.....From My Palate

Appetizers/Snacks

Spicy Corn Salsa – Chipotle Style

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No friends, I am not after Chipotle’s business. In fact Chipotle Mexican Grill is my all time favorite eating place. I like their food, it’s fresh, combination of flavors (zesty, tangy, crunchy) and suitable for my both palate and pocket. Most of the time my pick is Veg Burrito Bowl. Rice, beans, onion peppers, tomato salsa and “spicy corn salsa”  that gives the whole thing a spicy crunch. Its fresh and yellow kernels gives extra flavor and a crunch in a mouth.

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Spicy Corn Salsa – Chipotle Style
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 4 fresh corn ears or 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
  • 2 medium Poblano Chile pepper
  • 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 cup. Cilantro, chopped
  • 4 tbsp. Red Onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice
  • Salt/Pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven at 450 degree F.
  2. Place corn and poblano peppers on the baking sheet.
  3. Combine olive oil with salt and ground black pepper.
  4. Drizzle the seasoned oil over the corn and poblano peppers.
  5. Roast corn and poblano peppers in oven for 15-20 minutes.
  6. Remove and discard charred skin from poblano peppers.
  7. Dice poblano pepper flesh and place in a mixing bowl.
  8. If you are using fresh corn, cut the corn off the cob.
  9. Mix the corn, cilantro, jelopeno, onion, lime juice in the mixing bowl with the poblano pepper.
  10. Stir and season with salt and pepper.
  11. Serve fresh.

Mathari – Indian Salted Crackers

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Mathari is a popular snack in north India. These deep fried Indian crackers mostly served with mango pickle. In the time, when snack defines varieties of cookies, cakes and other processed and packaged food. Traditionally in India snack is a food, cooked with the things easily available at home. Shakarpare, Mithi Mathari, Chivda, Besan ke Sev are the name of the few snacks in the list. Mathari is popular because it is easy to store for longer period. It’s salty, crunchy taste with spicy sour pickle tingles your taste bud in to instant action. Even now mathris are the must item on many festivals. Holi, Karwachauth, Diwali just to name a few.

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups Maida (All-Purpose Flour)
  • 1/2 cup Atta (Whole Wheat Flour)
  • 1/4 cup Sooji (Semolina)
  • 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ajwain (Carom Seeds)
  • 1 tablespoon Kasuri Methi (Fenugreek Leaves) , dried & crushed
  • 4 tablespoons Oil
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm Water (use as needed)
  • Oil to fry(You can add crushed black pepper, red pepper pd, anardana pd for masala Mathari)

Method

  • Take all-purpose flour in big bowl.
  • Add whole wheat flour, sooji, ajwain, kasuri methi, salt and oil. Mix it well.
  • Knead it into a stiff dough with a help of lukewarm water little at a time.
  • Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
  • Knead it slightly and make small balls from the dough.
  • Roll the balls into small thick rounds and prick them with a fork all around, so they will not puff up while frying.
  • Heat oil in a deep pan and fry mathris in small batches on low heat.(first add them on medium heat and after few seconds lower the flame).
  • Fry till they become golden in color, drain on a kitchen towel when done.
  • Serve with mango pickle when cooled.

Asparagus Crescent Rolls

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My son loves Crescent Rolls and tubes of Pillsbury Quick Crescent Rolls are the necessary item in my refrigerator. Like other kids of his age he is also not so crazy about greens. And now even become hesitant in trying out new things. So one lazy Sunday evening I decided to make his favourite crescent rolls with a little tweak. I added these asparagus with cheese while rolling out crescent shape and served warm to my son with a winner smile on my face.

Ingredients

  • Tube of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
  • Asparagus Spears trimmed and washed
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Olive Oil
  • Grated Cheese

Method

  • Pre-Heat oven to 375F.
  • Toss Asparagus with oil, salt and pepper.
  • Unroll the Pillsbury Dough and separate in to triangles.
  • Place seasoned asparagus spears on narrow side of the triangle.
  • Sprinkle cheese and roll up according to the instruction in to Crescent shape.
  • Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  •  Serve warm.

