Coriander Chutney (Green (hari) Chutney )

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch fresh mint (approximately 100 gms/ 0.22 lbs)
• 1 bunch fresh coriander (approximately 100 gms/ 0.22 lbs)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1" piece of ginger
• 2 green chillies
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsps lime juice

 

Preparation:

• Cut off roots from the coriander and any thick stalks from the mint and discard. You should now have enough coriander and mint to loosely fill 1 1/2 to 2 cups with each of them.
• Peel garlic and ginger and remove stalks from green chillies. Wash all these ingredients thoroughly.
• Grind all the ingredients (including the salt which you can add more of later to suit your taste) into a smooth paste in a food processor.
• Chill and serve.

Mexican Pasta

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound seashell pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
• salt and pepper to taste
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Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook onions and pepper in oil until lightly browned, 10 minutes. Stir in corn and heat through. Stir in black beans, tomatoes, salsa, olives, taco seasoning and salt and pepper and cook until thoroughly heated, 5 minutes.
3. Toss sauce with cooked pasta and serve.

Vegetarian enchilada

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro flakes
• 6 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches), warmed
• 1/2 cup enchilada sauce
• 3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

Directions

• In a large skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and mushrooms in oil until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the beans, corn, chilies, taco seasoning and cilantro; cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
• Spoon 1/2 cup bean mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6 enchiladas.

Mexican Pizza

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat pizza crust (can be homemade or purchased)

1 (16 oz) can fat free retried beans

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 cup taco sauce

1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese 

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried cilantro

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Spread crust over baking sheet.  Spread with beans.  Layer onions over beans and spread on taco sauce.  Add cheese and sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, and cilantro.  Arrange tomato slices over pizza and bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is crispy.

Optional toppings: salsa, reduced fat sour cream, shredded lettuce.

Cutlets

Ingredients:

·         2 medium potatoes

·         1 cup chopped mixed vegetables (green peas, carrots, green beans, corn)

·         2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (green coriander)

·         2 finely chopped green chilies (adjust to your taste)

·         1 teaspoon chopped ginger

·         1 teaspoon salt (adjust to your taste)

·         1 teaspoon mango powder

·         3 tablespoon All Purpose flour (plain flour or maida)

·         1 cup breadcrumbs

·         Oil to fry

Method:

1.     Boiled the potatoes until they are tender.

2.     Once cooked, drain the water and let the potatoes cool down.

3.     Peel the skin off and mash the potatoes.

4.     Steam the chopped mixed vegetables.

5.     Make sure to squeeze the vegetables to take the excess water out and Pat dry.

6.     Mix all the ingredients togather; adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

7.     Add 4 tablespoons of water to the All Purpose flour to make a batter and keep aside.

8.     With oiled hands, divide the mixture into 10 equal parts.

9.     Shape into flat round patties about 1/2 inch thick.

1.  Dip each patty in the flour batter, and roll the patty in breadcrumbs and set aside.

1.  Heat the oil on medium high heat in a frying pan.

1.  Frying pan should have atleast 1 1/2 inch of oil.

.  Fry a few cutlets at a time until they are golden-brown on both sides. 

.  Repeat this until all the cutlets are done. Serve hot.

Falafel

Ingredients:

·         1 cup dried chick peas (garbanzo, kabli chana)

·         2 tablespoon chopped parsley

·         2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

·         1 green chili

·         About 1/4 inch piece of ginger

·         1 1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste

·         1 teaspoon cumin seeds

·         1 teaspoon red chili flakes

·         1/4 cup all purpose flour (plain flour, maida)

·         Also need oil to fry

Tahini Sauce

·         1/4 cup sesame seeds

·         1 1/4 teaspoon salt adjust to taste

·         2 tablespoons lemon juice

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

·         1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

·         About 2 tablespoon chopped parsley

·         About 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

·         1 green chili adjust to taste

·         About 1/4 cup water use as needed

·         2 cups of thinly sliced lettuce

·         2 medium size chopped tomatoes

·         1/2 cup chopped cucumber

·         4 pocket pita bread

method

Tahini Sauce

1.     In a small frying pan dry roast the sesame seeds on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

2.     mix all the ingredients and blend to make a pourable paste use water as needed

3.     Keep it aside.

Falafel

1.     Soak the chickpeas in 4 cups of water over night. After soaking chickpeas will be about 2 and half time in volume.

2.     In pressure cooker add chickpeas with the 3 cups of water. Close the cooker and put the pressure on.

3.     Cook on medium high heat.

4.     As pressure cooker starts steaming turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 4 minutes.

5.     Close the heat and wait until steam has stopped before opening the pressure cooker. Chickpeas should be just tender not very soft.

6.     Drain the water and let it cool; combine all the ingredients for falafel grind using food processor, mixture should be grainy. If needed add few spoons of water.

7.     Divide the mixture in 24 equal parts or make them as desired size patties.

8.     Heat oil in a frying pan on medium high heat.

9.     The frying pan should have at least 1 ½ inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put small piece of dough in oil. The dough should come up but not change color right away.

1        Slowly drop the falafel patties in the oil and fry until they are brown in color both sides. It should take about 5-6 minutes to cook each batch.

1     Keep the patties aside.

Bread Pakoras

Ingredients:

4 slices of firm white bread

1 cup gram flour (besan)

1 tablespoon rice flour

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of asafetida (hing)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

2 finely chopped green chilies

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (green coriander)

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of water

Oil to fry

Method:

Remove the crust from all sides of the bread.

Slice the bread lengthwise into 3 equal parts.

Mix all the dry ingredients together: Gram flour (besan), rice flour, asafetida, cumin seeds, and salt. Rice flour adds to the crispness.

Add the water slowly to make a smooth batter.

Next, add the green chilies and cilantro. Mix well.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat

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Frying pan should have at least 11/2 inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put one drop of batter in the oil. The batter should come up but not change color right away.

Dip the bread slices in the batter one at a time and slowley drop into the frying pan

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Fry the Pakoras in small batches. The pakoras will take about 4 to 5 minutes to cook.

Turn them occasionally. Fry the Pakoras until both sides are golden-brown.

Repeat this process. The crispy, delicious Bread Pakoras are ready to serve.

Use 1/4 cup of chopped spinach or 2 tablespoons of chopped fenugreek leaves as a substitute for the chopped cilantro.