MOROCCON COUSCOUS

Ingredient

400 gm tofu , cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 cup cooked or can chickpeas
1tbsp paprika
1 tsp cumin powder

1tsp coriander powder

1 cup couscous

1 clove garlic chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes halved

2 tbsp lemon juiced 

2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp parsley
salt n pepper to taste

1/4 cup  crumbled feta cheese

2tbsp olive oil

Method

In an bowl add chickpea, tofu, 1 tbsp oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, to coat. Set aside. 

Place couscous in a large bowl,pour 2 cups boiling water over  it  and add garlic, stir to combine. Cover and let stand for 5 mins. Uncover and fluff with fork, stir in tomatoes . 

In a selected bowl whisk 1 tsp oil, lemon juice ,parsley ,salt and pepper. (I don't like parsley so I added coriander leaves)
Add couscous and toss to combine.

Heat a nonstick pan and add chickpea and tofu mixture and cook until browned and crisp about 3 mins, serve over couscous .
Sprinkle feta cheese on top of it.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC BELL PEPPERS

Ingredients 

4 pieces skinless chicken breasts

3/4 tsp fennel seeds crushed

5/8 tsp salt divided

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp oregano

2 tbsp olive oil , divided

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1cup veg or chicken broth (less sodium)
2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots 
1 tbps balsamic vinegar
cooking spray

Method
Preheat oven to 450 F .
Heat a large skillet over medium high.

Combine 1/2 tsp oil ,fennel seeds, 1/4 black pepper, garlic powder and oregano and salt.
Brush chicken with 1 1/2 tsp oil. Sprinkle spice rub over chicken.
Add 1/2 tsp oil to pan. Add chicken and cook for 3 minutes or until browned. 
Turn chicken over, cook for 1 minute. 
Arrange chicken in an 11x7 " baking dish coated with cooking spray. 
Bake at 450 F for 10 minutes or until done. 
Heat remaining olive oil over medium heat, add bell peppers, shallots, saute for 3 minutes.
Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
Reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes. 
Increase heat to medium high. Stir in balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
Cook for 3 minutes. Serve bell pepper mixture over chicken.

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QUINOA SALAD WITH BLACK BEANS

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Quinoa cooked
1/2 cup cooked black beans, rinsed if canned 

1 tomato chopped 

1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves

Salt as per taste

Pepper as per taste
For dressing
2 limes , or to taste
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin powder

1/2tsp pepper flakes

1/4 cup olive oil
  

Method

Cook quinoa as per instructions ( you can check the cooking method in this blog) 

In a big bowl toss cooked quinoa, black beans , tomatoes. 
Make dressing:
In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, salt, and cumin , pepper flakes and add oil in a stream, whisking.
Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well with salt and pepper to taste.
Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Bring salad to room temperature before serving.

METHI LEAVES RICE

 

 

Ingredients

 

2 cups Basmati rice cooked

1 1/2 cups methi leaves chopped

2 onions thinly sliced

2 green chillies chopped finely

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 cardamom

2 bay leaves

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

 

Method

 

Wash and cut the methi leaves and keep aside.

Take a heavy bottomed pan , add oil and after it is medium hot add cumin seeds.

Let it splutter, now add cardamom and bay leaves , saute for 20 seconds.

Add sliced onions , green chill , saute until until light brown.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute until raw sell goes off.

Add the methi leaves and saute until it shrinks.

Add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and saute for 3 minutes.

Now add the cooked rice , give it a gentle stir and do not break the rice.

Close it with  tight lid and cook for 1510-15 minutes in low flame.

Now add the cooked basmati rice, give it a gentle stir.

Yummy, delicious and healthy rice is ready.

Serve it with pickle and curd.

 

 

PRAWN FRY

Ingredients

500 gms Prawn cleaned and deveined
1 tbsp  chilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp pepper powder or as per your taste
Salt as per taste
6-7 curry leaves
2 tbsp olive oil

Method

Combine all the ingredients and make a paste. 
Marinate the prawns with this paste and keep aside for half an hour. 
Heat oil in a pan , add curry leaves , add marinated prawns and shallow fry it for 5-7 minutes.
If you fry it for long, the prawns will become hard.
Serve hot with steamed rice and enjoy this spicy and tasty prawn fry. 
Notes: Using coconut oil will enhance the flavor.

MASALA RAVA UPMA

Ingredients

1cup Rava roasted

1  onion finely chopped

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

3 1/2 cups Water 

1 small carrot finely chopped

1/4 cup Green peas 

2-3 nos Green chillies  ( add more if u want more spicy)

1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1tsp Mustard seeds 

1 tsp Urad dal 

1 tsp garam masala powder

6-8 nos Curry leaves 

2 tsp Ghee

Salt as per taste
Coriander leaves – 1/4 bunch

Method

Dry roast rava for 5-7 minutes in low flame without changing its color.Rava will be non-sticky after roasting. Set aside. 
Heat a non  stick kadai, add ghee and mustard seeds, ural dal, curry leaves.
After the dals turn golden brown , add chopped onion. Saute well till onion turns transparent.
Now add ginger garlic paste , saute until raw smell goes off.
Add chopped carrots, peas and chillies, saute on low flame.
Add turmeric powder, garam masla powder , fry for 30 seconds.
Add 3 1/2 cups water along with salt and boil, simmer the flame and add rava slowly using one hand and stir the mixture using other hand.
Mix well and add chopped coriander leaves and close the kadai with a lid.
Let it cook for 5-8 minutes on medium flame, stir once or twice in the middle.
Now upma will be non sticky to touch and it starts to roll in the pan leaving the sides. Make sure it has some moisture content in it, switch off the flame and enjoy your masala rava upma. Yummy !!!!!!!

 

 

PANEER TAVA MASALA

I have tried so many panner dishes, but this dish caught my attention as it had ajwain in it. I thought adding ajwain will give the dish a different taste . It really gives a unique taste. I made this paneer dish and surprisingly everybody at my house liked it.

 

Ingredients

2cups Paneer (cubed)
1tbsp Kasuri methi
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
2tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tbsp Chaat masala
1/2tsp Cumin seeds + Ajwain seeds
2 nos Onions chopped
2nos Garlic cloves chopped finely
1-2tsp  Coriander powder
3/4cup Tomato puree (prepared with 5 ripen tomatoes)
3tbsp Fresh cream
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tbsp Oil
Coriander leaves (chopped)

Method

Marinate the cubed paneer with 1 tsp chili powder, chaat masala, salt and turmeric powder with few drops of oil (added few drops of oil, thats the way the paneer get well coated with the spices). Keep them aside half an hour.

Heat few tsp of oil and fry the marinated paneer cubes until they turns brown on both side, keep aside.

Heat oil in the same kadai, add the cumin and ajwain seeds. 

Add the chopped onions, garlic saute everything well until the onions turns transculent.

Now add the coriander powder , fry and add  tomato puree and bring everything to boil, cook until the oil get separated from the gravy.

Add remaining chili powder and garam masala, fry well along with tomato paste. 

Add the already fried paneer cubes  to the gravy, cook for few minutes.
Finally add the cream, give a stir.

Add the chopped coriander leaves and put off the stove.

Serve it hot with roti . 

Note - you can add tomato paste and chilli powder according to your taste.