Mom's Recipies

Falafel is very popular in the Middle Eastern fast food. It can be served as a main dish , a sandwich stuffed in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini. It can also be served as an appetizer on a salad, or with hummus and tahini. Falafel is high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber.Falafel is hearty enough to replace hamburger patties and meatballs in vegetarian dishes.

Ingredients:

* 1 cup dried chickpeas or 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans.
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
* 1-2 Green Chillies
* 3 tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped
* 1 tsp coriander powder
* 1 tsp cumin powder
* 2 tbsp flour
* Salt to taste
* Pepper to taste
* Oil for deep frying




Method:-

1) Wash and soak chickpeas in water overnight. Omit this step if using canned beans.

2) Drain chickpeas next morning and put them in pressure cooker and cook with water for 3-4 whistles.Cool for 15 minutes then remove the lid and drain them.OR Drain chickpeas, and place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil.Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then let simmer on low for about an hour.Drain and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

3) Combine boiled chickpeas, garlic, green chilli ,onion, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and pepper (to taste) in food processor or blender. You want the result to be a thick paste.Don't add water while grinding.Take the grinded mixture in a bowl .Then add flour.Mix well.



4) Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball.

5) Deep Fry in 2 inches of oil until golden brown .It will take about 5 minutes.

Serve hot with hummus.

Recipe Source :- About.com


Falafel can be served as an appetizer with hummus and tahini, It can be served as main course , stuff pita bread with falafel, lettuce, tomatoes, tahini . As an alternative, falafel can be formed into patties and served like a burger.

These quesadillas are open faced and are made into super-cute shapes by using a large cookie cutter for the tortilla and a smaller one in the same shape for the cheese.Kids will love and enjoy this .They will eat without any fuss.

Makes 4-8 Quesadilla Shapes

Ingredients:-
2 Corn or Flour Tortilla (Preferably Whole Wheat)
8 Slices Cheddar Cheese or any other Cheese
Olive oil Spray
Salsa for Serving (Optional)

Method:-

1) Use a large cookie cutter ,cut out shapes from the tortilla as desired.Using a small cookie cutter,cut the cheese slices into equal number of shapes.

2) Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Spray with Olive oil and add tortilla cutouts.

3) Cook the first side until it is golden for 1-2 minutes.Flip the tortilla and top each with a cheese cutout. Cover the pan and cook on second side until the cheese is melted for 1-2 minutes.

4) Transfer the quesadillas to a serving plate and let it cool slightly.

5) Garnish with salsa if using or sour cream or guacamole and serve.


Note:-

Quesadillas are so versatile you can literally put anything you like.

• chopped tomatoes
• avocado slices
• olives
• mushroom slices
• corn
• chopped onions
• Beans
• celery
• bell peppers
  

...and the list goes on, only limited by your imagination.

Gobi pakoras taste divine with the Evening tea or coffee.These crunchy pakoras are mouthwatering Indian appetizer or snacks.These are easy to make.


Ingredients:

1 Small Cauliflower
3/4 Cup Bengal Gram /Chana Dal
3 Green Chillies Paste
1/2 tsp Ginger Paste
1/4 Cup chopped Coriander Leaves
Few Curry Leaves chopped
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry

Method:-

* Wash Cauliflower and cut into small pieces.
* Soak Bengal Gram / chana dal for 6 hours and drain water completely.
* Grind chana dal coarsely.
* Transfer this into a bowl and add cauliflower pieces, chopped green chillies paste,ginger paste,coriander leaves, curry leaves and salt.
* Mix everything.
* Heat oil in a pan.
* Deep fry the cauliflower pieces in the oil till they turn golden brown.
Serve hot with Green chutney orTomato ketchup

Bread Pakora is a tasty and luscious snack which is also an easy and simple recipe to prepare when sudden guests come over or to serve kids in the evening.These comfort food give you a warm feeling inside and make any rainy day perfect.And it is also a tasty compliment for your afternoon tea.

