Pasta In Spinach Cream Sauce

As I had promised in my previous post here's a way to use your Enriched Spinach Puree for pasta. Pasta in spinach cream sauce as the name suggests is rich in spinach and cream.
I have used elbow macaroni, do use your child's favourite pasta to make it fun for him/her.

After I had finished preparing it and tasting it, I was quite happy with myself. Now I had to face my jury's verdict. Jury- my 4year old son and 19 months daughter. Joel tasted some and rolled his eyes (while I waited with bated breath) and pronounced "I don't like it". Then came Judith- she winced, but politely gave it a second shot and no more! I thought to myself "Now what do I do?" That's when I remembered tomato sauce! Having added some, I requested Joel to give it one more shot promising not to force him if he didnt like it. To my relief he loved it and complained no more, instead finished the meal quickly. Judith followed suit. Actually I also liked it better with the tomato sauce.

Have you cooked pasta with spinach? Do share.

Ingredients-
1tbs olive oil
1 cup elbow macaroni
5 tbs fresh cream
2 tbs enriched spinach puree
1 small onion finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1tsp oregano
salt to taste

Preparation-

• Boil water, drop in the macaroni when the water is boiling and cook al dente. Drain the pasta, wash in cold water and keep aside. Reserve the water.
• Chop the garlic and onion fine.
• Heat oil in a pan add the garlic and onion and saute.
• Add the fresh cream; stirring till it thickens.
• Pour in the enriched spinach puree and stir. If you would like the sauce a little lighter add the reserve.
• Add the salt and oregano seasoning.
• Finally add the boiled pasta and mix into the spinach cream sauce.
• Serve with or without tomato sauce according to your family's taste buds.

Enriched Spinach Puree

There are so many ways to prepare Superfood Spinach. Many moms complain that its very difficult to get their kids to eat their spinach! Most kids will eat their veggies as long as its in the invisible mode! You make the dish look appealing and if they cant see the veggie as a chunk that they need to eat, there are more chances of you getting it down. I would like to share with you all that I have tried with this wonderful superfood. In many of the recipes that I have tried I use the puree form. I do not just blanch and puree it but enrich it with other ingredients. This puree can be used in many recipes which I will post soon.

Ingredients-

1 bundle spinach leaves

1 medium sized onion

1 medium sized tomato

1 heaped tbs dry fenugreek leaves/ kasoori methi

1tbs evaporated milk/ Khoya

2tsps ginger-garlic paste

Some oil

Preparation-

• Chop off the roots of the spinach and wash clean adding salt. Then chop the spinach.
• Chop the onions and tomatoes.
• Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions with the ginger-garlic paste.
• Add the dry fenugreek leaves/ kasoori methi. The aroma as you stir in the leaves is great!
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cover the pan and allow to cook.
• Stir the mixture so that the juices blend.
• Add the chopped spinach, cover and cook.
• Once the spinach is done, stir in the evaporated milk.
• Cool the mixture and puree it.
• Your Enriched Spinach Puree is ready to be used to make a variety of delicious spinach dishes!

You can use Enriched Spinach Puree in

Pasta in Spinach Cream Sauce

Spinach Rice

Okra Crisps/ Bhindi Bajis

This was one difficult post, simply because it was very difficult to photograph the crisps. Can you guess why? Because they would be completely wiped off before I had a chance to arrange it or get the camera ready. Finally successful at my third attempt, when the kids were in bed! Yes Okra crisps, a snacky way to get the veggies down and a good accompaniment to a main meal.

Ingredients-
7-8 okra sliced fine diagonally
For the batter-
7tbs chic pea flour/ besan
Chilli powder
Salt to taste
A pinch of asafoetida
1tsp ajwain/omum (optional)
Oil for frying
Preparation-

• Wash clean the okra and slice fine diagonally.

• To prepare the batter mix the flour with water, chilli powder, salt and pepper. Make sure the batter is thick. Test the batter for spice and salt and add accordingly.
• Coat the okra with the batter.
• Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the okra crisps till brown.
• Serve hot with or without some sauce. Enjoy anyways.

Raw Banana Dumplings in Tomato Gravy/ Kele ka kofta

Raw banana dumplings in tomato gravy is a recipe that I have got from a dear friend in my early days of experimental cooking. I was given the recipe through word of mouth and have always prepared it through memory. So I finally record it with memories of the good old days.


Ingredients-

For the dumplings/koftas-
2 raw bananas
salt to taste
chilli powder to taste
1tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground pepper
rice flour/bread crumbs to roll the koftas
oil for frying

For the gravy-
2 large tomatoes
1 onion
1tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp garam masala
chilli powder according to your spice levels
salt to taste
1tsp lemon juice
freshly chopped coriander

Preparation-
For koftas-

• Wash clean the raw bananas and chop of both the ends. Cut each banana into 2 pieces and steam in a pressure cooker.
• When they are done and cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and mash.
• Add salt, chilli powder and ground cumin to the mashed bananas.
• Roll into medium sized balls and coat with rice flour or bread crumbs and press well, so that the crumbs dont fall off while frying.
• Fry the dumplings in oil till they are brown and keep aside.

For Gravy-

• Roughly chop onion and tomatoes and puree with ginger-garlic paste.
• Heat pan, and cook the puree.
• Add the garam masala, salt and chilli powder, stir and cook.
• When the spices have blended well, take off the heat.

To Serve-

• Add the dumplings into the gravy.
• Add the lemon juice and garnish with freshly chopped coriander and fresh cream.
• Serve hot with rice, rotis/phulkas or wholemeal bread.

Spinach and Lentil/Palak Dal

I've been wanting to blog on Superfood Spinach since a while and finally got down to it. Spinach and lentil is a very healthy combination and very easy to make as well. Again a page from my mom's recipes. Highly recommended for kids.

Minced Beef and Peas/Kheema Mattar

Minced meat with peas is one of the earliest recipes I had learnt from my mom's kitchen. A good blend of colours, vegetables, spices and meat.


Ingredients



500 gms minced beef
1tsp tumeric
8 whole peppercorns
1 big onion finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1tsp mustard seeds
1 cup shelled/frozen peas

2 green chillies finely chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
2 small potatoes chopped
1tsp garam masala
1 lemon juice
fresh coriander finely chopped
Oil



Preparation-

• In a pressure cooker place meat, tumeric and peppercorns and pressure cook.
• In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil, add the mustard seeds and splutter.
• Add the chopped onion and saute.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste, and chopped chillies.
• Add potatoes and peas and cook.
• Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook till the juices seperate.
• When done add the cooked mince along with the stock and garam masala and mix well.
• Cook for 2 minutes for spices to blend well.
• Switch off the flame. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice or phulkas or wholemeal bread.

Beetroot Jam

Beetroot Jam is another great way to get the family to eat their beets! For the health benefits of beetroots, read here. The addition of nuts powder of course enriches the jam. The flavour of ginger and lemon gives it a unique taste.

Ingredients-

4 beetroots peeled and grated

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 inches long fresh ginger piece peeled and grated

1 lemon juice

11/2 tbs cashew and almond powder.

Preparation-

• Wash clean, peel and grate the beetroots fine.
• Peel ginger and grate fine.
• In a pan add the grated beetroots, sugar half of the lime juice, water, grated ginger and cook till most of the water evaporates.
• After it cools to room temperature, grind the mixture in a blender to a smooth paste.
• Return to the pan add the rest of the lemon juice and continue to cook. The jam shouldnt be too dry, it should be moist.
• Take it off the fire and add the cashew nut and almonds powder.
• When completely cool store in bottles.

You can also try-
Beetroot Cutlets
Beetroot Flatbread/Parathas

Figs and Honey Cake

I had baked Figs and Honey Cake on the occassion of Rosh Hashanah- the Jewish New Year which was last month. I wasnt able to blog on it in time, for all the good reasons that moms go crazy at home! However better late than never. A nutritious cake for any member of the family, more so the kids. In most recipes I have seen the honey is used in the dough itself. I prefer to use it in raw form, thus have used it as a drizzle.

Ingredients-

1cup flour
3eggs
1cup salted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1cup dried figs washed, cleaned and chopped
1/2 cup honey
1tsp baking powder
1/4tsp ground cinnamon

Preparation-

• Sift flour and baking powder 3 times
• Cream the sugar and butter
• Whisk the eggs and add the beaten eggs and flour alternately to the sugar and butter mixture.
• Roll the chopped figs in flour and add to the dough
• Add ground cinnamon and pour into a greased cake tin.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven or microwave at 200 for 40 minutes. Then at 170 for 15 minutes.
• Leave to stand for 20 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature and slide off the tin onto a wired rack.
• Then drizzle the honey onto the cake slowly to cover the top. The honey will seep through till you see it no more. Then turn it over to the other side and drizzle the rest of the honey.

Pumpkin Erisheri With Split Bean(Moong Dal)

Pumpkin Erisheri is a recipe I learnt from my mom. A good mix of split bean and pumpkin gives you a dish high in protein, beta carotene and vitamins. Erisheri can be used as an accompaniment with rice. For babies on weaning foods, mash the erisheri with cooked rice for a substantial lunch. Dont forget to take off the chilli when using it for a baby.