Geetha's Kitchen

Lettuce Wrap with Tofu Filling is wonderful for casual family/company dining as well as a lovely starter.   Use the smaller inner leaves from the lettuces; Belgian endives and green or purple cabbage leaves work well too.  Instead of the shiitake mushrooms, other mushrooms maybe used. Hoisin sauce (~1/4 cup) maybe used instead of the coconut aminos and tamari in the sauce given below; but it usually contains wheat so I don't use it. INGREDIENTS TOFU FILLING 1 tsp sesame oil 14 - 16 oz Firm/extra firm Tofu 3 oz fresh Shiitake/Other mushrooms, diced 1 Carrot, shredded 2-3 Tbsp fresh grated ginger 2-4 cloves Garlic, minced 1-2 Shallots thinly sliced Red Pepper flakes (optional) 1-2 heads Belgian Endive/Butter/Romaine lettuce SAUCE 1 1/2Tbsp Each Coconut Aminos & Tamari (Soy sauce GF) 1 Tbsp rice vinegar GARNISHES 4-5 scallions thinly sliced 3-4 Tbsp roasted Peanuts, chopped 2-3 Tbsp toasted Sesame seeds INSTRUCTIONS Wash lettuce, drain...

These super tasty and fabulous trio of dressings are not only great for salads, they can be used as a dip/sauce for fresh, steamed or roasted vegetables and as a dressing for sandwiches. These dressings are quite easy and simple to make. Our family loves to have a couple ready to use in squeeze bottles to squeeze over their daily salads. Simply Delicious! Tahini and Lemon dressings will stay fresh for 4-5 days as they have fresh ingredients; the Maple Mustard dressing will last a week. Tahini Dressing: NOTES: Add one or all of the optional ingredients for more depth and nuanced taste. I love adding the fresh herbs as they not only make it tasty, but also add to the nutrient density. Adjust the amount of water to make a dressing: more to dress salads and less to make a spread or dip. Tahini dressing maybe prepared without a blender; place all the ingredients in a widemouth jar with a tight-fitting lid and whisk or shake vigorously. It will take a little effort at first t...

Succulent, saucy and pleasantly spicy Chili Tofu is an adaptation of the popular chili paneer and example of the Indo-Chinese fusion recipes. Flavored with tamari, ginger, garlic, coriander and cumin, it is the perfect blend of two distinctive world cuisines. Serve with rice, rice noodles, corn/rice tortillas for a delicious starter, lunch or dinner. Use Thai chiles or serranos without removing the core for spicy hot Chili Tofu. Roasted Tofu maybe used in this recipe; prepare it without the herbs and adjust the amount of spices as there is some in the roasted tofu also. 4-5 servings Ingredients: Marinade: 1 tsp Garlic paste 1 tsp Ginger paste 2 tsp Corn Starch 1 tsp Tamari/soy sauce Chili Tofu:  1 14-oz block extra-firm Tofu  1 large bell pepper (any color), diced 1 green Chile, like Serrano, cored and minced 1 tsp Oil 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 2 tsp ground Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper 1 large Onion, diced 1-2 c...

Delicious Mung Dal Cheelas, crepes, or pancakes are eaten all over Asia by many a name! There are many versions in India as well as other countries. They are quite easy to make and may be eaten any time from dawn to dusk and beyond :)  Added bonus : I add lots of veggies to the batter and make tiny cakes to offer as starters; these make fabulous party fare! Cheelas,  similar to the  Dosas ,  may be made into thin delicate crepe-like pancakes or thicker.  You can grind your own batter using whole mung beans or the split dal. In an effort to use whole grains more, I usually use the whole beans. I posted the recipe  Cheela w/Mung Flour  using readily available flour a while ago. Make cheela simply or with the added veggies and herbs, and you will have an amazing meal . NOTES: Instead of the fresh fenugreek leaves, dry fenugreek leaves, chopped spinach, chard,  kale, Malabar Spinach or other leafy greens may be added. Sometimes, I ...

Rice Noodles - Stirfry or Soup is one recipe that you can serve two ways quite easily- it is just a matter of adding some hot broth or water! We adore both soups and stir-frys; so sometimes it is a tough choice - with this recipe you don't have to choose one or the other - you can live it up and have both! Naturally gluten, dairy, and oil free! 2 Servings Ingredients: 120 g (4 oz) Rice Noodles (dry) 3-4 Green Onions 1/2 block Tofu (7 oz) 1 Tbsp fresh Ginger, minced 1-2 cloves Garlic, minced 1 pinch of Red Chile flakes Salt to taste 1 Wedge Cabbage (about 1/4 of a small one), thinly sliced 1 handful Peapods (Chinese/Sugarsnaps), ends trimmed 4-5 Mushrooms 1 Carrot, cut in fine matchsticks or corasely shredded Tamari/Shoyu/ Soy Sauce to taste 2 cups Vegetable Broth Or Boiling Water (for Soup) To Serve Bean Sprouts 1 smsll bunch Garlic Chives, sliced 1 Jalapeño Chile, sliced (optional) 2 Green Onions, thinly sliced 1 handful Corian...

