Quiona upma

People appreciate quinoa for its nutritional value. Quinoa has been called a superfood. Protein content is very high , yet not as high as most beans and legumes. Quinoa's protein content per 100 calories is higher than brown rice, potatoes, barley and millet, but is less than wild rice and oats. Nutritional evaluations of quinoa indicate that it is a source of complete protein. Furthermore, it is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is also a source of calcium, and thus is useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

I made this quiona upma for today’s dinner for first time & really it came out very well. So thought of sharing this with you all. Very simple to make & tastes great. You can hav it anytime …so friends here is the recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups quinoa

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp ginger grated

1 tablespoon oil

1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds & mustard seeds

2 green chillis chopped

Handful of curry leaves

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1tblsp channa daal

Salt as per taste

Chopped coriander leaves

(U can add any veggies as per your convenient)

Method

 Heat oil in a pan and add mustard_cumin seeds. When they start crackling add channa daal . Stir for 5-10 secs till they turns light brown color. Then add  green chili, onions, ginger and curry leaves. Stir till the onion is soft and translucent. Add the turmeric powder mix well. Add the quinoa to the pan and stir gently for a few seconds. Then pour in 4 cups water, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer covered till all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked, about 20-30 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves & serve hot. 

Veg Lasagna

Lasagna (Pronounced as la-za-nia) are a wide, flat shaped types of pasta. The word also refers to a dish made with several layers of lasagne sheets alternated with sauces and various other ingredients. Lasagne is originated in Italy. 
Lasagna is also a very easy dish to prepare. Tomato sauce, lots of cheese and vegetables are the main constituents of it. I never had this before. Once I went to a tea party where all my friends were discussing about lasagna. I was silent listener there as I didn’t know what that was…. 
When I came home & goggled about it I found it is also a variation of pasta. As a pasta lover  I went quickly to a grocery store, picked one lasagne noodle packet (I live in US and its easy to find these noodles here so not sure about India or any other place) & all the ingredients  required to make it & tried… trust me it was a hit . Really flavorful. Will definitely make it again & again. 
I made 4 layers. First layer was eggplant , 2nd layer stir fried mix veggies, 3rd broccoli & mushroom & top most was spinach…. U can skip any layer if you want to. You can also add any vegetable according to your taste. 

Ingredients 

10-12 lasagne noodles 
2 Tbsp.  Butter 
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp.  Maida/ flour
1/4 tsp.  Salt
1/4 tsp.  Ground black pepper 
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2-3 Tbsp.  Olive oil
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
1 cup shredded carrots
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup sweet corn
1 large eggplant ½ inch thick sliced
1 cup chopped onion
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup spaghetti sauce
2 cups Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup of shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
½ cup bread crumbs

How to Prepare:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. 
Take a large vessel. Add water to it & salt. Boil the lasagne noodles according to instructions on the packet. After cooking drain the noodles.



Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and add onion.  Cook the onion till it turns translucent.  Add garlic , sweet corn, grated carrots, bell pepper and a pinch of salt & black pepper then cook for 5 to 8 minutes till they turn to golden brown & crunchy. 



Mix ricotta cheese and basil. Turn off the heat & keep them in a bowl.

Again heat olive oil in the same frying pan. Add broccoli florets & mushroom. Stir fry for 3-4 min until crisp-tender. Adjust salt & pepper. Turn off the heat keep aside.

In the same pan add 1tblsp oil. Fry eggplant slices, only adding as many that will fit in the skillet without overlapping, until golden and soft, about 3-4 minutes per side. When all eggplant slices are done, set aside.

Melt butter in medium saucepan on low heat. Stir in flour, salt and ground pepper. Cook until bubbly, stirring frequently. Gradually add milk, stirring until well blended. Cook on medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, simmer 2-3 min. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Apply olive oil/butter to the baking dish. Pour some spaghetti sauce & apply it in the baking dish.

SPOON 1/4 cup of the Parmesan sauce. Place four noodles lengthwise and side by side to cover the bottom. Place the stir fried eggplants .sprinkle some mozzarella cheese. 

Again place the noodles on the top of the eggplant. Now add he stir fried veggie mix. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese & some pasta sauce. 

Again cover with noodles. Now add stir fried broccoli & mushrooms. Add cheese & pasta sauce.

Now On the top add fresh spinach & to that add spaghetti sauce & remaining parmesan sauce. 

Final step cover with remaining noodles. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese & bread crumbs.

BAKE 40-45 min. till the cheese gets crusty around the edges. 

Now let the lasagne rest for 15 minutes and serve it and Enjoy.

Vegetable Kofta curry

For the koftas

Ingredients
1 cup grated paneer
½ cup green peas
2-3 carrots, finely grated
4-5 medium size potatoes, boiled and mashed
2 tblsp raisin chopped (optional)
2tblsp chopped cashews 
Chopped green chilly 1 tblsp
1 tsp coriander pwd
1tsp cumin pwd
Handful coriander leaves- chopped
1 tsp chilli powder
oil for deep-frying
salt
black pepper powder to taste
½ cup of cornflour

For the gravy

2-3 medium size tomatoes roughly chopped
2 medium size onions roughly chopped
1tsp Coriander pwd
1tsp Cumin pwd
½ tsp turmeric powder
4 tbsp butter
Salt as per taste
black pepper (kalimirch) powder to taste
1-2 tsp Ginger garlic paste
2-3 tblspn of Cashew nuts paste
Handful of Coriander leaves
1tblsp dried fenugreek leaves
2-3 tsp Oil
1 tsp garam masala
4 cloves, 2-3 cardamon & 2-3 bayleaves, 1 inch long cinnamon 
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp sugar
4-5 tbsp fresh cream

Method
For the koftas

Boil the peas. Add all the vegetables (squeeze all the vegetables properly) and peas to the potatoes and make a dough. Add all the ingredients which are written above for koftas except cornflour ( you can take maida also if corn flour is not available) and to this add raisins & cashew nuts. It will give crunchy effect. Mix well & Form into kofta balls. 
You can make oval shape bullet shape or whatever shape you like. 
Roll the koftas into the corn flour/ maida &  fry in oil to a golden brown colour. Keep aside.

