Hummus - Recipe with white sesame seeds

With spring season upon us, we really feel blessed to notice spring blossoms scattered here and there. Every season has its own way of making its presence felt. If there is strong and cold winter, then there is spring, which comes as a balm to sored souls. Summer, has own way of making its presence felt, being sweltering and hot. And autumn, well, what do I need to add, autumn whenever spelt, it itself creates vague and beautiful pictures, enticing our senses with colorful disposition.

Now come back from that whirlwind trip of seasons, step aside and park yourself in your kitchen, it’s time to cook. Eating with season has become part of our food plans. And it’s not that something, I pre-plan, but then it has become a routine. For that matter, I have never seen my Ma or Ma-in-law making out such plans about eating with season, to them it was all about, what was really available easily in their respective local vegetable markets, and which obviously used to be flooded with all the local produce and in accordance with seasonal fruits and vegetables (I have started a label “Eating with season” keeping in mind the changes, that are good to include for our day-today grocery plans and eating habits. I will try to update that label from time to time.)

It was going like that, until came those leading globe explorer, who with their each expeditions opened up a new world to each one of us. They due to their curiosity, meticulously started exploring new ingredients, new recipes and new cuisines. And with that, came new discoveries about methods, ingredients and exploring other world cuisine.

Hummus a great Mediterranean dip, can be relished throughout a year.Although, served as part of Turkish-style meze platter. You don’t have to wait for a particular season to relish this mouth tingling dip. All you need is cooked and boiled chick peas, and I am sure every Indian home keeps dried chick peas in their pantry. And for those of you, who are always on a tight schedule, you do have pre-cooked chick- pea cans.

But to get that store-bought quality, one has to make it with toasted sesame seeds or better if you can get “Tahini paste”. Now Tahini paste is easily available in middle-eastern stores here in abroad. But in case you can't get Tahini paste easily, you can use toasted white sesame seeds/ “till” as in Hindi. And olive oil can also be replaced with normal sunflower oil, although olive oil is the primary oil used in hummus preparation

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Now to the recipe

Hummus – A Mediterranean dip

Recipe requirements

•  2 cups of cooked chick peas or use 1 pre-cooked chick peas can
• 1 garlic clove
• 4-5 tbs of olive oil
• ¼ tsp of grounded pepper /cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup of Tahini paste or use ½ cup of toasted white sesame seeds
• ½ tsp of black pepper powder
• Salt as per taste
•  2 -3 tsps of lemon juice
• Some more olive oil for garnishing

Method

If you are using dried chick peas. Soak those overnight in water, and next day cook it as usual in a pressure cooker for two whistles. You can even use canned chick –peas as well.

If you can get Tahini Paste easily, go ahead with it. However, if you are getting difficulty in finding one, then, use white sesame seeds. Take white sesame seeds and dry roast them for about 6-8 mints at medium flame or till they turn out slightly golden. Keep an eye on them while roasting them.

In a blender or mixer, add all the ingredients- cooked chick peas, Tahini paste or ( toasted sesame seeds)  lemon juice, grounded pepper , garlic , olive oil, black pepper powder and salt. Blend all, if needed add very little water, just to rotate the mixer blades.

Take out in a bowl, garnish with more olive oil and crushed red chilly flakes. A smooth and delicious dip is ready as a side to many appetizers or roasted vegetables or a typical Turkish style meze. You can garnish with finely chopped parsley as well.

Happy Cooking Friends

Black Eyed Beans Sundal- Lobia Sundal Recipe

I would really like to feel solace in warm weather, as mother nature switches herself into a milder climate over here, and  it’s also first day of Spring/ Vasanta season. Finally spring is here and with that, all those beautiful spring blossoms to lay eyes on. And also to greet us today, a rare sight of partial solar eclipse in UK.It was predicted earlier, but not in sight as of now where we live, as it’s cloudy outside, well then its normal weather up here and a working day also. Even then there are reasons, or may be no reasons to update this blog. Well, it has become a routine for me. And when it becomes a routine, you don’t need reasons to do things even if it’s first day of spring or a day with partial solar eclipse or may be a day in “Chaitra Navaratri “ or a special day like “Ugadhi” and “Gudi –padwa” .And did I mention reasons to update the blog, how predictable , sometimes  , most of the times, I can be.

