Stuffed Shell Pasta

Believe it or Not! I don't own an iPhone or an iPad.Most of my friends/relatives carry either one of them or both.It is not because I don't care for the creator or admire his creativity. I just do not care for any technology. It is an irony that someone with an engineering background is not very fond of tech stuff. I love reading paper backs and use a paper and a pen to write. Well, at least when I have an option!In recent months, I have grown to admire Jobs and his work.So, when I read about the release of his biography by Isaac Waterson,needless to say, I bought the book.It is a humongous book(good to use as a mini bench:-),definitely bigger than I expected.I will certainly need some time to sit down and read it end-to-end. What do you own - relating to Jobs or Apple?

Adapted from Eating well

3 cups Whole milk Ricotta Cheese
1 bag of fresh Spinach, finely chopped
2 Medium Onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
I box of Jumbo Shell Pasta about 24 (I used Barilla)
1 tbsp of dried Italian Seasoning
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 tbsp of Olive Oil
1/2 cup Bread crumbs
2 /2 cups of Tomato-Vodka sauce
1 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
Sea Salt to boil the water
1/8 tsp salt

• Preheat the oven to 375F
• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions
• Boil 6 quarts of water with salt
• When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the pasta
• Once al dente*, typically will take about 15 min, drain the water preserving a cup of water
• In the mean time, heat a table spoon of olive oil
• Add the chopped onions and cook until the onions turn translucent
• Add the garlic and the Italian seasoning
• Add the spinach and 1/8 tsp salt and cook till the leaves wilt
• In a bowl, combine the spinach mixture with the Ricotta Cheese and the breadcrumbs
• Set aside
• In a 8X11 baking dish, spoon a 1/2 cup of sauce evenly in the dish
• Soon after draining the water, separate the shells on a plate; Else, they tend to stick and can ruin the shape of the pasta
• Stuff about 1 1/2 tablespoons of Spinach Ricotta mixture inside each shell
• Place the shells in the baking dish in an even single layer. The shells can be close to each other and need not be apart
• Pour the remaining sauce on top of the shells
• Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese
• Bake in the oven for about 25 min or until the cheese melts
• Serve warm (*I cook for about 18 min to make it softer for the little one)

Hugs,

Mashed Amaranth

I have misunderstood Amaranth to be Gongura for the longest time, until very recently when I came across Amaranth labeled as Thotakura which came as a surprise, of course!It was always a challenge for me to identify Gongura leaves from Thotakura leaves. I believe I am getting better at it now. Gongura has red leaves or red stalks depending on the variety and Thotakura does not. That is the best way I can describe the difference.
Thotakura was the most used vegetable in my maternal grand parents' house. It used to be cooked as a curry- finely chopped seasoned with simple 'tadka'. Today's dish is Mashed Amaranth. Amaranth leaves are lightly boiled and pureed which is mixed with cooked moong dal and simmered with spices to perfection.

Recipe- Chandra Padmanabhan
1/4 cup Moong Dal, rinsed
1 cup water
2 bunches amaranth leaves( Thotakura in Telugu)
Salt to taste

Seasoning-
2 tsps ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp urad dal
2 red chilli
Pinch of Hing(asafoetoda powder)

• Bring Moong dal and 8 oz of water to a boil
• Continue to cook for about an hour
• Do not drain any water. Add salt and mix well
• Set aside
• Wash the Amaranth leaves and chop them finely
• Boil the leaves but making sure the leaves do not change color
• Puree the boiled leaves
• Heat 2 tsps of ghee in a pan
• Add Urad dal, cumin seeds and mustard seeds, Red chillies and hing
• Add the seasoning to the mashed amaranth
• Mix this with the cooked dal
• Cook for 10 min
• Serve hot with rice!

This goes to one of my favorite events MLLA, guest hosted by Simona of Briciole and started by Susan of The well seasoned Cook.

Green Capsicum Chutney

Some have suggested that perhaps, I should add more Indian dishes to the blog and I am slowly going towards that path. Over the next few weeks you will see me add more Indian dishes to my posts, dishes that I cook on a daily basis.I hope you will enjoy them!

2 Green Capsicums/Bell Pepper, coarsely chopped
6 red chillies, broken, dry roasted
3 green chillies, chopped
1/2 cup peanuts, dry roasted
1/4 cup Sesame seeds, dry roasted
1/3 cup fresh grated coconut
3 tbsps fresh coriander, chopped
1/4 cup tamarind pulp
2 tbsps oil+ 1 tbsp oil
2 tbsps urad dal
1 garlic clove, minced (Optional)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
6 curry leaves
Pinch of turmeric

• Heat the oil in a wok
• Add the capsicum pieces, green chillies and turmeric.
• Dry roast the peanuts, sesame seeds, red chillies separately
• Cover the wok with a plate of water
• Let it cook till the pieces are tender
• Blend the cooked capsicum pieces, roasted peanuts, roasted sesame seeds,coconut, tamarind pulp, coriander seeds and garlic clove to a smooth paste; Add water as needed but please make sure to add water in small increments such that the paste wont be runny
• Heat the remaining spoon of oil
• Add the urad dal, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds
• Fry for a min until they turn golden brown
• Add the hing
• Stir in the blended chutney

Aloo Bonda w/ Coconut Chutney

Deep Frying is a big no-no in my house. Either because me and V are not in the best health, best shape or that the house starts stinking after a while. We never used to notice when we deep fried earlier, that there used to be a certain smell that you cannot get rid of easily in the house. I guess that is where my love for baking began.
However, I will admit that frying has its own taste and it can be quite addictive. We very rarely deep fry as is evident from my blog posts but I will never say never!!

