Cucumber Salad 3 (Raita)

Ingredients:
4-5 small pickling cucumbers or 1 english cucumber
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
2 tsp ghee for tempering
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 green chilies
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 cup plain yogurt
handful fresh coriander leaves (cilantro leaves) chopped finely

Recipe:
Chop cucumber fine or grate them (squeeze water out and use it to drink or apply it to face...it has cooling effect on body)
Add yogurt, salt, sugar, peanut powder(optional) and mix well.
Prepare ghee tempering with cumin seeds and chilies.
Add it to mixture and mix well.
Add chopped cilantro.
Serve as a side dish with chapaties, naan or thick rotis (bhakari) or pita bread.

Note:
1) I use the same recipe for cucumbers but don't squeeze water out and don't add peanut powder.
2) I use the same recipe for roasted green bell pepper. Roast peppers directly on top of stove or in the oven and let them cool. Then remove skin, seeds and the stem and chop them into small pieces.
3) I use the same recipe for red pumpkin.
4) I use this raita as a dip with pita bread. I roast pita bread (Toufayan) on top of stove (using cake cooling rack). I use tongs and keep turning the bread until it puffs up and then open it and apply 1 tsp ghee on it. I serve this immediately.

Palak Malai Tofu

Ingredients:
2 tsp canola or peanut oil
4 oz. firm tofu cut into 1/2" cubes
1 cup frozen chopped spinach (palak) leaves (thaw and squeeze water out) or use 1 cup cooked fresh spinach

1 medium onion chopped fine

1 medium tomato chopped fine

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 cup water
handful almonds
1/4 cup non-fat milk

For Marinade:
1/4 tsp fresh ginger paste
1 green chili paste (optional) add more or add less depending on your taste
handful cilantro leaves chopped fine
4 Tsp non-fat plain yogurt
salt to taste
pinch of sugar

Recipe:
Mix all the ingredients for marinade.
Add tofu pieces into marinade and keep in refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
Grind almonds in milk and set aside.
Heat oil in a flat non stick pan.

Add cumin seeds and let them get lightly brown.
Add chopped onion and cook it well.

Add chopped tomato, spinach and cook it well.

Transfer onion, tomato and spinach to a blender and blend it coarsely and return it back to the non-stick pan.

Add coriander powder and chili powder.

Add 1/4 cup water.

Add marinated tofu along with marinade and cook until all the water is absorbed.
Add almond paste and stir well.
Serve as a side dish.

Note:
1) I use the same recipe for green peas. Don't puree them in blender.
2) I use Toufayan pita bread. I roast pita bread on top of stove (using cake cooling rack). I use tongs and keep turning the bread until it puffs up and then open it and apply 1 tsp ghee on it. I serve this immediately.

Butternut Squash Bhaji

Ingredients:
1 small butternut squash.
3-4 tsp canola or peanut oil
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp hing powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp methi seeds
2-3 green chilies cut into 1/2" pieces (optional)
salt to taste
1-2 tsp gud (Indian brown sugar) - this recipe might need more gud if squash is not sweet
If you cannot find gud, use brown sugar
handful fresh coriander leaves (cilantro leaves) chopped finely
2-3 tsp fresh grated coconut

Recipe:
Peel butternut squash, and remove seeds.
Cut squash into 1"x 1" pieces.
Cook squash in microwave for 3-4 minutes or in pressure cooker.
Prepare oil tempering with mustard seeds, and methi seeds. Let methi seeds get lightly brown and then add hing powder, turmeric.
Add green chilies.
Add cooked squash.
Add gud, salt, chili powder and 1/4 cup water.
Cook for 5 minutes until water evaporates.
Add chopped cilantro, fresh coconut and mix well.
Serve with chapaties or thick rotis (bhakari) or pita bread.

Note:
1) I use the same recipe for red pumpkin also.

