Cauliflower Rendang Curry

Cauliflower Rendang is a vegan version of the spicy flavorful Malaysian curry made with lemongrass, red chillies and coconut milk.

Have you ever wondered how a fire breathing dragon feels? Fire in it's belly, fire in it's throat and fire on it's lips. I felt exactly the same way when I made this curry the first time. I was so excited with the bright red chilli paste that I ended up adding all of it and made this curry so hot that I felt like a fire breathing dragon for almost half the day. My tummy burned, by throat burned and my lips were literally on fire. Water didn't cool it off, neither did cold milk. 

Ever felt this way? What did you do to calm the fire?

Like lightening, in this case, the fire definitely did not strike a second time. I wised up. I used less red chillies. It was still hot, a Rendang is meant to be hot, but it was heat that I was comfortable with. Let me warn you though, I do eat spicy food at least 2-3 times a week, so I am spice tolerant. If you are not used to spicy food, I'd say go light on the chilli paste. You don't have to use all the chilli paste. You can store it in a glass jar in the fridge and use it to make some Honey Chilli Sauce or to add heat to other meals you cook.

I'll let you in on a little secret - I absolutely LOVE Asian curries!!! Yeah, well, no secret...

I was a big fan of Thai curries for a looong time, until I tried the Vegan Amok in Cambodia. And I kinda changed favorites. I've made that a couple of times with the Amok Powder I picked up in Siem Reap, it is sooo tasty, I feel like I'm cheating on Thai curry when I have it.

The only Asian curry that I had heard for a long time, but never had a vegan version was the Malaysian Rendang. Usually Rendang is made from Beef or Chicken, but since I consume neither, I wanted to make my own vegan version of it. I added Cauliflower, Cauliflower greens, and Sweet Potato to replace the beef or chicken in the curry. And girl... it was goooooood...

Have you ever tried sweet potato in a curry? If not, you really really should. I'm not such a big fan of boiled or roasted sweet potato, but when boiled in a curry, it is super tasty. I put it first in the Amok and now the Rendang, I've loved it both the times. Raj assumed he would be getting all the sweet potato in the curry, he was taken aback when he realised he had to compete with me in fishing them out in the curry.

To complement the curry, I made a simple cumin rice where I cooked short grained rice with salt and cumin. It went really well with the Cauliflower Rendang. Next time you feel like having curry, try this rendang out and take pictures and tag me @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram, or @OneTeaspoonLife on Twitter or share with me on Facebook.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Mushroom Cafreal - Vegan curry from Goa made by cooking mushrooms in a coriander sauce.
• Punjabi Dum Aloo - Vegan curry made from baby potatoes.
• Corn Tomato Bharta - Vegan curry made from grilled tomatoes and sweet corn.

Cauliflower Rendang Curry

Cauliflower Rendang is the vegan version of the Malaysian Rendang curry where Cauliflower and sweet potato are cooked in a spicy lemongrass, red chilli and coconut milk based sauce.

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            Asian
Prep Time:     20 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1/2 Cauliflower
1 small Sweet Potato
200ml Coconut Milk
4-5 Lemongrass Stalks
5-6 dry Red chillies
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
4-5 Garlic cloves
1/2" Ginger
1 tsp Tamarind Pulp
1 tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Oil
2-4 Tbsp Water
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the dry red chillies in a cup of hot water and keep aside for 10 minutes
Remove the outer layers of the lemongrass stalk until you reach the soft white center.
Break the cauliflower into florets and cut the sweet potato into chunks.
Drain out the chillies and remove the seeds.
Grind 3 of the lemongrass stalks, chillies, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, ginger, garlic, tamarind and sugar along with a little water to a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the paste for 3-4 minutes.
Bruise the remaining lemongrass and add it to the pan along with the cauliflower and the sweet potato.
Add salt and mix well.
Cover and cook on low heat until the cauliflower and sweet potato are almost done. They should be slightly undercooked.
Add the coconut milk and simmer on low heat uncovered for 8-9 minutes until you get the desired consistency and the vegetables are cooked. Adjust the sugar and salt as required.
Serve hot with rice.

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Gobi Manchurian Pizza

You heard that right! Gobi Manchurian Pizza!!!

Your favorite starter "Gobi Manchurian" as a Pizza topping. Dinner does not get better than this!!!

I try to cook healthy an eat healthy most of the times. My regular lunch or dinner is chapati with some vegetables. But then, there are some days (or nights) that all I want to do is indulge. Friday night was just that - Indulgence Night. 

This Pizza was a product of circumstances. Seriously, I had no choice. Na ah. 

I had (still have) lots of cauliflower. I had Mozzarella left over from my UBER-ly delicious Stuffed Potato Skins. Remember those? And I had a small little Capsicum growing in my pot. TA-DA - Gobi Manchurian Pizza.

I love LOVE Gobi Manchurian. The chef that invented it was pure Genius. What a perfect starter to any meal! At any given time, in a restaurant, I believe at least 50% of the people order Gobi Manchurian as a starter. Except in those fancy fine-dines. I wonder what people order there.

I've been told this dish - the Gobi Manchurian Pizza is not my invention (Darn those eye-opener friends!!). To my credit, this Gobi Manchurian Pizza recipe is totally mine. I made Gobi Manchurian the way I always make it, the only difference being I did not simmer the cauliflower with the sauce, instead I just layered them on the Pizza base.

The Pizza was a super hit. This Gobi Manchurian Pizza brings together the best of 2 cuisines (or is it 3) - Indo-Chinese and Italian.

I'm sure everyone knows about Italian Cuisine and Pizzas. No intro needed there. 

Now, the Gobi Manchurian is a purely Indian take on Chinese cuisine. It consists of batter coated cauliflower florets that are deep fried until they are crispy golden brown (I suggest you make extra, they taste awesome just like that). If that wasn't enough of BANG, there is the sauce. The sauce is soy-based and is full of flavors of soy sauce, chilli, ginger and garlic. Getting an idea?

To make the Gobi Manchurian Pizza, I made a whole wheat and honey pizza base. That is 100% whole wheat, nothing else. I have not followed the traditional way of making a pizza base - 2 rises, then either rolling or stretching. I have done it more like - rise, roll, rise. This gave me a nice thick base. If you plan on making a thin crust, then you may need to adjust the dough quantities to match that and your pan size. My directions below are for a 10" thick base Pizza. You can also freeze part of the dough for a later day.

After making the base, I then layered with that delicious spicy sauce and dropped the cauliflower all around. Grated some cheese and VOILA! the Gobi Manchurian Pizza is already ready to be devoured.

I know this does not sound like a weekday kinda meal, when you come back from office battling all that traffic and the rains. The number of ingredients and the number of steps sound daunting. When you start making it you will see that the number of unique ingredients isn't really much. And I've written a very detailed recipe to make your cooking easier. I assure you, there is a time and a place to make this Pizza. I actually made it in like 2 hrs on a Friday night. And the 2 hrs was all rising of the base. The actual cooking took way less.

This Gobi Manchurian Pizza is perfect for you:

If you like quirky fusion food that is delicious.

If you love Asian or Indo-Chinese flavors

If you love Pizza

Gobi Manchurian Pizza

Fusion pizza topped with fried cauliflower and Manchurian sauce. 

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            Fusion
Prep Time:     2 Hours
Cook time:     50 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the Pizza Base:

2 cups Whole wheat flour or Atta
1 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp Olive Oil
2-3 cups warm Water
1 tsp Salt

For the Gobi / Cauliflower:

2.5 cups Cauliflower florets
4-5 Tbsp Cornflour
1.5 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Chilli Sauce
1/2 tsp Tomato Ketchup
1/2-1 cup Water
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

For the Manchurian Sauce:

Leftover batter from the Gobi / Cauliflower
1 Onion
1/2 Capsicum
1 Tbsp finely chopped Garlic
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Chilli sauce
2 tsp Oil
1 cup Water
Salt to taste

For assembling:

Pizza Base
Fried Gobi / Cauliflower
Manchurian Sauce
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp chopped Coriander
Mozzarella or Pizza cheese

Method:

To make the Pizza Base:

Add the active dry yeast to 1 cup of warm water along with the honey. Allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Once it is foamy, add it to the whole wheat flour along with 1 Tbsp olive oil and salt and knead into a smooth dough. Knead for around 5-10 minutes.
Now coat the dough with the remaining olive oil and place in a clean bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with a plate of a towel and keep in a warm place to rise. It should double up in size. Mine took around 1 hour.
Once it is doubled in size, punch it down, and roll it into a pizza base. Roll according to if you want a thick base or a thin base. I made a thick 10" base.
Oil the pan in which you will cook the base, and place the rolled out base, prick it with a fork. Cover and keep it in a warm place for its 2nd rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celsius and bake the base for 12-15 minutes.

