Moong Dal Cutlets

INGREDIENTS

1 cup yellow moong dal, 

1 small carrot (grated), 

½ cup boiled peas, 

1 small onion (finely chopped), 

1 green chilli (finely chopped),

1 tbsp ginger (grated), 

½ tsp cumin pdr, 

½ tsp red chilli pdr, 

½ tsp garam masala, 

2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped), 

2 tbsp breadcrumbs, 

1 tbsp lemon juice,

salt to taste

2-3 tbsp oil. 

 

PREPARATIONS

Begin with washing the moong dal thoroughly and then soak it overnight. Drain thoroughly so that there is little water left when you grind.

Grind the soaked dal to make a coarse paste without adding much water. Transfer this to a bowl and mix in chopped vegetables, spices, and breadcrumbs.

Now, add lemon juice and fresh chopped coriander and mix everything well. Divide the mixture into equal pieces and shape them into form, flattened cutlets.

Heat the tawa, grease it lightly with a little oil and place the cutlets on it. Cook until one side turns crisp and golden. 

Next, flip it gently and cook the other sides as well. Pair it with mint chutney, yoghurt dip or tomato chutney and serve hot!  

PS- you can use even whole moongdal to make it healthier or even moong sprouts. 

 

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Masala-Tofu Burger

Ingredients

1 medium white onion- finely chopped 

1 red/orange/green bell pepper- finely diced 

1 cup frozen peas-carrots mix 

4 small green chillies or as per taste

3/4 cup firm cubed tofu - drained well 

1 medium potato- boiled, peeled, diced

2 cloves garlic- minced 

1/2 tbsp black mustard seeds

curry leaves finely chopped 1-2 tsp

pinch hing (Asafoetida) 

1 tsp cumin pdr

1 tsp turmeric pdr

1 lemon 

1 tsp salt (or to taste) 

1/2 bunch coriander leaves- washed-finely chopped 

3/4 cup Breadcrumbs 

1/2 tbsp vegetable oil 

oil spray 

1 red/white onion- cut into thick slices 

2  tomatoes- cut into thick slices 

1/2 cup mint-coriander chutney spread 

4 burger buns 

 

Preparations

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add spray with a generous amount and add oil.

Add mustard seeds and saute for 30 seconds-till you hear popping noises.

Add curry leaves- BE CAREFUL, they pop hot oil!

Add onions and peppers- sweat for about 30 seconds.

Add chopped garlic, chilies and turmeric.

Saute for about 5-7 minutes, until the onions and peppers are soft.

Add peas and carrots mixture, cumin powder and salt.

Saute for about 7-10 minutes- you want all the veggies to be soft and cooked through.

Meanwhile in a small bowl, add the cubed tofu, a pinch of turmeric, cumin powder, coarse black pepper and some cayenne pepper (totally optional!).

Mix and set aside to marinate for a bit.

Once the veggies are cooked, add the tofu- saute until slightly brown and soft enough that it crumbles.

Add juice form half a lemon and half of the chopped  coriander leaves.

Mix and add the diced boiled potato, and toss until everything is coated, soft and taste for salt/spices. Using a masher, mash the mixture until mushy and until the veggies are small. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, add a bit of the breadcrumbs and mix with your hands. Start forming into thick patties (mixture should make 4). If its still giving you a hard time, add more breadcrumbs. Make 4 patties, place on a plate and wrap with plastic wrap until ready to use.

In a small skillet sprayed with oil over medium-high heat, add one patty at a time. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side- until browned and crispy.At the same time, saute the thick slices of onion, until charred and slightly soft.

Spread a generous amount of the chutney spread on each side on the bread, place burger, onions tomato and coriander leaves.

Serve with a slice of lemon and reduced-fat chips on the side. 

