Falafel

Falafel-A Lebanese -middle eastern dish. Pitta pockets are lined with houmous, filled with this deepfried spiced balls made from chickpeas, blackeyes beans and pulses.Topped with a crunchy salad and chutneys, it is a mouth watering dish .

Ingredient:

For Falafel:

1 small bowl masoor dhal
1 small bowl moong dhal(without husk)
1 small bowl pre cooked black eyed beans
1 small bowl pre cooked kabuli chana (white chick peas)
2 teaspoons ginger paste
6 green chillies finely minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon sugar
Sun flower oil for deep frying

For salad:

Finely shredded lettuce
2 inch piece cucumber finely diced
Red,green,yellow peppers finely diced
2 spring onions finely chopped
1 tomato de seeded and finely diced.

For serving:

Tamarind and green chutney
4 pitta breads
Houmous.

Method:

1.Soak the masoor dhal and the moong dhal at night.
2.Next morning drain all the water out and grind the dhals to a fine consistency.

3.Grind the chana and blackeyed beans .
4. Mix together the dhals and the chana /beans mixture.

5. Add ginger,chillies,salt, sugar and lemon juice, bicarnonate of soda and mix throughly.Keep aside for 1 hour.(Do not add extra water mixture needs to be stiff and dropping consistency)

6.Heat the oil .
7.Using a spoon drop small walnut sized balls of the mixture into the hot oil.
8.Fry on medium heat until golden brown.
9.Drain on kitchen paper.

To serve:

1.Warm the pitta breads and slit open.
2.Spread houmous in side and fill with the falafel balls .
3.Top with salad and chutneys.

Falafels are ready to eat.

You may like:
Houmous
Green chutney
Tamarind chutney

This post has been submitted to MLLA 19th event.(My legume love affair)
Simple indian food- an easy cooking blog
The well seasoned cook

Lesun chutney (garlic chutney)

Lesun chutney (garlic chutney)-Made using just few simple ingredients this chutney is very versatile .It can be eaten as an accompaniment to bajre(millet) roti ,parathas, puris or wheat rotis .It can be used to flavour curries, soups or even used as a sandwich spread.

Ingredients:

2 medium bulbs garlic.( approx 24 cloves of garlic)

4 tablespoons chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt.

3 tablespoons sunflower oil.

Method:

1. Peel the two garlic bulbs and puree them to a fine paste in a blender.

2. Add to the pureed garlic chilli powder, salt and the oil and blend again.

3.The chutney should be dropping consistency but can be made thicker or thinner by adding less or more oil. (Oil acts as a preservative)

4. Once throughly blended the chutney can be transferred to a sterilised jar and kept in the fridge for up to three months.

You may like:

Amli -tamarind chutney

Green coriander chutney

Award

Thankyou Rachana from VEGGI FARE for bestowing me with this lovely Award. It's an honour to receive it. However it does come with some conditions and they are that I have to divulge 7 things about myself , and then nominate and pass the award to 7 other blogger friends.

So here goes:

1. My passion for cooking started at a tender age of 10 and its grown since then.

2. I am a vegetarian and love all kinds of food, especially savory dishes.

3. One thing I cant live with out........masala chai.
4. My favourite dish that I am cook for family and friends is chilli paneer.

5. I dislike okras although will eat them under exceptional circumstances.

6. My new years resolution is to take photographic classes to learn how to take good photos.

7.My motto "Be happy be content with what you have" and you will never be dissapointed in life.
I pass this award to

VEGGIE PARADISE

EASY VEGGIE

Sailaja kitchen

Sankeerthanam

Ruchikacooks

Vazhayila

Authentic Food Delights

Although I have been blogging for sometime ,I am pretty new to this "foodie" blogging community so please If any one else visiting here would like the award feel free to accept it also.

Thanks once again to Rachana for making simply.food feel so welcome.These are for you thankyou. :)

.

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More Awards- Many many thanks for passing these awards to me. simply.food is honoured that there are so many foodie friends who who think that this blog is deserving of such recognition..

Thanks Aruna- VEGGIE PARADISE

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Thanks Sailaja-Sailaja Kitchen


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Thanks SE-Denu Foods

@ se The tag that came with this blog is same as answered above so not answering again.


Thanks-SailajaKitchen.

Eggless Strawberry muffins.

Eggless Strawberry muffins- A lovely coffee time treat of soft light melt in the mouth spongy muffins. Virtually fat free and healthy with a lovely tangy flavour from the fresh strawberries.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups all purpose flour(maida)
Sugar 3/4 cup
Salt 1/4 teaspoon
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
Apple sauce 1/2 cup ( substiture for 1 egg)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup milk( approx)
18 strawberries

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade.

1.Slice 6 strawberries in halves and reserve (12 halves)
2.Cut remaining strawberries into quarters keep aside.
3. Add the bicarbonate of soda and baking powder to the flour and sieve to encorporate it. Keep aside.
4. In a bowl add the apple sauce, sugar , vanilla essence and oil and mix together throughly.
5.Add the strawberry pieces and mix.
6.Fold in the sieved flour with a metal spoon gently , making sure not to over mix.
7. Add the milk to make dropping consistency batter.(Adjust milk as needed)
8.Divide the mixture equally into 12 muffin cases.
9. Place a strawberry half on top of each muffin cut side up.
10.Bake in a preheated oven 180 centigrade for approx 25 minutes.

11.Muffins are ready when a skewer inserted in cake comes out clean
12.Cool in wire rack and enjoy.

NB -Due to fresh strawberries it is best that the muffins be consumed with in two days.

You may like: Eggless Almond vanilla cookies.

Submitting to:

Fuss free flavours and fingers and toes breakfast event~ muffins

Cook.Eat.Delicious.Desserts strawberries  event by Raven, guest hosted by Sizzling Tastebuds.

Stir fried noodles with baby corn and carrots.

Stir fried noodles with baby corn and carrots - A fast and easy lunch or brunch dish that takes only a few minutes to prepare. Tender baby corn, carrots and chinese egg noodles stir fried in the wok with aromatic garlic, soya sauce ,chilli sauce and fried cashew nuts to give that crunch.

Ingredients:

2 rounds of dry medium chinese egg noodles(If you dont eat eggs use rice noodles)


2 carrots peeled and sliced thinly
4 oz baby corn sliced in 5mm rounds
2 tablespoons dark soya sauce
1 tablespoon chilli sauce ( more if you like spicy)
1.5 tablespoons sunflower oil
pinch salt
2 green chillies finely chopped( omit for children)
1 clove garlic peeled and thinly sliced
Handful cashew nuts

Method:

1. Place the noodles in a large bowl and top with boiling water .Cover and leave for 2 minutes.
2. After two minutes separate the noodles with a fork cover and leave for 1 more minute.
3. After this drain the noodles and keep them aside.
4. In a wok add the half the sunflower oil and heat till it smokes .(Chinese food is cooked on high heat to make the outside seal and the inside still crunchy. )
5. Add the cashew nuts and fry till golden brown. Remove them and keep aside.
6. Add the remaining oil , heat and then add the garlic to the hot pan ,stir fry and add the corn, chillies and carrots. Add pinch of salt. Stir fry till the vegtables begin to take slight colour but are still crisp.





7. Add drained noodles and stir fry to crisp the noodles slightly.
8. Add soya sauce and chilli sauce and half the fried cashew nuts and toss the noodles and vegetables till all are coated evenly.
9.Stir fry 2 more minutes.
10.Transfer to serving dish and top with remaining cashew nuts.





You may like:
Hakka Noodles

NB -This dish has been deliberately kept simple with minimum use of veg and spices to make it more children friendly.If making for adult ,any vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, water chestnuts or bell peppers can be added.

Submitted to:
Spice your life-kids delight event.

Bateta Wada-gujarati snack

Bateta wada-A gujarati savory snack made from spiced mashed potato, rolled into bitesize balls,dipped in a chickpea batter(besan) and deep fried till golden brown. Served with chutneys.

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes boiled and mashed
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground clove powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder
3-4 green chillies finely crushed
1 tablespoon fresh coriander finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 spring onions finely chopped or can use red onion very finely diced.
Sunflower for deep frying.

Batter:

6 oz gram flower
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon eno salts
Approx 1 cup water to make batter

Method:

1.Mix all the batter ingredients and add water.
2. Beat to make a thick batter(dropping consistency) and set aside.
3.Mash the boiled potatoes and add all spices, chillies,onions and coriander and mix throughly.
4. Divide mixture and make small balls and set aside.
5. Heat oil .
6. Dip potato balls in batter to coat and fry till golden brown in small batches.
7. Drain on kitchen paper
8. Serve with green chutney, amli chutney and tomato ketchup for kids.

NB: If making for kids omit the chillies.

For a party starter make the balls slightly bigger when cooked split into two .Place both halves on individual serving dish and garnish with chopped spring onion, chopped fresh tomato , coriander leaves and thin sev with amli chutney and green chutney.

Gujarati Kadhi.

Gujarati Kadhi- A Yoghurt based sweet and sour soup flavoured with ginger and curry leaves eaten with mutter pilaf or plain boiled rice.

Ingredients:

2 cups natural yoghurt (sour yoghurt is better)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon besan flour
1/2 tablespoon fresh crushed ginger
1/2 teaspoon fresh crushed green chilies
1 tablespoon jaggery(gor)
1 dry red chilli
4-5 curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon jeera
1/4 teaspoon dry methi seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander.

Method:

1. Whisk water, yoghurt and besan together.
2.In pan heat oil, when hot add jeera, methi seeds,dry red chili and curry leaves.
3. Next add the yoghurt mixture , add green chilies, ginger, salt and gor.
4. Keep stirring the mixture until it starts to simmer, keep stirring until all the raw taste of besan has gone and kadhi has slightly thickened.(If u leave the kadhi and stop stirring it will split so keep stirring continuously)
5.Once kadhi comes to boil, reduce heat and simmer for another 5 mins.
6.Adjust taste to preference by adding more salt or gor depending on your taste. (should taste sweet and sour)
7.Turn off heat and leave kadhi uncovered otherwise it will split again.
8.Garnish with fresh chopped coriander

Serve with boiled rice or jeera rice.