Golden Cauliflowers

The Background: Sometimes steaming vegetables with salt and butter alone can get boring. Broccoli at least has its own color but how do you get a child to eat a white vegetable like cauliflower? Add a little color? That's just what this dish is: Cauliflower and potatoes with a hint of turmeric steamed with some spices to make it "nummy" good.

INGREDIENTS:
3 c. fresh cauliflower florets
1 ½ c. diced potatoes
1 pinch of asafoetida (hing) and whole cumin
Salt to taste
½ tsp. chilly powder
½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 Tbsp. cumin powder
1 large tomato, chopped
1 ½ tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. garam masala
2 – 3 Tbsp. oil
Garnish: Chopped cilantro

METHOD:
• Sauté the asafoetida and whole cumin in oil. Add salt, chilly powder, turmeric
powder and half of the garam masala. Lightly fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add the chopped tomato and sauté for 3 – 4 minutes.
• Add the potatoes and cauliflower florets. Toss for 2 minutes and then add the remaining garam masala, coriander and cumin powder. Mix well. Add a little oil if mix looks very dry.
• Add a tight lid and saute on medium for 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat, cover and let steam-cook until vegetables soften. Stir occasionally and sprinkle a little water if required.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot as a side item with main meal.

A Burst of Summer Soup

The Story: Paneer is Emilie's all time favorite. Palak (Spinach) Paneer is quite a hit because it combines her favorite color with her favorite cheese. I took the popular dish to a different level to make a thick (chowder consistency) soup by replacing the cheese with corn. The sweet yellow globules mixed with the green spinach reminds me of summer.

INGREDIENTS:
½ lb. frozen or fresh corn
1 large bunch of fresh spinach (or 1lb. frozen variety)
1 medium size onion
3-4 pods garlic
1-inch piece ginger
1-inch stick cinnamon
1 medium size tomato
Salt to taste
a pinch of sesame seeds
2 tsp. Sunflower kernel seeds or poppy seeds
½ tsp. sugar
2--3 Tbsp. oil, ghee or butter

Garnish: Heavy cream, grated cheese

METHOD:
• Chop (or thaw) the spinach and boil with very little salt in a saucepan with cover. Cook till soft.
• Let it cool slightly, and then make a semi textured puree in a blender.
• Grind the onion, garlic, tomato and chopped ginger with very little or no water.
Grind the cinnamon sticks, sesame seeds and sunflower kernel seeds into a dry
powder in a coffee grinder. Keep aside.
• In a saucepan, add oil, butter or ghee and fry the ground wet paste of onions, etc.
• Cover the pan and fry on medium heat.
• Stir from time to time till paste becomes drier and brownish-red.
• Add the ground spices (dry) along with the corn. Sprinkly a little water if needed.
• Cover and cook on low heat. When the corn is cooked, add the spinach puree, salt and sugar. Cover and let it simmer for five minutes on medium heat. Carefully open the lid to stir from time to time (it splatters, so be careful).

• Garnish (optional) While it is still warm, sprinkle grated cheese or a little heavy cream on top. Serve with Pita, Baguette or white rice.

Fruit Custard/Pudding

Sweet Memories: I can remember the time when I was a little girl and my grandmother made a special fruit custard for me. I believe Ambrosia couldn't taste any better. It is not surprising that Emilie thinks pudding and custards are the next best thing to ice-cream. Thankfully, she loves fruits too. So I combine the two to make a healthier than the normal sweet treat.

INGREDIENTS:
2 c. whole milk
4 tsp. custard powder or a 4 oz. size of ready pudding mix (any flavor)
4 tsp. sugar (skip this if using ready pudding mix)
½ c. apples, diced or sliced thin
¼ c. orange, peeled (or 1 fruit cup of mandarin orange with liquid drained)
¼ c. banana, diced
¼ c. strawberries, diced
10 small seedless grapes (cut 5 in half if using large grapes)
A pinch of ground cinnamon
A pinch of ground nutmeg

METHOD:
• Boil the milk and add the custard powder and sugar to it. Stir till the consistency thickens. For ready pudding mixes, follow the instructions on the box.
• Remove from heat. Add the cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Stir well and cool down to room temperature. (If using ready pudding mix, skip this step).
• Add the diced pieces of fruit.
• Toss gently and refrigerate until set.
• Garnish with whole strawberries and serve cold.