 

 

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Sicilian-Style Spaghetti In Fresh Tomato and Garlic Sauce

 INGREDIENTS

 1 1/4pounds (566g) plum tomatoes (about 5 tomatoes)

 1/4cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling if needed

1/4cup loosely packed, roughly chopped fresh basil leaves

 3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced

1 large pinch red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

1 pound (450g) dried spaghetti

1/2 cup (1 1/4ounces; 35g) lightly toasted breadcrumbs, divided

Grated Sicilian Pecorino or ricotta salata, for serving (optional)

 

PREPARATIONS

Grate tomatoes on largest holes of a box grater into a large heatproof mixing or serving bowl until only the skin remains in your hand; it's okay if some slightly larger pieces of tomatoes and some skin get through, though you can discard the large pieces of skin. Add olive oil, basil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Stir well and season with salt to taste. Set aside. 

In a pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook spaghetti, stirring frequently, until al dente. When pasta has almost finished cooking, transfer 1/4 cup (30ml) pasta cooking water to tomato mixture and whisk to form an emulsion.  

Using tongs, transfer pasta to tomato mixture along with an additional 1/4 cup (60ml) pasta cooking water. Vigorously toss and stir pasta to emulsify sauce and coat noodles. Add half of the breadcrumbs and toss to combine. The pasta should be well coated with creamy, emulsified sauce. If it seems dry, add extra pasta water and olive oil, 1 tablespoon (15ml) at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. Taste for seasoning. 

Transfer pasta to warmed plates and sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs. Top with cheese, if desired. Serve right away.  

 

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Paneer Pakoras

INGREDIENTS

For Marinating Paneer

200 gm  paneer cut into 3/ 1/2" long pieces

1 tsp red chilli pdr

1tsp garam masala pdr 

½ tsp salt or to taste

• 
  

For Batter

¼ cup maida

¼ cup Cornflour

1tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp red chili pdr

1 tsp salt or to taste

½ cup Water or as needed

For Coating and Frying

1½ cups breadcrumbs

Oil for Deep frying OR fry in Airfryer

 

PREPARATIONS

Cut paneer into fingers like shape. Add in red chilli powder, salt, garam masala powder and mix well. Set aside.

Take plain flour, cornstarch, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, salt and water in a bowl and make it into a thick batter. Set aside.

Take breadcrumbs in a bowl and set aside.

Now to assemble the paneer. Take each paneer piece, dip it into the batter, roll it in the breadcrumbs really well. Place this in a plate and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.

Heat oil for deep frying, drop the paneer pieces one by one till golden brown and crispy.

Strain using a slotted spoon and keep it on some paper towel to remove excess oil.

Serve hot with ketchup or mint chutney.

 

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. Kerala’s Crispy Chakka Cutlet

Ingredients

300 gm raw jackfruit, boiled and mashed

2 potatoes, boiled and mashed

2 green chillies, finely chopped

1 tsp ginger, grated

8-10 curry leaves, finely chopped

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp black pepper powder

Breadcrumbs for coating

Oil for shallow frying

Salt to taste

Method

Mix mashed jackfruit and potato.

Add green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, garam masala, pepper and salt. Mix well.

Shape into round or oval cutlets.

Coat each cutlet evenly in breadcrumbs.

shallow-fry over medium heat until golden and crisp on both sides.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

 

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18 Pantry Supplies That Expire Faster Than You Think!

When we plan on clearing out expired foods, we usually go straight to the fridge. Rarely do we think to look into the pantry - a common mistake. In reality, many pantry items are just as likely to go bad after a few months as the stuff you keep in the fridge. From fresh produce to packaged goods, several pantry supplies lose their taste or become unusable over time. Therefore, buying such items in bulk is just a waste of your money. Read on for a list of 18 such items.

1. Brown Rice 

If you recently made the switch to brown rice, you may not know that it expires much faster than white rice. I learned this the hard way. Having bought several packages on a deal, I noticed a faint musty smell once I opened package number two. Little did I know that brown rice expires just 6 months after the packaging date.

The same goes for other whole-grain rice varieties (such as wild rice, red rice, or black rice), all because the natural oils in the rice bran go rancid pretty soon. If you want to extend the shelf life of an unopened package of whole-grain rice, put it in the freezer. It should hold up for around a year. 

