Veg Puff

^{Recipe Contributed By: Sonia Monga, Iowa USA}

^{While growing up in India, we used to eat puff pastries quite often but never made them at home, always used to get them from the bakery. We never even thought of making them at home, but after coming here, I saw these puff pastry sheets, which made our life easier. My friend Sonia makes the best puff pastries, and I am very thankful to her that she agreed to share the recipe on our blog. Here is the recipe of puff pastry with potato stuffing, but you can try different versions too like spinach cream or paneer peas stuffing. They all taste great. You get Pillsbury puff pastry sheets frozen. Whenever you want to use the sheets, keep them at room temperature for 40 -45 minutes. So you can work with them easily.}

Serves: 18

Prep time: 20 Min; Cook time: 15 -20 min

Difficulty Level: Easy

Gunda or Lasoda Sabzi

Recipe contributed by: Shilpa Balwani, Gujarat, India

Gunda or Lasoda is a favorite of many. They are used to mainly prepare pickles but also prepared as vegetables in meals when they are in season. This stuffed Gunda recipe is shared by my cousin, Shilpa. The stuffing can also be used to stuff other vegetables too, like eggplant, okra, peppers, potatoes, etc. I am not sure if it is available here in the States but if you do find them and are wondering how to use these, here is a way to cook to it.

Photo by Shilpa Balwani

Serves: 3-4
Prep time: 20 min Cook Time: 10 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Sudanese-style Fava Beans

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

Sudanese Fava beans is served with fresh bread, the dish known to the locals as Fulaish (Ful - Dry Fava beans, Aish - Bread). It is a common Fatur (Breakfast) meal for them. I lived in an apartment in Khartoum, Sudan that had few stores next to it. The shopkeepers(especially those owning grocery stores) would have a common pot of beans cooking since early morning and just around 11 am, someone will cut the salad vegetables, fill a huge bowl of Ful, top it with sesame oil, Sudanese Jibna (flavors similar to Feta cheese) and salad and mix it all together. The men of all the shops around would get together and eat from the common bowl accompanied with bread. I found similar tradition in other nearby clusters of shops too.

My husband and me usually used to eat it for dinner. There have been times when I cooked dinner and because of the craving, we ended up eating Ful sandwich with dinner to be consumed the next day. Because it was available so easily everywhere in Khartoum, the need to cook it at home didn't arise. But when we came here in US, we couldn't find a restaurant that served Ful the Sudanese style. Searching the aisles and different varieties of main ingredients, we finally settled with the Egyptian Fava beans (It is national dish of Egypt) and Trader Joe's Feta cheese.

High in protein content and bundled with so many vitamins and minerals, try this dry Fava beans recipe.

Photo by Dhara Balwa

Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 min plus 14 hrs soak time for Fava beans; Cook time: ~ 3 hours
Difficulty level: Easy

Hummus

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

Hummus is a very popular dip, spread and side in various Mediterranean dishes. We always used to buy it from stores whenever I cooked Mediterranean food or to serve with appetizers. A few days back I was going through the different hummus recipes and realized it is very easy to make it at home with basic ingredients. I soon got a chance to try it when I made a Sudanese meal of Fava Beans and Falafel and needed a dip to serve with it. Just look at the texture in the picture below. It's perfect and it tasted right! Another addition in the meal free of added flavors and all the preservatives listed in the store-bought hummus.

Photo by Dhara Balwa

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 min plus soak time for chickpeas Cook time: 15 min (for chickpeas)
Difficulty level: Easy

Sudanese Tamiya (Falafel)

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

We lived in Khartoum, Sudan for some time a few years back. The nice, friendly Sudanese people really made up for all the extreme heat and sun. Kaif halak, Sudanese friends? Tamam? I miss Khartoum and our dear ones there. So, everybody has their soul food. My soul food is the Sudanese food. I feel so content eating it, especially their fava beans. I like Tamiya too but being fried, I don't make it often. I think I made it this time after an year. There is a big restaurant aptly named 'Lazeez' that is always busy. I am not sure about now but their was a small room with upper half of the wall in glass all around. A cook would make fresh Tamiya right in front of everyone and they were so delicious!

When we came here in US and started searching for similar food, the falafels were very disappointing (and still are). I guess the benchmark is very high! My falafel recipe is inspired from those served at Lazeez. Luckily I met a Sudanese lady in my community and we quickly connected. I asked her questions about the recipe and she gave me the ingredients list. I had to figure out the quantities. I searched for Sudanese Tamiya recipe on internet and found what I was looking for. This recipe is adapted from Celina Bean's website who also shares a wonderful story related  to the recipe. As she says, these falafels are best eaten within few minutes of coming out of the pan. But, they can be prepared in advance too.

Photo by Dhara Balwa

Adapted from Celina Bean
Makes: 18 nos.
Prep time: 20 min + overnight soak time for Chick peas; Cook Time: 40 min
Difficulty level: Medium

Chinese Fried Rice

Recipe contributed by : Surekha Mahajan

Fried Rice is the easiest dish to make as you can throw in any vegetables and few sauces and you are good to go, and you can make it from left over rice too. Easy to make still as delicious. You can pair the rice with Vegetable Manchurian or any other Chinese gravy dish, or soups such as Veg corn soup, hot and sour soup.

This recipe is contributed by a great cook, my cooking guru and my neighbor Surekhaji. She is a fantastic cook. A few days ago, we had Chinese meal at her house and she made fried rice, hot and sour soup and Thai spring rolls, and I made Vegetable Manchurian. I will post Hot and Sour soup and Spring Rolls recipes soon.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 min. Cooking time: 25 min
Difficulty Level: Easy

Guacamole

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

Avocadoes are a regular buy for us majorly for one thing: Guacamole. I love the texture and the flavor. There really isn't much to say about this Mexican dip that is commonly served as an appetizer with chips and as one of the condiments in Mexican restaurants. Just Enjoy!



Photo by Dhara Balwa

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 15-20 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Sindhi Besan Tikki Sabzi (Gram Flour Patty in savory curry)

Recipe contributed by: Shilpa Balwani, Gujarat, India

Besan tikki ki sabzi is a very popular Sindhi dish. One reason of the popularity is the base gravy which is so delicious and other because it is so quick to make. When you don't have many options in vegetables/out of vegetables, you can quickly make this and serve with hot phulkas (Indian roti). You can also fry the tikkis/patties and I am sure they would taste better. My mom suggests shallow frying is an option too as sort of middle ground. :)

This yum recipe is yet another contribution from my cousin, Shilpa. I can't state enough times that she is such a good cook! Look for other recipes from her on the blog. You won't be disappointed by the mouth-watering dishes.

Photo by Shilpa Balwani

Sindhi Sai Bhaji (Greens combined with Chana/Bengal Gram Dal) Version 1

Recipe contributed by: Shilpa Balwani, Gujarat, India

There are two types of Sai Bhaji that I have grown up with. Both are them have different ingredients and are prepared differently. This version of Sai Bhaji is commonly made in my uncle's home and the recipe is shared by my cousin, Shilpa. For the other version, I am waiting for my mom to email me the recipe. I know I can make it but what's the fun in that! :) Plus, I still find her version better than mine. Sai Bhaji is a very healthy, protein and iron packed entrée which is usually served with rice. I can eat it just like that. Translated in English, it literally means Greens e.g. spinach, methi, dill, etc.

Photo by Shilpa Balwani

Serves: 2
Prep time: 15 min + 1 hr for soaking dal; Cook time: 15-20 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Greek Grilled Vegetable Flat Bread Sandwich

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

We have a small Greek restaurant near our home that serves yummy food. One of my favorites is the Roasted Vegetable Pita Sandwich. Now, good or bad(Should we do a poll?), as soon as I taste something I like, the first thing that comes in my mind is 'How much effort it takes to make it at home?' And of course I have to try and recreate it at least once. The easier and/or quicker ones stick in the regular home menu and for others all I can say, 'I am proud I attempted' :) That being said, some of my friends don't approve much of this curiosity of mine and they insist if I start making all the things at home, I would end up hardly eating out ( Friends, FYI it hasn't happened so far!) All I can say is I am a big foodie and I always look forward to eating out. The main reason being not cleaning up afterwards. :)

So, in connection to this part of story of my life, this recipe is inspired from the pita sandwich. They use Tzatziki as a spread, feta cheese which I omitted as I don't really feel the need of it and roasted vegetables. I used the flat bread as it is easier to eat and more flavorful as the spread actually spreads every where. I found these great flat breads from Costco called Roll Ups. Very soft and super healthy. It was a successful experiment and needless to say, it is now a part of my home menu. Plus with grilling season here, it would be a good addition to your grill parties too.

Photo by Dhara Balwa

Serves: 5
Prep time: 10 min plus 2 hours to marinate vegetables; Cook time: 15 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Tzatziki (Greek yogurt and cucumber mix)

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

With summer here, Indian raita/ Chhas is such a refreshing and cool addition in the meal. Tzatziki is very similar to Cucumber Raita. It is served as a dip with pita bread/ chips or flat bread. I like most versions of it. But it amazes me how something healthy can be turned into unhealthy! If you go to buy Tzatziki in grocery stores and read the nutrition label, you will see lot of oil, preservatives and flavor enhancers that just doesn't feel right. And it is easy to make the healthy version with basic ingredients from your kitchen. I tried it and tastes soooo good! Add it to your menu of dips for your chips or appetizers. It can be prepared in advance or add it as a protein source in your regular meals. You can also use it as spread on your toast or in a sandwich just like the one I made called Grilled Vegetables Flat Bread Sandwich.