To make the fried Gobi / Cauliflower:

This can be made when the base is kept for rising.
In a large bowl, mix together the cornflour, ginger garlic paste, soy sauce, chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, salt and add water by the spoonfuls. We need a medium consistency batter that can coat the cauliflower. I did not need the full cup of Water.
Heat oil in a frying pan. I shallow fried the florets, you can deep fry them.
Once the oil is hot, dip the cauliflower in the batter and drop them in the oil.
Fry until golden brown and crispy on the outside and the cauliflower is cooked on the inside.

To make the Manchurian Sauce:

Heat oil in a pan and add sliced onions and chopped garlic. Fry until the onions are translucent.
Add the sliced capsicum and fry for another 1-2 minutes.
Add the leftover batter from the cauliflower. If there is none leftover, mix together 1 Tbsp cornflour in 1/4 cup of water and add it. You may need to increase the quantity of the sauces accordingly.
Add the ginger garlic paste, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce, salt and 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Add more sauce if required.
Allow it to cook 3-4 minutes. You may need to add more water in as cornflour thickens on cooking.

To make the Pizza:

Spread the sauce on the base.
Place the fried cauliflower all on top of the sauce.
Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves.
Grate cheese to cover the pizza.
Drizzle over the Olive Oil.
Bake in a 200 degree Celsius preheated oven for 5-8 minutes until the cheese melts.
Serve hot.

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Beetroot and Cauliflower Burgers with Eggless Mayo

BURGER or PIZZA? Definitely, burgers for me. When I've had a hard day and my stomach craves some comforting fast food, it is always the burger I turn to. Every single time (I've had hundreds), I decide to go on a diet, I always grab that one last burger. I always assume it's my last for a loonnng time. You can't punish a  girl for being positive. But my weakness for food usually overtakes my willpower to lose weight and I'm quicker at a burger joint than I'd prefer to be.

This time tough, I'm not on a diet and neither at a burger joint. I'm in my house, standing in my kitchen, making my own HEALTHY burger. Usually, a veggie burger has to have Potato, correct? WRONG!!! Not this one. This is 100% potato free. It is full of beets, cauliflower and beans. It's a nice way to trick someone into having their veggie fix for the day. 

I've always loved beets. As a kid I was obsessed with the color Pink. I had to have that pink dress, that pink ribbon, that pink compass box, that pink pencil. Show me something in pink and orange, and I would always pick the pink one. May be it was my obsession with the color pink that made me love beets or may be it was the sweetness of the beets. I've always had a massive sweet tooth. But beets remained my friend for life. Look how pretty pink these burgers look....

I added the cauliflower, just to add some bite to the burgers. The beans are a must though. You can replace the kidney beans with chickpeas, black eyed peas or any beans capable of becoming mushy. The beans act as a binding agent in the burger in the absence of potato or eggs. 

Most of the beet burger recipes I've browsed in the past, ask for roasted beets and that is a lot of effort. So I made the LAZY version of the beet burger. Just some grated beets, grated cauliflower, some cooked beans - mash mash mash. Add spices. Mix mix mix. Then shape and fry in a pan. EASY, right? It definitely is!! To get firm burgers, us

I paired the burgers with homemade eggless Mayo. Very simple to make and tastes just like the store bought one. Some tips for the Eggless Mayo:

• The mustard makes all the difference. If you don't have mustard powder, just crush a few mustard seeds and add that.
• If the Mayo ends up having lumps, do not worry, just strain it using a strainer once it cools to remove the lumps.
• If the Mayo ends up becoming one hard lump, blend it in the mixer or blender with a little milk to loosen it up.
• Allow the Mayo to cook, before adding the vinegar to prevent the milk in it from curdling.
• To make it Vegan, use any vegan milk like soy or almond.

Beetroot and Cauliflower Burgers with Eggless Mayo

Spiced beetroot, cauliflower and beans patty combined with some eggless mayo to make a Veggie Burger

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:          International
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     20 minutes
Yield:              4

Ingredients:

Beetroot and Cauliflower Patties:

1 cup Red Kidney Beans (cooked)
1 cup grated Cauliflower
2 cups grated Beetroot
2 Tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves
1 tsp of Garlic Powder
1 tsp of Garam Masala
1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder
1/2 sp of Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
3-4 Tbsp Oil to fry

Eggless Mayo:

1 cup Milk
2 Tbsp Plain flour or Maida
1 tsp white Vinegar
1/2 tsp Mustard Powder or Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp of powdered Sugar
Salt to taste

To assemble:

4 burger buns
Beetroot and Cauliflower Patties
Eggless Mayo

Method:

Beetroot and Cauliflower Patties:

Mash the beans well.
Add all the other ingredients to it except the oil and mix well.
Shape into patties.
Heat oil in a pan and place the patties.
Cook the first side on medium flame for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 5-6 minutes.

