Couscous Salad

I love love love this salad, light, and very refreshing. There are loads of flavors in this one bowl of salad like garbanzo beans gives nutty flavor, roasted red bell pepper for smoky flavor, cucumber-almonds gives crunch, cranberries and orange gives fruity punch in salad. I whisked together balsamic vinegar with extra virgin olive oil and herbs, and tossed the salad....ahhhh delicious :)

Ingredients :-

• 1 cup Pearl Couscous
• 1-1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Shallots, chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 3/4 cup Garbanzo Beans, boiled
• 1/2 cup Cucumber, diced
• 1/2 cup Black olives
• 1/2 cup Fresh Orange Segments
• 1 Big Roasted Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 2 tbsp Toasted Sliced Almonds
• 2 tbsp Dried Cranberry 
• Salt and pepper to taste

--For Dressing 

• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp Dry Basil
• 1/4 tsp Dry Parsley
• 1/4 tsp Oregano
• Salt to taste

Add caption

Method :-

1. Heat 2 tbsp Olive Oil in sauce pan and saute 2 chopped shallots and 2 chopped garlic with little salt and pepper for 1-2 minutes.

2. Add 1 cup couscous, mix and toast them for 3-4 minutes on medium low heat or until it get brown in color.

3. Add 1-1/2 cups of vegetable broth, 2 tbsp Lemon Juice, salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the couscous is just tender and the broth is absorbed. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. Fluff up the couscous with fork.

5. Take out couscous in serving bowl, mix together garbanzo, cucumber, orange segment, red bell pepper, olives, almonds, and cranberris. 

6. Whisk all the dressing ingredients until smooth.

7. Drizzle over the salad and toss until all the ingredients are coated.

Enjoy...

Caponata Panini Sandwich

Italian Food not just offers great pasta dishes but they have amazing rice, salads, soups and sandwiches. Italian sandwiches are very popular all over world whether it's cold or pressed paninis. Usually these sandwiches are topped with grilled vegetables and meats, tapenades, cheeses, and dressings on their many different types of bread. One of the most popular Italian sandwich is basil, tomato, and fresh mozzarella with balsamic vinaigrette drizzled all over, also known as Caprese Sandwich; however I like Caponata Sandwich even more. This delicious sandwich is filled with eggplant, other veggies, mixed with herbs, raisins and hefty portion of  feathery moist fresh mozzarella cheese on Chibata Bread. One can use sourdough or Baguette instead as well. 

Ingredients :-

• 1 Medium Eggplant, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1 Small Green or Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 Small Red Onion, diced
• 1/4 cup Black Olives, sliced or diced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 12 oz Can Tomato, diced
• 2-3 tbsp Raisins
• 2-3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 tsp Brown Sugar
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
• Salt & Black Pepper to taste
• Baguette or Ciabatta bread
• Fresh mozzarella Slices

Method:-

1. Heat oil in pan, cook eggplant, onion, bell pepper, and garlic.

2. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft.

3. Add tomato with their juice, olives, vinegar, sugar, oregano, and raisins. Mix well.

4. Again season with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat about 20 minutes. Stir a few times.

5. Cut the bread pieces horizontally in half. Add a slice of mozzarella to bread bottom, spoon the caponata on top, cover with the other bread half.

6. Lightly Grill this sandwich in panini grill.

Serve hot..

Red Radish Paratha

This paratha are not just look attractive but they are very tasty too. Do not peel red skin of this radish, they are sweet and it is full of anti-oxidant and they help to retain it shape while cooking. I also love to use radish in subjis, dals, sambar, rice dishes, pickles etc..These parathas are perfect for kids lunch boxes, afternoon snack and my personal favorite is with aloo subji. I also used handful of fresh mint in it and it taste great.

Ingredients :-

• 1-1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

• 1-1/2 Cups Red Radish, grated

• 2 Green Chilies

• 1 tsp Ginger, grated
  

• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds Powder

• 1/2 cup Yogurt

• 1/4 cup Oil

• 1/4 cup Fresh Mint

• Salt to taste

Method :-

1. Mix all the ingredients into the large bowl. 

2. Knead the soft dough. Keep aside for 1 hour. 

3. Make lemon-sized balls from the dough.

4. Roll them with rolling pin.

5. Heat non stick skillet on medium-high heat.

6. Cook paratha on hot non-stick skillet.

7. Flip the paratha after one side is cooked a little bit, apply little oil on it.

8. Then flip to the other side and apply little more oil on that side, cook both sides until cooked. 

9. Serve hot with tea, subji, or with pickle.

Enjoy...

Bell Pepper Quesadilla With Cilantro Sauce

These quesadilla are very easy to make and perfect appetizers at parties or as a lazy afternoon snack. The cheese with beans and/or meat quesadilla are very popular, but my version with bell peppers and jalapeños, I think, looks more colorful and also has variety of flavors including sweet, spicy, and earthy from mexican oregano. They are also lighter on your stomach compared to traditional quesadilla.