Spring Medley

The Inspiration: I call this my Spring Medley because this simple roasted vegetable with paneer (or tofu) dish is a burst of colors and flavors. Paneer is a form of simple cheese made out of curdling milk with lime juice or cream of tartar crystals. Tofu is made from soy. They are completely different food groups but very similar in texture and use. The use of tofu makes this a waist-friendly dish. Paneer makes the dish rich for say, a grand party. The recipe is scaled for outdoor parties with lots of servings because it's always a hit.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large white onion

1 large red pepper

1 large green pepper

2 cups of chopped portabella mushroom

1 lb. paneer or extra firm tofu

1 c. fat free plain yogurt

1 Tbsp. Tandoori Spice Mix

Salt to taste

3 Tbsp. canola or olive oil

1 Tbsp. black pepper or red pepper flakes

METHOD:

• Cut the paneer or tofu in long rectangular thick pieces. Mix the tandoori spice, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper with the yogurt in a glass bowl. Marinade the pieces in the yogurt mix overnight or 4 hours at least.
• Cut the onion, bell peppers and mushrooms in long thick strips.
• Spread out the vegetables and the paneer/tofu pieces on a large oven-proof tray. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
• Drizzle or spray the oil on top and toss gently. (Do not add the marinade- the vegetables will give out moisture.
• Roast in a preheated oven at 450F for 20-30minutes. Toss midway and check for doneness. If pieces are starting to overcook or burn, remove and transfer to serving platter.
• Garnish with fresh cut lime wedges. Serve immediately.

Spicy Scrambled Eggs- The Indian Way

Background: If you've ever gotten tired of plain old scrambled eggs give this one a try for your next weekend brunch. Plus, if you don't like bread or have a slightly stale one, then this dish is a surefire way of filling you up without the guilt of too many calories. Emilie stares at sliced bread like it is the worst invention on earth. So I have to disguise it amidst the egg in this dish for her to get a balanced meal. After all this website is inspired by her taste palette.

INGREDIENTS:
1- egg
1/2 c. liquid egg-white or egg beaters
1 slice of whole grain bread
1/4 c. onions, finely chopped
Salt to taste
A pinch of finely chopped garlic (1/2 a clove) or garlic chives
1 tsp. oil or butter
A pinch of black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper or chilli powder
A pinch of turmeric (optional)
1 tsp. finely chopped chives or cilantro

METHOD:
• Dice the bread into little cubes after discarding the edges.
• Beat the egg and the egg whites in a deep bowl with a fork or beater.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the chopped onions till they turn pinkish-brown.
• Add the garlic and egg-mix to the onions. Start scrambling the eggs immediately. Add salt to taste.
• Add the diced bread while the egg is still half cooked and mix well until everything is cooked. Add the cayenne pepper/chilli powder and turmeric. Toss well.
• Serve hot with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of finely chopped chives or cilantro.

Spicy Indo-Tuscan Salad

The Inspiration: Anything pasta and Emilie is all for it. Either that or pizza. Her usual favorites include the regular macaroni and cheese, pesto penne and bowtie pasta with butter, salt and pepper. She also happens to love Indian salads for their tangy and cool fresh taste. So, inspired by an Italian salad, I decided to fuse the pasta with the salad and add a fusion touch to it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. penne or rotini pasta (or a mix)

1 seedless green cucumber (English one)

1 quart of grape-tomatoes, cut in halves

1/2 white onion, thinly sliced

1/2 c. salad dressing (any non-mayo type with onion or garlic)

Salt to taste

Red chilli flakes for garnish

METHOD:

• Boil water in a pasta pot. Add a handful of salt. Drop in the pasta and cook until al dente (firm to the bite).
• Drain the pasta and run cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside in the refrigerator.
• Partly peel the cucumber and slice into half moon shaped pieces.
• Toss the cucumber, tomatoe halves and thinly sliced onion with the pasta.
• Add the salad dressing and toss. Adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Dressing should just coat the ingredients and not be overflowing (remember less is more here).
• Garnish with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Chill in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours or overnight.
• Serve cold.

