UnPlanned results !

It all started with peeling garlic. My meditation this morning. That led to seeing the tomatoes, the red bell peppers, walnuts and the food processor came out. The peppers were charred. Sesame seeds and coriander was pounded and ground. The pickled dates and amla ( Indian gooseberry) were acknowledged. All this resulted in a beautiful paste/ dip.

Tomatoes, charred peppers,sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds,ground white sesame seeds, ground fenugreek seeds, ground coriander seeds,pickled dates and amla, garlic and lime. I added a few walnuts later.All tastes were balanced from the ingredients.

• 3 tomatoes
• 2 large red bell peppers, charred over open flame
• 1/2 cup sunflower and pumpkin seeds
• 3 tablespoons ground sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground fenugreek seeds( optional)
• 3 tablespoons ground coriander seeds
• 1 cup pickled dates and amla( vinegar - spice pickle aged 90 days)
• 6-8 large garlic cloves
• 1 lime juiced
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts( not in picture)

1. All ingredients except the lime was processed together to a fine paste. I like the gritty texture and feel. if you want a smooth paste, soak nuts, seeds and ground spices in 1/2 cup water for at least 30 minutes and grind in a high power blender.
2. Finish paste with lime juice. 

Note: This required no added salt but you can definitely season to your taste .

This yielded  3 1/4 cups approximately.

Enjoy !

The Joy of making Paneer ( Indian Pot Cheese)

Rosemary paneer!

On this beautiful Monday morning, I decided to make rosemary paneer to honor the friendship of my friend Ryan. Many moons ago he introduced me to rosemary infused milk. This one's for you Ryan!

• 1  quart whole milk
• 1 quart half and half
• 2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar
• 3-4 sprigs of rosemary ( 4-5 inches length)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• cheesecloth

1. Heat the milk and half and half in a saucepan. Frequently stir so that the milk solids do not burn at the bottom of the pan.
2. Just before milk comes to a boil add the rosemary sprigs and salt. Lower the heat as soon as the mixture boils. Stir so that it does not boil over.Simmer a minute to infuse the milk and add the acid to curdle the milk. Allow the mixture to come to a boil for a minute.
3. The whey should look clear and not milky. 
4. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and strain. I saved the top part of the sprig . Now, lift and fold the cheesecloth around the paneer and place under a weight to drain more of the whey out. 
5. I needed a disc like shape and kept the paneer under weight for about three hours.
6. Peel the cheesecloth. Cut and use as desired.
7. I was inspired to make a Caprese Salad with a twist. Rosemary paneer, tomatoes, mint and touch of chaat masala !!

This is the underbelly of the rosemary paneer!

I don't have a label for this cooking . This is where I am . Many influences. Many adoptions. Many adaptations. Many moods. Many Tastes. Mostly progressing forward on the path into the journey!!!

Enjoy!

CAULIFLOWER 1 2 3 !!

The Minimalist cauliflower

This dish is simple and tasty.

• 1 medium sized head of cauliflower, cut into florets , stem and leaves included, washed 
• 4 Tablespoons cooking oil of choice ( olive, coconut, mustard or ghee)
• 3 Tablespoons heaped coriander powder
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes ( fresh or canned)
• 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 lemon juiced
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup water

1. In a small bowl mix the water, coriander powder, black pepper and turmeric . Let sit aside.
2. Heat a large pan. Add the oil. Keep heat medium low.  Add the water and spice paste and cook for about 2-3 minutes. 
3. Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir. Put a lid on and cook on low heat for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add cauliflower and salt. Stir well till all the cauliflower gets coated with the spice paste and tomatoes. Cover and cook 6-8 minutes, stirring once or twice in between. Check tenderness of cauliflower. The last couple of minutes cook without covering.
5. Finish with a splash of the lemon juice. This dish can be enjoyed hot or at room temperature .

Enjoy!

Cilantro Cucumber Dip!

The cooking today was inspired by minimalism and availability of ingredients on hand. The perfect combination. This dip or chutney is simple and versatile in its use.

