Beetroot and Potato Stuffed Puff Pastry

Don't get all dubious about this stuffing, it really does taste rather remarkable. For all of you who think beetroots are a boring vegetable, think twice! So I picked up this gorgeous bunch of organic beetroots at the local farmer's market. I used the greens in a dal recipe and the beets for this stuffing.

You will need:
7 small potatoes.
1 small beet.
2 cloves of garlic, grated.
1" piece of ginger, grated.
1/2 tsp of cumin and coriander powder, each.
1/4 tsp sugar.
1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice.
Defrosted puff pastry (Trader Joe's or Pepperidge Farm).
Shredded Cheese (Cheddar, Monterrey Jack).
Milk to seal the pastry, Flour to roll the Pastry.

Stuffing - Pressure cook or boil the potatoes and beet. Cool, peel and mash them in a bowl. Add the grated ginger, garlic, cumin and corriander powder, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly.

Now, defrost the pastry sheet and cut into any size that is convenient. I tend to roll out the sheet a bit to thin it and cut it into 6" by 4 " rectangles. Place a spoonful of the stuffing onto one side of the rolled out sheet. Place a generous helping of the cheese on top. Now flip the other side of the pastry over and seal the edges. Repeat for as many pastry puffs as you want. The remaining stuffing can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days at most. Place in the oven and bake at 350 F until done.

Note: I often use leftover stuffing to make a grilled sandwich the next day. In fact, for a healthier alternative, try the sandwich instead of the puff pastry. 

Avocado and American Cheese Sandwiches

So here is another quick recipe, a mouthwatering sandwich that takes minutes to prepare and goes very well with chips or a hot soup.

You will need:

Two slices of organic whole wheat bread (Yes! I buy it from Trader Joe's).

A slice of organic American cheese.

Half an avocado, sliced.

Butter, salt to season.

Several drops of Trader Joe's Jalapeno Pepper Hot sauce.

Place the avocado slices on one bread slice. Sprinkle a few drops of the hot sauce on the avocados. Season with salt if desired and finish the sandwich by placing the cheese slice on the avocado, followed by the other bread slice. Now, spread some butter on top of each slice and grill the sandwich. Brown the sandwich tops and serve immediately with chips.

 

Minty and Spicy Avocado Dip

I am back after several weeks of a much deserved vacation. My lab and my research has been keeping me pretty busy. I tried some new ideas in the kitchen in the first couple of weeks of 2011 and I just had to post the recipes.

So the other day, I was at Trader Joe's and I picked up some delicious avocados. They are a rich source of folate and vitamin K and heart healthy fats.  I decided that I would use half of it in a sandwich (recipe on a later post) and use the remaining fruit to make a dip for pita chips. The result was a simply delicious and spicy dip.

Here is the recipe.

1/2 avacado, chopped into small pieces.
15 mint leaves, washed and chopped coarsely.
1 green chilli, chopped.
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice.
1/2 tbsp creme fraiche from Trader Joe's.
3/4 cup low fat, plain yogurt.
Salt to taste and a pinch of sugar.

Add all the above ingredients except the lemon juice to a food processor. Grind until the avocados are blended with the creme fraiche and yogurt to form a smooth paste. Now add the lemon juice and give a final stir.

Pour the dip into a serving bowl and serve with regular pita chips!

To add more spice, play around with the amount of green chilli. I found that one chilli provides just the right kick to this splendid dip.

Roasted Eggplant Bharit - A Yogurt Based Eggplant Dish

I remember this dish perfectly, my grandma used to make it often. Today, as I become more aware of various world cuisines, I am convinced that this is a wonderful way to eat eggplant. Okay, so this dish needs raw onions. So if you are not a big fan of raw onions, this dish is not for you. Note that white, mild onions are the best for this recipe. Also, this dish has a yogurt base which complements the onions and roasted eggplant really well. It pairs nicely with fresh phulkas. I think it will also work as a dip for baked whole wheat pita chips.

You will need:

1 roasted eggplant with the skin and most seeds removed. The browned and roasted flesh of the eggplant should be mashed. (I normally apply a coat of vegetable oil to the eggplant and then place it in the broiler. It roasts really well. The key, is to turn the eggplant every five minutes or so to roast it uniformly. When the eggplant is evenly roasted, the inner flesh will separate from the skin easily.)

1/2 a medium sized onion cut not too coarsely. (I used a red onion in this recipe. I would recommend a white onion. I did not have one at hand when I made this dish. I would also cut the amount of onion if the eggplant is small to about a quarter.)

1 tbsp chopped cilantro.

1/2 tsp of brown sugar.
salt to taste.
1/2-3/4 cup yogurt.

For the ghee (canola oil can be used as a substitute for ghee) tadka:

1 tsp ghee.
1 small green chilli.
1/4 tsp asafoetida.
1/2 tsp cumin seeds.

Mix the mashed eggplant and chopped onions in a serving bowl. Add the cilantro. Mix thoroughly.

Now, add the yogurt, salt and sugar. Mix and keep aside. In a copper bottomed, large sputtering spoon (a small kadhai will also do), heat the ghee (or oil). When hot, add the cumin seeds. Once they crackle add the asafoetida and green chili.



Now, pour this spice and chili mixture on the eggplant. Be careful because the ghee is hot and the yogurt is at room temperature. Some ghee may splash outward. Stir and serve immediately.



ENJOY!

Pumpkin Seeds Chutney

I thought of this recipe one day when I was roasting raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas). I try to incorporate these seeds in my regular diet because they are so nutritious (see their nutrition profile on whfoods.com), especially in their zinc and iron content. These seeds are a great way to get these essential minerals for vegetarians. This chutney is dry in its texture and goes well as a spread on buttered whole wheat toast for a healthy snack or breakfast. I often have it with ghee and piping hot phulkas. My aunt-in-law loved it when she tried it over dinner a few weeks ago.

To make this chutney, you will need:

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (I buy them from Trader Joe's), roasted in a pan over medium heat.
1 whole dried red chilli (you can one more if you like spicy food).
1 tsp cumin powder.
1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate.
5 curry leaves.
salt and brown sugar to taste.

After roasting the pumpkin seeds, add them to a food processor. Add all the remaining ingredients and grind the seeds to a fine powder. To add some protein, you can roast 1 to 2 tbsp of chana dal (available from Bob's Red Mill) and add it to the above ingredients. Voila, your chutney is ready.