Showing posts with label Lunch / Dinner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lunch / Dinner. Show all posts

Lahsuni Methi Mushroom | Mushrooms in Garlic Fenugreek Masala [Video Recipe]

A vegan curry made by simmering mushrooms in a fragrant garlic and fenugreek flavored masala gravy.


Do you all have a case of Monday blues? I definitely do, a very strong one. I would love if there were no Mondays. I'm just back from a long weekend, so Monday blues were a lot stronger yesterday. But there was one shining hour that kinda got me out of it. We had potluck at work today and what a blast it was. I took Pani Puri and while it was tasty and all, it is so difficult to carry in a bus. I had to double pack my puris so they would be intact by the time I reached in the bus. Every little hump and bump on the road freaked me out. Luckily, none broke. So hey, all's well that ends well.

I also learnt some very interesting recipes that my friends got, that I hope I can recreate for you guys pretty soon!

Also, can you guys believe its been more than a month that I shared a curry recipe? I checked, it's true. I'm such a curry person, that it surprised me. I've been so lost in making Tofu and cooking with Tofu, like this Chilli Tofu that I shared last week, that I'd completely left the curry train. 

So today I present to you - Lahsuni Methi Mushroom. This literally translates to Garlic Fenugreek Mushroom, so you understand what's the dominant flavor here. This recipe is inspired from Prash's Lahsuni Methi Paneer. I loved the idea of adding coconut milk over cream. It kept the recipe rich yet surprisingly light and non greasy. 

If you love garlic, this curry has a strong potential to become you favorite. For once, don't count the cloves of garlic you add. The more the merrier in this case. So garlic is the first dominant flavor here and it is something all of us are familiar with and have easy access to.

The second dominant flavor here is Methi Leaves or Fenugreek leaves. This is easily available in India and probably the middle east where it is used in cooking. However, this may be a little tricky to find in the rest of the world. If you cannot find fresh fenugreek leaves, use dried ones. Dry methi leaves are sold as "Kasuri Methi" and should be available in Indian stores. Since the dried leaves are more potent in taste, use half the quantity and add more later if required. You can also replace methi leaves with any other herb that is fragrant. 

Lastly, if you don't eat mushrooms, you can make the same curry with potatoes, cauliflower, paneer or tofu.




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 upto. 

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

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on FacebookTwitterInstagramPinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email


Video Recipe






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Lahsuni Methi Mushroom


A vegan curry made by simmering mushrooms in a fragrant garlic and fenugreek flavored masala gravy.

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            North Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     40 minutes
Total time:     50 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Ingredients:


200 gms Mushrooms
12 cloves Garlic
1.5 cups Methi leaves, loosely packed
0.5 cups Coconut Milk
1 Onion
1 Tomato
0.5 tsp Garam Masala
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
3 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:


1. Clean the mushroom and cut them in half or quarters.
2. Chop 10 of the garlic cloves finely.
3. Roughly chop the methi leaves.
4. Heat 1.5 Tbsp oil in a pan and add the finely chopped garlic.
5. Once the garlic is fragrant, add finely chopped onion and fry until it is translucent.
6. Add finely chopped tomato and half of the methi leaves. Cook until the tomatoes are soft.
7. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt and cook for 1 minute.
8. Remove from heat and keep aside.
9. Once it is cool, grind to a fine paste using little water.
10. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil and add the garam masala to it.
11. Immediately add the ground paste. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
12. Add the coconut milk, mushrooms and remaining methi leaves.
13. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked.
14. If the curry is too thick, add more coconut milk. Adjust the salt as required.
15. Slice the remaining 2 cloves of garlic and fry in 0.5 Tbsp oil and top the curry with it.
16. Serve hot with rotis.



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Mushroom Palak Recipe | Spinach Mushroom Curry


Delicious vegan spinach and mushroom curry that can be cooked up in no time at all. Healthy and tasty!

Mushrooms cooked in a vibrant spinach curry


How has the week been for you guys? Remember, when I told you how awesome last week was? Well, this week's been kinda okay in comparison. I've been alone at home this week with Raj on a long forced vacation. He had to take 2 weeks off work as per company policy and so he did. He is right now spending time with his parents and sis at their house and I'm all set to travel there today. So while he's away I've been watching endless reruns of "Small Wonder". You remember that show? The show is literally as old as me. But I'm loving the simplicity of the show and it is just plain cute. I miss TV of the 90's. Right now there is barely a series on TV that I can watch without wanting to flip channels.

