Slow Cooker: Kale-Spinach Cannellini Beans Side Dish

Yet another simple, tasty and healthy dish for those long days. I love it when you get home from work and not have to think about what to make for dinner.

I used a combination of Spinach and Kale. You can use just Spinach or Kale if you prefer.

Ingredients:

• Spinach - Washed and chopped - 2 cups
• Kale - Washed and chopped  - 4 cups
• Dried Cannellini beans - 2 cups (you can use any other dried beans)
• Onion - Chopped - 1 medium (I used Red Onion)
• Salt - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Coriander powder - 2 tea spoons
• Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon
• Red Chilly powder - 2 tea spoons (add per taste)
• Water - 6 cups

Method:

Add all the above ingredients to the slow cooker and cook it at high for 6-8 hours.  Add more water if you like a little diluted consistency.  Mix well, drizzle some Olive oil and serve with Bread, Chapati, Naan, Roti, Rice or you can eat by itself.

Pearl Couscous Khichidi (Indian Spiced Couscous) - Sabudana Khichidi with a twist

Recently I read a post from one of my friends.  She used Pearl Couscous instead of Sabudana (pearled Tapioca) to make khichdi.  I thought it was a great idea.  No soaking Sabudana overnight or dealing with how much water to add while soaking it (different batches soak differently).  Gave it a try and loved it!!

Ingredients:

• Pearl couscous - 1/2 pound - Cook following the directions on the package
• Peanuts - Roasted and coarsely crushed - 2 table spoons
• Potatoes - 1/2 cup - Peeled and cut into small bite size pieces
• Green Chilies - 2 finely chopped (add per taste)
• Cilantro - 1 table spoon - chopped finely
• Curry leaves - 3-4 leaves
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Turmeric - 1/4 tea spoon
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Olive oil - 1 table spoon
• Lemon juice - 1 table spoon

Method.

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Let it heat up.  Then add mustard seeds and cumin.  Wait for them to splutter.  Add curry leaves, Green chilies, potatoes.  Saute for a few minutes.  Add Salt and Turmeric.  Saute and close the pan for 4-5 minutes until potato is cooked.  Add all the remaining ingredients except lemon juice and cilantro and mix well.  Close the lid of the pan for 2-3 minutes more till all the ingredients have heated well.

Squeeze the lemon, sprinkle the cilantro and serve hot.  I love to have it with Tea or coffee.

Simple Cucumber-Hummus Salad with Sumac

Summer is fast approaching and it is time to switch from warm soups to crispy crunchy salads.  This salad can be served as a starter or you can make it a meal by adding some grilled chicken or thinly sliced lunch meat.

Ingredients:

• Cucumber - 3 cups - peeled and sliced thin
• Radish - 1 cup - sliced thin
• Onion - 1 to 2 table spoons thinly sliced
• Hummus - 2 table spoons (I used store bought Garlic hummus)
• Sumac - 1 tea spoon
• Crushed pepper powder - 1 tea spoon
• Salt - add per taste
• Lemon - 1 table spoon
• Grilled Chicken/lunch meat (Optional) - 1/2 cub sliced

Method:

Mix all the ingredients well in a glass bowl.  Tasty cucumber hummus salad is ready to be served.

Note:  I learnt this tip from a good friend.  Washing the Onions few times in ice water makes it crunchier and removes the spicyness from it (I get heart burn if I eat raw Onions and this helped).

Tomato-Fenugreek Mutton/Lamb (Tamatar-Methi Gosht) Curry

Just the thought of warm, tangy, spicy, fatty goodness of this dish makes my mouth water.  I love tangy dishes and growing up used to add lemon to most of the dishes I ate.  Once I started cooking, I realised that there were various forms of tangy.  It was not only lemon, but tamarind, tomatoes, etc.
My love for tangy and the flavorful fragrance of slightly bitter methi is what inspired me to make this dish.

Ingredients:

• Lamb/Mutton/Beef - 2 pounds - Cut into 1-2 inches pieces
• Onion : 1 medium - Chopped fine
• Tomatoes: 4 medium - Chopped fine
• Methi leaves -  2 cups chopped
• Kasoori methi (use instead of fresh methi leaves) - 2 table spoons
• Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon
• Coriandar powder - 1 table spoon
• Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• Clove powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• Ginger paste - 1 tea spoon
• Garlic paste - 1 tea spoon
• Red chili powder - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Salt - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Olive oil - 2 table spoons
• Bay leaf (optional) - 2 to 4
• Cilantro (optional) - 1 tea spoon- chopped
• Water - 2 to 3 cups (add per required thickness)

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add the oil.  Once the oil is heated, add the onions.  Saute till translucent.  Add Tomatoes and saute till soft.  Add Ginger paste, Garlic paste, Bay leaf and Methi leaves.  Saute it for 5 minutes.  Add all other ingredients and saute till they are mixed together.  Add 3 cups of water and cook until the mutton is fully cooked.  This will take about 30-35 minutes in a pan.  If you use a pressure cooker, it will take about 15-20 minutes.
Sprinkle cilantro before serving.  Serve it hot with Roti, Chapati, Poori, Bhatura, White rice or with Fragrant Ghee Rice!!
 

Healthy Salad mix and nuts Chutney / Salad dressing!!

What do you do when you do not have the ingredients you want to make a dish at home?  Improvise and come up with something that you never have made before and make it a household favourite!!

Ingredients:

• Salad mix - I used Kale, Spinach and Chart - 2 cups
• Mixed nuts - I used Almonds, Cashews and Walnuts - 1/2 cup
• Green Chillies - 4 to 8 (add per taste)
• Garlic pods - 2
• Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon (Optional)
• Tamarind Paste - 1 tea spoon
• Salt -  1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Desiccated Coconut - 2 table spoon (Optional)

Method:

Blend all the Ingredients fine and you have a spicy and healthy chutney ready to serve!! You can serve this as a salad dressing, with roti, dosa or with plain white rice!!