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...