Back to today's recipe. So when Raj is away or skipping a meal, I only have one thing on my mind - Mushrooms!! The man won't eat mushrooms and it is super boring when I have to cook different things for him and me. So I use the few chances I get to hoard up on Mushrooms. I love Mushrooms and I love Spinach, so what's not to love in a marriage of the two.

While I'm utterly disappointed with my photos for this recipe, I really could not seem to get a good delicious picture. I know I tried, I added props, removed props, changed backgrounds, but nothing seemed to work. But I did not want to keep myself from sharing this recipe, so forgive the photos. It tastes much better than it looks.


Mushrooms cooked in a vibrant spinach curry


So this is actually a very simple vegan curry. It starts by making the spinach puree. There are no filters in the photos, the spinach gravy is really that green. And I'm going to share my secret of How to make the vibrant green gravy

  • Never ever cover spinach while it is cooking or while it is hot. That's it! Cook spinach in a open pan always. 
  • First boil the water, add the spinach and let it bubble for 4-5 minutes, then remove the pan from heat and let it rest for another 3-4 minutes.
  • Drain out the spinach and dunk it immediately in cold water. The spinach has to cool down before you move on.
  • Once the spinach is at room temperature or cooler, puree it. You can add ginger, garlic or green chillies while pureeing the spinach.
  • Now you have the vibrant green gravy. You will be cooking the spinach again, along with the mushrooms in this case, keep in mind to never cover the spinach, else you will lose the vibrancy. 
  • Also to store this curry, allow the spinach to cool to room temperature before closing the pan/box, so that the color is retained.

Mushrooms cooked in a vibrant spinach curry

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 upto. 

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

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email


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Mushroom Palak | Spinach Mushroom Curry


Mushrooms cooked in a vibrant spinach curryCurry made by cooking button mushrooms in a vibrant green spinach gravy.

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Total time:     60 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2


Ingredients:


150 gms Button Mushrooms
300 gms Spinach (3 cups)
2 tsp Oil
0.5 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp finely chopped Garlic
1-2 finely chopped Green Chillies
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:


1. Heat water in a large pot or pan.
2. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add washed spinach to it.
3. Allow the water to bubble for 4-5 minutes without covering the pan.
4. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 3-4 minutes.
5. Drain the spinach and submerge it in cold water or wash it with cold water until the spinach comes to room temperature or cooler.
6. Grind the spinach into a puree along with the garlic and green chillies. Keep aside.
7. Clean and halve the mushrooms.
8. Heat oil in a pan and add the mushrooms.
9. Add a little salt and allow the mushrooms to sweat.
10. Once the mushrooms are cooked to your liking, add the spinach puree and simmer for 5 minutes.
11. Add salt to taste and mix well.
12. Serve hot with phulka or rotis.
13. To store the Mushroom Palak for later and not lose the vibrant color of the spinach, allow the curry to cool to room temperature and only then cover it and store in fridge


Mushrooms cooked in a vibrant spinach curry


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Lauki Kofta Recipe [Video]


Dumpling made from Bottle Gourd and simmered in a creamy tomato and nut based vegan gravy. 

Bottle gourd dumplings in a tomato based gravy

So I've had a good last week. My bestie flew in on Sunday and we had one of those "Shop-till-you-drop" evenings, where we managed to fill her empty bag with all sorts of stuff and our tummies with some guilty goodness. She even got me juicy ripe sweet Mankurad Mangoes, a variety only available in Goa and cherished by all back home. I'd forgotten how delicious they tasted. Thank you Nammu!

And then there was a very slow monday at work, which was just fine with me.

Tuesday was Labor Day, so we took full advantage of the holiday and went out to meet more friends.

That's how the week looked like, meeting friends and eating delicious mangoes that reminded me of my seaside state of Goa. And yes, the rains!!!

It's also been raining heavily at nights with strong winds. The kind of nights you want to sit near the window with a cup of hot tea and feel the occasional spray of water on your face. I've been enjoying those.

