Baked Vegetable Samosas...

I love samosas. Crunchy, crispy filled with vegetable deliciousness. So when it came to the menu of foods for my son's birthday party when we were discussing last week, they were at the top of my list.... What I always think about samosas before gulping it are they tend to be too much oily...so this time I deceided I will make something different for b'day party...and finally settled on making baked vegetable samosas...

There are a lot of recipes out there for baking samosas. Turns out a lot of people enjoy them, but would prefer not getting all the extra oil in their diet. A quick perusal of the internet led me to many variations of baking. Various temperatures.  I factored in all the different ways of going about it and then decided on a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes. It worked.This is really a healthy recipe!

These Baked Vegetable Samosas makes use of ready-made malaysian parothas that we get in any indian store instead of puff pastry sheets.. so they are so quick to make and the fragrance of the filling makes it difficult to wait until you stuff the parothas before digging in!

I have not included cut out chili in it so as to make them toddler friendly. I have also had great success with freezing these. Just freeze uncooked samosas in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a large freezer bag. There's no need to defrost before baking, just add approximately 2 minutes to the baking time.
and you can easily pack it in tiffin for your toddler so also you can easily carry it in park..serves as great appetizer for party and get-togethers.Hope you enjoy these as much as we did!

BAKED VEGETABLE SAMOSAS

Ingredients:

1.Boiled and mashed 2 medium sized potatoes.

2.2 Malaysian parothas.

3.2 tsp oil

4.1 medium sized onion chopped.

5.1 tsp ginger-garlic paste.

6.1/2 green pepper finely chopped

7.1 tsp coriander powder.

8.1 tsp red chilli powder.

9.few leaves of spinach 

10.salt as per your taste.

11.chat masala as per your taste.

12.1 tsp lemon juice.

131 tsp.homemade garam masala or everest garam masala.

Method:

1.Boil potatoes.Thaw malaysian parathas.Place them on baking sheet by removing them from plastic otherwise paratha sticks to plastic.

2.Heat oil.Add chopped onions.Fry till golden brown.

3.Now add ginger-garlic paste.

4.Add green pepper.

5.Now start adding spices like coriander powder,red chilli powder.

6.Add finely chopped spinach and boiled potato.

7.Add salt,chat masala and garam masala.

8.Add lemon juice.

9.Now divide paratha in 2 at center with knife.

10.Stuff filing in it and make in shape of samosa by folding it from corners.Use water to seal edges.

11.Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

And its done! Enjoy the Yummy samosas!

Sending this to Vardhini's  bake fest #9 event hosted by Pradnya

and also to the event Let's Party - Go Bake It..

"Subway" Style Veggie Sandwich.....

Subway sandwich... is something my husband and I are really addicted to..as can find subway in every nook and corner of US. Indeed it is just at 2 minutes walk from home....

Whenever Iam bored of eating and cooking same chapatis so also sometimes wanted to get a quick eat, we just grab this subway sandwich from nearby shop. It is very cheap,very filing and also very tasty.Moreover I like one thing about it is apart from being nutritious you can customize it as you desire.

Last weekend I decided to recreate its similar version at home...my husband was very delighted to see it..It was indeed Time to put on the cooking hat and make my family favourite... In Memory of subway shop besides our home"Hurstbourne Pky"...here we go with the recipe

SUBWAY STYLE VEGGIE SANDWICH

Ingredients:
1 big subway style bread
few chopped pieces of cucumber
few pieces of onion
few tomato cuts
chopped capsicum
Jalapeno and Olives are optional
lettuce
chipotle hot and spicy sauce
tomato ketchup
few cheese slices
1 veg patty

a)Procedure to make veg patty:
Ingredients:
1 boiled and mashed potato
1/2 cup cooked peas
1/2 cup cooked corn
1/2 tsp of red chilli powder
salt as per taste
1/2 tsp of turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp oil
2 slices of bread
1 tbsp of cornflour or all purpose flour

Mix all ingredients together.You can omit bread.Cornflour is used as it helps in binding.If you are adding bread initially soak or dip it in water.Remove water from it nicely and now add this soft bread to your mixture.Once dough is ready Give it desired elongated shape and shallow fry it by adding oil on it.

Now your veg patty is ready!

b)Assembling of sandwich
1.cut entire strip of bread in middle such that it is not separated exactly but remains attached at corner
2.place veg patty on it.
3.Now place triangular cut cheese slices on it.
4.Now you can place any desired veggies on it.
5.place few pieces of cucumber,onion,tomato,spinach,lettuce etc
6.Pour chipotle sauce and ketchup on it
7.Fold it by placing upper layer
8.Your subway style sandwich is ready at home!

Happily sending this to event-Healthy diet- sandwiches guest hosted by kalyani and lovely event by priya...

Matar Paneer......

A funny thing happened with me the other day. We had been to an Indian restaurant and while browsing through the menu I realized I had made all the dishes at home. Palak paneer, Alu palak, Punjabi chole, Paneer jalfrezi....the list went on and on and for the first time in my life I felt like my mom. Mom would say it's useless to waste so many rupees on a simple dish in a restaurant when we can make it at home and it's much healthy too. Back then we used to get irritated when mom said this. We use to say "Zala hicha suru (she's started again)".

As a teenager, I was obsessed with eating out. Most of the times eating out would be Punjabi food. However, we used to end up ordering the same dishes again and again. Thinking back I realize that most of the veggies would be stale and there would be a heavy ghee layer floating in it.Now thinking little bit about calories I decided I will make matar paneer at home and finally I made one of my favorite Punjabi sabzi....Matar Paneer or Green peas with cottage cheese....

I know very well that majority of you all must have tried this one at home and would have been succesful in making it delicious but do try again this one with little bit of twist and adapted from sanjeev kapoor's khana khazana....Here is the one for you!

MATAR PANEER

Ingredients:

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium sized onions finely chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
4 medium sized tomatoes finely chopped
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt as per your taste
2 cup of water
1 cup frozen peas
15-20 cubes of paneer
1 tbsp of coriander paste
1 tbsp of lime juice
1 tsp garam masala or kitchen king masala
2-3 tbsp of fresh cream

Procedure:

1.Heat oil in a pan.Add cumin seeds to it.Fry till it gives out aroma and splutter.
2.Now add onions fry till golden brown.
3.Add ginger garlic paste.cook until its raw flavour is gone.
4.Add tomatoes.red chilly powder and coriander powder.
5.Now add turmeric,salt and cook for 2-3 mins.
6.Add water as per necessity and green peas also.
7.Finally add paneer cubes.
8.Mix everything carefully.
9.Now add coriander paste,lime juice and fresh cream.
10.lastly on top add garam masala and see how very nice it smells!

Hmm yummy...enjoy it with roti,paratha or naan.....so also do inform me after trying it...you will surely enjoy this mouth watering recipe....

sending this recipe to the following events:

a) Spotlight:curries/gravies..fabulous event by Chandrani and Indrani

b) Dish Name Starts with M event by akila....

Mathura Special Sweet Lassi...........

Lassi, plain smoothie or cool drink?

You can call it anything! Indeed sweet lassi can be referred as smoothie or cool drink...It is generally served chilled and therefore is a wonderful hot weather coolant drink.

Traditionally Lassi is a yogurt based drink very popular in the Northern & North Western parts of the Indian Subcontinent especially in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh..I got this lovely recipe from my friend swati.She had made this for a potluck party and all of us simply loved it!...For the first time I got to know from her that Lassi is one of the major drink of Mathura... Mathura is a religious city from the ancient time period.This Mathura Special Lassi reffered as bridge lassi is a sweet and chilled liquid recipe...prepared from the large quantity of curd and sugar. Dry fruits are added for the best taste.. For good fragrance cardamom and rose essence is added and this makes it unique...

Lassi can be prepared in many different ways...It is made by blending yogurt with water and Indian spices.Traditional lassi (also known as salted lassi, or, simply lassi) is a savory drink sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin while sweet lassi on the other hand is blended with sugar or fruits instead of spices.In Dharmic religions, yogurt sweetened with honey is used while performing religious rituals. Less common is lassi served with milk and topped with a thin layer of clotted cream.

Sweet lassi is a form of lassi flavored with sugar, rosewater and/or lemon, strawberry or other fruit juices. Saffron lassis, which are particularly rich, are a specialty of Sindh in Pakistan and Jodhpur and Rajasthan in India. Makkhaniya lassi is simply lassi with lumps of butter in it ...hmm isnt it sounds yummy!... It is usually creamy like a milkshake.

Lassis are enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment, mostly taken with lunch. This drink really helps to cool down when the summer sun is beating hard against the dusty streets.Lassi is a part of daily diet of many people.It is served as a part of all meals. Most people end their meal with a glass of Lassi. It can be taken at any time of the day but is mostly served in the afternoons and evenings.With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it is also used as a folk remedy for gastroenteritis...

This one is very filling and so tasty that you won’t stop at one glass. Here’s how to make this lassi.

MATHURA SPECIAL SWEET LASSI

Ingredients:

2 cup curd (Plain Yogurt)
1/2 cup sugar (or according to your taste)
1 cup water
2 big spoons of rose syrup or rose essence (I used ruafsa syrup)
few crushed ice cubes

For garnishing:

Sprinkle cardamom powder on it
Ice cubes
Chopped pistachio and almonds

Method:

1.In a blender or grinder add sugar, curd , water, rose syrup or rose essence and ice cubes. Blend it well.
2.Now pour it in glass and sprinkle pinch of cardamom powder on it.
3.Garnish with few ice cubes and chopped pistachios and almond pieces.
4.Serve chilled.Iam sure your guests will be delighted on having it.

Note: You can add more or less yogurt or water for a thicker or thinner beverage as per your need and taste.

submiting this recipe for the following events.

a) Serve it-Blended an amazing event @ kirthi's kitchen and oh taste and see....

b) Bon Vivant #6 - Sunny Refreshing Drinks @ Sumee's Culinary Bites

Mexican style red beans curry...

To all my readers: A big THANKS for visiting FOOD FRENZY. I started blogging in the month of march and put up a site meter towards april end . Counting from that day and including my own visits, it crossed up to 3,000 visitors. Thanks to all my friends, family, blog friends, and readers. Your comments and visits encourage me a lot!

Since a long time, I wanted to change the look of my blog. I am not happy with the initial look  and also was not getting any good one among the templates that Blogger offers.But I had to chose one among them...I will surely try to figure out my own design while experimenting with HTML codes.Till then you will need to bear this newly chosen design with me..I added a new background image, changed the template format.Do let me know how you find the new look. I tend to use too many colors sometimes. So, any kind of feedback is appreciated:)

Chipotle-is one of the first Mexican restaurants meals I tasted in New-york.From that day I have become fan of mexican cuisine....Beans (black beans or pinto beans or kidney beans or red beans) are widely used in Mexican cuisine, either in the form of curry or without the curry (dry) or sometimes just boiled version.

Coming from India it reminds me of Rajma Chawal (Red kidney beans curry with Rice) which is a staple food in northern region.To tell you frankly, me and my husband both disliked this rajma when we were in India but now after coming to USA and after trying this mexican cuisine we both have started loving it... I was excited to come across the Mexican curry version of it that I got to review on internet from one of my blogger friend. These mexican beans are similar to rajma yet unique in their own ways.

This mexican style Red beans curry is very similar to the way you would make Rajma curry except the peculiar combination of Indian spices that differentiates the two. It is definitely a good alternative to regular version whenever you feel like having Rajma in the Mexican way or when you feel like preparing any mexican dish at home.

