Geetha's Kitchen

Chickpea Spread is a wonderful in so many ways - not just on regular sandwiches and wraps but as a salad and filling for a cool lettuce taco or as a dip to scoop with your favorite veggies or chips! Stuff pretty little peppers, tomatoes, lettuce cups, endive, celery, etc. for a delicious and easy snack or starter. Cook your own chickpeas or use canned; I cook a big batch so there is enough for a couple of different recipes as well as freeze a portion or two for another day as they freeze well. Notes: 1. I do the whole thing using the food processor; if you like the veggies chunkier, the carrots and celery may be finely chopped with a knife and added at the end and pulsed once or twice just to mix. 2. Homemade or purchased vegan mayo works quite well. 3. Other herbs like basil, cilantro, chives, etc may be added instead of or in addition to the parsley. INGREDIENTS: 1 Handful raw or roasted Almonds, around 1/4 cup 2 ribs Celery include leaves, coarsley chopped 1 ca...

Autumn Muesli II Warm and creamy Autumn Muesli II is a much loved porridge in our household; the aroma of the spices and fruit cooking with the steel-cut oats wafting through the house entices everyone out of their hibernation even on a cold and rainy day! Made with fresh cranberries, delicious apples, almonds, persimmons (when available), and wonderfully warming cardamom as well as other spices, it is indeed a delight! If you use a slow/rice cooker, a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, it is very easy to prepare! Adjust the spices according to your taste. Any leftovers can be reserved in the fridge and warmed up for the quick comfort of a steaming bowl of muesli anytime you want one! Oats thickens upon standing; you may have to loosen it with a little almond milk. Do try the muesli with the cardamom; it adds a bright fragrance! I like uing freshly ground  cardamom seeds; lightly crush the pods, remove the seeds, and crush/grind into a powder.  Dried Cranberries may...

Autumn Muesli   Autumn Muesli is very much a part of my muesli repertoire; though I don't wait for autumn to enjoy it! Made with delicious apples, persimmons (when available), pecans, and warming spices, it is a delight any time. Prepared ahead of serving, it is good to go whenever you are! This muesli is very similar to Basic Muesli but has autumn spices redolent of pumpkin pie! Adjust spices according to your taste. If you would like a steaming bowl of muesli on a cold morning, Autumn Muesli is great warmed up also! Do try the muesli with the jewel-like and juicy pomegranate arils; I really love the bright burst in each mouthful! The muesli is sweet enough with all the fruits in it that I don't add any sweetners at all; maple syrup or brown sugar add to the fabulous taste if you like it sweeter. 2 - 4  servings INGREDIENTS: 1 Apple, finely diced 1 Persimmon, finely diced 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries 4 Dates, finely chopped 1 Pinch of Salt 1/4 ts...

Cooking Brussels Sprouts this way could not be simpler or any quicker! Easy and delicious as well; according to Keeshu: "tastes a lot better than I anticipated". Use small sprouts when possible - they cook very fast and are ever so tender; I cut them in half - the increased surface area aids in cooking faster as well as absorb all the seasonings better. The dals add toasty flavor as well as a nice bite without being hard on teeth - they soften while the veggies cook; they may be used in smaller quantities or omitted altogether if you wish. Dals not only add taste, but also protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber too. I often make a double batch to have enough left over; they are great warmed or cold or on salads. Ingredients: 1 lb Brussels Sprouts 1 Tbsp Oil 1/2 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds 2 tsp Urad dal 2 tsp Chana dal 1-2 dry Red Peppers 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 1 pinch Asafetida 1 stem Fresh Curry Leaves, minced 1/2 t...