Orange Lassi "Cheesecake"

The Secret: This dish tastes so much like a cheesecake that I had to call it just that. The secret is that there is NO cheese of any kind in it. It's a soft and sweet cheesecake-like dessert treat that Emilie loves next to the real thing.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. can of plain yogurt (fat free or low fat)
2 cans of sweetened condensed milk
2 oranges (valencia, navel or mandarin)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon powder
Orange zest (from above oranges)
1/4 c. graham cracker (crumbs)
3/4 c. key lime cookie (crumbs)
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Thin slices of orange and lime for garnish
Milk chocolate bar (grated for garnish-optional)

METHOD:

• Line a large strainer with cheesecloth. Pour the yogurt into it and let sit over a bowl overnight in the refrigerator. This helps remove the extra moisture from the yogurt.
• Using a microplane, zest the oranges. Keep the zest aside.
• Peel and devein the orange from the skin and separate out the pulp in a bowl.
• Puree the oranges and the yogurt together in a blender. Do not add any water. Keep aside.
• Mix the graham cracker crumbs, key-lime cookie crumbs with the butter and sugar. Line the bottom of a springfree pan with the cracker mixture. Press firmly. Bake the crust in a 350F oven for 5-7 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, fold in the sweetened condensed milk with the orange-yogurt lassi puree. Add the cinnamon and orange zest to the mix.
• Pour into the prepared crust.
• Bake in a 300F oven for 20-25 minutes or until set.
• Remove and let cool. Chill in the refrigerator.
• Decorate with thin slices of orange, lime and chocolate shavings just before cutting and serving.

Refreshing Cool Relish/Salad

Background: If you have ever tried a simple salad of greens, tomato and onion with a touch of light dressing, you are going to love this one. It's practically fat free and a good filler snack or salad. The basic ingredients are same as in another side item popularly called Raita in India. Raita is salad in a yogurt base. This particular relish has no yogurt but offers a cool, sweet and tingly refreshing taste. My daughter's all time favorite one. It's a great one for summer picnics as well as it has no mayo or yogurt.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cucumber (any type)

1 large tomato (any type)

2 shallots or half a white onion

1 chili or jalapeno (for a spicy kick)

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. sugar

Kosher salt or Rock salt to taste

1 Tbsp. Italian parsley or cilantro

METHOD:

• Peel the skin off the cucumber completely. If it is an English cucumber with no wax on the skin, it is okay to leave the skin on.
• Dice the cucumber into small cube shaped pieces.
• Dice the tomato and the onion/shallots in matching size cubes.
• Throw them all in a bowl and toss with the sugar, salt and lemon juice.
• Chop the chili/jalapeno at the very end (optional) and toss with the salad.
• Garnish with sprinkles of finely chopped parsley or cilantro.
• Cool in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.

Hot and Sour Vegetable Soup

Fun Idea: Have you ever wondered if there is an easy way to increase the fiber content of any broth based soups (like Tom Yum)? Its' simple. Just add some low fat, high-fiber lentils to the soup. The soup is not only healthy but also filling and keeps you satisfied. This particular recipe is taken from a popular South Indian delicacy called Sambhar. The ingredients have been altered slightly to make it an easy fusion dish (without going into the intricacies of the complicated spice mixes). The list of ingredients appears to be large as I throw in all my favorite fiber rich vegetables to enhance the dish. You can choose to add as many or leave out most.