1 medium size cucumber, rough chopped

2 bunches of cilantro, washed 

1 teaspoon of fresh ginger- turmeric paste ( optional)

3 Tablespoons of almond butter

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1/8 teaspoon vanilla powder

1 Tablespoon Amla ( Indian gooseberry) powder ( optional )

2 limes juiced ( add 1 more if not using amla

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder 

• Put everything in the food processor and grind to desired dip consistency.

Enjoy as:

• Dressing for pasta or noodle salad
• Spread on sandwiches
• Sauce for grilled fish,chicken or vegetables
• Potato or cauliflower salad for picnics
• Sauce for tacos

Reaffirms that Simple is tasty. Less is better. 

Indian Rice Lentil casserole !Simple ! Easy ! Tasty !

A one pot lentil- rice casserole with a flavor inspired by South India ! An easy meal that satisfies traditional tastes.

1 cup Basmati rice, rinsed and strained

1 medium ,yellow onion, peeled , sliced fine

3 cups cooked Chana dal ( Bengal Gram lentils ) substitute split peas, garbanzo or black eye peas

1 small cauliflower, prepped into small flowerettes

1/2 bunch cilantro , washed, chopped, for garnish

3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped

3 tablespoons ghee or oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon  fenugreek seeds

8-10 curry leaves

1 tablespoon turmeric powder

2 dried red chilies ( optional )

1 large lemon , juiced

Salt to taste

2 cups water, hot

• Heat a Dutch oven. Add ghee and temper spices in sequence starting with the whole chilies,  mustard, cumin and fenugreek.
• Toast in ghee till for 2-3 minutes till they snap, crackle and pop!
• Add curry leaves and turmeric. Then add the onions and ginger and sauté for about 5-6 minutes.
• Add the rice and sauté it with the mixture for about two minutes .
• Now add the cooked lentils, cauliflower , salt and the hot water.
• Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer till water is almost absorbed.( 10-15 minutes)
• Cover tightly.  Shut the heat and do not open the pot for 30 minutes.
• Fluff the mixture and finish off with the lemon juice and cilantro!

Enjoy with cucumber raita, papad and favorite Indian pickle.

Realize the Value not just the price !

This creamy Cauliflower soup is made from the cast off trimmings that typically end up in the compost ! In cooking mindfully and Divinising the food , the cauliflowers encompassed so much more! I am filled with gratitude in recognizing it always !

Stalks and leaves of 4 medium sized cauliflowers 1 large potato, peeled, quartered Smoked salt for seasoning to taste( 1.5 - 2 teaspoons) 1/2 gallon( approximately, )water 1/4 teaspoon saffron strands or one large pinch( optional) 1 lemon

In a large Dutch oven, bring all ingredients to a boil. Simmer for at least 35-40 minutes. Blend till smooth . Add more liquid to get soup consistency of choice. Finish with a splash of lemon juice.

Find a sunny corner. Ladle into bowl. Be grateful! Savour!!

WTF!#* Turnip Tapas

These began with pure inspiration and creativity. A by product of Mindfulness in the kitchen!

6 medium turnips, peeled and sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons mustard seeds, yellow , brown or black A pinch of saffron...6-8 strands 1 level tablespoon of paprika 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar Salt to taste

Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and toast them a couple of minutes till they snap, crackle and pop in sound and release a nutty aroma. Add the saffron and toast a minute. Now add the turnips , paprika and salt. Stir well. Cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes till turnips are tender. Finish off with the vinegar and cook another minute or so to dry off the liquid.

Serve garnished with cilantro or parsley! Here they were served with a plum grilling jam and spiced amaranth!

ABUNDANT SELF of the plum trees!

.

The plum tree in our backyard is following its true selfless nature of bearing fruit. It provides the foragers, the birds and squirrels and yes, us! Thankful for the Abundant tree a plum , vanilla, honey butter is born. Cooking the plums for hours over a medium low heat is an amazing experience if you let it BE ! The whole house was fragrant with tones of plums and vanilla and then honey. There was a heightened sense of awareness especially for the nose and the eyes. As the plums cooked their color and smell changed. The added caramelization and reduction added a richness . A truly MiNDFUL exercise. Here is the intuitive recipe:

8-10 cups plums ( 7-8 pounds approximately ), washed well 2-3 cups honey depending on the sweetness desired 4 vanilla beans slit

Place plums in a large pot. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil on medium heat. Lower heat and keep on simmer for about an hour and a half, gently stirring every 20 minutes or so. The plums were truly mushy and falling apart. Let them cool and fish out the pits that had sort of settled at the bottom. To get a smooth texture , put the plums through the food mill. They , then went back into the pot with the vanilla beans in. Once again, simmering on a low heat and this time being stirred every 10-15 minutes. You don't want them to be charred at the bottom. I enjoyed the stirring as i am a follower of the traditional principle of transferring the cook' s energy and intention to the food. This was my loving energy in the plum butter in the making. If you don't have the time this can be done in the slow cooker/ crock . After several hours( almost 5 hours for me ) the mush had thickened and it was time to sweeten it. Whether you add honey or sugar , you will need to cook again on low heat for 15-20 minutes at least. Cool and Jar! Share and Enjoy!

Yield :1/2 to 3/4 gallon depending on the consistency!

Birthing a WRACO !!

Could not make up my mind about this being a wrap or a taco ! The WRACO was born!

1 pack, organic, extra firm tofu, sliced 12-14 corn tortillas 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce of choice or homemade 1 cup salad greens of choice 2 avocados 1 small red onion, chopped 1 pint cherry tomatoes , halved 3 limes, juiced 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 2 Serrano chilies, chopped fine ( optional) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Salt Pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon toasted, cumin seed powder ( optional)

In a pan, simmer the tofu slices and BBQ sauce, till thick and it almost oats the slices.(15-20 minutes approximately) In a mason jar add the oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin powder and shake a few minutes. Place the greens, avocados, onions, tomatoes, chilies and cilantro in a bowl. When ready to assemble the taco or wrap , add the dressing and toss well.

To ASSEMBLE ! Put about half a cup of the salad in the middle of a warm corn tortilla . Top with a couple of slices of tofu. Wrap and fold ! ENJOY!

Makes about 6-8 servings !

Hum hum hummus !

Have you heard your Garbanzos snap, crackle, pop??If you soak them, hear them !!

They were slow cooked for about 2 hours! About 4 cups cooked garbanzo beans 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 large clove garlic 1 large, juiced lemon 1/4 cup tahini All lovingly blended till smooth.

Bowled

Spring ! Spring! Sprung !

Seasons and Time have a way of surprising us! Just the other day I was Happy New Year- ing !! Of course I knew that winter would end , no matter the temperatures in California, and yet here I am into Spring! I am not ready but who cares..SPRING has SPRUNG upon us . So, I surrender to it. A walk through the Farmer's Market and my bags are filled with citrus , three different colors of cauliflowers and asparagus that is sweet and tender! Baby portabellos, nestled next to garlic chives and you know The Poetry goes on!

So the intention to RE Balance my life is on. And how do I do this ? SIMPLY - FIVE

1. Being present in every moment.

2. Being Accepting of Me.

3. Being Grateful ! No matter what.

4. Being Joy and sharing it.

5. Being Thankful of every moment.

For the Solar calendar this is the joyous New Year and I choose this time to simplify by Simply-Five !

Did you think this would not translate into the kitchen?

My Spring Bowl of Cauliflower with Paanch Phoron! The Five spice blend of Bengal.... Cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seeds and fenugreek seeds.

2 cauliflowers, cut into flowerettesq, washed and rinsed 3 tablespoons of the five spice mix(Paanch Phoron ) 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium lemons, juiced Salt to taste Cracked pepper to taste

Heat a large pan on medium heat. Add the oil. Keep the heat low as you do not want the olive oil to reach smoking point. Add the spices to the oil and gently toast them till you hear some Snap! Crackel! Pop! Add the cauliflower and salt. Raise the heat to medium high. Toss the cauliflower pieces well. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove lid and toss the cauliflower. Check for done ness. You want them to be fork tender . Cook for a few more minutes without the lid . When done, remove to another bowl. Add the pepper and lemon juice. Toss well and serve. This can be served hot, warm, at room temperature and chilled! If using 2 cauliflowers for their color, this will serve at least 8-10 servings!

Spring is in the air !