Sundal is a very traditional stir/fry recipe from south India. There is chick –pea sundal, rajma sundal or moong dal sundal and many more variations on this. Well I am no authority in sundal, but a beginner, and really like simple stir/fry recipes of lentils or legume preparations. And this way of making legumes, lentils is easy for me and to you also. Black eyed beans/ lobia beans are cooked with a mustard seeds + coconut tempering, so the name lobia sundal.Without much exaggerating here , I now jump to write the simple and yet delicious preparation from down South India.

Lobia Sundal – Black eyed Beans Sundal (stir/fry)

Recipe requirements

250 Gms of cooked black eyed beans or 1 pre-packed tin of cooked black eyed peas

½ cup of scraped/grated coconut – desiccated may work as well

For tempering

½ tsp of black mustard seeds

2-3 dry red pepper

½ tsp of salt or as per taste

2-3 tbs of cooking oil

Pinch of hing (asafetida)

 Two handfuls of curry leaves

Method

Cook pre-soaked black eyed beans in a pressure cooker for two whistles. You can use pre-packaged tins of cooked black eyed beans also.

Heat up a pan, add in cooking oil, temper it with mustard seeds, red pepper, and curry leaves and pinch of hing.

Add in desiccated coconut, it would be better to use freshly scraped coconut if you can get it easily.

Now add in cooked black eyed beans, adjust salt .If you wish you can add black pepper powder.

Cover it and let cook for about 10-12 mints at med-low flame.

Your delicious black eyed beans sundal is ready. 

A great snack in these chaitra Navaratri days.

Wish you all a very happy Ugadhi and Gudi-Padwa…Happy Cooking 

Gajar Ki Barfi - a Sweet Recipe with carrots and Happy Holi

It looks like I haven’t updated the blog for a long time. But then today is a special day also, being Holi , a recipe post is compulsory, isn’t.Ok, but before I jump to write the recipe.First,Wish you all a very happy Holi, may the festival of color brightens your life with hope, happiness and prosperity.

As of now, I have some sweets for you all, gajar ki barfi. Carrrots are cooked, with ghee, dry fruits and khoya and then the end product is, you all know how sweets are.Ek baar khao to khate he raho!!

Now to the recipe for gajar ki barfi ….

Gajar ki barfi- A sweet recipe with carrots

Recipe requirements

•  4-5 medium size carrots- make 3 cups of grated carrots roughly
•  1 cup of whole milk
• ½ tsp of cardamom powder
•  Half a tin of condensed milk
•  3-4 tbs of plain flour
• ¼ cup of white poppy seeds
•  ½ cup of sugar or as per taste
• 1 cup of ghee or melted butter
•  1cup of chopped cashews+walnuts

Method

• Wash and clean carrots, grate them with a steel grater /shredder.
• Put a pan on heat, add milk and put the shredded carrots. Let the milk completely dry up. Keep on stir/fry so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Cooking is done at medium flame.
• Now add in chopped and toasted cashews and walnuts pieces. Add in cardamom powder as well.
• In a separate pan, add in butter about 1-2 tbs, and stir/fry the white poppy seeds for about 5-6 mints or till they barely change into light brown in colour.
• When the milk has dried up, add in melted butter or ghee. Allow the time to mix ghee and carrots well.
• Add in condensed milk and keep on stir/fry at medium flame for about 10-12 mints. At this stage the mixture will be runny due to the addition of condensed milk. Allow the milk to dry up.
• Now, add in stir/fried white poppy seeds to the mixture. Keep on stir/fry so that it doesn’t get stick to the base. Add in plain flour. Once you add in plain flour the mixture will start, collecting well. I have used condensed milk+ plain flour in place of khoya (plain flour acts as a good binder to the mixture).If you get or make fresh khoya, and then you can use it as well. Just wanted to add, khoya is also known as mawa in Hindi, and kheer in Bengali.
• When the mixture has started to collect well, leaving the sides of the pan easily, stop cooking it further.
• Now grease a plate with some ghee, and scoop out the mixture over it. With the help of a spoon, flatten the carrot mixture evenly. Allow it to cool. Once it gets cooled, cut it into square barfi.Gajar ki barfi is ready.
• Sprinkle some toasted white poppy seeds all over. They are soft in texture, unlike the usual commercialized other barfi that we get.
• Store in fridge and consume within 3-4 days.

