Palak Pulaav (Spinach Pilaf) !!!

                              Green Rice .... Palak Pulav ..... Spinach Pilaf !!!

Whatever you call it, It's a fancy rice dish with a healthy kick. And just one spoonful of this rice takes me all those years back to my parents' home.All four of us enjoying our dinner on those cozy winter nights,watching some cartoon (yup...my addiction to cartoon is hereditary), talking about our busy days.This is not a quick or easy everyday rice recipe but it's totally worth all the efforts.

My mummy adopted this recipe from one of our neighbors. I love this custom of  "Vatki Vehvaar" (literary Bowl Custom) ,where one share a bowl of their all-time favorite dishes to experimental dishes with their neighbors. Even if each family member gets only a spoonful from that bowl, we look forward for the next bowl. I think sharing food with someone is the greatest way to show you care for them, you like them being around you and like any family there are some of those melting moments between you and your neighbor. But still you want to share your most special experience (sometimes fiascoes) with them. And that's how this" Palak Pulav" found it's way into our winter menu.

Spinach is the best snack !!!

For Aarav anything with spinach is a treat. And he truly believes spinach is a super food (remember Popeye !!!) . For some unknown reason my son prefers row leafy vegetables and herbs over sweet fruits. he even gets to cut leafy veggies with scissors, so overall it's a much awaited dinner for him too.

Little one also wanted to get involved ,so he woke up from his nap .....

                                             

                                                                   











                                                                         







                                                                  Tips :

• We don't want to boil the spinach ,just blanch it till it's softens a little. No more than 2-3 minutes in hot water.
• And we need remember not cooking the spinach through whole Pulav Making process ,that way we will have green rice instead of somewhere-between-green-brown-rice.
• It's good idea to use left-over rice for any Pulav or fried rice. Freshly made rice will break during the cooking.
• I prefer using mostly green chilies for the heat. Red chili powder will make the color darker.
• Add spices according to your body's tolerance levels. To mild the spices eat yogurt or Raita (yogurt dip) with your rice.
• All the ingredients for tempering is optional.But highly recommended for the wonderful aroma.....

Prep Time :  30 Minutes
Cook Time:  20 Minutes


Ingredients :

2        Cups  Cooked Rice
3        Cups   Fresh Spinach

1        Cup   Finely chopped onions
1        Cup   Crushed Tomatoes  (fresh or tin)
1/2     Cup   Green Peas
1/2    Cup   Papers
2-3    Green Chilies  finely chopped
1       TSP    Ginger-Garlic Paste
1        TSP   Red chili powder (to taste)
1        TSP   Coriander  Powder (optional)
1/4    TSP    Turmeric  Powder (optional)
Salt to taste (Spinach is a salty vegetable,so taste and add salt)





For Tempering / Tadka :

3     TBSP    Oil
1      TBSP   Ghee
1     TSP       Cumin
2-3  Whole  Cloves
1      Small piece of Cinnamon
4-5   Curry Leaves
8-10 Cashew Nuts

1)   In wide pan heat the oil and ghee. When Oil and Ghee is lightly heated add cumin followed by all       the other ingredients for the tempering. Add Green Chilies and Ginger-Garlic paste. Let it all               cook on low heat for 1-2 minutes.

2)  Add Onions ,Peas and papers. Saute them until onions are translucent.

3) When the onions are busy making themselves translucent ,start working on the spinach. Add                chopped Spinach to hot water. Let them sit there for 3-4 minutes. Until the spinach softens.

4) When the onions are cooked add tomatoes,Red Chili, coriander and turmeric powder to the pan.         Cook it for 2-3 minutes.

5) When the Spinach has soften , blend it to a puree.
6)  Add pureed spinach . Cook them until most of the water evaporates. But make sure not to cook for     a long time or the spinach will start loosing all the nice,fresh green color.

7) Spinach puree has tendency to splatter. To save yourself from cleaning and burning, cover the pan       with lid. One with holes is the best to use.

8) Add rice and  mix everything together.Add splash of lemon if desired.

Serve it with Yougurt or Raita.

In winter we prefer it with tomato soup. Click here for the recipe of "My Mom's Tomato Soup"

Hot And Sour Soup !!!

                   A perfect Hot and Sour soup to get little warm in this cold cold weather !!! 

And speaking of cold cold weather reminds me that for two weeks I haven't been able to do any real post on the blog (and nothing in real life too) thanks to the extended visit form Mr.fever and Miss Cold. And this is what I eat almost everyday for last 5-6 days. This is very simple soup with only few ingredients.The best thing about this soup is Aarav prepared almost everything for me to put the soup together. And there is nothing better than a 5 year old trying to do anything he can to make you feel better.

