Green Lentils with Mixed Vegetables and Feta

Last week I was very surprised to find that I had not posted any green lentil recipe in this space. Green lentils in my opinion are the most flavorful of the lot. I use green lentils frequently and usually in a simple preparation like the one I am sharing today. The day I cooked this my husband had lunch and dinner plans at work and I was cooking for one. I had bought some green lentils during the weekend grocery shopping and decided to make this recipe. It is a one pot meal.

I have used feta cheese in all three recipes this week. I rarely use feta cheese though we all like it a lot. Crumbled feta is usually available in tubs and 1-2 tablespoons of it goes a long way. Once you get a tub you have a couple weeks to finish it so I use it as garnish on everything.

I always keep a small stock of green lentils in the pantry. In fact I usually have all varieties, yellow, green, orange and black in the pantry as we like them all. If you have not tried the green lentils yet you should try this simple green lentils with mixed vegetable and feta. Lentils taste best the day they are cooked. Green lentils take longer to cook than the orange ones but they do not have to be pressure cooked. I usually soak them in a little hot water and they soften up. I then cook them with the rest of the ingredients in a pan on the stove top.

You will need (2 large servings)
1 cup dry green lentils
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1/2 cup carrots, finely diced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1 large handful spinach or arugula or kale, diced
2 tsp. oil (I used olive oil, any vegetable oil will do)
2 tbsp. feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. paprika (adjust to taste)
1 tsp cumin coriander powder (optional)
1/2 cup warm water + 2 cups water to soak lentils

Wash and rinse the lentils. Boil 2 cups of water in the microwave in a microwave safe cup. I use the large measuring cups. Add the water to the lentils and let them soak for about 15 minutes while you prep the vegetables as indicated in the ingredient list.

Heat oil in a pan and add all the vegetables. Saute for a couple of minutes and add the lentils. Add the warm water and let the lentils cook covered on medium heat for about 5-10 minutes until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste, paprika and cumin coriander powder. Turn off the heat after another couple minutes.

Enjoy!

Red Bell Pepper and Paneer in Tomato gravy

The recipe I am posting today is something I whipped up in a hurry on a weekend morning. My husband and I were at home. I was prepping the weekly vegetables and getting them ready for lunch salads when I realized I did not have anything planned for lunch. I put aside some red bell pepper and some green bell pepper combined it with some left over paneer, onion and tomato and whipped up this side. It is a version of Paneer Jalfrezi and I am calling it Red Bell Pepper and Paneer in Tomato gravy.

In the picture above the flatbread or poli has been made by my husband. I have posted his recipe of chutney on this blog but never posted anything else made by him. He is always willing to try anything I make and waits patiently while I take pictures. Both of us liked this recipe very much and it was all gone very quickly.

My daughter will be back from college for summer in three days. I am looking forward to spending time with her and making a lot of new dishes.

You will need
4 oz. paneer, cut into rectangular pieces, not too thick
1/4 onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 tomato, pureed
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 serrano pepper, deseeded and minced
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp. coriander cumin powder
Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle add the onion. Saute for about 5 minutes and add the minced serrano pepper.

Now add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, coriander cumin powder and bring to a boil.

Now add the bell peppers.

Finally add the paneer and salt to taste.

Let it all cook until the liquid evaporates.

Enjoy!

Spicy Green Bell Pepper Side

As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I was going to try it. It was one of those that use a special spice powder and all the ingredients in the powder screamed - delicious. So here is my version of a spicy green bell pepper side.

I found this recipe on Pavani's blog. I stayed fairly true to the recipe except I cut down on the number of dried red chili peppers. 

You will need
For the spice powder
1 tbsp. channa dal
1/2 tbsp. urad dal
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
1 dry red chili pepper
1 tsp. tamarind paste
salt to taste

2 medium preferably, thin skinned green bell peppers
All of the spice powder above
2 tbsp yogurt, sour
1 tbsp oil, I used olive oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
3-4 curry leaves (I did not use any)
salt to taste

Roast the first four ingredients for the spice powder until they start to turn color. Turn off heat and allow to cool. Add the remaining ingredients and grind to a powder. Keep aside until needed.

Rinse and dice the green bell pepper. In a bowl add the yogurt and the diced bell pepper. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Heat a pan with the oil. Add the mustard seeds. When they crackle add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Add the yogurt and bell pepper mixture and salt. Add a tablespoon of water. Cook covered until the bell pepper is cooked through, but not mushy. Add the spice powder. Cover, and cook on low heat for a couple of minutes.

Turn off the heat.

Enjoy!