A good mood also makes me want to cook good food. So I've been whipping up some delicious indulgent treats. Did you check out my last post on Eggless Blueberry Muffins? They are a winner and definitely not to be missed!

Bottle gourd dumplings in a tomato based gravy

While I was onto to cooking good food, I made this Lauki Kofta in a creamy spicy tomato based gravy too. One more into the indulgent basket. The only reason I feel a little less guilty about this one is because of the Bottle Gourd or Lauki - it is super healthy. Bottle Gourd is full of water and fiber and is perfect for summers. It is known to cool down your body plus help you reduce weight.

Although I know it is good for me, I am not particularly fond of bottle gourd. But this is one of the only ways I really enjoy it. It is also a sneaky way to make your kids / family eat this bundle of health.

Traditionally, koftas are dumplings made of meat, but this is a vegan version of the same. Also, koftas are usually deep fried. I tried to make it slightly healthier by shallow frying them in a Paddu Tava. You can bake them or shallow fry them in a regular pan too.

Bottle gourd dumplings in a tomato based gravy


Bottle gourd dumplings in a tomato based gravy
Shallow frying in a paddu tava

Bottle gourd dumplings in a tomato based gravy

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 upto. 

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

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email



Video Recipe




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Lauki Kofta

Bottle gourd dumplings in a tomato based gravy
Bottle gourd dumplings in a tomato based gravy 

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:          Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Yield:              2-3 Servings

Ingredients:


For the Lauki Kofta


1 whole or 2.5 cups grated Lauki or Bottle gourd
3-4 Tbsp Besan / Gram flour
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
0.5 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Salt
Oil to fry the Kofta

For the Creamy Tomato Gravy


2 medium Onions
2 medium Tomatoes
0.25 cup Cashews
0.5 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:


To make the Lauki Kofta


1. Peel and grate the lauki. Squeeze out as much water as you can from the lauki and keep the water aside to use later.
2. Add the garam masala, red chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, besan and salt.
3. Mix well. If the dough is too stiff, add a little of the water set aside. If the dough is too watery, add more besan.
4. Shape the dough into koftas.
5. At this point, you can choose how to cook the koftas, you can deep fry them until golden brown or shallow fry them. I fried in a paddu tava. You can use a regular pan to shallow fry, however you may need to flatten the koftas a little bit. You can also bake or deep fry the koftas.
6. Fry them until golden brown and crisp. Keep the kofta aside.

To make Creamy Tomato Gravy


7. Soak cashews in warm water and keep aside. You can use almonds instead.
8. Grind together the onion, tomato and ginger-garlic paste with a little water until smooth.
9. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
10. Once the cumin seeds brown, add the onion-tomato paste and cook on low flame until the water evaporates.
11. In the meanwhile, grind the cashew or almonds into a fine paste using a little water.
12. Once the gravy thickens, add the red chilli powder, garam masala and cashew paste. Mix well.
13. Add the squeezed lauki water as required. Add more water for a thinner consistency.
14. Add salt and mix well.
15. Simmer for 4-5 minutes on low heat.
16. Add the koftas and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
17. Serve hot with rice or roti.


Bottle gourd dumplings in a tomato based gravy


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    One Pot Corn Spinach Pilaf | Corn Palak Pulao Recipe [Video Recipe]


    Corn Spinach Pulao - Delicately spiced Indian pilaf made with fresh spinach, sweet corn and whole spices.

    Indian rice pilaf made with corn, spinach and whole spices


    This Corn Spinach Pilaf / Corn Palak Pulao was long in the making.

    To those who are new..ish here, we have a small balcony garden where weve been growing a few greens and vegetables. I love eating what we grow, I know it is genuinely organic. There is no pleasure greater than knowing that the food you eat is as healthy as it should be. We feed our plants with compost that we make at home again. Around 1.5 years ago, we started composting our kitchen waste and have not looked back since. Again, that is one soul satisfying venture that lets us keep garbage out of land fills while making enriching compost for our own garden and all it takes is 10 minutes of our time daily.


    Indian rice pilaf made with corn, spinach and whole spices


    A few weeks ago, I planted spinach in one of the grow bags out there. If you are just starting out in gardening, spinach is the first thing you should grow. It grows so easily. You plant it and water it once a day and you will see those tiny green leaves popping out in no time. And you now have a fresh supply of baby spinach ready to pluck when you want.

    When I have home grown vegetables, I usually make a salad or something similar to let my veggies shine. This Corn Spinach Pulao is exactly that. It is simple, delicate, fragrant and so super easy to make. This is a classic OPOS dish - One Pot One Shot. 

    To make the perfect Corn Spinach Pulao, use the best quality ingredients. This is a very simple dish, so there is nothing much to hide behind. Select the best Basmati Rice, preferably something that is long grain and aged. You can use either fresh or frozen corn. And definitely, use the freshest spinach you can get. 

    Indian rice pilaf made with corn, spinach and whole spices

    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 upto. 

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

    You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

    Video Recipe



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    Corn Spinach Pilaf | Corn Palak Pulao Recipe


    Indian rice pilaf made with corn, spinach and whole spicesCorn Spinach Pulao is a delicately spiced Indian pilaf made with fresh spinach, sweet corn and whole spices. Vegan and gluten free.

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

    Ingredients:


    1 cup Basmati Rice
    2 cups loosely packed Spinach leaves
    0.5 cup Sweet Corn kernels
    1 large Onion
    1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
    2 Tbsp Oil
    0.5 tsp Cumin seeds
    0.5 tsp Caraway seeds
    1-2 Cloves
    1-2 Green Cardamom
    1 strand Mace
    1 Bay leaf
    0.5 inch Cinnamon
    1.5 cup Water
    Salt to taste

    Method:


    1. Wash the basmati rice 4-5 times until the water runs clear. Soak and keep aside for 20 minutes.
    2. Slice the onions. Wash the spinach thoroughly and chop it.
    3. Drain the rice and keep aside.
    4. In a large thick bottomed pan, heat oil.
    5. Once the oil is hot, add bay leaf and cinnamon.
    6. Add all the other whole spices and fry on low heat for 1 minute.
    7. Add sliced onions and fry for 1-2 minutes
    8. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry until the onions turn golden brown.
    9. Add chopped spinach and sweet corn. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
    10. Add the basmati rice and water.
    11. Add salt as per taste. The water should be salty when you taste it.
    12. Cover and cook on low heat until the rice is cooked. It should take around 15-20 minutes.
    13. Serve hot.



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    South Indian Chana Masala


    Fragrant chickpea curry made in South Indian style with fresh coconut and whole spices. 

    South Indian Chickpea Curry with coconut


    That South Indian blood in me, is 50% coconut. I'm sure! 

    Everything tastes a little better with some coconut in it, do you agree?

    Now, that we have established ourselves as fans of that brown fruit or nut, lets move on. So who like chickpeas? I know I do. 

    If you are still here, then you will love this South Indian style of making Chana Masala.

    South Indian Chickpea Curry with coconut

    Chana Masala is a curry made with Kabuli Chana or Chickpeas or Chhole. South Indians make it differently from the North Indians. The North Indian curry is heavy on tomatoes, while the South Indian one uses coconut. If you were looking for the North Indian curry, you will like these:
    Amritsari Chhole, Pindi Chhole or this slightly different Chhole Palak.

    While I'm super lucky to be in the tropics, where coconuts are easily available and not very expensive, you can replace the fresh coconut here with frozen coconut or with coconut milk.
    If using coconut milk, just expect a paler color as you will not be roasting the coconut.

    Now, back to the dish, it is actually very simple to make. You really don't need to be a chef. But you have to know your spices. Here, I have used whole spices that I dry roasted on low heat for a few minutes and then ground along with the coconut. You can use garam masala or chhole masala, but I highly recommend grinding those whole spices, just this one time. Grated fresh coconut is also roasted on low flame until it turns a golden brown. If you are using coconut milk, you don't have to do this step. Grind the spices and the coconut. Fry it for a while, then add the chickpeas and simmer. Garnish generously with coriander leaves. 

    And this Chana Masala goes so well with crusty bread, some rice or light fluffy naans. You can make this curry and serve it right away, I think it tastes better the next day. A day or so in the fridge allows the chickpeas to soak in all the flavor. 

    South Indian Chickpea Curry with coconut


    South Indian Chickpea Curry with coconut


    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 upto. 

