Monthly Archives: February 2022

Methi Mattar (Fenugreek green with Green Peas)


Green leafy vegetables – Methi leaves (fenugreek greens) have many health benefits.  They are full of fibre and nutrients, vitamin C & K in particular.

Always pick bunches that are fresh and bright green, avoid those that are yellow and wilted.  Avoid leaves that appear slimy, it is an indication of decay.  Methi is of two varieties, small leaves with tender white stems which is also called methi or menthya, venthiya, keerai and classified as micro-greens.  These are commonly used in the south of India and the Methi with Prawns is cooked as a delicacy and relished!  The Methi with larger leaves used here is an annual plant which is found in plenty in winter.  The leaves are pungent and bitter and the bitterness can be reduced by adding salt and squeezing out the water and rinsing before cooking.

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches methi (fenugreek greens) leaves
  • 1 cup green peas, shelled
  • ½ cup yogurt, beaten
  • ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. red chilli powder
  • 2 medium onions, chopped finely or grated
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • 1 tsp. ginger paste
  • 1 tsp. garlic paste (or 1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste)
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • ¼ to ½ cup fresh cream
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste
  • 2 tbsp. oil

Remove methi leaves and tender stems from the stalks.  Clean and wash the leave and soak in water for 10 minutes.  Remove from the water and wash again till the the sand and dirt is removed.  Squeeze out the water and add 1 tsp. Salt and set aside for 15 minutes.  Squeeze out the water and rinse in clean water again.  This process removes the bitterness from the leaves.  If using fresh peas, clean, wash and boil in water.  Drain and keep aside.  Frozen peas can be used directly. 

Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.  When they crackle add the chopped onions and cook till light brown, stirring.  Add ginger garlic paste and saute 2 minutes.  Add the chopped methi leaves and green chillis and cook till moisture dries up.  Add the turmeric and chilli powder, mix.  Add the beaten yogurt and cook till oil surfaces.  Then add the green peas and one cup water, salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce flame and cook 10 minutes.  Stir in the fresh cream and mix well.  Simmer five minutes and serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Methi Thepla


Methi Thepla  Gujarati Theplas

Theplas are synonymous with Gujarati breakfast!  A Versatile item as they can be  served even as tea-time snack or to satisfy a hunger pang!  For travellers it makes a great home-made food as it preserves well for long periods.  Theplas can make for quick and sumptuous wraps with your desired filling or simply have them with yogurt, pickle, garlic chutney, raita or any vegetable.

Instead of methi try using pumpkin (doodhi), zucchini or raddish with dried herbs, etc. as variations!!  However,  methi leaves (fenugreek greens) are found in plenty in winters and have many health benefits.  They are full of fibre and nutrients, vitamin C & K in particular.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups wheat flour
  • Pinch of asafoetida
  • 1 tsp. turmeric powder
  • ½ cup each of bajra (pearl millet) and gram (chick pea flour) flour
  • 1 tsp. chilli powder
  • 1 tsp.Salt
  • 4 green chillies
  • A small bunch fenugreek leaves
  • 3 tbsp. ghee

Remove the methi leaves and tender stems and place in a bowl.  Cover with water, add a tsp. of salt and let soak 10 minutes.  Rinse and drain the water.  Chop roughly and keep aside. Chop green chillies.  In the stand mixer bowl, add the ingredients from wheat flour to salt and sieve.  Add chopped  green chilies, fenugreek leaves and ghee, mix on speed 1 for 2 minutes.  Add water (1 to 1.5 cups) to form a stiff dough.  Add the water little at a time.  Divide the dough into approx.. 6 equal portions and roll out into round discs as thin as possible.  Shallow fry on pre-heated pan till golden brown on both sides.  Serve hot with pickle, garlic chutney, raita or any vegetable of your choice.

Thalipeeth


A typical maharashtrian dish made with multi grain flours, usually served as breakfast or snack with butter, yogurt or some dry garlic chutney.  Although quite filling, it is light on the stomach and satisfying.

Thalipeeth can also be made with readymade ‘Bhajani flour’ available in most stores in India, specifically Maharashtra, as it a typical Maharashtrian dish.  In Maharashtrain household Bhajani is made at home by roasting various millets, lentils and grains, grinding to a flour and storing it.  Such flour comes handy when a quick meal is to be prepared.  Bhajani Thalipeeth is popular in West India and Maharashtra in particular which would include Mumbai, the place I grew up!  An important characteristic of making Thalipeeth is a hole is made in the centre so that ghee or oil can be drizzled into it for even frying.  Thalipeeth is a very good to carry for travel as it keeps very well for prolonged periods without refrigeration!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup besan (Gram/chickpea flour)
  • 1 cup jowar flour (Sorghum flour)
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • ½ cup bajra flour (Pearl millet flour)
  • ½ cup wheat flour
  • 1 tbsp. each, chilli, coriander, cumin & garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp. turmeric
  • 2 tbsp. grated Jaggery
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
  • 2 tbsp. garlic, finely chopped (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • Ghee for applying

Mix all above ingredients and knead with enough water into a soft dough.  Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.  Knead lightly again and form the dough into small balls.  Place one ball in between  2 sheets of greased plastic or a wet muslin cloth and roll out the thalipeeth as thin as possible.  Meanwhile, heat the tawa.  Lift one side of the cloth and place the thalipeeth directly onto the hot tawa.  Carefully remove the cloth.  Make a hole in the center of the Thalipeeth.  Can use plastic sheet instead of cloth (make sure the plastic does not touch the tawa to avoid burning).  Cook well on both sides and smear with ghee.  Serve hot with dry garlic chutney or yogurt or raita or fresh coconut and chilli.

