Coconut Chutney (Spicy Coconut Dip)

Coconut chutney is a spicy flavorful dip that is generally served with South-Indian delicacies. It is very easy to make and needs just handful of ingredients which will all be easily available at any of your local Indian grocery stores.

Do give this recipe a try and let me know your feedback in the comments below.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup Fresh Grated Coconut (I used the frozen variety)
• 2 tbsp Roasted Urad Dal/Black Gram/Black Lentil
• 2 tbsp Cilantro
• 1/4 cup Water (or adjust to your liking)
• For Tempering:
• 2 tsp Oil
• 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Urad Dal/Black Gram/Black Lentil
• 2-3 Dry Red Chillies
• 4-5 Curry Leaves
• 1/8 tsp Asafoetida 

Method:

• Grind the urad dal in a food processor.
• Add the cilantro and grind again.
• Finally, add the grated coconut and grind it one more time. Add water to aid the grinding process (only if necessary).
• Take the ground chutney in a serving bowl and add the remaining water.
• In a small saucepan or a small tempering bowl, heat the oil on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and black gram and let the mustard seeds crackle. Lastly, add dry red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida and pour it immediately over the prepared chutney mixture.
• Stir to combine and serve!
• Enjoy!!

Serving Suggestions:

Coconut chutney is served with South Indian delicacies like idly, sambar, medu vada, etc.

Jerusalem Salad

Presenting "Jerusalem Salad".. This is a very simple to make salad, which, as the name suggests, originated from Jerusalem. It is also known as Israeli Salad. It is made of cucumbers (preferably the Persian ones as they have very soft & tiny eatable seeds), tomatoes, parsley and onions. Very simple to put together yet incredibly flavorful.. Let me take you over the ingredients and you will want to go into your kitchen and make a batch! Do let me know your feedback in the comments section below.. Happy cooking!!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Diced Cucumbers (preferably Persian variety)
• 1 cup Diced Deseeded Tomatoes 
• 3/4 cup Diced Onions
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Parsley 
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice 
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin 
• Salt & Pepper to taste 

Method:

• Mix lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, ground cumin, salt & pepper and set it aside. 
• In a mixing bowl, add the diced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and parsley; add the dressing from the step above and give it a good mix. You are all set now! Yes, so simple :-)
• Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

Jerusalem salad is traditionally served with pita bread, usually along with falafel and tahini sauce.

Falafel (Ground Chickpea Fritters)

Presenting "Falafel"... The famous Mediterranean vegetarian fritters, typically served in a pita bread in the form of a sandwich (open pita pocket or wrapped) but it is equally delicious with hummus and tahini sauce. It is a perfect blend of crushed chickpeas and parsley and/or cilantro with a hint of garlic and some seasoning. So let me get right to the handful of ingredients and the simple process that you'd need to follow and you'll indulge in thus awesomeness - it's a guarantee! I hope you do give this recipe a try and let me know your feedback in the comments section below.. Happy cooking!! 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Chickpeas (uncooked)
• 1 tbsp Garlic Minced/Crushed
• 1/2 Onion (Medium sized)
• 1/2 cup Parsley (or Cilantro or a combination of both)
• 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour 
• 1 tsp Paprika 
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin  
• Salt & Pepper to taste 
• Oil to fry

Method:

• Soak the chickpeas for at least 12 hours. You'll notice they would've bloated to almost double the size. They, however, would not be as big as the cooked ones e.g. the ones you'd have noticed from the cans. No need to worry about it, as this is expected. 
• Now, drain the chickpeas and lay them flat on a kitchen towel; idea is to remove as much moisture as possible. 
• DO NOT substitute with the canned chickpeas, they will not work and will be nowhere close to the version you've seen in the restaurant. 
• Add the chickpeas, onion, garlic, all purpose flour, parsley (and/or cilantro whichever one you are using), paprika, ground cumin, salt & pepper to a good processor and pulse until you achieve a coarse mixture. Empty the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate covered for at leas an hour. 
• Heat the oil on medium heat. You know the oil is ready when you drop a little bit of the mixture in the oil, and it starts bubbling right away. If you see a lot of smoke coming out of your pan, reduce the heat to low and let the oil cool down. Repeat the precious step to test the oil. 
• When ready to fry, take the mixture out of the refrigerator. While the oil is heating up, make the falafel balls. Dust your hands in flour to begin making the balls; it's easier that way. 
• Fry on medium heat (this will allow the falafel to cook from inside while the outer coting is getting cooked). Turn the falafel upside down if needed. Fry until medium brown in color. 
• Enjoy!! 

Serving Suggestions:

Serve falafel with hummus & tahini sauce or in a pita bread as a sandwich. 

Tahini Sauce

Presenting - "Tahini Sauce". A healthy, tangy dish made from "Tahini Paste" - yes they are different, people who are not very well-versed with mediterranean cooking often tend to get confused. Tahini sauce can be served as a dip with toasted pita or be drizzled into a pita sandwich. You just need a handful of ingredients and this is very very easy to make...

I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know your feedback in the comments below! Happy cooking..!!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Tahini Paste
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1 tsp Garlic Paste/Minced Garlic
• Salt & Pepper - to taste

Method:

• In a bowl, add the tahini paste, garlic and lemon juice and whisk together. You'll notice that the tahini paste changes color from brownish to a creamy color.
• Now, at this stage, the mixture will be quite thick. Add water to adjust the consistency. I don't prefer a very thin consistency so the measurements are mentioned appropriately; you may adjust the quantity of water to reach your desired consistency.
• Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tahini Paste

Tahini Paste - This is a very simple recipe and it happens to be one of the key ingredients when it comes to staple middle eastern food like hummus, baba ghanoush, tahini sauce, etc. You can sure buy it from the stores but if you continue to read this post, you'll see how easy it is to make it at home - I'm very sure you'll never think of buying from the stores again. Also, it can last in the refrigerator for months (I'm not saying it "would" last that long - if you like middle eastern food even half as much as I do!!). Now what you need for making tahini paste? Just 2 ingredients (yes you read it right, only 2 ingredients!!)... 

So let me take you over the recipe without wasting any more of your time :-)... I hope you give this recipe a try in your kitchen and let me know your feedback in the comments section below!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Sesame Seeds
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil

Method:

• Roast the sesame seeds in a broad saucepan stirring constantly on medium to medium-low heat. This would take about 8-10 minutes. 
• Empty the sesame seeds on a plate with paper towels (these help absorb the moisture released from the sesame seeds while they cool down).
• In a food processor/blender, grind the sesame seeds until they break down and release the oil. If needed, add little oil to help the grinding process. Now add the oil and pulse 2-3 times to combine.
• This is a very versatile paste and is used as a key ingredient in most of the middle eastern dishes, e.g. Hummus, Tahini Sauce, Baba Ghanoush, etc. This can be stored in the refrigerator for months together.
• Enjoy!!

Pico De Gallo

"Pico de Gallo" - a salsa/salad that shouts freshness in itself. It has a slurp tangy flavor to it which makes it irresistible and leaves me wanting it more and more! It needs just a handful of ingredients and is very easy to put it together.

Ingredients:

• 2 Medium Red Onions - Diced small
• 4 Medium Tomatoes (try to use the ones that are ripe red in color - they are juicier and makes the salsa look vibrant!) - Diced small
• 1 ¹/₂ tbsp Jalapeño - Finely chopped (if you don't have jalapeño, any other green chillies would do - wouldn't be as authentic but it is an ok substitution and there isn't a noticeable taste difference in-my-opinion i.e.)
• 3 tbsp Cilantro/Coriander/Dhaniya - Finely Chopped
• 3 tbsp Lime Juice
• Salt & Pepper - to taste

Method:

• Mix together onions, tomatoes, jalapeño; season with salt and pepper.
• Add lime juice and mix well.
• Finally, add cilantro and mix well.
• Enjoy!!

Serving Suggestions:

Pice de Gallo can be served as a side dish to any Mexican preparation e.g. burrito/enchilada/taco etc. 

It can also be served with traditional chips or the baked version.

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice - a quick and healthy recipe amalgamating the tanginess of tomato with a hint of garlic and onion. So simple and easy to put together with a handful of ingredients which you may already have on hand. I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know your feedback in the comments below!

Happy Cooking!!

Ingredients:

• 1 ¹/₂ cup Long-Grained Rice 
• ¹/₂ cup Red Onion - Diced small
• ¹/₂ tsp Garlic - Minced
• ¹/₂ cup Tomato Puree
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 ¹/₂ tsp Ground Cumin/Jeera
• 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 3 cups Water
• 2 tbsp Cilantro/Coriander/Dhaniya - Finely chopped
• Salt - to taste

Method:

• Wash the rice until the water runs clean. Drain off excess water and set it aside.
• In a broad saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat; add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Reduce the flame to medium.
• Add onions and sauté until translucent; keep stirring continuously to avoid burning them.
• Add the rice and cook for 3-4 minutes; keep stirring occasionally.
• Add the tomato puree and cook covered for 2 minutes. Stir 2-3 times in between to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the saucepan. 
• Add all the seasoning, viz. ground cumin, red chilli powder, salt; stir to combine. 
• Add the water and cook covered on medium low for 12-15 minutes or until the rice is cooked thru and all the water has evaporated. Make sure your lid has a hole to let the steam escape; if not, partially close the lid, leaving some room to escape.
• Add cilantro and stir to combine.
• Enjoy!!

Serving Suggestions:

This rice can be served as a side dish to any main Mexican meal or be incorporated into burrito/taco/enchilada etc.
It can also be served with spicy black beans and a dollop of sour cream!

Guacamole

Guacamole - I remember the first time I heard the name (honestly - sounded weird and difficult to pronounce... Oh well at the time at-least) I was curious what it is made up of.. We were going to chipotle for the first time and I did my research on what I can and cannot eat (being a vegetarian). This seemed to be the most intriguing side dish that I just had-to-try... And ever since the first time I tasted guacamole - I've been in love with it! The kind of love that doesn't fade away ;-)

So without much delay, let me take you over the ingredients and the step by step detailed method that will make you wonder - is it really so simple? And yes my friend, it really is THAT simple :-)

Ingredients:

• 3 Hass Avocados - Ripe
• 1 small Red Onion - Diced small
• 1 Tomato - Deseeded and diced small
• 1 tbsp Jalapeño - Finely chopped (if you don't have jalapeño, any other green chillies would do - wouldn't be as authentic but it is an ok substitution and there isn't a noticeable taste difference in-my-opinion i.e.) 
• 2 tbsp Lime Juice
• 2 tbsp Cilantro/Coriander/Dhaniya - Finely chopped
• Salt & pepper - to taste

Method:

• Cut and mash the avocado pulp (if you are new to avocados - the process of removing the pulp is fairly easy. First make one slit on the avocado length wise covering its circumference. Make sure you go deep enough until your knife feels the seed. Now, hold the avocado in both your hands in such a way that each hand has one half of it. Now twist your hands in opposite direction. You'll see that the two halves have separated. Now using a spoon, scoop out the pulp - this pulp is what we will be using for our recipe.)
• Stir together avocados, onions, tomatoes and jalapeño. 
• Add lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper and stir well. 
• Enjoy!!

Serving Suggestions:

Guacamole can be served as a side dish to any Mexican preparation e.g. burrito/enchilada/taco etc. 

It can also be served with traditional chips or the baked version.

Sambar (Spicy Vegetable Lentil Soup)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Toor Daal/Arhar Daal/Split Pigeon Peas
• 2 cups Assorted vegetables diced medium (I used Onions, Potatoes, Carrots, Peas, French Beans, Tomatoes, Drumsticks)
• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• ¹/₂ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
• 8-10 Curry Leaves
• ¹/₈ tsp Asafoetida 
• 1 tsp Ginger Paste
• ¹/₂ tsp Tamarind Extract
• 2 tbsp Sambar Powder
• 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• Salt - to taste
• Water - as needed

Method:

• Wash and rinse the toor daal well (until the water runs clean)
• Add the daal into the pressure cooker and add water to reach a level about an inch above the daal. Season it with salt and pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles. 
• In a big saucepan, heat the oil; when the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and allow them to crackle. When they are done crackling, add the curry leaves, asafoetida and ginger paste and saute the vegetables on medium flame (add water as necessary) for 3-5 minutes or until they are almost tender. Season with salt and red chilli powder. 
• Mix the tamarind extract with about ¹/₄ cup of water and stir until it dissolves. Set it aside. 
• Mix the sambar powder with ¹/₄ cup of water and stir until no lumps remain. Set it aside.
• Open the lid of the pressure cooker when the pressure goes off and using an immersion blender or a hand churner, blend the daal well. Add it to the sauce pan with the veggies and mix. Add water as necessary to get the soup like consistency.
• Add the tamarind mixture to the saucepan and stir to combine.  
• Add the sambar powder mixture to the saucepan while stirring continuously to avoid any lump formation.
• Check for seasoning and add salt/red chilli powder as required. 
• Simmer the sambar for 20-30 minutes. Add water, if needed, to adjust the consistency. 
• Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

Sambar can be served with a variety of dishes, viz. Idli, Medu Vada, Dosa or just Plain Rice!

