,beating well after each edition.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
7. Add almond extract and beat.
8. Add candied peeled and beat until incorporated.
9. Beat in the half flour mixture just until well mixed, then add remaining flour,milk and beat until mixed well.
10. Spray or butter loaf pan (9x5x3)inch.
11. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and decorate the top of the cake with sliced almonds.
12. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
13. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Lychee Shrikhand

Hmmmm, now we're talking... Sweets!! Can't control myself when I see sweets. I am in India right now so I'm surrounded my new sweets and delicacies so I thought that I should share this recipe that I remembered from a couple weeks ago. Hope you all like it!

My daughter asked me to not make any sweets now because it's not healthy :( she loves shrikhand, so why not make a healthy alternative! When I made it and sent her a picture, she said "Mom, I told you to not make anything sweet, now I can't resist."

This is a very easy dish to make.

Traditionally you have to make homemade yogurt and then rest of the preparation would follow, but I tried Greek 0% fat yogurt, which is thick and you can save time as well. Homemade is homemade but if you want to make this dish in less time then this is the best option as per my view.


Ingredients (serves 4-5):

1 pack of greek yogurt(0% fat) or you can use 2% fat (750grams)
1/2 cup icing sugar
8-10 Lychee fresh or Tin pack
2-3 drops of Lychee essence
1-2 teaspoon whipping cream
Muslin cloth


Direction:

1. Hang yogurt in a muslin cloth until all the liquid from the yogurt has drained off. (Approximately 2 hours.) 
2. Dissolve Lychee essence in whipping cream and set aside. 
3. Using fresh lychee or tin, cut into small pieces and add into whipping cream, stir well to cover all lychee pieces.
4. In a  big bowl add the hung yogurt, sugar and whipping cream-lychee mixture.
5. Mix well and transfer to a glass bowl and refrigerate till cold. 
6. Serve with your favorite garnishing and lychee

Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients (makes 50 cookies):

2 cups  butter, softened
1 cup   granulated sugar
3 ¼ cups all purpose flour
½ cup  cornstarch

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until very light in texture, for about 5 minutes.
3. Add sugar and continue beating until sugar is completely combined, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Combine flour and cornstarch in a separate large bowl. Add to butter mixture and mix with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined.
5. Place ball of dough by heaping approximately one tablespoon  on prepared baking sheets 2” (5 cm) apart.  Press down with a fork. 
6. Bake in preheated oven 20 to 25 minutes or until bottoms are lightly golden. Remove cookies from baking sheet and cool on wire racks.

Butter icing

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter  softened at room temperature 
3-4 cups confectioners sugar
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Approximately  4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Few drops of green food color



Directions:

1. Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed.
2.  Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed  until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.
3.  Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. 
4. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. 
5. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.
6. Add food color and fold butter cream with spatula and Mix well.
7. Fill butter cream in piping bag with your favorite tip and decorate cookies.

Step by step procedure:

Whole wheat Dates-Almond Muffins (Eggless)

Any kind of sweet delicacy is my weakness, I know it but still can't stop myself to make an experiments. Today I was trying to make healthier muffins and I have tried my best to make it. So yummy, soft, not too sweet. You can enjoy them with tea, coffee or milk.

I bought almond flour from Costco a couple of weeks ago, so I used it in my recipe. I bought 2 bags, so I think its better to keep them in freezer, so I can use it later throughout year.

Ingredients ( makes 15-16):

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1 tablespoon flax seeds powder
3/8 cup sugar
5 tablespoon dates paste (6-7 dates pitted)
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 tablespoon chopped walnut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F
2. Prepare muffin tray with cupcake liners app. 14-16
3. In a stand mixer or with hand blender whisk oil, vanilla extract in large bowl
4. Add milk and whisk until incorporated
5. Add date paste and mix well at medium speed for 2-3 minutes
6. In a separate bowl mix whole wheat flour, baking soda, almond flour, flax seeds powder and salt and make sure no lumps should be remaining.
7. Add flour mixture in to wet mixture gradually at medium speed for 2-3 minutes until whole batter becomes a pouring-like consistency
8. Add chopped walnuts and fold batter gently
9. Fill muffin cupcake liner 3/4 full and bake them for 40-45 minute or until toothpick  comes out clean from center.

