Brown Rice and Mushroom Burgers

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These brown rice burgers are so good that you would forget every other veggie burger you've had so far. No, Really !! Actually I made almost 12 of them a few weeks back and we finished all of them in a matter of week. They stay so well in the fridge and are great for snacking and as a meal. 

 

 I accidentally overcooked my brown rice the other day resulting in rice that was mushy and sticky. I get my short grain brown rice from Whole Foods in the Bins section. But I have seen it many kroger stores also.

 Wondering what to do with it I looked on the internet for inspiration. Found this recipe. We loved it from the very first bite. 

I made them again to take them out for a picnic at the park. 

Brown Rice and Mushroom Burgers

(Inspired from this recipe on ecurry)

1 C cooked brown rice ( 1/2 C uncooked short grain brown rice )

4-5 mushrooms chopped

4 tbsp coursely crushed almonds/almond meal/ crushed walnuts

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 medium onion finely chopped

1 tsp red chilli flakes

2 tbsp sricha sauce or your favorite hot sauce

sooji/cornmeal/breadcrumbs as required

salt to taste

oil as required

• Cook the brown rice with 2C of water (1:4 ratio of brown rice to water). This will yield sticky and mushy brown rice since this is the main binding agent. Allow to cool and set aside.
• Over medium heat combine the garlic, onion and cook till onion browns up. Add the red chilli flakes and black pepper.
• Then add the mushrooms. Cook on high heat till the moisture dries up and mixture is dry and lumpy.Set aside.
• In another bowl combine the rice and the crushed nuts, sricha sauce and salt. Add the mushroom mixture.
• Combine everything and refrigerate the mixture for 20 min.
• After 20 min. form the mixture into patties. If the mixture is dry add a tsp of water or mix it with wet hands. Wet hands will also ensure that mixture does not stick to your hands.
• Roll the patties in sooji/cornmeal/breadcrumbs and shallow fry till golden brown and crispy.
• Assemble into a burger or have them on their own.

 These are very filling and really addicting. The brown rice is all nutty and crispy. Like I said these can be made ahead and refrigerated for a week at least. Do not skip the nuts. They are the little bites that add to the texture. 

I served them with some chipotle mayo. Its just chipotle in adobos combined with mayo. Really good !! Your favorite dip would work too,

Serve with some salad and lemon wedge for a complete meal.

Panchphoran Aloo

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Indulgence for some is having a pedicure, for some it is a piece of dark chocolate and for others it might be a branded pair of jeans. My indulgence is shoes - not just any shoes, but a comfortable, trendy pair of my favorite brand. What is your indulgence ?

Panchphoran is a magical mixture of seeds - aromatic and full of flavor. To create this mix equal parts of mustard , cumin, methi ,fennel seeds and another spice called radhuni. Radhuni is not easily available here so I omitted it.

I made this simple but flavorful aloo sabzi this weekend. I tasted it at a potluck party and loved it. Thank you dear Z for such a tasty recipe.

Panchphoran Aloo

What's needed :

3 medium potatoes cooked chopped ( can use whole baby potatoes too)

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 dry red chillies

1 green chilly

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

3 tbsp oil

1/2 an onion sliced thinly

2 tbsp thick yogurt

salt to taste

For the panchphoran tempering :

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp panchphoran

3 tbsp oil

Cilantro to garnish

1 tbsp garam masala

• Over medium heat combine the oil,green chilly,dry red chillies and ginger garlic paste.Then add the onions and saute till soft. 
• Then add the spices - cumin,coriander,chilly and turmeric powder. If mixture becomes too dry add 3-4 tbsp of water.
• Add the potatoes and coat them with the spice mixture.Add 5-6 tbsp of water to thin out the gravy.
• Do not add too much water at once. 
• Lower the heat. Smooth the yogurt and add some of the gravy to it and add this to the gravy.
• Add salt, pinch of sugar and allow to come to a gentle boil. 
• The gravy will thicken slightly.Taste and add more seasoning if necessary.

For the tempering:

• In hot oil add the panchphoran and allow the seeds to sizzle. 
• Add this to the potato mixture along with the garam masala and the cilantro. Mix well.
• Serve hot with rotis.

Chicken in Chilli-Cilantro Gravy

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Yes,yours truly was the second one to celebrate her birthday last week. But somehow my birthday was overshadowed by the celebrations we had for Aamod. In fact I did not realize it was my birthday. There was none of that "Its my birthday today" feeling either.

But no complaints as I celebrated the day being close to my loved ones and I did have a great day after all. 

And for all you friends who left birthday wishes for me on facebook, email etc. THANK YOU !!  You all know who you are and I am so grateful for being a part of your life and you being a part of mine

 So like I said I do not have any cake for you but a curry, full of fresh flavors, that you can enjoy on a relaxed weekend with family or with friends. Its healthy and flavorful and it wont make you feel guilty.

Chicken in Chilli-Cilantro Gravy

(Adapted from this recipe on eCurry)

For the cilantro chutney :

2 C cilantro (tender stems only) washed and set aside

3 cloves of garlic

3 green chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

salt to taste

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp water

Marinate the chicken with:

2-3 tsp lemon juice

salt to taste

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

1C chicken breasts cubed

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp crushed red chillies or use dry red chillies

1 tsp crushed black pepper

1 medium onion chopped

1.5 tomato grated or blended in processor

2 tsp thick yogurt

1 tsp ginger paste

6-7 tblsp of olive oil

• Marinate the chicken overnight or for an hour at least.
• Blend ingredients for the chutney till smooth.
• In a kadai heat the oil and add the crushed red chillies , pepper. After a few seconds add the cumin seeds.
• Once the seeds sizzle add the onion and allow to brown on medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp sugar to this.
• Add the marinated chicken to this and let it brown . Do not move it for a few minutes at least.
• You will see the oil leaving the sides. Now toss it around.
• Add the tomatoes, ginger paste and 3-4 tbsp of chutney.Combine everything very well. Add water to make a thinner gravy.
• Taste and season with salt.
• Cover and simmer.Let cook for 10 min till chicken is cooked.
• After 10min add 2 tbsp of gravy to the yogurt and whisk it till smooth. Add this to the mixture. Lower flame and allow to come to a gentle boil. This allows the oil to resurface.
• Garnish with slivered ginger.Serve with rotis/rice.

The original recipe calls for 1/4 C coconut milk that I replaced with thick yogurt. But you can surely use it for a more richer gravy. The gravy is itself full of fresh flavors from cilantro,ginger and green chillies.So you can easily use the same gravy for paneer,potato or even eggs. 

Happy Birthday Aamod

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Yes, you guessed it. Our little one turns two (or "tow-ouuu" as he says) this week. Thank you for the early birthday wishes.

Happy Birthday dear Aamod. We feel blessed to have you amidst us. 

You have taught us what being a parent is all about. We love you to bits son !!

-Suparna and Vijay

Misal

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Misal  is one of the most popular fast foods in the western region of Maharashtra. The name "Misal" literally translates to a "mixture". And a mixture of all the goods things it is. One serving of Misal includes -A bowl containing a mixture of crispy chivda, spicy farsan and dry potato curry topped with chopped onion,sev,cilantro served with another bowl of spicy sprouts curry. And if this does not fill you up you can certainly have some bread to be dunked in the curry.

Like most indian recipes there are a hundred different recipes for misal. Though this dish can be easily assembled at home its still is one of the restaurant favorites. In Pune (the place I come from) a couple of family owned resturants like Bedekar, Shrikrishma, Shree,Vaidya have been consistently serving misal for the last 50 years.May be more...

Source - here                                                        

Misal invokes so many memories of my hometown - the cold weather, crowded places and fiery curry.

 The joints open for business at around 7AM in the morning. And its a full house by 9 AM or so. The place is small around 10X12ft may be , but the flavor is big and bold. The ambiance is provided by the aroma of spices, shaky chairs and by the guests, chomping down the misal with much appetitie.

On most weekends my sister and I would hop on to a bike to one of the misal joints.Soon we are greeted by the long queues and the aroma of spices sizzling in hot oil. Then after what seemed like a long wait our steel container would be returned with steaming hot curry and a few packets of the mixture."Kanda limbu dila aahe naa ?" (Have you given the chopped onion and the lemon slices)  my sister would confirm..And then we would ride back at full speed.

 Baba (dad in marathi) is a big fan of misal. Its a food very close to his heart.Everyone else too had their own favorites and  strong opinions.

The best part is there is no strict recipe so depending on what you mix you make a new version each time.

Here in US I make my own version that is slightly different than the original recipe. But its sooo good. All my friends have loved it.Which is one reason why I am blogging about it. Hope you like it too.

Enough said, lets move on to the recipe :-

Misal

( My family's recipe )

To prepare the misal you need :-

Potato masala ( recipe below)

Matki usal (recipe below)

Amti/Sambar/Dal ( recipe below)

Chivda (recipe here)

Sev 

2C of farsan ( I use the hot mix brand)

1 red onion finely chopped

a bunch cilantro chopped

lemon slices

Mix 2 parts of chivda to 1 part of potato masal,matki usal and farsan. 

