The return of the dummy!!

Yep...old habits do not die...ever!! atleast for me. I remember as a kid..i was always generous with my things..lending everyone my books, parting with pocket money......and boy have i gotten into trouble with that! I thought for a while i had overgrown the habit of lending ..but no sir...i have done it again. Before i left Mi, i had lent some cookbooks to an acquaintance of mine...we somehow never got a chance to regroup and now here i am in NY and guess what!! no cookbooks. I makes me so mad..esp. it was Tarla Dalal's books and some really nice indian cookbooks, that i am possessive about. Again..i am a cookbook whore..so i am possessive about all of em. We did exchange our emails...so i told her to mail me my books..this is after i had tried to touch base with her plenty of times when i was in Mi. Then yesterday, i emailed her asking about the books, btw. it has been nearly a month since i have given her the address to my new place....guess what is her reply..according to her..the books cost more to mail than the value of the books from India..so she has conveniently decided not to mail them. Really!! did you pay for the darn books...now..i gotta ask my friend who is visiting me in may to contact her and get the books from her. I really cannot understand what sort of people are these!! how dare you keep my books with you...some people are so shameless and with no ethics..how do you keep a check on your conscience?? I truly hope i get my beloved books back and lesson learnt i hope.

Anyway...the tarla dalal's rajasthani book had a few recipes with jowar and bajra and i was looking forward to make them and had bought them months ago...but had not used them. As i am on a quest to finish all my old stock...i decided to use the grains. As i do not have the book...i googled as to how to cook bajra grains...got the basic idea and make a basic simple khichdi.


Bajre ki khichdi



Ingredients:

Bajra Grains - 1/2 cup (soaked for a few hours)
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup ( use any dal you want..toor is the only dal i have at home)
Green Chillies - 2, slit
Garlic - 3 pods, crushed
Onion - 1 medium, diced
Spinach - 1/2 box (i used frozen)(if using fresh..use 3-4 cups)
Sambar powder - 1 tbls.
Oil- 1 tbls
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Water - 2 1/2 cups

Method:

1. Heat a pressure cooker with oil, then add the mustard seeds.

2. When the seeds splutters, add the onions, garlic and green chillies and saute till the onions soften.

3. Add the spinach after that with salt and sambar powder and saute for a few minutes.

4. Then add the bajra and dal with 2 1/2 cups of water and pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles.

5. When the pressure subsides, mix it well and serve.

Notes:

1. I would reduce the water to maybe 1 1/2 cups...as the bajra does not expand as much as rice does. I wanted to make it a khichdi..but it was a lil more soupy than i would have liked it.


2. The bajra did not plump up even after soaking for a few hours, like i thought it would...i mean i just assumed soaking it would plump it up..do not ask me where i got this idea. I think soaking basically lets the grain soften a bit. if i am wrong..please let me know...politely of-course!!

3. All of you watching your carbs..this is great..coz Bajra is basically pretty high in protein and low on net-carbs..so no afternoon slump!!

One pot meal

So here i am after a really long break....i really had not intended to take off this long...but stuff happens.
We just moved...okay..not just...we moved to NYC in Jan and after being stuck in a studio for a month and searching for a decent apartment...we finally zeroed in on a place and finally settling...ummmm...yep..settling down. It is another story...one of the bedrooms is full of boxes...honest!! i really do not know how i am going to clean up the mess but i have to...coz i already have visitors scheduled for April!! Yeah...you do get visitors when you move to cool cities ;)
My agenda is obviously to clear up my pantry, as i have quite a lot of grains and lentils left...so all i am currently buying are veggies. Also...the kitchen area is sorta ?? cleaned up so i cannot go all fancy ;)...yeah...like i always do LOL.

Here is the simple one pot meal i made. Basically, it was stuff i had in my pantry all thrown together and seriously it was really yummy!



Ingredients:

Cooked Kidney beans - 2 cups
Cooked Chickpeas - 1 cup
Barley - 3/4 cup, dry
Mixed Veggies - 1 cup ( i used frozed mixed veggies - carrot, peas and corn)
Onions - 1 small - finely diced
Leeks - 2 medium - finely diced
Tomatoes - 2 medium - diced in chunks
Garlic - 4 pods
Garam Masala - 1 tbls.
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp.
Cumin - 1 tsp.
Oil - 1 tbls.

Method:

1. Cook the barley in 1 1/2 cups of water and keep aside.It will be chewy when done. Do this when you have time, does not have to be just before you are cooking.

2. In a pan, heat the oil, add the cumin seeds, then add finely diced garlic and onions,leeks for a few minutes. When the leeks and onions are softened, add the tomatoes and frozen veggies and cook for a few minutes.

3. When the veggies are cooked add the red chilly powder, garam masala and salt and cook for a few more minutes till you see the veggies getting a little dry and carmalized.

4. Add 2 cups of water and when it comes to a good boil, add the barley, chickpeas and kidney beans and cook for a few more minutes.

5. Finely chop the cilantro and stir in it.

6. Serve with whole wheat rolls if you have on hand or you can really eat this straight up.