Sriracha lime chickpeas

Recently I have been craving chick peas and gobbling the Wasabi chickpeas. I can't make the wasabi chickpeas at home because I do not have the wasabi but I just got a new bottle of Sriracha sauce and so I made the Sriracha Lime Chickpeas. The main reason here is I can control the heat. The chickpeas I get from the super markets are not spicy enough for me

Sriracha Lime Chickpeas (Chickpeas smothered in Sriracha and baked crisp)

Crispy spicy Sriracha lime chickpeas

Ingredients:

1. 1  can of chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
2. 1 tablespoon sriracha
3. 1 tsp each of olive oil, garlic powder (optional), corn startch
4. 2 tablespoons lime juice
5. 1/2 tsp sea salt

Rinse the chickpeas and dry them and try to remove the skin by lightly rubbing them between your fingers or between paper towels .

Pre heat oven to 450 degrees

Mix all the ingredients together and add the chickpeas and mix well. On a baking sheet spray some cooking oil and layer the chick peas into one layer and bake for 20-25 minute. Let cool to room temperature and enjoy with friends

Banana Pancakes

These days looks like I am making pancakes and waffles from scratch with all kinds of fruits and roots. These Banana pancakes are another of the very delicious pancake recipes

Banana Pancakes

Banana Pancakes

Banana and strawberry cane

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups all purpose flour
2. 2 eggs beaten
3. 11/2 cup milk
4. 2 ripe bananas mashed
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 1 tablespoon sugar
7. 2 teaspoons baking powder
8. 2 tablespoons oil
9. Extra bananas for serving

Mash the babanas and beat the eggs with salt. Add the rest of the ingredients and and mix with a light hand until bater is smooth. Heat a griddle and drop some butter and add a ladle of batter to the griddle. Cook for 5 minutes or until bubbles form. Carefully flip and add some more butter at the edges and cook for 3-4 minutes. Serve with syrup and more banana

Sweet Potato Waffles

Sweet potatoes are one of my favs. I can eat them in any kind. And the sweet potato waffles i made are sooo super delicious and good for you.

You can either steam you own sweet potatoes or use the unsweetened canned sweet potatoes

Sweet Potato Waffles 
Ingredients:

1. 11/2 cup mashed steamed sweet potato (or canned)
2. 2 cups all purpose flour
3. 2 teaspoons baking powder
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 1 egg beaten
6. 1 cup milk
7. 2 tablespoons butter

Mix all the ingredients together until you get a little bit thicker batter than a pancake batter.

Spray a waffle iron with cooking spray, let it heat and add a ladle of batter to it and cook until golden brown.

Serve with your favorite syrup

Okra scrambled egg

Recently I have been trying to incorporate more vegetables in our meals. And I have been searching for recipes which will have protein and vegetables mixed ...so the meatasaurus in my family would eat it without fussing. And this is one of the best recipes to incorporate some vegetables along with egg.

Okra Scrambled egg

Ingredients:

1. 8 oz okra trimmed off the edges and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2. 4 eggs beaten
3. 2 tablespoons oil
4. 1/2 cup chopped onions
5. 1 teaspoon each of ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, chilli powder
7. 1 large tomato chopped
8. Coriander for garnishing

In a pan heat the oil and fry the onions till they start becoming brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add tomatoes and okra and on medium heat cook for 15-20 minutes. But 10 minute mark add all the spices and stir well. Add the beaten eggs and stir well. Cook for 5 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice and dal or roti

Ditalini soup

Some time ago I got tri colored orzo pasta, I am pretty sure from Trader Joes. But now however or wherever I search for it I can't find it. So I got the other smallest pasta I could find...Ditalini Pasta.

And I wanted to make the soup vegetarian only but instead I added ground beef to it and my fam gobbled it. It was super delicious.

Ditalini Soup with Ground Beef

Mixed Veggies

Ditalini Veggie Beef Soup

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb ground meat (chicken/ beef/ lamb)
2. 1 can crushed tomatoes
3. 1/2 cup each of peas, green beans, cabbage
4. 2 celery stalks chopped small
5. 1 medium small potato cubed small
6. 1 teaspoon salt
7. 4 low sodium chicken broth else reduce the salt
8. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
9. 1 teaspoon each of Italian seasoning, finely chopped garlic
10. 3/4 cup ditalini pasta

Heat a pan and fry the beef if it is any more fat than 10 % (else if using chicken/lamb add 1 tablespoon oil). Fry till the meat gets cooked without any pick color any more (5-7 minutes). Add garlic and fry for a minute.

Add crushed tomatoes, lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. If it gets too dry add 1/2 of the chicken broth. Add all the vegetables and the rest of the chicken broth and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the ditalini pasta and cook 10 minutes or according to the package directions (My ditalini package said 10 minutes). Enjoy hot hot on a cold cold evening

Chicken Kubera

The name itself is intriguing. "Kuberah" means the king of wealth...in essence a very wealthy king. So this dish loosely translates to "king of Chicken dishes " LOL

Whatever it may be called...its super delicious and mighty spicy...but you can reduce the heat level to your liking

Chicken Kubera (Dry spicy sour-sweet chicken dish)

Chicken Kuberah

Ingredients to Marinate:

1. 1 lb chicken breast cut into small pieces (I bet it will be doubly Delicious with whole chicken cut into 12 pieces)
2. 1 teaspoon each of  salt, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, sugar, fennel seeds (lightly pounded), turmeric
3. 1 tablespoon kasuri methi
4. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6. 1/2 cup plain yogurt