Paneer Tomato Masala

Paneer is one of my daughter's favorites. To celebrate her return home for the summer I made paneer in masala/gravy, a simple recipe thrown together with whatever is available on the given day. That said, there is really no recipe. The basic idea is to marinate the paneer in the masala/gravy. The ingredients for the gravy I tweak based on the ingredients in the house. If I have cashews, I add some cashew paste. Today I had yogurt I needed to use up and so I mixed that in. The ingredients I use are close to those used in the classic versions but the method is nowhere close. Besides those recipes are usually spicy and unnecessarily rich. This probably works for special occasions but they are too heavy for everyday consumption in my house.

I served the paneer with some poli/chapati. My daughter enjoyed this meal thoroughly. While I was cooking I realized I have all kinds of paneer dishes on this space but for some reason I never posted paneer in gravy. So today I am posting the version I made when my daughter came home for summer.

You will Need (for 6 servings)
7 oz. paneer
1 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced finely
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. paprika (adjust to taste)
1 tsp. turmeric
3 large tomatoes, diced
3/4 cup yogurt, whisked

Cut the paneer into slabs and keep aside. Heat half the oil in a pan. Place the slabs of paneer in a single layer until partially cooked. Do not brown. Flip them over and cook the other side. Take them out of the pan and drain on a paper towel.

Add the remaining oil to the same pan and cook the onions on medium low heat. While the onions cook, cut the paneer into bite size pieces and keep aside. When the onions turn translucent add the garlic, garam masala, paprika and turmeric. Saute for a few seconds. The aroma will rise from the pan. Add the tomatoes and let the masala cook. When the tomatoes are mushy add the whisked yogurt and salt to taste. Simmer but do not let it come to a boil. Add the paneer and let it cook together for a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Enjoy!

This is my entry for week one, day one of BM #65 for the theme Summer dishes. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#65.

Gigantes Plaki

I had some lima beans I wanted to use up, but I wanted to try something different with them. I decided to search for a new recipe to try. My search took me to a site with a lot of Egyptian recipes and gigantes plaki is the recipe I picked. I tweaked the recipe a little based on what I had in the house. The end result was delicious. I knew this would be loved at home as it has beans and tomatoes, both favorites.

This recipes could be made with other white beans as well. It would taste great as a dip with crackers or chips. I will definitely make this again.

You will need
1 cup lima beans, soaked and cooked (alternately used canned beans)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 pods garlic, peeled and minced
3 large tomatoes
4-5 sprigs cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
feta cheese for garnish

If you are using dried beans, soak them overnight, pressure cook until tender but not mushy. To pressure cook add twice the quantity of water and cook for 10 minutes. Dice the onions, mince the garlic, chop the cilantro and shred the tomatoes.

Preheat the oven to 375F. In a pan heat the oil and add the onions and garlic. Saute for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes and half the cilantro. Let the mixture cook for a few minutes so it comes together as a sauce. Mix in the cooked beans and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to an oven safe dish and bake for 20-30 minutes.

Sprinkle the feta cheese and remaining cilantro.

Enjoy!

Authentic Palakachi Patal Bhaji / Spinach Buttermilk Side

Palakachi patal bhaji is a traditional delicacy. The gravy is made of buttermilk and besan (bengal gram flour). For it to be called perfect there are a bunch of rules. The consistency should be thick and viscous such that it can be scooped up like a liquid but it should not be liquid enough to pour. When a spoon is dipped in the gravy and held up spinach should not hang from the sides. The spinach though cut into pieces should become one with the gravy. It should however, retain its green color. When served on a plate it should not be runny or water should not separate and run from the sold mass. Whole peanuts and channa dal (split bengal gram) are added to the gravy. The peanuts and dal should retain its shape but should be very soft, not crunchy.

Maharastrian food has to have a balance of all the flavors - tangy, sweet, hot (as in pepper heat) and savory. Based on personal preference one or the other flavor may be stronger than others. Tamarind juice and jaggery is usually added to gravies. Lemon juice and sugar are alternatives. Tamarind juice is not added to this spinach bhaji as the buttermilk provides the tangy flavor. Jaggery is never used with buttermilk so sugar is added to provide the sweet flavor. This may sound like a lot of rules but if they are followed the food tastes delicious. Besides if you cook this food often it becomes a matter of habbit.

Patal bhaji literally means a sides with a liquid gravy. Most greens can be cooked this way. In fact the most delicious of them all is aluchi (patra/arabi/colocassia) bhaji. I did not get fresh alu today so that will be another post. Alu bhaji is not cooked in buttermilk. Neither is methi. Spinach is one of the exceptions as buttermilk is supposed to bring out the flavor in spinach. Patal bhaji taste best with bhajri (millet) or jwari (sorghum) bhakri. We had it with chapati. Once I get my dry grinder I will have fresh flour to make the bhakri.

