Healthy CousCous Dish

August 29, 2010 — Chelvi S

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup couscous
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 6 oz frozen veggie crumbles (can be replaced with ground meat)
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 medium red/yellow bell pepper
  • 1 ½ cups sliced button mushrooms
  • Oil spray
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
  • Black pepper and salt to taste

Method

  • In a covered saucepan add water, olive oil and salt and bring to a rolling boil
  • Turn off the flame and add couscous and cover and leave for about 15 – 20 minutes
  • Meanwhile chop mushrooms into thick slices and chop bell pepper into thin strips
  • Spray some oil in a cookie sheet and add mushrooms and bell pepper and bake at 450F for about 15 – 20 minutes
  • Thaw veggie crumbles
  • In a skillet add oil and once its hot, add veggie crumbles and sauté/fry until they are cooked and dry
  • Now fluff the couscous with a fork and add to the skillet with baked mushrooms and bell pepper
  • Add ground flax seed and mix well
  • Season with salt and pepper
  • Serves: 2
Posted in Grains, Main Dishes, Quick Dishes. Leave a Comment »

Broccoli Fry

August 3, 2010 — Chelvi S

Ingredients

  • 8 oz broccoli florets
  • 2 ½ tablespoons water
  • ½ teaspoon Sri Lankan Chili powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • ½ cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted

Method

  • Cut broccoli florets into small pieces
  • In a skillet add broccoli florets, water, chili powder and salt and cover and cook on medium-low flame until all the water is absorbed (broccoli is cooked but crisp)
  • In another skillet add oil and add red onion and fry until golden brown.
  • Add cooked broccoli into fried onion and mix well and fry for  a minute
  • Add toasted sesame seeds and mix well
Posted in Others, Quick Dishes, Side Dishes. Leave a Comment »

Sautéed Escarole

July 24, 2010 — Chelvi S

Ingredients

  • 1 medium bunch escarole (about 8 oz)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 10 – 12 garlic cloves sliced
  • Crushed red chili pepper
  • Salt to taste

Method

  • Wash escarole and separate them into individual leaves
  • Cut the leaves into 2 pieces separating the bottom thick stems from the top leaves
  • Add canola oil to a skillet and add garlic and fry until garlic turns light golden brown
  • Add escarole bottoms and sauté for about 3 minutes
  • Now add the rest of the leaves, salt and sauté for about 5 minutes or escarole is wilted and cooked
  • Add crushed red chili and sauté  for another 1 minute
  • Serves 2
Posted in Quick Dishes, Side Dishes. Leave a Comment »

Spicy Pasta with Escarole

July 18, 2010 — Chelvi S

Ingredients

  • 4 oz pasta (rotini, penne etc)
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 7 – 8 cloves garlic sliced thinly
  • 5 oz escarole
  • 1 cup baby bella mushrooms sliced
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 cup canned small white beans drained
  • 3 teaspoons goat cheese
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
  • Salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil for sprinkling

Method

  • Cook pasta and drain
  • In a skillet add oil and once its heated add garlic and sauté until light brown
  • Discard the thick stem of escarole leaves and tear them into small pieces
  • Add escarole to skillet and sauté until lightly wilted
  • Now add sliced mushrooms and sauté until mushroom is cooked
  • Add crushed red pepper, salt and white beans and cook for about 4 – 5 minutes
  • Add pasta, goat cheese and mix well (keep on low flame)
  • Mix in pine nuts
  • If needed sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil
Posted in Main Dishes, Pasta Dishes, Quick Dishes. Leave a Comment »

Grilled Figs with Caramel Sauce

July 11, 2010 — Chelvi S

Ingredients

  • 8 Figs
  • Vanilla ice cream

Caramel Sauce:

  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/3 cup castor sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Method

For Caramel

  • Boil milk and set aside
  • In a heavy saucepan stir sugar with water over low heat until sugar dissolves
  • Increase heat to high and boil  until the syrup becomes golden to brownish color
  • Remove from heat and add milk  and butter slowly (be careful, when adding milk  mixture will bubble and boil vigorously)
  • Return heat and stir and boil on very low flame until smooth
  • Slit figs length wise and grill until slightly charred
  • After grilling slit each half length wise again
  • Place figs in a bowl and add a scoop of ice cream in the middle and sprinkle with caramel sauce.
Posted in Dessert, Quick Dishes. Leave a Comment »