Basic Muesli  Whenever I make this muesli, everyone loves it and it disppears quickly without a trace! Recently this muesli got a very high compliment from a Swiss friend; she said this was the best meusli she ever had. Coming from a native daughter from the land of the original Bircher Muesli, that was high praise indeed! Soaking grains, seeds, and nuts makes them easier to chew and digest; besides, the bonus of soaking is that they are ready to eat right away! Simply top it up with more milk/yogurt if needed and extra berries or nuts in the morning or whenever you like. With all the prep out of the way the evening before, you are good to go in the morning! As I was familiar with oat meal from a very young age, the introduction of Bircher Muesli and the subsequent addition of it to our breakfast repertoire was a shoo-in! Over the years, I have tweaked the recipe. Another general blueprint recipe that can be adjusted to the ingredients on hand or your preference. Any...

Cracked Wheat Payasam is a quick and simple but delicious dessert pudding prepared Kerala style! Other types of milks such as almond, rice, or soy may be used instead of the coconut milk. Made with a little more water, half the jaggery, and minus the spices, nuts, and raisins, it does double duty as a lovely kanji for breakfast or snack. We often had this for breakfast growing up. Regular or Irish style steel-cut oats may be used instead of the cracked wheat. Bulgar or cracked wheat is a wonderful staple to have on hand for making Tabbouleh , Upma , and Pongal as well as a simple porridge like oatmeal. I use the finely cracked (#1 grade) for porridge, upma and tabouleh; the coarsely cracked bulgar (#3) is great for pongal and pilaf. Dessert: 4 Servings Porridge: 2 Servings Ingredients: 1/4 cup finely Cracked Wheat (Bulgar) #1 grade 1 cup Coconut Milk 1/2 cup Jaggery or Brown Sugar 2 Cardamom Pods OR 1/2 tsp Dried ground Ginger (chukku) 1 tsp Coconut Oil 1 Tbsp Cashe...

White Chili is a delicious change of pace from the regular Chili! White Chili is made with white beans of course and succulent veggies and flavorful herbs and spices. It goes together very quickly especially if you have cooked beans, home-cooked or canned. If using canned beans, use 2 cans (15.5 ounces) of Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained. Hominy adds a down-home country taste. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups Great Northern beans, cooked 2  tbsp Oil 1 large White onion, chopped 3-4 ribs celery, chopped 1 large Parsnip, diced 2 medium White Carrots, diced 2 Garlic cloves, minced and mashed 2 to 4 Serrano chiles,  finely minced 3-4 tsp fresh Rosemary leaves, finely chopped  1 1/2 tsp ground Cumin 1 tsp dried Oregano  1/4 - 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper Coarse salt & freshly ground Black Pepper 1 can (15 ounces) white hominy, rinsed and drained (optional) 2-3 fresh Tomatillos, finely diced 3 tbsp cornmeal + 1 cup ...

Kollu or Muthirai Puzhukku is a delicious thick stew that we often had with kanji (simple rice porridge) on restricted fasting days and looked forward to having it! I love Muthirai Puzhukku with oats Kanji (porridge) as well for a healthy and sustaining breakfast or for that matter any time at all! Note: Save excess cooking broth from the kollu for making awesome  Kollu Rasam - a delicious treat that we adore and is often recommended to help one get over colds and coughs! Kollu is not usually  Sprout ed for making this puzhukku; but you may if you wish. 4 Servings INGREDIENTS: Puzhukku: 1 cup dry Horse Gram 2 dry Red Chiles, broken into two 1 stem fresh Curry Leaves, finely sliced 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil Salt to taste 1 Green unripe Banana/Plantain (Optional) Masala: 1 tsp Cumin Seeds 1/4 - 1/2 cup Coconut, fresh or frozen (Or 2-3 Tbsp Dried) 1-2 dried Red Chiles METHOD: Soak  & cook the Horse gram: Pick over, wash, an...

