Pleasures of a gourmet dish--Stuffed Tomatoes

Things have been a little hectic in the preetibhoj household. Four of our friends were paid a visit by the stork and we have been busy welcoming little bundles of joy. It is amazing to see the face of a newly born, it fills you with so much more faith in life. And since babies are being born, grandparents from India have been visiting, which gives me more reason to invite people over for food, chit-chat and memories. I have been busy looking for new recipe with each new dinner and wanted to include something different each time. And my search led me to gourmet cooking and stuffed tomatoes were served and well-received in one of the gatherings.
I have had baked tomatoes at parties and always liked it. This recipe includes making a stuffing and baking tomatoes at 350 degrees F. It is easy to make, yet delicious.

You will need:
5 ripe but very firm tomatoes

...and for stuffing:
1 can whole kernel corn, 1/4 cups finely chopped cauliflower, 1/4 cup finely chopped onion, 1/4 cups of cooked beans(i used edmame beans), about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, 3/4 cups of bread crumbs, 1 tbspn of lemon juice, 2 green chillies finely chopped, salt and pepper.
...preparations for stuffing:
Drain the corn of all water. Put a tsp of butter in a pan and roast the corns for about 3-4 mins so that they turn a little crunchy.
Cook the cauliflower in the microwave for 2 mins so that it looses some of its water.
Now mix all the ingredients of the stuffing together.

..preparing the tomato:
lightly spray the tomatoes with olive oil, then cut off a round cap at the top of tomato. Spoon out the seeds and water(can be used in soups) to make a hollow in the tomato. Now take spoonfuls of stuffing and fill liberally into the tomatoes. Bake these at 350 degrees F for 20-25 mins, till the skin of the tomato starts shrinking. Serve it warm and while basking in the pleasure of being a gourmet cook!

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Cabbage Kofta Curry

How do you turn the humble cabbage into a delectable dish? Simple, make koftas! Cabbage kofta curry is, cabbage dumplings in a flavored tomato sauce. And if you want something to take for a potluck or cook for friends, this is it. It will sure win you accolades.

My cooking is most of the time inspired by snapshot memories of my Mom serving finger-licking food to me and my sisters. My Mom very often made lauki koftas, I decided to make cabbage kofta on the same lines. What makes it more appetizing is the crunch in the dumplings which stays long after the koftas have been simmered in the flavorful sauce.
what you'll need is:
For Koftas
1 small cabbage
1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chilli powder
salt

For the gravy
1 medium sized onion, 4 medium tomatoes, 1" piece inch ginger, 2-3 cloves garlic, 1-2 red chilli, half a bunch of fresh coriander, 1 tsp freshly ground cumin powder, 1 tsp freshly ground fennel powder, 1 tsp freshly ground coriander powder, 1/2 tsp mango powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1tsp poppy seeds made to a paste.

Chop cabbage to very fine pieces. Sprinkle a little salt over it and keep aside for a few minutes. Remove as much water as you can by pressing the cabbage and mix it with all other kofta ingredients. If it makes a very watery mixture add a little more besan till it becomes easy to form into rounds. Make lime sized rounds and deep fry in oil till they turn golden brown. remove from oil when done and drain on a paper towel.

To make the gravy
Make a paste of onion, garlic, ginger. Add two tbsps of oil to a wok. Add the onion mixture and fry on medium heat. Meanwhile make a paste of tomatoes coriander and chillies. When onion mixture looks slightly translucent add poppy seeds paste and tomato mixture. Keep cooking on medium to high till oil seems to be separating from it. Add all the powders now and cook for another 5 minutes. You know the gravy is ready when you can see oil separate around it. Now add around 1-2 cups of warm water depending on how much thin you want your gravy, and mix well. Add the koftas to this and cook covered for 5 minutes on medium heat. Serve warm with whole wheat chapatis or Naan.

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Delicious Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash(or pumpkin) Bake

Back home in India we make Subji and halwa(pudding) out of pumpkin. Pumpkin here is a Halloween dish, at other times butternut squash is easily available . I used to make subji(dry curry) out of this squash, but after I had pumpkin pie at a friends place, I wondered how would a baked butternut squash taste. I wanted to make a warm casserole for dinner and after some trial and error I came up with my own recipe. After I made this dish for the first time, my husband was absolutely thrilled by the combination of spices and sweetness. Now it is a regular in my kitchen. I use pumpkin for this dish at fall time when it is available at very discounted rates.
Here's the recipe for this finger licking dish:

1 Small butternut squash/ medium pumpkin
3 medium granny smith apples

For Topping:
1/2 cup light brown /white sugar(depending on what's in pantry)
1/3 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup cold butter
1/2 tspn cinnamon powder
1/4 tspn nutmeg
1/4 tspn grated ginger
1 tspn salt
1/4 cup broken pieces nuts(almonds/walnuts/pecans)



1. Peel, de-seed and cut the butternut squash in cubes.
2. Peel core and slice the apples.
3. Place the squash and apples in a baking dish.
4. Now to make the topping mix sugar,flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and nuts in a bowl. Cut cold butter into this mix to make a crumbly topping.
5. Spread the topping evenly over squash and apples.
6. Cover with foil and place in preheated oven at 400 degrees F.
7. Bake covered for around 50-60 min. bake uncovered for 5 more mins in the end.
8. Remove from oven and enjoy it warm with some whipped cream!!

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Simply healthy- Avocado and pasta salad

I am always on a lookout for healthy wholesome food that is nutritious and tasty at the same time. Salads are a great source of fiber and essential vitamins if tossed with the right ingredients. My all time favorite salad ingredient is Avocado. Though high in calories it is a great source of Vit K, B6,C, folate and potassium. The creamy texture and subtle flavor makes any Avocado dish irresistible.

I like to make avocado and pasta salad using rotini pasta tossed with a hint of pesto and olive oil. Here's a recipe that will make a big and filling lunch in itself.

1 medium Avocado
3/4 cup rotini pasta
1 large russet potato boiled and cubed
1 medium salad tomato diced
1 Tbspn Pesto sauce
1 sprig of basil or your favorite herb
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tspn pepper
salt to taste
1 teaspn crushed Feta Cheese (optional)

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the rotini pasta and boil for 7 mins or till al dente. Drain and cool a little. Mix the pasta and boiled potato cubes with pesto sause and toss well to coat all over.
Peel the avocado and cut it in cubes. Add the Avocados and tomato to pasta mix. Add salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice, toss. Top with shredded herb and feta cheese. Eat it cool and enjoy !!

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A touch of Kumaon- Palak Kapa

Kumaon comprises that natural wonder which God placed on earth with his own hands. It is that beautiful stretch of mountains in the heart of Himalayas that is full of beauty, mythology and poetry. The breathtaking beauty of this region coupled with the warm and rich culture makes it simply irresistible.
The cuisine of Kumaon is high in taste and nutrition while being prepared with minimum ingredients in a very basic manner. My Mom used to make Kumaoni food especially in winters as it is supposed to be warming to the body. One dish that makes a wholesome and nutritious lunch is the kapa, or kumaoni spinach saag. I make it in the original style in an iron kadhai(dutch oven) with mustard oil which brings out a toasted flavor. On a cold day this is just what I like to make served with some nice steamed white rice.
Here's an authentic recipe from my Mom's kitchen.

2 Bunches fresh Spinach leaves
1-2 green chillies split lengthwise
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Dhania Powder
A pinch of Heeng
1 heaped tablespoons Besan(Chickpea flour)
salt to taste
2 Tbspns Mustard oil

Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly and cut them.
Heat the oil in the kadhai(or any deep pan).
Add cumin seeds when the oil is really hot.
Add the green chillies, coriander powder, turmeric powder and hing. The addition of the spices should be done quicly to avoid it getting burnt.
Add the spinach leaves and salt and cook covered for 10 minutes mixing occasionally. Now mix the besan in 1/2 cup of water. Add this to the spinach stirring continuosly to avoid any lumps. Add more water if it looks dry. The kapa would now get thickened and saucy. Cover and bring to a boil for 5-10 mins.
Serve hot on top of white rice drizzled with some cream.

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