Geetha's Kitchen

Uthappams are reminiscent of a pizza minus the cheese and no gluten since only rice and besan (garbanzo flour) are used. They are wonderfully flavorful pancakes; traditionally Uthappams are made with Dosa or Idli batter. So, what does one do if there is no leftover batter? I made these wonderful Uthappams with a fresh batter using flours which worked very well. Rice flour, garbanzo flour, asafetida, etc are readily available in Indian markets. Uthappam With Dal Chutney  Uthappams are very popular for brunch. They may be eaten any time of day although not typically for breakfast. Serve them with one of more of your favorite chutneys - Dal , coconut , sweet potato , or bell pepper .  Sambar and raitas are popular accompaniments also. Ingredients: Topping: 1 Carrot, shredded 1 small Onion, any color, finely chopped 1 small Bell Pepper,any color, finely diced 1 small Zucchini, shredded 1 ripe Tomato, thinly sliced 1-2 Hot green Chiles, minced ...

Creamy Cilantro Dressing Needless to say that we adore this dressing :-) ~ since I keep making quantities of it often! It goes well with green salads with lots of crunchy veggies; our favorite is with main salad meals - the Mexican themed Fiesta Salad for an example. I make a large jar of it and it lasts for a few days of pleasure. It is great as a dip for fresh veggies or as a topping for home-made nachos too. Fiesta Salad with Frijoles De La Olla I add a small piece of apple instead of the typical addition of sugar which mellows the bite as well as for a subtle sweetness. Remove and discard cores from chiles if you like the dressing to be mild; if you like it spicy, leave cores in or add more chiles - adjust as you like. The nuts not only give the dressing creaminess, they also add to the body. Feel free to adjust the various ingredients to suit your own taste and requirements; but do try making it. Pick the key limes that are a little golden (indication of maturity...

I love this well-spiced Masala Kichdi with assorted grains and lentils - it is hearty as it is delicious and I could eat it every day! It is fragrantly spiced but not hot and is suitable for children as well. When serving you may want to remove the chiles to avoid a child or someone unfamiliar with Indian food getting an unpleasant surprise! Although the chiles give a wonderful aroma to the food, they are not meant to be eaten. Obviously you don't absolutely have to have so many different kinds of grains and lentils to make it wonderful; just a couple each will do just fine; the basic proportions are 1 part grain to 1, 2, or 3 parts legumes (dals) - use whatever combinations beguile you. I wanted to see how many different kinds I could put in; Red, Black, or Arborio rice and Amaranth are a couple of more possible additions. I prepare the Kichdi in the pressure cooker. Prepare the seasonings and add to the cooker and proceed according to manufacturer's directions on using ...

This simple but rib-sticking stew, is made with various beans in different parts of Mexico; although different, they are seriously yummy. We often think of pinto beans as the traditional frijoles; but other beans such as black, kidney, and Peruano are also used; I have seen some cooks mix pinto and kidney beans for a colorful dish. Whichever beans you use, it is sure to become a favorite! Onions, a bit of garlic, fresh or dried chiles, a splash of oil or a pat of butter, etc may be added to the olla (cooking pot) depending on the individual cook. Some people cook the beans with the chopped onions and garlic which cook and melt into the beans without a trace. One woman told me that she cooks the onions in oil until they are practically black, strains out the onions, and adds the oil to the beans for the best flavored beans! Though I have tried the various recipes (not the blackened onion though) and enjoyed them all,  from the simplest - which is just plain beans cooked with a c...

