Falafal

Falafel is a fried ball or patty made from spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas. It is a popular form of fast food in the Arab World.Falafel is usually served in pita bread, either inside the pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flat pita. In many countries falafel is a popular street food or fast food.

I had eaten Falafel in Netherlands and felt in love with it. The balls are filled with herbs and chickpeas and gives a unique flavor to the fried balls. This recipe is very healthy as I have baked the falafel balls and served them with whole wheat pita bread and the sauce is made of non fat yogurt mixed with mint and coriander chutney.

Ingredients:

To make Falafel balls

1 1/2 cup chick peas (soaked in water overnight or a min of 4 hrs)
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
1 medium sized onion chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp wole wheat flour
1 tsp green chili paste (adjust according to taste)
Olive oil to brush the falalfel balls

To serve:
4 Whole wheat Pita bread
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 cup lettuce leaves chopped
1 cup non fat yogurt mixed with 2 spoons of mint and coriander chutney
1 cup mint and coriander chutney

Method:
In a mixer or food processor add all the ingredients to make the falafel balls. Pulse or grind the mixture well so that the chick peas are minced into a crumbly paste and all the ingredients are mixed well with each other. Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and make small golf size balls of the chick pea mixture and line them on a pre greased baking sheet. Make the remaining balls and place on the baking sheet. Once done, brush the balls with olive oil and bake them for 20 mins in a 375 degree F oven till they are golden brown in color.

To serve warm the pita bread and cut open the top of the pita bread and place 4-5 baked falafel ball in the pita bread. Place the yogurt dip, chuntey, onions and lettuce on a serving tray along side the falafel and serve. Each individual can make their own dressing by adding the serving ingredients as necessary.

Cheese Rolls

Diwali is just 4 days away and with the amount of guests that come home during this time; I am always looking for more and more snack recipe so that you are not spending too much time in the kitchen preparing the goodies to be served and at the same time the snacks are not repetitive.

Cheese Rolls is a quick and easy recipe which can be prepared ahead of time and need to be baked 20 mins before your guestes arrive.

Cheese Rolls is a healthy dish which can served as party or finger food as well.

Ingredients:

4 phyllo dough sheets
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese diced
1 cup corn
2-3 spring onions chopped
2 green chilies finely chopped
2 tsp soya sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

In a pan, heat oil and add the chopped garlic, green chilies and spring onions to the pan. Add corn to the pan and mix well. Add soya sauce, salt and pepper along with the coriander to the pan and let it cook for 5 mins. Remove the pan from the burner and add the diced mozarella cheese to the pan and mix well.

Line the 4 phyllo sheets one on the other on a flat surface and cut the sheets with the help of a knife to a about 5-7 inch size pieces. Add the filling to each sheet and roll them over in the form of spring rolls. Seal the edges with the help of water and transfer to a baking sheet (greased with olive oil). At this step you can either keep it refrigerated or bake it in the oven for 15 - 20 mins till the phyllo gets a golden brown color.

Serve hot with coriander and mint chutney.

Tastes divine and heavenly!!!!!!

Mixed Kadai Vegetables

I was pretty bored with the regular veggies that I normally make and needed to try something different and I was going through my blog to see what else I can make for a side that I have not eaten before and can be made in no time; that's when the idea of Kadai vegetable clicked. The recipe is very simple, includes tofu as well as paneer, and loads of other veggies like carrot, onion,potatoes, peas and taste sinfully awesome. To add more flavor and taste to the veggies, I havae baked the vegetables in the oven with little bit of salt and olive oil for around 15- 20 mins, and this adds so much flavor and bite to the veggies.


Ingredients:

1 large onion thinly sliced
1 medium sized potatoes
1 carrot thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra firm tofu sliced
1/2 cup paneer sliced
1/2 cup peas
1 can of crushed tomatoes or 4-5 tomatoes blended into a puree
1 bay leaf
1 clove
1 cinnamon stick
2 dried red chilies
1 tsp dried coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
2-3 green chilies
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chili powder
1 table spoon dried fenugreek leaves
1 table spoon coriander leaves (chopped)
1 table spoon lemon juice
salt to taste
2 table spoons olive oil or cooking oil

Method:

Take a baking sheet and line all the vegetables (onion, potatoes, carrot, tofu,paneer)on the sheet. Add olive oil and salt to the vegetables and mix well. Bake the vegetables in the oven at 400 degree F for 15- 20 minutes till the veggies are half cooked and they have a slight color to it.

In a large wok or kadai, heat oil and add bay leaf, clove, and cinnamon to it. Now add coriander seeds, cumin seeds and dried red chilies to the pan and let it cook till the oil is fragrant with all the flavors. Add ginger and garlic to the pan along with the tomatoes and let it cook for 10 mins. Add turmeric, red chili powder and salt to the wok. Remove the veggies from the oven and transfer all the veggies to the wok, add peas to the pan as well and mix all the ingredients well and let it cook till all the vegetables are cooked.

Turn off the heat, add lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves to the wok, mix well and serve hot with parantha or roti.

Veggie Wontons

A wonton (also spelled wantan, wanton, or wuntun in transcription from Cantonese; the Mandarin pronunciation is hundun) is a type of dumpling commonly found in a number of Chinese cuisines.

The most versatile shape is a simple right triangle, made by bringing two opposite corners together to fold the square in half. Its flat profile allows it to be pan-fried like a potsticker, as well as boiled or deep-fried.

I have always loved the fried wontons that we get at the various restaurants and was surfing the grocery store the other day and found these wonton wrappers and thought of giving myself a treat by making Veggie Wontons. I fried the Wontons but I am sure they would taste equally good when baked as well.

To make a wonton, spread a single wrapper square across the palm of one hand, place a small clump of filling in the center, and seal the wonton into the desired shape by compressing the wrapper's edges together with the fingers. Adhesion may be improved by moistening the wrapper's inner edges, typically by dipping one's fingertip into plain water and running it across the dry dough to dissolve the extra flour. As part of the sealing process, air should be "burped" out of the interior to avoid rupturing the wonton from internal pressure when cooked.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

12- 15 wonton wrappers
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
2 table spoons shredded carrot
2-3 spring onions chopped along with the greens
1 table spoon soy sauce
1 table spoon chili sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 table spoon olive oil
Oil for frying
Chili Sauce to Serve

To make the filling:

Heat oil in a pan; add the spring onions, cabbage and carrot to the pan and let it cook for for 5 minutes till the veggies are tender. Now add soy sauce, chili sauce , salt and pepper to the pan and toss all the ingredients well. Let it cook for another 2-3 minutes. Turn off the gas and let the mix cool.

Take one wonton wrapper, add 1/2 spoon of the cooled veggie mixture in the middle of the wonton wrapper, apply water to all the 4 sides of the wrapper and fold the wrapper in the traingle shape first and then bring the two ends of the folded wrapper together. Repeat the steps to make the remaining wonton wrappers.

Heat oil in a large pot and fry the wontons till golden brown.

Serve hot with chili sauce!!!!!!!!! Yum!!!!!!!!




I am sending this recipe to Hima for her event Sunday Snacks with the theme bake it.



I am also sending this recipe to Easy Crafts for her event WYF - Party Food

Tomato Soup with toasted vegetable Sandwich

“Soup” – the name taken reminds us of cool winter and our cozy house with warm blankets wrapped all across. Tomato Soup with vegetable sandwich is a hearty soup which can be eaten any time during the year and is loved by one and all. To add to the Oomph factor add some oven baked croutons and we are good to go.

Here is the recipe for the Tomato Soup:

1 can tomato (diced or pureed)
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
2-3 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
2 tsp olive oil
2 cups water
3-4 sprigs of coriander leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter to add to the soup

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaf to it. Let it simmer for 2 minutes till the oil is fragrant with bay leaf and add garlic and onion to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes along with the juice, coriander leaves and water to the pan and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the burner and allow the thick soup to cool down completely. Once cooled remove the bay leaf and blend the soup in the blender till all the tomatoes pieces have broken down and have blended with the soup.

Transfer the blended mixture to the pan again and let it come to a boil. Serve it in a large soup bowl. Add some butter to the soup and serve hot with toasted vegetable sandwich.
The coriander leaves add a lot of flavor and aroma to the tomato soup. This recipe goes to Siri's and Dee's event Herb Mania