For the gravy

Heat oil in a pan, add the onions and stir fry for 5 minutes till light brown.Then add the  tomatoes and fry again for 3-4 minutes till they becomes soft. Add cumin & coriander powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, salt, chilly powder.
Stir for 2-3 min. When oil appears in masala switch off the flame. Pour the mixture into a blender and make a fine paste.
 Again heat butter in a pan. Add whole garam masalas (bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves ). Add fenugreek leaves & immediately Pour that blended paste.  Bring it to boil & cook for 3-4 min till masala is done.
Add cashew nuts powder. Add the garam masala, sugar, adjust salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Then add cream. Stir well. 


Add the koftas very gently as they are very delicate. 
Switch off the flame. Let the koftas to absorb the juices from the sauce. 
Spinkle some coriander leaves & broken cashews on the top of the koftas & add 1 tsp butter & Mix well & Serve hot with roti/ any kind of rice.

Chilli Cholle (chick peas)

I luv to have cholle with paratha, puri or rice even though I can eat them with any other curry. 

CHILLI CHOLLE..Sounds Intresting!! Is n’t it?? This time thought of making some different with chick peas. My co-sister always makes this recipe. The touch of sauces and spices makes it little different & more delicious. What she does when she boils cholle is make two dishes! Portion of it she makes curry & the other portion she makes chilli cholle specifically for kids & no doubt kids just loves this over curry.
 For a while I was also thinking to try this. Finally I prepared it & it came out really nice. Goes well with paratha, chapatti & rice too as a side dish…

Ingredients:

1 cup chick peas (Kabuli chana)
1 tea bag
Oil- 2-3 tblsp
1tsp cumin seeds
2-3 red chillies
2 medium size onion- cut in cubes
10-12 garlic cloves chopped
Chopped ginger- 1tblsp
3-4 green chilles chopped
Dried fenugreek leaves- 1tblsp
Chole / channa masala- 1tsp
1tblsp- tomato ketchup 
1tsp soya sauce
Salt as per the taste
Sugar- 1 tsp (Optional)
Black pepper- 1 tsp

Method:

 Soak chick peas for overnight. Boil the chickpeas in a cooker with salt, water & tea bag. 
Pressure cooks it till they becomes tender. Drain all the water & keep aside.
Heat Oil in a pan. Add dry red chillies & cumin seeds, allow them to splutter. Add chopped green chillies, garlic cloves, ginger, Onion. Sauté till they turn light brown in colour. Add fenugreek leaves. Add the boiled chickpeas. Adjust sugar & salt. Add chole masala, black pepper, Tomato ketchup & soya sauce.  Mix well & stir for another 2-3 minutes till cholle & masalas are evenly mixed. Your chilli cholle is done. Serve hot as a side dish with rice/ chapati.

Veg Fettuccine (Thin Pasta sticks)

 To be honest I never heard of this animal called "Fettuccine" long ago. My hubby does sometime eat lunch outside (read as "love" to eat always but I say NO :-)) and I keep checking what he had that day. Once he had gone to an Italian restaurant and told me he had some fettuccine and I was keen to know more about it. Did google about it and voila!! I was cooking that animal in my kitchen after couple days since I love all forms of pasta. Not to mention that it turned delicious in the first attempt. So here it is, try yourself!

Ingredients:

8 ounces fettuccine
1 cup mix vegetables chopped (carrots, mushrooms, beans, broccoli florets)
Green peas ,Sweet corn – 1/4cup
2 tbsp. butter/ oilve oil
2 tbsp.  all-purpose flour
Milk- 1cup
Salt as per the taste
1 tbsp. crushed black pepper
1tsp of red chilli flakes
1tsp of dried oregano & basil
1/4 cup chopped onion 
8-10 garlic cloves finely chopped
Heavy whipped cream- 1/2 cup (Optional)
2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (Optional)

Method:

Boil the fettuccine as per the instruction. Remove from heat & drain all the water.


Take a small bowl. Add flour & 4 tblsp milk to it. Whisk to avoid lumps.
Heat a pan. Melt butter. Add milk & when it starts boiling add the whisked flour & milk mix. Stir continuously to avoid lumps. Add whipping cream & grated Parmesan cheese Mix well. Add red chilli flakes, garlic powder, crushed black pepper, basil & oregano. Your sauce is ready.

Heat butter/ olive oil in a pan. Add chopped garlic cloves & onion. Sauté till they becomes translucent. Add all veggies. Stir till they becomes golden brown & crunchy. Adjust salt, add pepper powder. Keep aside. 
Then add the boiled fettuccine to it. Mix well. 


Add the white sauce to the prepared fettuccine & mix well. 
Adjust salt. Add Parmesan cheese & Mix well. 

Your veg fettuccine is now ready to serve. Serve hot & enjoy.