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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Chipotle Grill style Cilantro Lime Rice

imple yet fragrant and flavorful is the theme this time around on USMasala. Speaking of simple and flavorful reminds me of this really elegant rice preparation we often have at one of our local Mexican fast food joints. I am sure many of you have heard of Chipotle Mexican Grill and most of you are regulars as well like we are. If you haven't, it is a Mexican fast food chain that serves your usual burritos and tacos. The menu is really short and simple. The difference with them is what matters when it comes to food - fresh ingredients and bold flavors. Even their basic cilantro lime rice hits a note with the palate.
Wondering what I was doing eating rice at a Mexican fast food joint? Well here's how the story goes. Like I said, we often go to the place, have done for a while, but for the longest time I always had their salad bowl-no rice (who eats rice with salad, right?), hubs would order the burrito with no rice and we would get the kids meal for our little one. The kids meal came with a quesadilla, some cilatro rice and black beans and chips and guacamole on the side. This one time, when kiddo was not up for eating the rice, I gave it a try and that is when the discovery was made. Here's a tip for you, never underestimate the power of bold flavor, however simple the dish may be.
Of course you need to pair this rice with a side. I made their black beans as well. That's to be shared soon. For now you can pick any of the other curries on USMasala and enjoy.

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Jalapeno Pickle

 Jalapeños are a pod type of Capsicum used for many Mexican and Spanish recipes best to preserve pickled  tasty jalapenos pickles adds wonderful flavor to sandwich and other traditional mexican foods.

Jalapenos can be found in various super markets in Bangalore...I would recommend namdharis for fresh jalapenos available year round.

Ingredients:
200 Grams Jalapenos
4 Tbsp Coarse Salt
450 ML Vinegar
We also need 2 to 3 Sterilized bottles

Method:

• Wash the Jalapenos and pat dry with a clean cloth.
• Spread the chili on a dry cloth or plate allow to air dry.

• Cut the chili into coins.

• Fill the chili in to clean sterile bottles.
• Make sure you make few extra bottles of  pickle they make wonderful gifts for friends.

• Fill the top with salt.
• Add vinegar and close the lid place in a dark place for 3weeks. best served after 3 months...:)

Lajawab Chicken (Tortilla Lajawab)

Wishing Everyone Happy New Year...!!!

I found this chicken lajawab recipe on corn flour box seemed to be pretty simple and wanted to give it a go I was totally not prepared for this post but filmed it anyway it turned out really well this recipe is so simple with less number of ingredients as per the taste test it tastes like chicken kabab  and also like tandoori chicken the marinate or coating sticks really well to the chicken while frying the recipe however asks for deep frying since i used boneless chicken i shallow fried turned out really good...:)

Ingredients:
250 Grams Chicken Breast
1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Medium Onion
1 Tbsp Chilly Powder
1 Tbsp Garam Masala
1/2 Lime
Corn Flour
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

• Cut the breast into strips wash twice pat dry reserve in a bowl.

• Peel one medium onion rinse in water add to a mixerjar and grind to a smooth paste with out adding any water.

Marinate:

• In a bowl add the cut chicken strips, garam masala, onion paste, lime juice and salt mix well  cover and allow to marinate for 4 to 5 hours in refrigerator.

Lets Prepare:

• Roll the chicken strips in cornflour and remove excess cornflour from the chicken.
• Heat a pan with 4 to 5 tbsp oil and shallow fry the chicken turn the chicken every 5 minutes. once the chicken is well done drain the excess oil on a paper towel and serve hot with hot sauce...enjoy..:)

To prepare tortilla lajawab:

Tortilla 1 packet

3 Bell Peppers 

1 Large Onion

1 Tsp Chilly Flakes

1/4 Tsp Pizza seasoning & Basil
Ready to use Garlic Spread
Salt to taste

If you stay in Bangalore these tortilla wraps are sold in Thomas bakery wheeler road  Frazer town located in cantonment.

• Slice the bell peppers and onion and saute in a pan with a dash of salt, chilly flakes, pizza seasoning and basil saute till bell peppers soften a bit. 

• Heat  the tortilla in microwave for 2 minutes.

• Spread the garlic sauce on the tortilla place the bellpepper half way on the tortilla place the chicken strips on the bell pepper and wrap the tortilla serve hot enjoy...:)

Video Recipe in English...:)

One resolution I have made, and try 

always to keep, is this: To rise above 

the little things.

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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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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Baked Falafel pita sandwich

I had my first taste of falafel a few years ago.. taking the first bite I just thought it was very close to indian fritters, crispy n yum. I was also getting faint taste of coriander n cumin, I liked it.. very much.. looked for the recipe on the net... found out that despite having so many healthy ingredients chickpeas, cilantro, garlic, spices, these little beauties are best deep fried... ahhh! The obvious thought struck me 'will they taste as good if I bake them instead?' And then I tried it and to my delight they turned out great, crispy, healthy n tasty. Not having to deal with the mess of frying is an added bonus. I often make these for weekend lunches, just mix and blend all the ingredients and bake, stuff inside a whole wheat pita pocket, pour some hummus, cut some veggies, done. Wholesome and hearty... and did I tell you, guilt free. My hubby, he loves it when I come up with these ideas :-) I also add some indian masala to add a desi twist!

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