Katli (Tangy Lentil soup with Lamb Meat and Purslane Leaves)

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

This recipe is like a star on my blog, as it happens to be my husband's favorite daal. He grew up eating it once a week and has a lot of memories of his childhood days and his parents associated with it. Purslane, also called verdolaga in Spanish, is one of the many rare things that are known to be grown only in India (until you luckily stumble upon them at your local grocery store).  I read about these incredible edible leaves on www.tasteofbeirut.com a long time ago. I jumped up in excitement and went to a Spanish Grocery Store and bought a couple bunches of the Purslane and made the Katli right away.  I added some lamb meat to it and tempered with cumin seeds and dry red chillies. It turns out to be super creamy, tangy(a little from the tamarind pulp and a little from the purslane leaves) and absolutely delicious. I had never eaten the Katli while in India and I think I  love it now because of it's additional nutritional value. The Katli provides protein, fiber and vitamins all in one place.

Here's what we are gonna need..,



Ingredients:

Tur Daal( Split pigeon Peas)- 1 cup
Salt- to taste
Red pepper powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Green peppers-2 small
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste-1 tsp
Water-3-4 cups
Tomatoes-3 small
Tamarind pulp-1/4 cup
Purslane leaves-1-2 cups
Lamb meat -1/4 lbs ( cooked until tender along with one small onion, salt, turmeric powder, and red pepper powder and 2 tsps of oil)

For tempering

Oil-1 tbs
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Dry red chillies-1-2

Directions:

1. Pressure cook the pigeon peas along with water, tomatoes, salt, pepper powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste, green pepper and cumin seeds, until well cooked.

2. Turn the pressure cooker off and allow the pressure to settle.

3. Blend the cooked pigeon peas using a hand blender and add the tamarind pulp.

4. Add more water and salt to get the desired consistency and taste.

5. Put in the purslane leaves and the cooked lamb meat on medium heat bring it to a boil while stirring in between.

6. Transfer to a serving bowl.

7.Heat oil in a saute pan and add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle.

8. Put the dry red chillies in and turn off the stove.

9. Wait until the chillies turn dark in color and then carefully pour the tempering onto the soup in the bowl and cover with a lid immediately.

Eggplant Dip

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Cooking food that is quick to make, palatable for children, delicious and attractive to adults can be tricky. So, when I work along these lines, I cook up amazing things and love to share it with you readers, so that you can try it too. This eggplant literally takes minutes to put together. The only thing that takes time is roasting the eggplant over open fire. You may use baby eggplants or the big kind. The bigger ones have to be pricked with a fork and set aside so that all it's bitter juices run out. The smaller ones are not so bitter. I have used the big one. Read on and see for yourself how easy it is.

Ingredients:

Eggplant-1 big( fire roasted, peeled and cooled)
Salt- to taste
Red pepper-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Green peppers-2-3
Tomatoes-1 small
Olive -2-3 tbs

Directions:

1. Heat half of the oil in a pan and fry the peppers and tomatoes.

2. Add all the seasonings and give it a stir and turn the stove off.

3. When the mixture is cooled a bit, use a stick blender and blend together the tomato mixture along with the roasted eggplant to your desired consistency.

4. Transfer to a serving bowl, and drizzle some olive oil and serve with pita bread.

5. Enjoy!

Coconut Milk Mango Smoothie

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

I have been a regular reader of www.vegrecipesofindia.com and love almost all the  recipes there. Lately, I have been in love with the nut milk and coconut milk Dassana, the author uses in place of regular milk. The nut milk and coconut milk has it's own health benefits other than being a great option for vegans and also those who are not tolerant to lactose.

I had bought some mangoes recently and had to let them sit for a couple days to let them ripen more and turn sweeter. Then, I went ahead and made my very own coconut milk for the first time ( Will do a post on it later, as I couldn't even take a single picture while making it) and made a mango smoothie with it. It was the most creamiest with a subtle taste of coconut. You may use canned coconut milk with no preservatives and you would still achieve similar results.

