HCF: June 2014

Monday, June 30, 2014

Olive Tapenade Crostini

Some of the recipes are so easy to make but so tasty that you think why you didn't make this before? same thing happen with me, after making this dish, I was thinking the same. I wanted to make tapenade since so long but my olive crazy daughter always finished my olive can. If I use half can for my food, she can finish rest of it , putting it in fingers and eat it. She love olives so, this time, I first made my dish when she was in school and then I left rest of it for her to finish it off. In this recipe , if you eat anchovies, you can add 2-3 fillets of it, since all the ingredients are salty and briny, you don't need to add salt in this dish. Its very versatile too, you can put it on bread, pasta or just have it with chicken or shrimp, just like you cook with pesto, this is like olive pesto.

Ingredients for Olive Tapenade :

1 cup of mixed olives ( I had black jumbo pitted olives and green pimento stuffed olives)

1 clove garlic chopped

2 tbsp. capers

2-3 fresh basil leaves

1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp. EVOO - extra virgin olive oil

Make it one cup , in under five minutes.

For Crostini:

1 loaf WW ciabatta Bread or any bread

few drops of olives oil

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Wash olives and capers thoroughly.

Place all the ingredients in food processor.

Process to combine and stop to scrape it from sides.

If you like paste then make it that way, but I like coarse paste so mix it for 1 to 2 minutes.

Take it out in serving bowl.

Take your bread and cut it in nice thin slices

Toast it for few minutes , then brush it olive oil on it and salt and pepper and apply olive tapenade on it.

Have this an appetizer for your parties or just as it is with glass of wine or

Have it with your pasta diner. We had it with out WW penne in Vodka sauce and Red wine.

Enjoy.

Gayathri's Cook Spot: WTML Host List hosted by The Big Sweet Tooth: WTML June 2014 - Event Announcement with Giveaway!
#recipeoftheweek | A Mummy Too
simply.food: Announcing Event ~ Lets Cook for Fathers Day
Zesty South Indian Kitchen - Tasty Recipes From All Over The World
Simply Tadka hosted by A Bowl Of Curry: "Foodabulous Fest" June 2014- Event Announcement
Cooks Joy - Dish it Out – Kid Friendly Dishes : Event Announcement

Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday: Capers & Olives

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Asian Store Trip

In my neighborhood, there is a one south Asian Store but on other side of the town, one more new store open, after a worth wait of one year. So first chance I got, I went there and boy, I was in food heaven, all the chinese vegetables, sauces, noodles, tofu varieties. I was in big dilemma what to buy and what not to buy. So finally narrow down to some of the things which I can use it fast and then go again to amazing store. This time I went with my kids and parents and it was weekend so they had lot of new products and its samples too. So Kids tried lot of things and they find one particular sample very interesting and they loved it so I get that home for lunch. Store's name is Asian Foods.

Lot of varieties of greens and vegetables.

Leek flowers, chives and what not.

then comes All sorts of noodles

Sauces and all kind of drinks

But my kids love this Chives stuffed pockets.

It comes in 4 stuffed pockets.

Just heat up the pan, add one tsp. of oil and cook it on both sides, cut it and have it as it is or served with your favorite sauce. For kids I just had it as it is.

Hope you like my visit to the beautiful amazing south asian store. Going to use other stuff to make my diner.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Baked Medu Vada with Tomato Chutney / Baked Savory Lentil Donuts

Yes you are reading right? I made this famous Medu vada not fried but baked one. In my house we all four loves this dish. Kids called it Indian Donuts because it's shaped just like donuts but instead of sweet its savory. Whenever we go out for lunch in South Indian Restaurant, I ordered this and they eat their food and Medu Vada but only the crispy later and inside stuffing is for me. So one Sunday Afternoon was thinking what to make for lunch and I made this, Served with Tomato Chutney and we survived till diner. I made this in April and since I didn't get chance to post it because was busy posting summer recipes but its better late than never so here it is. You don't have to skipped your favorite dish just because its fried. you can try make it other ways too. Here I baked it the way it supposed to fry , but you can make it in paniyaram pan / Aebleskiver pan , or baked it in muffin dish too.

Ingredients :

1 cup White urad dal / Split Black Gram Lentil
2-3 green chilies finely chopped or as per your taste
1 onion finely chopped
2" Ginger finely chopped
few fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
salt to taste

Method:

Wash and soaked the lentils in lots of water for 2-3 hours.
Grind it without adding water , if you need it just add 1 teaspoon at a time, you don't need runny paste. You need thick one.
You can grind ginger and garlic with lentil too or just add it after you grind it. I prefer after so I can taste it.
Heat up the oven at 375 F.
Grease the baking dish with oil.
Wet your one hand fingers and other hands palm. Take lemon sized ball and pat it with fingers and make a hole in the middle of it

Put it on baking dish and do the rest.
Apply oil on top of the vada too.
Bake it for 15 minutes on one side and then flip it and cook it on other side too.

Before baking , you can decide to fry , you can deep fry this too , that's the original way of eating this yummy vadas.
When its done, take it out and served with coconut chutney or your favorite chutney. I made tomato chutney.

Tomato Chutney :

2 big red tomatoes
1 small red onion
3-4 red chilies or as per your taste
salt to taste
1 tsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds

Method:

Put the tomatoes in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, take out and remove the skin.
Take the pan, add oil and mustard seeds, onion, red chilies and cook till onion soften.
Grind it with tomatoes and serve with your favorite dish.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Mango Coolatta and Pineapple Coolatta

Been to Dunkin Donuts lately? They got wide range of coolatta now a days. Just tried Watermelon one and I just loved it. Came home and google its recipe, could not find it. But find how to make strawberry one. So didn't had strawberry on hand but mango was. so made it with mango and later with pineapple and I just loved it. Try it with any fruits, just add sugar as per fruits changes. Can I tell you my secret , when ever I have leftover chasni (sugar syrup) from ras gulla or gulab jamun, I froze it in ice cubes so when I am making some sweet drinks, don't have to wait to make simple syrup or add regular sugar in it. Just add that syrup along with regular ice cubes and my drink is done. Next will be Pinacolada coolatta.

Ingredients :

1 cup of fresh mango chopped
1/4 cup water
sugar as per taste, I took one ice cube of simple syrup
few drops of vanilla extract
1 cup of Ice cubes
whipped topping and mangoes to top (optional)

Method:

If you are using simple syrup then add everything in blender and make slush kind of drink.
Pour it in tall glass, If you fancy , top it with mangoes or whipped toppings.
Just savour it immediately.

But if you are using regular sugar, add mangoes and sugar together. blend it very well.
Then add ice cubes, water and vanilla extract and mix it because if you add sugar with ice, sugar won't melt.