Eggless Mayo:

Mix the flour in 1/2 cup of milk.
Heat the remaining milk in a pan and when it starts to boil, add the milk and flour mixture and whisk well so that there are no lumps.
Keep stirring or whisking until the mayo thickens and reaches the consistency you want.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

To assemble:

Toast the burger buns,
Spread the mayo on the buns.
Place the hot patties and serve.

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Tawa Pulao | How to make Tava Pulao Recipe with Step by Step Instructions

Street food ROCKS!!!

Don't you just agree to that? Many markets across the world are centered around the street food. Streets of Bangkok... Streets of Mexico City... Streets of Mumbai...

I think the true essence of a city lies in its Street Food. You get local food, fusion food and some even carry international favorites. But one thing is a constant in every food street, there is so much variety. After all, variety is the spice of life, isn't it?
I've found these are one of the busiest places in a city, especially after sundown. We have our own little food street in Bangalore which is packed even on weeknights.

Every city has its favorite, and so does Mumbai.

Mumbai is famous for its Vada Pav and its Pav Bhaji. Lurking in their shadows is the Tawa Pulao. Tawa Pulao literally is rice and vegetables cooked on a flat griddle along with some spices and oodles of butter.

Everything tastes better with BUTTER!!! Spoon in as much butter as you desire, it only improves the taste.

Tawa Pulao can be easily made VEGAN by skipping on the butter, or adding some yummy Almond Butter.

Tawa Pulao has now started to become a popular dish outside of Mumbai too. I've eaten it in so many places in Bangalore. It seems to be entering restaurants too. But the street version beats the restaurant version any day. On my list of favorite street food, Tawa Pulao ranks 3rd, right behind the Pani Puri and the Pav Bhaji.

I must credit this recipe to my friend at work. She got this for lunch one day and I simply had to have the recipe. I was pleasantly surprised when she told me the recipe. I couldn't believe it was so easy to make. My friend makes it with only green peas and she adds a chilli paste as well. I add any vegetables I find in my fridge. In the past I've added babycorn, sweet corn, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli etc. I guess you get the picture.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1) If using uncooked rice, wash the rice and cook it in 2 cups of water until it is done but not mushy. Allow the rice to cool and then gently fork it.
2) Dice the vegetables and keep aside. 
3) Puree the tomato in a blender.

4) Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
5) Once they brown, add the onions and cabbage and fry until the onions are translucent.
6) Add all the remaining vegetables and 1/2 tsp of salt and cook until the vegetables are done but still have a bite to them. You can cover the pan to quicken the cooking.

7) Remove the vegetables into a bowl, and place the pan back on heat. Add the ginger-garlic paste and the tomato puree and cook on low heat for 5-7 mins until the water from the puree evaporates and you get a thick tomato masala.
8) Add the pav bhaji masala and salt and mix well.

9) Add the fried vegetables and mix well.
10) Add the butter and mix well.
11) Add the rice and mix well.
12) Garnish with finely chopped coriander and serve.

Tawa Pulao | How to make Tava Pulao Recipe

Tawa Pulao is rice cooked with tomatoes, vegetables and Pav bhaji masala. 

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:          Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:              Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked Rice or 5 cups of cooked Rice
1 cup Tomato Puree or 2 Juicy Tomatoes
1.5 cups of assorted Vegetables (like Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrots, Green Peas, Green Beans, Capsicum) (Optional)
1 Onion
1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
2 Tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala (If you don't have this available, use Garam masala - 1/4 tsp, Coriander powder - 1 tsp, Amchur/ Dry mango powder - 1/4 tsp, Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp, Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp)
1 Tbsp Butter
2-3 Tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds / Jeera
Salt
Water
2 Tbsp chopped Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

If using uncooked rice, wash the rice and cook it in 2 cups of water until it is done but not mushy. Allow the rice to cool and then gently fork it.
Dice the vegetables and keep aside.
Puree the tomato in a blender.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
Once they brown, add the onions and cabbage and fry until the onions are translucent.
Add all the remaining vegetables and 1/2 tsp of salt and cook until the vegetables are done but still have a bite to them. You can cover the pan to quicken the cooking.
Remove the vegetables into a bowl, and place the pan back on heat. Add the ginger-garlic paste and the tomato puree and cook on low heat for 5-7 mins until the water from the puree evaporates and you get a thick tomato masala.
Add the pav bhaji masala and salt and mix well.
Add the fried vegetables and mix well.
Add the butter and mix well.
Add the rice and mix well.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander and serve.

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Vegetable Stew Recipe [Video]

Vegetable Stew recipe with video instructions. Vegetable Stew is a mildly spiced vegan stew made by cooking colorful peppers, cauliflower, carrots and beans in coconut milk. Vegetable Stew is a gluten free curry.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

The weather is confusing, on some days it feels like summer and on others it looks like the monsoons are already here. Today was one such a day. It started out sunny and ended up wet.

When it rains, I feel like having some warm comfort food. Don't you?

And a vegetable stew is just that. It is comfort food personified. I made it with rainbow veggies. You can make it with what you have available, but I find that colorful food cheers me up. I watched this food truck on Eat Street that seemed to have the same thinking. It was a healthy food truck where the chef served everything with a colorful salad. Oooh! today's newspaper is saying food trucks are in town. Yeah, baby! I hope I find myself in the neighborhood of one interesting truck. Let me know if you try one out. Until then our little bhel puri carts will have to do.

Anyway back to the stew. I will not call this a Kerala veg stew, but it is inspired from Kerala. I made this stew with coconut milk like a lot of Kerala curries. This is my sister's recipe. So its been tried and tested on other people before me :)

I made it with cauliflower, tri-colored peppers, carrot, and french beans. You can add green peas, potatoes, frankly, any vegetable you fancy in a curry. Anything tastes good with coconut milk, I swear. This curry is mildly spiced, so it does not take you away from the delicate taste of coconut milk and the vegetables.

It can be eaten with rice or bread. The choice is yours. We enjoyed the stew with rice and spicy jeegujje podi. Ummm... my mouth is watering just remembering my lunch.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

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Video Recipe

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Vegetable Stew

Mildly spiced vegetable stew made by cooking colourful peppers, cauliflower, carrots and beans in coconut milk 

Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          South Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Yield:              3 Servings

Ingredients:

1 cup Capsicum ( red, yellow, orange, green)
0.5 cup Cauliflower florets
1 Carrot, diced
6-8 Beans, chopped
2 cups Coconut Milk
3 tsp Oil
2 Cloves
0.5 tsp Black Pepper
0.5" Cinnamon
1 sprig Curry leaves
1 Onion, sliced
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1-2 Green Chillies, sliced
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices and curry leaves.
2. Once curry leaves splutter, add the sliced onion and fry until translucent.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute until fragrant.
4. Add the vegetables that take longer to cook like the cauliflower, carrot and beans.
5. Add half a cup of water and salt and cover and cook until the vegetables are partially cooked.
6. Then add the capsicum or bell peppers and cook until all the vegetables are cooked.
7. Add in the coconut milk and salt to taste.
8. Simmer the stew for 3-4 minutes.
9. Enjoy it hot/warm with rice/bread.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Punjabi Dum Aloo

Raw Banana Kofta Curry

Eggplant Coconut Curry

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Baked Bread Rolls

I am blank! Just like a paper. 

There are times when you want to write but you don’t know what to write. It is called a writer’s block. Most of the times I am blank, but not about writing, but about cooking. What is that called? Cooking block? Chef’s block? Cooking lunch and dinner is pretty easy for me. 

I am a chapatti/roti lover so most days it is chapatti with some vegetables that are there at home. But I hate thinking about what to make for breakfast. And then start the calls. I call up my mom and my sister and ask the same question “What should I make for Breakfast?” and I get the same answer “Please don’t ask me, I’m confused too” :(

May be the women in office face the same issue everyday too. The women’s association in office started an online competition for quick and healthy breakfast recipes. I was extremely excited, I thought with at least the 200+ women in office, I’ll get many recipes. I, myself, submitted the recipe for my oats idlis. I must say though, that competition did not do much more than flooding my inbox with emails. I barely got any new recipes. Some were not healthy, some were not quick, some I would not even call breakfast. I did win the third prize though :).

I got the idea for this breakfast recipe when on a hungry weekday evening we went to a tiny shop to eat Vada Pao and Break pakoda and my sister remarked that she prefers break roll. The idea stayed in my head and from that seed grew a tree, that tempted me to make bread rolls. As I have mentioned before, I try to avoid deep frying, so I baked it. I stuffed with a combination of potato, carrot, cauliflower, spices and cheese. Stuff it with anything that takes your fancy, the bread is your stage… :) You can have it as a snack with nice hot cup of tea on a rainy evening….*slurp* or as a breakfast.

Definitely, a kid friendly recipe. I can vouch for that. What’s not to like? Bread, potatoes and cheese :) The only suggestion I have is: have it hot, it loses its crispness once it is cold. Dunk it in some cool mint chutney or some tangy ketchup. Or like us, just have it on its own. But have it, for sure :)

Baked Bread Rolls

Bread stuffed with a vegetable mixture, rolled and baked to make a roll.

Recipe Type:  Snacks/ Appetizer
Cuisine:          International
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:              12 rolls

Ingredients:

12 Bread slices
2 small or 1 large Potatoes
1 Carrot
1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped Cauliflower
1 small Onion
1 Green chilli
1-2 cloves of Garlic
1 Tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
2 cubes or 3-4 Tbsp Cheese (Grated)
2 Tbsp Butter
½ tsp Cumin seeds
3 tsp Oil
½ tsp Turmeric powder / Haldi
A pinch of Garam Masala
A pinch of Dry Mango Powder / Amchur
Salt
Water

Method:

1. Boil and peel the potatoes. Mash them roughly.
2. Finely chop the onion, garlic, carrot, green chilli and the cauliflower.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds.
4. Once the seeds brown, add the onion, chilli and the garlic.
5. Once the onion is slightly browned, add the carrot and cauliflower.
6. Cover and cook until the vegetables are done. They should still have a bite in them, don’t overcook them.
7. Add the spices and the mashed potatoes and mix well.
8. Add the coriander leaves.
9. Remove from heat and keep aside.
10. Cut the edges of the bread slices.
11. Using a rolling pin flatten out the bread.
12. In the center of the flattened bread, add a spoonful of the mixture and the cheese.
13. Wet the sides of the bread and join them.
14. Apply butter on the roll from outside
15. Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celsius.
16. Place the rolls on a cookie sheet in one layer and cook for 10 mins.
17. After 5 mins, flip the rolls.
18. Depending on the power of your oven you may need to keep it in for more or less time.
19. It should be crisp and golden brown.

P.S: Don't throw out the edges. You can use it to thicken gravies and soup. You can also use it as a binding agent in tikkis and patties. For a soup which uses bread edges, watch out for my next post :)

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Spicy Cauliflower with Tzatziki (Yogurt Sauce)

We Indians love our gobi / cauliflower, especially in North India. But our Gobi Manchurian is a favorite all across the country. While cauliflower tastes great when deep fried, it actually tastes equally awesome when baked. I’d never eaten baked cauliflower, but this recipe called out to me. So easy to make and also, so quickly it disappears.

The original recipe I looked up is from here.

I modified it with the spices I had available. The fragrant Indian spices go very well with the versatile cauliflower.

Tzatziki is a Greek yogurt dipping sauce. The coolness of the sauce complements the spiciness of the cauliflower. 

Spicy Cauliflower with Tzatziki (Yogurt Sauce)

Cauliflower marinated with spices and roasted in the oven. Served with a cucumber and yogurt sauce.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:          Indian / Greek
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     40 minutes
Yield:              4-5 Servings

Ingredients:

Spicy Cauliflower:

1/2 head Cauliflower
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 Tbsp Kasuri Methi
6-8 Curry leaves
3 Tbsp Olive oil
3-4 cloves Garlic
Salt to taste

Tzatziki:

2 Tbsp Yogurt / Thick curd
1/2 Cucumber
3-4 cloves Garlic
1 tsp Olive oil
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Salt to taste


Method:

Spicy Cauliflower:

• Wash and dry the cauliflower head and cut it into bite sized pieces
• Mix all the spices, crushed garlic, salt and olive oil in a large bowl
• Add the cauliflower and mix well, let the spice mixture coat the cauliflower
• Preheat the oven to 220 degree celsius
• Bake for around 20-25 mins until the cauliflower is crispy
• Serve hot with tzatziki

Tzatziki

• Peel and chop the cucumber into rough pieces
• Blend all the ingredients until it is fine
• Serve this dip with the cauliflower or bread or chips

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Gobi Manchurian

The first time I had this, I loved it. It was in a cafe, we friends went to after our tuition in the 10th standard. It cost us Rs.20 back then in a moderately priced cafe. Back then, we did not have it as an accompaniment, we ate it as the main meal. Spicier than home food and newer flavors, it tingled our senses. And it has been tingling ever since...

Gobi after frying

Gobi Manchurian

An Indian Chinese appetizer of deep fried cauliflower in a spicy sauce

Recipe Type:  Appetizer
Cuisine:          Indian Chinese
Prep Time:     20 minutes
Cook time:     40 minutes
Yield:              3-4 Servings

Ingredients:

200 gms Cauliflower
2 Spring onions or 1 Onion
2 Tbsp chopped Spring onion greens
1.5" piece Ginger
4 cloves Garlic
2 Green Chilli (Slit length wise)
2 Tbsp Capsicum (finely chopped)
2 Tbsp Carrot (finely chopped)
2 Tbsp Cornflour
1 Tbsp Flour / Maida
3-4 Tbsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Chilli sauce
1/2 tsp Vinegar
2 tsp + 2 cups Oil
1/2 tsp Ajinomoto / Maggi magic cube
Salt
Water

Method:

• Crush and grind the ginger and garlic into a fine paste. Alternatively, use ginger-garlic paste. I prefer using fresh as I feel it gives it a better fragrance.
• Mix the cornflour and flour with 1/2 cup water. Add 1 tsp of the ginger garlic paste, 1 tbsp soya sauce and salt. Add more water if needed, the consistency should not be very thin, it should be sufficient to coat the cauliflower
• Break the cauliflower into smaller florets
• Heat 2 cups Oil for deep frying in a kadhai
• Dip the cauliflower in the batter and deep fry until golden brown and keep aside
• Heat 2 tsp oil in a kadhai, add the onions and once they are translucent, add the ginger garlic paste and fry until fragrant
• Add the other vegetables and continue frying until they are done,
• Now add the remaining batter prepared for the cauliflower. Add more water to get a gravy. If you want it dry, you may not need to add any water.
• Add all the sauces, vinegar, ajinomoto / maggi magic cube and salt and cook for 2-3 mins.
• Add the cauliflower and cook for 1 more min.
• Garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot

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Bombay Pav Bhaji

The reason I call this the Bombay Pav Bhaji is because I eat and make 2 kinds of Pav bhajis and it gets confusing about which one I'm talking about. The other one being the Goan Pav bhaji ( recipe will be posted soon). The Bombay pav bhaji is the red coloured pav bhaji most commonly eaten across India in restaurants or small chaat carts / gaadis . As a kid, eating out meant small snacks in the evenings, as restaurant culture had not yet caught on as it has today. We would go on my dad's Bajaj scooter to our favorite chaat cart/ gaadi in the market to eat Pav bhaji. With very low tolerance for spices, I was generally stuck eating just butter pav. But as I grew up, the spice tolerance also grew and I was able to enjoy this spicy red bhaji with the greasy yet amazingly tasty butter pav. I'm sure a lot of us have similar memories of the 1990s. Till date, whenever I go home, I make it a point to go to the same gaadi and eat the same pav bhaji. I don't know his secret recipe that makes it so yummy, but I do make it my way at home... The recipe that follows is the way I make it at home...

Bombay Pav Bhaji

A popular Bombay street food consisting of spicy mix vegetable mash and bread rolls/pav.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:          Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:              2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

3 medium Potato
1 cup chopped Tomato
3/4 cup chopped Onion
1/2 cup chopped Capsicum
1/4 cup chopped Carrot
1/2 cup Cauliflower (broken into small florets or chopped)
1/4 cup Green peas
3-4 cloves or 1 Tbsp paste of Garlic
1" piece or 1 Tbsp paste of Ginger
2 Tbsp Pav bhaji masala (In case you don't have this available, use Garam masala - 1/2 tsp, Coriander powder - 1 tsp, Amchur/ Dry mango powder - 1/4 tsp, Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp)
A pinch of Garam masala
2 Tbsp Butter
Red chilli powder - To taste
Salt - To taste
A handful of Coriander leaves
Lemon wedges

Method:

• Boil and peel the potatoes
• Boil the carrot, cauliflower, peas and capsicum.
• Grind the ginger-garlic into a fine paste.
• Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a kadhai or pan
• Add the onions and fry until golden brown.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry until fragrant.
• Add the tomatoes and fry until soft and cooked.
• Add all the remaining vegetables and mash them.
• Add all the spices and salt.
• Add a little water to achieve the desired consistency
• Boil for 5-6 mins
• Add 1 tbsp of butter on top
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves
• Serve hot with some lemon wedges, chopped onion and buttered Pav

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Vegetable Biryani (2 ways)

After a short trip to Sri Lanka where we struggled to find veg food, our taste buds were craving for some spice and lots of vegetables. I wanted to make and eat something that celebrated our wonderful Indian cuisine. It had also been a long time since I had made biryani, I'd almost forgotten the recipe taught to me by my friend's mom. So I tried to recollect all I could and gave it a go. It definitely was the tastiest biryani I've ever eaten (may be cause I made it :P) Below is the recipe how I made it (1st one). There are a few things missing here that are present in an authentic biryani as I made it with things readily available. I have not added potato, black cardamom and saffron/kesar. You can add the potato along with the other vegetables. Black cardamom needs to be added to the rice as well as the masala (1 each). Few saffron strands are mixed with milk and added to the rice. I skipped all this and as I know it, it made no difference to the biryani tastewise. Also, I used regular rice and not Basmati. I highly recommend using Basmati as it adds to the fragrance. I am listing down 2 recipes below, 1st one is how I made it and the 2nd one is an easier method.

Vegetable Biryani



The masala before layering

Recipe 1 : How I made it:

Vegetable Biryani

Rice cooked with vegetables and a spicy masala

Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:              2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

1 cup / 10-12 florets Cauliflower
1 Carrot
1/2 cup Peas
12-15 Beans
2 medium Onions
2 medium Tomatoes
4-5 cloves Garlic
1 " piece Ginger
1/2 cup Curd/ Yoghurt
1/2 cup Mint
1 cup uncooked Rice
3.5 cups Water
4 Cloves
2 1" pieces Cinnamon
4 Green cardamom
2 Bayleaf
A few strands Mace
8-10 Peppercorns
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Ajwain
6 tsp Oil
1 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala
2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
2 Tbsp Milk
Salt

Method:

• Take 3 cups of water in a kadhai/pan. Add 2 cloves, 1 bayleaf, 1 piece of cinnamon, 2 Green cardamoms, few strands of mace and 1/2 tsp of salt.
• Wash the rice and add to the water and boil until the rice is almost done.
• Remove the spices from the rice and drain excess water if any.
• Heat 4 tsp oil in another kadhai and add the cumin seeds.
• Once they brown, add the 1 chopped onions, remaining cloves, cardamom, bayleaf, peppercorns, ajwain and cinnamon.
• Cook until the onions are translucent.
• Grind together the tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
• Add it to the kadhai with the onions.
• Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and the garam masala and cook for 1 min.
• Add all the roughly chopped vegetables and 1/4 cup water and cover and cook on low flame until the vegetables are almost done.
• Add more water if needed.
• Grind the mint leaves with a little water and add it to the curd and whisk to remove any lumps.
• Add this to the masala and cook for 1 min.
• Add salt and remove from heat.
• In another pan, add the remaining oil.
• Once the oil is hot, add the remaining onion sliced lengthwise and fry until brown.
• Add one layer of the masala over the onions
• Add one layer of rice
• Again add a layer of masala and then one layer of rice.
• Sprinkle 2 tbsp of milk and cover the kadhai and cook on low flame for 10-15 mins.
• Mix well and serve hot with raita.

Recipe 2: Easy way out

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 cup / 10-12 florets

Carrot - 1

Peas - 1/2 cup

Beans - 12-15

Onion - 2 medium

Tomato - 2 medium

Garlic - 4-5 cloves

Ginger - 1 " piece

Curd - 1/2 cup

Mint - 1/2 cup

Rice - 1 cup

Water - 2 cups + 1/2 cup

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1" piece

Green cardamom - 2

Bayleaf - 1

Mace - few strands

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 6 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Biryani masala - 1-2 tbsp

Salt

Method:

• Cook rice along with cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, bayleaf, mace and 1/2 tsp of salt. You can pressure cook the rice until it is done. Add a little less water than you regularly do so that the rice is not too mushy. We need the rice grains to be separate.
• Remove the spices from the rice and keep aside.
• Parboil the vegetables outside until they are half done. Especially carrot and beans that take a little longer to cook. You can microwave them on high for 3-4 mins.
• Heat 4 tsp oil in another kadhai and add the cumin seeds.
• Once they brown, add 1 chopped onion. Cook until the onions are translucent.
• Grind together the tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
• Add it to the kadhai with the onions.
• Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and biryani masala and cook for 3-5 mins.
• Add the vegetables cook on low flame until the vegetables are done.
• Add more water if needed.
• Grind the mint leaves with a little water and add it to the curd and whisk to remove any lumps.
• Add this to the masala and cook for 1 min.
• Add salt and remove from heat.
• In another pan, add the remaining oil.
• Once the oil  is hot, add the remaining onion sliced lengthwise and fry until brown.
• Mix the fried onion, masala and rice. Heat once again if needed.
• Serve hot with raita

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