Buttermilk Curry

Common cold is not an illness but you still feel like resting in bed all day and not doing anything. From the past three days, I am suffering from the common cold and fever :( 
I've been using various home remedies but still it takes a couple days to overcome it.
Eucalyptus oil is the best to unplug your nose and relieve you from a cold. Having turmeric in warm milk to control and eliminate cough is also a good way. Let's see how long this lasts... I am very tired of it. 

My mom always makes buttermilk curry when we are having cold and cough. Having a full bowl of  hot buttermilk curry can help you feel better when you have a cold. All kinds of soups and curries can cure flu and cold because it has many spices which are very helpful to kill bacteria and other germs.

Ingredients (serves 5-6):

2 cups yogurt 2%

5 cups water

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1/2 tablespoon garlic paste

2-3 green chilli

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoon gram( chickpea) flour

3 tablespoon jaggery (Gur)

(you can use palm sugar too if jaggery is not available)

Tempering:

2 tablespoon oil

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

pinch of fenugreek seeds

2-3 star anise

1 stick cinnamon stick 2" long

3-4 cloves

2-3 bay leaves

5-6 curry leaves

2 red dry chili

pinch of asafoetida (Hing)

Directions:

1. In big pot whisk yogurt and make it smooth. Add water and whisk it again to make buttermilk
2. Or you can use buttermilk and add water accordingly (2 1/2 cup buttermilk and 4 cups water)
3. Add gram flour in buttermilk and whisk to make it lump free
4. Add salt, lemon juice, green chilli, ginger and garlic paste and mix well
5. On medium heat boil buttermilk and continuous stir . Whey should not be separated if you leave unattended. If whey forms then curry will not be made as we want it and also it will overflow from pot. 
6. Curry should not be cruddle so stir continuously. 
7. Boil it for 15-20 minutes then lower the flame to low medium and let it boil
8. Prepare the tempering.
9. Heat oil in small pot and add cumin seeds , mustard seeds, cloves, curry leaves,cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and asafoetida whole red chilli.
10. Tempered curry and add jaggery.
11. Let it boil for another 10 minutes.
12. Remover pot from flame and garnished with fresh cilantro.
13. Serve hot with rice pulao or khichadi.

Shrimp Corn Chowder

Sunday is always an easy going day in my household, but today me and my daughter both were so busy, packing bags for our trip to India. With lots of excitement and lots of things to get done, it is always convenient to know recipes that are easy to make.

My husband loves shrimp chowder (recipe below), so I tried vegetable corn chowder last week, for myself, and it turned out perfect. Both vegetarians and non vegetarians can enjoy! Hopefully you all like it.

Vegetable Corn Chowder

Ingredients for Shrimp Corn Chowder (serves 2):

1/2 cup parboiled potatoes
1 cup tail off cooked shrimp(frozen) 
1/3 cup onion chopped
1/4 cup celery and carrot chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
Salt as per taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon spring onion for garnishing
1/4 cup corn fresh or frozen
2 tablespoon cream style corn
1 teaspoon butter

Directions:

1. Cut potatoes in small pieces and boil them in salty water until 80% cooked.
2. In a saucepan take oil and heat it at medium flame and add garlic. Saute for 30 seconds and add onion. Saute onion for 1-2 minutes until light brown.
3. Add carrot and celery and saute for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add frozen corn (drain it under warm water so it won't leave more water ) and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and keep the stirred vegetables aside in a small bowl.
6.  In same pan heat butter at medium heat and add all purpose flour and stir well for 30-40 seconds and add whipping cream into flour and stir continuously. Make sure no lumps form.
7. Add stirred vegetables and cream style corn, shrimps, salt and pepper. Stir until incorporated.
8. Add 1-3 tablespoon water is you feel like chowder is bit thick.
9. Serve hot with spring garnishing.

(If you want to make vegetarian chowder, don't add shrimp obviously!)