Sauteed Corn and Avocado Salad!

With fall just behind us and winter fast approaching, the weather has been such that we mostly tend to spend the evenings getting cozy and comfortable on our couch. Getting cozy on the couch often gets associated with a hot cup of tea and something to snack on. This warm corn salad is another one of my mom's recipes that makes me nostalgic during those fall-winter evenings. Of course the avocado was my touch to it to add another texture dimension to it (and not to mention for my avocado crazy hubs). The sweetness of the corn together with the kick from the spices and the creaminess from the avocado chunk creates an interesting play of taste and texture on your palate. Not to mention the occasional peanut to add that nutty flavor and a crunch.

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Mushroom Corn Pulao

y kid doesn't eat very well! The universal problem which has been troubling every parent since eternity (except the few lucky ones... touchwood :) is going on with me too. My    little one is a picky eater and I mean REALLY picky. Since she was little tiny baby I had problem feeding her which used to be like 45 min to an hour in one sitting. She is almost four now but that still continues. The few things she likes are to eat are mushrooms, nutella, olives, paneer, pineapple and rotini pasta. She doesn't like sweets of any kind except chocolate and nutella (for that I don't blame her... she took after me after all :). She even eats the spicy mushroom curry without complaining. In fact she doesn't like being treated like a baby when it comes to food (or anything else). Believe it or not she does not like even the classic kids stuff like fries, nuggets and the like. Three going on thirteen if you know what I mean. Yup we have a drama queen in our house... lol. I keep on experimenting with the things she likes. Yesterday was no exception. I was thinking what to give her for dinner and I came up with this and bingo it was well liked by kiddo and papa alike :) And I got one more recipe to please the taste buds of my little princess and a perfect one pot meal for those lazy days.

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Corn Fenugreek Pulao

I typically avoid elaborate cooking over weekends and always prefer one pot meals. One pot meals with rice is usually the most convenient. So here is the rice pulao I made this weekend using corn and my all time favorite methi (fenugreek) leaves. It tasted great... simple homey, aromatic and flavorful. The slight bitterness of methi, sweetness from the corn cooked with rice and spices. I know I am going to make it often!

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Veg fajita wraps with avocado corn salsa

Mexican is my favorite only after Italian (and obviously Indian) cuisine. I personally think Mexican cuisine is always a favorite for us Indians as it has so many similar spices and flavors – cumin, coriander, garlic, chili etc. Fajitas are a very famous part of this cuisine. Traditionally it is made with marinated and grilled skirt steak. The word 'Fajita' is derived from the spanish word faja which literally means belt. It is made with tough thin cut skirt steak. The meat is usually wrapped in soft tortillas with a variety of garnishes. Us being vegetarians, I always try to recreate the meatless versions of these popular dishes at home.
So I combined a lot of different colored peppers, some green beans and onions, marinated them in lemon and some spices from my very own desi spice rack, stir fried them, wrapped in flour tortillas, top it with my avocado corn salsa, some sour cream and mexican style shredded cheese... total yum... I don't think you'd miss the meat at all!

It was easy, fun and delightful... I know I will be making this often :)

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Vegetable pot pie

Pot pies are very fuss free, easy breezy, scrumptious, very pretty and elegant looking meals with which you can always impress your guests. They are a wonderful treat for oneself too. A pot pie is basically a savory, cheesy pie filling baked in a pot with a flaky top crust. Chicken pot pies are more famous and are more readily available, but that doesn't mean us vegetarians should be deprived of this delicacy. So here goes my recipe for veg pot pie.

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Makki di roti 'n sarson da saag

Makki di roti 'n sarson da saag.. rustic, soulful, nutritious, delicious. The world famous Punjabi household staple is my family favorite too. The dish is comprised of two components, almost always paired together (a match made in heaven). Makki di roti essentially means corn flat bread and sarson da saag is mustard greens cooked up with traditional herbs and spices. The mustard greens are relatively easy to make but the Makki roti requires a little patience and skill. It took me a couple of attempts to get it right. So do not be disheartened if you have to give it a second shot to perfect it.




Ingredients:

For saag -

Mustard leaves ........................... 4 - 5 cups washed and chopped

Spinach leaves ........................... 10 oz packet chopped

Dill ........................................ 1 tblsp (optional)

Onion ..................................... 2 medium chopped fine

Tomato ................................... 2 medium chopped fine

Garlic ..................................... 4 - 5 fat cloves chopped fine

Ginger .................................... 2" chopped fine

Green chilli .............................. 2 chopped fine

Red chilli powder ....................... 1/2 tsp or to taste

Garam masala powder ................. 3/4 tsp

Oil ........................................ 1 tblsp

Ghee ...................................... 1 tblsp

Salt ....................................... to taste

Hing ...................................... a pinch

Turmeric powder ........................ a pinch

Makki ka atta............................. 1 tsp

Butter .................................... for garnishing

For Tadka -

Garlic ..................................... 1 clove, chopped

Tomato ................................... 1/2 medium, chopped

Green chilli .............................. 1 chopped

Ghee ...................................... 1 tsp

For roti -

Makki atta ............................... 2 cups

Whole wheat flour ..................... 1/2 cup

Daikon (mooli) .......................... 1/2 cup grated

Ajwain ................................... 1/4 tsp

Salt ....................................... 1 tsp or to taste

Hot water ................................ 1/2 cup or as needed

Oil for shallow frying

Method:

For saag -

1. Bring 3 cups of water in a large pot to a boil. Add in the mustard, spinach and dill and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes till the greens are tender. Drain and allow to cool a little. Puree the greens in a blender to make a slightly grainy paste. Keep aside.

2. Place oil and ghee in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add hing, ginger, garlic and green chilli and stir till they get light brown in color, about a minute. Add the onion, turmeric and salt and cook till the onions are light golden brown. Add the tomatoes and 1 tsp makki atta and cook till the mixture appears mashed up and is even.

3. Add the pureed greens and cook till the oil separates. Stir occasionally. Add the red chilli powder and garam masala and cook for two minutes. Remove from heat.

4. In a separate small pan, heat ghee on medium high heat. Add all the tadka ingredients and cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Pour this over the cooked saag.

5. Place a glob of butter over the saag and serve with roti (see below).




For roti -

1. In a bowl take makki atta and whole wheat flour. Add salt and ajwain.

2. Squeeze out all the water from the grated mooli. Mix in to the flours evenly.

3. Knead by adding a little water at a time. Note that the dough will be grainy and will not get as smooth as a regular roti dough. Knead it enough so it can hold its shape if you form a ball in your hand.

4. To roll the roti, take a small ziploc bag, cut open two of its sealed sides to make a folder, moisten the insides with some water and place the ball in it. Cover and close. Place it on a flat surface and slowly but firmly press with your palm to roll the ball out into a 4 to 5 inch disc.,slightly thicker than roti.

5. Carefully remove the roti from the ziploc bag and place on a hot non-stick tawa. Let it cook on one side. Pour some oil on the top and flip to the other side. Cook evenly till the roti gets a nice golden color on both sides. Serve hot. ENJOY! 




Notes:1. Do not prepare the roti dough too much in advance as it dries out quick and becomes difficult to manage.