Kidney Beans Pasta

Last year I got the honor to visit Italy with my family. We went to Rome and Venice. And it does not take long to fall in love with such great cities. Rome is known for its historical significance and Venice is such a romantic place that it has become our favorite destinations in Europe ever.

We also got attached to the place, cause our son (now 3+ years) saw the sea for the first time in his life! And he was blessed to see his first of the seven wonders of the world i.e. the great Colosseum! He was sleeping half way through the entire tour but shhh... don't tell him :-). 

So in the memories of our Italy trip I thought to give it a try to the humble pasta, but with little bit of a twist :-).

Pasta is first boiled and then mixed with the tomatoes and onion mix. Topped with kidney beans and pumpkin seeds :-). Flavors turned out to be great! You must give this dish a try!

Ingredients 

• Freshly boiled or Tin kidney beans
• 2 onions cut into long strips
• 1 large tomato cut into long strips
• 2 tsp Pumpkin seeds 
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• Boiled pasta
• 2 green chili finely cut
• 2 cloves garlic finely cut
• 1.5 inch ginger piece finely cut
• Black pepper as per taste
• Red chili powder as per taste
• Soya sauce
• Oregano 
• Olive oil
• Salt to taste

Method

• Take a pan on medium heat. 
• Add 4 tsp olive oil. 
• Add fresh ginger and garlic. 
• Add cut onions. And saute them till they are translucent. 
• Add tomatoes. Saute them for another 10 minutes. 
• Add pumpkin seeds for the crunch factor.
• Add soya sauce. Stir.
• Add kidney bins. 
• Add salt, black pepper, coriander powder.  
• Saute for another 5 minutes. 
• Add boiled pasta.
• Add oregano.
• Mix them well and serve hot.

#MNoExpert, but I hope you will like it.

Veggie Concoction

Summer season has come! Its time to enjoy the greenery... green trees, grass, seasonal veggies. Vegetable markets are filled with lush green seasonal veggies. This time I decided to use some seasonal fresh vegetables and turn them into a delicious dish.

I think a lot of non-veg dishes have been put up on this blog, it's time for some veggies concoction. Idea is very simple, just take out any or all veggies from your fridge and lets make a veggie concoction out of it.

My parents are here in Vienna these days. And my mother-in-law is a vegan. Any veggie lover would love this dish. For non-vegetarian, you can later add boiled chicken or boiled meat of your choice or even boiled eggs topping will do.

It's not just good wholesome veggies you will eat, rather you will eat Vitamin A, C, K, B1, B6, Fiber, Copper etc.

Here is what I took from my fridge. 

Ingredients

• 12 - 15 Cherry Tomatoes 
• 1 Green capsicum - cut into long strips 
• 1 Yellow bell pepper - cut into long strips 
• 2 Potatoes with skin on - cut into quarters 
• 1 Onion, cut into long strips 
• 1 Carrot, finely chopped 
• Pineapple diced - For an extra punch of flavor
• 5-6 cloves on garlic 
• Ginger grated 
• 1 Lemon zest, 1 Lemon 
• Olive Oil 
• Season it with garam masala, red paprika, black pepper, salt to taste
• Coriander, Rose marry, Mint leaves - all optional.

Here is how the beautiful cut veggies looks like:

Method

• Mix all the veggies together in olive oil, and dry spices.
• Pre-heat the oven at 4 level.
• Let it bake till 40 to 45 minutes.
• Give it a stir after around 30 minutes.
• Once done, squeeze the roasted lemon juice on top of veggies.
• Once done, serve it hot in a plate.

Let's plate up:

Hey #MNoExpert, but I hope you will like it. Please give it a try and let me know how it turned out for you.

Shashuka Eggs

Easter has just gone by. Easter always reminds me of Easter bunnies and Easter eggs. My Easter bunny is my 2.5 years old son Vihaan :-) and Easter eggs reminds of me of a dish called Shashuka eggs, which I have been willing to try since long time now.

Shashuka eggs is a dish of poached eggs in onion, tomatoes, bell peppers mixture. 

Shashuka means "a mixture" in Arabic language. More information about this dish is on wiki. 

I tried it for the first time and I have fallen in love with the dish. If I were to explain the dish in Indian style cooking, its poached eggs on top of onion, tomatoes, and bell pepper tempering, with the spice level of your choice.

Its a very simple and straight forward dish. Here is my take on preparing Shashuka eggs.

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped.
• 3 tomatoes, finely chopped.
• 1 small onion, finely chopped.
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped.
• 3 to 4 eggs.
• 1 tsp cumin seeds.
• 1 tsp chili power.
• 1 tsp black pepper.
• 1 tsp garam masala.
• 2 tsp butter
• Salt to taste.

Method:

• Put a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add olive oil.
• Add cumin seed. Let them crackle. Roughly for 30 seconds.
• Add green chilies.
• Add onion. Saute them till translucent.
• Add tomatoes and bell peppers.
• Add red chilies, salt and black pepper.
• Add butter and mix them well. 
• Cook them with lid on. Roughly for 10 minutes or until the bell pepper becomes tender.
• Taste it and adjust the seasoning.
• Crackle the eggs on top of the tempering.
• Cook them for another 5 to 7 minutes with lid on. Or until the eggs are cooked to your desired consistency.
• And that's it.
• Serve it on top of a pizza base, or eat as it.

Palak Paneer - Popeye's Favorite :-)

I was thinking hard about how to introduce my next recipe and I suddenly remember my 2+ year old son watching Popeye's the sailor cartoon and going nuts over it. 

He reminded me of my childhood when my younger brother and I used to see and wonder how Popeye quickly ate a whole big jar of spinach when in trouble and quickly gained strength. Why wouldn't he, now I say. After all Spinach comes on top of the list of world's healthiest vegetables!

Spinach is rich source of Iron, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin B2, Potassium, Copper, and the list goes on and on.

I think everyone should eat this vegetable at least twice a week especially the kids. 

Today I will show you my first hand attempt on cooking a very popular Indian dish Palak Paneer (Spinach and Cottage Cheese).

Here is how the whole process go.

Ingredients

• Fresh Spinach, roughly 400 gms. Rinse it through clean water.
• 2 tsp ginger paste.
• 3 tsp garlic paste.
• 1 tsp cumin seeds. 
• Cottage Cheese 200 gms cut into small cubes.
• 1 onion finely chopped.
• 1 tomato finely chopped.
• 2 tsp red chili powder (adjust as per taste).
• 4 green chili finely chopped.
• 1 tsp garam masala.
• 1 tsp black pepper.
• Salt to taste.
• Butter or Cilantro leaves to garnish.

Cooking Process

• Take water into a deep pan. Bring it to a running boil.
• Pour spinach and boil it for 2-3 minutes.
• Take spinach out and make a fine paste of boiled spinach in a mixer. Take it out and keep it aside.
• Chop onion and green chilies in a chopper.
• Take a separate pan on medium heat.
• Add olive oil, or refined oil, or butter or desi ghee.
• Add cumin seeds. Let them crackle.
• Add finely chopped onion and chilies. Saute till onion change its color.
• Add ginger and garlic paste.
• Mix them. Saute them well.
• Toss the finely chopped tomato. 
• Add salt and red chili. Mix them well.
• Cover the pan and let it cook on slow heat. Keep giving them a gentle mix in between.
• Once oil separates out, add the spinach puree into it.
• Mix them well.
• Add garam masala and black pepper.
• Add cottage cheese cubes.
• Mix them well.
• Cover the pan and cook it for 10 minutes.
• And that's it.

Let's Plate up

Hey I am no expert, but I do hope you will like this dish. Please give it a try. As always your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Cheers