Photo by Dhara Balwa

Makes: 2 1/2 cups
Prep time: 2 hours for straining plus 5 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Berry Yogurt Parfait

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

Parfait is one of the healthiest breakfast or snack to have. You can serve it as a healthier dessert option too. Full of protein in form of Greek Yogurt, oats and fresh fruit, it is a great way to start your day. There are so many versions in the market now. Some of them have so much sugar, it is just like having dessert for breakfast with fruit sauces and what not! This version is very low on sugar with lots of fruit that adds sweetness naturally. My son eats this so happily. And it is quick to make too. I make it from whatever fruits are available like oranges, bananas, berries. Throw in some nuts and it's ready. Try it out.

Prep Time: 10 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Chocolate Nankhatai

Recipe Contributed by: Smruti Vartak, Iowa, USA 

We grew up in India cherishing Nankhatais/Cookies. But we used to have plain version of these. When my friend Smruti shared picture of chocolate swirl Nankhatais on Facebook I requested her to share the recipe on our blog, and she agreed. This recipe is originally from the blog Treat a Week.

Recipe from: Treat a Week
Serves: 24

Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 20 min

Italian Minestrone Soup

Recipe Contributed by: Dhara Balwa

I remember the first time I went to Olive Garden and ordered their soup/salad combo. It tasted so good and it was a meal in itself! After few visits, I decided it was time to try and recreate the Minestrone Soup. And with the very first try, I got it right. I have made a few alterations over the years but the flavor has not changed much. I started with V8 vegetable juice as a base and it adds the goodness too. But one day, I was out of V8 and decided to substitute it with normal tomato puree. It tastes more earthy now and I like it that way. My husband says it tastes better than the one in Olive Garden. You can throw in whatever vegetables are in your refrigerator. And increase/decrease the quantity of vegs/beans/pasta according to your liking.

Photo by Dhara Balwa

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 30  min
Difficulty level: Easy

Dum Aloo

Recipe Contributed By : Rashmi Sampat

Dum Aloo is one of my favorite potato recipe. We avoid fried food in my family, so I made these Dum Aloo's by baking them and it did not taste any different than fried version. So if you can save some calories by not frying, why not?

I have asked to prick the potatoes in this recipe. It helps potatoes absorb the spices fast, and potatoes will cook perfectly. If you like, you can fry the potatoes, too.

Serves : 4-5
Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Difficulty Level: Medium

Granola

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

The other morning, I was having my cereal and I thought why not try making my own cereal! I googled in search of good recipes and came across Julie's Willow Bird Baking website that has a treasure of baking recipes. Besides the cereal recipe that I adapted from her website, on the same page was the recipe of granola. It looked easy and delicious. You can find both her recipes by following the link here. http://willowbirdbaking.com/2010/08/11/48-homemade-breakfast-cereals/

For the cereal, the only change I made was instead of using just almond flour, I just churned some toasted almonds, walnuts and cashews equivalent to 1/3 cup. For Granola, I have made a few changes according to my liking. Combine the two of them and throw in your favorite add-ins and the result is a delicious breakfast.

Recipe adapted from: Willow Bird Baking
Serves: 6-7
Prep Time: 10 min Cook time: 5 min + 40-45 min (Bake time)
Difficulty level: Easy

Shahi Veg. Biryani

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

Here is the recipe of my favorite dish in the world. I can never have enough of it as long as it is done right. The Indian restaurants here disappoint me as I find their Biryani more sort of Pulao. A good Biryani, in my view, should have the fragrance of exotic spices, Basmati rice with a hint of saffron. Also, my portions of vegetables and dals and beans are usually bigger compared to roti and rice ( I can totally opt those carbs out of my meal). So, my recipe contains more quantity of vegetables compared to rice. And it seems to enhance the taste because this layered Biryani is famous in 3 continents! :)

My mouth is watering right now just writing about it.:) Looks like Biryani is going to be on the table in very near future. However I must add, it is a very elaborate process. You can make short cuts but it doesn't taste the same. I have tried all the ways and for me, this is the only way to have best flavors. You will never get it wrong. Just be prepared to give time to it.



Photo by Dhara Balwa

Serves: 8-10
Prep time: 30 min Cook time: 60-70 min
Difficulty level: Medium
Spice level: Medium

Vegetable Manchurian

Recipe Contributed by : Rashmi Sampat

Vegetable manchurian is one of my favorite Indo-chinese dish. This dish was inspired by Sanjeev Kapoor's book "Best of Chinese Cooking". I have made some changes according to my taste and preference. You can add or reduce the heat(spiciness) acoording to your taste.

Serves: 12

Prep time: 30 min Cook time: 30 min 

Difficulty level: Medium

Aalu Paratha (Potato Stuffed Indian Bread)

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

Usually, I don't do step-by-step photo description of my recipes, but for this one I thought it is a good idea to do it. Every household has their favorite Aalu paratha recipe. And you know, I like all the varieties, the different spices that people play with. Here is my favorite though. Hope you try it and enjoy it as much.

 

 

 

Serves: 15

Prep Time: 25 min Cook Time: 25 min

Difficulty level: Medium

Desi Ghee

Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa

Desi Ghee is clarified butter generally derived from cow's milk. In India, it is very common to save up the Malai(cream) from the boiled milk. The malai is then mixed with some yogurt and within the next day of two, strained to make white home-made butter. This butter is then boiled to separate the solids and evaporate the water content with the end-product of ghee. Quite tedious, I know. But the end result is totally worth it.

Here, because we drink fat-free milk, it is difficult to accumulate cream to make ghee in the way it is done back in my home. And the store-bought ghee is not the same. The closest best I remember is Aseel ghee which we found in a Korean store. And one fine day, it was gone from the shelf, never to return. Then, Rashmi suggested to make ghee at home from unsalted butter sticks. What can I say, it turns out as good as the one back home. And that's the recipe I am giving.

While writing this post, I researched the history and facts about Ghee. I found quite interesting things about it in Wikipedia. You can read more here. I will go ahead and briefly write what I found. Ghee is used in many parts of the world including South Asia, Egypt, Morocco, France, Middle-East and I also used in  Dulce Leches cake, so may be it is used in South American cooking too. Mostly it is used in making desserts but we also use it in cooking our entrees and spicy dishes. I personally think it goes best with the Mughal dishes. The aroma of rice tempered with spices and ghee leaves such an appetizing fragrance in the house. That's why when I have people coming over and I have made an Indian meal, I always end my cooking with tempering the rice.

 



Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 20-25 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Sindhi Kadhi

Recipe submitted by: Lata Balwa, Gujarat, India

As soon as people know I am Sindhi, they list out a few popular Sindhi dishes as few of the favorites. Sindhi Kadhi is one of them. And those who are hearing it for the first time imagine it to be yogurt based as any other Kadhi. But that is not the case. I haven't made it in the longest time (I wonder why?) Anyway, I can have the Kadhi just as soup as it consists of lentils and vegetables and is a meal in itself. But it is usually served with tadka white rice with the oil tadka done before cooking the rice. This recipe is again another one contributed by my loving mom. My grandmother used to say, "My mom has hands that makes her food so magically tasteful". Quite a compliment from a mother-in-law! So without further ado, here it is.




Image courtesy Lata Balwa

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 20 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Brownie

Recipe contributed by : Rashmi Sampat

This is the easiest brownie recipe I have come across so far and it is the yummiest, too. Though it is eggless, these brownies come out as good and moist.  You can have them as it is or you can top it with vanilla ice cream. However you eat, you will enjoy every bite of it.

 

Serves : 24

Prep time: 10 min Cooking time: 25 min

Difficulty level: Easy

Koki (Sindhi unleavened bread) and Tadka Dahi (Yogurt)

Recipe contributed by Lata Balwa, Gujarat, India

My mom makes the best koki (and of course everything else too), PERIOD. I have tried and tried and it still hasn't been up to her mark. So when she asked me which of her recipes I would like to have on my blog, the first one that popped in my mind was koki. Koki is usually served as breakfast in Sindhi household but we usually have it as dinner (too heavy for breakfast, until you are ready to go to sleep right in the morning). But here, having it as brunch is also a good option. It is also a good travel/picnic food like Gujarati Thepla. Enjoy this koki with the tadka dahi(yogurt).

Image contributed by Lata Balwa

Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 15 min
Difficulty level: Easy

Mango Cream Kofta Curry

Recipe contributed by Shilpa Balwani, Gujarat, India

While growing up, one of the things to look forward in summer vacations in India was the mango season. My breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner all consisted of sweet and cool mangoes. Mango recipes are incorporated in various dishes like sweet and savory Mango Kadi, Kulfi, Shrikhand, Icecream, Lassi, Salads, Kheer, etc. With summer right around the corner, this Mango Kofta curry would be a refreshing dish to try. A twist to the Malai Kofta curry recipe, this is another rich contribution from my cousin, Shilpa Balwani.

Image contributed by Shilpa Balwani

Serves: 5
Prep time: 40 min Cooking time: 30 min Fry time: 15 min
Difficulty level: Medium