Around The World On Your Plate

Ingredients : 1.5 teaspoon of panch phoran or 5 spice ( cumin, mustard, fenugreek, nigella and fennel seeds) 1 tablespoon mustard oil or ghee 2 red chillies slit 1 medium onion chopped 1 teaspoon garlic minced 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon red chilli powder Salt to taste 1/4 cup toor dal (pigeon pea) 1/4 cup masoor dal (split red lentils) Water as needed Cilantro to garnish Method : Pressure cook toor dal and masoor dal with sufficient amount of water. In a high sided pan heat oil or ghee and add the panch phoran and let them splutter.  Next, add chillies along with onion and garlic and saute until translucent. Add cooked dal along with turmeric powder and red chilli powder and salt and mix well. Add water to adjust to your desired consistency and bring it to a boil. Turn off heat, garnish with cilantro.  Serve hot with steamed rice.

Ingredients: 1/2 of medium sized pumpkin peeled and cubed 1 onion finely chopped 1 teaspoon garlic minced 2 green chillies slit 1 sprig curry leaves 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1 cup of coconut milk Salt to taste 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or coconut oil Spices: 1 teaspoon turmeric seeds 1 teaspoon red chilli powder or to taste 1 teaspoon dark roasted Srilankan curry powder Garnish: 1 teaspoon short grained rice and 2 teaspoons of desiccated coconut 1 sprig of cilantro Method: Heat oil in a pan on medium and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and let them splutter. Next add curry leaves followed by onion, garlic and green chillies.  Saute until onions are translucent. Next add in the pumpkin along with all the spices and mix. Add the coconut milk and water if needed and stir and cook on low heat until pumpkins are tender. While this is cooking, dry roast rice and desiccated coconut and grind it. Once the ...

Ingredients 1-1/2 cups of lukewarm water 3 to 3-1/2 cups of OO flour or bread flour 1 packet of active dry yeast 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon olive oil Method: To luke warm water, add yeast and sugar and mix gently and set aside to activate. In a mixing bowl, add flour and salt and mix.  Next add in the yeast mixture and knead into a soft dough.  Knead until it comes together and does not tear when shaped into a ball. Place it in a bowl and grease it with some olive oil and cover and let rise for an hour or so until doubled in volume. Once it has doubled in volume, punch down the dough on a floured surface and divide into three equal portions. Stretch or roll out each piece of dough to form a rectangle and roll in to form a log. Place it in a baguette tray or a baking sheet with a kitchen towel generously sprinkled with flour, create dividers between the towels so the dough does not stick. Cover and place all three on the baking sheet a...

Ingredients: 2 medium potatoes, cubed 1 medium onion, diced 2 medium green bell pepper, diced 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil/butter Salt and pepper to taste Fresh chopped parsley to garnish Method: Precook potatoes until just done and not too mushy. Heat oil/butter in a pan and stir fry onions, bell pepper and minced garlic.  Next add in the potatoes and stir fry until nice golden brown in color. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Ingredients: 1 cup dry green peas soaked for 4-5 hours 2 potatoes cubed 1 onion chopped 2 tomatoes chopped 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste Cilantro to garnish Salt to taste 1 cup coconut milk Seasoning: 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 sprig curry leaves Spices: 1 teaspoon red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 1-1/2 teaspoon coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed powder 1 teaspoon pepper powder Method: Soak dry green peas in water for 4-5 hours and pressure cook it. Heat oil on medium and add mustard seeds and let them splutter.  Next add curry leaves, followed by onion and ginger garlic paste.  Saute the onions until translucent. Add the tomatoes and spices and mix and cook until tender.  Next, add in the cooked peas and potatoes and coconut milk.  Adjust salt to taste and cook until potatoes are done. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice or chapati. Note: If using fresh coconut, grind it alon...

Ingredients: 1 cup basmati rice soaked for 30 minutes 1 cup mushrooms halved 1 onion finely chopped 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste 2 tomatoes grated 2 tablespoons of oil Salt to taste Water as needed Cilantro to garnish Spices: 1 teaspoon red chilli powder 2 teaspoon biryani powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon cumin seeds Method: Wash and soak basmati rice for 30 minutes and drain the water. Heat oil in a high-sided skillet and add cumin and bay leaf.  Next add in the onions and ginger garlic paste and saute until translucent. Add the mushrooms next and saute for a minute.  Add all the spices and mix.  Next add in the tomatoes along with salt and sugar and mix. Cook until oil separates from the mixture.  Add the rice next along with water as needed and cover and cook on medium heat until done. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup kidney Beans soaked overnight 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil 1 medium onions finely chopped 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste 1/2 cup tomato puree or grated tomatoes Salt as needed Sugar as needed Cilantro to garnish Spices: 1-1/2 teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon red chilli powder or to taste 1 teaspoon garam masala Method Wash and soak kidney beans overnight.  Drain and add fresh water and cook until tender.  Drain or reserve the cooking water. Heat oil and sauté onions till translucent.  Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute. Add tomato puree and mix.  Next add in all the spices and mix well and cook until oil separates from the mixture. Add kidney beans and reserved cooking water along with salt and sugar and mix and cook until the desired thickness is reached. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.