Falafel

Ingredients
Dried chickpeas: 1 cup
Dried fava beans: ½ cup
Chopped onion: 1 cup
Chopped parsley: 3-4 tsp
Chopped coriander: 3-4 tsp
Garlic cloves: 5-6
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Red chili powder: 1 tsp
Cumin powder: ½ tsp
All-purpose flour: 2 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: For frying

Falafel stuffed in pita bread

Soaked chickpeas

Soaked fava beans

Mixture

Falafel

Method
Soak chickpeas and fava beans overnight. Drain chickpeas and fava beans and grind it with garlic, onion, coriander, parsley, cumin, coriander powder, salt and chili powder, without adding water.  Transfer the thick mixture to a bowl and add all-purpose flour. Mix everything well and make small balls from the mixture and slightly flatten them between your palms. Deep fry them in oil till golden brown and serve falafels hot.

I serve falafels sometimes as an appetizer with hummus and tahini and often I stuff it in pita bread along with lettuce, tomatoes, tahini, salt and pepper. Yesterday evening, I used them instead of patties and served them in burger and my hubby loved it :)

You can follow tahini recipe here: http://arjunpurikitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/hummus-and-tahini.html

Sesame Noodles

Ingredients

Spaghetti noodles: 200 gm

Chopped spring onion: 1 cup

Sliced capsicum: ½ cup

Sesame seeds: ¼ cup

Soy sauce: 4-5 tsp

Sesame oil: 2-3 tsp

Canola oil: 2-3 tsp

Vinegar: 2 tsp

Red chili flakes: 2 tsp

Salt: To taste

Method

Cook spaghetti till tender according to the directions mentioned on the package. Drain, rinse in cold water, add 1 tablespoon of oil and set aside.

Dry roast sesame and keep aside. Whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, canola oil, vinegar, red chili flakes and salt.

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan and add spring onion and capsicum, sauté for a minute and add whisked soy mixture. Add noodles and toss well. Remove from the heat and add roasted sesame. Garnish with spring onion before serving.

Cauliflower 65

Trust me when I came across the word Chicken 65 for the first time, I was thinking how a single person can eat so many pieces! But later realised it's just the name and god knows why they gave that name to that dish. So thinking about that yesterday I had prepared Cauliflower 65 and here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

Cauliflower florets: 2 cups
Maida: ¼ cup

Besan: 2 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp

Ajinomoto: A pinch

Salt: To taste

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

For Seasoning
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Chopped onion: 1

Green chillies: 3

Curry leaves: 2 springs

Chopped coriander: 2-3 tsp

Method

Boil the cauliflower florets in salt water for 5-6 minutes. Drain and keep aside. 

Prepare batter by mixing besan, maida, salt, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder and ajinomoto by adding sufficient amount of water. Let the batter be neither thick nor thin. Dip each florets in the batter and deep fry till golden brown.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, onion and sauté for a minute. Add the fried cauliflower pieces to the seasoning mixture and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Potato Wedges

Ingredients

Potatoes: 2-3

Oil: 2 tsp

Crushed garlic: 1 tsp

Garam masala: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Chilli powder: 1 tsp

Pepper powder: ½ tsp

Salt: To taste

Method

Peel and cut potatoes into wedges. Cook in water adding little salt till slightly soft. Drain and pat dry. Prick gently with a fork on each wedge and keep aside. Mix oil and all the seasoning together and add it to the potatoes. Toss wedges gently so that each wedge is coated evenly. Transfer to a baking tray and roast in microwave oven till golden brown and crisp. Serve with hot and sweet sauce.