Ingredients :-

• 1 Big Red Bell Pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 Big Yellow Bell Pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 Big Green Bell Pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 Jalapeno, roughly chopped
• 1 Very Small Red Onion, roughly chopped
• 1-1/2 tsp Hot Taco Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Dry Oregano
• 1 tsp Cumin Powder
• 1-1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 to 1-1/2 Cups Mexican Blend Cheese, grated
• 6-8 Tortilla
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

-- For Cilantro Sauce

• 1-1/2 cup Cilantro
• 1 tbsp Jalapeño, chopped
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream, light
• 1 tsp Honey
• 3 tbsp Yogurt
• 1/2 cup Water
• Salt to taste

Method :-


-- For Cilantro Sauce

1. In blender, mix cilantro, sour cream, yogurt, honey, lemon juice, jalapeño, salt, and water. Blend until it is smooth and creamy.

--For Quesadilla

1. Heat olive oil in pan, add onion. Cook until  soft about 2-3 minutes.

2. Add jalapeno, bell peppers, taco seasoning, oregano, cumin powder, salt, and pepper. Cook peppers until they are just soft about 4-5 minutes on medium high heat.

3. Place tortilla on flat skillet on medium heat.

4. Fill half tortilla with pepper filling and sprinkle cheese on top of peppers.

5. Fold half empty tortilla on top of it.

6. Cook until bottom side is crispy and golden. Flip quesadilla and cook another side.

7. Take out in plate and cut into triangle.

8. Serve hot with cilantro sauce.

Enjoy...

Baked Tortilla Chips

This delicious snack is easy, fast to make and also great way to use leftover corn or flour tortilla. Instead of frying this chips I baked them. It goes perfect with salsa, or with any dip. This chips are also great for making nachos. 

Ingredients :-

• 4 Tortilla
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1-1/2 tsp Taco Seasoning
• Zest Of 1 Lime
• 2 tbsp Lime Juice
• Salt to taste

Method :-

1. Preheat oven on 350 degrees. In the mean time, mix oil, salt, taco seasoning, lime zest, and lime juice in bowl.

2. Brush both sides of the tortillas with oil. Cut them into wedges.

3. Arrange them on baking tray and bake it for 10-12 minutes.

4. Serve with homemade salsa, bean dip, or queso.

Enjoy...

Stuffed Bell Pepper With Chipotle Honey Gravy

This recipe was an experiment that was very successful, especially because main ingredients used were found during rearranging of my pantry and fridge. I used puffed rice ('kurmure') as stuffing, but one can use stuffing of their own choice and be sure that it will taste good. I washed and drained puffed rice before mixing and that provided for very different texture to this dish. Stuffing taste like almost chaat with chutneys, kurmure, chaat masala etc. I kept gravy light and chatpati, just the way I like it. :)


Ingredients :-

• 4 Medium Green Bell Pepper, tops cut away & seeds remove
• 2 Big Potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1/4 cup Cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 Small Tomato, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Garbanzo Beans, boiled and mashed lightly
• 1/2 cup Kurmure/Puffed Rice, washed and drain
• 1 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1 tsp Garlic Paste
• 1-1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder or to taste
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Cumin Powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 tsp Chaat Masala
• 2 tbsp Date-Tamarind Chutney
• 2 tbsp Cilantro-Mint Chutney
• 2 tbsp Mint leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp Cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt to taste

For Gravy

• 1 Big Red Onion, chopped
• 1 Tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
• 1 Thai Green Chili, chopped
• 1-2 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce, (You can remove seeds)
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 4-5 tbsp Mayo
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Stock
• 1/4 of Turmeric Powder
• Salt to taste

Method :-

1. Preheat oven on 375 degrees.

2. In bowl, mix all the stuffing ingredients very well. Microwave it for 2 minutes and stir until they are well mixed.

3. Place bell peppers in deep lightly greased baking dish. Stuff each peppers with stuffing.

4. Cover this baking dish with aluminium foil and bake it for 25-30 minutes.

5. Remove foil and bake it for another 12-15 minutes.

6. While bell pepper are cooking, heat oil in pan. Add cumin seeds and let it brown.

7. Cook onions for 2-3 minutes, then add tomato, ginger powder, green chili, chipotle pepper, turmeric powder, and salt.

8. Mix well and cook for 12-15 minutes.

9. Now add this gravy mix in the blender with honey, vegetable stock, and half of the mayo. Blend it well.

10. Pour this gravy back to the pan and add remaining mayo in the gravy, mix well. Heat this gravy on low-heat for a few more minutes.

11. Pour ladleful of gravy in deep serving dish, place baked pepper on it and serve.

Enjoy...