Add a handful of chopped onion and cilantro. Squeeze some lemon over it.

Mix everything nicely. 

Garnish with cilantro,onion,sev and serve immediately with a bowl of steaming hot sambar.

You can use your choice of chivda, farsan and sev. What I have given is a rough proportion for the mixture. Increase or decrease the ingredients depending on how you want it to be.

I would surely advise to mix everything a few minutes before serving as it tends to lose its crunch because of the moisture. The best way to enjoy it is to pour 1/2 a bowl of sambar over the mixture and use the rest for dunking bread. 

For the potato masala :-

1 large red/white potato cooked until soft ( Microwave 3 min after piercing it a few times) ,chopped

1/2 an onion sliced

1/4 tomato chopped

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

pinch of sugar and squeeze of lemon

1 green chilly chopped

salt and oil as required

In hot oil combine the mustard seeds, turmeric, green chillies and the onion. Saute till the onion is soft. 

Add the potatoes, salt,sugar,lemon juice and tomato. 

Mix and cook covered for 2 min. Add cilantro and set aside.

For the Matki usal :-

1C of moth/,matki sprouted and cooked until soft

(1/2 C of unsprouted moth will yield a cup of sprouted moth. Pressure cook with salt until the whistle is just about to blow  . Else they will be all mushy)

1/2 onion chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

salt and oil as required

Over medium heat combine the onion,turmeric and the chilli powder.

When onion is soft add the cooked moth.

Mix and then taste. Add salt if required, since you already added salt while cooking the moth so not much may be required.

Add a bit of water if the mixture becomes too dry. Set aside.

For the Amti ( also called dal or sambhar) :-

1/2 C toor dal pressure cooked with turmeric and hing

1/2 tomato chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp sambhar powder

salt and oil as required

Over medium heat combine the mustard seeds, tomato ,sambhar and chilli powder.

Add the cooked dal and salt. Mix well.

Add water to get a thin consistency.

Get up to a boil and keep warm until ready to serve.

Food that makes everyone happy and gets everyone together.That's what home cooking is all about.

And two very special people will be celebrating their birthday this week. Guess who ??

Mushroom Curry

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What an eventful week this has been ! It all started with Vijay being away for first part of the week. And I was left to guard the fort. Not that I complain. Its just all the more challenging and very hectic.
Then there was the India-Australia cricket match, full of all kinds of emotions - hope, disappointment and then finally sheer joy. In the final part of the week, both Vijay and Aamod were down with cold and cough. Fortunately they are doing well now. And things should be normal soon.

In the kitchen,I had some mushrooms leftover that needed to be dealt with.They were used in this spicy nutty curry that we enjoyed over the weekend. 

If you are a vegetarian who misses the non vegetarian gravies, then this curry is for you. Spicy without the meat.

Mushroom Curry

( Adapted from this recipe )

1 180z pack of whole mushrooms sliced

1/2 an onion + 2 cloves garlic + 1/2 inch ginger - all pulsed coarsely in food processor

2 tbsp tomato puree 

2 tbsp cashews + 2 tbsp yogurt - all pulsed into a smooth paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala (optional, I did not use any)

cilantro to garnish

oil as required

salt to taste

For the tempering:

2 bay leaves

1 stick cinnamon (I left it out since I had none on hand)

1 tsp cumin seeds

3-4 dry red chillies

• Over medium heat combine the oil and ingredients for tempering. Allow the cumin to sizzle.
• Then add the onion paste and mix in till brown. The mixture becomes dry and lumpy.
• Add the chilli , cumin, coriander and turmeric powders plus the tomato puree. Continue saute till the mixture is dry and no longer smells of raw tomato.
• Add the mushrooms,salt and give a good stir. Cover and cook till mushrooms are almost cooked. About 5-7min.
• Mushrooms will release their moisture so no water is required.
• Then add the cashew-yogurt mixture. Add water to get a thinner gravy.
• Simmer and allow to come to a gentle boil.
• Add garam masala and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Serve with rotis or rice.

I am sure to make this curry many times. We had it with some rotis and mango pickle, but it tastes best with plain rice.

Reposting - Ukdiche Modak

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I posted the pictures of Modak last year assuming that the recipe was not something people would be intrested in. I was pleasantly incorrect. Several friends requested the recipe for Modaks and so here I am with the same. 

Do excuse the crappy pics. I did not own a DSLR back then.

 Army of Modaks .....

 To get the perfectly shaped modaks you can use the modak mould avalaible in Western Maharashtra. Most of the houseware stores would carry it. Buy a medium sized one with a smaller hole at the bottom and with smooth lines..

There are 2 parts to the modak. The sweet coconut stuffing and the dough made of rice flour.

Ukdiche Modak

( Our family recipe )

Whats needed for 6 medium sized modaks :-

Stuffing :-

1 C shredded coconut (freshly grated is preferred or use the dry unsweetened variety from indian stores)

3/4 C jaggery (gur) or brown sugar or castor sugar ( jaggery is preferred for the color it imparts)

pinch of cardamom powder

1 tsp of ghee

• Combine all of the above ingredients except the cardamom on medium heat. 
• Mix till the jaggery (or sugar, if using) melts.
• The mixture will be pulpy. Keep at it and it will dry out. 
• This process may take around 30 min. Do not increase heat else the coconut can burn. 
• Once the mixture dries out add the cardamom. 
• Set the stuffing aside and allow it to cool completely before using. You can make this a day ahead.

Dough:-

1 C rice flour ( fresh is preferred.Do not use the one stored in pantry for a long time)

1 C + 2 tbsp water

2 tbsp all purpose flour ( do not skip this)

1 tbsp ghee

pinch of salt

• Heat the water in a heavy bottomed pan and allow it to bubble.
• Add the ghee, salt and stir. 
• Now add the floursand mix everything. The mixture will be sticky but that's ok.
• Quickly cover with a tight lid and switch off the heat.
• Leave aside for at least 10min.This will be our dough.

To make modaks :-

• Once warm enough to handle empty the flour mixture into a plate. 
• Knead wetting your hands occasionally in cold water.This makes the dough soft and elastic so that we do not get any cracks in the modak. This is slightly tricky since the dough is hot. But be patient and it will come together.After all you are trying to please Bappa so ..
• Once the dough is soft, divide it into 6 equal portions.
• Grease the mould with ghee. This prevents the dough from sticking to the mould.
• Form each portion into a 2 inch log and push the log into the mould. 
• Press the center of the log with your index finger and spread it inside the mould. See the picture below.

Modaks in the making.....

•  Now fill in the stuffing and close with more dough. You can do some patching near the hole.
• Open the mould to get the perfectly shaped modak.
• To make without the mould flatten every portion into a disk around 1/4 inch thick. Fill with stuffing (the way you do for aloo paratha) and bring in the edges together. Your modak is ready to be steamed.

To steam the modaks:

• Keep the modaks on a stainless sieve and keep it covered over a pot of boiling water for 20min.
• Or do it in pressure cooker ( without the whistle ) for 20min.
• Serve hot with dollop of ghee.

 Ready to be steamed

Modak for Ganpati Bappa

If the modaks stick to the sieve apply some ghee on the area before you place them.

If making the rice flour dough sounds difficult it can be made with chapati flour (atta) kneaded a little harder than chapati dough. Roll into puri sized circles and stuff. Then deep fry till golden brown.

Matar Paneer

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I consider myself lucky to have spent a better part of my life in Pune. I have seen the city grow from a small conservative town to the cosmopolitan place of today. Besides other things the city is now famous for its food. The plethora of restaurants in various parts of the city cover most of the world's popular cuisines. 

During college days we spent a lot of evenings hanging out on the famous "Jungli Maharaj Road". When we were looking for a small snack or a lite lunch we always found something within our budget - Chaat, Dabelis, sandwiches and so much more.Birthdays, get-togethers, sari days, valentines,almost every special occasion was celebrated with a lunch or dinner at some of our favorite joints located here. Most of the restaurants served classic North Indian cuisines along with the indianized chinese food. The "vegetable manchurian" at one of these places was to die for and so were the other paneer dishes.

Matar Paneer - a classic north indian preparation, is not something frequently made at our home. Not because we don't like it but it wasn't just part of the meal rotation. But a half can of tomato puree lying around in the fridge suggested that I needed to use it up quickly and this dish sounded like a perfect way to do the same.

I referred to several recipes online. Most of them used thick cream that I did not have on hand. Finally I decided to make it the following way.

The recipe uses whole garam masala along with a generous amount of ginger-garlic.A couple of teaspoons of yogurt impart the required creaminess. In all, a tasty and healthy recipe.