As you may have already guessed, we are crazy for salads these days! So to make the everyday salads exciting, I make them with a different international flair each day. :) (Check out the Pad Thai Salad ) The nice thing about all these salads are that you can prep them ahead of time and assemble at the last minute.  Kale Bhel salad is as tasty as it is healthy (mostly :-}) with a little addition of Bhel Puri Mix - an Indian snack mix readily available in Indian markets! Any crunchy veggie may be used in this salad. For the dressing, mix fresh lime juice with some green and sweet chutneys. Other greens also may be used in this salad. For a mild salad, remove the core from the hot chile or omit it altogether; if you like it spicy, leave the core and seeds in and/or use more chiles. Our family loves this salad; when I made the traditional Bhel Puri , it was not difficult to add a few more greens and veggies to make it healthier. If the little addition of the Bhel Mix helps ever...

A fabulous salad to turn anyone into a salad lover! The sinuous vegetable noodles add color and crunch to this amazing dish. Once the prep is done, store everything in the fridge until serving time; a wonderful make-ahead dish. Although the tofu may be added without any cooking, my family loves well-flavored tofu; so I saute small pieces of it with red pepper, ginger and garlic. I used an inexpensive peeler-like shredder that I got from a Japanese market. But one may use a regular peeler, a mandoline slicer, a spiralizer, or just a plain old sharp knife. I used the vegetables on hand but other veggies may be used as preferred. Chinese pea pods or sugar snap peas, baby bok choi, napa or green cabbage, tender kale, bell pepper, etc may be used. Veggie Noodles Veggie Noodles With Lime, Dressing, and Tofu 4 - 6 Servings Ingredients: 1 Medium Zucchini 1 Large Carrot 1 Daikon Radish or a piece of Jicama Small Slice of Red Cabbage 1 cup Bean Spro...

One would not think that combining chiles with peanuts would produce something as delicious as this chutney. This amazing chutney can be eaten as a relish with any snacks, breads, on toast, or mixed with any warm cooked grains. When mixed with warm rice/quinoa, millet, couscous, etc, and a bit of oil or Earth Balance(vegan butter substitute), it is scrumptious! It is very easy to make. Although a mortar and pestle would work very well, a food processor makes it a breeze! I had learned to make it from a friend from Mumbai eons ago. I do not recall that she added either the mustard seeds or the lime juice but I often like to add them for the lovely flavor. Another delicious addition is 1 teaspoon of crushed fenugreek seeds; add them when the mustard seeds begin to pop and proceed with the rest of the recipe. Cored hot chiles or mild green chiles may be used if you prefer a less spicy chutney. Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) may be added for a slightly different but equall...

Yogurt Rice with Mango Pickle, Zucchini With Besan , Papadams You read that right, yes non-dairy! Vegan Yogurt Rice - really and truly vegan! South Indian people raised on yogurt for every meal would appreciate the joy of this vegan version. I had been trying to make vegan yogurt a long time. I tried to find plain unflavored soy or coconut yogurt as a substitute for regular yogurt but have not been lucky to find them. Life without a yogurt substitute has not been easy - but not anymore :-). Now we can have our fill of recipes that usually include yogurt as an important ingredient! In my quest for a replacement for regular yogurt, I made cashew yogurt; it was absolutely lovely but a bit expensive, not practical for daily consumption. Although I had toyed with the idea of making a tofu yogurt for a long time, I just honestly did not find the idea very exciting - until I did it - thinking that if it did not work, I could always compost it! Long story short, I plunged ah...

Okra is a well-beloved veggie all over India. It was one of my favorites as a child! Loved it cooked simply in a saute or with onions and tomatoes. If tomatoes are unavailable, add a little lime juice or a sprinkle of aamchoor (dried green mango powder) towards the end of cooking to remove the stickiness. Serve okra with rice/grains, flat breads like roti/chapati or naan, any dal and/or kadhi . If fresh okra is not readily available, use frozen okra! Okra with Onions and Tomatoes Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs Okra, stem removed and cut into 1/2" pieces 1 - Tbsp Oil 1 big Pinch Brown Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp Dried Red Chile flakes 1 pinch Asafetida (Optional) 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1 - 2 Hot Green Chiles, ends slit 1 Onion, finely chopped 1 large Tomato, finely chopped 1 tsp Sea Salt 2 Tbsp finely chopped Cilantro leaves Method: Wash the okra and drain thoroughly; spread on a kitchen towel lined with paper towels to absorb all the moisture. Let dr...

