Tasty Cabbage-Cucumber salad

A good salad is becoming an integral part of our daily meals for most people. Cucumber, carrot, tomato and onion are the most commonly vegetables to be used in everyday salads. However that tends to become boring and monotonous and all of look for a change, that is simple to put together, tasty and nutritious. Cabbage, cucumber and peanut salad is perfect to be had with lunch.

Ingredients                                               

1 small cabbage (200 grams)

1 cucumber

50 grams peanuts (roasted and shelled)

2 tblsp Olive oil

1-2 tblsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pinch sugar (optional)

Few Mint leaves (optional)

Method

Wash and finely shred the cabbage. Peel the cucumber and cut into small pieces. In a salad bowl, put chopped cabbage and cucumber. Add peanuts and all other ingredients, mix well and serve chilled. Garnish it with mint leaves.

MamaGoto - Should you Go To ?

In the last two weeks I have taken two groups of friends to MamaGoto, the Asian food restaurant on Hill Road Bandra, because they wanted to have Chinese/Asian cuisine and MamaGoto is conveniently located being close to home. On one occasion we went on a weekday afternoon and on second occasion on a Monday night, both being not very busy times. But on both occasions the service was rather slow and the staff confused. However on the food front some dishes were very good and the others average. I particularly liked their clear veg soup, egg fried rice and the mixed vegetables in schezwan sauce. The starter which was a Momo in shape of a spring roll was quite disappointing and so was the hot and sour soup. If you are looking for a place to have a relaxed evening and some light and tasty food, try MamaGoto but make sure you have a lot of time and go early as they don't take reservations.

Tasty Cheesy Bread Rolls !!

Last evening, soon after I got back from a day trip to Pune, I got a call from a friend that she was coming to my locality and would drop by at my place, I asked her to join us for dinner. I needed to add some finishing touches to the meal that was cooked and ready and organize a starter quickly. Since it was a rainy evening, I thought of making tasty and easy to make bread and cheese rolls. Here's how I made them -

Ingredients:         

6 slices fresh bread (cut off all four edges of each slide)      
1 small bowl of milk or buttermilk
4 to 5 tbps grated cheese
1 small onion finely chopped
1 green chilly finely chopped
A few coriander leaves finely chopped
1/4 tsp pepper powder (optional)
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Procedure:

Put grated cheese, onion, chilly, coriander leaves and salt in a bowl and mix well to a thick paste. Pour the milk/buttermilk in a flat bowl/deep plate. Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai. When really hot, lower the flame, soak one bread slice in the milk/buttermilk quickly, squeeze out extra  milk, put a spoonful of the cheese onion paste in the centre and close the open edges by pressing the edges and giving it the shape of a roll. Slowly drop each roll into the hot oil and fry till all sides are evenly golden brown in color. Drain out the oil and remove the rolls on paper tissue. Serve hot with ketchup or coriander mint chutney.

P.S. You can substitute the cheese paste filling with potato and peas filling. 

Do share your comments and let me know how this simple but yummy recipe made your loved ones smile!

Chicken soup for the 'cold' !!!

The much awaited monsoon has finally hit Mumbai and as usual has  brought the colds and sore throats to Mumbaikars. There's nothing like a hot cup of chicken soup to perk you  up and help  fight the cold virus. It's easy to make and tastes great !

Ingredients             

3-4 fleshy  pieces of chicken
1 small onion
1 tspn coriander powder
1/4 to 1/2 tspn pepper powder
2-3 cloves
1 inch  piece cinnamon
Few strands of coriander leaves
Salt to taste
1/2 - 1 tspn corn flour -- optional
1 tspn butter  -- optional 


Method
In pressure cooker , put washed chicken pieces and finely chopped onion along with coriander powder , cloves and cinnamon . Add 2-3 cups of water and pressure cook for 7-10 mins after the first whistle. When cool, open cooker and take out the chicken pieces and debone the flesh. Add 1/3 of the chicken flesh back to the cooker and put the contents in a blender and blend well. Heat to boiling point Add salt and pepper powder and the remaining shredded chicken and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with garlic toast or bruschetta 

Optional : In case you like your soup thicker, after blending and while heating, you can put the butter and corn flour on a pan, saute it and add the soup to it and mix well. If you like the soup to be  more like a clear soup you can dilute by adding some boiling water.

Delicious Idli Upma !

I happened to have this delicious dish at a friend's place yesterday afternoon. It was something new I came across and so delicious that I got the recipe and tried it out today. Sharing the same with you all. So if you want to give your regular idlis a new twist do try this new recipe !!

Ingredients  

4 to 6 idlis (made the previous day)

1 small onion finely chopped

1/2 tsp udad dal

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

1 tsp chopped Kerala green chillies or regular chillies

8 to 10 curry leaves

2 tblsps oil

Method

Crumble idlis with the hand to pulp. Heat oil In a kadai. When hot, add udad dal and mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter, next add the chillies and curry leaves, lower the flame and add onion. Saute on low flame for a couple of minutes till onion is translucent. Add crumbled idlis, a pinch of salt and mix well. Cover the kadai and steam for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve in a glass bowl. You can garnish with chopped coriander leaves if you choose. This tastes good even when had cold.

Refreshing Mango Salad !

Was at a friend's place this afternoon playing bridge and along with a couple of hot snacks and tea, she served a very refreshing chilled Mango Salad, which was yummy and just perfect for the muggy weather we are experiencing in Mumbai. Mango salad is most simple to make and needs just a few ingredients. Here's how you can make it. 

Ingredients

1 large Badami Mango (Ripe but firm)

A  couple of tsps of fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp red chillie powder

1/4 tsp salt or to taste

10 to 15 mint leaves.

Procedure

Peel the mango and cut it into vertical strips like you would chop potatoes for french fries. Place the slices in a bowl. Sprinkle chillie powder, salt, lemon juice and finely chopped mint leaves. Mix well and arrange mango pieces nicely in a salad dish and chill for about 30 minutes. Serve  chilled with other snacks or a meal, or just by itself as a light filler in between meals. 

You may also ad a dash of pepper powder if you like.

Kiwi Quotient !!!

Over the weekend, I was invited to "Kiwi Quotient" an event hosted by Sofitel Hotel in association with New Zealand and Zespri Kiwi Fruit for food bloggers and food lovers. The event showcased the versatility of Kiwi in culinary creations and the distinctiveness of the new variety "Sun Gold Kiwi" which is yellow, sweeter and more juicy!

Not being a regular eater or an ardent fan of Kiwi fruit, I was not aware of it's multiple health benefits. It is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, improves digestion and a good source of folic acid. Diabetics too can enjoy it.

Chefs Indrajit and Prakash of Sofitel demonstrated for us in a Bar setting, how we could make some quick, simple and unique creations... Kiwi Bruschetta- a very unusual, but delicious version of Bruschetta; Kiwi Tam - a yummy and nutritious salad; an exotic cocktail- Kiwi Mania and a non alcoholic beverage - Kiwi Cooler!

Since I am a vegetarian, I tried both the vegetarian creations and gave them a thumbs up - the Bruschetta and Kiwi Cooler. Here's how you can make them too.

Kiwi Bruschetta 
Ingredients                                            

20 gms (4) French Baguette slices

50 gms Avacado

50 gms Kiwi Fruit

5 gms green chillies

10ml Lemon Juice

5 gms salt

30 gms Racket lettuce

10gms Parmesan cheese

5 gms coriander leaves

For garnish, Gojo berries or any other berries or cherry tomatoes.

Method:    

Cut the kiwi and avacado in small pieces and keep aside in a bowl

Chop the coriander, green chillies and mix with avacado and kiwi 

Add in salt and lemon juice

Slice the baguette and lightly toast them. Drizzle with olive oil.

Spoon out the mixture on the toasted baguette slice and garnish with a few berries.

KIWI COOLER                                                                           

Ingredients:

60 ml Fresh Kiwi Pulp

10  to 12  Fresh Mint leaves

30 ml Sour Mix ( 2 parts lime 1 part sugar)

Dash of Soda

Method:

Gently muddle mint leaves and add all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker.

Add ice cubes and shake it well. 

Pour it in a HI- Ball glass

Garnish with Fresh cut slice of kiwi and mint sprig.

The sour mix and mint leaves bring out the flavour  & refreshing appeal of this drink.

I also realised that since Kiwi has a very mild taste and flavour, adding stronger flavours like lemon, garlic , cheese accentuate the taste of the different  creations!