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

    You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email


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    South Indian Chana Masala Recipe


    South Indian Chickpea Curry with coconutSouth Indian Chana Masala is a spicy curry made with chickpeas, fresh coconut and whole spices.
    Recipe Type:  Main
    Cuisine:            Indian
    Prep Time:     15 minutes
    Cook time:     60 minutes
    Yield:                Serves 2-3


    Ingredients:


    1 cup dried Chana or 1 can Chickpeas
    0.75 cups grated fresh Coconut or 1 cup thick Coconut Milk
    5-7 dry Red Chillies
    1 small Onion
    1 Tbsp Coriander seeds
    1 tsp Fennel Seeds (Saunf)
    0.5 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
    1-2 Cloves (Lawang)
    0.5" Cinnamon (Dalchini)
    1 green Cardamom (Elaichi)
    4-5 Black Peppercorns (Kali mirch)
    0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
    1 tsp grated Ginger
    1 tsp Tamarind pulp
    4 tsp Oil
    A handful of fresh coriander leaves to garnish
    Salt to taste
    Water as required

    Method:


    1. Soak the dried chickpeas in water for 8-10 hours.
    2. Pressure cook with a 0.5 tsp of salt until completely cooked. Do not overcook them.
    3. Dry roast the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and pepper on low heat until fragrant. That should take around 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep aside.
    4. Heat 1 tsp of oil in the same pan and on medium to high heat, roast the dry red chillies until they puff up. Remove from heat and keep aside.
    5. Lower the heat, and add the grated coconut (if using) to the pan and on low heat, roast the coconut until it turns a golden brown.
    6. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
    7. Grind together the roasted whole spices, red chillies, roasted coconut, grated ginger, tamarind, turmeric powder and chopped onion along with a little water to a smooth paste. If using coconut milk, just grind together the spices, red chillies, ginger, tamarind, turmeric powder and onion.
    8. Heat the remaining oil in a pan, and add the ground paste.
    9. Fry on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
    10. Add the cooked chickpeas, 1 cup of water and salt. Allow to come to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
    11. If using coconut milk, then add it after 5 minutes of simmering and continue to simmer until the curry reaches the desired consistency.
    12. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.
    13. Serve warm/hot with rice, bread, or flatbread of your choice.


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    Baked Falafel Beetroot Wraps


    Baked chickpea falafels and hummus in a beetroot flatbread!


    Baked chickpea falafels and hummus in a beetroot flatbread

    Mediterranean food has so much to offer to vegetarians - dips, salads and of course, the ever so loved Falafels. The falafel is a great meat free option for anyone eating Mediterranean food, it is full of protein and fiber. While traditionally falafels are made with fava beans and are deep fried, I chose to make them with the easily available chickpeas and to bake them. I love fried falafels, but when one moves to eating healthy, one has to find the alternative to balance both health and flavor. And I can tell you for sure, there was no loss of flavor here!

    Falafels are served in so many different ways - as an appetizer with dips, stuffed inside a pita pocket to make a sandwich or as a part of a bowl meal. I chose to serve it inside a vibrant pink beetroot wrap. 

    Baked chickpea falafels and hummus in a beetroot flatbread


    I have an obsession for wraps and rolls. I simply love them, they are so easy to eat and not so messy. And they are usually healthier than the sandwiches made with leavened white bread. When it comes to wraps, I always go for whole wheat. 

    You will love this because:
    • Easy to eat, not messy
    • Healthy
    • Vibrant
    • You can customize it to your liking
    • Vegan
    • Delicious
    To make the Baked Falafel Beetroot Wraps, I soaked dried chickpeas overnight. If you are using canned ones, you can start right away. I boiled a third of them to make hummus and used the remaining to make the falafels. I made my own hummus, just because it is so easy to make and I love the taste of fresh hummus, but you can save yourself the trouble and buy your favorite hummus.


    Baked chickpea falafels and hummus in a beetroot flatbread

    Baked chickpea falafels and hummus in a beetroot flatbread


    For the falafels, I coarsely ground together uncooked chickpeas, fresh coriander leaves, green chillies, garlic along with coriander powder and cumin powder. Season as per taste. Add in a little flour or corn starch to help it bind better if the batter is too wet. While falafels are usually spherical, while baked it is preferred to flatten them, to increase the surface area that touches the baking sheet. The area that touches the sheet tends to crisp up, so lets increase that! If you don't have an oven, you can pan fry it with little oil. I suggest you make more than what is required, cause these taste delicious and make a great healthy snack!

