Middle Eastern Roasted Eggplant Dip

I am back!! 2.5 months, 5 casts, 1 surgery, 1 cancelled overseas trip and a bit of drama later - but I am back. I can't even begin to tell you how much I have missed my kitchen, my camera and this blog. Not to mention, having a shower with a shopping bag tied around your arm is the least fun thing in the world. EVER. Like seriously.

As you can imagine, it's been baby steps back in the kitchen. This Mediterranean eggplant dip is so easy - the food processor does most of the work. This recipe is inspired by a zucchini dip that one of my best friends made for me years ago. The true benefit of this dip is that it keeps vampires away. That's right - a small mountain of garlic, yogurt and really good quality extra virgin olive oil and you're home free.

Note - I added dried mint to this dip but it is actually better without it, so I don't recommend it in my ingredients list.

Yield - Serves 6
Prep Time - 10 Minutes
Cook Time - 40 Minutes

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2 comments LABELS: Appetizers, Dips and Spreads, Mediterranean, Vegetarian

Baked Samosas

My favorite of all Indian festivals - Diwali - is just around the corner. Yay!  Diwali is a time for family, friends, hope and new beginnings. Every year, when we were kids, we had a massive Diwali party a couple of nights before the actual day of Diwali. We put on some good shows that we still laugh about - dances, skits, parodies, musicals - the list is endless. We wore some horrifying outfits (the joys of growing up in India in the 90's) that still keep coming back to haunt us on Facebook. We put on our first saris, wore our first high heels, giggled and blushed at our first crushes. We roamed carefree around the neighborhood with sounds of fireworks all around us. Diwali is also a time for 'taash' (poker) and food! The night of the big party was my dad's annual taash event - it was an all night poker event - no kids allowed! 

Food coma was an essential part of Diwali. No matter whose house we visited, the "aunties" there stuffed our faces with sweet and savory treats that they had prepared tirelessly for days on end. I hope to continue this beautiful tradition. Though I don't know how to  make some of the traditional Diwali treats, I am determined to learn. 

I haven't made samosas before but I have eaten more than my share of them. I know exactly how I like them - not too spicy with the potato pieces intact, i.e not boiled and mashed. A bit of experimentation resulted in a pretty delicious, guilt free treat that was no too difficult to make after all.

Yield - Makes 10 Samosas

Time - 2 Hours

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2 comments LABELS: Appetizers, Indian, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Baked Falafel with Garlic Mint Yogurt Sauce

About 3 months ago when the Southern Hemisphere was entering the dead of winter, I decided that I wanted to grow my own herbs in a container garden. This is not the smartest thing I have ever done and I knew it while I was shopping for seeds, seedlings and soil. I picked plants that I thought were going to survive a few frosty nights. I got coriander seeds (I never have any luck growing cilantro in summer, they just bolt and die so I thought winter might do it some good), garlic chive seeds, rosemary plant, peppermint plant and fennel plant. My strategy has been, largely, to keep my fingers crossed.

Rosemary is still alive (really, I can never tell with rosemary if it is going to kick the bucket), the fennel plant has been threatening to die from the start . So far, the mint plant has been the one that's really thriving. The mint kick I have been on lately is largely as a result of this (Exhibit A - Minty Cilantro Chicken Kebabs). Cilantro is doing fairly well too but I am keeping my fingers crossed. I love all the greenery in my balcony and on my plate. These fresh minty falafels would have been quite healthy if I hadn't devoured almost all of it. I am sure you have better self control and discipline than I do!

Yield - Serves 4
Prep Time - 10 Minutes + 1 Hour Refrigeration
Bake Time - 20 Minutes

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2 comments LABELS: Appetizers, Mediterranean, Vegetarian

Empanada de Carne

I have a weakness and I can't deny it - meat wrapped in any kind of pastry. Boil it, steam it or fry it, I will eat it and I will love it. This is why I make 120 dumplings at a time, even when there are only four people eating them. Of course, if I ate 120 (or even 3 for that matter) of these empanadas, I'd probably look like an empanada myself. So the numbers were a little bit more respectable this time around.

These are perfect little coffee time snacks and work with just about any kind of filling - a little make over for left overs really. These empanadas are made with a delicious picadillo filling. Much as I'd like you to think that I had leftover picadillo sitting in my refrigerator, it is simply not true. When I make picadillo, there are NO leftovers. Ever. So I cooked some especially for these chubby little babies. These empanadas are baked not fried so there's a saving grace! I had posted my go-to picadillo recipe some time ago, click here and follow along for the filling recipe.

Yield - Makes 8 
Time - 1 Hour

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5 comments LABELS: Appetizers, Latin, Meat, Snack

Minty Cilantro Chicken Kebabs

I have been thinking about getting a George Foreman grill a lot lately. I am attracted to the idea of grilling veggies, kebabs, chicken, just about anything. Paninis for lunch? Sure can do! Just think about it - marinate the meat and then fuggedabouddit. When ready, stick it on the grill and you're done!

Then why haven't I gone and got one already? Should I really buy yet another kitchen gadget that I may realistically only use a couple of times? You know what I am talking about! You see a a new kitchen appliance and it seems to be radiating a glow and all of a sudden the angels start singing. You're convinced that this new gadget will change your world. It will make cooking easy, stress free and healthy. You go out and get it. And it turns out to be less than stellar. You use it a couple of times just because you don't want to admit you were wrong. But then the romance fizzles out. And it gets put away at the back of the kitchen cabinet, using up precious real estate and you slowly forget about it. I present exhibit A - my slow cooker. I was convinced my slow cooker was going to restore world peace. Slowly cook succulent juicy dishes while I was at work and I could come home to a hot meal minus the effort. Unfortunately, it only managed to make me feel like I was eating hospital food. Don't get me wrong, I still managed to make a couple of awesome dishes like this one and this one. But all in all it has fallen short of saving my life. I am not angry, slow cooker; I am just disappointed. So the jury is still out about this George Foreman grill. Do you own one? What do you think about it? Write in and let me know your thoughts!


The Cilantro Mint Chicken Kebab recipe I am sharing with you today would be ideal on any kind of grill - indoor or outdoor. You can also cook it in the oven on the broil setting like I have done here. Vegetarians, don't be disappointed you can try this with paneer (minus the meat tenderizer of course!)

Yield - Serves 4
Prep Time - 15 Minutes + 2 Hours Marination
Cook Time - 15 Minutes

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14 comments LABELS: Appetizers, Indian, Poultry

Healthy Tandoori Chicken Kebab

Every Indian that likes to cook has a recipe for Tandoori chicken in their arsenal. This usually comes about after trying several recipes and tweaking them to taste. This recipe is low in cholesterol and healthy without compromising on flavor.

Impress your friends with this sure hit at any pot luck or barbecue!

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breast (Trimmed)

1/2 tsp Meat tenderizer *

1 tsp Coarsely ground black pepper

2 tbsp Ginger‐Garlic paste

1 cup Low fat Yogurt (strained on a muslin to remove moisture if necessary; substitute with Light greek yoghurt)

1 tsp Tandoori masala *

1 tsp Coriander powder

1 tbsp Kasoori methi (crushed)*

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Saffron strands (a pinch)

Lemon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil/ Spray

Salt

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Leave a Comment | LABELS: Appetizers, Indian, Poultry