Chickpea Cucumber Salad | Vegetarian Quick Salad Recipes

Salads are not my favorites-period.Somehow the thought of eating raw stuff never appealed to me.But,there's always an exception,or rather exceptions.Salads which do not taste raw and salady(is that even a word?)get my thumbs up.We've been including lots of salads and stir-fries in our meals these days.It's so hot here in Chennai that filling up oneself with side eats like these sound much more appetizing than a full blown meal.

This one is inspired by David Rocco.In one of his shows,he made this quick Chickpea salad with sprouted chickpea and an assortment of spices and veggies.I always have cooked chickpea in my fridge,leftover from either Saarupkari or Kadala curry.So assembling this was a breeze.I'd suggest you keep a portion aside when you cook chickpeas,for this salad.

Chickpea Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

Cooked Chickpeas/Brown Channa - 1/4 cup
Cucumber - 1/4 cup,chopped
Onion - 1/4 cup,chopped
Tomato - 1/4 cup,chopped
Green chilly - 1 small,finely chopped
Coriander leaves - about 2-3 tbsp,chopped
Salt to taste
Lime juice - 1 tsp,optional

Method

In a mixing bowl,assemble everything except salt and lime juice.

Just before serving add the salt and lime juice.

Tastes great on its own or as an accompaniment with your meal or even as a topping with some roasted Lijjat Pappad.

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Vegetable Tahiri | Pressure Cooker Rice Recipes

I hadn't come across a recipe named Tahiri before,so when I heard it in UBF,a foodie group in Facebook,I did a double take.I have to admit though,when it comes to rice recipes,I haven't much ventured past the Biryanis,Pulaos and Fried rice.The ease of the recipe as well as the curiosity led to me try this simple rice recipe named Aloo Matar Tahiri,to which I added other vegetables too hence mine is a Vegetable Tahiri.

There are no steps involved-other than to load your cooker and cook for a specific time,and you do not need to supervise it either.Works well for me with a hyper active toddler around!

Vegetable Tahiri

Ingredients

For the marinade

Ghee- 3 tsp
Tomato - 1 chopped
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Bay leaf -2
Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
Potato - 1/4 cup,chopped
Carrot - 1/4 cup,chopped
Capsicum - 1/4 cup,chopped
Cauliflower - 1/4 cup,chopped
Green peas - 1/4 cup
Yogurt - 1 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Biryani Masala - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Basmati rice - 1 cup,washed well and soaked for an hour
Mint - 1/4 cup,chopped
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup,chopped
Water - 1/4 cup

Method

Mix together the ingredients for the marinade well.

Place half of it in a pressure cooker - I used a 3ltr Handi cooker.
Layer the rice on top and then the rest of the marinated vegetables and then the mint and coriander.
Sprinkle the water on top.Pressure cook at medium heat{600W if using induction cooktop} for 2 whistles(20 minutes).

Let the cooker cool down and then open,fluff up with a fork and serve hot.

Notes

• If you want to scale up the recipe,go by the number of whistles rather than the cooking time.
• You can add any vegetables of your choice or just stick with aloo and matar{potatoes and green peas}

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Basic Eggless Vanilla Cake | Eggless Cake Recipes

Every baker worth his/her salt should have a basic eggless cake in their armory and mark my words,this one is "the one".I have been baking this cake for years now,I first made it as a marble cake version and posted it here but since I've been getting many requests for a basic eggless vanilla cake,I thought I'd do a separate post for the same.

It is a simple recipe with ingredients easily available in your kitchen.Just follow a few basic steps and you are guaranteed a perfect cake each and every time.

• Measure the ingredients accurately.Use measuring spoons and cups.
• Make sure the curd/yogurt is not runny and is in room temperature.
• Check the expiry dates of the baking powder and soda you are using.Make sure it is fresh.
• Every oven is different and you know your oven settings well.Don't go by the temperature in the recipe alone.

This cake is perfect as a simple tea cake or can be filled and frosted with buttercream or ganache.I used a smaller pan size as I was planning to have it plain and wanted a tall slice.If you want no doom or cracks on top,use an 8' round tin and bake at a lower temperature till done.

