I heart Aloo Paratha (Potato stuffed bread)

Aloo Paratha is the ultimate comfort food that is actually healthy. It is made with potatoes and spices stuffed together in a wheat bread. This is a feel good all over kind of a food. Tantalize your taste buds with this gem of an item which is usually cooked in Punjab, India. Aloo Paratha can be enjoyed by itself, with some Green tea , soy yogurt or a pickle. Traditionally Aloo Parathas have a round shape, but I took the liberty to create some Aloo Paratha hearts. :)

Ingredients

For the Dough:
2 cups of Whole Wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water or as needed to make the dough firm yet soft.
Mix the Dough, water and salt and knead them until all the ingredients are mixed well and becomes a smooth round ball.

For the Potato stuffing:
3 large potatoes cooked and peeled
2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon coriander leaves
1/2 lime
1 teaspoon Garam Masala (optional)
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon grated jalopeno pepper
Mix together all the ingredients and mash the potatoes. Make 10 balls out of the potato mixture.

1. Form 10 balls out of the wheat dough.
2. Roll out 1 ball of wheat dough with a roller pin 6 inchs in height and width.
3. Add the potato mixture to the rolled out dough and bring the edges all together to form a dumpling. You are basically sealing the stuffing with the dough.
4. Grease the surface with oil that you will be rolling the dough upon. Make sure this is a smooth surface.
5. Roll out the dumpling and make it look like a circle that is about 6 inches in width and length.
6. If you wish, you may cut out the rolled out bread and stuffing with a cookie cutter to give the paratha any shape that you desire.
7. Take the rolled out Parantha(potato stuffed bread) and place it in a heated pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
8. Allow it to cook for 2 minutes on medium heat until it is red. Now flip it over and cook again for 2 minutes until it is red and crispy.
9. Serve the Parathas with soy yogurt or pickles.
Voila! Hot, crispy and spicy Aloo paratha!

Wild about Quinoa

This spicy Quinoa recipe is a fusion dish. Quinoa is originally a South American grain that is round in shape and looks and tastes very exotic. This is a spicy, fragrant and healthy version of Quinoa. Loaded with summer vegetables, spices and protein, this is the ultimate dish for the "healthy" eaters.

Ingredients

3 Cups Quinoa
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoon of chopped Coriander
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1/2 lime
1 teaspoon grated jalopeno pepper
2-4 mid sized tomatos (use as many as desired, I used 4 tomatos.)
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 red onion chopped
4 cups of these veggies: Pea pods, green pepper, yellow pepper, red pepper, cauliflower, zuchhini and purple cabbage.

Directions

1. Cook the Quinoa in a pressure cooker. If you don't have a cooker you may boil it in water until it is cooked.
2. Place 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil in a heated pan and add cumin. Allow Cumin to crackle and add the red onion, ginger, cumin power, garlic and Jalopeno. After 4 minutes, add the diced tomatos and make a nice thick gravy by letting the tomatos cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the 4 cups of veggies to the pan and mix well.
4. After 2 minutes, add Quinoa, salt and lime juice. Mix well.
5. Garnish with Coriander.

Woo hoo!!!! Healthy and delicious Quinoa plate for your palate. :)

Sultry Sabudana Khitchdi (Sago Pearls)

Sabudana Khitchdi is one of my favorite foods. It is cooked in Gujarat, India as a fasting dish and as a breakfast dish. Once hard Sabudana or Sago Pearls become soft and spongy after cooked. When you mix potatoes and Sabudana together, it is like the ultimate comfort food union. :)Spongy, spicy, sticky, crunchy and most of all yummilicious!
Ingredients
1 cup Sabudana (Sago pearls)
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 medium sized Potato
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon coriander leaves
3-4 curry leaves
1 small Jalopeno pepper diced
2 tablespoon roasted and crushed peanuts
1/2 lime

Directions
1. Soak Sabudana in water for about 2-3 hours.
2. Chop the potatoes in cubes 1 cm in width andlength.
3. Place the Olive oil in a heated pan and put Cumin seeds, Jalopeno peppers, curry leaves and peanuts.
4. Add chopped potatoes to the pan and let it cook for 4-5 minutes. Continue to stir.
5. Add Sabudana to the pan and mix well. Cook for about 7 minutes.
6. Garnish with Coriander and Lime juice.