INGREDIENTS:
1 c. split pigeon pea lentil (Toor dal)
½ red onion, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 big carrot, chopped
½ c. cut okra (fresh or frozen)
½ c. eggplant, cubes
½ c. diced potatoes
½ c. celery or bottle gourd (lauki)
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. tamarind paste (or 3 tsp. lemon juice)
1 tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. Bengal gram lentil (Chana dal)
1 tsp. Split black gram lentil (Urad dal)
¼ tsp. coriander seeds
¼ tsp. brown mustard seeds (additional)
1 cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. fenugreek seeds
5-6 dried curry leaves (substitutes: Thyme or Lemongrass)

METHOD:

• Dry roast the last seven ingredients over low heat in a small pan until the lentils appear reddish brown. Cool down and grind the spices into a fine powder (coffee grinder). Set aside.
• Pressure cook or boil the lentil in three times as much water or stock. Cook until the
  lentils are soft. If needed add more water. A pressure cooker is recommended here (one whistle plus 2 mins). Set aside.
• Coat the bottom of a deep stock pot or soup pot with the oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds.
• When the seeds start to crackle and pop, add the onions and sauté till they turn translucent. Then add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender.
• Add the diced carrot, potato, eggplant, okra and celery and stir over medium heat. Follow with salt and the previously ground spice mix. Cover, reduce heat and let the vegetables steam cook in the pot.
• Add the boiled lentils to the spice mixture along with a cup of water. Cook on
  medium heat.
• Dissolve the tamarind paste in a little hot water and add to the boiling soup. Stir
  occasionally and simmer covered on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Serve hot as a hearty soup (with bread or a dollop of sticky rice).

Spicy Chili Soup (Rajmah Curry)

Fun Facts: My dorm mates in graduate school introduced me to the dish called Chili in America. The red kidney beans so typical of this dish, is used in a very similar entree in India called Raajmah. It is a slow-simmered curry of red kidney beans with onion, garlic, ginger and a variety of warm spices. If you fuse the basic main ingredients with some of the aromatic spices, you come up with this vegetarian version. You can always make it non-vegetarian by adding ground meat to it. My daughter eats it only if I call it a soup and hence the nomenclature.

INGREDIENTS:
1½ c. red kidney beans (or 2 cans)
2 - 3 cloves of garlic
½ red onion

1" stick ginger
2 green chillies (for a spicy kick)
1 c. tomato puree
½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 ½ tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. cumin powder

½ tsp. dried-mango powder (Amchur)
A pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
½ tsp. red chilly powder (for the spicy kick)

½ c. cream
¼ c. chopped cilantro leaves
3 - 4 Tbsp. oil

3 c. water or stock

METHOD:
• Soak the lentils overnight if using fresh beans. If using canned lentils, this step is not required.
• Wash the lentils well. Boil in a covered vessel (or pressure cook) until lentils are very
soft. If pressure cooking the lentils, cook on low heat for at least 10 minutes
after one whistle.
• Grind the onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies into a paste with very little water.
• Heat oil and sauté the ground paste with a pinch of sugar. Keep stirring until the paste turns brownish in color.
• Add the tomato puree along with salt, turmeric, coriander, cumin, dried-mango powder and chilly powder. Follow with the boiled lentils and water or stock. Cook covered on low heat for about ten minutes. Stir occasionally. Be careful of splattering.
• Remove from heat and drizzle the cream on top. Garnish with a sprig of fresh cilantro. Serve as a main entree or a hearty soup.

Baba Bharta (Eggplant Dip with a twist)

The Story: While eating dinner at a Middle Eastern friend's place, we learnt about Pita, Hummus and Baba ghannouj (ba-ba gan-oosh). The last item reminded me of a dish we make called Baingan Bharta (Eggplant medley). The resemblance in taste was so similar that I had to try to fuse them together. While the individual recipes vary quite a bit, the taste is unbelievably similar. The magic perhaps lies in the mystery vegetable: Eggplant (aurbergine)...This makes for a great appetizer dip.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large dark eggplant
1 c. red or white onion, chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 - 3 Tbsp. oil or butter
1 tsp. grated ginger (or ginger paste)
1 large tomato, chopped
2 - 3 green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
2 - 3 sprigs of fresh cilantro leaves

METHOD:
• Wash and dry the eggplant. Do not cut off its top crown. Slit into two halves. Sprinkle the pieces with a little oil and salt and place in the broiler with the skin surface facing the broiler. Broil at 450F for about 30 minutes. (Outside skin will be burnt and some water will be expelled in the process). The eggplant is done when the flesh is soft pulpy.
• Remove from the broiler. With a spoon, scoop out the fleshy, soft part of the
eggplant. Throw the burnt skin away. Run the eggplant in a food processor to get a smooth texture.
• In a non-stick pan, add oil and sauté the onion until translucent in color.
• Then add finely chopped garlic and ginger.
• When the paste turns brownish-pink, add the tomato. Sauté on medium to high
heat for about 2 minutes. Then add the green chillies and the roasted eggplant paste.
• Reduce the heat and let simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• If you like a textured dip, then leave it as is. Otherwise, run the mix through the food processor one more time. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and finely chopped cilantro. Serve with Pita, Crackers or Bread.

Spinach and Cheese Soup (Chowder consistency)

The Background: Spinach and other green leaves makes you dream of a salad. In India, people love to cook it and eat it in a soup like format with pieces of homemade cheese called paneer. After telling my daughter not to put random flowers and leaves in her mouth, it was a challenge to ask her to eat spinach in a salad. Imagine the confusion of a little girl! How do you know Mommy, which leaves are good for you? Well, the "Mommy knows" answer didn't satisfy her. So making a "green soup" was a better option (green being her favorite color helped too). Ever notice how kids love foods which have horrific or bold colors?

INGREDIENTS:
1 c. Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese (grated)
1 medium bunch of fresh spinach (or 1 lb. frozen variety)
1 medium size onion
6-7 pods garlic
1-inch piece ginger
1-inch stick cinnamon
2 small tomatoes (roma type)
Salt to taste
a pinch of sesame seeds
¼ tsp. Sunflower kernel seeds (optional)
1 bay leaf
½ c. heavy cream
½ tsp. sugar
2--3 Tbsp. oil, ghee or butter

METHOD:

• Chop the spinach and boil with very little salt until soft. Do not overcook or the spinach will look dull.
• Let it cool slightly, and then puree it in a blender with very little water.
• Grind the onion, garlic, tomatoes and chopped ginger with very little water.
• Grind the cinnamon sticks, sesame seeds and sunflower kernel seeds (optional) into a dry powder in a coffee grinder. Keep aside.
• In a saucepan, add oil, butter or ghee, bay leaf and fry the ground wet paste of onions, etc.
• Cover the pan and fry on medium heat. Stir from time to time till paste becomes drier and brownish-red.
• Add the ground dry powder spices.
• Cover and cook on low heat. When the paste starts to turn a darker color add the spinach puree, heavy cream, salt and sugar. Cover and let it simmer on low for five minutes. Carefully open the lid to stir from time to time (it splatters, so be careful).
• While still warm, sprinkle the grated cheese on top and serve with a slice of baguette or pita bread.

Shrimp Lo Mein- A New Version

My Take: There's nothing like a little noodle dish to perk you up any day. Mine is a simple version using shrimp and vegetables. The ketchup adds a unique sweet tartness to the noodles. It also makes the dish moist and kid friendly. My version is a cross between the traditional Lo Mein and Pad Thai.

INGREDIENTS:
½ c. julienned potato
½ c. julienned carrot
½ c. small cauliflower florets
1 small green pepper, julienne
½ c. green peas
¾ c. julienned red onion
½ c. finely chopped green beans
1 c. small shrimp
Salt to taste
8 oz. egg or plain noodle, uncooked
2 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 ½ tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. Black Bean sauce/paste
3 – 4 Tbsp. oil
3 green chillies, chopped
1 egg, scrambled
1/2 c. finely sliced spring onion or garlic chive

METHOD:
• Boil water in saucepan. Add a little salt, 2-tsp. oil and cook the noodles until they
are al dente (slight bite left to it). Do not overcook. Strain the noodles in a colander.
Do not wash them. Keep aside.
• In a wok or large non-stick fry pan, add the remaining oil. Sauté the shrimp, onion, green beans, carrot, peas, cauliflower, pepper and green chillies with a little salt on high heat. When the vegetables and shrimp are done, add the ketchup and soy sauce. Cover and cook on high heat.
• Add the black bean sauce/paste and mix in the boiled noodles. Saute for a few minutes.
• Remove from heat and add the vinegar. Mix well. Keep covered to preserve the aroma. Garnish with the scrambled egg and finely sliced spring onion or garlic chive.