Gujarati Daal Vada (Split Moong Bean Fritters)

Daal vadas are very famous in Gujarat and if you've been to any railway station in Gujarat - I'm sure you'd have tasted this delicacy.. It is very easy to make these vadas at home and in this post, I'm going to show you how. Do give this a try and let me know your feedback in the comment section below... Happy cooking!! 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Moong Daal/Split Moong Beans; I prefer using the one with its green covering on
• ¹/₄ cup Chana Daal/Split Bengal Gram
• 2 Green Chillies
• 1 ¹/₂ tsp Ginger - grated
• 2 tbsp Cilantro/Corriander/Dhaniya
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for frying

Method:

• Soak the moong daal and chana daal (separately) in hot water for 1-2 hours
• In a medium food-processor bowl, add the green chillies, cilantro and make a fine paste.
• Drain as much water as possible from both the daals and reserve 1 1/2 tbsp chana daal and add the remaining daal mixture and grated ginger to the same food-processor's bowl and grind coarse. This will also ensure the chillies and cilantro get mixed evenly with the daal mixture.
• Now, add the whole chana daal and salt to the prepared mixture and stir to combine.
• In a pan, heat the oil.
• Now, when the oil is hot, form small balls and fry on medium heat until they are golden brown. 

Serving Suggestions:

Daal vadas are traditionally served with thinly sliced onions and optionally with fried green chillies as well (depending on the amount of heat you prefer in your food). They can also be served with Cilantro Peanut Chutney or Tamarind/Date Chutney.

Enjoy!!

Gujarati Daal

I'm Gujarati and this daal has been staple in my house for generations now. It is very simple to cook; it is one of the initial dishes I learnt from my mom and this is her recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Toor Daal/Arhar Daal/Split Pigeon Peas
• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• ¹/₂ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
• Pinch (¹/₈ tsp) of Asafetida
• 10-12 Curry Leaves
• 2 Dried Red Chillies
• 1 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1¹/₂ tbsp Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp Aachaar Masala/Pickle Spice Mix (Ready made pickle can be used if you don't have pickle spice mix)
• 2 tsp Coriander-Cumin Powder/Dhaniya-Jeera Powder
• ¹/₄ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1¹/₂ tsp Jaggery/Gud
• 1 cup Tomatoes - Diced
• Salt - to taste
• Water - to boil and while cooking
• 2 tbsp Cilantro - Finely Chopped

Method:

• Wash the daal thoroughly (you'll need to wash it multiple times if you have oil-coated daal). 
• Now, in a pressure cooker, add the washed daal and water at-least an inch above the daal layer. Pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles. 
• When the pressure goes off, open the lid and using an immersion blender or a hand churner, blend it smooth. 
• In a big sauce pan, add oil, mustard & fenugreek seeds allow them to crackle. When they crackle, add the curry leaves, dried red chili, asafetida and ginger paste; give it a quick stir and add the blended daal mixture. Also add water enough to make it a thin soup-like consistency. 
• Add all the masala, viz. salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, pickle powder, coriander-cumin powder and jaggery and mix. Let it come to a boil on a high flame. 
• Lower the flame to medium and add the diced tomatoes. Let it cook covered for 10 minutes.
• Add the lime juice and cilantro and simmer for 30 minutes (at-least) - this is the most important step as the daal developed the flavor from all the spices as it simmers. Of course, if you are in a hurry, you may take it off the flame sooner but trust me, you will notice the difference in the taste. 
• Stir and see if you need to add more water to adjust the consistency (while simmering, quite some water would evaporate). If you've added more water, cook it for 5 more minutes.
• Enjoy!!

Serving Suggestions:

Gujarati daal is popularly served with rice/roti. I also like to relish it piping hot as a soup :). The possibilities are endless!

Baingan Ka Salan

Baingan ka Salan - I was introduced to this heavenly dish by a friend of mine.. It has this amazing nutty tangy flavor to it (you'll know when you taste it).. It is very easy to cook and here is how :-)

Ingredients:

• 6-7 Indian Baby Eggplant 
• ¹/₄cup oil (to cook the eggplant)
• 2 large onions
• 1¹/₂ tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste 
• 1¹/₂ tsp crushed green chillies (I use Serrano pepper) - adjust to the level of heat you prefer in your food 
• ¹/₃ cup sesame seeds (roasted)
• ¹/₃ cup + 1 tbsp - peanuts (roasted)
• ¹/₂ cup grated coconut
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1¹/₂ cup tomato purée 
• ¹/₂ cup oil (to cook the gravy) 
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ¹/₄ tsp fenugreek seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida 
• ¹/₂ tsp turmeric powder 
• 1¹/₂ tsp red chilli powder (adjust to your taste)
• 1 tsp tamarind extract dissolved in 1¹/₂ cups of water
• Salt - to taste

Garnishing:

• 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

Above - Eggplants wrapped in aluminum foil

Above - The different purées used in this recipe

Method:

• First of all we will prep our eggplants. Preheat the oven to 325F. Wash the eggplants and dry them thoroughly. Keep their crowns attached; coat eggplants with a thin layer of oil and wrap each individually with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the oven for approx. 10 minutes.
• Let them cool down a bit (enough for you to handle them) and then remove the aluminum foil.
• Add the oil to a skillet and once hot, add the eggplants and cook them on a medium-low flame for about 5 minutes.
• In a food processor/blender, add the roasted sesame seeds, peanuts and fennel seeds and make a fine paste. To this, add the grated coconut and process again. Set the paste aside.
• Purée the onion, Serrano pepper, ginger & garlic and set aside.
• In a saucepan, add the oil; once the oil is hot, add cumin, mustard & fenugreek seeds and when they crackle, add the asafoetida and the prepared onion purée. Stir and let it cook covered for 3-5 minutes or until the onion changes color (this is to get the rawness of onion out before we proceed to the next step).
• Now add the tomato purée, stir and let it cook covered for another 8-10 minutes (till you see the oil separate from the side.
• Now stir in the sesame, peanut, coconut paste, spices and the tamarind water. Let it simmer on low for 15-20 minutes (add more water if you like the consistency of the gravy thinner).
• Garnish with the cilantro and serve!

Serving Suggestions:

The baingan ka salan can be served and relished with Roti and/or Rice
Enjoy!

Spaghetti with garlic and olive oil (Spaghetti aglio e olio)

Spaghetti Aglio e olio in Italian simply means spaghetti with olive oil and garlic.. It is a delight for all garlic lovers and takes very less time to put together! 

Ingredients:

• Spaghetti pasta - ¹/2 lb. 
• Water - to boil spaghetti 
• Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
• Pine nuts (toasted) - 1 ¹/2 tbsp
• Garlic thinly sliced - 1 ¹/₂ tsp
• Black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
• Garnishing
• Parsley - 1 tbsp

Method:

• In a big pot, bring water to boil. Add  spaghetti pasta and sprinkle generous amount of salt (remember this is the only chance your pasta gets to absorb the seasoning)
• In a flat pan, add the olive oil and garlic. Let the garlic turn golden brownish (this will help infuse the garlic flavor in the oil) stirring occasionally. 
• Now add the pine nuts and stir it for  about a minute or until the pine nuts turn lightly golden. 
• Now add the cooked pasta and season with salt and pepper. 
• Garnish with parsley and serve hot 
• Enjoy!!

Serving Suggstions:
I like to eat this pasta just as is (yummy garlic..) 

Nonetheless, any breadstick/cheesy toast/Garlic toast/bread will go well with this

Enjoy!!

Cilantro Peanut Dip (Dhaniya Chutney)

Cilantro peanut dip (known as chutney in Hindi) is the best dip/spread you'll ever taste... I guarantee you that... just give it a try!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro (hara dhaniya) - including stems is ok... rather it is encouraged!
• 2 tbsp roughly crushed peanuts
• 1½ tsp minced serrano pepper
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ large lime's juice (you can increase/decrease this per your liking... my advise would be to start with less quantity and add more as necessary)
• 1½ tsp sugar
• Salt to taste
• 1-2 tsp water (optional) - this is just to help the pureeing process 

Method:

• Add the cilantro, peanuts, serrano pepper, ginger & garlic to a food processor and puree together using water if necessary

• Once you get this into a paste-like consistency (you should continue until you don't see any cilantro leaves/stem in its original form), add in the lime juice, sugar, salt and mix them together

Serving suggestions:

This is a great healthy recipe that can be used as a spread on bread/english muffins/etc or as a dip with tortilla chips... Serve it with anything that suits your fancy! :)

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

This is my go-to salsa/salad for get-togethers and is equally popular amongst young & adults. It pairs very well with chips, specially the baked version - you can get the recipe here. Although it is named "black bean and corn salsa", it is loaded with other veggies too. Kids like to munch on this even when they are not a fan of vegetables. 

Do give this a try and let me know your feedback in the comments section below! Happy cooking!!

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Diced Bell-Peppers (I used equal amounts of red & green peppers - you can use any you like)
• 1 cup Diced Red Onion
• 1 cup Diced Tomatoes
• 1 can Black Beans
• 1 can Whole Kernel Corn
• 1 whole Serrano Pepper Minced
• ¼ cup Chopped Cilantro
• ½ tsp Garlic Salt
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• ½ tsp Black Salt
• 1½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1 large Lime's Juice (~ 2 tbsp)
• 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt to taste
• Ground Black Pepper to taste

Method:

• Mix all the listed ingredients.

Serving suggestion:
Best served with tortilla chips. Click here for the recipe for crispy baked tortilla chips, choose the healthier way!