Mango Salsa recipe

Mango salsa, watermelon salsa, mixed veg and fruit salsa recipes- check out my salsa recipes that were published in Citizen Matters on 14th May 2013: For recipes please visit - Yummy-It's Salsa Time

 Different salsas

 Mango Salsa

Pineapple and Watermelon Salsa

Published in Citizen Matters on 14th May 2013: For recipes please visit - Yummy-It's Salsa Time

Kothu Phulka/tortilla-a Healthy version of the Kothu Parotta!

 Kothu Phulka-the healthy version of the "Kothu Paratha"

Traditionally in Tamil Nadu, 'Kothu Paratha' is made from 'parotta' or the South Indian 'paratha' which is a layered paratha made with loads of oil and maida. I did try it out once with frozen Kerala Parotta's (available in all Indian stores) and I admit that it is sinfully delicious!
The tasty Kothu Parotta never became a regular feature as obviously I had my reservations of using the frozen 'maida' (refined flour) oily parotta's.

Yesterday, I had 3 leftover phulkas (roti's made whithout oil) from lunch and with it came the idea of the 'healthy version of the Kothu paratha/ parotta'!! This I have renamed as "Kothu Phulka" !
Kothu Paratha's are made by tearing up the cooked paratha and then cooking it in a gravy of either meat, chicken or egg. The kothu phulka that I made is with egg. Vegetarians/vegans can omit the egg and make it with just the onion+tomato gravy or replace the egg with tofu. Here are the ingredients for the 'healthy version of the Kothu Paratha(the Kothu Phulka):
Ingredients: (Serves 2)

• Phulkas/whole wheat tortillas: 3-4 nos. ( broken into 1" pieces)
• Eggs: 3 nos. (can be substituted with 200gms tofu or omitted entirely)
• Red onion: 1 medium or 1/2big (chopped fine)
• Tomatoes: 2 medium (chopped fine)
• Green chillies: 1-2nos. slit in half (use more or less according to your spice tolerance)
• Cilantro/Coriander leaves: 2-3 tbsp (finely chopped)
•  Red chilli powder: 1-2tsp(again according to your spice tolerance)
• Coriander powder: 1tsp
• Salt: to taste

Tempering:

• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Cumin/jeera: 1tsp
• Curry leaves: 8-10nos.
• Turmeric: 1/4th tsp
• Oil: 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard and cumin seeds and when it starts popping add the curry leaves.
2. Then add the turmeric powder,chopped onions, the green chillies and salt and fry till the onions become translucent.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder and the coriander powder and stir till the tomatoes are cooked.
4. Add the eggs/tofu and mix well. Keep stirring on a low flame till the eggs are almost cooked but not too dry. Test for salt.
5. Now add the phulka/tortilla pieces and mix well such that the egg/tofu mixture coats all the phulka pieces.
6. Garnish with lots of cilantro and serve the 'Kothu Phulka' piping hot.

For those who want to avoid the egg/tofu-add the phulka pieces directly after the tomatoes are cooked (point 4).
Enjoy this healthy version of the "kothu Paratha" at lunch/dinner, breakfast or even for a Sunday brunch !
It also makes a good lunch box recipe!

Kothu Phulka- the healthy version of the 'Kothu Paratha'

Brinjal Bharta (Eggplant Curry)

Brinjal Bharta

'Eggplant/Aubergine' or 'Brinjal' as it's popularly called in India, is on my list of 'not-so favorite' veggies . It's not that the list is very long-there are just two vegetables (brinjal and potatoes) and again it's not that I will not touch them. I prefer to eat them only in certain dishes:potatoes as chips or in Masala Dosa and brinjal as a bharta, pakora or stuffed.
For the Brinjal bharta, the brinjal is usually first roasted whole over a fire (since we have an electric cooktop here, I had to bake it) . Once roasted,the brinjal pulp is then cooked with chopped onions,tomatoes and garnished with chopped cilantro. The Brinjal bharta goes well with 'phulkas/roti' or with steamed rice and dal.Here are the ingredients for Brinjal Bharta:
Ingredients:

• Eggplant/brinjal: 1 big
• Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped
• Tomatoes: 1-2 ,diced
• Green chillies: 1-2,slit lengthwise
• Ginger: 1 tsp, finely chopped
• Garlic: 4-5, finely chopped
• Garam masala: 1tsp
• Cilantro/coriander leaves: 5 tbsp, finely chopped
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 1tsp

Method:

1. Spread a little oil over the skin of the eggplant/brinjal and roast over an open flame till it gets cooked(or you could bake it in the oven for 20-30mins).
2. After it cools a bit, remove the skin (the oil applied on the skin makes it easy) and coarsely chop the eggplant pulp. Keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a pan,then add the chopped ginger and garlic. Let it fry for about a minute,then add the chopped onions and salt.
4. Saute till the onions become translucent, then add the slit green chillies, diced tomatoes and garam masala powder. Stir for about 5-6 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked.
5. Add the pulp of the brinjal and cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
6. Garnish the brinjal bharta with chopped cilantro and serve hot with phulkas.

Brinjal Bharta

Question: What is your favorite dish with 'eggplant/aubergine'?

Chickpea Salad

Yesterday, Gina in her blog 'The Candid R.D', had a great post called "Snack Attack" ,where she lists out the good snacks (and the not so good ones).She had also asked if we had a favorite snack, to which I mentioned that chickpea salad was one of my fave. That,actually reminded me that I had not made it in a very long time-so,thanks to Gina,today's snack just had to be "Chickpea Salad". This can be eaten as a side salad or as a snack by itself. There's one more version which my mom used to make for breakfast(since it didn't have fresh onions),so this post has two recipes (but only one pic)with chickpeas.

Chickpea salad

Chickpea salad: (Serves 2)
Ingredients:

• Cooked chickpeas: 2 cups
• Onions:1/2 medium (finely chopped)
• Green chillies: 1/2 or 1 (slit or finely chopped)
• Cilantro: 2 tablespoons (finely chopped)
• Tomatoes: 1 small (finely diced)
• Lime juice: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Toss all the ingredients together and serve with baked tortilla chips(optional).

Chickpea (breakfast version): Serves 2
Ingredients:

• Chickpeas: 2 cups(cooked)
• Green chillies: 1/2 or 1 (slit or chopped))
• Freshly grated coconut: 1-2 teaspoon (optional)
• Coriander leaves: 2 tablespoon(finely chopped)
• Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
• Urad dal (black matpe bean dehusked and split): 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves: 2-3 nos.
• Zeera/Cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil: 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan,add the mustard,cumin and urad dal. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves and then the green chillies.
2. Add the cooked chickpeas,salt and mix well.
3. Serve hot,garnished with coconut gratings(optional) and chopped cilantro.

I'm going to ask you the same question that Gina asked(maybe it'll remind you of your long forgotten snack)
Question: What is your favorite snack item?