Lunch Box Surprise: Vegetarian Thai Green Curry

Thai Curry is a great dinner dish. It’s something different and exotic, coming from the central part of Thailand or close to Bangkok. It’s so flavoursome, combining umami, spicy and savoury, with a hint of sweetness.

In fact, the native word for this curry, which is “Kheong Gow Wan”, means “sweet curry”, indicating that the colour given off by this curry is a sweet and pastel green. This is made completely vegetarian as it’s not always easily available. 

To learn how to make it, watch the video on the link below: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZh5Fzfu6YY  

VEGETARIAN THAI GREEN CURRY

Ingredients:
Curry Paste
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ cup coriander leaves and roots mixed, chopped roughly
3 green chillies, chopped roughly
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut roughly
3 shallots, peeled and cut roughly
½ inch galangal, peeled and cut roughly
½ stalk lemongrass, peeled and cut roughly
1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
½ tsp palm sugar
3-4 tbsp water

Main Curry
3 tbsp oil
½ cup coconut milk
½ cup or so water to thin
2 kaffir lime leaves
½ carrot, peeled, sliced and parboiled
2 small potatoes, peeled, sliced and boiled
4 French beans, cut lengthwise and parboiled
½ small eggplant, sliced
¼ cup capsicum, julienned
A small bunch of white fungus
Salt to taste
1 tsp coriander leaves, chopped
Pinch of red chillies, chopped
3-4 leaves Thai basil or sweet basil

METHOD

1.      Prepare paste by adding the following to a blender or food processor: cumin seeds, garlic, shallots, galangal, lemongrass, coriander leaves and roots and green chillies. Add vegetarian oyster sauce, palm sugar and enough water to make a smooth paste.

2.      Sauté your eggplant in very little oil till soft. Add capsicum and only cook for few seconds till nice and crunchy.

3.      Heat oil, add paste and fry till fragrant and till the mixture becomes homogenous. Add coconut milk and all the vegetables. Season with salt and add in Thai basil and kaffir lime leaves. Cover it up and cook on a slow flame for at least 10 mins, so flavours get infused.

4.      Garnish with red chillies, and a little bit of coriander leaves and basil. Serve with steamed or fried rice. 

Tips:

1)      If you can’t find vegetarian oyster sauce easily, then just use soy sauce.

2)      You can change the vegetables to whichever ones you like, but please note if you have to parboil or cook it first to suit your preferences.

3)      Garlic and shallot (small onion) can be omitted, and instead you can add more chilli or coconut milk to suit your preferences.

 

Lunch Box Surprise: Penne In Basil Pesto Sauce (Penne con Pesto Genovese)

Pesto originates from the town of Genoa, located in Liguria, Italy. It is popular because of its strong herbal flavours of basil and pine nuts, which is complemented by spicy garlic and salty parmesan cheese. In America, butter and cream is added to make it richer, but I myself recommend you stick to this version because it's lighter and more authentic. Have it with a crusty bread and a lemonade or Sprite...

To watch my video, go to the link below: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vOH3cw2x-w

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup penne
Water, salt and olive oil for boiling

PESTO SAUCE
1/2-1 cup basil leaves (fresh)
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbsp pine nuts * <
3 tbsp walnuts *  <
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt to taste
Dash of crushed black pepper
Parmesan or pecorino cheese, shaved or grated (vegetarian variety, e.g. Cowhead, Sargentos)
Cherry tomatoes, split in half for garnish

METHOD
1. Boil the pasta with water, salt and olive oil until al dente (firm and tender enough- NOT TOO SOFT AND NOT TOO HARD)
2.  Toast your pine nuts and walnuts till fragrant if you like. This step is optional
3. Heat oil, add garlic and cook till fragrant. This step is also optional
4. In a blender, add basil, nuts, garlic and about 2-3 tbsp olive oil, and grind to a fine paste.
5. Heat a little olive oil, add pasta and basil pesto, and toss them together.
6. Add cherry tomatoes & toss again.
7. Top with parmesan cheese and serve hot with your favourite salad, roast vegetables and/or crusty bread.

Lunch Box Surprise: Street Style Potato Burger (Vada Pav)

Hey guys, this is yet another wonderful recipe to serve at Indian parties. Many people long for good vegetarian burgers. If you hate the meaty taste of the vegan barbeque burgers, then this one is for you. It is a spicy deep fried potato in burger buns with mint and tamarind chutney, topped with onion slices. This is enjoyed by the street folk in Mumbai.

Since it is so good, I also have included a special healthy version of this vada pav, and also a recipe for mint chutney. It is quite similar to Mcdonald's Aloo Tikki burger because it is grilled with breadcrumbs instead of deep fried, like a patty. This is better for heart patients or health conscious people.

Here's the video:
Part 1- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-KbXiKptcI&t=2s
Part 2- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6wJdgP-mWE&t=8s

VADA PAV 

3 potatoes, boiled and mashed

1-2 tbsp oil

½ onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Little asafoetida

5-6 curry leaves

½ tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
2 tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp red chilli powder + extra for batter

½ cup chickpea flour

Water as required

Salt to taste
1/4 tsp baking soda

Grilled Vada Pav patty- (do not use ingredients in bold; instead add 1/2 cup beaten rice/poha to potato mixture and mix well. Shape the mixture into patties, flatten and coat with breadcrumbs. Grill with a little oil and serve as per below instructions)

GARLIC CHUTNEY
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp red chilli flakes
Salt to taste

FOR SERVING
6-8 hamburger buns (mini), cut lengthwise (otherwise, use 2-3 normal size burger buns, and cut into quarters)
Butter for grilling buns
Mint chutney (see recipe for College Grilled Sandwich)  & sweet tamarind chutney for serving


METHOD: 
Vada Pav
1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida.
2. Add curry leaves and wait for the seeds to crackle. Add onions and cook till translucent.
3. Add ginger & garlic, and cook until fragrant and/or brown. You can add salt at this point to help cook faster.
4. Add green chilli and cook again for a few seconds, then add mashed-up potatoes, turmeric powder, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder and salt. Add lemon juice. Mix well and keep aside.
5. Prepare batter for vada pav. Mix chickpea flour with salt and a little red chilli powder.
6. Gradually add water to the batter and beat until you get a lump-free batter with easy to pour consistency.
7. Prepare garlic chutney. Heat 1 tsp sesame oil, add garlic and cook till fragrant. Pound the mixture coarsely and then add salt and red chilli powder. Keep aside.
8. Shape the potato mixture into golf ball shapes & dip into batter. Deep fry until golden brown.
9. Grill the hamburger buns and butter. Place a potato vada in the centre and close.
10. Serve with your choice of chutney(s) and garnishes-see below.



Tips:
1) Left over chickpea batter? Take little spoons full of batter and sprinkle all over a pan filled with hot oil.
Deep fry until crisp.

2) You can serve the vada pav with your fav garnishes: usually, I like to slice onion  and/or tomato and sprinkle some lemon juice, cumin powder, red chilli powder and black salt over it. I also like to serve green chilli and coriander leaves, both finely chopped.

  

Bajri Jo Dodo (Millet Flour Flatbread)

Hi guys, this is a recipe for a popular Sindhi breakfast item... If you are looking for a different breakfast, please try this. It's nutritious (millet flour is a great replacement for white flour, and is protein-rich and fibrous), and really delicious and spicy.

This recipe is dedicated to the loving memory of my grandfather, who loved to eat this with yoghurt. He was born on 16th October 1934, and passed away on 7th December 2000.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups bajri (millet) flour (OR 1 1/2 cups bajri-Sindhi/bajra- Hindi or millet flour, and 1/2 cup atta or whole wheat flour)
1 tsp small cumin seeds (jeeri- Sindhi)
1/2 onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup chives, chopped finely
1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped finely
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp amchur (mango powder)
1/4 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter) as required

1. In a hand blender, add onion,  chives, coriander leaves, amchur and coriander seeds.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix flours, cumin seeds and salt. Knead with ghee and water.
3. Add the paste and make a thick dough.
4. Separate into balls and roll out into 1/4 inch thickness.
5. Heat griddle and cook one side. Prick holes into the other side and pour a little ghee into it.
6. Cook on other side till whole bread is golden brown.
7. Serve hot with yoghurt.