We have had the winter to hibernate and reflect on. Now we awaken, reNew! reEnergize and reInvent ourselves into action. A walk to through the Farmers market has indications of spring everywhere.

Keep it Simple Asparagus !

3 bunches of spring asparagus 2 large lemons, juiced 1 cup of green and black olives, I kept them whole 6 large cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped 3 tablespoons of olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash and cut off the woody bottoms of the asparagus. 2. Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit . 3. Place asparagus spears in baking sheet. Drizzle the oil. Add the olives and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. 4.place in hot oven for 12-14 minutes. 5. Add lemon juice and serve. Good, hot or cold or at room temperature.

Don't kill them !

I am always bothered about making strawberry jam! We take the farm fresh, vitamin loaded strawberries. Then add sugar and cook and cook and cook till we have jam for the year !! This process unfortunately kills a lot of the nutrients and ends up with too much sugar! Here is my 5 minute method of fresh tasting, healthy strawberry jam!

1 Cup fresh strawberries, washed and hulled 2 Tablespoons chia seeds

Put the two ingredients in the blender. Purée. Refrigerate for several hours to gel. Enjoy! This jam will need to be refrigerated . Uses:

I love having this in my breakfast cereal. Make your own fruit yogurt by adding a dollop to your plain yogurt. Great with scones. Makes a great strawberry vinaigrette.

Need I go on.

Lavender kissed chocolate balls !!

 

The idea of creating these chocolate balls came from several sources. Lavender is in full bloom. In India there is a popular milk based dessert called "peda". And then there is dark chocolate!

So these delicious lavender kissed chocolate balls take shape.

Intuitive recipe

1 # fresh ricotta or homemade paneer ( Indian pot cheese) 6-7 ounces 70% dark chocolate Organic and Fair Trade preferred 1 1/2 cups almond meal 1/3 cup organic, raw sugar 1/2 teaspoon crushed lavender

1. Place ricotta in a heavy bottomed pan. On medium heat cook the ricotta for a few minutes. Add the sugar and keep cooking till the mixture thickens and begins to pull in from the sides of the pan. 2. Add the chocolate in small chunks. Keep stirring till the chocolate has melted and mixed evenly. 3. Add the lavender . Shut the heat and mix thoroughly. 4. Cool the mixture. Form into balls and refrigerate.

This makes about 20-24 balls.

Enjoy !

What Pride !!

It is truly a Pride weekend in San Francisco , Bay area !!! inspired to make a Pride Salad! Purple rice, millet, red bell peppers, zucchini, carrots , fresh mango and fennel. It is proudly dressed with  preserved lemons and flax seed oil !!

Beat the heat !!

Namaste Hello All! Nostalgic food! When the heat hits !  I crave for the salted lassi ! So, while I am walking down memory lane, I am also walking in my backyard gathering a few mint leaves .

This was my lassi today !

2 cups plain, low fat yogurt

5 cups water

2 cups ice cubes

10-12 large leaves mint

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground, toasted cumin seeds

Blend all ingredients . Enjoy !!

Gluten-free amaranth risotto

Risotto is a wonderful side dish for chicken, porkchops, grilled fish or a pot of lentils. And amaranth is a tasty and nutritious grain, with higher protein and fiber than the traditionally used arborio rice. Thus, this is a great spicy and gluten free version that will hit the spot at your dinner table.

Amaranth Risotto

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Amaranth
• 6 cups water or stock of choice
• 4 cups packed baby spinach
• 3 cups lightly steamed broccoli florets
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add a dash more or less, depending on your heat preference)
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup pine nuts*

Method:

• In a large saucepan, bring liquid to a boil. Add the amaranth, spices and salt. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 - 25 minutes. Be sure to stir at least twice during this time to make sure the amaranth does not stick to the bottom.
• Toast the pine nuts, lightly. You can dry toast them on low heat in a pan or in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit .
• Once the amaranth is done, add the spinach, cheese and broccoli. You'll know it's done because the liquid will be absorbed and the grains will be tender and chewy.
• Serve hot  in a bowl and top with the pine nuts.

*Pine nuts are expensive, but don't let that hold you back from adding a crunch to your risotto. Toasted walnuts or slivered almonds work wonders. Allergies? Croutons work, too.