Lovely, luscious, yet a light soup, Summery Corn Chowder has a lemon grass scented broth enriched with a touch of coconut milk! This is perfect for late summer or early autumn when there is an abundance of tender sweet corn and succulent red bell peppers. Sunny yellow corn, bright red bell pepper, and green herbs makes the chowder beautiful to behold. Notes: It is very easy to make  Vegetable Stock  or broth. When prepping veggies and herbs, reserve all the clean scraps, keep them in a bag or container until you have enough. They can also be kept frozen adding more as you prep until you have a good amount. Any extra broth also may be frozen for longer storage. If you fresh corn is not an option, use 14 - 16 oz frozen corn kernels. The lemongrass broth can be prepared without the corncobs; rest of the recipe is still the same. Serves 4 INGREDIENTS: 3 ears fresh corn 1 quart Vegetable Stock  or Water 1/4 tsp Turmeric 1 stalk fresh Lemongrass, crushed...

I like to make homemade masalas so as to have them as fresh as possible as well as the proportions of spices best suited for our personal taste; also, some of the masalas have undesirable ingredients like food colors, flavor enhancers, and preservatives. The amount of ingredients may be adjusted to your preference.  Use this masala in any of the recipes that call for Tandoori Masala. Note: Smoked paprika gives a nice smoky aroma to your dishes; if it is not available, no worries, the masala still is fabulous. Add a tablespoon or two of Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) for incomparable taste; crush into a fine powder in the palm of your hands before addiding to marinade or at the end of cooking to finish the dish! Ingredients: ½ cup dried Kashmiri chillies, break into 2-3 pieces ¼ cup whole Coriander seeds 1 tbsp whole Cumin seeds ½ tbsp whole Black Pepper ½ tbsp whole Cloves ½ tbsp whole green Cardamom pods 1 black Cardamom 1 tsp whole Fenugreek se...

Checca Fresh Tomato Salad is irresistible whether they are prepared the Indian or Italian way; the basics are the same - only the choice of oil and some herbs are slightly different. Which way to go? - a tough choice since both are delicious! Indian Tomato Salaad is a delicious chopped salad redolent with lemony cilantro and perky hot green chiles. It is often served with pulavs and biriyanis (fragrant rice dishes) or with everyday meals of rice/roti, parathas, and curries. Coconut oil is optional; but great when there are lots of green chiles, especially hot ones! Italian Checca ("Kekka"), a wonderful chopped salad/sauce full of fragrant basil is delicious served in so many ways: over pasta, crostini (toasts), or as a side salad .... in short, any way you like! Whichever type you make, refreshing and delicious Checca should be prepared with flavorful fresh ripe tomatoes; sweet flavorful cherry tomatoes are particularly suited for making checca.Optional ingredien...

These bright red theplas or spicy flat breads (rotis) are as beautiful as they are delicious! Theplas are traditionally served with Kichdi (a rice and lentil risotto quite popular all over India), a vegetable curry with potatoes, a raitas or fresh plain yogurt , papadams, and pickles; they make a very filling and nutritious meal. But they can be served as part of a simpler meal with pickles, sliced veggies and plain yogurt. We love theplas with Hot Lemon or Mango pickles and a cup of Chai as a simple meal or snack. Although fresh Methi (Fenugreek) Theplas are the most popular, they may be made with other herbs and veggies too; but the veggie ones are not as long lasting. Refrigerate any extras and freeze for longer storage. Although the Indian whole wheat flour ground specifically for making flat breads (known as atta) is the best for making thepla as well as other types of roti, any whole wheat flour may be used. Makes 12 Theplas Ingredients: 2 tsp Oil ...

We love having fresh falafel! Making falafel from scratch can seem intimidating; but not if the stepwise directions are followed. When you have all the prep done ahead, all that remains on the day you want to eat is cooking the Falafels! Planning your prep really pays off when making Falafel. Prepare Tahini Sauce and chop the Salad ingredients but keep them unseasoned and unsalted until ready to serve. Falafel makes a great starter or snack in smaller quantities. About 6-8 Servings INGREDIENTS: Falafel: 2 cups Dry Chick Peas, soaked  2 Cloves fresh Garlic 2-3 Hot Green Chile (Serrano or Jalapeno), or to taste 1 small bunch Fresh Parsley, coarsely chopped 1 small bunch Fresh Cilantro, coarsely chopped 1 small Onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp ground Cumin seeds 1 tbsp ground Coriander seeds 1/4 tsp ground Cardamom seeds 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt 1 pinch Turmeric 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 3 T Besan (chickpea flour) Oil for Deep-frying (neutral tasting oil) 6-...

Kaalan is a classic Kerala stew similar to Mor Kuzhambu. It is a must for the elaborate banquets during Onam celebrations; since there are a whole smorgasbord or dishes, usually a small amout of each is served as part of the banquet called "sadya". I have made it vegan so no-one has to miss having it for Onam or any other time that one has a hankering for it. The addition of tofu gives it the traditional look and mouth feel of regular yogurt. Kaalan tastes better after having time to meld all the flavors.  It  will last for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.  So I make a large pot since leftover Kaalan lasts for days and is also delicious served with Dosa, Idli, Upma, etc. Traditional Kaalan vegetables are the original Indian Yam called Chenai and green, unripe plantains. It may be prepared with green mango, Taro root, winter melon (ash gourd), Indian drumsticks (moringa pods) etc also; when made with many veggies, it is called Rasa Kaalan or tasty Kaalan. ...

Leftover idlis got a fabulous make-over by reinventing them as Kaima Idli, Idli Chaat, Podi Idli, and Idli Upma, etc.  Although typically made from leftover  idlis , they are amazingly tasty and make great starters, snacks, or even meals. My family loves Kaima, Chaat, Podi, and Upma variations and make a meal of them! Kaima Idli was apparently popularized in a South Indian restaurant; now they are not only made and served in many Southern as well as Northern Indian restaurants everywhere in various avatars including Idli Chaat. I have eaten different versions and all were delicious. Notes: Make the tomato suace first and when ready to serve, you can fry the idlis and mix with sauce. The tomato sauce is absolutely delicious and may be served as a sidedish with any meal; I like to make double or triple the amount to have extra. Kaima Idli C old idlis are best for frying/baking. When there are lots of leftover idlis, one of these recipes can come in very han...

Here is another Rasam recipe! Mysore Rasam is another delicious rasam but with the fragrance of roasted coconut. Rasams are typically served clear after letting it settle a bit ending up with a thick sediment at the end from the dal and spices called "Mandi"; don't discard it - it is absolutely delicious mixed with plain rice or served with Yogurt Rice ! Mysore Rasam Rasams are usually served along with rice in most homes for the second round after another dish like Sambar, Mor Kuzhambu, etc; but others serve it first with rice and then move on to the rest of the meal. Serve this rasam as you would the other types with rice and other accompanying simple vegetable curries, and Papadams. Enjoy it any way you like! Notes:  It is easier to make this and other rasams if you save a little dal when making other dishes like one of the Authentic or Simple Sambars,  Pitla , Simple Dal , Molakootal , etc; usually about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the cooked dal would be plenty...

Karela Atho, Ready to eat! Given a bag of fresh karelas/parikkai, I wanted to make something new and different with them; thus Karela Atho was created! If you love bitter melons, this is a fabulous recipe. If karela/bitter melon is not your thing, try making this with zucchini; Zucchini Atho makes fabulous eats! If making Zucchini Atho, cook the zucchini briefly so they do not get mushy. Karela (Parikkai/Bitter Melon) Atho is packed with protein from the peanuts and the aromatic sesame. The combination of the sweet caramelized onions, smoky tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients combine to minimize the bitterness of bittermelons/karelas and produce an amazingly delectable dish. Tried, tested, and terrific! Note:  Almonds/cashews may be substituted for the peanuts if you have a peanut alergy. 4 to 6 Servings Ingredients: 1 lb Bittermelons(Karela), about 2 or 3 2 large ripe Tomatoes (12 oz) 2 - 3 Tbsp Oil 1 large Red Onion (8 oz) 1 tsp Jaggery/Organic ...