Week #13 Chilli SIN Carne- A Twist to an ALL American classic

Wow- This week's winner is my friend Prachi Damle. She is a talented cook who bakes as well as she cooks. She is the guinea pig for many of my recipes and am glad to dedicate this week to her!!!
Week #13 is an amazing dish. Though I dont get to eat much of this in restaurants because its a predominantly meat dish(usually beef), it has helped me recreate it to its orginal form. The Chilli has its origins in Mexico and Central America long before even the Spanish set foot in these parts. The original Chilli CON Carne meaning Chilli with meat in Spanish is going to be changed to my version of Chilli SIN Carne today( No meat version) But meat lovers, you can substitute the minced soy crumbles for minced meat. My favorite meat substitute here is the Soy Chorizo from Trader Joe's. Its an amazing product that has so much flavor packed in the soy crumbles.

Ingredients:

Red Kidney Beans- 1 1/2 cups Soaked, and then cooked or 1 Can of Kidney Beans
Soy crumbles or any minced meat- 1 cup
Onion, Carrots and Celery- 1 cup diced
mushrooms- 1/2 cup diced
Tomato sauce - 1/2 cup or Tomato paste- 3 tablespoons
Oregano and Paprika- 1 tablespoon
Chilli flakes- 1 tablespoon
Salt and Pepper- to taste
Oil- 2 tablespoons

Method
Pour 2 spoons oil in a pre heated pan. Add the soy or minced meat on medium heat. Once it browned, add onions, celery and carrots and mushrooms. Scrape the bottom of the pan and let cook for about 5-7 minutes. Add oregano, paprika and chilli flakes. Now add the kidney beans and tomoato sauce. Let the flavors combine and bring it to a boil for abut 4-5 minutes. Chilli CON or SIN Carne is ready!!!This is best eaten with some corn bread on the side.Serve with some cheese sprinkles...

Week #13 Ingredients

Week #12 of 52 recipes Dishes from the Americas series begins now....

My niece Swetha guessed it right this time. Thats a great guess Swetha! I am yet to try her cooking, but if she cooks anything like her mom or grandmoms, she'd be brilliant!

Until now, all my recipes are either from Asia or Europe.I am so excited to start my series of recipes from the Americas this week. The next few weeks I intend to share recipes from Latin America and authentic recipes that are so American. And you'd be so amazed how many cool recipes there are out here in this part of the world.

Gumbo originated in Louisiana and is an authentic Creole dish. Louisiana cooking is very unique as there have been French, African and some Spanish influences to their cooking. Thats why we start this recipe with a French cookign technique of Roux which is butter and flour cooked down. That gives this recipe its thickness and an amazing butter flavor in the end. The Okra or Ladies finger is a West African influence to this dish. I made this vegetarian, but the authentic recipe uses shrimp, sausage and chicken which you could surely add if you eat meat. Ideally cook it first and then add it later when you add the tomato paste.

GUMBO AND GRITS
Ingredients :
Onions- 1/2 cup minced
Celery- 1/2 cup minced
Mushrooms- 1 cup sliced
Black eyed peas soaked for 4 hrs- 1 cup
Okra- cut to bite size pieces and cooked in microwave or stove top for 5-7 minutes
4 tablespoons- flour and 2 tablespoons butter
Tomatoes-3 big ones- chopped small
Tomato paste 2 tablespoons or tomato sauce- 1/2 cup
Garlic powder- 1 tablespoon
Pickled Jalapeno peppers -2 teasspoons
Thyme- 1 tablespoon
Paprika- 1-2 tablespoons
Vegetable oil- 1 tablespoon
1 cup water
Salt and pepper


Method:
Put butter in a pre heated wok or pot. Add flour once the butter is melted. Stir it on low to medium heat until the micture turns a bit brown- about 3-4 minutes. Then add mushrooms and the oil and saute for 3 minutes. Increase heat to high and add onions and celery. Saute for 3-4 minutes and add blackeyed peas and water. Bring to boil and then add tomatoes, paprika, garlic powder,tomato paste, thyme, Jalapeno peppers, salt and pepper. The whole mixture will come together and thicken up a bit. Now add okra. if you are adding shrimp and sausage, now is the time to add that. Reduce heat to medium and let the flavors mingle for about 8-10 minutes.
The ideal combination to eat this with is with grits. Grits are made from corn known as hominy. Its a Native American grain made of coarse corn and anyone who has seen the movie "My cousin Vinnie" knows about grits. Its most common in the Southern United States as is a breakfast staple. For those who dont get grits where you live, you could easily substitute cooked corn meal or even fine wheat rava or couscous. Just cook them as you usually do but make it a bit mushy. The grains of grits are kinda mushy and the combination of gumbo and grits are a match made in heaven!! Enjoy!!!

Week # 12 -Guess the dish

The bowl has regular flour(maida)

Comfort Food- Week #11 of 52 weeks of 52 recipes (Gluten free/Soy free recipe)

This week, I wanted to dedicate my post to my mother-in-law Chandra Balakrishnan. For those who dont know much about her, she is a retired Math teacher. She is such an efficient person, knows so well how to manage her time and is a fair and soft hearted person. She specializes in certain dishes like Sabudana Kichdi and her rotis are super soft. One can learn how to play the perfect teacher, mother and homemaker from her.I am so lucky to have her as my mother-in-law and here's to you, amma!

I just got back from a week long travel eating out every meal. You start craving home meals after a few days. My most favorite meal after such a trip is usually a plain Rasam (soup with tomoatoes, pulses and spices) either to just drink it straight up or with some rice. But today, I didnt have the time to even make Rasam. Instead, I used what I had in my hand to make a delicious Maharastrian style road snack. I had some sprouted mung bean in the freezer and some rice flakes.

My husband Sanjeev is from Nagpur and the last time I was there, he got some roadside Poha to taste. I have to admit I never used to eat roadside food in India while I was on tour. This Poha was so good,the flakes were perfectly cooked, yet were not mushy. I wasnt even aware that Poha was eaten with a gravy till he brought the dish home.Since it was a dry dish, the green peas gravy that went with it was a match made is heaven.
I substituted sprouted moong instead of green peas in the gravy because its healthier.It worked really well in this dish and I decided to add edamamme and corn to the Poha itself.



Maharashtrian Poha with Sprouted Dal Gravy :
2 cups- Thick Rice Flakes) available in Indian grocery stores)
1 onion- minced
1 cup- mix of edamamme, corn and other veggies( if you wish)
turmeric powder- 1 tablespoon
chilli powder- 1 tablespoon (optional)
salt - to taste
curry leaves- 1 sprig
cumin seeds- 1 tabelspoon
Garam masala- 1 tablespoon

Gravy-
Boiled Chickpeas or sprouted mung beans or any boiled beans like kidney, pinto etc- 1 cup
4 red chillies and 3 pods garlic- soaked in water for 15 min
tomatoes- 2 big tomatoes- chopped fine
tomato paste- 1 tablespoon
onions- 1- minced
Garam masala- 1 tablespoon
Goda Mahasrastrian Masala- Optional 1 tabelspoon( available in Badshah,everest in Indian grocery stores)
oil- 2 tablespoons
lime juice- 3 tabelspoons
cumin seeds- 1 tablespoon
Cilantro- 2 tabelspoons for garnish



Method:
Rinse rice flakes in water about 2-3 times. Allow it to rest ater draining for about 5-8 minutes.It should not be soggy and the flakes should be seapate but soakedHeat oil in a wok. Add cumin seeds and turmeric powder. Add onions and fry until they slightly turn brown and then add the veggies and saute. Add garama masala, salt and chilli powder if using. The flame should be on high heat. Now add the soaked poha or rice flakes and reduce flame to medium or low. Combine everything and keep it in low flame for 5-7 minutes and stor iccasionally. The key is not to overcook that it becomes mushy. Do not cover. Switch off and the Poha is now ready.

Gravy- Grind the red chillies and garlic to make a paste. Add oil to the pan and add cumin seeds. Once it turns black, add minced onions and saute on high heat. Add the garlic-chilli paste and fry for 3-4 minutes on medium to high heat.Add garam masala, goda masala Then add chopped tomoatoes and tomato paste and fry for 2-3 minutes. Pour 2 cups water and salt and boil for 7-8 minutes. Add salt and the sprouted or boiled beans and cook for 2 minutes. Switch off flame and add lime juice and cilantro for garnish. Serve with Poha and enjoy.... This can be served with rotis and parathas too!

2 dishes with one recipe on Week #10 of 52 recipes in 52 weeks!!!

My buddy Siva has earned 2 badges this time- He got it right with his mushroom tofu lettuce wrap guess. Well done, Siva!!

The following recipe is one that I am super excited because its so easy and very healthy. Couple of my friends have tried it for their party and have gotten rave reviews...

Low Fat/ Low carb recipe :Those who have been to PF chang's Restaurant in US know about their famous lettuce wraps. I felt I wanted to add a kick to that dish and make it even better. And I have to say, this recipe does taste amazing and makes such a great appetizer or a light lunch with the spicy mixture along with the cool lettuce leaves . If you dont have lettuce leaves available, then you can use cabbage leaves. Use only the outer Cabbage leaves and cook it in salted hot boiling water for 5 minutes before using them. But I have to add that lettuce is the best for this recipe.
For all the salad haters I know ( I have one in the family too):), I have a delicious rice dish with the exact same recipe below. Try it and let me know what you all think!!!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 cup minced soy or chicken or any minced meat
1/4 firm tofu minced( optional)
3 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chilli Black bean sauce(aavilable at any oriental market)
2 teaspoons Chilli garlic sauce( if they above sauce isnt available)
1 cup diced carrots,mushrooms,bambooshoots
1 onion diced
1 tablesppoon sesame oil or any oil

Method:

Heat oil in pan or wok. Add garlic and ginger after 20-30 seconds, saute and add minced soy or meat. Cook for 4-5 min until browned. Then add onion and sautee for 3 min or so.Stir in tofu if using. Add soy sauce and black bean chilli sauce. And then add vegetables and cook for 3-4 min until done. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Wash and dry lettuce leaves and serve this hot!! Enjoy:) This recipe can serve 2 people.

2nd recipe- Mushroom Tofu fried rice
Mix the above mix in rice and add 1 teapsoon more of the black bean sauce and stir in high heat for 2 minutes. There you go- 2 dishes- One is the low carb high protein lettuce wraps and the other that can be used as a mian dish. Enjoy!!

Week #10 of 52 recipes in 52 weeks from around the world

These are just few of the ingredients that are pictured. This week, I will be making 2 dishes with the same recipe!! Can you guess at least one of them????