Avocado Ice-cream

Ingredients:
Avocado - 2 small (Yielded ¾ cup)
Sugar - 1 cup (or) as per taste
Whole milk - ¾ cup
Heavy cream - 200 ml
Vanilla extract - few drops

Method:
Deseed and scoop out the flesh of avocado.
Add avocado, sugar, milk in blender and blend.
Make sure sugar dissolves :) .
Combine the cream and vanilla extract.
Freeze them in a covered plastic container or any other container.
Whisk vigorously every hour for 4 to 5 times till the ice cream is set well.
Enjoy!!!!

Sent off to Siri's "Healing Foods: Avocado".

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Methi Chapati & Instant Tomato Thokku

Methi chapathi

Ingredients:
Fenugreek leaves - a small bunch
Moong dal - ¼ cup
Onion - 1 (small-chopped)
Garlic - 2
Tomatoes - 1 (chopped)
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Gram flour (besan) - ¼ cup
Salt (to taste)
Red chili powder - ¼ tsp.
Amchur powder - ¼ tsp.
Cumin powder - ¼ tsp.
Garam masala - ¼ tsp.
Oil

Method:
In a sauce pan add moong dal and required water and cook.
When the dal is half done, add the fenugreek leaves, onion, garlic and tomatoes.
Cook till the leaves become tender. Cool.
Take one cup of methi dal and grind it coarsely.
In a mixing bowl add wheat flour, besan, salt, garam masala, cumin powder, red chili powder, amchur powder and mix well.
Now add the methi dal and mix.
Add required water and knead into a soft pliable dough.
Make lemon sized ball and roll them circle.
Cook on both sides on a tawa by brushing with oil.
Enjoy with curd or any other side dish.
We ate with tomato thokku.

Note:
With the remaining dal, temper it with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and whole dry red chilies.
Serve as a side dish with rice.


Tomato Thokku

Here is the tomato thokku which I prepare whenever I am in a hurry. My mom and my aunt used to add sambar powder. I use red chili powder.


Ingredients:
Tomatoes (ripe) - 5
Garlic - 3 (grated)
Red chili powder - 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 1 pinch
Urad dal - ¼ tsp.
Cumin seeds - ¼ seeds
Asafetida - 1 pinch
Salt
Sesame Oil

Method:
Wash and pat dry the tomatoes.
Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, fenugreek seeds & asafetida.
When mustard seeds crackle, add the grated garlic and sauté.
Add the finely chopped tomatoes, salt and sauté.
When tomatoes become mushy and the water (released by the tomatoes) should be evaporated.
Now add the red chili powder and sauté till the oil oozes out.
Remove and enjoy.

This participates in Yasmeen's "Health Nut Challenge 4: Bitter Better Health," Srilekha's "EFM-Parathas and Gravies/Curries" and Shama's "Family's Favorite Food Event".

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Peanut & Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:
Peanuts - ½ cup
Tomatoes (ripe) - ½ cup (chopped)
Garlic - 2 cloves
Green chilies - 2
Coriander leaves - a small bunch
Red chili powder - ½ tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp.
Asafetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - a sprig
Oil

Method:
Dry roast the peanuts, remove the skin and powder them.
Heat oil and add the cumin seeds, chopped tomatoes, garlic flakes & green chilies.
Sauté till they become tender.
Add red chili powder and salt.
Then again sauté for a minute.
Cool them.
Add this mixture, chopped coriander leaves, powdered peanuts in a blender and grind them by adding required salt.
Finally temper them.
Serves as a good side dish for idlis and dosas.

Sent off to MLLA-20 hosted by Rachel and originally started by Susan.

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Black-eyed Peas, Pasta & Tofu Soup

Ingredients:
Pasta (elbow) - 1 cup
Black eyed pea - ½ cup
Tofu - 200gms (cut into cubes)
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Garlic - 2 cloves (chopped)
Tomato - 1 big (chopped)
Ripe red chilies - 1 (sliced)
Potato - 1 (peeled & chopped)
Mixed herbs - 2 tsp.
Ajwain - 1 tsp.
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Olive oil

Method:
Soak overnight and cook black-eyed peas in a pressure cooker.
Cook pasta as per instructions.
Heat oil and add onion and garlic.
Fry till onion becomes tender.
Add the red chili and tomatoes.
Fry for 2 minutes.
Add potato and required water .
When potatoes are tender, add the pasta , water & black eyed peas.
Bring it to a boil.
Now add the mixed herbs, ajwain, tofu and salt
Cook it for 5 minutes in a low flame.
Finally add the fresh ground pepper and enjoy the soup.

Sent off to MLLA-20 hosted by Rachel and originally started by Susan and to Pasta Party hosted by Jyoti.

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Baked Falafel in Pita Sandwich

Falafel

Ingredients:
Dried chickpeas - 1 cup
Onions - 1 (diced)
Garlic - 3 cloves (chopped)
Cumin powder - ¾ tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Chili powder - ½ tsp.
Parsley - 2 tbsp.
Coriander - 2 tbsp.
Baking powder - 1 tsp.
Bread crumbs - ¼ cup
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Olive oil

Method:
Soak chickpeas with enough water over night.
Drain the chickpeas.
Place the uncooked chickpeas in a food processor or blender with onions, garlic, cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder, parsley, coriander leaves and salt.
Process all until pureed & NOT a paste (without water).
Now add the baking powder and give a pulse.
Transfer the mixture into a bowl and add the pepper (optional) and bread crumbs. Mix well.
Cover and refrigerate for a hour.
Form a ball or use a falafel scoop. I used a bottle cap to shape them.
Brush the falafels with olive oil on one side.
Bake them at 190°C for 25-30 minutes by flipping them in the middle of the baking (after flipping brush with oil on the other side and continue baking).


Tahini sauce

Ingredients:
Tahini - ½ cup
Fresh lemon juice - from 2 Indian lemons
Salt (to taste)
Garlic - 2 cloves (minced)
Cilantro - 1 tsp. (chopped)
Parsley - 1 tsp. (chopped)
Olive oil - 1 tbsp.

Method:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and add required water to make the sauce quite thin.


Pita Sandwich

Method:
I lightly toasted the pita bread and cut it open into half . Stuff the pita bread with tahini sauce, sliced onion pieces, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, baked falafel and enjoy!

We had it for our lunch and the whole falafel batch was finished!

Note:
In Egypt, people don't use coriander leaves and chickpeas are substituted by fava beans.


Sent off to MLLA-20 event hosted by Rachel and originally started by Susan.

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Roasted Eggplant Pasta

Ingredients:

Eggplant - 1

Pasta (Fusilli Tri-colored) - 500 gms

Onions - 1 (diced)

Garlic - 3 big cloves (chopped)

Roasted tomatoes - 5 to 6 (chopped)

Green peppers - 1 (diced)

Red chili flakes - 1/2 tsp.

Pasta seasonings - 2 to 3 tsp.

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Feta cheese (crumbled)

Method:

Cut the eggplants into bite sizes. Mix the pieces with salt and throw them in the colander. Let it be for 20-30 minutes.

Rinse the eggplant and pat dry.

Now mix the eggplants with olive oil, salt and crushed pepper.

Bake them in 200°C by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes or until tender.

Heat oil and add the onion onions.

Add garlic, red pepper flakes, seasonings, green bell pepper, roasted tomatoes, salt and pepper.

Add half a cup of water and bring it to a boil.

In another burner, cook the pasta.

Once the sauce thickens add the coriander leaves and remove.

Serve the pasta with roasted eggplants and crumbled feta cheese.

How I roasted tomatoes:

Cut the ripe medium sized Roma tomatoes into 4.

Place them on the baking sheet and sprinkle olive oil, dry thyme, crushed pepper and salt.

Bake the tomatoes in 200°C for 25 to 30 minutes.

Adapted from Kevin's "Closet Cooking".


Sent off to Anita's "Vegetable Marathon: Eggplants" and Jyothi's "Pasta Party".

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