Locating Ethnic grocers

I am going to be including recipes from across the globe in this blog. A bulk of recipes are Indian, so I am listing a website where you can locate an Indian grocer nearest you. :)

http://www.diggsamachar.com/grocery/grocery.htm


If you wish to order groceries online here is the website link:

http://www.indianblend.com/

Mango Tango Ice cream

This is one of my favorite desserts. Easy to make and yummilicious!
Ingredients
2 cup Mango puree (either from a can or 4 peeled and chopped sweet mangoes)
1 pint of Purely Decadent Coconut milk Ice cream (Coconut flavor or Vanilla flavor) (Available at your local health food store: Whole Foods).

Directions
1. Place the Mango puree and the Ice cream in a blender until it is completely mixed.
2. Place the mixture in freezer and serve with raspberries or sliced almonds.
Ooey gooey goodness! What is great about this recipe is that I rarely see Mango Ice cream flavor in the grocery stores and its wonderful to just make this easy mixture and relish in Mango Tango goodness. :)

Khandvi

Khandvi is a Gujarati breakfast dish that is made from chickpea flour (Protein) and soy yogurt. Khandvi is easy to make and is healthy and delicious.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chick pea flour
1 cup soy yogurt
Salt To Taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp Oil

For seasoning:

2 tsp Oil
1 tsp Sesame seeds
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Coconut scraped
1 tbsp Coriander finely chopped
1/2 tsp asafoetida
2 green chillies finely chopped
1 stalk curry leaves

Directions

• Mix water, soy yogurt, flour, salt and turmeric to form a batter. Heat oil in a heavy pan, add batter.
• Stir vigorously and evenly to avoid lump formation. Cook till the mixture does not taste raw, stirring continuously. When done (about 7-8 minutes), pour a ladleful in a large plate.
• Spread as thin as possible with the back of a large flat spoon. Use circular outward movements as for dosas.
• When cool, cut into 2" wide strips. Carefully roll each strip, repeat for all plates.
• Place in a serving dish. For seasoning: Sprinkle coconut and coriander all over khandvi rolls.
• Heat oil in a small pan. Add cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and chillies.
• Add sesame seeds and immediately pour over khandvi rolls.

Why Vegan?

Vegan lifestyle has various benefits ranging from a longer lifespan, prevention of heart disease and cancer, sparing of animals from suffering on factory farms, and it is environmentally conscious as factory farming of animals is a leading cause of Greenhouse gas emissions.









UN has declared that a change in diet is needed to reduce green house emissions.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/07/food.foodanddrink


This study discusses the link between Cancer, heart disease, death rate and eating meat.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20090323/eating-red-meat-may-boost-death-risk


A study at Harvard indicates that drinking milk can lead to Prostate Cancer and Ovarian Cancer. It recommends other sources of Calcium such as soy milk, bok choy, and collards.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-and-milk/index.html


Last but not least, this is why I am Vegan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIjanhKqVC4




Factory farmed animals rarely ever get to walk on the grass, feel the Sun on their face, have a family, or do anything that is natural to them. They live their life caged away in extreme pain, and I refuse to partake in that pain.

Culinary Adventure

Creating a special dish is an adventure indeed! Hunting for the right ingredients, figuring out a plan to combine the ingredients, and the process of actual creation of all the ingredients coalescing to make a delectable delight is an exciting adventure. If you are not careful it is a disaster, and if you put forth all your passion and creativity, it is a masterpiece!
Cooking is also a celebration.
It is a celebration of life itself.
Celebration of the senses.
Celebration of the cultures.
It is how creativity celebrates itself!
Cooking is an expression of love. Love that you can create in physical form so your loved ones can partake in its pleasure!
I would like to share this glorious and amazing adventure with you via sharing my experiences in creating culinary treasures. :)