Rice Noodles With Assorted Vegetables (Vegetable Sevai/Rice Noodles) is a pretty easy and delicious Gluten Free recipe perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner  as well as a teatime treat too. Traditionally, rice noodles were prepared fresh but the packaged noodles make it so much easier and quicker. The dish is South Indian Style when served with the arachu kalakki or chutneys; it has Chinese flavors when served with the chile-garlic sauces! NOTES: 1. Allow the rice noodles to cool a bit; cool noodles will help prevent stickiness. 2. The vegetables maybe varied according to preference or availability. Frozen mixed veggies maybe another option. 2 Servings Ingredients: 4-5 oz (120 g) Rice Noodles (dry) 1/2 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds 1 Tbsp Chana Dal 1 Tbsp Urad Dal 1 stem fresh Curry Leaves 3-4 Green Onions/1 small Onion 1 Hot Pepper (Serrano/Jalapeno) deseeded and minced 1 Tbsp fresh Ginger, minced or finely grated 1 clove Garlic, minced (optional) ...

Hemas Everyday Fresh Coriander-Mint Chutney is fabulous with snacks, sandwiches, with meals to add a zing to an otherwise tame meal. This chutney is a wonderful and necessary addition in the famous toasted veggie Mumbai sandwiches! I use it to make the delicious Bhel Kale Salad  and the Chat dishes like the Roasted Potato Chat , Aloo Tikki ,  Aloo, Chana Chat . This Fresh Chutney not only adds piquancy to meals but also vitamins and minerals to everyday nutrition. For a mild chutney, remove the core from the chile; for a spicy chutney leave the core in and/or add more chiles. Ingredients: 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds 1-2 cloves fresh Garlic 1 one-inch piece Ginger, skinned, and sliced 1 large bunch fresh Coriander/Cilantro 1 small bunch Mint 1 Serrano Chile, cut into 2-3 pieces Salt to taste 1 tomato, cut into quarters 1/4 of a small Red Onion or 1 Shallot, coarsely chopped 1 - 2 pinches Jaggery 1-2 Limes/Lemons Water as needed Method: Sort th...

Vegetable Salna is a popular soupy stew that accompanies parotta, a South Indian version of the paratha, a  wholewheat flatbread. It is also quite delicious served with other Indian breads, Idli, Dosa, Upma, rice or other grains. I make a big batch as the flavors meld and taste better the next day. NOTES: 1.  Vadakam/Vadouvan is not widely available even in Indian markets outside India; here is the recipe for making vadakam. Until you can make/purchase vadouvan/vadakam, this Substitute will work quite satisfactorily: coarsely crush and combine - 1/4 tsp Fennel seeds, 1/8 tsp Fenugreek, 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds, and 1 tsp Urad dal + 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds + 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes + 1 small shallot and 1 clove garlic, minced finely. Add this to the hot oil and proceed as called for in the recipe. 2. It is tasty to have a mixture of veggies rather than just one or two; I usually end up using about five or more. Carrot, green beans, peas, cauliflower, regular...

So easy, so tasty! This delicious Chickpea/Garbanzo curry needs minimal effort especially if you have cooked Chickpea/Garbanzos on hand; you can use home-cooked or canned. Check this post for cooking beans at home - a very easy as well as economical project! Reserve and use cooking liquid if homemade; drain and rinse if using canned beans. Variation: A chopped tomato may be added after the shallot mixture has softened. If a spicier dish is required, add more hot green chiles or a little red pepper. 4 Servings Ingredients: 2 cups cooked Chickpea/Garbanzos 1 tsp Oil 1 dried Red Chile 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds 1-3 tsp fresh Ginger, grated 1 Shallot, coarsely chopped 1 hot green chile, coarsely chopped (remove core for a mild dish) 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1 tsp Salt 1 pinch Asafetida (optional) 3-4 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped Method: Heat the oil in a kadai or skillet; add red chile and cumin and let the cumin sizzle and become fragrant; the chile will darke...