Aloo Bonda has become one of my favorites after one of the cooks at my mom's made this and I fell in love with it.And yes, my Bonda has a few ears too:-)

3 potatoes, boiled with the skins
4 Curry leaves
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp Urad Dal
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 inch ginger, chopped into pieces
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
5 green chillies, finely chopped
Pinch of Hing

Batter-
1 cup Besan/Gram flour
Salt to taste
Pinch of Baking soda(Optional)
Oil to deep fry

Aloo Stuffing

• Peel the skin off of boiled potatoes and mash them; Set aside
• Heat a tbsp of oil and fry Urad Dal, Cumin seeds and Mustard seeds
• Fry for a couple of min until they turn golden brown
• Add the green chillies, curry leaves and turmeric
• Add a whiff of hing
• Combine till the potato mixture is well coated with the seasoning
• Divide the mixture into golf sized balls
• Set aside

Batter-

• Combine the besan with enough water to make it a smooth batter.
• Stir in the salt and baking soda, if using

Bonda -

• Heat Oil in a wok. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a small drop of batter and look to see if it turns golden brown and floats
• Dip the potato ball in the ball and evenly coat it
• Drop it slowly into the oil and fry until it is golden brown
• Continue till all the balls have been fried
• Serve them hot with coconut chutney
  

Coconut Chutney-
1 cup Dahlia(Putnala pappu)
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
6 green chillies, finely chopped
1 inch Ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Pinch of Hing

• Blend the Pappu, Coconut, Peanuts, chillies, ginger with enough water to make it a smooth paste; You can also add buttermilk if you would like slightly sour taste
• Heat a tbsp of Ghee
• Add Cumin seeds and Mustard seeds
• Add some hing
• Mix it quickly to the blended coconut paste

Methi Thepla

It was so much fun to watch Shriya as Cinderella this Halloween. We have been loyal to Disney the last couple of times with her being a Minnie Mouse last year.I will hate to get to those years when she will no longer want to dress up and I can no longer shop for these fancy costumes.Oh well! We will cross the bridge when we get there...
Fall is my favorite season and you would have heard me say this a lot of times in my posts. It is a very pleasant season with vibrant colors. It is almost like Nature puts on a show every year. But sadly, this year the leaves have withered away even before we realized it was Fall. Not to mention the unusual snow at this time of the year. We were with out power for a couple of days and that is the longest we have ever been with out power. It in fact did seem like a spooky Halloween weekend!!
Methi Thepla is a type of bread similar to roti, but it has lot more flavors than the regular roti.This can be served for lunch, dinner or breakfast. This can accompanied with yogurt or pickle but I like to eat it as is!!



1 cup Wheat flour/Atta
1/2 cup Methi leaves, stems separated and discarded and leaves chopped
1 tbsp Kasuri Methi
1/4 -1/2 cup buttermilk; Add more if needed
1 tbsp oil
Pinch of Turmeric
Salt to taste

• Combine Wheat flour, salt, Methi leaves, kasuri methi, turmeric
• Adding the buttermilk slowly,begin to knead until the dough is elastic
• Add the oil and continue kneading until it becomes soft
• Cover the dough using a moist paper towel and keep it aside for half hour
• Divide the dough into balls of equal sizes
• Using a rolling pin, roll out into thin circles similar to rotis of about 6" in diameter
• Heat a tawa and apply a 1/4 tsp of oil
• Place one thepla and cook on both sides for a couple of min
• Roll it and serve hot with pickle if desired

Paneer Bhurji

To those of you who do not eat eggs at all, this version of Paneer can be a great substitute. Especially when Paneer is cooked like Bhurji, it resembles scrambled eggs. Infact, I have seen some interesting variations of curries with Eggs and Paneer on the internet. Perhaps, I will try that soon. For now, enjoy the 'paneer only' Bhurji version.

1 block Paneer, soaked in warm water for 10 min and crumbled
2 Medium Onions, finely chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup Green Peas, Optional
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 tsp Garam Masala
2 tsps Cumin Powder
Pinch of turmeric
1/2 tsp of Kasuri Methi
1 tsp of Pomegranate Powder
2 tsps Oil
1 tsp Coriander leaves, finely chopped

• Heat 2 tsps of oil
• Add Onions and let it cook till translucent for about 5 min
• Add tomatoes and cook till soft
• Stir in the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, Garam Masala and Cumin Powder
• Cook for a couple of min
• Add the Kasuri Methi and Pomegranate Powder
• Add the crumbled paneer and make sure that the paneer is well coated with the seasoning
• Garnish with Coriander leaves

I like to squeeze in some lime juice when I am eating just the curry but that is completely optional

Coconut Rice

Coconut Rice is prepared in various cuisines and countries. One of my friends who is Puerto Rico mentioned to me that they make rice with coconut milk as the base.It was always my impression that Coconut Rice is an Indian dish primarily hailing from Kerala. It is quite a pleasant surprise that Coconut Rice either in the form of pudding or simply rice is served across the world.

