Shredded Brussel Sprouts baked with Olive Oil, garlic and Parmesan Reggiano cheese

This is one of the best recipes for making brussel sprouts delicious. Serves as a great side dish to Italian pastas or meat dishes.

Check out the recipe at swamyskitchen.com.

Aloo Mattar Gobi Paneer (Potato Peas Cauliflower cheese) in an exotic, aromatic, mildly spiced red sauce

This is today's side dish for my home-made bread called chappathi, along with raita.

The ingredients consist of organic Indian cheese, one small potato, some cauliflower shreds (2 Tbsps), and half a cup of green peas.

For spices and flavor, you would need cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, cumin seeds, red chilie powder, garlic, ginger, onions, tomatoes, salt, yogurt, fresh coriander/cilantro leaves and of course salt.

You'll find the recipe at swamyskitchen.com. Enjoy!

Mixed vegetables from Swamy's home

Kootu is a Tamil word which means 'add' i.e. vegetable added with lentils which form the dish, made of vegetables and lentils and are semi-solid in consistency, i.e., less aqueous than sambhar, but more so than dry curries. (translation from Wiki.)
This is a tasty preparation with some saambar powder and a fresh mixed of coriander seeds, chana dhal and red chillies, toasted then powdered.

Check out the full recipe at Swamy's Kitchen online.

Give your Thanksgiving leftovers an exciting flavorful make over

I have watched this dish being prepared but of course, never tasted it. It's a routine in many homes year after year, so it's got to be good. 

Since the Thanksgiving  turkey is already cooked, you would just need to add flavor. The recipe below is for about 2 cups of turkey meat.

Ingredients:

• A mix of vegetables such as peppers and spinach will work well
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or diced
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil or olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric^
• 1 tsp. red dry chilli powder^
• 2 tsp. coriander powder^
• 2 tsp. cumin powder^
• 2 tsp. garam masala^
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tbsp. coriander leaves

Method:
Take a wok^ or a flat skillet. Heat the skillet on stove for a few seconds. Add oil. Add the garlic and onions. Sauté for 5 minutes. Now add the turmeric, chilli, coriander and cumin powders.

Sauté for a couple minutes. Add tomatoes and the vegetables. Add half cup of water. Cover the wok with a lid. Let everything cook for about 10 more minutes or until the vegetables are done. Add some garam masala.

The entire mix should form a gravy like consistency. Now add your turkey meat. Let it cook for about 10 minutes. Add salt for taste. You may sprinkle some coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or puris.

Warm Pumpkin Soup for cool autumn nights

Pumpkin soups are absolutely satisfying and can replace any other dinner alternatives. There are several variations of this recipe. What I have here is one of the simplest.

Just 8 ingredients in 30 minutes can produce a meal. Check it out on swamyskitchen.com.

Tomato Pickle - South Indian style

Taste this simple, spicy tomato pickle from Swamy's kitchen.

A great spread for sandwiches, tomato rice dishes, or as a tasty condiment for Dosa, Idli, Adai, or Indian breads.

Lentil Flour Burfi for Lord Krishna's birthday

A simple and quick dessert for Krishna's birthday.

Gokulashtami/Krishna Jayanthi was supposed to be yesterday but I could celebrate it only today.

I tried this Lentil flour burfi for the first time. This is only a trial version as I am preparing to make a larger quantity for another occasion.

Results: Although it tastes good, it needed to be less like halwa and more like Mysore pah or maybe somewhere in between. So, I placed the tray inside the refrigerator for an hour. The consistency turned out perfect.

Try this recipe from swamyskitchen.com.

Roasted Beets with Gorgonzola cheese

Beets are definitely not a favorite vegetable of mine. They most often taste like chemicals and I believe their thin layer of skin absorb the smells as well. The best way to get rid of the taste and smell is to use a strong, flavorful ingredient like garlic while roasting in an oven or cooking them over stove.

Test this easy recipe, a flavorful dish of beets with Gorgonzola cheese. Here's a list of some of the nutritional benefits of beets.

