Month: August 2016

Plum Walnut cake

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This lovely tree in my backyard is my inspiration for making this cake. I have been enjoying the sweet, juicy plums along with the squirrels…. but then there are so many more, so I tweaked a recipe of Fig Almond cake ( from NY times) & made it my own……

 

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Very Simple, 4 steps is all it takes ….. Here are the ingredients ~

 1 1/3 C Walnuts,   1/3 C + 1 T Sugar, 1/4 C Whole wheat pastry flour,
1/2 t Baking Powder, 1/2 t Cinnamon,  1/2 C Coconut butter, 3 Eggs,  2 T Honey & 12 – 14 plums
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Step 1

Put all the dry ingredients together in a food processor a dry grinder and pulse until well blended together


Step 2

Whisk the eggs, butter & honey together until well mixed, then add in the dry ingredients & blend well.. All I used was a wire whisk…


Step 3

Put the batter on a greased pie plate, top it off with sliced plums on top with a drizzle of 1 -2 Tbsp sugar on top

Step 4

Bake at 350 degree F for 30 – 40 minutes until done in the middle & Voila!

And the flavor… a nice mix of sweet, tangy and juicy… my boys loved it!!!

Just half a spoon of Haldi (Turmeric)

Posted in Vegan, Veggies7 Comments

“Half a spoon ( about 1 teaspoon) is enough!”, my mother would say. The first thing I learned about cooking veggies was “add some haldi ( turmeric)”  after about two – three minutes of sauteing, be it potatoes,  peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, they all needed that little bit of haldi, followed by a dash of salt. Cook… Continue reading Just half a spoon of Haldi (Turmeric)

Squash Blossom – Dolmas

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I made Squash Blossom – Dolmas today! Thanks to my friend who plucked 50 blossoms from her garden and a suggestion by Ronit Penso of Tasty Eats. They were super delicious and easy to make. It reminded me of the time, we soccer moms stood around the  kitchen counter making samosas for a fundraiser!  Dolmas would be fun to make in a group, they would be healthier and quicker to make too… maybe next time.

All I did was, wash the blossoms, fill them with the rice filling, fold them, arrange them in a baking tray with a drizzle of oil and bake them at 400 F for about 20 minutes till the edges turned crisp.  As for the filling, I added chopped Parsely & Mint ( 4 – 6 tbsp), Lemon juice ( 3 – 4 Tbsp), Red pepper flakes ( 2 Tbsp) and Sesame oil ( 2 Tbsp) to about 2 cups of cooked Basmati rice.

1 – 2 Tsp of filling in the blosson
Fold the blossom
Arrange them on the baking tray with a drizzle of oil on the top
Bake at 400 F for 20 mins
Filling – Cooked rice flavored with mint, red pepper flakes, lemon juice and salt

 

I baked some of the Blossoms plain, and they were good too, nice and crisp. Either way, a good Appetizer….

 

 

 

 

 

Squash Blossoms: Dosa (Crepe) & Salad

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My friend, Stephanie gave me Squash blossoms from her garden today. I have never cooked with them before.

What does one do with Squash blossoms?  Well I ask Google and find many recipes that urge me to “Fill them up with cheese and then deep fry.”  While other recipes call for putting them in Omelets, Frittata, Quesdillas or use them as a Pizza topping.

So now what am I going to do with them? I eat one raw, it is delicious!  Then I chop some of the Squash blossoms, put them in an existing Dosa ( crepe) batter. And I make some Dosas for lunch! Delicious!!!

chopped Squash Blossoms
Added tot he dosa batter
Blend well
Pour the batter on a hot griddle
The edges are brown, it is ready to be flipped
Crispy Dosa!

I stir fry the remaining Squash blossoms  on a medium-hot sauce pan for about 4 – 5 minutes, then add them to shredded to Red Cabbage -Cucumber salad with a bit of lemon juice and a sprinkle of crushed pepper on the top.

Yummy! Next time, I will stir fry the Squash blossoms with some rice, peas ….and cumin………….

 

 

Steamed rotis – Auntie Trejavathi’s Kitchen

Posted in Flat Breads, Vegan4 Comments

Soft, moist and yummy is how I remember Bilavalege – a steamed roti of sorts with tomato gojju, a spicy, tangy, sweet sauce.  It was one of my favorites at Auntie’s kitchen. Even after 25 years, the warmth and her immaculate kitchen remain unchanged! She was really happy to show me how she made them.   To… Continue reading Steamed rotis – Auntie Trejavathi’s Kitchen