It takes a lot of time to get this dish right. It took me a better part of the hour. My husband said I should have just run the blanched spinach thorough a blender, consistency issue solved. That is usually my quick and easy way out but the appearance is altered. And today I wanted to post the authentic traditional recipe. After all that I was not happy when the weather refused to co-operate. It was a cloudy day that got dark and gloomy by the time I was done. Weather service called for rain the next day. So the pictures were taken under my kitchen lights.

You will need
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cups channa dal (split bengal gram)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. dry coconut flakes
2 large bunches spinach (I used baby spinach)
3 tbsp. besan (channa dal flour)
2 cups buttermilk
3-5 cups water
1 tsp. cayenne pepper powder (red chili pepper powder)
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. garam masala

For the tempering
1 tbsp. olive oil (vegetable oil)
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1 green chili pepper (you can use more to increase the heat)
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. asafoetida

Soak the peanuts and channa dal in water for 3-4 hours. Pressure cook for 10 minutes (3 whistles) until soft. Roast the cumin and coconut flakes in a pan. Cool, grind to a powder and keep aside until needed.

Heat the water in a large pan. Wash and clean the spinach. Drain out all the water. Let it dry enough to be handled and cut without bruising. Align a bunch of leaves together and cut as fine as you can. Repeat for all the leaves. Soft and tender stem can be used if diced finely. Blanch the diced spinach in the hot water for a couple of minutes using a fine mesh sieve. Reserve the water.

In a large pan add the cooked peanuts and channa dal. Add the blanched spinach and put it on low heat. Whisk the channa dal flour in the buttermilk such that there are no lumps and add it to the spinach. Add another 3 cups of reserved blanched spinach water. The spinach should be completely submerged and the liquid should be runny. Add more water if needed. Bring it to a boil stirring frequently. When it is at a full boil increase the heat to high.

Let the spinach mixture cook until the liquid reduces and thickens. Add the salt, sugar and cayenne pepper powder. Add the garam masala and the cumin and coconut flake powder. Continue to cook until the consistency is that of a very viscous liquid.

In a separate pan heat the olive oil. Add the mustard seeds. When they crackle turn off the heat. Add the fenugreek seeds and green chilis. You can break up the chilis or slit them so that they flavor the oil. When the seeds and chilis sizzle add the turmeric powder and asafoetida.

Add the tempering to the gravy. Bring it to a boil.

Turn of the heat. Tastes best with bhajri (millet) or jwari (sorghum) bhakri. We had it with chapati.

Enjoy!



This is my entry for week one, day two of BM #46 for the theme No onion no garlic. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#46.

Welsh Potato and Onion Cake

This was the first dish I baked in my cast iron pan. I made it as part of a very rustic meal. I baked and served it in the pan. My daughter loved it.

Recipe adapted from here.

You will need
1 large Russet potato
1 medium onion
2 tbsp. butter, melted
salt and black pepper to taste

Some butter for brushing

Preheat oven to 400 F. Wash, peel and slice the potato. Soak it in water for a few minutes. Drain and discard the water. Wipe off water from potatoes using a tea towel. Combine with the butter, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Keep aside.

Dice the onions. Season them with salt and pepper.

Apply some butter to the cast iron or any oven proof pan. Layer the potatoes and onions, starting and ending with a layer of potatoes. Bake covered with aluminium foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and brush the top with a little butter. Bake uncovered for another 7-10 minutes to allow the top to brown.

Enjoy!

Rosti (Swiss Potato Pancake)

Rosti is the Swiss version of potato pancakes. This is the potato dish I added to the menu because my daughter loves potatoes. It is super simple and makes a filling side to any menu. Alternately, you can have it for breakfast.

You will need
1 potato
1 tbsp. butter
salt to taste

Place potato in a pan of water and bring to a boil. When the potato is fork tender drain the water. Wrap the potato in foil and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Remove the potato from the refrigerator and peel off the foil. Peel the potato and shred it using a large holed grater.

Melt butter in a pan and add the shredded potato. Add salt to taste and using a spatula combine the potato with the salt and butter. Pat it down into shape and let it cook on medium heat until the bottom is brown.

Rosti does not have flour in it, so it is not easy to flip it over. Place a dish over the top and flip the pan over so that the pancake drops on to the dish. Slide the pancake brown side up on the pan and cook the underside until brown.

When done take off heat and enjoy.

Dubu Buchim Yangnyeom Jang (Spiced Pan Fried Tofu)

Tofu has gotten a lot of attention in the last decade, some good and some bad. In the countries where tofu is part of the traditional cuisine it is generally eaten in small quantities as part of a meal. I try to keep it that way in my house too. Spiced pan fried tofu is a delightful side dish. If you like tofu then you should try it. I made it as part of a Korean meal but you can make it as a side to noodles.

This dish tastes best when hot.

