Sponge cake flavored with cardamom

Came across this recipe at 'You Too Can Cook's' blog. The pressure cooker method did not work for me so I ended up baking the cake in the oven and it came out just as good. Tastes almost like the yellow cake we get in the local bakeries in India. The recipe uses very little butter and probably I will substitute with whole wheat pastry flour or spelt flour the next time. But for now enjoy this simple cake recipe. Click here for the original recipe from you too can cook.

Recipe for Sponge cake flavored with cardamom

Ingredients

1 cup All Purpose flour

1 cup powdered sugar (not icing sugar - see notes)

150 ml of milk (use any milk you have in the fridge)

2 tbsps of butter

2 eggs at room temperature

A pinch of salt

1/2 tsp of vanilla essence

1/2 tsp of cardamom powder (if skipping the vanilla use 1 tsp)

1 tsp baking powder

Method

1. Add the butter to the milk and bring to a boil until the butter melts. Stir and set aside. Let is cool. (see notes)

2. Add the eggs to a bowl and beat until pale. Use an electric blender.

3. Next add the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. 

4. Add the flour, baking powder, vanilla essence, cardamom powder and salt and blend well.

5. Add the milk/butter mix and on slow speed blend well.

6. Pour the cake batter into a buttered 9 inch round cake pan or an 8 inch square cake pan. 

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. You will know the cake is done when the top and the edges are brown.

8. Take out from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before you cut.

Notes

1. Using powdered sugar is a must. This works well as powdered sugar blends better with the eggs. And blending to a fluffy consistency is an important step as this recipe uses very little butter. Also as mentioned in the original recipe do not use icing sugar.

2. The milk and butter mixture needs to cool because hot milk will curdle the eggs.

Butternut squash with panch phoron

Panch phoron an unique blend of five spices (call it Indian five spices) gives a delicate and well balanced flavor to any vegetable. Make a blend of fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, black mustard and fennel seeds in equal parts and store them in your pantry. Season a variety of veggies like potatoes, cauliflower and even dal with this spice. Check out this post at Bong Mom's cookbook for more info and recipes using Panch Phoron. 

Seasoning butternut squash with panch phoron takes it to the next level. Serve it with a bowl of hot rice and dal or eat it as a warm salad. You will love the flavors of the spices that go so well with the squash.

Butternut squash with panch phoron recipe

Ingredients

3 to 4 cups of cubed butternut squash

1 medium onion chopped

1 tsp panch phoron spice mix

A few curry leaves

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 green chillies (adjust to taste)

Salt to taste

Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

1-2 tsps oil

Method

1. Pour oil in a saute pan and add the panch phoron. 

2. Let it crackle and then add the curry leaves, green chillies and onion and saute until onions are soft.

3. Next add the butternut squash, turmeric powder and salt.

4. Cover and cook the squash. Do not add water as the squash will become mushy.

5. After 3 to 4 minutes remove the lid and cook until fork tender.

5. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes

1. Look for cubed butternut squash in grocery stores. I got it from Costco. 

2. Use dry red chillies instead of green chillies.

Spinach Green Tomato dal

The addition of green tomato to this dal gives it a tangy flavor. It's a one pot dal and all you have to do is season it when its done. Spinach dal with hot rice is comfort food at its best.

Spinach green tomato dal recipe

Ingredients

4 cups of chopped Spinach (or 2 cups of frozen spinach)

1 cup thuvar dal

2-3 green tomatoes

1 small onion

2-3 green chillies (adjust according to taste)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

A pinch of asafoetida

Salt to taste

For seasoning

1/2 tsp mustard

1/2 tsp jeera

2 dry red chillies broken

A few curry leaves

2 pods of garlic finely chopped

Method

1. Pressure cook the thuvar dal with spinach, chopped green tomatoes and onion, green chillies, turmeric powder and red chilli powder.

2. Once done open the lid and add salt and mash the dal mixture.

3. In a pan season oil with mustard, jeera, dry red chillies, curry leaves and garlic. Pour into the dal mixture, stir quickly and cover the lid and set aside for all the flavours to incorporate.

4. Serve with hot rice.

Banana chocolate cardamom mini cakes (eggless)

I heard about spelt flour from Richa of As Dear As Salt during one of our never ending conversations about food. But I never baked with it until recently when I picked up some organic spelt flour from the Whole Foods Market. And it is one of the most versatile flours to work with. I loved the texture of this cake - moist, fluffy and crumbly at the same time. And it's eggless too! So, here goes the recipe. Adapted from Veg Inspirations. Check out the recipe here. 

Banana chocolate cardamom mini cakes recipe

Ingredients

2 cups spelt flour

1 cup almond meal

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup and it was a bit less) (see notes)

2 tbsps cocoa powder

1 tsp cardamom powder

Wet ingredients

3 ripe bananas

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup canola oil

Method

1. Put all the dry ingredients into a big bowl. Mix well and set aside.

2. Mash the bananas and add the sour cream and canola oil and stir until combined.

3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. At this stage you can add chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans or raisins if you wish. I wanted to make it plain.

4. Pour into any mould you have. I had the bundt like moulds so used them. I baked some of them into muffins too. Use any baking dish you have at home. Just grease the inside of the pan/baking dish with unsalted butter or cooking spray.

5. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on the cakes or top them off with some chocolate chips or nuts (optional).

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes in a pre-heated oven.

Notes:

1. I plan to increase the sugar to 3/4 cup the next time I bake this cake. If you are adding chocolate chips to the batter then 1/2 cup of sugar would be just right.

2. Also add walnuts or pecans if you like. Raisins would be a good addition too.

Onion and banana pepper pakoras

This is a recipe for regular onion pakoras with a spicy twist. I had a few banana peppers in the fridge and wanted to make my Banana Pepper curry. Instead I added it to the onion pakora mix. The result were mildly spiced crispy and yummy pakoras.

Onion and banana pepper pakoras recipe

Ingredients

Onion - 1 big (thinly slice)

Banana peppers - 5 (thinly slice just like onion)

Besan - 1 cup (add less or more if required)

Rice flour - 1/2 cup (adjust according to besan quantity)

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method

1. Chop the onions and banana peppers and set aside in a bowl.

2. Add besan, rice flour and very little water and mix. Do not make it too thick or watery. It should be a dry mixture.

3. Add red chilli powder and salt.

4. Heat the oil and sprinkle the onion besan mixture into the hot oil. Keep turning the pakora so that it cooks evenly and becomes crispy.

5. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. This will hels absorb the excess oil and will keep the pakoras dry and crispy.

6. Serve with ketchup or Sriracha sauce. 

Potato masala - pressure cooker recipe

This is a one pot recipe to make potato masala for dosa and poori. I got this recipe from my mom during one of our conversations about food. I would always follow the elaborate method of boiling the potatoes, peeling them and mashing them for the masala. This recipe is a shortcut and you can make it just before your guests arrive. 

Yields the same quantity you see in the picture

Potato masala - pressure cooker recipe

Ingredients

Potatoes - 2 medium sized

Onion - 1 medium

Tomato - 1 medium

Green chillies - 2 or 3 (adjust according to taste)

Mustard, jeera, urad dal and curry leaves for seasoning

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Oil - 1 -2 tbsp

Lime juice - 2 tbsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Fresh cilantro for garnish

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes.

2. Chop the onion and green chillies.

3. Chop the tomatoes finely.

4. Pour oil in the pressure cooker and season with mustard, jeera, urad dal and curry leaves.

5. Add the onion and green chillies and saute until soft and add the asafoetida.

6. Next add the tomatoes and saute for 1-2 minutes.

7. Add the cubed potatoes, turmeric powder and salt.

8. Add about 1/2 cup of water and give it a good stir.

9. Close the pressure cooker and switch off after 3 whistles.

10. Wait a while and open the cooker and stir. Check for salt. 

11. Add the lime juice and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve with masala dosa or poori. I served the potato masala on the side with dosa and chutney.

Notes

1. If using for dosa add less water. 

2. Use a potato masher if required. I just use the back of the spoon to mash and stir the masala.
3. After opening the cooker if the masala is a bit watery, just let it boil for some time. Do not use the lid when boiling. This helps evaporate some of the liquid.