1. A natural aphrodisiac used by the Romans.
2. High in Potassium, magnesium, fibre, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine and folic acid.
3. Removes toxins from the body.
4. Good for mind health.
5. Lowers blood pressure.

Tomato rice, flavorful, fluffy and mildly-spiced

This is a vegan dish in which spice and other ingredients may be altered very easily to suit your taste. The proportions I have in my recipe are for a mild to medium-hot palette. If you want just a hint of flavor, cut back the chillie to 1 or completely omit them.

Here's the recipe from swamyskitchen.com.

A side dish from Kerala - Sweet Mango with Coconut & Yogurt

This is a popular dish from Kerala called Pulisseri. Kerala, is a south-western state of India. Just about every dish from Kerala uses coconut. This is a mixture of sweet mango, spices, coconut and yogurt.

Find the recipe from swamyskitchen.com.

Provençal Spinach Gratin

One of the less talked about vegetables is Spinach and is taken for granted around the world. Let me sing the praises of Spinach just a bit.

The green color of spinach is beautiful, vibrant, cooling to the eyes, full of life and inviting. It serves as a great display layer for presenting food. And, besides being available throughout the year and throughout the world, here are some excellent health benefits we get from Spinach.

• Restores energy
• Improves red blood cells 
• Loaded with iron
• Helps DNA synthesis
• Great source of vitamins K, A, C, manganese, magnesium, iron and B2
• Packed with folic acid

Here's is delicious recipe from SwamysKitchen. The recipe is borrowed with a bit of variation.

Mysore Bonda

I always wondered why Mysore Bonda was called by that name. The answer is obvious, because it originated in Mysore. For some reason I thought there was a much deeper explanation such as history, or related to the ingredients or to the Maharaja. There's nothing meaningful about the name but the taste is far from boring.

There are several way to make this appetizer but the recipe I have here is the original recipe. Simple, quick, tasty and nutritious; if your discount the oil part of it. Some people add baking soda, all purpose flour, cumin... and so on. But they are all quite unnecessary.

Test it out from swamyskitchen.com.

Kothu Paratha

Southern India, particularly where I come from has this incredible-tasting fast food called Kothu Paratha. When I was growing up, it used to be sold by the roadside shops . Now, I dare not go anywhere near. Knowing too much about hygiene is sometimes a negative thing. Not only am I too picky about cleanliness but I've also lost immunity and have had no exposure to these eateries for several year. Moreover, I will probably think of all the illnesses I could be getting rather than enjoying. But with very little effort this can be enjoyed at home.

There are quite a few formulas and varieties for this creation. I have given you an easy, yet tasty version in my recipe. I have used eggs but Kothu Paratha can be made without. Try it right from swamyskitchen.com.

A simple chickpea flour dessert

Check out this easy dessert. I hesitated using chickpea flour (besan) for creating this. It actually turned out good. Reducing the sugar will make you feel less guilty but may leave you wanting more. Heavy cream is the only negative aspect of this dessert, but then again show me a dessert that is less sinful than this!

Chickpeas flour dessert

Ingredients:

• 1 cup, Chickpea Flour (find in Indian grocery stores)
• 2 cups, Sugar
• 1 cup, Heavy Cream
• 1 cup, clarified butter (ghee)
• 1 cup, shredded coconut (fresh or frozen)
• Few shreds of saffron
• 1/5 cup shredded almond


Method:

Roast the flour in a wok^ in medium heat until you get the aroma but be sure that the flour doesn't turn color. Transfer the flour to a plate and set aside

In the same wok^, add the ghee, almonds and coconut. Mix in the sugar, cream and flour. Stir well until the mix starts to bubble. Lower heat and continue stirring until the mix gets to the consistency of a cake mix.

Prepare a greased plate/pan about 8" wide. Transfer the flour mix, shake the plate until the mix spreads evenly. Sprinkle the saffron on the top. Let it cool for a few minutes. Place the plate in the refrigerator for a couple hours. Then remove, cut into squares and put the plate back into the refrigerator for another about 8 hours before serving.