Spinach Dhal

June 15, 2010 — Chelvi S

Ingredients

  • ½ cup masoor dhal
  • 1 ¾ cups water
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
  • ¼ cup 2% milk
  • 1 teaspoon canola oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 dried red chilies broken into pieces
  • Couple of curry leaves

Method

  • Wash masoor dhal and add to a saucepan with water
  • Add salt and cook for about 5 – 6 minutes or three-quarter done
  • Add spinach and cook for another 4 – 5 minutes
  • Add milk and heat for about 2 minutes
  • In a skillet add oil and add garlic and fry until lightly browned
  • Add dried red chilies, curry leaves and fry for another minute or two
  • Transfer the fried ingredients to the dhal and mix well

Yields: 3 servings as a side dish

Posted in Curries, Quick Dishes, Side Dishes, Sri Lankan Tamil Cuisine. Leave a Comment »

Leek Fry

May 20, 2010 — Chelvi S

Ingredients

  • 2 large leeks
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons shredded coconut
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 – 3 dried red chilies broken into pieces
  • Salt to taste

Method

  • Wash and finely cut/shred the leeks
  • In a covered saucepan add leeks, salt, chili powder, water and cover and cook on low flame for about 5 minutes
  • Add coconut and cook uncovered until all the water is absorbed and the leeks are quite dry
  • In a separate skillet add oil and fry onion until golden brown
  • Add dried red chilies and fry for another 2 minutes
  • Transfer cooked leeks to fried onion and mix well and fry for another minute
  • Serve with rice

Yields: 2 side dishes

Posted in Dry Curries (Fry), Quick Dishes, Side Dishes, Sri Lankan Tamil Cuisine. Leave a Comment »

Quick Watercress Sandwich

May 7, 2010 — Chelvi S

This is a very quick and easy sandwich.  Good for picnics and kids school lunchbox.

Ingredients

  • 2 hard boiled eggs
  • 4 slices of whole wheat bread
  • 2 teaspoons myonnaise
  • ½ cup finely chopped watercress
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method

  • Mash hard boiled eggs with the back of the spoon
  • Mix mayonnaise and watercress with mashed eggs and mix well
  • Spread on bread and sprinkle with salt and black pepper

Yields: 2 sandwiches

Posted in Others, Quick Dishes, Sandwiches & Wraps. Leave a Comment »

Pasta with Mixed Mushrooms

May 6, 2010 — Chelvi S

This is a very easy to do pasta dish and does not require many ingredients too.

Ingredients

  • 4 oz penne pasta
  • 8 oz mixed mushrooms (portabella, button, oyster) chopped
  • 1 oz dried porcini mushroom
  • ½ cup whole black olives
  • 1 small red onion chopped
  • 2 – 3 garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon dried sweet basil
  • 2 – 3 teaspoon shredded parmesan cheese
  • Extra virgin olive oil to sprinkle
  • Salt to taste

Method

  • Cook pasta and drain
  • Wash porcini mushrooms thoroughly and soak in a little bit of water
  • In a skillet sauté onion until transparent
  • Add garlic and sauté until onion becomes golden brown
  • Add mixed mushrooms, salt and sauté until all the water is absorbed, about 7 – 8 minutes
  • Add porcini mushroom and sauté for another two or three minutes
  • Add basil, black olives and cooked pasta and mix well
  • Sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil and parmesan cheese
Posted in Main Dishes, Pasta Dishes, Quick Dishes. Leave a Comment »

Broccoli Rabe in Olive Oil

May 4, 2010 — Chelvi S

Ingredients

  • 1 lb fresh broccoli rabe
  • About 10 – 12 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
  • Salt to taste

Method

  • Wash broccoli rabe and cut the stems off
  • Tear the leaves into 2 or 3 pieces and chop the tender stems into about 1 inch pieces
  • Slice the garlic cloves thinly
  • Heat a skillet and add olive oil
  • Add garlic and sauté until they are translucent
  • Add broccoli rabe and cook and stir continuously on medium flame for about 3 – 4 minutes or until leaves are wilted
  • Lower the flame and add salt and cook for about 7 – 8 minutes or until the broccoli rabe is cooked but crisp.  Sprinkle with water if necessary while cooking
  • Cool for a few minutes and add extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and mix well

Yields: about 3 – 4 side dishes

Posted in Others, Quick Dishes, Side Dishes. Leave a Comment »
« Older posts
Newer posts »
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.