Recipe adapted from here
You will need
7 oz. extra firm tofu
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. honey
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. pepper flakes
2 tbsp. chopped scallion

Cut the tofu into 2 inch cubes. Heat oil in a pan and place the tofu slices in the it. When browned turn over and brown the other side. Drain on a paper towel and keep aside.

Combine all the other ingredients. When you are ready to plate arrange the tofu on the plate and sprinkle the topping all over.

Patatnik (Bulgarian Potato Pancake)

Patatnik or potato pancake is very common in Europe. This is the Bulgarian variation. The addition of cheese and cilantro make the pancake very flavorful. They can be served as a side in a meal or even for breakfast.

The addition of sirene (white cheese) enhanced the flavor a lot. I cooked it on the stove top but Patatnik can also be baked in the oven. After I made these pancakes I invested in a cast iron pan. The next time I make them I will bake them in my cast iron pan.

Recipe adapted from here.

You will need
3-4 potatoes
1 egg
1/2 cup Sirene cheese
a bunch cilantro
a bunch parsley (I did not add any)
salt to taste

Olive oil for pan

Wash, peel and grate the potatoes. Combine with the other ingredients. Heat oil in a pan and add a thin layer of the potato mixture. Brown on both sides. Take it off the heat. Repeat with remaining potato mixture. Serve hot.

Baked Potato

Baked potatoes is not my favorite but may daughter loves them. She has loved them from the time she first had them in her school cafeteria, a time when the food in her school cafeteria was made with fresh ingredients and tasted great.

Since then every summer she asks for baked potato. Today I served it with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream topped with a little sprinkling of cilantro.

You will need
1 Russet potato
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. sour cream
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 twig cilantro, minced

Preheat oven to 400 F. Wash and clean the russet potato. Coat with oil and place on foil on a baking sheet. Prick the potato with a fork at 1 inch intervals all over. Bake for 50 minutes turning it over once. Take it out of the oven and fold into the foil. When ready to eat. Slice the top and add the butter. Let it melt. Add the sour cream and shredded cheese. Sprinkle cilantro.

Enjoy!

Matar Paneer

Matar Paneer is a savory north Indian side. The addition of cashews and cream makes the gravy creamy. This is not a gravy you would have every day. I had some left over paneer that I wanted to finish and matar paneer seemed like a nice way to get that done.

You will need
6 oz. paneer
6-8 cashews
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. ginger garlic paste
1 tsp. coriander cumin powder
1 tsp. paprika
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
6 oz. frozen peas
1 tsp. kasoori methi
1/4 cup cream (or milk)

salt to taste

3 tbsp. olive oil, divided

a handful cilantro, chopped

Soak the cashews in half a cup of water and keep aside. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a pan. Cut the paneer into cubes and brown them on both sides in the oil on medium heat. Take the paneer out of the oil and place on a paper towel to drain,

Heat the remaining oil in the same pan. Add the onion and cook for about 5-7 minutes until it starts to turn color. Add the ginger garlic paste, coriander cumin powder and paprika and saute for a couple minutes.

Add the tomatoes and the tomato paste. Let it cook until the tomatoes are soft. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.

Grind the cooled onion and tomato mixture. Return the onion tomato paste to the pan and heat it through on medium heat.

While it is heating grind the soaked cashews with their soaking liquid to form a watery paste. Add it to the onion tomato mixture in the pan.

Add the frozen peas without thawing. Mix well and cook covered until the peas are cooked but are not mushy.

Mix in the fried paneer and half the cilantro. Let it cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes. 

Garnish with the rest of the cilantro and serve hot with poli.

Enjoy!

Methi Pithla

Pithla is a Maharastrian preparation using besan as the main ingredient. This dish can be flavored with a variety of vegetables. Leafy greens like spinach or methi are popular as they blend in nicely. As a child I liked the pithla dry and chunky. I refused to eat it if it were even a little runny. Now I like it either way. Today I made chunky pithla.

You will need
1.5 cups besan
1 bunch methi
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp. yogurt
5 cups water
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Madhava agave nectar (or 1 tsp. sugar)
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 asafetida
olive oil

Heat olive oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle add the asafetida and turmeric powder. Then add onions and sauté. While the onions are cooking, wash the methi and separate the leaves from the stems. Wash the leaves again, drain and chop finely. Add to the onions and let it cook for another few minutes.

When the methi is cooked it will shrink in size.

In a bowl, add the besan, yogurt and water and whisk together. Add salt, chili powder, nectar (or sugar) and whisk again.

Add the mixture to the onions and methi. Keep whisking the mixture on medium heat until the besan is heated through. This prevents the mixture from sticking to the bottom or forming lumps.

Cover and allow it to cook for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and using a spoon mix well. Repeat until the besan is cooked. Serve hot.

You could add whole cloves of garlic to the oil with the mustard seeds. It adds a unique flavor.