Colorful Black Bean Salad

Several years ago I watched Rachel Ray put together a black bean salad on her new food show. I tried it and it was a hit in my house. Everyone loved it. My daughter was young enough to count the colors in this salad. Unfortunately, I made it too often and about a year later we grew very tired of the salad. No one liked it anymore and I took it out of my regular rotation. About 4-5 years later I made it again and we all liked it once again.

I do not make this salad frequently but when I do we all love it. I don't always use the same ingredients. I mix them up a little. I usually add some greens but I ran out so I skipped them. The dressing is really simple. Salt, freshly ground black pepper and lime juice.

You will need
3/4 cup dry black beans or 1 can
a handful of frozen corn
30 cherry tomatoes
1 avocado
1 zucchini
1 bunch of greens either torn or cut into bite sized pieces (I skipped these today)
salt and black pepper to taste
juice of half a lime

Soak the black beans overnight. The next day cook them in a pressure cooker until cooked through but not mushy. Alternately, you can cook them in a pan with 2 cups of water on medium heat. It will take about 30 minutes to cook. Drain and add to a large mixing bowl.

Cut the ends of the zucchini. Slice in rounds, sprinkle a little salt and keep aside for a few minutes. Wash the corn and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds with a half cup of water. Drain and add to the bowl of black beans. Wash the cherry tomatoes, slice them and add them to the bowl. Now drain the zucchini, slice finely and add it to the bowl. Finally cut the avocado in half around the seed. Discard the peel and seed. Dice finely and it to the bowl. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed. Squeeze the juice of half a lime over the bowl. Mix it up and serve.

Enjoy!

Heirloom Tomato, Zucchini and Goat Cheese Galette

Everyone at home had the day off yesterday, President's day. My teenage daughter spent a good deal of the long weekend with friends. Yesterday she was going out with a friend for lunch and then to work on a project. I decided to entice her with a dish that she would simply not be able to resist.

Galette is a rustic French pie. It is baked on a sheet instead of a pie dish and the edges are folded in instead of being intricately shaped. I have always wanted to try the galette. Goat cheese seems to be the recommended cheese in most recipes so I knew I was going to use that. A few months ago I found vegetarian goat cheese at Whole Foods that I love. For vegetables I knew I wanted to use heirloom tomatoes but they are available only in Spring and summer. So when I found the first of these heirloom tomatoes in the market yesterday I decided I was going to bake a galette. I got some organic zucchini at Whole Foods along with some fresh basil.

I made the pastry crust at home using mostly whole wheat flour. I used cold butter and water to get the crust flaky. For added flavor I grated some parmesan cheese into the dough for the crust. I drained the sliced zucchini and tomatoes for half an hour so the galette would not get soggy. I mixed in fresh thyme with the goat cheese and added lots of black pepper to everything. The galette came out of the oven 15 minutes before my daughter was to leave. As expected she asked for a small slice and one bite later asked if she could have a bigger slice.

You will need
For the pastry shell
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cold butter
~ 1/4 - 1/2 cup cold water
1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
Black pepper to taste

For the filling
2 large heirloom tomatoes
2 zucchini
3 oz. goat cheese
1 tbsp fresh thyme
5-6 leaves basil
black pepper to taste
salt to taste
1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

In a mixing bowl and using a pastry cutter mix the cold butter with the flour until the flour is grainy in texture. Sprinkle the salt. Now working in small sections moisten the flour using a tablespoon of cold water. Move to the next section to moisten it. Repeat until the flour is moistened and can be worked in a dough. Do not add too much water. The amount of water will depend upon the amount of whole wheat flour used. Add the parmesan cheese and black pepper. Roll up the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove the cold dough from the refrigerator and roll it out to the desired size. Place a parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place the rolled dough over the top. Cover with the plastic wrap and place the sheet in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Slice the tomatoes and zucchini separately. Sprinkle a little slat and allow it to drain. Meanwhile in a bowl mix the thyme with the goat cheese. Add a little black pepper and mix with a fork until crumbly. Keep aside until needed.

Remove the sheet from the freezer. Spread half the goat cheese over the top. Arrange a layer of sliced zucchini over the goat cheese. Add a layer of sliced tomatoes. Repeat the three layers. I used lots of vegetables so I got two layers. If you use fewer slices of vegetables you can arrange a single layer of tomatoes, zucchini and cheese.