Zucchini and spinach saute

A perfect side dish for rice or rotis, this subzi can be made even with frozen spinach.

Zucchini and spinach saute recipe

Ingredients
Zucchini - 2
Fresh spinach leaves - 4-5 cups
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 2 cloves finely chopped
Green chillies - 2
Mustard, jeera and urad dal for seasoning
Turmeric powder
Salt
Oil - 1 tbsp
A few curry leaves

Method
1. Peel the skin off the zucchini. Chop into medium sized cubes.
2. Wash the spinach leaves and chop finely.
3. Chop the onions.
4. Pour oil in a pan and season with mustard, jeera, urad dal and curry leaves.
5. Add the onions and saute until soft.
6. Next add the garlic and chopped green chillies.
7. Now add the chopped spinach and saute for a minute before adding the zucchini.
8. Add the turmeric powder and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.
9. Remove the lid and continue cooking until the zucchini is cooked.

Notes
1. Do not cover and cook for a long time as the zucchini will let out a lot of water.

Cracked wheat moong dal payasam - in a slow cooker

Creamy, sweet and yummy .... that's exactly how this slow cooked payasam tastes. With just a few ingredients and a slow cooker you can create this easy recipe for any occasion. 

Cracked wheat moong dal payasam recipe

Ingredients 

(for a 3 1/2 quart slow cooker)

Cracked wheat (coarse) - 1 cup

Moong dal - 1/4 cup

Whole milk/evaporated milk - 4 cups

Condensed milk - 1/2 cup (adjust according to taste)

Jaggery powder - 2-3 tbsp

Elaichi powder - 1/4 tsp

Raisins - a few

Cashews (optional)

Ghee to fry the raisins/nuts and moong dal - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Saute the moong dal in 1/2 tbsp of ghee.

2. Wash the cracked wheat and add to the slow cooker.

3. Add the sauteed moong dal.

4. Pour the milk and stir well.

5. Next add the elaichi powder and condensed milk and stir to combine.

6. Cover with the lid and set on low for about 2 hours. Give it a stir after one hour.

7. When 3/4 cooked add the jaggery powder and mix well.

8. Set the slow cooker on high for the next one hour.

9. If you see the payasam bubbling reduce the setting to low and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.

10. You need to cook until you get a creamy consistency. 

11. Garnish with raisins and cashews (if using). 

Notes

1. The jaggery powder gives the payasam its color.

2. You can skip the moong dal and make the payasam with just the cracked wheat.
3. Cooking time varies depending on the size of the slow cooker.

Tawa Pulao

This is an awesome recipe that uses left over cooked rice. Considered as a popular street food in Mumbai, this recipe uses pav bhaji masala that gives it an unique taste. The street vendors make this pulao on the tawa and that's where it gets it name from. I used a regular non stick kadai/pan to make the pulao. This recipe is adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe. Check out this link for his recipe.

Tawa Pulao recipe

Ingredients
Cooked basmati rice – 2 cups
Onion - 1 medium chopped lengthwise
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Carrots – 1 (diced into small cubes)
Frozen green peas – 1/4 cup
Green Bell Pepper – 1 diced
Canned tomatoes  – 2 to 3 tbsps
Oil – 1 to 2 tbsps
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (adjust to taste)
Pav Bhaji masala powder – 1-2 tsp
Salt to taste
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once they splutter add the onions. Saute until soft and add the ginger garlic paste.
2. Add the green peas, bell pepper and carrot, cover and cook until almost done. Next add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 1-2 mintues. Reduce the flame to low and add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and pav bhaji masala and stir until it blends with the veggies. You don't want to burn the spices.
3. Add the rice into the pan and stir well. Check for salt and add more if you need at this stage.
4. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with raita.

Notes:

1. I added the tomato after the veggies were 3/4 cooked. This helps keep the pulao moist.

2. If you like the rice a bit more tangy, you can add a few squirts of tomato ketchup along with the tomatoes.

Lime pickle - mom's recipe

A bowl of yogurt rice with home made lime pickle on the side is enough to take me back to my childhood. My mom always had a bottle of lime pickle in the fridge. I never tried making it myself until recently and it turned out to be just like what my mom used to make. 

Here is the recipe:

Lime pickle recipe

Ingredients

Lime - 10 medium sized (chop 6 of them and juice the remaining 4)

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/4 cup (change according to taste)

Salt - 1/4 cup (see notes)

Methi powder - 1 tsp (roast and grind into a fine powder)

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Oil - 2-3 tbsps

Method

1. Cut the limes into medium sized pieces and transfer to a pyrex/glass bowl. Add the salt and turmeric powder. Add the lime juice, stir, cover and set aside on the countertop for 3 days. Stir the lime mixture once every day.

2. On day three you have to season the lime for the pickle.

3. Pour oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they splutter add the asafoetida and switch off the stove. 

4. Wait a couple of minutes until the oil becomes luke warm. Then add the red chilli powder and methi powder. Pour on the lime mixture and stir until completely incorporated. At this stage if the pickle looks dry then heat 1-2 tbsps of oil and add to the pickle. 

5. Cover and set on the countertop for one more day. Transfer the pickle to an air tight jar and store in the refrigerator. You can leave some pickle outside for daily use. Replenish as needed.

The refrigerated pickle will be good for a couple of months.

Notes

1. The salt seems a lot but the tartness of the lime offsets the salt. Will be just right for 6 limes. I used Salt Sense low sodium salt.

2. You can use lemons too, but only the ones with a thin skin. If you use the regular lemons that have a thicker skin they will not soak well and the pickle will be dry and the lemons will be too hard to chew.

Chow chow carrot poriyal

This is a recipe I have recreated from the menu of one of my favorite Indian restaurants (read Udipi Dosa House). Popular for its fresh vegetarian food the menu featured poriyals, kuzhambu, sambar and chutneys that tasted like home cooked food with the right amount of spices. 

Chow chow carrot poriyal recipe

Ingredients

Chow chow - 2

Carrot - 3 medium sized

Onion - 1 medium sized

Fresh grated coconut - 2 tbsps (frozen grated coconut will work too)

Mustard - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 2 or 3 (adjust according to taste)

Curry leaves - a few

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Garlic (optional)

Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Method

1. Peel the skin of the chow chow and carrot and cut into small cubes. Chop the onions and set aside.

2. In a pan add the oil and mustard seeds. Once they pop add the red chillies and curry leaves. 
3. Next add the onions and saute until soft. At this stage you can add garlic if using. 

4. Add the chopped chow chow and carrot along with turmeric powder and salt. Do not add water as the veggies will release water.

5. Reduce heat to medium cover the pan and cook for about 5-7 minutes stirring a couple of times. If you leave the cover on for too long the veggies will become mushy.

6. Remove the lid and add the grated coconut. Continue to cook until the veggies are done. 

7. Garnish with fresh cilantro just before serving.

Notes

1. Garlic imparts a nice taste to this recipe.

2. Serve with sambar, vathakuzhambu or rasam.

Pal payasam - Slow cooker recipe

Hi foodies 

It's been almost five years I have been away from my blog. A busy life with kids, relocating to a new city, moving to a new house et al has kept me busy all these years. It's been so much fun browsing, collecting and trying out recipes posted by all of you.

My never ending passion for food and cooking is bringing me back to blogging again. From cooking and tasting simple recipes to trying out exotic and complicated ones I have realized that my heart lies where comfort food is. Simple, home made and healthy meals with a few easy to find ingredients is just about enough to make my day. 

This blog will also feature vegetarian weight loss recipes which will be really handy if you are trying to lose weight. Over the last few months I have been taste testing semi-home made recipes which will be easy on your wallet and of course help you lose weight too. It worked for me and it can work for you as well. 

You will not see a new recipe everyday on the blog, but I will keep up my effort in posting something new and interesting as often as I can. A big note of appreciation to my fellow bloggers - sailusfood, onehotstove, talimpu, amadteaparty, aayisrecipes, akshyapatram, saffrontrail, and many more who have been active in the blogging world. I have been following your posts all along. 

The recipe I have chosen today is pal payasam/rice pudding. I made this in my slow cooker and it turned out excellent. With a few ingredients and very little effort you can make this simple dessert ahead of time. The slow cooker does all the work for you. This recipe is adapted from the cookbook - 'The Indian slow cooker' by Anupy Singla. I have made a few changes to the original recipe. A detailed post on how to use a slow cooker will follow soon.  

The ingredients mentioned below are for a 3 1/2 quart slow cooker. Double the ingredients if using a 5 quart slow cooker. Infact, you can simply use a 5 quart slow cooker for the same ingredients too.

Pal payasam - slow cooker recipe 

(makes about 6 cups) 

Ingredients 

Basmati rice - 3 tbps (soak for atleast 30 minutes) 

Whole milk - 6 cups 

Sugar - 1/4 cup (Use less or more according to taste. For me the payasam was just right, not too sweet). 

Elaichi powder - 1/4 tsp 

Ghee - 1 tsp 

Chopped cashews - 1 tbsp 

Raisins - a few

Saffron - a few strands (soak in warm milk for a few minutes) 

Method 

1. Put the rice, sugar, cardamom and milk in the slow cooker. You can either add the raisins now or garnish at the end. 

2. The cooking time is 3 hours. Cook on low for the first hour and cook on high for the remaining 2 hours. Feel free to change the setting to low if you see the payasam bubbling away. Every slow cooker works different. (see notes) 

3. Stir the payasam every hour. (see notes) 

4. Once done set aside. Add the ghee to the pan and saute the raisins, chopped almonds and cashews and add to the payasam. 

5. Garnish with the soaked saffron milk. 

Serving tip: Spoon the payasam into small bowls and garnish with rasins, almonds, cashews and saffron. If making ahead, cover each bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate. This payasam can be served chilled or warm. 

Notes: 

1. The amount of rice in this recipe seems less, but once cooked it will be just right. 

2. I always use the slow cooker when I am at home and I can adjust the settings if required. On the contrary, slow cookers are meant to be used overnight (if making oatmeal for breakfast) or when you are away and want to get back to a home cooked meal. But if too little liquid is used for cooking it can dry out the food or if too much is used it might spill over. I personally recommend not leaving your home when using the slow cooker. I follow this rule for all the appliances in the house, mostly as a safety issue. 

3. Also peeking into the slow cooker is not allowed while cooking. It increases the cooking time. But with Indian cooking, it's good to stir the contents a couple of times, not too often though.

Vegetarian Website Award

Vegetarian

Updated RCI list for 2009

RCI event list for 2009

January - Chettinad Vegetarian Cuisine - Srimathi from Few Minute Wonders

February - Haryana Cuisine from Easy Crafts

March - Lucknow Cuisine - Vanamala from My Kitchen World

April - Pondicherry Cuisine - Lavanya from Home Cooks Recipes

May - Jain Cuisine - PJ from Seduce your Tastebuds

June - Indo Chinese Vegetarian Cusinine - Mythreyee from Paajaka

All other months in 2009 still available.

RCI event confusion?

Hi all

Today I was going through a few blogs and I came across a post on RCI at asan khana. The blogger was referring to a RCI Punjab roundup on a blog called Cooking Station. RCI Punjab was hosted by Richa of As Dear As Salt way back in June 2007.

I am not aware of this parallel RCI event going on. I am not in anyway connected with this. I am not sure who initiated this event either.

So, is there a plagiarism going on with blog events too? I thought it was only the photos that were being taken!

RCI list for 2009

Hi all

Here is the list for 2009.

RCI event list for 2009

January - Chettinad Vegetarian Cuisine - Mythreyee from Paajaka

February - Haryana Cuisine from Easy Crafts

March - Lucknow Cuisine - Vanamala from My Kitchen World

April - Pondicherry Cuisine - Lavanya from Home Cooks Recipes

All other months in 2009 still available.

Do let me know if you would like to host any month in 2009.

RCI event list for 2008

Hi all

It's been a very long time since I updated or posted new recipes on the blog. Life on the homefront has kept me busy with the entry of a new member into my family. Of course, I have been visiting all my favorite blogs and saving interesting recipes for use later :)

Many thanks to all the food bloggers who have been hosting the RCI event and keeping the spirit alive. I have been keeping track of the events month after month. You will surely see updates and posts on my blog in the near future. Until then here is the updated RCI Event list for 2008. If you have any queries or questions or would like to host the event in any month do mail me at veggiecuisine@gmail.com

RCI Event list for 2008March - Bengali Cuisine - Sandeepa from Bong Mom's Cookbook - Current month
April - Rajasthani Cuisine - Paddukotti from Spicy Andhra
May - North East Indian Cuisine - Bhagys from Crazy Curry

June - Andhra Festival Foods - Vani from BatasariJuly - Goan Cuisine - Reena from Spices of Kerala
August 2008 - - Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine - Mona Afzal from Zaiqa
September 2008 - Konkan Cuisine - Deepa from Recipes and More

October 2008 - Assamese cuisine - Priya from Food and Laughter
November 2008 - Parsi cuisine from The Cooker
December 2008 - Awadhi Cuisine - Siri from Siri's Corner

Meet you all soon!

Zucchini chutney

Zucchini is a versatile veggie that can be easily used in Indian cooking. I make sambar, kootu and curry with zucchini. This time I wanted to try making chutney and the result was amazing. You can eat this chutney with dosa, adai or idli or with a bowl of hot rice and ghee. Yum! This is my contribution to Nupur's A-Z of vegetables.

Ingredients2 medium zucchini
4 or 5 red chillies (adjust according to taste)
1 small green chilli (for flavor)
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp of urad dal (split black lentils)
2 cloves of garlic (sliced thin) (optional)
1/2 tsp jeera
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
Oil as needed

For seasoning
Oil
1/2 tsp of mustard
A few curry leaves
1 red chilli - broken

Method
1. Wash the zucchini, peel the skin and cut into cubes.
2. In a pan roast the red chillies and urad dal without oil. Set aside.
3. Next add oil in the same pan and fry the zucchini till tender.
4. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds.
5. Then add the tamarind paste and asafoetida and mix well.
6. Transfer the roasted red chillies, urad dal, raw jeera and zucchini veggie mix to a blender.
7. Add very little water and blend to a paste and add salt to taste.
8. Season with mustard, curry leaves and red chillies.

Fusilli with tri color bell peppers

I came across this recipe in Williams Sonoma's Pasta Cookbook. It looked so colorful that I had to try it out. While the original recipe is for a pasta salad I used the ingredients and came up with a warm pasta dish.

Ingredients 1/2 pound long Fusilli
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper
(use any color you want)
1 tsp of garlic paste
1 tsp of drained capers
1 cup of cubed fresh mozzarella cheese
Red pepper flakes to taste
1/2 tsp of pepper powder
Salt to taste
Olive oil as needed

Method
1. Slice the bell peppers into long strips (you can also cut them into rings), brush with olive oil and add salt and pepper and roast (at 350 degrees) in the oven until done. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta until al dente. Follow the instructions on the package.
3. Pour olive oil in a pan, add the red pepper flakes and garlic paste and sauté.
4. Add the oven roasted bell peppers and mix well.
5. Transfer the cooked pasta and add salt if required.
6. Remove from flame and add cubed mozzarella pieces.
7. Serve hot.

Aloo Pudine ka Saag

I harvested fresh mint from my kitchen garden and tried out this recipe for the RCI Punjab Cuisine event hosted by Richa from 'As Dear As Salt'. I was a bit skeptical when I started making this curry because I felt it might taste very different. But once I made the paste and started sautéing it the whole house was filled with the aroma of fresh mint and it was so good. The curry also tastes yummy. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients
For the gravy
A medium sized bunch of fresh mint (you can reduce the quantity if you find the flavor too strong. I used a handful of leaves because the home grown mint had a very strong flavor)
1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 green chilli
1 big onion

Other ingredients
2 medium sized potatoes
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
1 piece of cinnamon
Oil as needed
Salt to taste

Method
1. Make the paste for the gravy and set aside.
2. Either boil the potatoes or simple shallow fry them in oil. I cut the potatoes into cubes and baked them.
3. Pour oil in a pan and add the bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon.
4. Next add the masala paste.
5. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, amchur and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook till the raw smell disappears. Add water if the gravy becomes thick.
6. Then add the potatoes and salt and bring to a boil.

Goes well with roti or pulao.