Saute de Gros Noir d'Hiver et feuillage de radis

Sound so much sexier in French No? So I saw this black rotund root on the shelves, I expected to see a deep colored flesh. Instead the Black Radish turned out to be ebony and ivory. And it did make its own music with the plump radish greens. Who said winter veggies are boring?
Black Radish tastes like Daikon radish except it was more pungent and had an extra bite. Also while frying it didnt yield as much moisture as a Daikon.
2 medium black radishes diced into 1/2" cubes
2 bunches of radish greens with baby radish attached, thoroughly washed and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp oil
3 dried red chili
1 tsp of bengal gram
1 tsp of urad dal
1 tsp of cumin seeds
3/4 tsp of salt
pinch of turmeric

• In a wok heat the oil over medium, add mustard seeds and wait from them to splutter
• Add the lentils, red chili and cumin seeds and heat for 15 sec
• Add the cubed radish turmeric salt and cook on med flame for about 10 mins.Remember you don't want to kill the radish just cook it. I like my radish with a lil on the scrunchy side
• Add the greens continue stir frying till the greens have wilted

Enjoy it with warm roti and dollop of curd

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Crostini

Easy peesy Crostini for dinner. All you need is...
Serves 2
Cooking time - 4 mins
Prep time- 2 mins
half a french baguette
4 tbsp of finely diced roasted red bell pepper (I use it right it right out of a jar 'Del Destino brand)
1 tbsp of capers
1 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp of chopped cilantro
1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

• Slice the baguette into 1/2 inch slices and place them on a baking sheet


• Drizzle the olive oil and place it under a broiler on 'lo' for 4 mins


• Take it out and drizzle the red bell peppers, capers, cheese and cilantro

Serve it warm and enjoy!

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Tofu rotis - protein power packed - Tofu flatbread

So we all know what a miracle material tofu is. Me, I learnt to treat it like figure friendly paneer. What you can do with paneer you can do with tofu. You might have eaten those yummo paneer parathas right? So what about tofu parathas then? Don't get me wrong I love parathas, but find them too much work and if S god bless him, is ready to make them and feed me I am all game but making them myself? Uh. noway. So here is an awesome recipe I swiped from my aunt.
Just 3 ingridients. Tofu, whole wheat flour and salt. Mix them all up, roll the dough, heat it up and eat.

Serves 6-8 people
Preparation time 10 mins. Soak time 3 hrs.
Cook time 3 mins per roti

18 oz of silken tofu
3 cups of whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp of salt
2 green chillies finely minced. only if you want to spice it up)

For the dough
Drain water out of the tofu completely. In a mixing bowl, mash the tofu with your fingers, pour in the flour, salt, chillies and knead it till it all comes together into a consistent dough. Let it sit for 3 hours. This helps the rotis to be light and fluffy.

For the rotis/flatbread
Divide this mixture into 16 equal parts and rool each one out into a 6 inch flat bread.
On a flat pan at med-high heat. Nuke each side for a minute and half. Add a drop of ghee if you like. Go on now, ghee is good cholesterol after all.

We had it with tindora curry, a bit of fruit and a good spoon of yogurt. Yay!

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Roasted red bell pepper soup

The robins and the jays are back, it will be just few weeks before the cardinals, orioles and the finches show up. And just when I was ready to rejoice,burn my mittens, and my sweaters, an icy cold breeze blows by like a slap on my face. Winter is not gone I get it, I do. So I crawl back into my kitchen for a pepper upper(pun intended). Red bell pepper soup was just the thing to have.

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins

3 large red bell peppers
2 Poblano peppers
1 jalapeno pepper
28 fl.oz of vegetable/chicken broth
1 med tomato
3/4 cup of finely diced onion (1 large onion)
1/2 cup of diced celery
3 cloves of garlic finely minced
1/3 cup of loosely packed Italian basil roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup of sour cream (optional)

• Roast all the peppers either on flame or under the oven broiler till they are charred and soft. I had to do it under an electric broiler. Took about 15 mins.
• Once they are roasted place them in a bowl with a lid. This will soften the peppers further and the skin comes of easily. Leave it in the bowl for 10 mins
• Meanwhile dice the onions, celery and tomato
• In a 3 lt sauce pan/pot heat the oil.
• Cook the onions,garlic and celery with a pinch of salt and pepper on a med flame for about 10 mins
• Add in the tomatoes and cook for another 5 mins
• While the tomatoes are cooking, deskin, deseed, and dice the peppers
• Throw them into the pot along with the stock/broth, and the basil and bring to a gentle boil for about 25 mins
• Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender till the soup is nice and creamy
• Taste and adjust for salt
• Stir in the sour cream just before sering

We had it with a grilled cheese sandwich, if cheese is not your thing, toast the bread and rib some garlic over it for flavor. Garlic bread is another great accompaniment. Enjoy

If you are using a regular blender wait for the soup to cool down, or else prepare for cleaning soup decorated walls
We tried cooking it with only red bell peppers, I loved it just as is; S liked the zing Poblanss brought. Your choice

The addition of Poblanos turned the red soup into a brick orange color. This my entry to SunshineMom's Food in Color. Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen is the host for this month.

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Mushroom stir fry

I did not realize how much I missed blogging!! It is good to be back. S and I needed a serious 'shroom fix. Not the kind you needed in your college. Just your regular stir fried mushrooms.

Serves 4-6
Cooking time 35 mins
Preparation time 10 mins
140z of King Oyster(Eryngii) mushrooms sliced
4oz of Button or Crimini mushroom sliced
10oz of Enoki mushroom trimmed
1 med yellow bell pepper cut into 1" pieces
1 med red bell pepper cut into 1" pieces
1 med green bell pepper cut into 1" pieces
1 leek slit length wise and sliced
a fistful of baby bok choy separated leaves
4 cloves of garlic sliced thin
5 Thai green chillies chopped
300ml vegetable stock
salt to taste
a heavy pinch of ground pepper
a tiny pinch of MSG (optional)
1 tsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp of Thai Sweet/hot sauce (or any off the shelf pre-made sauce you like)
4 tbsp of sesame oil

• In a flat pan, add 2 tbsp of sesame oil and add all the mushrooms, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for about 10 mins until they turn golden brown. I found the Enoki cooked faster, so it is probably best to dish them outta the pan a little before the rest. Once they are all cooked, dish them out in a plate.


• Now for the bell peppers in 1 tbsp of oil and cook them for about 5 mins. Till they are cooked but still firm and colorful. Dish them out


• Now add the last tbsp of oil, add the leeks, chillies, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for about 3 mins, add in the garlic and cook for 2 more mins.
  Throw in the bokchoy and cook for another 5 mins.


• Now add the stock, fried mushrooms and bell peppers, soy sauce, Thai chili sauce, and cook for 10 mins.


• Do a taste test, adjust the salt.

We had it with stir fried rice
For the rice
1 cup of uncooked rice (Jasmine rice preferably)
2 big carrot
2 cup of chopped broccoli head
1 cup of diced leek
1 tsp of ginger garlic paste
3 tbsp of sesame oil
4 tbsp ofThai chili paste (or any other pre made paste off the shelf)
4 Thai green chillies
salt to taste

• Cook the rice separately. While its cooking, heat the oil in a pan/wok.
• Add leeks,chillies salt and a pinch of pepper. Let it sweat for 5 mins


• Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for another couple of mins


• Add the carrot. Cover and cook for 5 mins.


• Add in the broccoli and cook for another 3-4 mins.


• Stir in the cooked rice, Thai paste and stir it around for couple of minutes.

Chopstick, spoon, spork. Pick your choice of weapon and attack. Enjoy

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