Fold in the sides over the vegetables. Grate some Parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crust looks brown and flaky, the vegetables are cooked and beginning to brown. Make a chiffonade of basil. You do this by placing the leaves one over the other, rolling it up and then slicing as finely as you can. Separate the strands and sprinkle over the baked pie.

Let it cool for a 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

Kid's Delight - Colorful Dishes - Event Announcement

Nature is colorful whether it is flowers, birds, animals or fruit and vegetables. Color is good for us. A blooming colorful garden makes us happy. On a hot sunny day a deep green canopy of evergreens feels cool and pleasant.

But did you know the same is true for colorful food? Our body needs naturally colored food. Not only does such food look appetizing but is provides us with a wide array of nutrients. How many times a week do you to cook, bake, steam or in any way prepare food that is naturally colorful?

This month I am hosting Kid's Delight an event started by Srivalli of Spice your life. As part of this event I challenge you to cook dishes that are colorful and have the stamp of approval from a child. I understand this 'approval' can be subjective. My child has a mature palate and will try anything. Your child may be picky. I will accept all entries as long as they are vegetarian (eggs okay).

Here are the rules.
Prepare a colorful dish and blog about it between the 16th of February and 15 of March 2015.
Link to this post and Srivalli's Kid's Delight post.
Entries should be colorful but without the use of artificial colors.
Multiple entries are allowed.
Children in your life should have approved this dish.
The dish should be vegetarian (eggs okay)
Archived entries will not be accepted.

Bloggers and non-bloggers are invited to send in their entries to varadaskitchen@gmail.com with the subject line 'Colorful Dishes'. Please include the following in your email.
Your name and the name of your blog
Name of the recipe
URL of the post
Picture of the dish

I look forward to all your colorful dishes

Bhajri Bhakri

Bhakri is flatbread that is patted into shape rather than being rolled into shape. It can be made with a wide variety of flours. Today I made it with Bajri or Pearl millet. This is a rustic version that I served with a dry cauliflower side.

This flour does not last very long. I bought it from the Indian store last week and did not get time to use it. By this week it was close to its use by date. My daughter asked me if I was making the cement poli again. But once she started on the puffed bhakri she did not complain. There are very few food that she does not like but loves to give them weird names. I think I am a picky eater compared to her.

You will need
2 cups bajri flour or pearl millet flour
cold water as needed

Using water as needed knead the flour into a soft dough. Now using some elbow grease knead the dough until it is supple and does not crack when pressed down. This is easier to achieve with freshly ground flour.

Heat a cast iron griddle pan. Divide into lemon sized portions. Using a ziploc bag as the base pat one of the portions into a flattened disc.

Place it on the hot pan. Cook both sides. The bhakri should puff up. To finish cooking it place it on direct heat for a few seconds. Flip to second side for another few seconds.

Take it off heat. Repeat for the remaining portions.

Enjoy it hot with fresh butter and a side of your choice.


This is my entry for week one, day three of BM #49 for the theme Indian Bread Basket.

Cauliflower Parathas

Once a week for lunch I make some kind of stuffed flat bread. It is quick, tasty, filling and great as packed lunch. Parathas are my absolute favorite on weekdays and I have a huge collection on this space. 'Not again' is how my daughter greets me when she realizes what I am up to in the morning. But she enjoys eating them.

My daughter usually packs this paratha as a roll. The filling stays inside and it is easier to eat. When eating it at home she makes this huge mess on the plate, complains how messy the parathas but enjoys them just the same. Addition of potatoes makes them less messy but I prefer not to add them. You may choose to add a small boiled and mashed potato to the filling. It will help bind the filling to the dough.

You will need
For the dough
2 cups whole wheat flour
water as needed

For the filling
1 head cauliflower
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. asafoetida
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. kalonji (onion seed)
1/2 tsp. black pepper powder
salt to taste

Clean the head of cauliflower and cut the florets. Dice finely. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle add the asafoetida and turmeric powder. Next add the diced cauliflower. Saute until cooked. You may sprinkle a little water if it gets too dry. When almost cooked add the remaining ingredients. Let it cook completely. Turn off heat and let it cool.

In the meantime, add the whole wheat flower to a mixing bowl and using water as needed knead into a soft dough. Keep aside.

Once the cauliflower cools heat a griddle pan on a stove. I use cast iron. Divide the dough into lemon sized portions. Roll one portion on a work surface using a rolling pin to a large disc and keep aside. Roll another portion. Now add 2 tbsp. of filling to the rolled dough and spread it around leaving a half inch border.

Place the first rolled portion of dough over the top. Press down the edges to seal them.

Place the paratha on the hot griddle.

Flip over and cook the under side. The dough changes color and brown spots appear. Flip over and cook the first side. Take off heat. Repeat with the remaining portions.

Enjoy with pickle.

Makka Methi Bhakri

Bhakri is flat bread that is shaped using the palm of your hand rather than a rolling pin. Bhakri was a dinner staple in my grandmother's house. My mother was not too fond of bhakri, she preferred her whole wheat poli/chapati. So we used to have bhakri only when we were visiting my grandmother in Pune. We usually had it for dinner.

Bhakri is a nice variation to everyday wheat based poli. The most common bhakri is made with jowar or jwari or sorghum. But it can be made with other flours like bajri (pearl millet) or maaka (maize). With methi or fenugreek leaves available in abundance during the winter months I decided to add some methi to bhakri for some flavor.

I used store bought corn flour so I added a little wheat flour to it. If you can source fresh corn flour you can skip the wheat flour.

You will need
2 cups corn flour
1/2 wheat flour (skip this if you can source fresh corn flour)
a handful of methi (fenugreek) leaves, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup water or as needed

Mix all the ingredients together to form a soft dough. Knead well until it is soft and pliable.

Divide into lemon sized portions. Heat a griddle pan (preferably cast iron) on medium heat. I used a ziploc bag to shape the bhakri. When the pan is hot take one of the portions of dough and using your palm flatten it on the ziploc bag. Continue patting it down until you have the desired size.

Place it on the hot griddle. Flip it over when one side is cooked. Flip again to cook the other side.

Enjoy!

This is my entry for week one, day one of BM #49 for the theme Indian Bread Basket.

Cheesy Tricolor Braided Whole Wheat Bread

Back in 1950 on this day in January India became a Republic. In celebration of the Republic Day I present the tricolor braided cheese bread.

I used vegetables as dye to color the bread. I used carrots and cherry tomatoes for the orange layer, broccoli for the green and left the white uncolored. Though the colors are not visible on the finished bread under the melted cheese they are clearly visible on the slices.

I used the same recipe for this bread as I had for the zopf. The bread turned out soft with a lightly crunchy but very thin crust. It was great on its own but tasted even better with a dab of boursin cheese.

In my house I have never had to sneak in vegetables into anything. Everyone loves vegetables, most of all my daughter. But if you have picky eaters this might be a good way to get the vegetables in.

You will need (for two loaves)
280 gm white whole flour
200 gm all purpose flour
8 gm yeast
2 tsp. salt
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp butter, melted

For the green color
1 small floret broccoli
1/4 cup milk

For the orange color
4 cherry tomatoes
1/4 carrot, shredded
1/4 cup milk

For the white color
1/4 white onion, sliced (optional)
1/3 cup milk

For the wash
1 egg wash
1 1/2 tsp. water

For the topping
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

Blend the broccoli with milk and keep aside. Saute the shredded carrot under tender. Cool completely. Blend with cherry tomatoes and milk. Keep aside. Saute the onion until tender and allow to cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl sift the flours. Add the salt and yeast and mix well. Next add the egg yolk and melted butter. Mix well and divide into three bowls by weight. To the first bowl add the ground broccoli. To the second bowl add the ground carrots and tomatoes. To the third add the onions. You could skip the onions if you choose.

Form a soft dough. You should have equal sized dough in green, orange and natural colors. Cover and allow them to rise until double in volume, about an hour.

Divide each of the balls of dough into two by weight. Take one half of the orange on a floured working surface. Flatten with the heel of your palm. Fold over like an envelop and seal with the heel of your palm. Now roll it on the board until you get a long rope. Keep aside and repeat with one green and one natural portion.

Keep the three ropes side by side. Pinch the top and start braiding. Place a piece of cheese between the braid as you go. When done tuck both ends under the braid for a neat finish. Push a piece of cheese over the curves of the braid. Keep aside covered for 20 minutes. Repeat for the remaining three portions.