June is a month of celebration for us. And it started from 2nd June (yesterday) with my Hubby Dear B’day. We had a nice evening yesterday and personally I had a busy day. I will share my recipes in coming posts for now pictures straight from my party table.

Holi Hai!!!!

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Its already Late so without any further delay, I’m posting my recipes for Dear Purva’s event – “Holi Hai !!”

Thank U Purva for hosting this colorful event. Looking forward for colorful round-up.


GUJIYA

For Filling

Ingredients

  • 1 tin Evaporated Milk
  • 1/4 cup Sooji (Semolina )
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Coconut, grated
  • 2 tbsp Almonds, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Cashew Nuts, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Raisins
  • ¼ tsp Green Cardamom Powder

Method

  • Roast sooji on medium flame till it changes color.
  • Mix in all the other ingredients for the filling.
  • Cook on medium / slow flame, stirring occasionally, till the mixture is dry.

For Dough

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Maida (All-Purpose Flour)
  • 4 tbsp Oil
  • Oil for frying
  • Water

Method

  • Rub oil into maida. Add water and make into stiff dough.
  • Knead the dough till pliable. Keep aside covered for 10-15 minutes.
  • Knead dough once again. Divide the dough in to small balls.
  • Roll each ball into a flat round like a thin puri.
  • Place one tbsp of the filling. Fold over and shape into gujiya sealing the edges with little water.
  • Deep fry in hot oil till golden brown.

TIP-To seal, you can use gujiya mould or press with ends of a fork or simply twist with hand.


CHIVDA

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Thin Poha
  • Roasted – Peanuts, Almonds, Cashew nuts, Coconut slices, Pinenuts
  • Raisins (all nuts- to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
  • Few Curry Leaves
  • 1/2 tsp Haldi (Turmeric Powder)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Sugar
  • Amchoor Pd/salt/Kala Namak (to taste)
  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • Oil to fry
  • Red chili/green chilies – to taste

Method

  • Fry poha in a hot oil (It will puff as soon as you put it in a oil). Be careful as it splutter lot of oil.
  • Keep it aside to cool down.
  • Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. when it start to crackle add curry leaves, turmeric pd, chilies.
  • Add all the nuts, sugar, salt, amchoor pd and kalanamak.
  • Add fried poha and mix it well.
  • When poha is all even colored taste it and add what ever is needed.
  • Crispy Crunchy snack is ready.

This recipe goes to Event- Lets go nuts with almonds hosted by Tasty Treats <
Thank you.

My Holi 2009

Namkeen Jave and an Award…..

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Namkeen Jave

Jave (as we call it in U.P) is a kind of vermicelli with a difference that, these are Home+Hand made with whole wheat flour mixed with all-purpose flour. My Grandmother, mother and sometimes my aunts also sit and chat in the afternoon while their hands are busy in twisting and making these delicious Jave. It seems really easy when u see them doing it without paying much attention how their fingers are moving, but when I tried then i know its really tricky to make them long and thin like angel hair pasta.
This recipe is really common at my home. When ur in hurry this recipe is really handy.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Roasted Jave (vermicelli)
  • 1/2 cup peas (add any vegetable of ur choice, but i like it just with peas.)
  • 1 Green Chili, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Pd
  • 1/2 tsp Coriander Pd
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Salt

Method

  • Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Let them crackle.
  • Add turmeric and coriander pd. Stir for few seconds
  • Add green chilli and peas.
  • Add Jave, salt and 2 1/2 cups of water.
  • Cover it and cook till peas and jave are cooked to Al dante (I want to use the term with our Indian Pasta).
  • There should be no water in it.
  • Serve it with a dash of desi ghee and chat masala.

(I use to add ketchup and Little bit of sugar, and still like it that way)

One more recipe from U.P.

I have two good news to share with my friends.

Thank U PURVA —purvasdaawat for passing me this lovely and my first award “Butterfly Award”. Thank u very much Purva.