Ingredients:-

4-5 Bread Slices
1cup Gram Flour (Besan)
1 tbsp rice flour
1/4th tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Ajwain
1/2 tsp Red chili powder to taste
1/4th tsp chaat Masala powder
Water for batter
1/2 tsp garlic paste
Oil for frying



Method:-

1. Remove the crust from all sides of the bread.
2. Cut Bread slices into desired shapes (like triangle, rectangle etc.)
3. Mix all the dry ingredients together: Gram flour (besan), rice flour, ajwan, red chilli powder,chaat masala, turmeric , garlic paste and salt. Rice flour adds to the crispness.
4. Now by pouring little water at a time make a smooth batter (neither too thick nor too lose)
5. Heat oil in a kadhai.
6. Dip bread piece in the batter and fry till both sides are golden brown on medium flame.
7. The crispy, delicious pakoras are ready to serve.
8. Serve bread pakora hot with green chutney and tomato sauce.

This nutritious snack from Gujarat in Western India is popular and available in sweet shops all over the country. It tastes very delicious even kids will like it.

Ingredients :-

Bengal gram/ besan- 1/2 cup
Ginger-Green chili paste- 1tsp
sugar- 2 tsp
Water- 1/2 cup
Citric acid crystals- ¼ tsp
salt to taste
Baking powder / Eno - ¾ tsp

For tempering :-
Oil- 1tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
green chillies- 2 finely chopped
Asafetida / hing- a pinch
curry leaves

For garnishing :-
Chopped coriander- 1tbsp
grated coconut- 1tbsp

Method:-
1) In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour), 1/4 tsp citric acid crystals, 2 tsp sugar, ½ tsp ginger paste, ½ tsp green chili paste and salt to taste. Stir to mix, then add 1/2 cup water to make a batter of pouring consistency and mix well .
2) Combine 3/4 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp citric acid, and then sprinkle it on the batter. Stir it gently into the batter; you will see it forms bubbles. Pour immediately into the well greased pan.
3) Pressure cook for 15-20 minutes, just like you do for Idlis without whistle.
4) Once the Dhokla is cooked completely, switch off the stove and leave it for 5 minutes to cool.
Take a serving plate, place it on top of the pan and invert the pan. The dhokla should fall as is into the plate.
5) Meanwhile, prepare the tempering. Heat 1 tbsp oil, and then add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, pinch of asafetida ,curry leaves. Take the tempering off the heat, and pour the tempering mixture over the dhokla. Cut into wedges
6) Garnish with grated coconut and Coriander and serve warm.

Gobi 65 is a dry curry . I love to have this as a evening snack. U can have this with chapatis if u like.. Its easy to make and this doesn’t take much time to do if u have all the ingredients.



Ingredients :-

Cauliflower-1
Cornflour-3 tbsp
Capsicum- 1 small cut into thin strips
Onion- 1 cut into thin strips
Tomato sauce- 1 ½ tsp
Soya sauce- 1 tsp
Ajinimotto- a pinch (optional)
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Chilli sauce(optional) – ½ tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Salt to taste.
Oil



Method :-

1) Clean the cauliflower and cut into small florets.
2) Soak it in hot water for 5 minutes.
3) Drain the cauliflower florets and add corn flour,salt and chilli powder,Ginger-garlic paste to it. Do not add water to it. Just fold in with ur hands. If needed just sprinkle very little water.
4) Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the florets till golden brown . Set aside.
5) Add 2 tsp of oil in another pan and saute the onions and green pepper strips for 2 to 3 mins till the onions are transparent. Remove from fire and set aside.
6) In the same pan add 1 tsp of oil and add add the sauces and ajinimotto. Immediately add the cauliflower florets and saute for 2 minutes in a slow flame. Then add the onion ,green pepper strips. .. remove from flame..Gobi 65 is ready to eat.