Matar Paneer

(Adapted from "Indian Home Cooking" by Suvir Saran)

What's needed :-

1.5 medium  onion chopped finely

1 inch piece of ginger grated

4 cloves of garlic

5-6 tbsp of tomato puree (or 3 medium tomatoes chopped)

2-3 tbsp of yogurt whisked smooth

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 bunch cilantro

salt to taste

6 tbsp of oil

For the tempering :

1 inch stick of cinnamon

5-6 black peppercorns

3-4 dry red chillies

5 cloves

7 cardamom pods

1 tsp cumin seeds

• Mince the garlic and the cumin and set aside.
• Over medium heat combine the cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom and wait till cinnamon unfurls. 
• Add the cumin seeds, dry red chillies and allow to sizzle.
• Add the onions and salt. Let the onions brown. If they get dry add a tsp of water. This may take around 10 min so be patient.
• Then add the ginger,garlic-cumin mixture,chilli , turmeric, coriander and cumin powders. Continue to saute till the mixture is dry and lumpy.
• Then add the tomatoes or the tomato puree. If using puree let the mixture cook for around 5-7min till the raw smell of tomato is gone.
• Whisk the yogurt and add a tablespoon of the tomato mixture. Add the yogurt to the pan. 
• If the whole thing gets too thick add water to get desired consistency.
• Turn the heat to medium and cover.Allow to come to a  gentle boil. Do not cook over high heat as the yogurt may curdle. 
• Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the peas and cook for another 5 min.
• Finally add the garam masala, cilantro and the paneer. Switch off after 2-3 min.

There you are- a restaurant classic to be enjoyed right in the comfort of your home. Such dishes make our weekend meals special. We love them with warm rotis and some salad.  

Orange Basundi

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When I was in my early teens I often asked aai  "How did you know that I was hungry". And she had the same answer "You got to be a mom to know that ..". A decade and half later I understand what she meant. Mom's are special people. Aren't they ? 

 I love how these simple things in life give so much joy. Like cooking and feeding the family.The smile on their face when they see their favorite meal, their appetite, their request for seconds and the satisfied faces after wards. This makes the menu planning, the grocery trips, the cooking all worth it.

To satisfy the weekend sweet cravings I made some sinful orange basundi. Sinful  ? Because its too good to resist. And except your weight everyone else will be really happy.

The recipe is very simple and can be made ahead. Perfect for a party or a get-together.

Orange Basundi

(Inspired from this recipe)

1/2 can or 7 oz of condensed milk 

3 C low fat milk

3 tbsp milk powder

(combination of low fat milk + milk powder can be replaced with 3 C of whole milk)

3 oranges peeled  (sweeter variety like navel,valencia or even clementines)

pinch of saffron

pinch of cardamom

• In a heavy bottomed pan combine the condensed milk, low fat milk and milk powder.
• Get it to a boil and simmer for 45mins or so till the mix is reduced to 1/2 the qty.
• Add the saffron and cardamom.
• Allow it to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile peel the oranges removing the all the white rinds as far as possible.
• When the milk has cooled add the orange pieces.
• Chill and serve cold.

The condensed milk is very sweet and so no additional sugar is needed. I made them with some sweet valencia oranges. But you can try using clementines since they are so easy to peel. Other fruits like grapes, berries would go well too. I would not add banana though.

Totally delicious !!

Eggless Date Cake

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Date cake is the most popular cake in my house. We both love it and now Aamod is loving it too. When I offered him a tiny piece he wrinkled up his nose and winked his eyes. The usual expressions I get when he tastes something new. This time he paused, thought for a moment wondering what it is. Soon he gobbled up the whole thing  and was asking for more. I made this cake yesterday and by today evening its almost over. Its really really tasty my friends !.

 I usually make this version of it. This time however I made it healthier. Replaced the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour (atta), cut down on the oil and the sugar too.

Date Cake

(Adapted from this recipe on Aayi's recipes)

1 packet chopped and pitted dates ( the one you get in walmart) or use 18 fresh dates

3/4C milk
1/2 +1/8 C sugar ( or turbinado sugar or brown sugar)
1/2 C all purpose flour + 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C oil

1/4 C applesauce
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbl spn cashews, walnuts

Method:

• Combine the dates and milk in a bowl. Microwave it for 3min. Let it cool. 
• Add the sugar. Then blend the whole thing into a smooth paste.
• Transfer to a big bowl and add the oil. Set aside
• In another bowl sift the flour, baking soda and the nuts.
• Now add the flour mixture to the dates mixture 2 tbsp at a time. Combine using the cut-fold method till all the flour is integrated. 
• Transfer to a 8inch cake pan. 
• Bake in a preheated oven 350 F for 35-40min.
• If a tooth pick comes out clean the cake is done.