The rules of the award are:-
Put the logo on your blog. Add a link to the person who awarded you. Nominate 10 other blogs Add links to those blogs on yours, and leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.
So I’m passing this Award to———

Vijaya of http://dailymeals.blogspot.com/
Rashmi of http://delhibelle.blogspot.com/
Sia of http://www.monsoonspice.com/
Priti of http://indiankhanna.blogspot.com/
Deesha of http://vegetableplatter.blogspot.com/
Raj V of http://rakskitchen.blogspot.com/
Hima of http://snackorama.blogspot.com/
Swati of http://chatkhor.blogspot.com/
Sagari of http://indianhomefood.blogspot.com/
Ramya of http://nalapagam.blogspot.com/

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL.

Now comes the second news……Guess what, I’m going to India yayyyyy……I’m so happy but the sad part is I’m going to miss all delicious recipes, events and above all my friends.

Happy Diwali and very happy new year to all.

Baked Gobi Manchurian

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Baked Gobi Manchurian

  • 1 medium. Cauliflower clean and broken into big florets
  • 1 small piece of Ginger finely chopped
  • 4 pods of Garlic finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp. Corn flour
  • 2tbsp Shan BBQ Mix

For The Sauce:-

  • 1 small Onion chopped
  •  1 small Green Pepper cut in cubes
  •  2tbsp Oil
  •  2tbsp Tomato Sauce
  •  2tbsp Soy Sauce
  •  Salt To Taste.
  •  1tbsp  Corn Flour
  •  Garlic chopped to taste
  •  Ginger Chopped to taste
  •  Spring onions chopped

Method

  • Boil big pot of water with salt, soak florets in boiling water for 5 minutes.

  • Drain, and pat dry on kitchen towel.
  • Mix the remaining ingredients and make a batter little thick in consistency.(mine was little thin by mistake and took lot more time in baking)
  • Mix florets in a batter, and transfer it in a baking dish

  • Bake it in a very hot oven at 400 F for 15 minutes.
  • Turn and toss the florets in between for even baking

  • This is how it looked after baking.

(Frying give that extra taste and crispness but baking gives guilt free eating)

For the Sauce-

  • Heat oil in a stir fry pan and add ginger, garlic, crushed red chili, fry for 30 seconds.
  • Now add onion ,pepper and tomato sauce.
  • Stir fry for 2 minutes. (use water if needed)
  • Add soy sauce, salt & corn flour mixed with a cup of water.
  • Simmer till thick.
  • Add baked Cauliflower & toss till well coated.
  • Serve hot garnished with spring onion.


OOPSS….CAN’T RESIST………..

This Recipe goes to Dear Hima of SnackORama event Sunday Snacks.

Thanks for making our Sundays special and colourful.

The baked Gobi Manchurian also goes to Dear Divya of Dil se to participate in Diet Food Event.

Thanks For Hosting beautiful events.

Summer Rolls With Ginger Chilli Sauce

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Summer Rolls

My Husband has a soft corner for Japanese Cuisine. So knowing his choice, planning his birthday was really easy for me. I’m sharing some of the recipes I made for him on his Birthday. I tried them for the first time, so was equally excited and tensed. He was happy but more than that, was surprised.
I want to take an opportunity and thank “Vegetarian Times” for helping me with the recipes. It a great magazine for vegetarians.

Ingredients

  • Rice Paper Wrappers
  • Carrots, shredded
  • Green Onions, chopped
  • Pepper, finely chopped
  • Mint Leaves, chopped
  • Cilantro Leaves, chopped

Method

  • Mix all the vegetables in a bowl.
  • Dip wrapper in a warm water for few seconds or until it become soft.
  • Place on a paper towel and blot all the excess water.
  • Place 2 tbsp of vegetables on bottom of wrapper.
  • Roll, fold in sides and continue rolling like a spring rolls.
  • Repeat with remaining wrappers any no. u want.
  • Cover and chill up to an hour.
  • Slice each roll in half diagonally and serve with ur choice of dipping sauce.