Quick Pickled Jalapenos

Yesterday I was at our local farmer's market. They have the most beautiful and colorful stuff all around. I go crazy around all the fresh produce they have. The sight, the smell, just too good to resist. I began picking all different kinds of vegetables. The pretty one... the colorful one... the new kind (which I had no idea what to do with) whatever I could get my hands on. Hubs was watching from a distance waiting with the kiddo, pretending to not know the crazy lady raiding all the vegetables ha ha. I love my trips to the local farmer's market for our regular quota of vegetables and fruit. There’s always an excitement waiting to see what produce has arrived. Every season seems to bring some new variety of vegetable and fruit. Lot of new varieties, kinds that was never familiar to me growing up. Nowadays, I take a lot of them for granted because they are easily available.
For those who are not very familiar with Jalapenos, they are thick skinned and a moderately hot variety of Mexican green chillies. A smoked and dried Jalapeno is called Chipotle.
Pickle or achaar to me as like every fellow Indian is the tangy, hot thick raw, mango/ chilli pieces drained in hot spices infused oil and oh so mouthwatering. I have had my share of pickles (the pickle monster as I was named by my mom). Though, for the most part, I detest vinegar based western style pickle, but this one I absolutely love, I keep buying a jar whenever I visit the supermarket and eating like a side not a condiment much to my hubs surprise. That was until yesterday when I saw these fresh, beautiful (and to my pleasant surprise, so very inexpensive) peppers yesterday in the market. The idea to pickle them was instant and I am glad I did. These can jazz up any boring meal - nachos or tacos, wraps or sandwiches, pizza - just about anything! To top it all, it takes just about 15 minutes to put it together (of course beside the couple of days in the fridge for the pickling process). If you are a fan as big as I am of tangy and hot stuff, trust me, this pickle is absolutely addictive.

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Roasted Parmesan Garlic Brussels Sprouts with Sour Cream Dip

Who wants to eat brussels sprouts, right? If you were to make a list of commonly available vegetables that most people dislike, these little guys would most probably be very near if not the top of that list. Heck they use these even in TV shows when they have to show parents trying to stuff veggies into kids and the kids kicking up a fuss. Well, not in my family. Hubs loves them and the way he likes to put it "Who wouldn't especially if made the way you make 'em"! This was a new vegetable to me as well until a few years ago when their cute little cabbage shape got my attention. No points for guessing that curiosity got the better of me and I got a batch immediately. Of course the first thing I tried was to cook them like cabbages - in a curry. That was a success. Since then I have cooked them several different ways but these roasted ones are the most popular in my family. They are easy to make, not to mention very nutritious and with their crispy exterior and juicy soft insides, they make a great appetizer or a side to a meal.
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Hot Cheesy Spinach Dip with Garlic Toast

Its snack time at USMasala again. And talking about snack time, it is just in time for the weekend to gather around your big flat screen with your favorite people and favorite snacks and just have a good time. Now I don't claim to be a big fan of the game, heck I barely know how it is played. I am still at heart the good old girl from that part of the world that lives and breathes a good game of Cricket. But watching a great game with family and friends gathered around definitely brings back some vivid memories. Just remember to handle this ever popular dip with care. It comes out of the oven really hot and just so flavorful and yummy with all that creamy spinach goodness ready to be scooped up with your favorite chip or a nice crunchy garlic toast that if you got too much into the game you might be scraping the bottom of the bowl - no pun intended.
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Caprese Pizza Dip!

Caprese salad is always my fallback when I don't feel like the regular lettuce and dressing. Mozzarella and Tomatoes are definitely a match made in food heaven - a totally classic combo and Mozzarella being such a versatile cheese you are often tempted to try variations with it. So a caprese dip sounded like a fabulous idea and I was (very) tempted to try it. I was not disappointed. It has the unmistakable flavor of fresh tomatoes with mozzarella and being warm and melty, it definitely has the essence of your simple caprese pizza. The fact that all these fabulous ingredients take the shape of a dip makes this dish extra fun to eat as you scoop it out with your favorite chip or toasted bread.

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Jalepeño Popper Dip

hat does one do when one is in the middle of a very interesting book and has this sudden urge of having something to munch on. No its not that I got distracted, its more like the way popcorn makes a movie better. For me that urge more specifically translates to some spicy dip with some chips? These cravings often show up uninvited especially when it is still not dinner time and its been a little bit since you had lunch, say around 5'ish in the evening. Ring a bell anyone?
Now dip'n chip! Hmmm... but what kind, my mind went almost half thinking about it. Something inside me suggested I seriously continue reading, it was too much work to get up an look for food, moreover I wouldn't find anything ready to eat in the refrigerator anyway (yeah I tend to not stock up on read-to-eat stuff). Yes I did finally get up, opened my good old refrigerator and scanned it through. I was right, there was nothing in there that I could pop the top of, peel the plastic cover and dip right in. Yeah I don't always feel like cooking..lol.. The book was still calling me back. It was then I discovered a jar of pickled jalapeños, some cream cheese... this can work I went... in fact I might've even said it out loud, quickly consulted my dear friend 'Google', typed jalepeno cheese dip and ta-da... found this recipe. I improvised according to the ingredients available that time in my refrigerator and pantry (I had no cheese except some low fat string cheese, no canned chillies, no fresh jalepenos and so on). The result was a spicy, cheesy delicious, addictive and still a very healthy dip! I had to click and post it - so here it is.

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Masala Potato Cake with Ginger Walnut Cilantro Pesto

oes without saying that good food has always held an important place in our lives. Now maybe its just me but I feel that the hands that make good food have gained the respect and have been given the due credit they deserve only in recent times. Thanks to popular media that stepped up to the plate and made not just food but also cooking fashionable. Even so this has happened only in recent times (you do remember those early 90's cooking shows don't you). Today there are entire television channels dedicated to food and present food in style. 

Credit also goes to some pioneers in this field. Growing up I always fancied cooking shows. I even have my little list of chefs that I have followed and like, some more than others. I have even blogged about several of the recipes from some of my most favorite chefs. One of the more recent additions to the list - and not just anywhere but very close if not the topmost on the list - is chef Vikas Khanna. He is one of those personalities whom I have very recently come to know and deeply admire. He is through and through a total inspiration right from the humility with which he speaks about even his biggest achievements, from the early days of his struggle to the peak of success which he is at right now to the passion with which he uses his ingredients in his food (you should watch him talk about spices, say some rare kind of pepper that he considers extra special, like a woman would about the newly acquired rock on her finger).
So here is a recipe that I adapted from one of his collections. Needless to say we all loved it.
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Roasted Red Pepper-Tomato Pesto Hummus

ot much of a story this time, just wanted to combine two of my favorite things in one i.e. pesto and hummus.

I love hummus. My love affair with hummus started a couple of years ago. Since then, I’ve made a few different types including of course the traditional hummus. Hummus means chickpea in Arabic. It only requires a few ingredients and about five minutes to make. It pairs wonderfully with fresh vegetables, pita bread, and pita chips. This is one snack that you don’t have to feel guilty about eating! 

Roasted red peppers add a delicious twist to hummus, plus they give it some extra nutrition. If you like hummus and if you like the sweet smoky flavor of red bell pepper you gotta try this. Now pesto - I am a die hard fan - love the concept, taste everything. It can jazz up everything- so today I added some left over homemade tomato pesto in the hummus and bingo - the creamy dip with a hint of mild smokiness and taste of bell peppers, some Indian spices, tanginess of the tomato pesto and the kick of lots of garlic and evoo... yummmmmmmmy... my kinda stuff!! Perfect for dipping. Also can be used as a spread for a savory sandwich. I love all kind of hummus as a dip with baked pita chips (which I am totally addicted to). You can also serve it with cut up veggies.

Here's how I make it.

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Assortment of Raitas

To me, raitas are yogurt done the right way. I can literally live off of them. Raita is actually a generic name of yogurt diluted to a given consistency, mixed with seasoning and any chopped or grated fruit or vegetable or even boondi (small fried gram flour balls). The idea is to have raw yogurt the main component of the dish. Raitas pack the nutrition of yogurt without being the boring old 'yogurt' besides being refreshing, tasty and extremely easy and versatile; what more can you ask for. It is an Indian accompaniment and goes very well with spicy Indian food. It is particularly served with Biryani and spicy Pulao.
I make raitas almost everyday as an accompaniment for our lunch. It has the ability to jazz up even the simplest of meals and can be whipped up in matter of minutes (sometimes even seconds, no kidding!). I prefer raita any day over plain yogurt. Here are a few of my favorites -

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Salsa and Guacamole

Anyone who has ever heard anything about Mexican food has definitely heard about Guacamole and Salsa. I of course heard about them when I came to the US a few years ago (seems forever already). Salsa clicked immediately as the flavors were so close to the ones I always loved. The tangy tomato 'chutney-like' taste with familiar seasonings like cumin, cilantro and garlic. Guacamole was a slightly different story. Now hubby's boss from work has an avocado tree in his backyard. You guessed it, hubby got a few as a present. He talked it up when he brought it home as a wonder fruit and how much he liked it just with salt and pepper and poor me I made the mistake of trying it that way. Absolutely hated it. So when I found out that guacamole was made of avocados, I decided never to try it. It stayed that way for quite a while until one hungry afternoon we ate a burrito at this cool mexican place. There was no going back. Since then I make it regularly. My little princess loves it so all the more reason.

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Artichoke Hummus

If you like hummus and if you like artichokes you gotta try this.. the creamy dip with a hint of mild tartness and taste of artichokes, some Indian spices, lots of garlic and olive oil.. yummy... my kinda stuff!! Perfect for dipping also can be used as bread spread. Heres how I make it.

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