If you are hesitant to buy a big jar of applesauce try the baby food section. You can buy a 50cent jar just enough for this recipe. Or pressure cook some apples at home after removing the skin and the stems. Or use an overripe banana. The taste might differ but it will still be very good.

And here is one of us enjoying a piece of it... 

Mango Chutney

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The one thing that I am worried about these days are the gas prices. My oh my.. are they jumping high every day. Seems like there is no ceiling on them.And so the cost of everything else also seems to plummet.  Specially the fresh produce. At such times I try to look for in-season produce. Like these gorgeous mangoes that I picked up last week. They looked neglected sitting in one corner of the aisle. Apparently they are not very popular amongst the local folks, out here at least. But me, I love mangoes - both the ripe and unripe ones. Fortuantely Vijay also shares this love with me. The ripe, juicy ones are almost immediately enjoyed while the unripe ones take their place in chutneys. Like the one here...

 This recipe comes from my mom. She would make it frequently during the Mar-April months with the raw, green mangoes (called "kairi" in marathi), found just before the ripe alphonsos or haapus hit the market. So when I asked her for the recipe this week she was pleasantly surprised."Its only Feb, How have you got the mangoes so soon" she asked.

Back to the recipe for today. I used a special pickle masala blend from K-Pra. Its just a mix of chilli powder, mustard powder and asafoetida. But it will taste great even without it. 

Mango Chutney

1 unripe mango grated ( one that is slightly sour would be perfect )

1 red onion finely chopped

1 tsp pickle masala (optional)

2 tsp chilli powder ( reduce for less heat )

salt to taste

1 tsp grated jagger or gur (substitute brown sugar if gur is not at hand)

For tempering :

1 tsp mustard seeds

3-4 tbsp vegetable/canola oil

pinch of hing or asafoetida

How to :-

• Mix the grated mango with the rest of the ingredients.
• Over medium heat combine the ingredients for tempering and wait till mustard seeds pop. Let this mixture cool down.
• Then pour it over the mango mixture. 
• Taste and adjust spices. Serve with parathas.

My mother generally grates the onions. But I like the crunch from the finely chopped one and more so its easier for me. We loved the freshness from the mangoes and the kick from the spices.So much better than having the jarred stuff that is packed god knows when... :) 

I served it with methi parathas for a healthy lunch.

Navy Bean Soup

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After the extreme temperatures of the past few weeks its finally warmed up here. It feels so nice to step out without the woollies. No concerns about the temperature outside. Its not too hot either. Just right for us to enjoy a stroll round the neighborhood and some play at the gazebo at any time of the day :).Well almost !. Knowing that this will not last long is all the more reason to enjoy it. Needless to say this does not leave enough time to make an elaborate meal. In times like these I like to make soup - glorious soup. 

 Like this curried navy bean soup.Spicy,filling and really quick to make. I usually make it in the rice cooker.

Curried Navy Bean Soup 

(Inspired from this recipe on ecurry.com)

1 C dried navy beans soaked overnight

1 onion chopped

2 medium carrots chopped

2 handfuls of spinach chopped (optional)

1 small tomato chopped ( or 2 tsp tomato paste )

1 tsp cumin seeds

3-4 garlic cloves

2 tsp red chilly flakes ( crushed dried red chillies can be used here)

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp coriander powder

5-6 C vegetable stock(or use 3C stock and rest water)

pinch of pepper

salt to taste

• In a pan combine the olive oil and the cumin seeds. When the seeds sizzle add the ,red chilly flakes,garlic and the onion.Saute for 2 min till onion is soft and garlic is fragrant.
• Add the spinach,carrots, tomato and rest of the spices. Mix and continue cooking for 5-6 min.
• Then add the navy beans, stock/water. Check for seasoning. The stock is slightly salty so add the salt accordingly.
• Transfer to rice cooker set it uncovered in cook mode.When it comes to a boil then, set it to warm and cover. Leave alone for 1 hour at least. 
• The soup will continue to thicken so ensure that you have enough water in the rice cooker.
• Serve with crusty bread.

 We really look forward to a soup and bread meal. And this soup was very filling because of the protein in the beans. I was a doubtful if the beans would cook fast enough. But that wasn't a problem at all. They cooked in the spicy broth and absorbed all the great flavor. A perfect meal to take in that very last bit of winter.