Black Eyed Peas (Lobia) Fritters

Black eyed peas fritters are very special festival delicacy in our native place, (rayalaseema) region. My mom used to make these fritters as a holiday snack or festivals like Ugadi and Sankranthi and served with Mutton curry or Coconut chutney (for vegetarians). It’s a lot of work for her, especially those non grinder days, soaking these black eyed beans, removing the shells and the grind by using stone mill.  But the sweet aroma the scrumptious taste and the way we love these fritters, she used to take an extra pain to make these for us. I still remember I always roam around her, and eat the raw batter and get stomach ache all night long…. Well.. now, when ever I see these dried beans in grocery stores, I simply remember my childhood memories.  As a single woman, I definitely need audience to give company for such special items.  In general, most of my friends are all health freaks. They only prefer eating salads, and quinoa…ofcourse I am sure they love these fritters also, if I say I mix quinoa and oats with black eyed beans…. But I can’t lie… well…now, my dad is with me. So all my experiments are on my dad. He loves these fritters… and this is for his snack today with goat curry… After eating these, my dad said, I made just like my mom…. Ahhhh… he made my day…. So…. Here is my recipe to you all… hope you also give a try and enjoy…

Ingredients:
Dried Black eyed peas - 2 cups (Wash and Soak in water over the night or for 7-8 hours)
Rice – 1 tbl spoon (Optional)

Ginger – ½ inch or a small piece
Green Chilies – 2 or As per taste
Coriander Leaves – 2 tbl spoons ( Chopped into small pieces)
Onion – 1 small (Peel, and chop into small pieces)
Curry Leaves – 5 to 6 leaves (Thinly chopped into small pieces)
Salt – as per taste
Cumin Seeds – 1 tbl Spoon (Optional)
Oil – 2 Cups (Or  sufficient Oil to Fry)

Preparation Method:

Wash and Soak Black Eyed Peas and Rice in water over the night or around 8 hours. Drain the water completely.  Add green chilies, Ginger and Salt to the peas and Grind to Coarse Paste. Take two spoons of Coarse Paste aside, and grind the rest into smooth paste. Add little water only if required. The consistency of l the mixture should be like Vada Mixture. Add Chopped Onions, Coriander Leaves, Curry Leaves and Cumin Seeds to the mixture. Mix well, adjust the salt if required.

Pour Oil into a pan, let it bring to piping hot and then bring it to medium hot.  Take the mixture into small lemon size round, Press it like Vada or Patti Shape, Put a hole in the middle of Vada if you like, or press in the middle.  Place these vada s / pattis in oil,  fry till these vada s get golden brown color.  Serve Hot with Mutton(Goat) Curry or Coconut Chutney or any of your fav. Chutneys. I will post the Goat Curry recipe later.  Hope you enjoy !!!

Crispy Cabbage Fritters (Cabbage Pakoras)

Crispy Cabbage Fritters:

Some days are so tiring. Today is one such tired busy day with doing nothing. Weather is also not so good, its so gloomy, Cloudy, making me feel more dull.  The more I feel dull, the more I cook. Cooking is kind of meditation to me, and bring my energies and focus back. I want to make something quick, and something spicy crispy pakoras. When I forced myself to step into the Kitchen, I realized that there are no onions… Booom…. Dull face again…opened the fridge, and saw a big cabbage waving hand to me…jump…. Swap Onion with Cabbage, and here is Crispy Cabbage Fritters…

Preparation & Cooking Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:
Cabbage – 1 big slice of cabbage, washed and sliced into thin, 1 inch pieces
Green chilies – 2 Medium spice, Wash and Chop into small pieces
Chickpea flour / Besan Flour – 1 cup
Rice Flour – 1 tbl spoons
Salt – as per taste
Jeera / Cumin Seeds – 1 tbl spoon (Optional)
Ginger  Garlic Paste – 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder (Optional) – ½ tsp (as per taste)
Curry Leaves – few (As per taste)
Oil – to deep Fry

Preparation Method: Take Besan flour in a bowl, Add Rice Flour, Salt, cumin seeds, chopped green chillies, Ginger Garlic paste, Cabbage, Curry Leaves to the bowl.  Heat a spoon of oil, and add to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients well with fingers. Make sure the batter is little hard, not a smooth paste. The batter should just coat the cabbage. Add just few drops of water if required. Make sure the flour is not watery. Watery mix turns soggy or soft pakoras, not the crisp ones.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Once the oil turns hot, reduce it to medium flame. I prefer using fingers to make a small fritters, and drop the fritters in oil. You can use a small spoon of batter and drop the batter in oil. Deep fry till it turns golden brown color.  Once its done, remove the fritters, place on paper towel to remove the excess oil.  Enjoy the Yummy hot fritters (Pakoras) with any ketchup or Tomato Chutney with a hot coffee/ tea. 