Basic Eggless Vanilla Cake

Recipe source - Nita Mehta

Ingredients

All purpose flour/Maida - 1 1/2 cups

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Thick curd/Yogurt - 1 cup

Flavorless Oil - 1/2 cup {I used Sunflower oil}

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease and line an 8'round tin.

Into a mixing bowl add sugar and curd and whisk well.

Add baking powder,baking soda and mix well.Keep aside for 2-3 minutes.

Bubbles would start appearing on top of the curd-sugar mixture.

Mix in oil and vanilla and whisk.Mix in the flour 1 tbsp at a time and make a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Slice and serve.

Step by step procedure-

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease and line an 8'round tin.

Into a mixing bowl add sugar 

and curd

and whisk well

Add baking powder,

baking soda and mix well.

Keep aside for 2-3 minutes.

Bubbles would start appearing on top of the curd-sugar mixture.

Mix in oil and 

vanilla and whisk.

Mix in the 

flour 1 tbsp at a time 

and make a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

 

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Check out a few Eggless Recipes

• Eggless Custard Powder Snack Cake
• Eggless Marble Cake
• Eggless Tiramisu Cake
• Eggless Blackforest Cake
• Eggless Devil's Food Cake
• Eggless Chai Cake
• Eggless Chocolate Walnut Cake

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Bisi Bele Bath | Easy Rice Recipes

I am not a rice person,give me roti-dal-sabzi 24/7 and I will be a very happy person.My family mocks me saying I was a Punjabi in my last birth:)But I do love a few rice dishes like this and this.Off late however I have switched to one pot meals because it is absolutely hot in Chennai and standing in the kitchen making elaborate lunches is just not possible.Add to that a playful toddler who loves spending time in the kitchen{read-taking out stuff from the shelves and pretending to be cooking as well}

I first tasted BBB,as it is fondly named, in Bangalore,when Ajay's mom had a get-together for her friends.At first glance,I admit I didn't like it much.How tasty could be a gloopy mass of rice-dal-vegetables is what I thought to myself when I put in the first spoonful into my mouth.I realized I was horribly wrong when I took a second helping skipping my other favorite-Shevige Bath.

I have so many bookmarked recipes for making BBB powder from scratch,which is what it gives the real punch I'm told,but lack of time and planning made me buy this ready mix powder by MTR.I followed instructions from this blog for making it taste better,than to follow the instructions blindly given in the back of MTR packet.

If you like BBB and can have it for breakfast,lunch and dinner:) and don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen,this recipe is for you.It tastes delicious and gets done in a jiffy.Add in vegetables of your choice and some crispy vadams or appalam to go with it and voila,you'll have people asking for second helpings :)

Bisi Bele Bath using MTR Masala
Recipe courtesy - Mysoorean

Ingredients

Rice- 1/2 cup { I used regular raw rice}
Toor dal - 1/4 cup { I used a mix of 3 dals,you could use only toor dal if so increase quantity to 1/2 cup}
Moong dal & Masoor dal - 1/4 cup
Mixed vegetables - 1 cup { I used beans,carrot,capsicum and green peas}
Grated coconut or Copra - 1/2 tbsp
Bisi Bele Bath Masala - 1 tbsp
Tamarind paste - 3/4 tsp
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
Water - 4 cups
Salt to taste

For the tadka

Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing/asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Dried red chilly - 1
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Cinnamon stick - 1' piece
Haldi/turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

For garnish

Oil/ghee - 1 tbsp
Peanuts - a handful
Curry leaves - a few

Method

Wash the rice and dals and soak in enough water till you get the other stuff ready.

In a pressure cooker add oil and splutter mustard seeds.

Add hing,chilly,curry leaves,cinnamon and haldi.Saute for a few seconds.

Mix in the vegetables,rice,dal,bbb masala,coconut,tamarind,jaggery and water.

Add salt to taste.Cover and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles or till the vegetables and rice cook till almost mushy.
For the garnish,in a tadka pan add oil/ghee and saute peanuts till golden brown and curry leaves till crisp.Pour on top of bisi bele bath and serve hot.

Tastes delicious with some Papad or chips on the side.

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