And Have a Very Happy Holi 

Spaghetti Pasta cooked with Prawn, Cherry Tomato and Red Chard Tender leaves

We have liked pasta recipes and it’s not a hidden secret from this blog’s readers like you.Our weekend nights are mostly pasta nights, and in the past I have shared other pasta recipes as well.Today it's spaghetti pasta with prawns, cherry tomato , red chard tender leaves cooked in marinara sauce.

I had spaghetti pasta, and was thinking to use them up soon.As the school half term holidays have started here with this weekend, I have to find ways for making my daughter enjoy her food and also keep her entertained.This spaghetti pasta was well received and appreciated by her today as her lunch.Although I will say ,this still can be cooked for a lazy weekend Valentine night celebrations, in case you don’t fancy, eating out and paying hefty sums.What ever be the occasion, love doesn't need a particular day.Every day is a lovable day, and it’s up to us how we make it beautiful.

I also happened to pick prawns this time, and wanted to make chingri - malaikari, but then thought will use it up in this pasta preparation, so this "Chingri pasta recipe" was ready.I had greens like red chard tender leaves and wild rocket leaves, which also increased the nutrients factor, so as those juicy cherry tomatoes.With all those vegetables and prawns, this spaghetti pasta recipe turned out very delicious.Now to the recipe

Spaghetti pasta cooked with prawn, cherry tomato and red chard in marinara sauce

Recipe requirements

• Half a packet of spaghetti or roughly 250 Gms of spaghetti
• 300 Gms of prawn- head and tail removed
• 1 medium size onion
• 4-5 fat cloves of garlic
• 10-15 cherry tomatoes
• 1 big juicy ripened tomato
•  1 red bell pepper, - sun-dried pepper even better
• 2-3 handfuls of red chard tender leaves
• 1 hand full of rocket leaves

Seasonings

• ¼ tsp of Italian dried herb mix
•  1 small twig of fresh thyme
• ½ tsp of red pepper powder
• 1 tsp of salt or as per taste
• 3-4 tbs of cooking oil/olive oil
•  2-3 heaped tbs of any pasta sauce (skip if using ripened tomato)
• 2 tbs of red wine (optional)

Method

• Heat up a large saucepan filled with water. Let it come to one boil; add in half a tsp of salt to it and few tsp of cooking oil. Add in uncooked spaghetti to it and let it cook for 8-10 mints. Scoop out about a 1 ½ cups of this pasta water and discard rest of water.
• Clean prawns, and take off the head and tail.Marinate this with little salt and keep aside.
• Now heat up a separate cooking pan, add in olive oil, and add in chopped garlic. Let it stir/fry it to get a nice brown colour.Add in chopped onion. Let it stir/fry it for 4-5 mints.
• Add in cherry tomatoes, and red bell pepper. Adjust seasonings with salt and red pepper powder.
• Add in marinated prawns. Add in red chard leaves. I have also used rocket leaves which give a nice peppery flavor.
• Add in the reserved pasta water/starch and pasta sauce to it. You can even use fully ripened tomatoes for the sauce and pureed tomato is even better. Add in red wine if you wish to use, which forms base of the marinara sauce.Add in fresh thyme now.
• Let this sauce cook well on its own juices with cherry tomatoes, prawn, red bell pepper and red chard leaves.
• After about 10 -12 mints, add in cooked spaghetti, toss and mix well.Stop cooking it further.
• At the time of serving, garnish with your preferred cheese and red chilly flakes.

Happy Cooking Friends

Lobia Keema Curry- Black Eyed Beans cooked with Lamb Mince

We saw season’s first snow today, excited? Yes, you can presume as such .And who doesn’t like snow, but then if the snow starts melting, it’s another story altogether.While it’s snowing heavily far across Atlantic Ocean in US, we are happy and contended to get about an inch of snow here.Well, I wouldn’t even dare to think 10 inches of snow, as that would ring an alarm bell for me.As of now, update is, it’s melting away, oh! Things of joy don’t last for ever, it always is short-lived, but the memory that it creates always resonate.

With this cold and grey weather, we really crave to eat some spicy food, and lobia- keema curry is one such dish.As our family struggled with seasonal flu and cough, this hot and spicy preparation was well appreciated by my folks.There is of course a vegetarian version, and that will be to skip lamb mince all together, or may be adding up soya mince- vegetarian option for meat mince.But if you like non-vegetarian meals, then this is very appetizing.You can even make this  curry in bulk and store in batches in fridge, but try to consume within 2-3 days.And trust me, next day , when the flavours are well incorporated, this turns out more flavourful.

Well it does remind of Mexican Chilli, although I haven’t included other vegetables or cheese or kidney beans or pinto beans, in to this curry.This is a spicy preparation, if you are making it for little kids, reduce the red pepper powder.Actually I have used red bird-eyes chili pepper / Thai chili for this preparation, which is considered one fo the hot peppers, so you can guess the hotness of this curry.

Lobia Keema Curry – Black Eyed Beans lamb Mince Curry

Recipe requirements (serves 3-4)

• About 500 Gms of cooked lobia/ black eyed beans or use 1 pre-packed tin of black eye beans
• 500 Gms of lamb mince/ mutton keema

For the gravy

•  1 large tomato
• 2 medium size purple onions
• 3-4 fat pods of garlic
• ½ inch ginger root

For the seasonings

•  ¾ tsp of turmeric powder
• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
•  ¾ tsp of Kashmiri red pepper powder
• 1 heaped tsp of coriander powder
•  ¾ tsp of cumin powder
• 3/4  tsp of cinnamon powder
•  ¾ tsp of nutmeg powder
• ½ tsp of cardamom powder
• 2-3 Red bird’s eye chily slit in between
• Salt as per taste
• Pinch of asafetida
• ¼ cup of cooking oil
• Method

Prepare Black eyed Beans- lobia

• Soak about 2 -3 cups of dry lobia/black eyed beans in ample water for about 6-7 hrs. You can even soak them in warm water for 2-3 hrs in case you are running short of time. Or even use pre- packed tins. I have used approx 2 – 3 cups of cooked lobia for this curry (1 can serves well for 3-4 people). You can even use 2 tins to increase more beans in the curry.
• Now pressure cook  black eyed beans/lobia  for one whistle at high, lower the flame and let it cook further for about 10-12 mints. Open once the pressure subsides. Reserve this for later use.

Now prepare the keema- lamb mince

• Chop finely all the ingredients- onion, ginger, garlic and tomato. If you don’t like chopping then, wet grind those in a mixer adding little bit of cooking oil. I have even added some of the dry masala ingredients while making the onion+ginger+garlic paste, so add turmeric powder, red pepper powder, kashmiri red pepper powder, cumin-coriander powder to make a smooth paste.
• Now heat up a large vessel enough to hold keema, lobia and the gravy. Add in cooking oil. Add in pinch of asafetida, and then add in the prepared masala paste. Add in slit bird eye chili.Adjust salt.
• Now let it stir/fry it further for about 9-10 mints at medium high flame, splash some water if the paste starts to stick on the base. Once the paste has turned dark in color and the oil starts separating out, add in lamb mince.
• Keep on stir/fry the lamb mince for about 10-15 mints. Add in cinnamon powder+nutmeg powder+cardamom powder. You can even use garam masala as well. Splash little water if it tends to become very dry.
• Now add in about 2 cups of lukewarm water and the cooked beans with all the water if any left after pressure cooking it.
• Cover the vessel and let it cook slowly for about 1 hr at low flame. Alternately you can put the entire thing in a pressure cooker. Let one whistle at high and then lower the flame, so that it can cook on it’s own for about 10 mints. Open once the pressure subsides.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Enjoy with rotis or rice. I had it with cooked couscous and cherry –avocado salad.

Note-

Bird eye chilly adds the hotness to this curry, skip it if you do not like very hot and spicy curry.The same recipe goes well with rajma- red kidney beans as well.

Happy Cooking friends