Zucchini in Tomato Sauce- Zucchini ki Subzi (No Onion No Garlic)

Zucchini is a beautiful summer vegetable. No wonder you see more of it around this time of the year. One of my friend  has her own backyard vegetable garden. Since she has a green thumb, there is an abundance of Zucchinis, tomatoes, peppers, okra, green beans, cucumbers in her garden. Thanks to her I get all these fresh vegetables. This Zucchini is from her garden. 

This recipe is without onion and garlic. Feel free to use it in this recipe though. I'm just trying to have a few recipes without using onion and garlic. Its not that we have stopped eating it any more. In India there are certain days which are auspicious to the Hindus. On those days they cook without using onion/garlic. Some seem to follow this and some don't - to each his own. As for me I don't really follow it but I would like my blog to be able to cater to a majority of the people.

Also I love experimenting with food and try to have a minimalist approach. Just because I have  so many ingredients(spices) I could use in my Indian cooking I don't really have to use all of them in the same dish- do I. Just a thought.  

Ingredients :

• 1 medium size Zucchini cubed
• 2 large tomatoes chopped
• 2-3 green chilies chopped
• 6-8 fresh curry leaves
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
•  1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1-2 tsp cumin-coriander powder  
• 3-4 tbsp Olive oil
• salt to taste

Preparation :

• Heat oil in a pan or Kadai.  Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the curry leaves followed by tomatoes and green chillies. Let it cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Next add the dry spices- turmeric, red chili powder, cumin-coriander powder and give it a good stir. Add the chopped Zucchini. Stir it well. Season it with salt. Add about 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on medium to low flame for about 20- 25 minutes or until  the zucchini is cooked. Check from time to time.
• Your Zucchini Ki subzi is ready to be served. Serve this delicious Zucchini in tomato sauce with Parathas, Naan or hot phulkas (Roti /chapati). This goes well with plain rice as well.      

NASCAR Cake - Car Racing theme Cake.

I made this cake for my son's 9th birthday. He is into car racing - NASCAR. He follows this sport religiously and Jeff Gordon is his favorite driver. He drives the #24 car. So it's a no brainer whenever I have to bake a cake for his birthday- it has to be car racing theme. Jay's Birthday was on August 12th but just got around to post this today. Well they do say its Better to be late than Never.  

Happy Birthday Jay , Love you !!!

Its a 9" Vanilla Cake torted and filled with buttercream Icing. The Frosting is buttercream as well. I have used the Wilton's #233 grass tip for the grass and the race track is covered with Wilton's Black Sugar Sprinkles.

Rooh Afza and Banana Milkshake

Rooh Afza is a concentrated and sweetened rose syrup which can be added to plain chilled milk and is a great beverage for summer. Kids love this refreshing drink because of its beautiful strawberry pink color. I always have a bottle of Rooh Afza in my pantry.  Rooh Afza literally translates into "Refresh the soul".  Especially during Ramadan lot of people break their fast in the evening with a Rooh Afza drink- It can be added to plain water  and made into a sherbet or can be served as a milkshake.

Ingredients:

2 bananas chopped

2 cups milk

2 tbsp Rooh Afza syrup

1 cup ice cubes

Preparation :

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. This recipe serves 4. 

Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry

I'm always on the lookout for quick, easy and healthy recipes. This recipe is another one in this category. I learnt this recipe from a Vietnamese friend. I did modify it a bit though. I added the heat from the Thai chillies and the red chili sauce. 

Tofu is great source of protein. It has numerous health benefits as well. It does not have any flavor of its own and its rather bland. It takes the flavor of the ingredients its cooked with. I find for beginners its great to cook with Extra firm Tofu as it retains its shape and does not crumble.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Extra Firm Tofu cubed 
• 1 large tomato chopped 
• 1 red onion sliced
• 2-3 green thai chillies chopped 
• greens of spring onions chopped
• 1 tbsp soy sauce 
• 1/2 tbsp red chili sauce 
• 1/2 tbsp vinegar 
• fresh Thai basil leaves 
• salt to taste 
• 4-6 tbsp Olive oil 

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan or Kadhai. Add the cubed Tofu and let it shallow fry on medium heat for about 2 minutes(or till it gets golden brown). Now carefully turn the tofu cubes and let them get golden on the other side as well.
• Add the sliced onion, tomato and green chillies. Next add the soy sauce, vinegar and red chili sauce. Stir it well. Adjust the salt and let it cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from the fire. 
• Garnish with fresh basil leaves and greens of spring onions. Serve your Tofu and Vegetable Stir -fry with white rice. This recipe serves 4.

