Geetha's Kitchen

These mushrooms really are sensationally sumptuous; and how! Linda D. very kindly shared the recipe with me; I have adapted her recipe so that you can make a smaller quantity (the original served 60 people!). I like using medium sized mushrooms for appetizers; use large ones if you like - they are perfect with meals. It can be vegan if you omit the cheese. Ingredients: 1 lb White Mushrooms 2 Tbsp Butter/oil for cooking and oiling 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove fresh Garlic Sea Salt & Pepper to taste 1 pinch Red Pepper (cayenne) 1 small handful Parsley, finely chopped 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 3 oz. Bread Crumbs Method: Lightly oil baking sheet(s) that can hold the mushrooms in a single layer. Wash the mushrooms in cool water quickly and drain on absorbent towels. Snap off the stems from the mushrooms and chop finely; reserve the caps for stuffing. Heat 1 Tbsp oil/butter in a large skillet and cook the chopped mushroom stems, onions and g...

This is a delicious but simple dal - great with rice or other grains, roti, and/or by itself.  We love the nutty taste of the chana dal which is really split and decorticated (skin removed) chick pea! I believe that it is made from the brown Indian chick pea rather than the golden type known as Kabuli chana or garbanzo bean. Chana dal (unlike mung or masoor dal) retains its shape and does not easily cook up mushy; hence the name 'chunky' :-).  I used a pressure cooker to cook this dal; it is a great tool to cook all dals, whole beans and grains quickly. Notes:  This is a versatile dal that changes its flavor based on the spices used - instead of the mustard and cumin seeds, substitute 1 tsp of panch phoron for a lively but different taste; or saute some leeks/onions after the thalippu is made and stir in some tomatoes before adding the dal.  Yellow or green split peas may be used instead of chana dal; one or the other dals may be omitted or used in any combinat...

Imagine arugula in a curry! - I was amazed at how lovely this curry turned out; the peppery and pungent arugula became quite demure and mellow when cooked.  It is delicious served with rice, any rotis, or just dal if you are wanting to keep your caloric intake low; I served it with theplas  and chana dal .  If you are not convinced to use arugula, other greens may be used instead. For a mild curry, remove the cores from the chiles or eliminate them altogether. You can also reduce the amount of Sambar Powder to 1 or 2 tsp. Ingredients: 1 Tbsp Oil 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds 1 Tbsp Urad Dal 1 pinch Hing/ Asafetida 1/2 tsp turmeric 1 small Onion, chopped 2 hot green (Serrano/jalapeno) chiles, minced 2 medium Sweet Potatoes, diced 1 medium Red or other colors Bell Pepper, diced 3-4 cups Arugula (~ 6 oz), coarsely chopped 1 Tbsp  Sambar Powder Method: Heat the oil with the mustard seeds  and urad dal until mustard starts popping. ...

Methi (Fenugreek) Thepla Theplas are spicy flat breads (rotis) made with herbs.  It is similar to a tortilla in that it is a flat bread; but there the similarity ends.  A thepla is much more than a vehicle for wrapping other foods; it is a lovely spicy snack on its own or may be part of a meal.  Usha J. was very gracious to show me how to make these and I have been making them ever since :).  I am told that the traditional way to eat them is accompanied by Kichdi (a rice and lentil risotto quite popular all over India), a vegetable (with potato) curry, fresh  yogurt , papadams, and pickles.  I often serve them with Simple dal , Sweet Potato Curry, and Hot Lemon or Mango Pickles.  The leftover theplas are wonderful whether warmed up or at room temperature with a bit of Indian pickles and a cup of Chai . Fenugreek (fresh methi) is the most popular herb for making these wonderful rotis; but dill, mint, cilantro, spinach or other fa...

Here is another easy, delicious (and healthy) recipe from the ancient times thanks to The Classical Cookbook (my inspiration for   Coriander-Crusted Eggplant and Cato's Lentils ).  This fresh tasting slaw is a lovely dish that can be served as a starter or with a meal. The only ingredient I have left out is rue, an herb that is neither commonly used nor easily available (did not find any either fresh or dry in any of the markets).  If you are interested in replicating the ancient recipe, rue is available for purchase at most nurseries. According to the Classical Cookbook, Romans of antiquity (and Greeks too as is evident from the title of this post) were very fond of cabbage and grew them avidly.  The doctors of the times recommended cabbage as a cure for headaches, arthritis, stomach problems and even as prevention for hangovers if it was eaten before indulging in alcoholic beverages. Whether or not cabbage was helpful in curing the various...

Coriander Crusted Eggplant, an adaptation of an Ancient Roman recipe from The Classical Cookbook, is absolutely delicious! I made it as a special treat for an avid fan of ancient Roman history! I tweaked the recipe (just a tiny bit :D) by replacing the fish with eggplants; Roman chefs prided themselves on surprising their patrons by presenting them with dishes made to look and taste like something they were not.    Fish this was not - but simple though the recipe was, the eggplants tasted delicious. Despite the lack of fancier fare like honey-glaced dormice and roasted peacocks, the eggplant made for a splendid meal along with Cato's Lentils and Athenian Cabbage Salad - YUM!  Barley bread and some Globi for dessert (based on recipes from Meals and Recipes from Ancient Greece, Around the Roman Table, and The Classical Cookbook) would have made it  a truly memorable meal - a veritable feast for the gods!  There is always next time! 4 Servings Ingredients...

A winner of a recipe! I wanted to use up the broccoli while it was still fresh. I served the broccoli with peanut sauce with brown rice and tofu curry for a fabulous meal. What little leftovers remained were sought after and eaten up the next day! Although quite simple, the sauce is so delicious that it makes the dish. I bet I could serve this sauce over other veggies too :D. 4 Servings Ingredients: 11/2 lbs Broccoli, cut into large florets 2 large Carrots, slice diagonally 1 Red Onion, cut into vertical slivers 1 Tbsp Oil 1 big pinch Turmeric Sea Salt to taste 2 Tbsp Kecap Manis (sweet Soy sauce) 2-3 Tbsp Soy Sauce 2 Tbsp Peanut Butter 1-2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar 1- 3 Tbsp Sambal Oelek 2 Tbsp Chopped roasted peanuts to serve Method: Heat a wok/kadai and swirl the oil to coat; stir in the onion and cook with a pinch of salt over medium heat until lightly caramelized. Stir in the broccoli and carrots pieces with the turmeric and a pinch o...

I thought all my clothes had shrunk! Could it be that the laundry was done with hot water inadvertently? But really - all of them? The realization dawned and that it was not the clothes which had shrunk but my size had expanded :D! - and well it might - with all the cooking, tasting, and.... most importantly EATING. My physician told me that the easiest way to reduce the weight would be to take a medication; the meds suppress appetite and soon the the weight would come down. So how long did I have to take them, I asked. He told me that once I stopped them, the weight would come back - albeit slowly. He then recommended that I could follow a meal replacement plan since I did not want to take any medications - there were different types of shakes available just for this purpose!  Wow, it sounded so easy to replace just one meal with a shake. But when I checked out the shake (I read labels of everything), I was appalled at what I saw on the label. I could not bring myself to ...