Marinated Vegetables.

In continuing with the summer theme, let me share one of my personal favorites in no-stress cooking. Marinated  Vegetables are so easy to make that even the biggest kitchen-phobe would toss it with a smile. I found this recipe in the Good Housekeeping India magazine, and have used it for years to wow the guests at my dinner parties. And the best part? My waistline loves the fresh n light meal :)

To make Marinated Vegetables you will need:

1 medium cauliflower, broken into florets

1 cup peas

2 red peppers

1 green pepper

200 gm mushrooms, quartered

1 yellow pepper

200 gm french beans, sliced diagonally

10 carrots, sliced diagonally

1 small broccoli, cut into florets

1/2 kg baby potatoes

5 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

(of course, you could substitute the veggies with any seasonal produce you enjoy)

MARINADE: 2 tbsp olive oil

                       1 stick cinnamon

                      2 bay leaves

                      4 cloves

                      3 onions, sliced

                      5 cloves garlic, minced

                     1/2 cup vinegar

                      1/2 cup water

                     2 tbsp sugar

                     1 tsp dried rosemary

                     salt, pepper and red chilli powder, to taste.

Method: Steam all the veggies till crunchy but done. Boil and peel the potatoes. Heat oil and add the whole spices. Add the onions and saute till brown. Add the garlic and saute till golden. Then add the rest of the marinade ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce flame and simmer for 8 minutes. Season well. Pour the prepared marinade on the steamed veggies and leave at room temperature for a few hours. Garnish with basil just before serving with dinner rolls or pasta. 

Cold Pasta Salad

Summer's here and the body wants something cool. Gone are the winter delights topped with rich gravies and dry fruits to keep you toasty all night. Now all I want is something light and fresh. Something cool and quick! And this Cold Pasta Salad is an absolute breeze! Few quick steps and I have a satisfying meal ready to be pulled out of the refrigerator at a moment's notice!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked macaroni

1 tbsp mustard powder

1 tsp honey

1 medium apple, chopped

2 cups natural yogurt

1/2 cup cold milk

1 large capsicum, sliced thinly

1 carrot, shredded

a handful of toasted walnuts

salt and pepper to taste

Method: Whip the yogurt lightly in a bowl with the milk, mustard powder, salt and honey. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss gently. Sprinkle with some freshly crushed peppercorns and pop in the fridge till you get hungry. Add some more cold milk if the pasta gets too dry. Also feel free to add any combination of fruits and veggies that work best for you. :)

Chana-Kairi Chutney

The best part of Summers are the wide array of mango dishes.. sweet, savoury, raw, ripe.... u name it and every region can produce its own repertoire of  Mangifera Indica!

The Chana- Kairi chutney is a staple in every Maharashtrian home. A dry, coarsely ground side dish, it packs a punch of flavour and can elevate the humblest of meals. 

This chutney can be made without the mango as well, but personally, i love the punch of the tangy raw mango.  

To prepare the Chana- Kairi Chutney you will need:
1 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)
5 green chilles
2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch turmeric
3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp sugar
pinch asafoetida
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 medium raw mango, grated
red chilli powder and salt to taste

Method: Soak the chana dal for 3-4 hours. Run in the food processor with the green chillies and 1 tsp of cumin seeds. Take care to ensure its coarsely ground and not a fine paste. Mix in the raw mango, red chilli powder, salt, sugar and turmeric. Heat oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds, asafoetida and the remaining cumin seeds. Mix in the chana dal and cook on a low flame. When the mixture starts to dry, cover and continue to cook till the grains start to separate and the moisture evaporates. Serve as a side to any meal!

HANDY TIPS: 

> While the dal cooks, ensure you stir requently to prevent it from sticking to the pan. 

> If the chutney seems a little too dry, heat some oil in a pan and mix into the chutney with a splash of warm water.

> For an uncooked version, simply temper the ground dal and spices with a mixture of mustard seeds, asafoetida and red chilli powder.
> Store in the refrigerator for upto 2 weeks. 

Fish Tenga

Fish Tenga literally translated to Fish Sour, traditionally comes from the north eastern state of Assam in India. It  has a fresh, tangy taste that lingers in your mouth without any of the fishiness. The ingredients are few and easily available, and this dish is an absolute breeze to make. Serve it warm with rice on even the warmest day and you will still walk away feeling light but satiated.

To make FISH TENGA, you will need:

1 kg fresh water fish (Rohu is the traditional choice)

1 large potato, boiled and mashed

6 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

2 green chillies, roughly chopped

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

turmeric powder

salt to taste

mustard oil to shallow fry

Method: Smear the chunks of fish with turmeric and salt and keep aside for 10 minutes. Heat mustard oil in a   pan. Fry the fish to a light gold on both sides and drain on a kitchen towel. In a wok, heat a teaspoon of the leftover mustard oil (from the frying pan). Add the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the chopped tomatoes and cook till softened and well mashed. Add the green chillies and mashed potato and cook till you get a lump free homogeneous mixture. Season with salt and mix well. Now, stirring constantly, add little water at a time, till you get the curry to your desired consistency. (Assamese like their curries watery and I end up adding almost 750 ml of water.) Once the mixture starts bubbling,  gently add the fried fish. Simmer for a couple of minutes, add the lemon juice and let it come to a gentle boil.  Serve with some plain, steamed rice and dig in!