Mango Milkshake

Since its summer vacation here, kids are having a great time. Also its been a very hot summer so far with heat wave warnings as well. Mango Milkshake offers a delicious and cool respite from this summer heat. It is one of the beverage we all love especially my kids. Its beautiful yellow color and it being so rich and flavorful makes it irresistible.  

Growing up in Mumbai, India my mom made Mango Milkshake and Mango Lassi on a regular basis when we would get fresh ripe mangoes during the mango season. Over here in the US , its hard at times to find these Indian mangoes. You may find them in the Indian grocery stores though. But lazy me just loves to buy the canned Mango pulp which I must say is very handy. For this recipe feel free to use fresh ripe mangoes, if not canned mango pulp works just fine.    

Ingredients :

• 1 cup mango pulp
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 cups crushed ice 

* To make Mango Lassi use 2 cups plain yogurt instead of milk. You could adjust the amount of sugar to taste. I have used sweetened mango pulp. You might need to add more sugar if you are using  fresh ripe mangoes.   

Preparation : Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Mango Milkshake is ready to serve. This recipe serves 4.    

Zucchini Poha (flattened Rice)

"What's for Breakfast Mom...?"  I think for a moment as I'm really saturated with Pancakes and Waffles and want something different today. My younger one is the picky eater of the family. Also he has a fixation of sorts on Pancakes and Waffles. I wanted something which was quick, easy and healthy. I quickly blurt out , "Poha is for breakfast today.!!! I hear "Yay !!! " and see a little happy dance. They both love Poha. Glad that we go that figured out - as I always believe planning a menu is the hardest job executing it, not that hard.

As I'm getting the ingredients ready for Poha, I see a lonely Zucchini and really feel sorry for it. I pause for a moment and decide to use that in the Poha as well. I just cut of the stem and the bottom of the Zucchini and grate it. So this was one of the 'on the spur of the moment' kinda recipe. A sneaky way to add the Zucchini as both my kids don't really care for it much. As for me I just love it. At the end of it all when my kids went for second helpings, I was happy and I might have done a happy dance as well..Not saying I did but just might have...

Now traditionally where I come from, that is Maharashtra (Mumbai), this dish is made with onion called Kaande Pohe or with potatoes called as Batate Pohe and it has peanuts in them.Today's recipe does not take much time, just grate the zucchini and wash the Poha in a colander and set it aside. 

Grated zucchini

The ingredient list may look a bit long but believe me when you set them all up its done in a jiffy. If you don't believe me , just give it a try and let me know..I'll be waiting to hear from you. 

  Ingredients :

• 3 cups thick Poha washed *
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 jalapeno chopped **
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 3-4 curry leaves
• 1 tsp mustard seeds  
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1-2 dry red chillies(optional)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• olive oil /vegetable oil
• 2-3 tbsp lime juice/lemon juice 
• freshly chopped Cilantro
• salt to taste

*   Poha - also known as flattened rice, beaten rice, Aval, pressed rice.

** Instead of Jalapeno you could use 2-3 chopped green chillies. 

Preparation :

• Heat oil in a saucepan or Kadai. Add the mustard seeds. When they crackle add cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies and cashews. Sauté for about a minute on medium flame. Add the grated ginger. Now add the zucchini, peas, jalapeno. Mix it well. Sauté for about a minute or two. Add the turmeric powder.   Next add the washed Poha. Mix it well. Add salt. Take it off the flame. Add the lime/lemon juice. Garnish with freshly chopped Cilantro. Ready to serve. Enjoy this with a cup of hot Masala Chai. 

Soy Flour Pancakes

With the kids being home for their Summer vacation, I love to come up with (read experiment) new and  healthier recipes for breakfast. During the school year everything gets fast paced. Now love the fact that they can just chill out relax and  take it easy. Also I just love not having to wake up to the alarm clock, making sure the kids are up and ready for school, their lunches packed  etc etc..you get the picture right.  

These pancakes are made with soy flour and wheat flour. I've also used buttermilk instead of milk.This has made the pancakes soft , fluffy and delicious. Not to forget healthy as well. 

Ingredients :

• 1/2 cup soy flour
• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 2 tbsp sugar

Preparation :

In a bowl whisk together Soy flour, wheat flour, baking powder and sugar. In another bowl mix together the beaten egg and buttermilk. Now pour the egg and milk mixture into the dry mixture and stir till well combined. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto a hot griddle or Tava. Let it cook until bubbly for about 2 minutes and then turn. Continue to cook until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup or honey and some fresh strawberries. This recipe yields  4-5 pancakes.