1 cup Rice ; I used Tilda Basmati
1/2 - 3/4 cup fresh grated Coconut
3 Green Chillies, slit vertically
6 Curry Leaves
1 tbsp of Oil
1/2 tsp of Turmeric
1 tsp Chana Dal
1 tsp Urad Dal
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
Pinch of Hing
Lemon juice Optional

• Cook Rice using 1:2 rice to water till soft but the grains should be separate
• Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan
• Add Chana Dal, Urad Dal, Cumin Seeds and Mustard seeds.
• Fry till golden brown
• Add Curry Leaves and Hing
• Add Green Chillies and turmeric
• Add the coconut and fry till the coconut turns golden brown
• Add the cooked rice and mix well until all the tempering has coated the rice
• Squeeze lime juice and serve

Red Bell Pepper Chutney

A very dear friend of mine invited my parents when they were here a couple of years back which is when she prepared this fabulous Bell Pepper Chutney. She is a fabulous cook and her Biryani needs a special mention. I firmly believe that a recipe when prepared by different people will create different flavors. While I can replicate the recipe, I cannot replicate the taste. But, But!! I finally could achieve a similar taste after experimenting for several times and of course a few flops.So,a big thank you, Pooja!

2 Red Bell Peppers, coarsely chopped
1 Garlic Clove, peeled and minced
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Chilli Powder
3 Curry Leaves
2 Tbsps Oil+ 1 tsp
Pinch of Hing/asafoetida
1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves
3 tbsps thick tamarind pulp
Salt to taste

Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a pan

Add the Red Bell Pepper pieces and Curry leaves and cook till they are soft but they should NOT turn black; Else, there can be a slight bitter taste when blended

Add the minced garlic

Cook for a min or so

Stir in chilli powder and salt

Add the tamarind pulp and let it cook for a couple of min, until the raw smell goes away.

Blend the Red bell pepper mixture along with the coriander leaves until smooth

In a small pan, heat the remaining tsp of oil

Add Cumin seeds, Mustard seeds and hing; Let them splutter

Quickly add them to the blended Bell pepper mixture

Serve hot with rice or idlis or dosas

Polenta w/Mascarapone, Tomatoes & Chard

Polenta is an Italian dish. It is made with cornmeal, yellow or white. It is smooth and creamy and resembles Upma both in taste and texture. It was once considered a peasant's food but today, you can find this on the menus of some gourmet food places.

Recipe:Food Network

1 cup instant polenta
1 can plum tomatoes
1 bunch swiss chard
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsps unsalted butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mascarpone or Farmer's cheese

• Bring 5 cups of water to a rolling boil; Whisk polenta slowly until it is smooth and creamy
• Top with the unsalted butter and allow it to melt
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Stir in butter, salt and butter till well combined.
• Pour evenly into a rectangular dish and let it cool down. You will be able to cut into squares once cooled
• Cut the swiss chard into about an inch pieces; Coarsely chop the tomatoes
• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan
• Add the tomatoes and chard and saute till the chard leaves welt about 10 - 15 min
• Let it come together; Set aside
  

Assemble:

• Cut the cooled polenta into squares or shapes of your choice
• Place a polenta square on a plate
• Spoon the tomato & chard mixture on top
• Garnish with a dollop of mascarpone cheese. Alternately, garnish with crumbled farmer's cheese
• Serve warm
  

Chakra Pongali

Happy Dassera to you all! My India trip has been a very short but a very sweet one. I could not fit all the things in the few days that I was there but I spent time with my family to my heart's content.But, my heart is still heavy..I miss home and I suspect it will take some time to settle down.Still struggling with jet lag and sleeping and getting up at odd hours!! Hope I will be myself next week.

Recipe: Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan

1/2 cup Moong dal
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup milk
3 cups powdered jaggery
3/4 cup water
4 tbsps ghee
2 tbsps cashews
2 tbsps raisins
5 whole cardamoms, crushed
2 cloves, crushed
1/4 tsp powdered nutmeg
Pinch of saffron

• Dry roast the Moong dal for 2 - 3 min. Remove from the heat
• Cook the rice and dal with 2 1/2 cups water and 1 cup milk until soft; Add water as needed to make the rice and dal mixture soft.
  
• In another pan, dissolve jaggery in the 3/4 cup water and cook till jaggery melts
• Continue to cook until the jaggery water becomes slightly sticky.
• Add the cooked rice and dal
  
• Heat 4 tbsps of ghee in a pan
• Saute the nuts and raisins for 2 -3 min
• Add them to the pongal
• Add the crushed cardamoms, cloves, nutmeg and saffron
• Stir well and serve hot