Tag: mustard seeds
Keema Mattar (Ground Turkey with Peas)
This is a very simple, weeknight meal one can whip up in no time. Keema is one of my favorite things to eat and make. Keema is essentially ground meat cooked in spices, onion, ginger and garlic- the rest is up to you. I love pairing the meat with different vegetables to make a great one pot meal. Brown rice or fresh make whole wheat rotis can be served to create and delicious and wholesome meal.
I made this one with peas but I also added a variety of different spices- which are not my usual. I used curry leaves and mustard seeds. The mix of spices gave this dish a fabulous flavor. My daughter loves keema- her favorite is the one I make with cauliflower. She devoured it with two big rotis and a glass of milk….
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Indian Style Chicken Cutlets
My daughter was complaining to me the other day about missing chicken nuggets. She claimed not to remember the last time she had them. In my mind- that is a good thing. I explained to her chicken nuggets are for younger kids and especially for those who are a bit picky and don’t like to eat anything else. It didn’t make her feel better and asked me to buy some.
I convinced her to let me make her some instead and she agreed.
I have made chicken cutlets in the past that she has enjoyed. I almost always use panko bread crumbs to add the crunch- plus I always bake them and never fry.
For these- I decided to add an Indian spin to them. I marinated the chicken tenders in garlic, lemon juice, salt and olive oil. All these ingredients gave the chicken super flavor- I was already to a good start.
Next I prepared the breading. I added mustard seeds and curry leaves to the panko breadcrumbs to add great flavor. I added turmeric, salt and coriander powder to the flour. All in all it was a lot of deliciousness going on with all the spices.
My daughter was watching me as I was putting the cutlets together and was not happy with the way they looked- especially the green curry leaves. As usual, I convinced her to try them and she was thrilled- she loved them. She claimed the chicken reminded her of popcorn! I served the chicken with the tomato rice and it was a delicious meal…
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Tomato Rice with Peas
This is my version of a South Indian rice dish my husband has all the time at restaurants. I have never made it before and thought it would be nice to try it at home. It is essentially cooked rice sauteed with a lot of spices, lentils and curry leaves. I decided to take it to another level and make a one pot meal out of it. How much do we love one pot meals?
In order to make this dish balanced I added frozen peas and shredded paneer which is an Indian style cheese. So now I had vegetables and protein in the rice dish. I guess if you wanted to be even more healthy, you can use brown rice instead of the white.
The rice dish was super flavorful with the mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a blend of spices. The crushed tomatoes and peanuts made this dish fabulous. My daughter is not into nuts- so all I did was take them out for her. She was very skeptical trying the rice- but once she had a bite, she was sold…
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Sauteed Spinach with Yellow Lentils
This is a delicious lentil dish. I tried something similar at a South Indian restaurant we were eating at the other day. Since my husband grew up in the South of India- he loves the cuisine and we end up going out for it once in a while. Actually, he would like to go out for it more often than we do- but my daughter refuses to go every time we suggest a restaurant. She does not care of South Indian food as much- which really disappoints my husband.
Anyway, I really enjoy the food and do try to replicate it at home as much as possible.
This particular dish is different than the regular lentil dishes I normally make. The lentils are dry instead of in a soupy consistency. I cooked them till they were just soft and not mushy. I then mixed the lentils with a cooked mixture of spinach, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, onions and ginger. Once all the ingredients were mixed together- I added coriander powder and dried fenugreek leaves.
The dish was full of flavor and was perfect with some homemade rotis. We all enjoyed this well-balanced meal. It was simple, healthy and delicious.
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Cauliflower with Potatoes cooked with Mustard Seeds
Here we go- I have yet another recipe for cauliflower. I am afraid very soon I will run out of ideas to make this vegetable. As I have mentioned many times before, my husband can eat this veggie 24/7. He never gets enough of it. So, I am always looking for new ways to make cauliflower.
I made this particular one with mustard seeds and curry leaves- they are the dominating flavors in the dish. It is one of my favorite combinations to cook with. I love the nuttiness of the mustard seeds and the curry leaves. I usually pair them with ginger and lots of coriander powder. It always results in a delicious dish no matter what it is.
I served it with freshly made rotis and we had a delicious meal. Please help me out with other cauliflower recipes- do you have a favorite?
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Aloo Mattar Gajjar- Potatos Peas and Carrots- A Delicious Indian Vegetable Dish
I consider this my quick, easy, go to meal when I have no idea what to make. It is also a pantry dish since I always have potatoes outside in my basket, peas in the freezer and carrots in the fridge. It is an instant side vegetable or even a whole meal.
I decided to make this vegetable with some lentils and fresh rotis. As I was making this vegetarian dish, my daughter’s friend who was visiting asked if she could stay for dinner. I told her it was fine with me but would she be okay with Indian food?? She nodded and said ‘no problem’. Just to make sure I showed her what I had- and her answer was still the same.
I was a bit skeptical if the friend is going to like what she eats only because it would be new to her. I decided to make the fresh rotis and stuff them with the vegetable and roll them up. I asked the girls if they wanted a vegetable roll and they got very excited. I was still quite skeptical about the whole thing and wasn’t sure what I would feed her if she decided not to have what I had cooked.
As I served them the meal, they picked up the rolled rotis and began eating them promptly. It wasn’t a problem at all and I am extremely happy that I was able to introduce a new cuisine to my daughter’s friend. Most of all it is very sweet to see how much they love spending time with each other- especially eating together…
Try this quick dish next time you run out of ideas….
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Top Ten Indian Spices In My Pantry
This post is for all of my friends and acquaintances who have taken a cooking class at my house and have been very curious about all the spices in my cabinet, especially when we cook Indian food.
I buy most of my spices in Edison, NJ. I try to buy them whole and grind them myself- a little at a time. I buy in bulk and store them in one of my two freezers in the basement.
The picture you see is of a wooden box my Mom had custom made for me. I love this box- it looks weathered yet it is very practical. It has a top that slides securely to keep the spices covered.
It didn’t take me very long to come up with this list- since I use these spices all the time.
My list is as follows:
- Salt- kind of an obvious choice. You can’t make anything taste good without salt. I once heard someone say, “the difference between a good cook and a great cook is the amount of salt they use”.
- Garam Masala- this spice personalizes a dish. Each household in India has their own recipe or a mixture of spices they use to make garam masala. It is a mixture of whole spices ground up together. Garam masala is used as a spice while cooking a dish or as a garnish on top. I make my own- I find the store versions are not flavorful and full of cumin. I make mine in bulk and store it in the freezer. Next Friday I will post the recipe for those of you interested in making your own. Once you make your own- you will never go back to the store bought one.
- Cumin Seeds- I love cumin seeds- it brings a nice smoky flavor to all the dishes. I keep it whole and grind it as needed. I also roast a bit and keep it in a small bottle. Ground roast cumin is a delicious garnish for raita.
- Coriander Seeds- I buy seeds and grind a small amount for my spice box. I find a huge difference in flavor compared to the store bought ground coriander.
- Cayenne Pepper- Even if you don’t like things too spicy, cayenne pepper brings out the flavor and is definitely a must in a well stocked pantry.
- Turmeric- Besides providing a nice color to Indian dishes, turmeric is an anti-inflammatory. It makes sense why all the Indian dishes have a dash of turmeric.
- Mustard Seeds- I love using mustard seeds- brown to be precise. Regular markets have yellow mustard seeds which have a similar flavor but definitely not as nutty as their brown counterpart.
- Cardamom Seeds- This spice is one of my favorites. It is extremely versatile yet can take over a dish if too much of it is added. It is great in sweet and savory dishes alike. Look for a vibrant green color when shopping for cardamom.
- Cloves- A little goes a long way. I love using cloves in my rice. It has very flowery, earthy flavor. If you ever have a tooth ache- press down on a clove between your teeth and you will feel immediate relief.
- Cinnamon Sticks- I use whole cinnamon sticks for all my Indian cooking. A small stick is enough to flavor a meat or a rice dish. This spice is also great with sweet and savory dishes.