Vegetable Broth

Got vegetables which are almost  'on their way out' or veggie scraps lying around in your kitchen? I have an idea may be its an old idea but its a good idea, so I thought I would share it with you all. I keep a zip-lock bag in freezer and keep adding the veggie odds and ends to it. Once the bag is full, its vegetable broth time!

Homemade vegetable broth is not only flavorful but very nutritious and much cheaper than the store bought one. It can used as a base for soups, gravies and rice recipes. Make a large portion of broth, cool completely and store it in freezer for later use.

INGREDIENTS

•  1tbsp oil
• 1  cup of onion, tomato and carrot each.(you can add other veggies like beans,cabbage,potato)
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 6 cups of water
• 3 Garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• peppercorn - to taste
• salt - to taste

METHOD

Heat a large pot, add oil and garlic cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns. Add in all the vegetables, salt and allow it to cook for 5-6 min. Add in water & cover, increase the flame to high and wait for it to boil. Once it boils reduce the heat, cover and simmer for at least 45 min.Turn the heat off and allow it to cool completely. Strain the stock/broth from the vegetables and remove the bay leaves. Store in refrigerator then freeze it for later use.

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Okra rice/Vendakkai sadam

Whenever I go to the grocery store to buy vegetables my eyes automatically starts to roam around in search of okra, as okra is one of my favorite vegetable. I usually make a curry, kootu, fry, more kuzhambu or sambar using okra but this time I wanted to make something different, so decided to make okra rice in my own style. 

                                 

Nutrition value of the okra 

1. High in fiber
2. Vitamin C
3. Folate
4. It has a high content of antioxidant.
5. Good source of calcium and potassium. 

Ingredients 

Okra/vendakkai (cut into medium size)	1 lb
Onion (thin sliced)	1
Tomato ( fine chopped)	2
Basmati rice	1 ½ cup
Ginger garlic paste	1 tbsp
Red chilli powder	2 ½ tsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp
Garam masala	1 tsp
Salt	As needed
Cilantro (fine chopped)	2tbsp
Oil : ghee	1:1tbsp

Method

Okra rice should be done in 3 steps.

Step: 1

• Soak the basmati rice for 10-15 mins. Meanwhile boil water for cooking the basmati rice.
• Once the water starts to boil, add salt to it and then add the soaked basmati rice. Cook until the rice boils nicely. 
• When it starts to boil stop the flame and close the rice with the lid. Keep it aside for 10 mins. 
• In the boiling water itself the rice will be cooked. After 10 mins drain the water from the rice completely. 
• Then keep it aside.

Step: 2

• In a skillet heat oil and add turmeric. When it starts to bubble add the okra to it and give a quick stir, wait for 5 mins.
• Now add salt, 1 tsp of chilli powder and stir fry it with any equal interval until the okra are fried completely.

                              

Step: 3

• In another kadai add oil:ghee wait till it gets hot, then add onion fry till it turns light golden brown color.
• When onion turns color add ginger garlic paste, fry in medium flame until raw smell goes.
• Then add tomato, along with it add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder mix well till the masala blends with tomato and onion. Wait until the tomato mushy and oozes out oil from the masala.
• Now add cooked rice to it and mix it well. Wait until the masala gets absorbed by the rice. 

                                 

• When masala coats with the rice nicely, add the fried okra to it and give it a quick stir. 
• Finally add chopped cilantro to it. Now hot and yummy okra rice is ready to be served.

                              

• Serve it hot with chips, any raita or it goes well with plain yogurt.  

                              

Tips

• Choose the okra young while buying( how to find its young? if you break the tail end of the okra it should break crispy).
• Don't cut the okra into thin slice, cut it into medium size. Because when you cook okra it should not break.
• Remember the okra should be cooked completely before adding it into the rice mixture.  
• You can also avoid first step and directly cook the basmati rice along with the masala itself.

                               

Check out our other rice recipe also cilantro-lime-rice

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Roasted Peanut Salad

Yippee!! I ll be traveling to India soon and I am thrilled to bits, so SO excited  There are lot of things I miss about India.

  Family and friends of course are at top of the list (Oh! Skype, what would we do without you)

My favorite food- Though we get Indian food and groceries here there are certain few things I am not contented with.One such thing is peanut salad. 

During my college days my friends & I used to go to this restaurant like once a week just to eat this. It was so funny that the waiters stopped giving us the menu card after few days and happily served us the salad. I made my version of this salad and although it wasn't really close to the one I love, my husband loved it :)

So what exactly is this roasted peanut salad ?