Ingredients for curry:

1. 2 tablespoons oil
2. 1 medium onion chopped fine
3. 2 garlic pods sliced
4. 1 inch ginger cut into thin strips
5. 1 teaspoon each of soya sauce, garlic chilli paste, sugar
6. 1/2 cup thick juice from a small lime sized tamarind
7. 1 heaped teaspoon corn starch
8. 1 tablespoon each of tomato ketchup, cashew pieces

Marinate the chicken with salt and chilli powder and turmeric for 20 minutes. Mix all the other ingredients to the chicken and set aside for atleast 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a pan and on medium high heat fry the chicken for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. In the same pan add some more oil if needed and fry the onions till they start getting dark brown. Add sliced garlic and ginger and cashew and fry for a couple of minutes.

Mean while in the tamarind juice mix the soya sauce, corn starch, tomato ketchup and sugar. Add this to chicken and lower the heat to minimum. Cover ad cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or roti

Chana dal gosht

When I was growing up in India, whenever we had a big gathering at my house, this dish would be one of the main dishes served, along with Pulao and mix vegetable khatta. So, whenever I make this dish, I always become nostalgic...especially about my Daadi Ammi. I miss all those people and those carefree days.

Chana Dal Gosht (Lamb cooked with Split Bengal gram)

Chana dal Gosht

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb lamb cut into bite size pieces (lamb eg with bone will be ideal)
2. 1/2 cup chana dal soaked in water for 30 minutes.
3. 1 medium onion sliced
4. 1 tomato chopped
5. 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeri, garam masala
7. 2 tablespoon oil

In a pressure cooker heat the oil and fry the onions till they start becoming dark brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add all the spices and mix well. Ad tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the lamb and 1/4 cup water and close the cooker and cook for 3 whistles. After the steam escapes, open the cooker and add the soaked dal and 1/4 cup more water and cook for 3 more whistles. After the steam escapes, pen the cooker and simmer the curry till it reaches the consistency of your preference. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with roti or rice or Pulao

Tropical pancakes

Weekend breakfasts are always special. Time to make something new. Time to enjoy them.

Recently I have made so many different varieties of pancakes, I am thinking of opening an restaurant :)

Anyway, the tropical pancakes I made today, have mango and coconut in it. SO you can either call it tropical or Hawaiian pancakes.

Tropical Pancakes (Pancakes with coconut and mango)

Mango pancakes

Ingredients:

1. Mango peeled and sliced and cubed small...about a 3/4 cup. Save some slices for garnish
2. 2 tablespoon coconut flakes
3. 2 tablespoons sugar
4. 2 teaspoons baking soda
5. 1 teaspoon vanilla or coconut or mango flavor
6. 1/2 cup plain yogurt
7. 1 cup milk
8. 1 egg beaten
9. 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

Beat the egg along with milk, yogurt, flavor  and sugar. Shift the flour with salt and baking soda. Mix it in the wet ingredients. Add the coconut and mango pieces and fold them into the batter. The batter should be a little thicker than the regular pancake. If it is too thick add some water.

Heat a griddle with some butter. Drop a ladle of batter and add butter around it. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip, poke a hole in the middle and cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with mango slices and syrup if wanted.

Grilled Mushroom and Asparagas

The other day when I went to my super market, there was a good deal on Asparagus. So I got a whole bunch and ofcourse we would have to make some dishes with them. And this grilled asparagus dish is great.

It is super easy to make and goes great as a side dish. I served it with some brown/black rice and pan seared salmon patty.

Grilled Mushrooms and Asparagus

Grilled Mushrooom and Asparagus

Dinner with Asparagus

Ingredients:

1. 1 bunch asparagus woody bottoms trimmed
2. 8 oz mushrooms quartered
3. 1 medium small onion sliced
4. 1 tablespoon olive oil
5. 1 tablespoon butter
6. 2 garlic clove sliced
7. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
8. 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees . On a baking sheet mix all the ingredients together and bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy with your favorite protein and carbs

Cream cheese filled cheese buns

Recently, it was hubby dear's birthday and we went to one of Atlanta's famous fish restaurant. I am not a big fan of sea food...something seems fishy to me LOL hahaha ...

But when we got to the table, they got us sweet cream filled buns. OH My Goodness....they were super delicious and ofcourse I had to have it . And so here it is. They were super delicious. Breakfast for the next few days is ready

Sweet cream filled buns 

Sweet cream buns

Ingredients:

1. 1 package yeast
2. 1/2 cup luke warm water
3. 3 cups all purpose flour
4. 3 tablespoons sugar
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 1 egg
7. 2 tablespoons butter softened
8. 1 cup milk + extra for brushing

Ingredients for Filling:

1. 8 oz cream cheese softened
2. 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
3. 1 teaspoon vanilla or rose extract (my fav)

Beat together the ingredients for filling until soft and smooth. Chill for atleast 30 minutes.

In the luke warm water add 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast and let rest for 10 minutes. Beat together the butter, milk, sugar and milk. Add the flour and suagr and mix to form dough. Set it aside for 1 hr in an oiled container.

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Divide the dough into 12 parts. Make a small well in the middle of each ball of dough and add about 1 teaspoon cream cheese or more. Set it on an oiled baking sheet, cover with damp paper towel and set aside for 20 minutes.

Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool a bit and enjoy