MEXICAN STYLE RED BEANS CURRY

Ingredients:1 cup red beans or entire tin of soaked beans that you get readymade in the market
1 medium sized onion finely chopped-preferably red onion
2 bay leaves
1&1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Coriander for garnishing

Method:1.Soak the beans overnight or for 8 hours. Omit this step if you are using soaked beans from tin.
2.Now boil/cook these soaked beans with some salt & water (around 4 cups) in a pressure cooker or large vessel till they are soft.
3.Test by pressing it with a spoon on one the beans - it should get mashed easily. Drain the beans. You may want to keep this drained water & use later to adjust the gravy consistency.
4.If using tin packed soaked beans proceed as per directions mentioned on the tin while cooking or boiling these beans.
5.Heat Oil in a pan, once hot add bay leaves & onion. Saute till onions are translucent
6.Add garlic & cook for 2 mins till the raw flavor of garlic disappears.
7.Add red chilli powder,cumin powder, oregano, salt & mix.
8.Now add the cooked beans, mix well. Add the water (used for cooking the beans) to adjust the consistency as desired.
9.Simmer on low to medium flame for 15-20 mins.
10.Our Red Beans curry is ready!! Garnish with coriander or sour cream & serve hot with Rice or any bread of your choice.

Do try this alternative to Rajma & tell me did you liked it?

Happy Cooking!!
supriya

Very happy to link this recipe to event Show me your HITS-Legumes and lentils...a wonderful event hosted by Nalini

and secondly to the amazing event- Cooking with seeds-Red Kidney beans....guest hosted by Raddhima and event by Priya...

Upvaas special danyachi amti...

I don't keep regular fasts; it's impossible for me to spend entire days eating nothing... More importantly,on the fast day.. you have to continuously watch yourself before popping anything in your mouth. That's so difficult. Open the cabinet, see the pack of chips, stuff some in your mouth. There goes your fast down the drain. Last year, I did something very bad. I was fasting for ganesh chaturthi and had spent the entire day on fruits... I met my best friend in the evening and enjoyed a plate of bhel with her:((. I had completely forgotten that I was fasting. Oh God, forgive me! So, it's more from the fear of breaking fasts that I don't do many.

However, there are a couple of fasts that I keep and abide by. There have been a couple of additions to the list since I got married. Last Saturday was Mahashivratri. On this very day we worship shiva-almighty,seek his blessings by visiting his temple...worship him by offering fruits..pray him by standing in long queue in rain but this happens only in India..In US it was not raining being summer, we just visited hindu temple of kentucky and worshipped god..This day also calls for a full-day fast. Now, I consider fasts as an excellent oppurtunity to eat my favorite items such as sabudana khichadi,sabudana vada,ratalyacha khees.On this day, I made sabudana khichadi,kakadichi koshimbir,varyache tandul and my favorite curry - Danyachi Amti. It is my favourite curry since childhood...I used to love danyachi amti prepared by my mom...Yesterday I missed her a lot when I prepared this...I wished I was in India with her and enjoying delicious amti prepared by her with her sweet hands.. I remember my colleagues complimenting its taste and uniqueness whenever I carried it in my lunch box.The curry is a Maharashtrain upvaas special...Here we go with the recipe...

UPVAAS SPECIAL DANYACHI AMTI

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted and grounded peanut powder

1 cup water

Salt to taste

1/8 tsp tamarind pulp

3 green chillies chopped fine

1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup washed coriander leaves(optional)
few slices of potato or sweet potato
a pinch of hing
1 tsp of jeera
1 tsp ghee

Method:
Combine all the ingredients in a blender or grinder and blend till smooth. Heat a pan on medium flame. Transfer the curry to the pan and boil for 5-6 minutes. Stir frequently.To it add slices of cooked potato or sweet potato.

For the tempering:

Heat another pan and add 1 tsp ghee to it. Next, add 1 tsp cumin seeds and a pinch of asafoetida or hing. When the cumin seeds splutter, add this tempering to the above curry and mix well.

Serve hot with sabudana khichadi or varyache tandul.

Note:Coriander leaves are optional.It gives amazing color to recipe but some people do not eat coriander leaves on fast day so it totally depends on you whether to include it or not.My mother in law prefers it while my mom does not.So as per your family rituals you can use it or not for upvaas.

This is my contribution to WTML guest hosted by kalyani and wonderful event by Gayathri....