Indian Relish

Spread cream cheese on your favorite crackers and top with this zesty relish. Red bell peppers and sweet onion are simmered in white wine vinegar and red pepper flakes.

Indian Saffron Rice

Indian saffron is richer, darker in its red-orange color then the Spanish or Italian, and gives a better flavor to rice. The saffron should always be steeped in hot water ahead of time and used as part of the liquid in the recipe. The following is a recipe prepared in the Indian manner.

Pakistani Style Vegetables

This is a great side dish to spice up your vegetables. You can even use left over vegetables of any kind! Goes great with rice. You can alter the red pepper to get the desired spice level as well. My family loves it, and yours will too!

Pakistani Lentil Curry

This cheap and very easy Pakistani meal is usually eaten with Basmati rice, tossed salad, and hot pickles. It is relatively quick to make, and tastes even better the second day.

Kokub’s Mango Chutney from Pakistan

We live in Saudi Arabia in a close-knit community full of different cultures, and our neighbors from Pakistan have become like our extended family away from home. Kokub, one of our neighbors, makes the most amazing mango chutney. A few years ago she invited me to help her. Of course, she doesn’t use a recipe, so the NEXT time I went over with my measuring cups and scale so I could recreate her magic on my own. What an incredible experience!

Rice Pudding (Kheer)

“This is a very famous Pakistani desert, which is cooked by mixing rice and milk. It is very nutritious and very rich tasting. Serve warm or cold.”

Besan Ladoo

“Ladoos are an Indian and Pakistani sweet. I added a twist to mine and included coconut…my family loves these. They can be enjoyed at any holiday, as a treat during tea time, etc. And they’re easy to make, in my opinion.”

Curried Beef with Winter Vegetables

Curried Beef with Winter Vegetables “The UK has a large Indian/Pakistani population, so curry is a popular meal where I live. I don’t like hot curries, but mild ones are a nice change. This is a mild curried beef recipe with root vegetables. It’s very filling and goes nicely with brown basmati rice. Chinese Five Spice is a mixture of aniseed, cinnamon, fennel, pepper, and cloves.”

Spicy Potato Noodles

“I’ve been obsessed with this crispy fried snack ever since my friend brought the recipe back from South Africa in 1988. This is adapted from a recipe she learned in a cooking class taught by a renowned Indian food authority in Cape Town, Ramola Parbhoo.”

Dahl with Spinach

“This is a very yummy, authentic dal. For variation, add coconut milk towards the end of cooking. Freezes well.”

Makhani Chicken (Indian Butter Chicken)

“This fragrant, spicy Indian butter chicken recipe is from the owner of the India Cuisine restaurant in Seattle, Washington. Serve with hot Indian bread.”

Spicy Indian Chicken with Green Masala

Spicy Indian Chicken with Green Masala “Chicken drumsticks are simmered in a home made green masala packed with fresh cilantro.”

Palak Gosht Recipe

One of the most usual accompaniments to khatti dal and rice, or parathas at meals, palak gosht is a simple spinach+meat medley that both nourishes as well as satisfies. It is comfort food for me. Give me this combination and I will happily gobble it all up anytime.

Capsicum Pickle Recipe

Ingredients:

* 5 Capsicums

* 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

* 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

* Juice of 2 Lemons

* 1 tsp Chilli powder

* 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

* Asfoetida powder

* 2 tbsp Oil

* Salt to taste

How to make Capsicum Pickle:

* Wash and cut the capsicum into small pieces. Remove the seeds

* Roast mustard seeds in a pan. When they start spluttering, add fenugreek seeds.

* After mustard and fenugreek seeds get roasted, grind them to make fine powder.

* Stir for a while and add asafoetida, chilli and turmeric powder.

* Stir again.

* Add capsicum pieces and salt. Stir and put the lid.

* Cook the mixture for few minutes till capsicum pieces are done.

* Occasionally open the lid 3-4 times.

* Stir and remove from the flame.

* Pour lemon juice and stir well.

* Capsicum Pickle is ready.

* Store it in a jar or bottle.

Indian Sweet Bread

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt and water until a soft dough is formed. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Divide dough into golf ball size pieces and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.

Select a ball of dough and roll out until very thin but not torn. Sprinkle lightly and evenly with sugar. Fold up dough into a small square and roll out again until thin.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium heat. Place the rolled dough onto the pan and cook for 1/2 to 1 minute on each side until golden. Serve immediately. Repeat until all dough balls have been rolled and cooked.

Roasted Potato and Mushroom Salad

Roasting the potatoes and mushrooms deepens the flavor of this warm salad, and the mascarpone dressing adds richness and tang.Serves 6 to 8.

6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes (about 6 medium), halved and cut into 3/4-inch wedges

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 lb. small to medium cremini or white mushrooms, quartered

1/2 cup mascarpone

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1-1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar

1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (about 4 small)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with 1 Tbs. of the oil.

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, 2 Tbs. of the oil, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until barely tender, about 20 minutes, gently tossing with a spatula halfway through.

Meanwhile, toss the mushrooms, 1 Tbs. of the oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in the bowl.

Gently toss the potatoes again, scatter the mushrooms evenly over the potatoes, and continue to roast until both the potatoes and mushrooms are tender and golden brown in spots, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the mascarpone, orange juice, vinegar, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Drizzle in the remaining 2 Tbs. oil while whisking constantly; set aside.

Return the potatoes and mushrooms to the large bowl and add the mascarpone dressing. Toss gently to coat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to a large serving bowl. Garnish with the scallions and serve.

Chicken Stew

This family recipe is a great Winter meal that even the kids will enjoy!:

Quick and Easy To Prepare Meals

There’s no doubt about it: these days we are just too busy. Like most families we are working, tending to kids, taking care of home tasks, preparing meals, paying bills, shopping, traveling, and if time and money allows, we fit in some kind of recreation. Whether a household has two parents that hold jobs or one works and the other stays home to take care of the house and kids, it is a pleasure and a relief to find ideas for quick and easy meals. Preparing quick recipes will help in allowing more time to be spent on relationships, activities we love, and quiet time to reflect and replenish our energy. Here are three shared recipes to try.

Who said Noodles Cant Be Healthy?

For such lazy times! You can digg out your favourite packet of instant noodles and turn it into a complete and nutritional noodle meal which will make a quick and easy dinner!

It is always handy to keep some instant noodles at home as they’re a good quick meal when you’re just too busy to cook a heavy meal. However, with some creativity, you can always make a bowl of noodles into a healthy meal!

Megan’s Granola

Ingredients

* 8 cups rolled oats

* 1 1/2 cups wheat germ

* 1 1/2 cups oat bran

* 1 cup sunflower seeds

* 1 cup finely chopped almonds

* 1 cup finely chopped pecans

* 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

* 1/2 cup brown sugar

* 1/4 cup maple syrup

* 3/4 cup honey

* 1 cup vegetable oil

* 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

* 2 cups raisins or sweetened dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment or aluminum foil.

2. Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, and walnuts in a large bowl. Stir together the salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and toasted, about 20 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Cool, then stir in the raisins or cranberries before storing in an airtight container.