Butternut Squash Salad 1

Ingredients:
1 small butternut squash
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
2 tsp ghee for tempering
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 green chilies
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 cup plain yogurt
handful fresh coriander leaves (cilantro leaves) chopped finely

Recipe:
Peel butternut squash, and remove seeds.
Cut squash into 1"x 1" pieces.
Cook squash in microwave for 5 minutes or in pressure cooker.
Mash it with a fork.
Add yogurt, salt, sugar, peanut powder(optional) and mix well.
Prepare ghee tempering with cumin seeds and chilies.
Add it to squash and mix well.
Add chopped cilantro.
Serve with chapaties or thick rotis (bhakari) or pita bread.

Note:
1) I use the same recipe for red pumpkin.
2) I use the same recipe for roasted green bell pepper. Roast peppers directly on top of stove or in the oven and let them cool. Then remove skin, seeds and the stem and chop them into small pieces.
2) I use Toufayan pita bread. I roast pita bread on top of stove (using cake cooling rack). I use tongs and keep turning the bread until it puffs up and then open it and apply 1 tsp ghee on it. I serve this immediately.

Eggplant Salad 2

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 medium eggplants
1 large onion chopped fine (optional)
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
2 tsp canola oil or peanut oil
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1/8 tsp hing powder (asafoetida)
2-3 green chilies
1 tsp chilli powder (cheaper in Indian store) - optional
salt to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup plain yogurt.
handful fresh coriander leaves (cilantro leaves) chopped finely

Recipe:
Wash eggplant, dry it and rub few drops of oil on it.
Roast eggplant on top of the stove directly (I use cake cooling rack). Keep it turning until cooked from all sides. Let it cool on a plate. It will give out liquid. Discard the liquid and peel the skin.
Mash the eggplant with a fork.
Add yogurt, salt, sugar, onion (optional), peanut powder(optional) and mix well.
Prepare oil tempering with black mustard seeds, hing powder and chilies.
Add it to eggplant and mix well.
Add chopped cilantro.
Serve with chapaties or thick rotis (bhakari) or pita bread.
I use Toufayan pita bread. I roast pita bread on top of stove (using cake cooling rack). I use tongs and keep turning the bread until it puffs up and then open it and apply 1 tsp ghee on it. Serve it immediately.

Note:
1) Use as a side dish or serve as a dip for an appetizer.

Eggplant Salad 1

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 medium eggplants
1 large onion chopped fine
3-4 tsp canola oil or peanut oil
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1/8 tsp hing powder (asafoetida) or 3 large cloves of garlic cut lengthwise
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (cheaper in Indian store)
2-3 green chilies
1 tsp chilli powder (cheaper in Indian store) - optional
salt to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
1-2 tsp lemon juice
handful fresh coriander leaves (cilantro leaves) chopped finely

Recipe:
Wash eggplant, dry it and rub few drops of oil on it.
Roast eggplant on top of the stove directly (I use cake cooling rack). Keep it turning until cooked from all sides. Let it cool on a plate. It will give out liquid. Discard the liquid and peel the skin.
Mash the eggplant with a fork.
Prepare oil tempering
Add hing powder or garlic.
Add turmeric powder and chilies.
Add chopped onions and cook well.
Add mashed eggplant.
Add chilli powder.
Add salt, sugar and lemon juice.
Mix well and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
Add chopped cilantro.
Serve with chapaties or thick rotis (bhakari) or pita bread.
I use Toufayan pita bread. I roast pita bread on top of stove (using cake cooling rack). I use tongs and keep turning the bread until it puffs up and then open it and apply 1 tsp ghee on it. Serve it immediately.

Note:
1) Use as a side dish or serve as a dip for an appetizer.

Potato Bhaji (vegetable) 1

Ingredients:

3-4 medium potatoes
2 green chili peppers chopped
7-8 curry leaves
1/2 tsp grated ginger root
4 tsp canola or peanut oil
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp hing powder
1/2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
handful cilantro leaves chopped fine
3 Tsp freshly grated coconut (optional)

Recipe:
Boil potatoes and peel them. Cut them into 1"x1" pieces.
Add salt, sugar, chili paste and ginger and mix well.
Prepare oil tempering and add hing powder.
Add curry leaves and potatoes and stir well.
Add chopped cilantro leaves.
Add fresh coconut and serve.

Note:
1) Use as a side dish.