60. Spinach Salad (Palak Koshimbir/Salad)

Final Outcome: Healthy and yummy!

        My mom has a very old hand written note book which contains innumerable recipes. These recipes are a mixture of various cuisines collected over more than 30 years. There are a lot of extremely unique recipes. Menthe Kadbu is one such recipe which I have posted here. I plan to make many more unique dishes and post.
        Getting back to Spinach salad: This is again one of my mom's recipe. It is a very simple and very healthy salad. I think even kids who are picky eaters will love it.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Spinach leaves: 1 bunch/ 2 hand full
Curd/Yogurt: 1 cup
Onion: 1/4th onion chopped
Tomato: 1 small chopped
Salt to taste
Sugar: 1/2 tsp
Black pepper: 1 tsp crushed

Method:
1. Heat 3 cups of water in a pan. When water comes to a boil take off heat. Soak spinach into this water and leave for 3-4 mins.Drain out the water and set aside.  Note: This step is midway between blanched and cooked. Spinach should lose is crunchiness but should not be cooked. 
2. In a bowl add curd, chopped onion, tomato, and spinach from step 1.
3. Add salt and sugar.
4. Add crushed pepper and mix well before serving.

39. Creamy Buttermilk spinach pasta

Final Outcome: Yummy!!!

        This recipe is very unique. I never thought the ingredients it contains can work together to create a wonderful Italian dish.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Pasta: 2 cups boiled water with a tsp of salt 
Spinach Puree:  1/2 cup
Buttermilk or curd: 1 cup
Garlic: chopped 3 cloves
Flour/ Maida: 1 tbsp
Capsicum chopped: 1/2
Mushrooms: 5-6 chopped
Italian seasoning: 1 tsp
Salt
Crushed pepper as per taste
Oil
Mozzarella cheese grated: 2 tbsp

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan. Stir fry capsicum and mushrooms till they are soft. Add salt, pepper and a little Italian seasoning. Set it aside.
2. In the same pan heat a little oil and add garlic (don't burn it). Add Flour stirring continuously. After it turns light brown add butter milk and stir. Keep on low heat for 4-5 mins and stir. Add spinach  puree, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Let it cook for 4-5 mins.
3. Add cheese, pasta  capsicum and mushrooms. Mix well and cook for a couple of mins. 

         Summer is here. I am not a fan of summer but 2 things that summer brings with it are lovely: mangoes and vacation! I will be taking a short vacation soon:-)

38. Corn & Palak Pulao

Final Outcome: Good
        
        This is a very common pulao but I had never made it. There are so many such recipes (eg. Chole Bhature) which I have never cooked before. Chole Bhature is on my list, plan to make it as one of my 200 recipes.

Recipe for Corn & Palak Pulao:
Ingredients
Basmati Rice: 1cup
Palak Puree: about 4 tbsp(1 small bunch)
Corn Kernels: 1/2 cup
Cumin: 1 tsp
Black Pepper: 4-5
Bay leaf: 1
Cinnamon: 1/2 inch
Cloves:2
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tsp
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Ghee:1/2 tbsp
Oil 1/2 tbsp
Salt to Taste

Method:
1. Wash Rice and keep aside. Heat Oil and ghee in a pan. Add cumin, black pepper, Bay leaf, Cinnamon, and Cloves. After they turn fragrant add ginger-garlic paste and fry for about a min.
2. Add washed rice and Palak puree. Mix well. Add Corn kernels.
3. Add Garam masala, salt . Add 1.5 cups of water (water is adjusted as we have added palak puree).
4. Cook 2 whistles and serve hot.

        I am losing momentum now. Initially sometimes I tried new recipes back to back, but now its been a week since this pulao that I have tried anything new. I need some recipes.

30. Palak Pappu (Palakuru Pappu)

Source: Colleague
Final Outcome: Good

        One of my colleague gets this amazing pappu in his lunch box. I pestered him for the recipe. Finally got it from someone else. Here it is:

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Palak: 1 bunch washed and chopped
Methi leaves: 1/4th bunch
Toor Dal: 1/2 cup washed
Tomato: 1 chopped
Salt to taste
Oil
Garlic minced: 2
Jeera: 1 tsp
Red chillies: 3-4 (preferably small round one's)
Curry Leaves: 7-8
Mustard: 1/4th tsp
Hing: little
Tamarind juice: 1 tsp (optional)

Method:
1. In a pressure pan (or cooker) add palak, methi, toor dal, tomato and salt and cook 2 whistle or until dal is cooked.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and jeera seeds. After they begin to splutter add minced garlic,hing, red chilies, curry leaves.(do not burn the garlic)
3. Add tamarind juice to the palak- toor dal preparation and pour hot seasoning over it.

         I started off my day with a bang!!!. Literally... I fell off my 2 wheeler and hurt my knee. I may need 3-4 days to recover. I know I have been grumbling on my blog for the last few weeks....but that's how it has been..Eh.