    For the wrap, I boiled beetroots and pureed them, then I added salt and wholewheat flour and kneaded a smooth dough with a little water. Rolled the wraps out and cooked them on a tava or griddle with a little oil. If you are too lazy to make the wrap, you can buy frozen chapatis or even use tortillas that only need to be heated up. But I definitely recommend making them fresh. They are soft and slightly sweet due to the natural sweetness of the beets. Plus they look so beautiful. You can add spice powders to the dough while kneading to jazz it up a little, just don't overpower it with a lot of them.

    Finally to assemble, just spread the hummus on the flatbread, add the falafels and a simple salad of colorful peppers, cabbage or lettuce and onions. Toss in some olives or pickle if you would like. Roll it up and eat.

    Baked chickpea falafels and hummus in a beetroot flatbread

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    Baked Falafel Beetroot Wraps


    Baked chickpea falafels and hummus in a beetroot flatbreadBaked chickpea falafels with hummus and vegetables rolled in a whole wheat beetroot flatbread.

    Recipe Type:  Main
    Cuisine:            Mediterranean Indian Fusion
    Prep Time:     8 hours (includes soaking time)
    Cook time:     60 minutes
    Yield:                Makes 6 wraps

    Ingredients:

    To make the Baked Falafels:


    200 gms Chickpeas
    1 Onion
    2-3 Garlic Cloves
    0.5 cup Coriander leaves (tightly packed)
    2 Green Chillies
    1 tsp Cumin powder
    0.5 tsp Coriander Powder
    0.5 Lime
    0.5 tsp Baking Soda
    1 Tbsp Corn Starch or Flour (Optional)
    3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
    Salt to taste

    To make the Beetroot Wrap:


    2 cup Wholewheat Flour (atta)
    1 large Beet root
    0.5 tsp Red Chilli Powder
    6 tsp Oil
    Salt to taste
    Water as required

    To assemble the Wrap:


    6 Beetroot Wraps
    12 Falafels
    6 Tbsp Hummus
    4-5 leaves of Ice berg lettuce or Cabbage
    0.5 cup julienne Capsicum
    1 small Onion, sliced

    Method:


    To make the Baked Falafels:


    Soak the chickpeas overnight or for 8-10 hours if using dried chickpeas. If using canned chickpeas, skip the soaking.
    Drain out all the water and transfer the chickpeas to a food processor or a mixer.
    Add the garlic, chopped onion, coriander leaves, chopped green chillies, lime juice, baking soda, cumin powder and coriander powder to the blender along with salt.
    Pulse the food processor until everything is combined. Do not over process it and make it smooth and mushy. The batter has to just sticky enough to hold when pressed together.
    Add corn starch or flour if the dough is too wet.
    Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
    Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
    Divide the mix into 12 equal portions.
    Roll them into balls and flatten them.
    Brush a baking sheet with oil. Place the falafels on the baking sheet.
    Brush the falafels with oil.
    Bake for 10 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until the falafels have browned.
    Remove from the oven and keep aside.

    To make the Beetroot Wraps:


    Boil and peel the beetroot.
    Allow it to cool and then puree it until smooth. Run through a sieve to get a smoother puree.
    Transfer the uree to a large plate or bowl. Add 0.5 tsp of salt and red chilli powder and mix well.
    Add in the whole wheat flour and start kneading. Add water as required.
    Knead until the dough comes together.
    This can be done while the falafel batter is resting in the fridge.
    Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and roll them into balls.
    Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough as thin as possible. Use wholewheat flour for dusting.
    Heat a tava or a griddle and brush it with oil.
    Cook the wrap on medium-high heat. Brush the wrap with a little oil and flip over.
    When the wrap has a few brown spots, remove from heat and keep aside.
    Do the same for all 6 portions.

    To assemble the Baked Falafel Beetroot Wraps:


    Spread hummus on the wrap.
    Place the julienne capsicum, sliced onion and lettuce on the hummus.
    Place 2 falafels on each wrap.
    Roll and serve.


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