It's simply a salad which is protein rich, scrumptious and refreshing since it is made of fresh ingredients & super easy to whip up.

INGREDIENTS

• roasted peanuts - 2 cups
•  chopped onion - 1 cup
• chopped tomatoes - 1 cup
• chopped cucumber - 1 cup
• finely chopped green chilli - 1 or 2
• juice of lemon - 1 tbsp
• chaat masala - to taste(optional)
• salt - to taste
• finely chopped cilantro - to garnish 

METHOD 

Add the roasted peanuts in a bowl.

Add onions & green chillies

 some tomatoes

and some cucumber

add salt, lime juice & chaat masala

 Toss well and garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Serve it as tea time or mid night snack with some drinks

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Banana Ice-cream

I have been a sweetaholic since I was a kid. My mom always say that I have this mysterious extra space for desserts and fruits in my tummy. I am glad that you all liked my favorite avocado milkshake recipe. Today I am back with one more creamilicious, healthy and simple dessert recipe - Banana ice-cream !!

 No milk, no ice-cream maker, no hard-to-pronounce ingredients !! All you need is a banana. Today I am going to show you how to use up that over-ripe banana lying in your counter.

Yummy Avocado Milkshake

Anyone out there who has strong food cravings at weird timings? (hand raised here). Last week I had a craving for red-velvet cake! Apparently when I was 2 yr old I woke up in the midnight and craved for apple and my dad actually went and got it for me (Yes! I have the best dad in the world).

       Today morning, I know its not summer yet but had a crave for creamy milkshake. I could have asked my husband but u know he is one of those who goes overboard and get extra creamy milkshake with extra large fries & some white chocolate cookies and make me hit the gym later :( 

Veggie-Tofu Fry

If you don't like tofu because of its mushy texture and subtle flavor, you are not alone- But let me share the magic recipe and few nutritional facts which would convert any tofu-hater to tofu-lover.

Facts : Tofu is rich in protein & calcium and has a low calorie count also less fat.

My tofu love affair began recently when my friend and an awesome cook (Martha Stewart level) shared a picture of  scrumptious fried tofu. Here is my copycat version .

Green Gram Curry

Look who is getting calorie-conscious these days!! Fat is the 3 letter word I hate the most, a close second is gym. So when I was browsing

Paneer Jalfrezi

Paneer Jalfrezi is a very popular Indian curry in which  succulent pieces of Cottage Cheese/Paneer  and vegetables are fried  in oil and spices to produce a thick sauce.This colourful and nutritious curry is easy ,quick to make and goes well with wraps/rolls - a must try dish for all paneer lovers.

Paneer Jalfrezi

Preparation time: 15 min

Cook time: 25 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Paneer/Cottage Cheese (cubed)	250 grams
Onion (cut into long thin strips)	2-Medium sized
Ginger Garlic paste	1 tsp
Tomato puree	¼ cup
Tomato (cut into long thin strips)	1
Beans (cut into long thin strips)	5
Carrot (cut into long thin strips)	1
Capsicum (cut into long thin strips)	1 big or 2 small
Baby corn (halved)	4
Tomato Ketchup	3 tsp
Cumin Seeds/Jeera	1 tbsp
Oil/Ghee	3 tsp
Salt	To taste

 Spices

Red Chili powder	2 tsp
Coriander powder	2 tsp
Garam Masala powder	1 tsp
Kasuri Methi (crushed)	½ tsp
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a cooking pan, add cumin seeds and wait till it splutters.Add onion slices and sauté them till they turn golden brown.


2. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2-3 mins.


3. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well. Add tomato puree and tomato ketchup and cook until the mixture thickens and oil oozes out.


4. Add sliced beans, carrots and baby corn and sauté for 3 mins and add 1/3 cup of water let it cook for 5 mins on medium flame.


5. Add capsicum and tomato. Cook for 5 mins and mix once in a while.


6. Add paneer pieces and toss the contents gently till the masala binds to the paneer.Finally add the garam masala and lemon juice and mix gently and switch off the flame.


7. Garnish with kasuri methi and transfer to the serving dish.

TIPS

1. Serve paneer jalfrezi as a side dish with roti/naan. Perfect for Lunch box.
2. Using ghee or oil is purely your choice.
3. Keep paneer dunked in warm water until before you cook.
4. Don't overcook capsicums to retain their crunchy texture.