As the braided dough rises preheat the oven to 425 F. Brush the top with the egg white and water mixture. Bake the loaves for 25-30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 F and bake another 20-25 minutes. Tent with foil if the top browns too quickly.

Cool on a cooling rack before slicing.

Enjoy its own or with a dab of boursin.

Spinach Feta Tomato Mushroom Pasta

The pasta sauce in this recipe is a dream for any child who loves their vegetables like mine does. The aroma in the house was amazing. My daughter waltzed in to find out what was cooking and could not resist tasting the simmering sauce. Then she could not wait for dinner to be ready. She tried to hurry it along taking charge of cooking the pasta.

This recipe was something I just threw together. I had a bunch of leftover ingredients that needed to be used up. I got them all out and put together this recipe as I went along. I did not really have a plan of action. I started with the little pieces of red onion and then added in the tomatoes and red pepper. As that was cooking I figured I should puree it to a chunky paste to make the base. The mushrooms, spinach and grape tomatoes I added later to the pureed sauce. Then a little milk for flavor and feta cheese to bring it all together. Needless to say the pan was wiped clean.

You will need (for 3 servings)
2 cups pasta of your choice
1/4 red onion, diced
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 medium tomatoes, diced
3/4 - 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
2 tbsp. milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
1 tsp. dried basil
a big handful grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
2 cups spinach, chopped
5-6 skitake mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Prepare all the vegetables and keep aside until needed. Bring a pot of water to a boil to cook the pasta.

Heat oil in a pan and add the onion. Saute until tender then add the chopped tomatoes and red bell pepper.

Cook until they begin to soften. Do not cook until mushy.

Turn off the heat and allow it to cool. Puree in a blender. You want it to be chunky not smooth. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as per instructions.

Transfer the puree to the pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and allow it to simmer. Add the milk, pepper and cayenne pepper. Add salt keeping in mind the feta cheese has salt too. Simmer for another minute. Do not bring to a boil.

Add the chopped vegetables and mix together. Let it cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Turn off heat. Add the crumbled feta cheese and combine. The pasta should be cooked by this time. Drain the water. Serve the pasta sauce on a bed of pasta.

Enjoy!

This is my entry for week four, day two of BM #48 for the theme Say Cheese. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#48.

Sending this to Kid's Delight, an event by Srivalli hosted this month by PJ.

French Style Cheesecake

Cheesecake or a cake baked with cheese is usually rich and dense. It is delicious and not overtly sweet. My daughter is fond of cheesecakes and I have always wanted to try one at home. She likes the New York style cheesecake but that is truly rich. I wanted something light and so decided to bake this French style cheesecake. French cheesecakes are light and fluffy though they may be very rich too.

This cheesecake is made with a cream cheese called neufchatel. This cheese is from the Normandy region of France and is under EU protection. The version of neufchatel sold in the US is lighter than regular cream cheese. That got me interested in it and I went looking for it in my neighborhood Whole Foods. I was surprised to find it in the Whole Foods brand. I guess it is really popular here in the US.

The cream cheese was easy to work with and combined with the sour cream gave the cheesecake a lovely flavor. Using sour cream instead of whipping cream helped lighten the cake too. I debated whether to use fresh fruit compote to garnish the top but in the end settled for some kiwi slices. I baked the cheesecake in individual serving bowls. When the cake came out of the oven the aroma spread through the whole house.

You will need
For the crust
6 Digestive biscuits or graham crackers
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. butter, melted

For the filling
1 8 oz. packet Neufchatel cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Break the digestive biscuits or graham crackers in small pieces and place them in a plastic sealed bag. Using a rolling pin roll over the bag to crush the biscuits. In a mixing bowl combine the crushed biscuits with the sugar and melted butter. Place the mixture on the bottom of the baking dish or bowls. Press down such that it rises up about an 1/2 inch on the side.

Let the cold ingredients sit on the kitchen counter until they reach room temperature. It is a lot easier to work with. Beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer for half a minute. Add the other ingredients and beat again for another half minute. Ladle the mixture over the crumb crust. Place the bowls on a baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake is jiggly but set. Let the cake cool slightly before placing the bowls in the refrigerator. Cool completely for about an hour or two. Garnish with fruit or chocolate.

Enjoy!