And with this recipe we are introducing our quick recipe category. Here we will give you Soups, Smoothies ,Salads,Chutnies and some side dishes ideas. Hope you will all enjoy them.

                                                             Tips :

• Try to make fresh batch of soup whenever you want. Leftovers don't taste or feel so good.
• Use fresh Ginger instead of powder. 
• Use just enough  corn starch so soup doesn't feel watery. We are not making gravy here. 
• If you don't have Vegetable stock in the pantry , Use water with Vegetable flavor bouillon(small cubes of flavoring)  

Prep Time  :    10 Minutes
Cook Time :     10-15  Minutes

Ingredients :

1   TBSP   Oil
1   Cup      Grated Cabbage and Carrots
1/2 Cup      Sliced Mushroom  (optional)
1   TBSP   Ginger   (chopped or shredded)
1/2 TSP     Garlic    (chopped or shredded)
1/2  TSP    Green chilies (approximately 2 chilies)
3    Cups    Vegetable stock or water
2    TBSP   Corn Starch
2    TBSP    Soy Sauce   (add more to taste)
2    TBSP    Vinegar or lemon (if you like it real sour)
Salt to taste
Some finely chopped Green Onions


1)  Heat the oil in the pan and add Ginger,Garlic and Chilies. Saute for 30 seconds.
2) Add mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes ,until tender. Add other veggies and saute for few more     minutes.
3) Add vegetable stock and let it come to a boil.
4) Mix corn starch with little cold water and add it to the soup.
5) Let the soup thicken , for 2 more minutes.
6) Add vinegar , Sprinkle some Green Onions and serve.

Midnight Spaghetti !!!

                                              Spaghetti with Oil and Garlic !!!

It is called "Midnight Spaghetti" because Chefs make this dish for themselves after returning home at midnight (at least that's what Ina Garten said). I saw this recipe in a show which was showing what chefs cook for themselves. After being surrounded by complex flavors and ingredients for the whole day all they want is something simple to make and simple to eat. But simple doesn't mean no favors or bland food. With only few (but packed with flavors) ingredients this is the dish  you will want to make after a busy day.

As a family we love pasta dishes. But I never cook spaghetti.Cause Once we tried it with marinara sauce and the whole sauce-dripping-pasta-rebelling-to-stick-to-fork idea wasn't so exiting.And after having kids I only love to eat food which I can decently manage with only one hand. So when I saw this recipe I was like I have to make it.That time Husband was working in New York and only visited us every 2 weeks. So get all the ingredients and made his visit special by this new dish.And now it's on our regular menu.

For Aarav spaghetti was so fascinating. Something he always see his cartoon characters eat or see in books. Now we are making that too. So even if it is not particularly kid friendly dish, He just loves it. Since there is not a lot of things we have to do to make this he started playing with spaghetti.

                                                     

                                                                Tips :

               

• Always boil your past in a large pot with lots of water. Or pasta will be very starchy.
• Adding little past water to your sauce will bring the whole dish together.
• Add garlic when the oil is lightly hot. That way garlic will have sweet flavor instead of risk of getting burned.
• If you can use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Cause the box of grated Parmesan cheese have corn starch in it.It will make the sauce lumpy.
• Add Parmesan cheese after turning off the heat. And let the cheese sit and melt on its own. This is something I figured out after few batches of spaghetti with big lumps of cheese and parsley. 
• Don't mess with this recipe. Normally I pick a recipe and add whatever I have or like. But some recipes are worth trying the original way. 

Prep Time  :   10 Minutes
Cook Time :   15 Minutes

Ingredients :

1      Pound    Dry Spaghetti
1/3   Cup       Good Olive Oil
4      Large    Cloves of Garlic (more if you like)
1/2   Tsp       Crushed red Pepper flakes (more or less according to taste)
1/2   Cup       Minced fresh Parsley
1      Cup       Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt

1) Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 Tbsp of salt and pasta and cook according to the                   directions on the package.

2) Set aside 1/2 cup of pasta water.More if you want.
3) Meanwhile heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add garlic and cook for 2 Minutes.
4) Add crushed red pepper flakes.

5) Add reserved pasta water and bring to a boil.
6) Lower the heat and add salt. Simmer it for 5 minutes until water is reduced.
7) Add drained pasta and give a nice toss. So the pasta is covered with oil and garlic.
8) Turn the heat off. Add parsley and Parmesan cheese. Toss it

9) Serve it with extra Parmesan cheese.