What about white rice? Since rice bran is removed during the milling process, white rice can be kept in your pantry pretty much indefinitely according to the USA Rice Federation. Just make sure to keep it sealed away from moisture and pests. \

2. Cereal
Not in the mood for cereal every morning? Then we’d say that it’s best not to purchase it in bulk, as an opened box of cereal is guaranteed to go stale in 3 months maximum, even if you decant it into an airtight container. That said, an unopened batch of cereal will retain its taste and crunch for up to 1 year. This is for simple cereals like corn flakes; the shelf life of cereal varieties that contain nuts and other add-ins will be less than that. 

Note that eating old cereal won’t make you sick, so it’s technically still safe to eat. But who would want to begin their day with a bowl of stale cereal? 

3. Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds won’t spoil in your backpack, that’s why they are everyone’s favorite travel snack. But make no mistake, the fact that a bag of almonds or pumpkin seeds can last in your bag for a few days doesn’t mean that they will last in the pantry for years. As a rule of thumb, shelled nuts and seeds retain quality for 4-6 months. Unshelled nuts usually stay fresh for 2-3 extra months. 

After that, the natural oils that are present in abundance in all nuts and seeds will go bad, and you will notice a rancid smell, oily stains, or discoloration on the surface of the nuts. If you’d like to store nuts for a bit longer, pop them in a resealable bag and freeze them for up to a year. 

4. Potatoes
Potatoes don’t have a set expiration date. A fresh bag of potatoes can be safely consumed anywhere from several weeks to 2-3 months, depending on the storage conditions. Ideally, potatoes should be stored in a dark, dry place at 45-55°F (8-13°C). But if your pantry is warmer, you’ll likely need to use up your potatoes in a few weeks. 

You know potatoes have gone bad when they develop soft brown spots or smell terrible. Dry or wrinkled-looking potatoes that feel soft to the touch, green spots, or sprouting are also an indication that a potato is past its prime.

5. Nut butters


Where do you store peanut butter: in the fridge or in the pantry? Like nuts, opened jars of nut butters like peanut butter or almond butter will expire in around 3 months at room temperature. Due to their high oil content, nut butters are prone to rancidity and oil separation. 

Refrigerating opened jars of peanut butter will extend their life and prevent oil separation for another 3-6 months. But even an unopened jar of nut butter will not last for more than a year in your pantry, so buying several jars is probably not a great idea. 

6. Baking powder
Ever wonder why the cake you made didn’t rise, even though it usually turns out fluffy and soft? Expired baking powder could be the culprit. Unlike baking soda, baking powder has a set expiration date. Depending on the humidity in your kitchen, it will lose its leavening powers in just 6-12 months. Here’s a quick test that will help you tell if a packet of baking powder is still fresh. Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to hot water. If it starts to fizz, it’s still fresh. 

Turns out the baking powder is expired? No worries, here's an article that will show you how to swap out the baking powder in different recipes - Ran Out of Baking Powder? 8 Easy Substitutes.  see my next post

7. Oatmeal
If you usually buy oatmeal in bulk, try not to buy more than you will be able to use up in 4-6 months. Like whole-grain rice, oatmeal can go rancid over time. This is less common in quick oats since those are more highly processed, but steel-cut oats tend to go bad in a matter of months. 

Freezing unopened bags of oatmeal can help you double its shelf life. Just don’t forget to label the date on the package. This way, you’ll know when it’s time to use it up.

8. Brown Sugar

Like some of the other food items on this list, brown sugar won’t necessarily expire over time. An opened bag of brown sugar usually dries up and hardens after around 4 months of storage or less. Luckily, keeping the brown sugar in a resealable bag or container will help you keep it soft for a few more months. If you do have a packet of brown sugar that turned into a rock-hard block, worry not. 

 3 Easy Ways to Soften Hard Brown Sugar. see my next posts

9. Garlic
Under prime storage conditions, an intact head of garlic will stay good for half a year, but an unpeeled garlic clove separated from the bulb will not last beyond 2-3 weeks. Not sure if your garlic is still good to use? Fresh and flavorful garlic clove has a light cream color and a glossy exterior. It is also firm and plump-looking. 