Ingredients:

Mangoes-2, peeled and cut into chunks
Honey-2-3 tbs
Coconut milk-1 cup
Grated coconut-to garnish

Directions:

1. Put the mango chunks, honey and coconut milk into a blender and blend it until all the ingredients are incorporated and become creamy and smooth.

2. Pour into serving glasses.

3. Garnish with grated coconut.

4. Enjoy!

Chaney Ka Saag (Chickpea leaves Curry)

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahmanir Raheem

It is most likely that most of us don't know that we could actually grow our own chickpea plant very easily and eat it's tender leaves. I have so far only cooked them but am soon going to experiment with eating them raw and how about making a "chickpea leaves smoothie" ? And, I just came up with the idea and shall make it and tell you how it tasted:)

Coming back to the curry, I can confidently say my parents have eaten a lot more green leafy vegetables than we have. What I thought as a kid was true that "those" leafy vegetables were only for the adults to eat:) I am now eating it! However,  I am making the kids eat it too., if not in a curry form, it is in a smoothie form for them. This recipe will find it's way into their kitchen tables when they are adults in sha Allah!

Grow your own chickpea plants and cook your own organic greens. The chickpeas sprout and take a week  to ten days depending on the temperature of the place you live in and the sunlight they get. Once the plant reaches a height of 4-5 inches, use a pair of scissors and cut the stems leaving the rest of the plant in place as they will regrow and you can reuse the leaves. Once you cut them, strip the leaves gently and wash them well before cooking. This curry is served best along with plain Indian bread or some white rice.

Ingredients:

Tender Chickpea leaves-4 cups tightly packed
Toor daal-1/4 cup, soaked
Green peppers-2-3
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Dry coconut powder-1 tbs
Garlic-2 cloves
Water-2 cups.
Oil-1-2 tbs
Salt- to taste
Onion-1/2 sliced

Directions:

1. Grind together the green peppers, garlic, cumin seeds and coconut powder coarsely and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a pot and add the onions and fry them briefly.

3. When they turn transluscent, pour in the ground mixture.

4. Add the chickpea leaves along with the toor daal and water.

5. Cook uncovered on high heat until all the water gets absorbed and the daal starts to look soft.

6. Reduce the heat to a medium-low and cook, with the lid on for 5-8 more minutes or until the daal still holds shape and is fully cooked.

7. Turn off the stove and transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy!

Peachy Orange Smoothie

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Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

The good thing about smoothies is that we can get creative and play with different combinations  of fruits and vegetables that are pleasing to the palate and to the eyes. Today, I have used fruits with similar colors and added to it couple, very beneficial ingredients that perked up the taste  a little and added more body to it., ginger and flax seed.

Ingredients:

Peaches-2, pitted
Orange juice-1 cup
Ginger-1 tsp, grated
Honey-as needed
Ground Flax seed-1 tbs

Directions:

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth and frothy.

2. Pour in a tall glass and serve.

3. Enjoy!

Notes: Freeze peaches that have been cut and pitted before blending or, use store- bought frozen peaches in order to achieve the perfect thick and frothy consistency.

Pretty Pink Yogurt Drink ( Beet Lassi)

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

I love pink and I love lassi (Yogurt drink). But, I also like it savory than sweet. So, I got creative and added my beet juice to my savory lassi and made this gorgeous pink drink. It is a perfect cooling drink after a spicy meal to cool off the heat. You may also serve it by itself on a hot afternoon and you will make people happy pink:)

Ingredients:

Yogurt-2 cups
Water-1 cup
Salt- to taste
Freshly ground ginger-garlic paste-1/2 tsp
Fresh cilantro leaves -to garnish
Beet juice-2 tbs

Directions:

1. Blend together the yogurt, water, salt,and ginger-garlic paste and the beet juice
until well blended and frothy.

2. Pour into a serving glass and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

3. Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Chicken With Pan Roasted Potatoes- A guest Post!

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem


Blogging has been interesting in so many ways for me. Other than sharing my recipes and reading some lovely responses, I have made friendships with some amazing people. Today, I will be introducing you to an amazing blogger, Rafeeda who blogs at www.http://sweettoothraf.blogspot.com as she has given me the honor to do a guest post for her. I love her simple and her straight-from-heart style of writing and am impressed by her dedication to her blog. Hop over here and check out my recipe for this Oven Roasted Chicken with Pan Roasted Potatoes and discover for yourself Rafeeda's recipes.

Pink Whipped Cream Frosting

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

I prefer using whipped cream as a frosting for my cakes, as opposed to the butter cream frosting. It feels more light and airy and is not as heavy as the butter cream one. Also I could use a small amount of sugar when using whipped cream than in the one with butter.  However, the kiddos were not happy with white frosting and wanted to see some colors. My new discovery of beet based color led me to make use of it in my frosting too.

This is just the way a slice of my cake looked with the pretty pink frosting:)

Ingredients:

Heavy whipping cream-1quart
Beet Juice-2-3 tbs
Essence- Rose
Organic Sugar( powdered)-1/2 cup

Directions:

1. Use an electric whisk or a standing mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk the whipping cream until it develops stiff peaks.

2. Add powdered sugar to whipped cream and run the whisk until the sugar gets incorporated.

3. Turn the mixer off and pour in the beet juice and mix well until you get the desired shade of pink or a deep red.

4. Use the whipped cream to frost your cake and enjoy!

Notes:

1. You may add any flavoring or essence you have added to your cake batter.

2. A small amount of the beet juice goes a long way. Use a tiny bit at a time and use more as needed.

Beet Milk

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

I have now found the healthiest way to color my milk, whipped cream topping, icings red and pink (for now), without using the store bough,t hard to understand chemicals and sugar laden colors. And I did it by using beet juice. I cut up the beets, boiled them, puréed and strained them using a fine strainer. I have used the beet juice to color my milk and color the frosting for cakes. The recipe for the cake will be shared in a later post. For now, read on to see how I colored my milk:)

Ingredients:

For the beet juice


Beets-2 small sized,cubed
Water2 cups

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan with a lid, add the cubed beets along with the water and bring to a rolling boil.

2. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for ten minutes.

3. Turn off the stove and use a stick blender and purée the beets until smooth and creamy.

4. Use a fine strainer and pour the beet puree and let all the juice drip out.

5. Save the juice in a cup and use it as your heart desires. Remember to use a tiny bit at a time as a little goes a long way:)

For the milk,

Milk-4-6 oz, chilled
Honey-to taste
Beet juice-2-3 tbs

Directions:


1. In a tall serving  cup, pour the chilled milk.

2. Add honey and stir well.

3. Pour in the beet juice and stir once again until you get the desired color.

4. Enjoy!

Sabut Masoor (Whole Brown lentils)

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Brown lentils are rich in fiber, iron and protein. They get cooked very fast and you can make it to suit your liking. Add a little extra water and make it soupy and slurp it by itself or serve it with rice on the side. You might want to add lesser water and make it less soupy and sere it with some homemade bread. Possibilities are endless but one thing is for sure, you will get hooked to it rightaway and will be making it again and again. These lentils offer you a meaty-flavored dish without the meat.


Ingredients:

Brown lentils-1 1/2 cups,
Water-4 plus cups
Salt-to taste
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Red pepper powder-1 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Coriander powder-1 tsp
Whole black cardamom-2
Whole pepper corns-1 tsp
Cinnamon sticks-1 piece
Cloves-5-6
Onions-1/2, sliced
Tomatoes-2 medium

For tempering

Oil-as neded
Cilantro-for garnishing
Oninons-1/2. sliced


Directions:

1. In a large pot, pour water, add the lentils and all the ingredients and bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a medium and cook until soft yet still inside the cover.

2. Stir them up when done and adjust the seasonings if needed and transfer them to a serving bowl.

3. Heat oil in a saute pan, and saute the onions until they turn golden brown and crispy.

4. Pour the tempering onto the cooked lentils and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

5. Enjoy!