Baby Corn Manchurian

Ingredients

Baby corn: 2 cups

Corn flour: 1 cup

Rice flour: ½ cup

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp

Salt: To taste

Oil: For deep fry

For Seasoning

Chopped spring onion: 1 cup

Sliced onion: 1 cup

Crushed garlic: 1 tsp

Soy sauce: 1 tsp

Hot sauce: 1 tsp

Tomato ketchup: 1 tsp

Ajinomoto: A pinch

Vinegar: 1 tsp

Olive oil: 2-3 tsp

Salt: To taste

Method

Cut baby corn length wise and cook for 5-6 minutes in boiling water adding little salt. Drain the corn and keep aside.

Add enough water and mix corn flour, rice flour, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt and prepare a batter which is neither thin nor thick. Dip cooked baby corn in the batter and deep fry till golden brown and drain on tissue towel.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan and add garlic, onion, spring onion and sauté till onion turns translucent. Add fried baby corn, and then add soy sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, salt, tomato ketchup and oregano one by one. Stir well and serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Mushroom Rice

Ingredients

Rice: ¼ kg
Diced mushroom: 2 cups
Finely chopped onion: 1 cup
Green peas: ½ cup
Tomatoes: 2
Chilli powder: 2 tsp

Coriander powder: 2 tsp

Cashew nuts: 4-5 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp

Salt: To taste
Oil: 4-5 tsp

Method
Cook rice and keep aside to cool. Heat oil in a pan and fry cashew nuts and onion. Add mushrooms, chilly powder, salt, coriander powder, green peas and tomatoes and sauté well. Cook till oil separates from the mixture. Add the mixture to the cooked rice and garnish with coriander leaves.

Mushroom Chettinad

 

Ingredients

Button mushrooms: 250 gm

Tamarind paste: 1 tsp

Finely chopped coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp

Chana dal: 2 tsp

Dry red chillies: 4-5

Black pepper corns: 2 tsp

Mustard seeds: 2 tsp

Curry leaves: 2-3 springs

Oil: 2 tsp

Salt: To taste

Method

Wash, pat dry and chop mushrooms and keep them aside. Dry roast chana dal, dry red chillies and peppercorns till lentils turn golden brown. Cool and grind them to powder and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds and add chopped mushrooms and sauté on medium flame. Add salt to taste and ground spice powder and mix well. Sauté gently on medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Keep stirring continuously so that the spice mixture does not stick to the bottom and burnt out. Add tamarind paste and mix well. Cook for another minute and sauté well. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or rice.

Spicy and Tangy Tomato Rice

I cannot imagine my life without tomatoes. I use them almost every day in my cooking, besides eating them raw and using them in salads. My mom prepares yummy tomato rice which is spicy and tangy. She used to serve with generous amount of ghee and it used to be mouth-watering. Here’s the recipe for it:

IngredientsRice: ½ kg
Finely chopped onion: 2
Tomatoes: 2-3, pureed
Finely chopped tomatoes: 5-6
Finely chopped green chillies: 5-6

Grated ginger: 2 tsp
Finely chopped coriander leaves: 3-4 tsp
Salt: To taste
Cinnamon: 2 inches
Cloves: 5-6
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1-2 tsp
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp

For Seasoning
Mustard seeds: 2-3 tsp
Cumin seeds: 2-3 tsp
Bengal gram: 2-3 tsp
Urad dal: 2-3 tsp
Dry red chillies: 3-4, broken into pieces
Curry leaves: 3-4 springs
Asafoetida: ¼ tsp
Cashew nuts: 4-5 tsp
Ghee: 3-4 tsp
Oil: 3-4 tsp

Method
Cook rice and spread it on a plate to cool. Once it is cooled, add 2-3 tablespoons of ghee and separate each grain with the help of a spoon and keep aside.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashew nuts till golden brown, drain them and keep aside. Heat oil in the same pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add Bengal gram, urad dal, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves and broken red chillies. Sauté well till the lentils turn golden brown. Add asafetida and curry leaves and sauté for a few more seconds. Add chopped onion, green chillies and ginger and sauté till onion pieces turn translucent. Then add finely chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, and red chilli powder and mix well. Cook the mixture till tomatoes release juice, on a medium flame. Add tomato puree, garam masala and salt to taste. Simmer for 5-6 minutes and add the mixture to the rice. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and fried cashews and mix well. Serve tomato rice with yogurt or any raita of your choice.

Note: Cashew nuts can be substituted with peanuts.

Chickpea Soup

Another simple Middle East recipe which I learnt recently is Chickpea Soup. It is served along with salads, olives, bread and yoghurt. It often forms the centerpiece of simple peasant meals. It is easy to make and very nice to have in winter days and never lasts long at my home. You can make it versatile by adding almost any vegetable to it to suit your taste. You can either add pasta or chopped spinach or broccoli or mushroom or carrot or any other vegetable. And as the name itself says, it is soup, healthy, plus no oil is used! So, forget about your dieting and enjoy this soup.



Ingredients
Chickpeas: 2 cup, washed and drained
Onion: 2, chopped into small pieces
Potatoes: 2 boiled, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
Water: 8-9 cups
Salt: As per taste
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Chili powder: 1 tsp
Pepper powder: ½ tsp
Lemon juice: 1-2 tsp

Method
Soak chickpeas in water overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Take eight cups of water in a large saucepan and add chickpeas and onion. Bring it to a boil, and simmer it for 1 hour (The more it cooks the more well the soup becomes as the chickpeas become softer and the liquid gets thicker and the soup develops a cohesion that it would otherwise lack). Then add potatoes, salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder and ¾ cup of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer again for 1 to 1 ½ hours stirring in between. Check for seasoning and add pepper powder and lemon juice before serving.
Note: It is a good idea to taste the soup before adding lemon juice. Chickpea broth has a natural sweetness that you may prefer to leave untouched.

Vegetable Kebab

Ingredients
Potatoes: 2 medium sized, boiled and peeled
Paneer: 1 cup
Cauliflower: 1 cup
Cabbage: 1 cup
Green chili: 2, finely chopped
Coriander leaves: 2 tsp, finely chopped
Maida: 1 cup
Chili powder: 1 tsp
Ghee: 2 tsp
Salt: As per taste
Water: 1 cup
Oil: For deep frying



Method
Grate the boiled potatoes, paneer, cabbage and cauliflower. Heat ghee in a pan and fry both cabbage and cauliflower for 4-5 minutes. Then add potato, paneer, green chilies and salt. Check the salt at this stage and cook till all the water from the vegetables dries up. Remove from the fire and allow it to cool. Make small balls of the mixture and flatten between your hands and keep aside. Make a batter by mixing maida, ¼ tsp salt, chili powder in 1 cup of water. Heat oil in a frying pan, dip all the kebabs in the maida batter and deep fry them till golden brown. Serve them hot with pudina or tomato sauce.

Aloo Tikki

Ingredients
Potatoes: 3-4 medium sized, boiled and peeled
Salt: As per taste
Black pepper: ½ tsp


For stuffing
Green peas: ½ cup, cooked well
Ginger: ½ tsp minced
Garam masala: ¼ tsp
Salt: As per taste
Red chili powder: ¼ tsp
Cumin: 1tsp, dry roasted, coarsely grounded
Oil: For frying



Method
Mash the cooked green peas. Add all the stuffing ingredients except oil and mash well. Divide the mixture into 10 equal portions and keep aside. Mash the potatoes very finely and add salt and pepper and knead until properly mixed. Divide it also into 10 equal portions. Rub your palms with little oil.  Take each portion of potato mixture and make a ball. Taking one at a time, gently flatten each ball into a round patty of about 1/2-inch thick and place a portion of stuffing in the centre and fold the edges together very finely so that the mixture does not come out. Very gently flatten the stuffed ball into a 2-inch patty. Repeat the procedure for all pieces. Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan. Slip in the patties and pan-fry on both sides till crisp golden brown, adding oil if required, on a very low heat. Serve tikkis with tomato sauce or mint chutney.