If the garlic clove is soft, matte, and closer to yellow than white, it’s well past its prime. Any discoloration, such as brown or gray spots, is a sign of decay. Such garlic should be discarded immediately. Sprouted garlic, on the other hand, is usually fine to use. All you need to do is cut the clove in half and remove the green sprouted core. Make sure to use up sprouted garlic as quickly as you can because sprouting reduces flavor. 

10. Certain cooking oils
Cooking oils are more delicate than they seem, especially unrefined varieties like virgin olive oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or even sesame oil. After opening, these oils should be stored for no more than a year, and you ought to keep them in a dark, dry, and cool environment. 

Olive oil, in particular, can start tasting and smelling just 6 months after opening. If you don’t use it often, it’s best to buy a small bottle - just enough to use up in 1-2 months. That being said, it’s a myth that refrigerating oil will make it last longer, so don’t crowd the fridge door with extra bottles. 

11. Beer
Beer is best stored in the fridge, period. Otherwise, it will start oxidizing quicker and may develop unpleasant flavors in 3-4 months. “Non-refrigerated storage accelerates aging and development of off-flavors. Refrigerated storage is best for all beers at all times,” states Craftbeer.com. If you don’t have space for beer in your fridge and prefer to keep it in the pantry, buy enough to use up within a month or two. 

12. Graham crackers


Graham crackers are always great to have on hand. You can use them for a cheesecake crust or make s’mores with the grandkids. However, we’d advise against buying them in bulk unless you use them in baking quite often. Even a sealed batch of graham crackers will only last you 9 months. 

After that, they become stale. An opened package should be used up as quickly as possible. If you have leftover crackers from a recipe, store them in an airtight container. Otherwise, they will get stale in a matter of days. 

13. Tea and coffee
Both coffee and tea will lose flavor after a few weeks, provided that you don’t store them in an airtight container. So it’s best to seal them well and use them up as quickly as you can. In addition, “tea bags can lose valuable antioxidants as they sit on the shelf over time,” stated Desiree Nielsen, a registered dietitian in Vancouver. 

After around a year of storage, tea and coffee will also start tasting stale, so make sure to only buy enough for around a year. 

14. Quinoa
Quinoa is considered to be a healthy whole grain, so many people buy it these days. Like brown rice, quinoa has a higher moisture content than processed grains or pasta, so it tends to expire much faster. If you keep quinoa in a sealed package in a dry and cold environment, it is said to last for 2-3 years from the packing date. 

However, once you open the package, its longevity will go down dramatically, especially if you keep it in a warm or moist environment. How do you know that quinoa has gone bad? It will have a slightly oily or musty scent, which means that the natural oils present in the grain have gone rancid. 

15. Canned goods
Canned foods may last a lifetime, but certain varieties will no longer taste good after just 1-2 years. That’s because acidic foods may start to break down the tin a little, which will give its contents a metallic taste. This taste doesn’t make the canned food unsafe to consume, it just tastes a bit off.

Pickles and canned tomatoes are more likely to do this, so keep a close eye on which tins you bought first and use them up within half a year or so. Low-acid foods, on the other hand, like canned corn or green beans will stay fresh and tasty for as long as 5 years. 

16. Turmeric and some other spices
Much like garlic or baking powder, certain spices will start losing their flavor after the 1-year mark. Turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, and nutmeg are all examples of such spices, so make sure to buy them in small batches. If you notice that turmeric has lost its smell, you’ll need to use more of it in a recipe or buy a new bottle of the spice altogether.

Eating old turmeric and other spices, in general, isn’t bad for your health. If you want to purchase spices in bulk, we recommend buying whole spices, such as whole black pepper and cinnamon, as these last for a longer time than ground spices. 

17. Flour
Exactly like rice, white flour lasts almost three times as long as whole-grain flour. Whole-grain flour retains its freshness for no more than 3 months, whereas white flour will keep fresh for 6-9 months. If you bought flour in bulk and don’t intend to use it up in the next half a year or so, seal it in a freezer bag and put it in the fridge or freezer. Refrigeration will prevent whole-grain flour from becoming rancid for up to 8 months, almost tripling its shelf life. 

18. Breadcrumbs
The last mention on this list is one you likely never thought of as a perishable good. But breadcrumbs too expire in around 6 months. How do you know that the breadcrumbs in your pantry are no longer good to use? Stale or rancid smells are, of course, one red flag. But be careful because old breadcrumbs, especially those stored in humid or overly warm conditions, may even develop mold or show insect activity.

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Mallow Patties

  Mallow is a very popular herb in the Middle East. All parts of the plant contain antibacterial, which is why in folk medicine, mallow is considered to be very effective against coughing and respiratory and urinary tract disorders. If you've come across mallow leaves and were at a loss for what to do with them, these mallow patties might be the answer you needed.

Ingredients

Mallow - 1/4 cup leaves 

Flaxseed - 2 tbsp. (ground seeds) 

Water - 1/3 cup 

Breadcrumbs - 2 tbsp. 

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp. 

Salt and Pepper - as needed 

Vegetable oil - as needed

 mallow leaves

 Preparations

Boil a large pot of water, add the mallow leaves, cook for a few minutes, strain and rinse with cold water. 

Squeeze out as mich water as you can, then chop the mallow leaves. 

Mix the ground flaxseed in a bowl with a 1/3 cup water and set aside for 15 minutes. 

Mix the mallow leaves with the lemon, breadcrumbs and a little salt. 

Add the mallow leaves to the flaxseed mixture and make small patties. 

Heat the vegetable oil in a pan. Carefully place the patties in the hot oil and fry each side for a few minutes until they are browned (if the patties begin to burn, lower the flame). 

Finally, transfer the patties to a plate with a paper towel and drain the oil. 

Chef's Tip: You can serve these patties with yogurt or sour cream.

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Spinach - Paneer Tikki

  

Ingredients

3 tsp oil
3 green chillies
1 inch ginger paste
1 bunch palak / spinach, chopped
3 potato, boiled & mashed
½ cup paneer / cottage cheese, grated

½ cup bread crumbs
1 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp aamchur / dry mango powder
2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped

½ tsp salt
2 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp maida
¼ tsp chilli flakes
¼ tsp salt
½ cup water
1 cup bread crumbs

 

Method

In a large kadai, heat oil and sauté chillies and ginger paste, then add a bunch of palak, cooking until it wilts and shrinks.

Cool the palak mixture, blend into a smooth paste, then mix with mashed potatoes, paneer, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl.

 Combine the palak mixture with spices, herbs, and breadcrumbs to form a non-sticky dough, then prepare a smooth maida paste by mixing corn flour, maida, chilli flakes, and salt with water.

Shape veg mixture into cylinders, coat with maida paste & breadcrumbs (double coat). Deep fry or bake at 180°C for 15 min. Serve crispy palak cutlet with tomato sauce.

 

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Cheesy-rice Balls

  

Ingredient

Left-over rice 

onion 1 finely chopped

green chilies finely chopped as per taste

besan as needed

rice flour as needed

salt to taste

cheese cut into small cubes

oil to fry OR you can fry in an Air fryer OR Bake in oven

breadcrumbs to coat

 

In a big bowl add rice, onion,green chilies, salt,knead well, add rice flour and besan as needed to help you to make small balls. 

In the middle of each ball put a small cheese cube, close well, roll in breadcrumbs, either fry in oil, or in Air fryer/  in pre-heated hot oven @ 180 C for about 10-12 minutes or till brown.

Serve hot with ketchup or tomato/ mint chutney. 

 

I made this when I found that quite a bit of rice was leftover after lunch. Tea time, with kids at home, there's always hunger. I decided to use the leftover rice with besan, rice flour, onion, green chilies, salt, mashed well, put cheese cubes, rolled well in breadcrumbs and fried in hot oil. Later I saw the recipe was shown by a chef, my daughter said that my recipe was copied  ha, ha. It was truly my own recipe.

All the cheese balls disappeared in no time, sadly no more rice was there !

 

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com  for info on cancer and health related topics

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs