Cucumber Raita

Raita is North Indian word for yogurt dish. In south it is known with different names depending on the state and the area.

Ingredients:

2 cups yogurt
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
1 medium cucumber peeled and chopped (about 1.5 cup)
1 cup cut tomatos
1 tbsp finely cut coriander leaves
Salt to taste
1 green chilli chopped - optional
1/2 tsp chaat masala - optional

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together and serve fresh. Optionally, chill the dish for couple of hours before serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated to use the following day.

Apple Dapple Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1 ½ cups corn oil (use 1 cup oil and 1/2 cup milk for low fat)

3 eggs (or equivalent Egg whites)

3 cups un-sifted all-purpose flour

2 cups chopped pecans (or Walnuts)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups diced apples

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon - optional (I perfer it)

Method:

GLAZE

1 cup dark brown (or golden brown) sugar 

¼ pound butter
½ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine sugar and oil and beat well. Add eggs one at a time. Sift dry ingredients and stir into egg mixture. Beat in apples, nuts and vanilla. Pour into a buttered springform tube pan (I used a bundt pan but have also tried an angel food cake pan) and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center come out clean (1 ¼ hours with bundt pan) (45 min with 9 X 13 in pan in my oven). Cool the cake for approximately 10 – 15 minutes and remove from pan. Turn upside down on a wire rack with a plate underneath the rack.

Combine glaze ingredients and boil for 3 minutes. Spoon the glaze over the cake. The excess glaze will fall to the plate below and can be re-spooned over the cake until the entire glaze hardens.
Cake can be made with out the glaze and served with ice cream.
It freezes well also.

Eggless Tofu-Spinach Quiche

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. I played around with it adding different seasonings and vegetables. Original recipe without the pie crust works well for us.

Ingredients:
8 oz. package tofu
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup diced onion
2/3 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup shredded swiss
9" unbaked frozen pie crust, thawed (Optional, I don't use it)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Process tofu and milk in a blender or food processor, until smooth. Blend in salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl, mix spinach, garlic, onion, cheeses, and tofu mixture. Mix well and pour into pie crust.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until set, and golden-brown.
5. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Cheese and Spinach Quiche - 1

I tried a few recipes from online for spinach quiche and here are my favorites. These are altered versions of my own. I basically wanted a variety without pie base, since its high in calories. Most of the times we eat quiche for breakfast.

Source: cooks.com
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten (replacing with equivalent egg whites works well)
1 c. warm milk
1 lb. shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 cups)
1 pkg. chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 c. flour (I use Bisquick)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 stick butter (or vegetable oil)
1 cooked and sliced potato (optional, my own addition)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp Black pepper (optional)

Method:
Mix eggs, milk, flour, salt and baking powder. Add cheese and spinach. Melt butter in pie pan. Pour into mixture. Pour mixture into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Pin Wheels

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package whipped or regular cream chesse
(Use fat free for low fat appetizers or
Artichoke spinach cream cheese for great flavor)
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup black olives, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup Cilantro chopped
1/4 cup Red bell peppers
Red chilli pepper to taste (optional)

Method:
Spread cream cheese spread evenly on tortillas. Sprinkle the green onions, black olives etc. evenly between all ten of the tortillas. Roll tortillas up jellyroll style. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Remove from refrigerator and slice at 3/4 inch intervals. Arrange on tray and serve.

Handvoh

Ingredients:
2 cups Handvoh flour – Available in Indian grocery stores
To prepare flour:
Dry grind together to fine semolina texture:1 cup rice1 cup yellow moong dal
Others:
1 ½ cup grated Italian Zucchini squash and/or carrots or grated bottle guard
3 tbsp. coriander chopped
2-4 green chillies finely chopped
3 cups buttermilk or (2 cups yogurt + 1 cup water)
3/4 tsp. soda bicarb
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlicSalt to taste (try 1 ½ tsp)
2 tbsp jaggery (brown sugar) optional
1 tsp pickle masala optional (available in Indian groceries)
4-5 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. each urad and channa dal
1/2 tsp. each cumin and mustard seeds
Pinch of Hing (asafetida)

Method:
1. Take butter milk in a large vessel.
2. Add salt, soda and flour, mix well.
3. Keep aside for 6-7 hours.
4. Squeeze out excess water from shredded vegetables.
5. Add shredded vegetables, coriander, greenchilli, ginger and garlic, mix well.
6. Heat oil in a pan, add urad & channa dals, and seeds.
7. Allow to splutter, then add hing and fry few more seconds; pour half of this garnish mix in the batter, mix thoroughly.
8. Put in a greased oven proof deep container.
9. Pour remaining seasoning on top.
10. Place in a preheated oven at 536F (280C) for 10 minutes.
11. Reduce to 392F (200C) or 356F (180C) for 40 minutes or till done.
12. Check by inserting a skewer which should come out clean.
13. Slice into wedges and serve hot with mint chutney or ginger chutney or even Maggi masala chilli sauce.
Making time: 30 minutes (excluding fermenting and baking time)Makes: 5-6 servingsShelflife: Flour may be stored in a dry airtight container for 3-4 weeks.

***Rasam

Ingredients:
Tamarind paste
Rasam powder
Jeera powder
Dhania (coriander) powder
Red chilli
Curry leaves
2 cups water
mustard seeds
Method: