Bread Dhokla

My health and fitness mantra is going quite strong in my household and results are now slowly showing up for both me and my hubby. I realized all you need to eat and stay fit and healthy is a little self motivation, among other things, and determination to achieve a certain goal. That said, you should not start by setting impossible targets for yourself which, later when not achieved, turn into more of a demotivation than inspiration. Give your body some time, love it, pamper it at times, and most importantly do not reprimand it or over stress it to achieve that goal. Go slow, go steady and success will surely be yours!!

Today's recipe serves as a wonderful tea time snack and is inspired by the famous Gujrati Dhokla. Although no besan is used in this recipe, the dish gets its name for the typical dhokla shape. It is extremely easy to make and equally delicious and healthy to eat. 

 

Ingredients

4-6 slices of bread, edges cut (I used wholemeal brown bread)

1 cup yogurt whipped (preferably non sour)

1/2" ginger finely grated

1 green chilly finely chopped

1/2 tsp cumin powder (preferably freshly roasted and ground)

1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)

1 tsp finely chopped coriander

Salt to taste

1/4-1/2 tsp sugar (optional; use if you like a sweet and spicy dhokla and if your yogurt is too sour)

For the tempering

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp oil

1 tsp turmeric powder 

Few curry leaves

Direction

Take the bread pieces together, edges removed, and cut them uniformly into four squares. 

Whip the yogurt  and mix all ingredients till smooth. Now take individual bread squares, quickly dip in the yogurt mixture and take it out, ensuring that it has been coated well on all sides. Now take another square, repeat the process and place it on the already dipped bread square. You can make a tower of either three or four dipped and sandwiched bread squares. Make sure that the squares that were originally cut together are sandwiched together. This will ensure uniform edges. (Sorry could not take a picture here as the hands were dirty). 

Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan and splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the turmeric and mix. Now gently slide in the sandwiched bread squares and lower the flame to medium low. You can add 2-3 bread square towers at a time. Putting too many at a time may however result in disintegration while flipping. Once it is done on one side, flip and toast on the other sides till all the sides are well toasted and sealed. Keep a close eye on the flame as the bread will tend to get burnt easily. Carefully transfer the toasted bread squares into a serving plate. If you have any more towers left untoasted, add a little bit more of the tempering and repeat the process. Serve hot with green chutney or with an additional tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves on top. Enjoy your tea time!!

Bengal Special--Patishapta

Last weekend was celebrated in India as Bhai Phota (in Bengali) or Bhai Dooj. This comes right after Diwali and is quite similar to the festival of Rakhi or Rakshabandhan. However, with no brother in my family as well as no sister in my husband's family (apart from our cousins), I am not much aware of the festivities or rituals. All I know is that something sweet is prepared on this day and fed to the brother while praying for his well being. My Patishaptas were once relished very dearly by a friend and, as we were meeting him the next day, I thought of preparing these on this occasion. You can serve them with a drizzle of condensed milk to enhance the look and taste. I skipped it as I did not have it in my pantry. 

Ingredients

For the filling

1 ltr full cream milk plus 2-3 tbsp

1-2 tbsp vinegar

3 tbsp jaggery grated

2 tbsp powdered sugar

2-3 tbsp grated/desiccated coconut

1 tsp ghee

For the batter

1 cup maida/all purpose flour

1/4 cup rice flour

1/2 cup semolina

1 1/2-2 cups milk

1-2 tbsp powdered sugar (optional)

Direction

Start with making the chenna first. Boil 1 ltr milk and add 1-2 tbsp vinegar and let it curdle. Cover and let it stand for a few minutes for the whey to separate. You can also add a few ice cubes to expedite the process. Strain the chenna in a muslin cloth or a paneer maker. Wash it with some drinking water to rinse away the vinegar. Be careful at this step as the chenna might get washed away too. Now tightly tie the muslin cloth and hang it in one corner for about 30 minutes till the water is completely drained out. 

Now, take the chenna in a plate and crumble it with your hands. Use your fingers and the heel of your palm to smoothen the chenna. It should no longer be  grainy at the end of around 10 minutes. Now add the sugar and knead for 5 more minutes till the mixture is mixed well. 

Heat the ghee in a pan and roast the grated/desiccated coconut till slightly golden. Now add the jaggery and keep stirring till melted. Next add the chenna mixture and continue stirring till everything is well combined. Keep stirring till the mixture no longer releases water. Now add 2 tbsp milk and mix everything well and remove from heat. If the mixture dries up further after cooling down, add 1-1/2 tbsp more of milk. The mixture should be of thick but smooth rabdi consistency. 

Time to prepare the batter now. Mix all ingredients listed under batter and make a smooth creamy paste. Do not make the batter too runny nor too thick. It should be same as dosa batter. Keep aside for 10 minutes. 

Now heat your dosa pan/flat non-stick frying pan and drizzle 1 tsp oil. Gently rub the pan with a paper napkin so that the entire pan is well greased. Take a spoonful of the batter and spread it out in one direction in a circular manner just like you prepare a dosa. The size of the circle should be slightly bigger than a pancake and thickness like that of dosa. Cook this on a medium low flame till the bottom is slightly golden and the top is cooked (you can see that no raw spots remain). When you see the top cooked through, add 1-2 tbsp of the filling and spread it out in a log/horizontal line. Close in the edges from both the sides and press gently to seal. Transfer to a plate and continue with the rest of the batter. Serve hot/warm or cold. Tastes awesome anyway!! :)

 

Sugarfree Wholewheat Carrot and Apricot Cake

Blogging has taken a backseat these days primarily due to my strict diet and exercise regime. While I am still cooking up a few delicacies once in a while, jotting them down takes an effort these days as I am too tired by afternoon and need to take some rest before I go for my next round of exercise in the evening. This cake that I made over the weekend is a wonderful companion with your tea/coffee and also as an anytime bite. It is wholewheat, packed with the goodness of carrots and apricots, made with extra light olive oil, and no sugar too!! Now, isn't it the best way to get back to a healthy routine after all that Diwali binging?

Ingredients

2 cups wholewheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp mixed spice or ground cinnamon (whichever is available)

1 tsp salt

4 eggs

3/4 cup honey

3/4 cup oil (I used extra light olive oil)

2 cups grated carrots 

1 cup chopped dry apricots (you can use pineapple chunks as well)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Direction

Mix and sift the dry ingredients together and keep aside. 

In a bowl, beat the eggs, honey, and oil together till smooth. Add the flour mixture  in two batches and beat till smooth. Now fold in the carrots, apricots/pineapple, and walnuts one at a time and mix well. 

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree celsius and line a 23 cm square baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Tap the bottom a couple of times to prevent air bubbles. 

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If the top browns faster and the cake not yet done, tent the top loosely with an aluminium foil to avoid burning of the top. 

Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing. You can serve it with some apricot/pineapple preserve on the top to make it more delicious. Enjoy your guilt free indulgence!!

Slow Cooked Maa ki Daal/Black Urad Daal in an Earthen Pot

Saturdays are usually considered to be a not so auspicious day for anything new or good beginning in your life as per Hindu customs. This day God Shani is worshipped by many and it is advised to include something black in your meals and in your dressing to keep him pleased. While my life's most beautiful beginning, my baby, came on a Saturday, I do not actually follow this rule, but for a change I decided to go especially for a Maa ki Daal or Black Urad Daal recipe on a recent weekend to inaugurate my newly procured matki/earthen pot from India. The daal was cooked in the matki from start to finish on a steady low flame and the taste that evolved was simply amazing!! One full matki of daal was polished off neatly by the two of us in just one meal! If you have access to such pots, I would highly recommend you to go get one and try cooking in it. You are sure to love the change in flavors....trust me!!

Ingredients

1 cup black urad daal soaked overnight

1 medium onion chopped

1" piece ginger choped

2-3 big fat cloves of garlic chopped

1 big tomato chopped

2-3 green chillies chopped (add as per taste)

1 tsp fenugreek/methi seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp garam masala powder (add a little more towards the end)

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1-2 whole red chillies

A big pinch of heeng/asafoetida

Salt to taste

2 tsp oil

Direction

Wash and soak the daal overnight. In the morning, rinse it thoroughly and put it in the clay pot. Now add the chopped onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, salt, turmeric, garam masala powder, green chillies, fenugreek seeds, and water sufficient enough for the daal. Place the clay pot on the gas stove and put it on medium high. Once the first boil comes, reduce the flame to minimum, cover the top and let the daal cook till done. Keep stirring every 30 minutes or so and about every 10 minutes towards the end to avoid sticking. Be careful that the water does not boil over the top and keep adding additional warm/hot water whenever needed. Overnight soaked daal takes about 2 hours to get cooked in this method. So if you are serving for lunch, you should start the process first thing in the morning and let it cook at its own pace. 

Once the daal is almost done (about 30 minutes before the finishing line), add the milk and stir and cook till done. Now heat oil in a pan and crackle the cumin seeds. Add chilli powder, whole red chillies, and heeng and swirl for a few seconds. Add this to the daal and keep covered until served. One word of caution while using the clay pot after the cooking is done is to either let it remain on the gas stove till completely cooled down or keep it on a stand or jute mat till completely cool it comfortable to the touch. Keeping it directly on the kitchen counter might result in cracks or breakage and spoil the entire dish. 

Once cooled, you can transfer it to your desired serving bowl or serve it directly from the matka! Enjoy with hot steamed rice and/or chapati!

 

Wholewheat Mathri in the Air Fryer

It has been a hectic Diwali this year. Not because I was busy making sweets and snacks, but because I was busy in putting up the artifacts that I got from India on the walls, getting pictures framed, putting up lights, and most importantly maintaining a strict diet and exercise regime!! My air fryer has been particularly helpful in keeping my weighing scale ticking to the left. Though I did not make any elaborate snacks and sweets especially for Diwali, I did make these super awesome and healthy wholewheat mathris in the air fryer and some Gulab Jamuns (not air fried though) for friends over dinner. The mathris are such a help to satiate my chaat cravings anytime in the day and I am sure my next batch will be done pretty soon as this one's not going to last long! So here's wishing you all a Happy and Healthy Diwali... Stay blessed!!

Ingredients

1 cup wholewheat flour

1/2 cup semolina

1/2 cup all purpose flour/maida

1-2 tbsp ghee/oil (I used ghee just for diwali; you can use oil)

1 tsp ajwain/carrom seeds

2 tsp chaat masala (optional)

1 tsp salt

Water at room temperature to knead

Direction

Take the flours and semolina in a big bowl and add the spices. Now add the ghee/oil and rub it on the flour with your hands till it resembles bread crumbs. 

Now slowly add the water little at a time to form a smooth and firm dough. The dough should not be sticky or too soft which will make it difficult to roll later.

Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. Pre-heat the Air Fryer at 200 degree celsius for 5 minutes. Do not forget to line the basket with an aluminium foil. Pinch out tennis ball sized balls from the dough and roll out a medium thickness circle but uniform from all sides. Make pricks with a fork all over the circle. Take a round biscuit cutter or cap of a jar and cut out as many circles as you can from that big circle. 

Remove the extra cut edges and put it back with the dough. Keep the cut small circles aside and continue with the rest of the dough. 

Once the Air Fryer is ready, grease the small circles with ghee (optional; I have made them greased and non-greased as well) and place as many circles in the basket as possible without any overlapping. I have made around 12-14 mathris in a single batch. Cook the mathris at 200 degrees for 10 minutes on one side or until golden. Flip and then cook for an additional 5 minutes. Take care not to burn them but only bake till golden. If they still feel soft to touch, cook for an additional 2-3 minutes while reducing the temperature to about 160-180 degrees. Remove from the fryer and let them cool before transferring to air tight jars. 

Enjoy these healthy yummy crunchy mathris for chaat or while having your tea/coffee or anyway you like!!

Soya Nuggets and Paneer Curry

My Air Fryer love is on a full mode and everything and anything that I am doing in the kitchen these days, has to involve the air fryer someway or the other. Apart from the regular chicken grilling and obvious frying, I have also been using it for frying curry ingredients which otherwise would have been sautéed in oil before adding to the curry. This not only saves me time in the kitchen while cooking but also helps me cut down on some extra calories. Today's dish is prepared with just 2 tsp oil and tastes wonderful with some hot phulkas and pickle. With my twice daily exercise regime and my strict controlled diet I have managed to loose 2 kgs so far and I really hope to achieve my target of losing 6 more kgs by December. Such is the effect of having this air fryer as well as that Appe Pan. You enjoy tasty healthy food while still restricting the calories!! Over to the recipe now...

Ingredients

1 cup soya nuggets

100 gms paneer chunks

2 medium onions cut into squares

1 small capsicum cut into squares

1 small tomato and 1 small onion made into a paste with 1 each of cinnamon, cardamom, and clove

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp kasuri methi crushed

2 tsp honey

Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

2 tsp oil

Salt to taste 

For the marinade

1/4 cup whipped yogurt

1 1/2 tsp garlic paste

1 1/2 tsp ginger paste

2 tsp spice mix (dry roast 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 2 dried red chillies, 2 black cardamoms and make a fine powder)

Salt to taste

Note: Instead of the spice mix, you can use tandoori masala, chicken masala or any similar masala as well. Also, this spice mix is a wonderful addition to any stir fry or other curries that you make on a regular day. 

Direction

Soak the soya nuggets in water and bring it to a boil. The nuggets would double in size and become soft and spongy. Drain the water and squeeze out the excess liquid. Meanwhile, prepare the marinade by mixing all ingredients listed under it. Drop the squeezed soy nuggets into the marinade. Add the paneer chunks as well and mix everything well. Cover and keep aside for 1-2 hours. 

If using the air fryer, line it with an aluminum foil and fry the nuggets followed by the paneer chunks for 10 minutes each at 200 degree celsius while shaking it once in between. Remove and keep aside. 

If not using the air fryer, heat a little oil and fry the soya nuggets and the paneer chunks till slightly golden. Remove from heat and keep aside. Do not discard the marinade. 

Heat 2 tsp oil in the same pan and fry the squared onions till pink. Add the capsicum and fry for 3-5 minutes followed by the tomato onion paste. Add the rest of the spices including salt except the kasuri methi and continue stirring till oil separates. Now add the leftover marinade (if any; I did not have any) and the fried nuggets and paneer and mix well. Add 1/2 cup warm water and cover and cook on a medium flame till gravy thickens a bit. Add kasuri methi, honey and any additional salt if needed. Garnish with fresh coriander and remove from heat. Serve hot.

Urad Daal, Green Moong, and Poha Vadas in my new Appe Pan

Well, well! My recent India trip is seeming quite worthwhile considering the kind of stuff that I brought back home. Apart from some nice ovenware cutlery and serveware lying in our India home with no use, I bought this perfectly sized mini Appe Pan. I had heard a lot about it and the amazing way in which you can make vadas/pakoras/fritters with zero oil in it. I was determined to get one for my home as well but I was hardly getting time to visit the market owing to Durga Puja madness in Kolkata. Nevertheless, I finally got an opportunity on the last day and promptly went to the market to buy this wonder pan. Crispy and light, these vadas are so full health and nutrition and are a perfect meal for a person watching his calories. Before I get on to the recipe, here are a few tips for using this pan:

1. When using for the first batch of frying, grease the pan with little oil either with your hands or a brush. Yes, that is all the oil that is required. The subsequent batches do not require any oil. If you see the fritters getting stuck slightly, repeat the process of greasing before the next batch. 

2. Cook it on low heat all through and covered. 

3. Place it on a flame big enough to heat all the pockets uniformly. My mini pan sits perfectly on the biggest flame on my gas stove and so helps achieve uniform browning. 

Let's get on to the recipe now. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup urad daal

1/3 cup green moong daal

1 cup thin poha (flattened rice; if using thick variety, use 1/2 cup)

3 tbsp rice flour

1 tbsp grated ginger

2-3 green chillies as per taste

2 sprigs fresh coriander

Few black peppercorns

Salt to taste

Direction

Wash and soak the green moong and urad daal overnight. If using thick poha, soak it 1 hour prior to blending. If using thin poha, wash and rinse it thoroughly and if not already soggy, soak it for 10 minutes. 

In the morning, wash and rinse the soaked urad daal and soak it in fresh water again for few more hours. Wash and rinse the green moong and then tie them up in a damp cloth and keep it hanging in a well lighted and airy place for it to sprout. Now, sprouting of the moong depends on many factors like age of the raw seeds, humidity etc. You may choose to skip this sprouting step altogether or may sprout the moong one day in advance. My moong sprouted within a few hours of hanging and sprouts are always known to have added nutrition. 

In a blender, first add the urad daal, chillies, and the ginger and blend to a smooth paste. Next add the sprouts and blend further followed by the poha. The idea of adding each ingredient step by step is to attain a smooth batter. It is recommended to add the ginger and chillies in the first step so that no chunks remain. Lastly, add the salt and chopped coriander and blitz till smooth. 

Pour the batter onto a bowl and stir in the rice flour. Let the batter stand for a minimum of 1/2 hour to a couple of hours before you begin the process of making the vadas. 

As told earlier in the tips for using the Appe pan, lightly grease the pockets with your hand or brush and put it to heat. Once warm, pour spoonfulls of the batter into the pockets and cook covered on a low flame for about 7-10 minutes till browned on one side. With a wooden spoon, flip the vadas and cook covered agsin on a low flame till browned again for about 5-7 minutes. Serve hot. 

Jaggery and Mawa Stuffed Gujiyas and My New Air Fryer

When you are back from a holiday, apart from the happy memories, all you are left with is an empty wallet! It especially holds true for people like us (me and my hubby) who spend crazily while on holiday like there is no tomorrow!

Back home, we are now leading a routine life with a severe cut down on calories and an extensive exercise regime. However, the shopper in me remains alert 24/7 and while on my way to the Gym, I caught a glimpse of this super irresistible offer at my nearby mall for Mayer Air Fryers at just S$ 98!! Unbelievable, isn't it? I thought so too. Frankly, I never gave any serious thought about Air Fryers simply because of the exorbitant price as well as for the reason that we are not much into eating fried/deep fried food. But when you come across such an offer, however bankrupt you may be, you just cannot let it go. So I queued up, all the while googling to see the reviews of the product, and finally took home this wonder gadget. 

Sometimes, I think you should just let go of your planning and your calculations and do what your heart says. The heart is always right!!

Apart from all the successful trials of Aalu Tikkis and fries, the first official dish are these Gujiyas. Made on the ocassion of Karwachauth, these were the perfect dessert to satiate my soul after that difficult fast and I can enjoy it even more as these were oil-free. What better way to inaugurate that wonder gadget!!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour/maida

3 tbsp ghee

100 ml milk (room temperature or warm; use more or less as required while kneading)

For the filling

1/3 cup dessicated coconut (you can use fresh coconut as well)

1/3 cup mix of dry fruits finely chopped (I used almonds, cashews, and raisins)

1/3 cup mawa crushed

1 tbsp ghee

Jaggery as per your taste (I used about 1/4 cup)

For the sugar syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

3-4 cardamom pods

1/2 tsp kewra essence

Few strands of saffron

Oil for frying (if not using Air Fryer)

Direction

Take the flour in a bowl and add the ghee. Start mixing it with your hands till it resembles bread crumbs. Now slowly add the milk and start kneading the dough to a smooth but stiff texture like a poori dough. It should not be too soft nor too tight else it will be difficult to roll and we do not want to use any additional flour while kneading. 

Cover and keep aside the dough for 1/2 an hour. 

Time to prepare the filling. Heat ghee in a pan. Add the coconut and fry till slightly browned and fragrant. If using fresh coconut, this may take a little longer. Now add the chopped dry fruits and fry till well roasted. Next add the jaggery and mix well till no lumps remain and jaggery is well melted. Finally, add the mawa/khoya and mix well till everything is well combined. Remove from heat and let it cool. 

Now take the dough and roll it with your hands into the shape of a rope. Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, make equal cuts of 12-13 parts. Take each part and roll it into a small and even ball. 

Using a rolling pin, roll it into a circle not very thick nor thin. Place about 3 tsp of the filling or as much as you think is sufficient to comfortably seal the edges. Bring in the edges from all sides and give it a half-moon shape. Now roll in the edges securely sealing them with your hands. You can also do it either with a gujiya shaper or with the help of a fork. 

Place it on one side and continue with the rest. If you want to complete all the rolling first and then move on to fry, you may need to cover the shaped gujiyas with a damp cloth to avoid drying. 

Once done with rolling, start heating the oil/ghee for frying as well as prepare the syrup on the other side. The syrup should be ready to use by the time your first gujiya is out of the pan. Take all the ingredients listed under syrup in a deep bottom wide pan and bring it to a boil. Once the sugar dissolves completely, let it simmer for a few minutes and then take it off the flame. 

Drench the hot fried gujiyas into the hot sugar syrup for 3-5 minutes on all sides and take it out on a plate. Continue with the rest of the gujiyas. 

