BROCCOLI SOUP WITH CRISPY CHILI OIL & FOX NUTS

INGREDIENTS

3C Broccoli Florets

1/2C whole milk

4 Garlic cloves roughly chopped

1 Tbsp Ghee or Butter

1 Tsp Black Pepper crushed

Salt to taste

2 Tbsp Crispy Chili Oil

10 to 12 Fox nuts toasted

DIRECTIONS

• Blanch the Broccoli florets and keep them aside.
• Add Ghee or Butter in a pot and let it slightly heat.
• Add chopped Garlic to the Ghee and saute it until they garlic becomes slightly cooked.
• Add the Broccoli to the garlic and mix it together.
• Turn the flame low and add the Milk it and blend it together with an immersion blender.
• Let it some to a boil and season with Salt and Pepper.
• Serve topped off with Chili oil and toasted fox nuts.

** Its is very important to toast the Fox nuts for the crunch.  ( pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to give them a quick toast).

** To make the soup vegan replace whole milk with OAT Milk.  In my experience it works well with the other flavors in the recipe.  Also you can use avocado or any light flavored oil instead of Ghee or Butter.  You want that crispy chili oil to shine.

CHILLI CASSAVA WITH SESAME SEEDS

One of the most underrated tuber is Cassava.  3rd major source of carbohydrate in the world after rice and maize is drought tolerant and a staple diet in many countries.  This recipe was an effort to show my clients that this scary looking tuber is actually really tasty and nutritious.  

INGREDIENTS

2 Cassava Roots

1 celery stalk 

1/2 yellow onion

3 garlic cloves

1/2 in ginger root

2 Tbsp Sesame oil

2 Tbsp chili paste

1 Tbsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp Ketchup

2 Tbsp Sugar

1/4C Soy sauce

1 Tbsp Sesame seeds

2 Scallions 

Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

• Peel Cassava root, cut it in wedges and boil in salted water till fully cooked.  Put is aside and let it cool.
• FOR THE SAUCE
• Fine chop Celery, onion, garlic and ginger and scallions.
• Heat the sesame oil in a pan.
• Once the oil is hot add the aromatics.  (starting with ginger, garlic, onion and celery).
• Once the aromatics are cooked add Chili paste followed by ketchup.
• Add sugar and garlic powder.
• Add Soy sauce and mix everything together.  Taste for salt.
• Keep it aside.
• ASSEMBLY
• Heat oil to 350°F.
• Deep fry the boiled and cooled Cassava Root.
• Add the fried Cassava root to the the sauce.
• Toss well and serve.
• Top it off with scallions and sesame seeds.

SPINACH POORI

INGREDIENTS

1C whole wheat Flour

1tsp Salt

1/2 C Spinach puree (baby spinach blanched and pureed)

1Tbsp Oil

DIRECTIONS

• Take the whole wheat flour in a mixing bowl and add salt.
• Add salt to the dry flour and mix well.
• Add oil to the flour and rub it in the flour.
• Add Spinach Puree and knead the dough.
• Rub the dough ball with some oil and rest it for 5 to 10 mins.
• Roll the dough out on a flat surface (make sure to grease the surface to avoid sticking).
• cut it in circles with a cookie cutter.
• Heat the oil to 350𝆩F.  Deep fry the bread.
• Enjoy your deep fried poori with your favorite curry.

POTATO AND TOMATO CURRY

This picture doesn't do justice to this delicious curry.  It definitely fits into the ugly delicious category.  Usually served with poori for breakfast throughout India in my house it's an anytime dish.  If you have boiled potatoes (which I always keep...am a chef guys like a well prepped fridge and a well stocked pantry 😊😉) in your fridge with a few Tomatoes in your pantry this dish comes together in 20 mins.  

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 Tbsp oil 

3Med vine ripe Tomatoes Chopped (mine were from my mom's garden 😊😋)

4 Med Baking potatoes boiled and peeled

1Tsp Cumin Seed

1Tbsp Coriander Powder

1Tbsp Fennel powder

1/2 Tsp Asafoetida powder

1Tbsp Degi Mirch Chili powder

1/2 Tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

2C warm water

DIRECTIONS

• Add Oil to the pot and let it heat up.
• Add the Cumin seeds and let them crackle.
• Add Asafoetida powder.  
• Add Chopped Tomatoes. 
• Add Chili powder and salt.  Stirring occasionally let the tomatoes cook for a few minutes.
• Add Coriander powder, Fennel powder, sugar.Let the tomatoes get soft a bit.
• Hand crush Potatoes and add them to the Pot with 2C warm water.
• Simmer the curry until the desired consistency.  ( I keep mine a bit on the watery side since the starches in the potatoes thickens it up as it cools).
• Enjoy it with hot poori, paratha or rice.  ** tastes even better the next day.

CUCUMBER RAITA WITH MUSTARD OIL

Raita is a staple condiment served with any Indian meal.  Here is a simple 5 ingredient recipe of cucumber raita that is easy to make packed with flavor.

INGREDIENTS

5 Persian Cucumbers or 1 English Cucumber

1C plain Whole milk yogurt 

1Tbsp Black Pepper fresh cracked

1 1/2Tbsp Mustard Oil

Salt to taste

PREP ( 10 minutes)

• Wash and dry the cucumbers. (you will be using them skin on)
• Grate the cucumbers.
• Using a muslin cloth squeeze the water out of the grated cucumbers.  (If the water is not squeezed out properly the end product will be very watery and not creamy).
• In a bowl mix the yogurt with salt, pepper and mustard oil.  Mix well
• Add the cucumbers and mix.  store in a glass container in the refrigerator.

** Stores well for at least 7 days.  I suggest you give it 1 to 2 hours before enjoying it.  Mustard oil needs a bit of time to work it's magic.

**Feel free to drop a line if any questions especially about any specialty ingredients in my recipes.

Cilantro and Mint Chutney

An easy to make condiment that's a staple ingredient in my restaurant and my home kitchen.  It's full of flavor, stores well and is versetile. It's a quick way to add fresh bright flavor to any meal.

Ingredients

2Cups fresh cilantro
1Cup fresh mint leaves
3 garlic cloves
3 green thai bird chilis or serano chilis (4 if you want more heat)
1 shallot
1tsp fresh grated ginger
1tsp roasted cumin powder
1/2 lemon
1tsp amchoor (dry mango powder)
1tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Prep
Put everything in a blender and blend well.
**for easy blending follow the order given below adding water only when necessary.  this will assure a nice thick chutney that's not watered down and is full of flavor.
Oil
Lemon juice
Shallot
Garlic
Ginger
Chilis
Cumin
Amchoor
Cilantro
Mint
Salt