Kofta Gravy

Last week you saw my post on how to make kofta with gourd. This week I have posted the recipe for the kofta gravy.

Check it out from Vidya Swamy's kitchen site. Ask me any questions or just send me a comment. I would love to hear back from you. Here's the recipe for the kofta gravy.

Kofta with cheese and calabash

Koftas are one of the most delicious northern Indian foods. There are several recipes but this is the one I like most.

They are quite easy to make except for the time it takes for frying; and the added cooking time for gravy.

This week's Vidya's kitchen has the recipe only for the kofta, the gravy recipe will be posted next week.

Black bean curry in spicy sauce

This is a favorite dish of mine, loaded with protein. If you'd like to make it more tasty, soak the beans the previous night  and then pressure cook it the next day.

The fresh spices with tomatoes and a final topping of garam masala and sprinkles of coriander... Yum. Take the first bit with a piece of chappathi, (Indian home made bread) and you'll be in seventh heaven in minutes. Try the recipe from Vidya Swamy's kitchen.

Shawarma

Shawarma is an Arabian creation and a common street food. My son recreated the recipe  with tofu and a few modifications.

Shawarma is generally made of meats such as lamb, mutton, beef, etc. The recipe calls for a long list of ingredients, however it is quite simple to make. It allows a lot of creativity in the use of fresh vegetables and sauces.

Check it out from vidyaswamyskitchen.com.

Mediterranean Vegetable Burger

Are you into health foods, especially Mediterranean? The falafel, spinach, chick peas, olive oil kinds? Then, you are going to love this one. From my kitchen to yours. Get the recipe from vidyaswamyskitchen.com.

Serve the burgers on skillet-warmed buns, top patties with freshly shredded Parmegiano-Regiano cheese. A touch of ketchup maybe, but if you don't to change the taste, then no ketchup.

Asparagus soup - what could be better on a winter evening?

Pointer 1: Use fresh asparagus within a couple days after purchase.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches asparagus, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup soy milk or almond milk
• 2 Tbsps. all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsps. olive or canola oil
• Salt to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper

Method:
Take a flat skillet. Add oil. Add garlic and onions. Sauté until onions turn translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook asparagus in vegetable stock on high heat for about 8 minutes. Remove from stove. Blend asparagus, onions and garlic until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pot with vegetable stock. Bring to boil. Turn down heat.

Mix all purpose flour either in the soy or almond milk and pour into the pot. Cover and continue heating for another 20 minutes.

Serve with hearty, whole grain bread.

More recipes from vidyaswamyskitchen.com.

Gluten free pancakes. Packed with taste and nutrition.

Oat meal and almond meal pancakes -- ideal for Sunday brunches. I would recommend Trader Joe's for the almond meal, no funny taste or aroma. For oatmeal all you need to do is powder the oats, steel cut or old fashioned quick oats.

The rest of the process is the same as making any other regular pancakes -- Eggs, oil, water, milk, nuts and fruit if you like that.

Find the recipe for oatmeal almond meal pancakes at vidyaswamyskitchen.com.

Oatmeal and almond meal pancakes

Oatmeal and almond pancakes?  Sounds blah?  Hardly. This is a perfect breakfast meal especially for gluten free dieters.

The taste can easily be enhanced with a topping of fruits, roasted walnuts, honey or any other fruit of your choice. Or, all of the above.
Check out the recipe from vidyaswamys kitchen.com.

Bhatura, a fried Indian bread

This easily is one of our family's favorite Indian bread. The only downside is that it is fried.  So, indulging in Chole Bhatura is very rare.  However, the nutritional value is not all that bad. Here are links to both recipes, Chole and Bhatura.

Try it from vidyaskitchen.com.

Neem flower pacchadi (pickle), a New Year tradition

This dish is a tradition in some southern Indian homes and is made only on New Year day.  It is a combination of five distinct tastes -- sweet, sour, salt, bitter, spice and symbolizes one's life as a mixed bag of emotions; trials, tribulations, happiness, ups and downs, highs and lows.

Try it out from Vidya Swamy's kitchen.com.