Category Archives: Sides
Spinach Polenta
2 tablespoons olive oil- ½ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 1 cup chopped and thawed (frozen) spinach, excess water squeezed
- 1 cup fine polenta
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 cups broth
- ½ cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
- Salt
Heat a medium saucepan with olive oil. Add the pine nuts and raisins and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the milk and the broth and bring to a boil. Slowly add the polenta while stirring constantly. Cook according to box instructions. Add the cheese and check for seasonings. Serve with shrimp.
Sicilian Caponata
1 cup mix of black and green olives, pitted
1 tablespoon capers
2 garlic cloves, peeled
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Juice on half a lemon
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ cup fresh parsley
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Puree all the ingredients, except the olive oil, salt and pepper, in a food processor until a paste is formed.
With the motor still running, stream in the oil until a smooth consistency if formed. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Turkish Style Bulgur Pilaf
Healthy and delicious!!
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Turkish tomato paste (or use regular tomato paste)
- 1 cup bulgur wheat (I used quick cooking bulgur from Trader Joes)
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons salt
Heat a medium saucepan with the olive oil. Add the tomato paste and cook on medium heat for a minute or two. I bought some Turkish tomato paste from Istanbul. I got the spicy kind, which has chilies in it- but regular tomato paste can be substituted. Add the bulgur and stir. Add the broth and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and let cook for 10 minutes. Turn heat off, fluff with fork and let sit for another 5 minutes. Check for seasonings and serve.
Sauteed Zucchini with Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves
- 3 medium zucchini, cut into ½ inch slices
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Juice of half a lemon
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Saute for 30 seconds on medium high heat or till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the zucchini slices and sauté on high heat 5-6 minutes, till the slices begin to brown. Add the salt, coriander powder and cayenne pepper. Mix well and turn the heat off. Add the lemon juice and check for seasonings before serving.
Roasted Brussels sprouts with Chorizo
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pack fresh Mexican chorizo, casings off and crumbled
- Salt
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Blanch the Brussels sprouts in boiling water, drain and put them into an ice bath to shock them and retain the color. Take out of the water and pat dry. Keep aside. This can be done a day before and refrigerated.
Heat a large skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the chorizo and cook on medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes till golden brown. Add the shallots and cook, stirring and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the pine nuts and cook for a minute. Add the Brussels sprouts to the mixture, mix well and cook for 5 to 6 minutes till the sprouts are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Garlic Cilantro Naans
This will be a great addition to the Diwali dinner…
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup full fat yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oil
- Extra all purpose flour
- Cast Iron Pan
Garlic Topping
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon onion seeds (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Mix the all the ingredients in a small bowl and keep aside.
In a large bowl, mix the flour baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Add the yogurt and mix well to make a soft dough. Add more flour if necessary making sure it is still soft but not sticky. Clean the bowl and rub the oil and return the dough to rest covered with a damp towel for an hour.
Divide the dough into 3 even balls, cover with some flour and roll out with a rolling pin into a oval shaped naan. In the meantime, heat a wide cast iron pan on a medium high heat. Apply a bit of water on one side of naan and place it on the pan with the water side down. Brush a third of the butter mixture on top and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or till the bottom part of the naan is golden brown. Take off the heat and place on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet under a medium heat broiler. Cook under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes or till the top of the nann is golden brown and cooked through. Serve warm.
Dal Makhani- Black Lentils with a Cream Sauce
Diwali is coming up and this is a must in our house… people typically make this lentil dish for a special occasion but it is so simple… you can make it any day you want… yum!
- 1 cup whole urad dal (black lentils)
- ¼ cup rajma (red kidney beans)
- ¼ cup channa dal (gram lentils)
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon ghee or butter
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 3 tablespoons half and half
In a pressure cooker or sauce-pan, add the urad dal, rajma, channa dal, water, crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, salt, cayenne pepper, coriander powder, turmeric and ghee. If using a pressure cooker, then close the lid and cook on high till the pressure is built, then turn the heat on low and cook for an hour. Turn the heat off, and take the lid off- check the consistency. The dal should be like a thick soup or a think stew. If there is excess liquid, then turn the heat on high and begin to evaporate the liquid. Add the garam masala and half and half. Cook till the dal reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasonings.
If using a sauce-pan, then bring the mixture to a boil and lower the heat, cook for at least 2 hours or till the lentils are soft and mushy. Add the garam masals and half and half. Cook till the dal reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasonings.