Spicy Pepper Popper

Ingredients:

·         8 each – bell pepper, mini
·         1/2 cup (8 fl oz) – yogurt, plain, low-fat
·         1/2 cup – cream cheese
·         ¼ cup corn kernel

Directions

1.      Slice bell peppers and remove seeds.

2.      Mix together cream cheese and yogurt.

3.      Fill peppers with cheese/yogurt mixture.

4.      Sprinkle corn top of peppers

5.      Bake at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.

6.      Serve warm.

Corn and Spinach Toast / Corn Bruchetta

Ingredients:

      Sweet corn kernels - 2 cups
Fresh spinach – 2 cup chopped
1 1/2 tbsp butter
2 Tsp white flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ginger finely grated
1 tbsp fresh jalapeno, finely grated (or more if you prefer spicier)
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½  Black pepper
8 slices bread, sandwich size OR slices French Bread (your choice)
cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

Method:

1.    Heat a medium non-stick pot to medium heat. Add the butter and wait until it is melted.

2.    In the meantime chop the Spinach in the microwave and set aside.

3.    Add the flour to the pot and whisk until all the butter is mixed in. You should have a paste like consistency. Cook the butter and flour for a few minutes while mixing continuously (the mixture should bubble slightly from cooking) until it is light brown.

4.    Slowly add in the milk and mix continuously until the flour/butter mixture is completely blended into the milk. 

5.    Turn the heat to medium/low and continue to whisk. When you first start to notice the sauce thickening, add the grated ginger, jalapeno, and lemon juice. Continue to stir until the sauce has thickened (note: the thickness should be such that the sauce still pours off the spatula).

6.    Turn the heat to low and add salt, sugar, and pepper to taste.

7.    Next mix in the corn kernels and spinach. Cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust the amount of sugar/salt/pepper if needed. Turn off the heat.

8.    Bake the slices of bread in the oven at 350 until toasted. If you put the slices of bread on a pan, be sure to flip the pieces half way so that both of the sides are toasted.

9.    Spoon the hot mixture on each slice of bread.

10. (optional) Top with shredded cheddar cheese and bake at 350 for another few minutes until the cheese has melted. Enjoy with your favorite hot sauce!

Cream Style Corn Espresso

Ingredients

Sweet corn (cream style) 1 tin
Onion 1/2 medium chopped
Green Bell pepper chopped -  1/2 cup
Red Bell pepper chopped - 1/2 cup
Yellow Bell pepper chopped - 1/2 cup(optional)
Iceberg lettuce 1/2 head chopped thinly
Spring onion chopped - 2 tbsp
Oil 2 tbsp
Soy sauce 1 tsp
Red chilli sauce 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Vinegar 1 tsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a non stick pan.  Add Onions, green, red and yellow bell pepper and saute.
2. Add 1 tsp red chilli sauce and soy sauce and mix. Add cream style sweet corn and mix well.
3. Add spring onion and mix. Add salt, and vinegar, mix and cook till thick.
4. Chop iceberg lettuce and put them into small glass cups. Put the sweet corn mixture over and serve immediately.

Chinese Bhel

          "Chinese Bhel"  the name says it all Chinese & Mumbai ...a lip smacking Indo Chinese  chaat which is a quick mix of simplest  ingredients. 

Ingredients:

2 cups noodles (ex:  Hakka noodles, or Maggi Noodles )

4 tbsp chopped red onion.

1/2 cup red or green cabbage shredded.

1/2 cup shredded cucumber

1/4 cup shredded carrots

2 tbsp chopped red or green bell pepper 

4 tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander very finely, chopped

2 stalks of green/spring onion, chopped

1/2 tsp very very finely julienne fresh ginger

2 tbsp oil

For the sauce: (adjust the quantity of each of the ingredients below to your taste)

1 tsp soya sauce 

2 tbsp schewan sauce

1 tbsp ketchup

1  tbsp any hot sauce 

Method for noodles:

1. Boil 4 cups of water and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the noodles while stirring occasionally and cook until they are soft but not cooked. Drain well.

2. Spread the noodles on a clean piece of cloth and allow to dry for at least 20 mins.

3. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium flame. Fry small quantities of noodles at a time in the hot oil until light brown.

4. Remove the noodles from the oil and drain on absorbent paper. Repeat with the remaining noodles.

Method for Bhel :

1. Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl.

2. Place the fried noodles in the serving bowl and add all the above dry ingredients except the sauce. Toss.

3. Spoon the sauce uniformly over the noodles and toss again. Serve right away before the noodles get soggy. 

 

Cucumber Cream Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

6 slices of whole grain bread or any bread
3 cubes of softened cream cheese
1 cup sliced and peeled cucumbers
5 sprigs flat leaf parsley or basil leaves or mint leaves
little salt to taste

Method:
1. Soften the  cream cheese into a small bowl and add salt and parsely or mint or basil leaves.
2  Mix the mixture well.
3. Spread a thick layer evenly on both slices of bread.
4. Cut a few slices of cucumber and spread the slices onto one of the slices of bread.
5. Pat the sandwich down and cut off the ends.
Serve it anytime . 

Tortilla Rolls/ Pinwheels

  

Ingredients:

8 ounces  Cream Cheese, Softened
1 Tbsp Chopped Green Onions Or Chives( optional)
8 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped (optional)
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
5 Flour Tortillas
1 cup sliced olives
3 Carrots Peeled and thinly sliced or grated
1 zucchini thinly sliced or grated
1 cup Red/green/orange bell pepper sliced thinly .
3 leaves Green Leaf Lettuce (Optional)
2 Avocados Sliced.

Method:
1. Combine the softened cream cheese with the chives, basil, green onions, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
2. Spread cream cheese in a thin layer over the tortillas. Make sure to apply well on edges so that when it's rolled they stick well .
3. Lay the rest of the ingredients in the middle of the tortilla.
4. Let the veggies extend past the edges on either side.
5. Roll up the tortillas as tightly as they'll go, then wrap each roll up in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
6. Then cut each roll up and serve.

Broccoli and Cheese Balls

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
½  tsp red chilli powder
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
2 tbsp corn flour
3/4 cup boiled , peeled and mashed potatoes
salt to taste
¼ “ cubes of  mozzarella cheese
bread crumbs for rolling
oil for deep-frying

Method

Heat oil in a pan; add the onions, garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes till the broccoli is almost cooked. Remove from the flame, add the corn flour, mashed potatoes and salt, red chilly powder and mix well & cool it down. Divide the mixture into 15 equal portions and shape each portion into a flat round. Press a little in the center of each round to make a depression. Place a mozzarella cheese cube in the center of each round and roll again to form a ball. Roll each ball in bread crumbs in such a way that the balls are evenly coated from all sides. Heat the oil in pan on a medium flame and deep-fry the balls, till they are golden brown in color from all sides. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.

Sweet & Sour baby Corn

Ingredients:

1 cup Baby Corn sliced; I used tin
1/2 onion, cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 bell pepper (red or green), cut into 1 inch squares
1tsp crushed garlic

½ tsp ginger grated
2 spring onions, chopped with greens
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar / plain vinegar
1 tsp cornflour, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1 tsp black pepper
salt to taste
Method

1.    Heat oil in a saucepan, add the baby corn in batches and brown them on both sides and cook completely. Remove from pan and keep aside.

2.    Heat more oil in the same pan, add garlic, ginger, onions and bell peppers, cook for 5 mins they should be crisp. Add the baby corn.

3.    Add Ketchup, soya sauce, vinegar and cook for 1 min.

4.    Add the corn flour mixture, salt and pepper, bring it to a boil.

5.    Add the green onions. Mix well.

6.    Serve immediately.

Cucumber Cups

Ingredients:
1 long English Cucumber cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup moong sprouts
1/2 tsp oil
¼ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp grated ginger
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt/ black salt
Few drops of lemon juice
1/2 tsp jeera pwdr / cumin pwdr
How to make sprouts: Soak the whole moong for 10 to 12 hours or overnite. Soaked moong will be double in volume.
Drain the water completely and loosely wrap the beans with a muslin or cheesecloth or any thin napkin. Store the soaked beans in a warm dark place.After a day you will see the sprouts in the moong. That means it ready for use.
Method:
In a small frying pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Add cumin seeds, grated ginger & rest of the ingredients including the sprouted moong. Cook for 2-3 minutes until sprouts are tender.Add lemon juice, stir and set aside.
Take cucumber slices and scoop out the seeds, creating small bowls. Don't make a hole in it.
Fill the cucumber slices with moong sprouts.Serve cold or at room temperature.

Spinach cheese crackers

Spinach crackers are crisp flavored with cheese and mildly spiced tasty snack. Wanted to try something new out of spinach & I came across this in one of the cooking blogs. It can be served with salsa or any kind of dip.

Ingredients
• 1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
• ½ cup semolina (fine sooji)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp butter
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup spinach puree
• Oil to frying

Method
• Mix all purpose flour, semolina, salt, chili flakes, cumin seeds, and baking soda in a bowl together.
• Add the butter and cheese, mix well. It will be in the consistency of bread crumbs.
• Add the spinach puree and make firm dough.
• Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes.
• Divide the dough in equal parts and make them into small balls. Roll the dough about into a 5-inch circle in a tortilla form. Make sure they are rolled thin.
• Slice the each tortilla in 4 pieces in triangle shape or any other shape you like.
• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Fry the chips until both sides are light golden in color. After chips come to room temperature they should become crisp.
• Don’t fry on high heat, it will become soft.
• Serve with any salsa or dip