Everything Burger

Every thing Burger, It has everything but the Kitchen sink :--)). Well! Sometimes I need to clear the refrigerator of leftover veggies. A bit of everything. This is a great and healthy way to finish all the veggies.

INGREDIENTS
One cup each of finely chopped
Onion
mushrooms
carrots
capsicum
peas
corn
Brinjal/ Eggplant
any combo.....
Half cup finely chopped ginger
Half cup Brown rice cooked
Half cup rolled Oats
Cooked lentils half cup.
1 boiled potato/ cooked Mashed beans ( black or red) 1 cup
2 slices bread ...slightly crumbly couple of days old bread
Half cup Cilantro
1-2 Egg

Method:
In a pan saute with a little oil all the veggies till soft.
Add ginger,rice, lentils and oats. Add a little water to let the oats cook ...cook in low heat ....
When it starts to get together in a gooey mass ....Switch off the heat and cool.
Mash boiled potato/ bean paste and add...Let the mix cool
Reserve  2 tsps raw chopped onion. Add to the mix onion and crumbled bread. Add egg and seasoning to taste.
I added salt, pepper, paprika and garam masala.
Make it into patties and cook on low heat with a lil oil on a Tava.
Enjoy with bun as a burger or just like that ..with sauce.
Great way to get my kids to eat veggies.

I can be made into balls and baked in the oven at 350-400 F for about 20-30 mins ...Works great for wraps in pita bread or just as a snack.
I made it a couple of times with different ingredient. Once wrapped in a pita bread with baby spinach and tomatoes,and once with Asian style ..Sweet and sour noodles. Everybody loved it :)

Idly and Sambhar

I have fond memories of my college days. Living in the hostel had its own advantages. We friends would chat/ study late into the night and end up running late for the morning classes. We'd rush to college without breakfast.
My staple brunch after the morning classes would be a couple of idlis with sambhar at our college canteen. It is healthy, fills you up and does not leave you with a feeling of guilt even when you over eat.
  Idly with sambhar is usually my Sunday/Saturday brunch now. It is my all time favorite recipe ...A slightly modified version of our 'good old Standard South Indian Breakfast '.

                           

IDLY
Ingredients
Brown rice 4 cups( standard short grain or long grain)
I use this instead of the usual White Idly rice to make richer in nutrients.
Urad Dal/Black lentils ( shelled is white) 1 cup
Methi/Fenugreek seeds 2 tsps
Salt to taste
METHOD
Soak rice and lentils separately in water for about 3-4 hours . Wash them well before soaking. Soak the fenugreek seed along with the lentils.
Though a stone grinder is ideal for this, a blender would work as well. Heads up , If you are using a blender you may want to reduce the rice to 3 cups. the proportion can be played with to get the right consistency of idly.
Grind the lentils and fenugreek seeds in the blender till smooth, it should be light and fluffy. Keep aside.
Grind the rice with a little water till smooth batter is obtained. Some people like to keep it a little coarse. It is entirely upto you. Add salt and mix together both the batter with hand. Note, It has to be by hand.
Leave the container in a warm place to ferment. In warm weather it usually takes around 3-4 hours.
Fermented batter is light and airy. Mix the batter a couple of time to get an even mix.

Pour into greased idly molds to steam. A saucer used instead to steam, will make a bigger idly .
Steam for about 10 mins in medium heat. Idly's come out puffed and beautifully soft.
I can eat it just like that, but Sambhar makes it a complete meal.

                           

Especially being a vegetarian,Sambhar satisfies the need for veggies and proteins. Its traditional to make Onion Sambhar with Idly...I like to make with all veggies. It needs to be a complete meal :)
INGREDIENTS
Toor dal( split pigeon peas) 2 cup
Tamarind size of a lemon ...if using paste use 2 tsps
Veggies -about a cup sliced ( carrots, peppers,pearl onions )
Tomatoes diced -half a cup
Sambhar powder-Store brought or home made- 2tsps
    Recipe- Dry roast equal quantities of Channa dal, Coriander seeds and red chillis. Powder and store in airtight container. Use a couple of tsps when necessary.
Curry leaves and mustard seeds for tempering .

METHOD
Traditional method is the cook the veggies in the tamarind water and sambhar powder before adding the cooked dal. Just to make my life easier, I put all the ingredients Dal, tamarind, veggies,sambhar powder in a pressure cooker. Add double the amount of water ...that is 4 cups, cook on low heat for about 20 mins .Once the Dal is cooked down and mushy, add tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves.  Yummy sambhar is ready.

There are never any leftovers of this meal. If any left over ...Crisped up on a hot pan with a little oil, my kids devour it :-)



















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Rice and Lentil salad

I just turned 30 last week ! Not the best day of my life....My husband meets with an accident( He's safe,that is all matters. Only the car is bashed up). A trip to the Doctor ....My son fell sick :-( , and my daughter did not take an afternoon nap. Nonetheless it was my birthday and I wanted to celebrate. Reaching 30 is a milestone of sorts, in my head. A wonderful husband , adorable kids and loving friends and relatives. I have a lot to be thankful to God for. ( I just hope my career, that is at the back burner now come to the fore soon ). Is not celebrating Birthday's , celebrating life? Thanking God to have put you on earth to enjoy such wonderful life and experience beautiful feeling like love.
   I made myself a quick Salad with brown rice and lentils I made for kids on the lines of Tabbouleh salad. Traditionally Bulgur is used, not rice.This Mediterranean  Salad has wonderful flavors, that I happen to Love. Happy birthday to me!

INGREDIENTS

Brown rice- 1cup
green lentils- Masoor with shell- half cup
Half cup each of chopped
cucumber
tomatoes...I like to use cherry tomatoes
Peppers ( Capsicum ) all colors
Avacado( not traditional in Tabouleh, but I like it)
Parsley ( key ingredient , I like curly one better for this)
Mint leaves-4-5 leaves
Garlic 1 clove finely minced
Extra VirginOlive oil --2-3 tsps( always used in Salads gives a wonderful aroma
Lemon 1 large
Zatar Spice( optional)

 METHOD
Add Brown rice and lentils to the rice cooker. Add twice the amount of water, approximately 3 cups. add salt to taste and let it cook. Once cooked, I usually add a spoonful of olive oil and mix it up so that the rice does not get mashed up.

For the Dressing : Juice one lemon , add finely chopped parsley, mint  and garlic. Add Zatar and salt to taste. Zatar can be substituted with ground thyme or omitted. I love its flavor . Add Extra Virgin Olive oil, mix well and keep aside.

   When ready to eat mix about half the rice and lentils mix to the chopped veggies and dressing. Mix well and give it a taste. Ingredients can be added according to taste. Enjoy.
Slight variations can be made , like  grilling veggies like peppers, broccoli and mushrooms and serving as a side. Kiddos get it with the veggies finely chopped and rice slightly overcooked.

Thank you God! for this wonderful life. And Mom :-) Love you