I made this Kadhi just to see if it would work using tofu or coconut milk instead of the traditional yogurt or buttermilk. And work it does - golden deliciousness!! So use tofu or coconut milk - your choice - both work brilliantly. If green chiles are not handy, dried red chiles may be substituted - just add along with the spices to the oil. I like using both red and green chiles for their unique flavors. After trying the recipe, you can adjust the thickness as you wish; add more besan for a thicker kadhi or more water for a thinner one. Add lime/lemon juice to your taste. Panch Phodan or Phoran is a spice mix of whole seeds - brown mustard, nigella, cumin, fenugreek and ajwain; check this recipe for details. Kadhi over Basmati Rice   and   Okra with Onions & Tomato Ingredients: 1 cup any Tofu OR 1 cup regular Coconut Milk (not beverage) 2 Tbsp Besan 2 tsp Oil 1 tsp Panch Phodan 4-5 whole Cloves 1 (1") piece Cinnamon Stick 1 small Onion, chopped (op...

Nutmeg-scented Wholegrain Pear Muffins are gluten and dairy free; they are oil-free also if you omit the optional oil. These wholesome muffins are as delicious and tender as they are nutritious. They are one of our favorites for breakfast or tea time. Do add the chia and flax seeds for the added nutrition if you can. When pears begin to get soft and squishy, don't throw them on the compost heap; save them to make these fabulous muffins! You can use any variety of pears for these; I have used a large brown Bosc , Bartlett or the Anjou variety; all are great. I have not tried it with the crisp Asian pears - they don't stick around, we enjoy them fresh and crisp! If you'd like a version of muffins using whole wheat flour, here's the recipe . Nutmeg-scented Pear Muffins Makes 12 large muffins Ingredients: 2 cups Whole Grain Old fashioned Oats (gluten free) 1/2 cup Almond meal 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds (Optional) 1 Tbsp Flax seeds (optional) 1/3 - 1/2 Cup...

So easy, so simple, so tasty! No more words are needed for this lovely sunflower seed butter. Delicious served in a sandwich or with toast, fruits, and veggies; it is also good by itself on a spoon! I decided to make my own as the store-bought ones all had sugar of one kind or another. Although I like some things sweet, I did not want my seed/nut butters to be sweet :) - so I got the seeds and got to work!! If you purchase raw seeds, simply roast them in a skillet or in the oven; let cool and proceed with the recipe. Sunflower seeds are soft and does not take much time to process into butter. I have had this sunflower seed butter recipe in the drafts and had forgotten to post it! Ingredients: 2 cups Sunflower seeds, roasted 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Sea Salt Method: Roast the sunflower seeds in the oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes or toast them in a skillet; let cool. Place the sunflower seeds and the salt (use the smaller quantity first - can add more if needed later) in t...

Making delicious home-made Peanut Butter is even easier than making Almond Butter !  Just roast raw skinless peanuts, let cool, grind and voila! for the best-tasting peanut butter you have ever tasted :). I buy raw, skinless (blanched) peanuts rather than go through the tedious task of skinning them myself. Peanuts are a little more work than blanching almonds. Using a kadai (Indian wok) assures even heating and browning of the peanuts. Any wok will do. Note: Peanut butter is a concentrated food; do use caution as it is very easy to eat lots of this delicious homemade peanut butter. The serving size is a meager 2 Tablespoons!! Ingredients:  1 lb skinless raw peanuts 1 tsp Kosher Salt 1 1/2  Tbsp Peanut Oil Method: Prepare a large baking pan or sheet with paper towels - you will pour the cooked peanuts to drain the excess oil here. Heat the oil over medium high heat in the kadai/wok. When the oil is at the right temperature, you will see a...