Brinjal Coins

Crispy but soft, pan fried brinjal/aubergine coins for tea-time
9/16/2016 10:42:06 PM vindhyadesai

Something to munch on during tea-time especially on a rainy lazy Sunday evening surely sounds like fun. Snacks with tea/coffee need not always be deep fried or dunked in a lot of oil and then fried. Snacks can be subtly made and they taste really good without the guilt of a lot of calories. Eggplant or big brinjal/aubergine is not an appreciated vegetable but if it is converted to a tasty, crispy, savoury snack it can be very delightful. I call these Brinjal Coins because they look like big gold coins with the beautiful golden yellow colour rendered by the addition of turmeric/haldi. This is one of the many simple snacks I have learnt from my mother. Enjoy these with your hot beverage or serve as a starter! Try other snacks/starters. ... “Brinjal Coins”

Beetroot and Potato Peel Crisps

Crispy, salty, beetroot and potato peels roasted chips
9/13/2016 10:56:18 PM vindhyadesai

Any part of a vegetable that is edible should be consumed in its organic form. Discarding good quality ingredients like stalks, peels, clean shoots or roots is probably a sin against Mother Nature and farmers. Consuming vegetables, fruits and greens in their purest organic form is the best way of eating them. Try to convert simple ingredients into nice, tasty and fancy eatables like the one here with beetroot and potato peels. Use organic ones and rinse them beforehand. These crisps will disappear in a jiffy and they are ready in a few minutes. Try other potato and beetroot recipes so you get to make these crisps by saving the peels! These are also a healthy alternative to deep fried, oversalted chips. ... “Beetroot and Potato Peel Crisps”

Baked Gem Squash | Roasted Gem Squash – South African style roasted squash

Sweet roasted gem squash with creamy corn filling – A South African vegetarian delicacy
08/18/2016 9:56:16 PM vindhyadesai

Another recipe, Dish 5 of World Cuisine Series and this time it is from the beautiful country of South Africa. Like I mentioned in the 1st post of world cuisine series, it is always best to eat and source vegetables that are available locally in season. For this recipe use any kind of small squash/pumpkin. The sweet flesh of a squash is very fibrous and is very tasty. It just melts in the mouth when baked/roasted. It is used differently in different types of cuisines. I have adapted this recipe from this blog. There are so many resources out there to learn about new cuisines and new dishes. Make this with any type of squash you can get your hands on and enjoy the flavours. It is gluten free and it can be made vegan by adding a vegan cheese or even skipping it, just roasted will be just as nice! Here I have used gem squash which is a green skinned, yellow fleshed squash(picture below) and is ideal to share for two. Eat the pulp/flesh of the squash and discard the hard/tough skin of the squash ... “Baked Gem Squash | Roasted Gem Squash – South African style roasted squash”

Roasted Mung Dal | Huride Hesrubele | Roasted Moong Dal

Bakery style crisp roasted mung dal
08/06/2016 10:52:47 PM vindhyadesai

Hurigaalu (roasted pulses and seeds) like peas, mung dal(hesaru bele), chana dal(kadale bele), chick peas, mung beans, avre kaalu(hyacinth beans) etc. are signature snacks of a typical Bangalore-Mysore (South Karnataka) bakery or condiment store. A special mention must go to ‘Subbamma Stores’ an old and famous condiment store in Bangalore, they make the most amazing crisp and traditional snacks (kurukulu tindi). Their hurigaalu is one of the best one can get. I have always wanted to make hurigaalu at home and mung dal particularly is my favourite as they are small, crisp and the masala coats really well. There are 3 cooking techniques involved in making this, soaking, blanching, roasting. Follow the times correctly for each process. ... “Roasted Mung Dal | Huride Hesrubele | Roasted Moong Dal”