Pinto Beans and Corn Curry

 Pinto beans are also called as spotted beans or mottled beans. They come in red and white color. I have used white beans for this curry. You can substitute with red ones. Nutritional value for pinto beans is almost same as Black Beans; 15 gms of protein, 62% fiber, 20% iron and 245 calories per cup. If you haven’t tried pinto beans, this curry is a delicious way to add into your repertoire.

Ingredients:
1. Pinto Beans - 1 and 1/2 Cup Dry or 2 cans of 15 oz each
2. Corn - 1 Cup
3. Onion - 1 Medium
4. Tomato - 2 Medium
5. Garlic - 4/5 Cloves
6. Ginger - 1 Inch
7. Cilantro - 1/2 bunch
8. Curry leaves - 7/8
9. Cumin Seeds - 1 TSP
10. Muster Seeds - 1 TSP
11. Asafetida - 1 Pinch
12. Turmeric Powder - 1 TSP
13. Vegetable Oil - 1 TBSP
14. Garam Masala - 1 TSP
15. Green Chili - 1/2 if using Thai Chili
16. Salt - As per taste

Method:
1. Soak beans overnight in triple amount of water.
2. Start Instant Pot in Sauté mode for 5 min. Add vegetable oil. Once hot add muster seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida. Once the seeds start to sputter add curry leaves and onion.

3. Use a blender to blend in tomatoes, ginger, garlic and cilantro. It does not have to be purée. Once onion is translucent, add the mixture. Add turmeric powder, garam masala. Let it cook for a couple of mins. Now add corn. I have used frozen. You can use fresh cornels if you like.

4. Add in pinto beans. Also add 1/2 cup of water. You don’t need to add too much, enough to cover of the mixture. Close the lid, seal the vent. If using canned beans then set pressure cooker mode to 4 min. If using soaked beans then set pressure cooker to 12 min. 

5. Once the cooker sets off, let it cool naturally, say about 15 min. Add salt. The curry is ready to eat with rice, roti, naan. 

Dosa / Rice Crepes

 One day I happened to talk to an aquaintance at the park about a restaurant where you get the best Dosa. Her response was ‘Nah, I make the best Dosa, my Mom taught me how’. Well, Dosa is South Indian delicacy. She is South Indian. I was intrigued to say the list. She gave me her mom’s recipe in a heartbeat, next thing she invites me over for lunch and teaches me how. At this point, how can I not try the recipe. In short, I don’t order Dosa at the restaurants anymore. Yes, this THREE ingredients  Dosa recipe is that good. I share the recipe to whoever is interested. Here is an attempt to do the same.

Ingredients:

1. Idali Rice - 1 Cup

2. Urad Dal - 1/4 Cup

3. Fenugreek Seeds - 7-8

Method:

1. Soak all three ingredients separately in triple water 4 to 12 hours. 

2. Drain all the water. Grind all together with a little bit of water to get a consistent batter. Fermentation needs a little water. 

3. Cover the container and let it sit overnight. You will get fermented batter next day morning. Add salt right before using it. You can put the batter in refrigerator and it will be good for another 2-3 days. If you deep freeze is I highly recommend to use the batter within an month. The batter stays well but after a month nutrition value does goes away; as per nutritionist. 

4. I like to add vegetable purées in plain Dosa batter simply because kids like it. A spoonful of purée for a ladle of Dosa batter will do. Here I have used spinach purée for green and carrot purée for orange. 

5. On a hot griddle, add a ladleful of batter and spread it across in a gentle circular motion. You can add a teaspoon of oil around it. Once done, flip it and keep Dosa on other side for much less time and it’s ready. Once you plate the dosa, clean the griddle each time with a teaspoon of water so next Dosa won’t stick.  

6. Enjoy Dosa with Sambar, coconut Chutney, tomato chutney or ketchup.

California Salsa

 A simple recipe to put together for a quick appetizer to go with tortilla chips came along with Vitamix. I have been using this recipe for years.

Ingredients:
1. Onion - 1/2 medium size
2. Roma Tomato - 6 medium size. Adjust the number of tomatoes as per size. I have used 4 large.
3. Jalapeño - 1
4. Cilantro - 1/2 Cup
5. Lemon - 1
6. Salt - As per taste

 Method:
1. Blend all the ingredients with half of the tomatoes half way through.
2. Add remaining halves of the tomatoes and pulse for 5-6 times.

Baked Acorn Squash

A dear neighbor introduced me to this winter squash, an acorn squash. It takes long to bake but it’s worth the wait.