Methi Chicken (Chicken with Fenugreek Leaves)

Life became super busy, busy for nothing. Trying my best to bring my sensitivity, energy and taste back to normal during my hectic schedule. This recipe is simple chicken with big bunch of fenugreek leaves (Methi Leaves). Fenugreek leaves are one of my favorite veggies, I simply love the health benefits , taste and aroma of the leaves. Cooking chicken is really interesting to me. The more I experiment, the more flavorful Chicken I make. The style in cooking chicken make the difference in its taste.  

Preparation Method: Simple, Easy

Preparation Time: 30  mins

Ingredients: Chicken – 2 lbs (with bone and skin removed)
Onion – 1 medium (Peel, cut into small pieces)
Ginger Garlic paste – 1 spoon
coriander powder – 2 spoons
Salt – as per taste
Turmeric – ½ spoon
Red Chilli powder – 1 spoon (or as per taste)
Oil – 4 spoons
Tomato – 1 (Wash, Chop into small cubes)
Methi Leaves – 1 big bunch (Separate the leaves and wash in cold water)

Preparation Method: Apply Salt and Turmeric to chicken and wash in cold water. Take oil in a pan, heat the oil. Add chopped onion to the oil, fry till onions get light golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste, fry for a min. Add chicken, add Coriander Powder, Turmeric, Salt, Red Chilli powder to chicken and mix well. Cook on medium flame for 10 mins by covering the lid. Add Methi leaves to chicken. Mix well, cook for 5-10 mins till the leaves get browned. Add chopped tomato, add water if required. Cover the lid, Let the mix simmer for 10-15 mins on medium flame till it gets thickened. Stir occasionally. The more chicken simmers in the gravy, the more it taste better. Switch off the flame, and enjoy the curry with hot rice or roti. 

Chunky Watermelon Salsa

Its so hot this evening. Absolutely I don’t feel like cooking or staying in kitchen. For me, Summer means a season for fresh, simple, quick easy no cook food. After coming home from work, I feel like having something little crunchy, tangy, sweet etc., etc., and I also love to bring more colors on my plate. So I made this for my evening snack.

Preparation Method: Simple, Easy

Preparation Time: 10-15  mins

Ingredients:

Watermelon – ¼ slice (Preferably seedless)
Green, Yellow or Red Bell Peppers – ½ piece each (I used multiple colors, you can use only one as your choice)
Jalapeno Pepper – 1  (Make a slit and remove the seeds and chop into small pieces)
Mango – Peel and dice into small cubes (I used a small piece of mango)
Avocado – ½  piece ( Remove the shell and seed, chop into small cubes)
Red Onion – ¼ piece
Mozarella cheese – 3 small (Optional)
Salt – ½ spoon or as per taste
Fresh ground pepper – ½ spoon
Lime – ½
Basil Leaves – 2 or 3 (for garnishing)

Preparation Method:
Remove the outer part, Slice and dice the watermelon into small chunky cubes. Rinse Bell Peppers. Cut and Remove the seeds, Slice into small cubes. Make a slit in Jalapeno Pepper, Remove the seeds in slice into small cubes. Peel Mango, cut into small cubes. Remove the shell and seed in Avacado, chop into small cubes. Peel the skin of Red Onion, chop into small cubes. Tear mozzarella cheese into small pieces. Mix all the chopped fruit and veggies in the bowl. Add mozzarella cheese, Salt and Pepper into the bowl. Squeeze the lemon. Add chopped Basil Leaves. Toss it. That’s it. A chunky, Colorful, healthy, fresh salsa ready. You can have it as a salad or a side of roti or Tortilla chips or breadsticks or a Side of any Protein (Chicken or Meat). 

Keep Salsa in fridge if you make the salsa ahead of party. Serve it cold.  

Mini Egg Muffins

Super Duper easy breezy breakfast recipe I found for myself. For Myself…Yeah… Sometimes my mornings are so crazy, especially when I get up little late, but still crave for super yummy delicious breakfast before I step into my hectic schedule. I found this recipe is a super easy, can do many things in parallel, no need to stay in kitchen, yet can enjoy the healthy, tasty breakfast.  I thought of sharing this for kids too… Yep, most of the kids like Egg and Toast.  They may get bored of same stuff daily.  Changing the shape and structure, and put few colors, and add veggies to it,  make them feel good, interesting to eat healthy.  You can just use any vegetables that you have in fridge, and any cheese as Kids like. I prefer No cheese for me… so here is the recipe with veggies what I have for today.

What you need: A Muffin Tray

Preparation Time: 5-10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients: Eggs – 3 eggs
Milk – 1 tbl spoon (Optional)
Potatoes – 1 – Peel, Chop into small cubes (You can also use frozen hashbrown potatoes)
Mushrooms – 1 small cup
Spinach – 1 small cup ( I used fresh spinach, Pls Thaw when you use frozen)
Red Bell Pepper – A Small piece, Chop into small cubes
Green Bell Pepper – A Small piece, Chop into small cubes
Onion – 1 small (Peeled, and Chop into small pieces)
Butter or Oil  – 1 spoon
Cooking Spray – to grease the muffin tray
Salt- as per taste
Black crushed Pepper- As per taste
Cheese – Optional (Please use grated cheese what ever kids like)

Preparation Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tray with cooking spray. Heat a skillet, add butter, add all veggies, add salt and Pepper, Saute for 2 mins. In a large bowl, add eggs, little salt and pepper, add milk, whisk it together. Spoon the sautéed vegetables in muffin cups, and pour the egg mixture on top the veggies till half of the muffin cup.  Sprinkle the cheese on top of egg mixture.  Note, eggs puff up little bit, so make sure you pour only till ½ of the muffin cup. Let it bake for 10-15 mins (Depending on the oven) or till it turns golden on edges.  You can also test with toothpick or fork. Insert a tooth pick or fork in the middle of muffin, muffins are done when the toothpick comes out clean. Serve the kids with a side of toast or a fruit. 
Tip: You can make it as a party appetizer or you can also make it as batch, keep it in fridge and serve by heating in a microwave for the next day.

Roasted Veggie Frittata:

Roasted Veggie Frittata:

“They eat all this egg, fruits, cereals, milk, bread toast’ …..When my friend said about kids preferences, I simply decided to make few easy simple things with those ingredients. It is a perfect easy recipe for a group of people without spending longer hours for kitchen. I used the vegetables which are in my fridge. You can use any kind of vegetable as per your choice.  Being a working woman, I prefer very easy recipes and prefer the cooking to be simple, quick yet healthy and delicious.

Additional Equipment You need: Cast Iron Skillet or any over-safe skillet.  (I used 8 inches round pan)

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 10-15 mins
Serving Size: 2 people

Ingredients:
Eggs – 2  large
Potato – 1 small size – Peeled, Cubed into small pieces
Onion – 1 small- peel and chop into small pieces
Red Bell Pepper – ½ or a small piece , Seeded and diced into small pieces
Green Bell Pepper – ½ or  a small piece, seeded and diced into small pieces
Scallions – 1 small- washed and diced into small pieces
Asparagaus – 3 small
Oil – 2 table spoons
Butter – 1 table spoon
Salt – as per taste
Freshly ground Black Pepper – ½ tea spoon or as per taste
Parmesan Cheese – 1 spoon – Optional


Preparation Method: Preheat over at 350 degrees. Heat the Skillet, Drizzle Oil, place all the chopped vegetables, sprinkle salt and pepper. Fry for two mins. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add little salt and little pepper to egg mixture. You can also add grated parmesan cheese. Pour the egg mixture on top of the vegetables, let it cook for 2 mins withoiut stirring. Place the skillet into oven, and let it cook for 10-15 mins.  Remove from oven, serve hot.

Breakfast for Kids

I don’t have kids. Well, I am single, so all my recipes are only related to my own appetite and my own passion in trying to new techniques to satisfy my stomach cravings. It just happened that few of my close friends kids turned 4, and my friends repeatedly mentioned how fussy the kids are in eating breakfast, how difficult for them to enjoy vegetables…I also met someone who is so special, also need of some good recipes for the kids (I think so, but I am not sure)… so I thought of exploring few creative and delicious, healthy recipes for kids. Yes, I don’t have kids, there is no one sit next to me for dining, enjoy or comment or waste the food etc..etc.. But how does it matter as long you have heart to see what kids want… so, friends, here you go, few recipes are for you. Try for your kids…hope they enjoy…these recipes are for naughty, cuty, cranky, chubby, lovely kids….