Spanish Paprika Prawns


Spanish Paprika Prawns

These prawns turn out absolutely delicious, so juicy and succulent.  Makes a great starter or appetiser!!  Serve with lots of lemon and crusty bread to mop up delicious gravy.

Ingredients

  • 12-15 prawns (1 Kg medium sized)
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ¼ cup cream
  • ½ cup Aglio Olio sauce
  • Lemon and Parsley/coriander leaves for garnish

Trim the head and keep the shell & tail on the prawns.  Use kitchen scissors to cut down the middle to remove the vein.  Clip off the legs, etc. as shown. Wash and pat dry.  Rub salt on the prawns.

Take 1 tsp of just the oil from the aglio e olio sauce.  Heat a large wide pan till very hot.  Add oil and prawns.  Press the prawns down so that the shell gets a nice char.  After 2 mns on each side, add about ½ cup of the aglio e sauce and cook for 5 mns or till done.  Add lemon juice and cream, mix till heated through.  Take it off the heat and top with chopped parsley/coriander leaves.  Serve with crusty bread and lots of lemon wedges.

Aglio e Olio Sauce


Literally means garlic with oil! If red pepper flakes are used then the name is aglio, olio e peperonicino. 

A great sauce to have on hand!  Commonly used to make ‘Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperonicino’, a traditional Italian dish from Naples.  But there are many ways the sauce can be enjoyed e.g. to spread on bread or as a dipping sauce with crusty bread. I always keep this sauce on hand to add some spice to sandwiches and use a tablespoon or two into the dough when making Foccacia.  Tastes absolutely divine!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped garlic (150 gms)
  • ¼ cup chilli flakes (30 gms)
  • ¼ cup oregano (10 gms)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 ½ cup olive oil (360 ml)

Add olive oil to a (Cold) pan.  Add chopped garlic and stir well.  Place on medium heat and bring to a boil and let it cook on low flame for 20 minutes while stirring.  Take the garlic off the heat and add chili flakes, oregano and salt.  This sauce keeps for two weeks in a glass jar at room temperature. For longer, store in the refrigerator.

Roasted Garlic and Lemon Soup


Delicious tangy soup, if you have roasted garlic handy the soup would be real easy, otherwise would take a bit longer to roast the garlic.  Check my tips for roasting garlic! Excellent for garlic lovers, great panacea for flu and colds due to the healing properties of onion and the large amount of garlic used.  The garlic flavor however does not overpower the dish.

Ingredients

  • 2 large heads garlic (one roasted)
  • 4 medium Onions
  • 3 stock cubes, any flavor
  • 1 bunch cilantro (or parsley)
  • 1 tsp. thyme (fresh if available)
  • ½ cup milk (substitute with Soy or almond milk)
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ tsp. black pepper powder
  • ½ tsp. salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp. lemon zest

Prepare stock.  Add the stock cubes to 1 litre (4 cups) hot water, stir to dissolve. Peel onions and chop roughly, peel one fresh garlic head and chop, peel the roasted garlic and discard the skins.  Heat the olive oil and add the fresh and roasted garlic and the onion and saute 2 mns.  Add the chopped parsley or cilantro (reserve some for garnish) and thyme, cook 2 minutes till onion is soft and translucent.  Add the stock and stir well.  Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30 minutes stirring in between.  Take off heat and strain the soup.  Transfer the onion garlic mixture to a blender.  Add some stock to move the contents in the blender and blend to a smooth puree.  Transfer the puree to the strained soup and put it back on heat, add salt and pepper powder, stir and simmer further 5 minutes.  Add the milk and heat through, do not boil. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest.  Serve hot with bruschetta.

To Roast garlic:  Cut off 1/4 “ of the tail of the garlic head, dip in olive oil and smear oil all over.  Wrap tightly in aluminium foil and bake in an oven for one hour.

TIP: On roasting garlic –

  1. Roast several heads of garlic and store leftovers in the refrigerator for couple of weeks and use as and when required
  2. Roast the garlic when cooking other food i.e. whenever you use the oven for roasting or baking food. 
  3. For quick roasting – Peel one head of garlic and roast on a frying pan with a little oil till lightly brown and fragrant.

Bruschetta


Bruschetta

Pronounced bruh·sheh·tuh

Bruschetta is served cold as a starter and is an Italian antipasto.  Grilled toasted slices bread, drizzled with olive oil, rubbed with garlic and served with toppings of tomatoes and chopped fresh basil.  Variations in toppings include onion, beans, vegetables, cured meats and cheese.  This recipe is with tomatoes and basil only for topping, yet super delicious and fresh tasting and one of the simplest and quickest to make.  Ingredients required are very few but make sure they are very fresh and of top quality to bring out the best flavors in the Bruschetta!

Ingredients

  • 1 large baguette or any crusty bread
  • 2 large or 4 medium, ripe tomatoes
  • 4 to 6 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup Basil leaves
  • Salt, as required

Wash and cut tomatoes into halves and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces and transfer to a bowl.  Mix with half the olive oil and set aside.  Grate or chop the garlic fine and add to a bowl with the remaining olive oil.  Keep aside until required.  At the time of serving, slice bread into slices (as thin as you can).  Toast the bread slices in a toaster or place in a tray and toast in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes till crisp.  Brush the slices with the olive oil and garlic and top with chopped marinated tomatoes and sprinkle with salt (sea salt is preferable).  Then garnish with freshly chopped basil and drizzle a little olive oil.  Serve immediately  as a starter or with soup as an appetiser.

Homemade Garlic Bread


Garlic bread is just bread topped with garlic butter or olive oil and sprinkled with herbs like oregano, parsley, chives or basil.  Topped with cheese for a cheesy garlic bread, it is then grilled, toasted or baked in an oven or even on a stove top and enjoyed with any pasta dish or with a soup.  Called Knoblauchbrot in German and Chpon in France where is it served with a salad.  In Greece onions and olives are used for garlic bread.   A rather modest and unassuming dish but loved by young and old!

Ingredients

  • 1 or 2 Loaves French Bread, or 1 large baguette
  • 1 whole head garlic
  • 4 to 6 tbsp. butter, or as required
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Fresh or dried parsley
  • Olive oil

Cut off ¼” from the tail of the garlic head.  Dip the cut side into olive oil and apply some all around.  Wrap the garlic tightly in aluminium foil an place cut side down on a metal tray and bake in an oven for 1 hour. 

Take one garlic head and squeeze the base which will push the roasted garlic pearls out of their skins.  Discard the skins.  Transfer the garlic flesh to a small (dry) grinder, add the butter and pulse till butter and garlic are creamy and smooth.

Cut the French loaf horizontally in two and apply the garlic butter.  Cut into desired pieces and play on a baking tray.  Sprinkle chopped parsley over the bread, if using dried, crush with your fingers and sprinkle over the bread. At this stage you can pre-prepare and wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze and bake when required and just before serving.

Bake in a moderate oven for 8 to 10 minutes till edges are golden.  For cheese garlic bread, sprinkle some mozzarella or freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.  Serve with any past of your choice or Lasagna or a hot soup.

Make the garlic bread just before serving for best results, although they can be made ahead and grilled just before serving.

TIP:

1.Roast several garlic heads and store in the refrigerator for couple of weeks.

 2.When using your oven to bake any food, take the opportunity to roast several heads of garlic so you have them at hand when required.

Lasagne


For Italian purists, lasagna is an occasion. The layered pasta dish is a labor of love to create, from mixing and rolling homemade noodles to making sauce from scratch to carefully layering the meat, cheese and noodles. It’s a special occasion dish that, done right, is a true showstopper. (Taste of home)

Lasagne are a type of pasta, possible one of the oldest types made of very wide flat sheets and made of stacked layers of lasagne alternating with fillings such as ragu (ground meat and tomato sauce), vegetables, cheeses and seasonings and spices, topped with cheese which melts after baking.  The resulting casserole is cut into single-serving square portions. (Wikipedia)

Ingredients

  • 500 gm. Or 24 sheets Lasagne noodles
  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese, or as required
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, or as required
  • 9” x 13” dish, for assembling and baking the lasagne

Meat sauce:

  • 2 tbsp. oil or butter melted (I have used olive oil)
  • 3 to 4 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 lbs. ground beef or lamb
  • 2 14 oz (500 gms. each) can/bottle bolognaise sauce
  • 1 tsp. mixed herbs (oregano & basil)
  • 2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 2 cups beef stock (made with 2 beef stock cubes)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste

White sauce:

  • 100 gms. butter
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1.5 litres milk
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp. pepper powder or to taste
  • 2 tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

To make the meat sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion until soft.  Add the meat and fry till completely browned and liquid has almost evaporated.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Adjust the seasonings, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and gradually add the milk.  Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring, reduce heat and cook until thickened, but of pouring consistency. Add cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Lasagne noodles:  Some noodles require to be pre-cooked, some need to be dipped in hot water before assembling.  The lasagne sheets that I have used in this preparation are ready to use (as per directions on the box).  The Box also stated to cover the dish with foil before placing in the oven. I don’t usually cover the dish and bake it open but it is better to follow instructions on the pasta packaging for best results.  So I baked it for 20 minutes covered with foil, then removed the foil covering and completed the baking.

Grease a shallow rectangle or square dish and grease with olive oil, line with the lasagne sheets, followed with meat sauce, white sauce and repeat the layers then top with the mozzarella cheese.  Then sprinkle parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil. 

Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180 dec C/350 deg F), for 45 minutes.

Cover with foil for first 20 minutes, then remove and complete baking, uncovered.

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