When using an Air Fryer, pre heat the fryer at 200 degrees for 5 minutes. Then fry the gujiyas, 10 minutes each side or until golden. Drench them inmediately in the syrup and proceed with the rest of the process as stated above. Your lovely Jaggery and Mewa Gujiyas are ready to be served!! :)

 

Spicy Guacamole and A Delicious Healthy Dinner

So all that I am occupied with these days is to eat healthy and loose a few inches before the Diwali party. While I can go on a GM diet, I still have to cook for my family and that is where comes in the cravings. So instead of going on a strict diet altogether, I decided to eat healthy and conscious food and avoid unnecessary calories as far as possible. Breakfast is now a bowl of cereals and a cup of honey lemon tea, mid morning I try not to eat anything or maybe some yogurt or juice to keep myself going. Lunch is 2 chapatis with some curry/daal and veg/non veg, evening tea with honey lemon and some Marie Biscuits (this is where I go wrong by grabbing 3-4 biscuits at one go), and dinner again something light as this recipe today. I have also included a second round of exercise in the evening for 1/2-1 hour apart from the morning 1.5 hour session. 

I am hoping this regime helps me get back to where I was at least, if not more. 

Ingredients

3 ripe avocados

1 tbsp garlic chopped

3 green/red chillies

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 medium onion

2 sprigs coriander leaves

A handful of peanuts (optional)

Salt to taste

Direction

Cut the avocados into half and scoop away the flesh and add it to the blender. Discard the seed. Choosing the right avocado is very important. Always pick the avocados which are purplish in color and are soft when gently pressed. 

Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender and whip a smooth paste. Transfer to an air tight jar and refrigerate until used. 

I used this dip as a spread for my corn thins (you can use bread or anything of your choice) and topped it with some papaya and cabbage salad in a honey and lemon dressing and sprinkled with some chaat masala. It was a wonderfully refreshing meal and healthy too!!

Baked Quinoa Caprese

Firstly, a warm hug and hello to all my readers. I have had a fantastic "hogging" holiday and now I am all charged up to wash my sins! True! You should have seen me eating in the past two weeks. Anything and everything edible and yummy was on my plate at all times. I did not care to think twice before gulping down two huge Rosogullas in every meal for the simple reason that I am not getting to eat these for the next one year. Weight can be taken care of once I reach home and so I just enjoyed my trip thoroughly without wasting time on judging the calories!! 

Now back in Singapore and all I can think of is diet. In fact, I do not have a single craving for any of those delicacies that I have had in the recent times. May be that was all that I could handle. It is now time to get back to routine and get back to my fitness and weight loss regime. I have set a goal for myself and once my jet lag is gone, I will be starting to work towards it. 

Here is a simple meal to start with which is extremely easy to assemble and good to eat, not to forget the healthy quotient which makes it even more desirable. Caprese is basically an Italian salad and served as an antipasti or a starter. I found this recipe on the internet and then twisted it as per my liking and availability of ingredients. Fresh Basil is a prime ingredient for Caprese but I was out of stock. So I added a few other ingredients to make up for the flavor and the result was awesome. If you love Quinoa, you must try this recipe!!

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 big onion finely chopped

1 tbsp garlic chopped

1/2 cup mushroom sliced

3 tomatoes, 2 thinly sliced and 1 cut into quarters

1/4 cup corn kernels

1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tsp dried basil (fresh basil recommended)

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3-4 slices of mozzarella cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

Direction

Wash and rinse the quinoa and add 3/4 cup water and let it come to a boil. Now cover and simmer till all the water has been absorbed. Fork the quinoa to avoid stickiness. Keep aside. 

Place the quartered tomatoes on an aluminium foil and sprinkle salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 225 degree celsius for 10 minutes or till the skin gets crumpled. 

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the onions till translucent and add the garlic. Fry till fragrant. Add the mushrooms and the corn and fry till cooked. If using fresh Basil, add it now. Add salt and pepper and the rest of the seasoning and stir. Remove from heat and keep aside. 

Time to assemble. Take an ovensafe dish and mix the quinoa, roasted tomatoes, onion muxture and shredded cheddar. Check for seasoning and add if required. Now arrange tomato rings and slices of mozzarella alternately and cover the top. Cover the top loosely with an aluminium foil and bake in the pre-heated oven at 180 degree celsius for 20 minutes and then for 5-10 minutes without the cover till the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned. Serve hot!