Ingredients:

1. Acorn Squash - 1
2. Salt

Optional:
3. Butter - 1 TBSP
4. Maple Syrup - 1/2 TBSP
5. Brown Sugar - 1/2 TBSP

Method:
1. Preheat the oven at 400 degree Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare the squash by throughly washing. Use a chef’s knife to cut the squash in half from stem to tip. Using a sturdy metal spoon, scrap the seeds and fiber.

3. Using paring knife, score the inside in a cross-hatch pattern. Sprinkle salt. If you are using optional ingredients then add bustier, sugar, maple syrup and then sprinkle salt. Add 1/4 cup of water in a baking tray. Place both halves in it.

4. Bake for One hour to One hour and 15 min. Over cooking acorn squash is forgiving but not under cooking. So if the inner is not soft enough you can bake for anoth 5-10 min. Once baked, let it cool down for few minutes before enjoying it as a snack or side dish. I must add that it’s kids friendly.

Yogurt in Instant Pot

 Every year, every season making yogurt at home becomes a challenge for me. I go through a couple of trials until I get the right consistency. With instant pot, it has become easy. All the trails are taken away by this gadget. Here is I am making the yogurt in 8 hours.

Ingredients:
1. Milk - 1 gallon - Whole milk or 2% milk
2. Culture - 3 TBSP

Method:
1. Make sure the inner pot is clean and absolutely no residue smell exists from prior cooking. Add all the milk. Close the lid. The vent setting doesn’t make a difference. Now choose Yogurt setting and keep pressing until you get boil.

2. After the ‘boil’ cycle completes, Instant Pot will beep. Open the lid and let milk cool down for an hour. Add all the culture and whisk in gently to the warm milk. Close the lid back on and choose Yogurt setting. This time add 8 hrs. to the timer. At this point Simply walk away until the timer sets off. The clock turns back to 0 seconds and starts to increment until 8 hrs are complete. First time I made the yogurt during the day time to keep eye on the instant pot.

3. Once the timer is off, open the lid and you will have a welocoming sight of a thick yogurt.

Broccoli Stir Fry

 The most delicious way to incorporate broccoli in your meal is to stir frying. The bitterness of fenugreek actually balances the bitterness of broccoli. The preparations takes about 10 min and cooking time is about 15 min.

  It’s Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free and Dairy Free.

Ingredients:
1. Broccoli - 2 Cups - chopped
2. Onion - 1 Small
3. Muster Seeds - 1/2 TSP
4. Cumin Seeds - 1/2 TSP
5. Fenugreek Seeds - 1 TSP
6. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 TSP
7. Red Chili Powder - 1/2 TSP
8. Curry Leaves - 10-12
9. Vegetable Oil - 1 TBSP
10. Salt - 1/2 TSP or As per taste

Optional:
1. Potato - 1 Medium
2. Green chili - 1-2 instead of red chili powder

Method:
1. Wash and chop broccoli into small pieces. If broccoli is fresh you can leave part if ribs as well. I like to chop with ribs this way -

2. In a wok, add vegetable oil, muster seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. 

3. Once seeds start to sputter, add curry leaves.

4. Being fresh curry leaves will start to sizzle in hot oil right away. Right away add turmeric powder and red chili powder.

5. Add onion immediately and stir it. Let the onion cook for about 3-5 min until darkens a bit. 

6. Add salt and give it a stir. Almost immediately add broccoli, stir it and cover it for 4/5 min. 

7. Open the lid and stir it again. Depending on how crunchy you like cover it again for 3/5 min. I cover it for 5 min. It’s ready now. 

With Optional ingredients: If you are using green chili, add those instead of red chili powder. Also if adding potatoes, add chopped potatoes along with onion. To cook cover for 4/5 min unlike using onion alone. The stir fry stays more green with these options. 

Sweet Potato Fries

 I like sweet potato fries over regular potato fries; especially baked ones. It’s been a while I stopped deep frying fries; at home atleast. This recipe takes about 3 basic ingredients and 2-3 more spices depending on what seasoning you prefer. It takes about 30-35 min.

It’s Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free!

Ingredients:
1. Sweet Potato - 1 Lbs
2. Olive oil - 1 TBSP
3. Salt - 1 TSP or As per your taste

Optional Spices:
4. Peprika - 1 TSP
5. Garlic Powder - 1 TSP
6. Black Pepper - 1/2 TSP

Method:
1. Preheat oven at 400 degree Fahrenheit.
2. Wash sweet potatoes and peel all the skin. Cut those in 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide and 3 inch long sticks.

3. Drizzle oil and spices of your choice. Place each stick separated on an aluminum foil or you can use parchment paper to put those on.

3. Keep in oven for 15 min. After that turn each stick over and back for another 10 min at same temperature. Once ready serve hot to enjoy! 

