Cucumber Raita from Vidya's Kitchen

A simple Raita is all that is needed to go with any Indian bread or dry main dish like biryani, pulav or a spicy rice dish.  

Try this Cucumber Raita from Vidya's kitchen.  Just a few ingredients suggested in this recipe in a bowl of non-tart yogurt will make the cucumber raita absolutely tasty. Some people add Greek yogurt which might make the dish tart. In fact, I tried it yesterday to make it more healthy but it did not taste good. So go with fresh bland yogurt.  Check it out from Vidya Swamy's kitchen.

Shredded Brussel Sprouts in Olive Oil with a hint of Parmesano/Reggiano cheese

Shredded Brussel Sprouts in Olive Oil with a hint of Parmesano/ Reggiano cheese

If you think you don't like Brussel Sprouts, abandon the thought right away.  Try this recipe first. 

Besides, here's a list of nutritional benefits that Brussel Sprouts provide - Vitamins K, A, and C, fiber that can lower cholesterol, helps heart health, lowers blood sugar, lowers inflammation, offers antioxidants and mineral such as manganese. Furthermore, it has flavonoid antioxidants like isorhamnetin, quercitin, and kaempferol to protect against oxidative stress on the body's cells.

Visit Vidya's kitchen site for other scrumptious recipes.

Sprouted Bean Dish

This is a repeat posting.  A friend had requested it again.  So, here it is again.

Sprouted bean dry or with gravy from Vidya's kitchen.

Lunch at restaurant Paradise, Biryani Point in Ballwin, MO

Today being Father's day, my husband and I were eagerly looking forward to lunch at this new place Paradise, Biryani Pointe.  I am talking good lunch, not great.  It is hard to come by great Indian cuisines, unless you are in the city of Chicago or New York. Sadly though, it fell short of even our minimum expectations.

Dark walls with big framed photographs too high on the walls didn't do much to the ambiance.  It was clear that there was no interior designer involved in this exercise. We decided to overlook this. We were there to eat not critique the decor.

What about the food?
It was a decent buffet spread.  Being a vegetarian, I decided to concentrate on the right side of the buffet table. I started off with an idli, chutney and sambaar.  Plus a few onion rings. The onions rings dripped in oil but tasted decent.  The other 3 items were tart and over salted.  Bhindi (okra) tasted good but then again too much salt.  After a bite of the idli and dip of the sambaar and chutney, I decided to abandon the plate.  By now the place was packed, people waiting in line outside the entrance. I guess everybody had the same expectations as we did being a Sunday, Father's day, and the newest restaurant in that strip mall.

Took another plate and decided to taste the naan, vege biryani, channa masala and dhal.  Biryani was good. The rest were high in salt.  Had a few bites of the naan and some yogurt that was supposed to be raita. It had a few slices of onions and nothing more. Took another few spoons of biyani and moved on to the dessert.  Dessert was carrot halwa which was decent.

I wasn't too happy, so turned to my husband to get a feedback on the meat items.  He had a plate filled with items as you see above - chicken biryani, tandoori chicken, naan and a few crunchies. He rated the food as a 4 over 10, 10 being the highest.

I don't think I will be going to this place for anything else other than their biryani.  Quite disappointing.  Not sure if the owners will read this review.  However, they can turn everything around by being watchful of a few ingredients such as salt for one.  I wish them well and hope they succeed.  With a few adjustments they can.  Standards need not be as high as in India but poor tasting food will just not survive.

Good luck to the owners.

Lentil crepes or Adai, as known in southern India

Adai in itself is a wholesome meal and a great balance of vitamins and proteins without the gluten.  In most southern Indian homes Adai is a lunch, late afternon or dinner time food.  Chutney or Sambaar are the usual side condiments for Adai.  A small chunk of raw brown sugar is another option if you don't have time to prepare the side condiments. Some taste enhancers are onions, green chillies, spinach which can be mixed directly with the batter.  Try this delicious, hearty, nutritious food from Vidya's kitchen.

Here is a great vegan recipe.  It's a perfect side dish for Indian breads and plain white rice.

Green Tomato Curry is unique in taste.  Find the recipe in Vidyaswamy's Kitchen.

Health benefits are mainly in its high Vitamin C and fiber content. 

Goan Vegetable Curry

Spicy Goan vegetable curry is a delicious accompaniment to Indian parathas and basmati rice.

The recipe here is a mild version.  By adding additional red chillie powder or green chillies, you can easily adjust the heat.  Try it from vidyaswamyskitchen.com.

Easy Salad Dressing

Try an easy salad dressing recipe this week.  Simple ingredients, quick fixing.  In just 8 minutes you'll have a healthy dressing.

Iyer Tomato Rasam

My mom and her sisters are some of the best cooks I have come across. My mom ranks number one in that list. Several recipes have been passed down generations. Having known good food all my growing years, I cannot eat food that will just pass as tolerable.  It has to taste good.  And, good food has to be served at the right temperature.

Being a food fanatic, I crave for the best tasting Indian cooking when I go back to visit India and my extended family there.  I get invited to homes where they hire someone to cook a meal.  The food might be decent but almost always they serve cold food.  So, I generally eat at home before I leave for the lunch or dinner.  Rasam is one of those dishes that has to be served hot.  It may be one of the hottest days of summer outside, regardless rasam has to be served hot.  Here is an Iyer Tomato rasam recipe from Vidyaswamy's kitchen inspired and perfected by my mother, then passed on to me.  You'll like it as well.

Roasted Potatoes Pesto

This week's recipe is 'Roasted Potatoes in Pesto'.  This is a great side dish with any type of pasta in red sauce.

Prep time is about 15 mins. max. which includes washing, cutting potatoes and grinding the ingredients for the pesto.
Check it out at vidyaswamyskitchen.com.