Middle Eastern Lentil Soup

 About ten years ago, I tried this soup at a restaurant. It was so delicious that I learnt the recipe and made a point to cook this soup at least once a week ever since. I have played with few versions until I settled with one that I have discribed here. Main ingredient being split pigeon lenthil, this soup is delicious source of protein. It has It’s simple yet delicious. I have recipes for instant pot and stove top.

It is a Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Calorie recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Split Pigeon Lentil/ Yellow lentil/ toor dal - 1.5 Cup

2. Onion - 1 Medium 

3. Garlic - 2 cloves 

4. Turmeric - 1 TSP

5. Cumin Seeds - 1 TBSP

6. Vegetable Stock - 7 Cups

7. Lemon Juice - 2 TBS

8. Parsley - Handful

9. Salt - As per taste 

10. Peas - 1/4 Cup - Optional

11. Carrot - 1/4 Cup - Optional

12. Vegetable Oil - 1 TBSP

Method for Instant Pot:
1. Start Instant Pot in sauté mode for 5 min. Add oil and onion. Let onion become translucent.

2. Add finely chopped garlic, turmeric and cumin seeds. Stir in and give another 2/3 min to cook in a sauté mode.

3. Add lentil, vegetable stock, carrot, peas. I am using homemade vegetable broth. If you are using store bought, opt for low sodium. 

4. Close the lid. Set the vent to close. Start pressure cooker mode for 6 mins.

5. Once done, let the steam cool off say for 10 min. Open the lid, add salt and lemon juice. Serve with freshly chopped parsley on the top. If you like you can also add red chili powder , crushed black pepper. For me, parsley suffice.

Method for Stove Top:

1. In a thick bottom pot, add oil and onion. Stir it until onion is translucent; about 5 min.

2. Add finely chopped garlic, turmeric powder and cumin seeds. Stir in for another 2/3 min.

3. Add lentils, vegetable stock, carrot and peas. Cover with the lid with a small opening for 25-30 min. 

4. Add salt and lemon juice. Let the soup cook for another 4/5 min or until the lentil is cooked thoroughly. You won’t need to use blender as the lentil softener as you stir in the soup at this point. 

5. Soup is ready to serve with chopped parsley on the top.

Cilantro Brown Rice

I have been incorporating brown rice in my meals as much as I can. So this recipe is evolved from that attempt. I have used four different kinds of lentils to add protein. It’s a meal itself with yogurt, raita or pickle.

Ingredients:

1. Brown Rice - 1 Cup

2. Lentils - 1/2 Cup 

3. Onion- 1 Medium 

4. Sweet Potato - 1 Medium 

5. Cilantro - 2 Bunch

6. Cumin Seeds - 1 TSP 

7. Muster Seeds - 1 TSP

8. Green Chili- 1 or as per taste

9. Turmeric- 1 TSP

10. Vegetable Oil - 1 TSP

11. Pulav Masala - 1 TSP

12. Salt - As per taste

Optional:
1. Vegetable Broth- 3 Cups (Instead of water)

Method:

1. Start Instant Pot on sauté setting for 5 min. Add vegetable oil, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once those start to sputter, add green chili.

2. Once sizzling starts, add turmeric, onion.

3. Once onion is translucent, add sweet potatoes and give it a good stir. Wait for 2/3 min for those to cook.

4. Add chopped cilantro. 

5. Add brown rice and lentils. I have used masoor, pigeon, azuki, split peas.

6. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable broth salt and pulav masala. 

7. Close the lid for instant pot and set it to Rice mode. Make sure to close the vent. If you are choosing pressure cooker mode then set it to 12 min at low pressure.

8. Once the instant off turns off, let the steam cool down, say about 10 min. The cilantro rice is ready.   You pait it with yogurt or raita. 

Beaten Coffee

 Without using any gadgets or running to cafe, a friend of mine introduced me to a easy method of making a cup of cappuccino at home. This goodness of beaten coffee you can create with only three ingredients.

Ingredients:
1. Milk - 1 Cup
2. Sugar - 2 TBSP
3. Instant Coffee - 2 TBSP
4. Water - 1 TBSP

Method:
1. In a mug, add sugar and instant coffee. I have used brown granular sugar. Add water while stirring.

2.Keep stirring until the sugar is dissolved completely. It will take about 3/4 min and yes, you will start to see foam forming.

3. If you want to drink it as cold beverage, then add cold milk right out of the refrigerator and stir it for another 3/4 min. Add ice cubes and it’s ready. If you like the coffee hot, so at this point, add hot milk and stir in for 3/4 min. One foamy cup of coffee is ready.