Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadilla

Sweet Potatoes and Black beans are match made in heaven. I came to know about this when I tried making a sweet potato taco few months ago. After that I tried making soup and then wanted to try it in a quesadilla. The inspiration for this dish comes from here. Since the recipe calls for Chorizo, I substituted black beans to make it vegetarian. It turned out quite amazing and we enjoyed it with  Pico de gallo. Hence I made it again so that I can share the recipe with you all. 

You can serve this as an evening snack to your kids or it also makes a good appetizer for get together. Do try making it and I hope you all will enjoy it. 

Ingredients:

• Flour tortillas, large sized - 4
• Sweet Potato, medium sized - 1
• Onion, medium sized- 1/2
• Black beans, cooked / canned - 1/2 cup
• Monterey Jack Cheese, grated* - 1 1/2 - 2 cups
• Chilli powder - To taste
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cilantro (coriander leaves) - 3-4 sprigs
• Oil - 2-3 tsp and extra for pan frying

 *Use any cheese of your choice.

Procedure:

Making the Filling:

Wash and peel the sweet potato. Then cut it into 1/2 inch cubes.

Cook the sweet potato cubes in hot salted water (cook until there is no resistance when a fork is inserted in the sweet potato. It should still hold its shape very well).

Then drain the water completely and set it aside.

Now in a wide pan heat oil. Once hot add chopped onion and fry until it just starts to change color.

Then add in the cooked sweet potato cubes and fry further until little color appears on sweet potato.

Then add in  Black beans, salt, chilli powder and cumin powder.

Mix well and cook for a minute or two. Then finally add chopped cilantro and turn off the heat. Mix well and allow it to cool. Filling is ready.

Assembling and Pan Frying:

When you are ready to make the quesadillas, preheat a skillet over medium high heat and brush one side of the tortilla with some oil and place it oiled side down ( Tortillas were freshly made by me). 

Sprinkle some cheese on one half of the tortilla.

 Then top that with some of the prepared sweet potato - black bean mixture. 

Sprinkle a bit more cheese.

Fold it in half. 

Continue with the rest of the tortillas. Once done fry them on a preheated skillet (I used a grill pan) until they turn crispy and golden brown on both sides.

Once done, transfer it on a plate. Cut each of the tortilla into 2-3 pieces using a knife or pizza cutter. Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadilla is ready!!

Serve it immediately along with Guacamole or Pico de gallo. Above measurement serves 3-4 people.

Read More »

Gobi Pepper Fry

Gobi Pepper Fry is an awesome deep fried cauliflower dish. I ate this yummy dish at a Dhaba in my India trip last year. This was my husband's favorite dish during his college days. He asked me to recreate it at home and hence I tried my hands on it. It turned out pretty good with an awesome flavor induced by peppercorns. Cauliflower is one vegetable I enjoy deep fried. In this recipe the cauliflower florets are dipped in batter and then deep fried until crispy. It is then tossed in fried onion and garlic mixture along with soy sauce and freshly ground peppercorns. 

Do try making this and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower Florets, small sized - 2 cups, heaping
• Oil - 3 tsp + for deep frying
• Garlic pods, big sized - 4-5
• Onion, medium sized- 1/2
• Whole Peppercorns - 1 tsp (adjust accordingly)
• Soy sauce- 1 Tbsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Salt- To taste

For Batter:

• All Purpose Flour (Maida)- 1/4 cup
• Corn Flour- 1/4 cup
• Ginger- Garlic paste, freshly made - 1- 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Wash the cauliflower and pat it dry. Then cut it into small florets.

Chop the onion and garlic. Set it aside.

Then prepare the batter. Take all purpose flour, corn flour, ginger- garlic paste and salt in a mixing bowl. Add water in small amounts to make a thick batter.

Meanwhile keep the oil for heating on medium- high heat.

While the oil is getting heated, add the cauliflower florets into the batter and mix it gently until all the pieces get a uniform coating. 

Now deep fry these battered pieces in batches until it turns golden brown on both sides. Once done drain them on a paper towel to drain excess oil. 

Continue deep frying with the rest of the cauliflower florets.
Then take a wide bottomed pan and heat oil in it. Then add garlic slices and chopped onions. Start frying it on medium flame. Sprinkle little salt at this point.

Once the onion turns slight brown, add the soy sauce and mix well.
Then finally add in sugar, freshly ground peppercorns and deep fried cauliflower florets. Mix well until everything comes together. Then turn off the heat.

Gobi Pepper Fry is ready!

Serve it hot as it is or along with noodles or fried rice. Above measurement serves two people.

Read More »

Takka Kadi (Buttermilk Soup)

Takka Kadi is a Konkani dish made using buttermilk. The sour buttermilk is seasoned with aromatic spices and other ingredients roasted in ghee and then flavored with cilantro. This tastes somewhat similar to Phannna Taak. You can drink as it is or pair it with rice and a spicy curry. This dish is very simple and requires only few basic ingredients. It takes only 5-10 minutes of your time and its healthy too! Do try and let me know how it turns out for you.

I adapted this recipe from a Konkani cook book written by Jaya V Shenoy.

Ingredients:

• Sour Buttermilk* - 1 cup
• Water - 3/4 cup
• Melted Ghee (clarified butter) - 2-3 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli, slit lengthwise - 2-3
• Curry leaves - Few
• Ginger, grated - 1/2 tsp
• Cilantro (coriander leaves),chopped - 3-4 sprigs
• Salt - To taste

*I just mixed 1/2 cup of curd with 1/2 cup of water to make my buttermilk.

Procedure:

Chop cilantro and green chilli. Grate ginger and set them aside.
Now in a sauce pan heat ghee. Once hot, add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilli, curry leaves and ginger. 

Fry until fragrant and then add water and salt. Once it comes to a rolling boil, add cilantro and turn off the heat.

Finally add the buttermilk and mix. 

Takka Kadi is ready!!

Serve it immediately as it is or along with rice and a spicy curry. Above measurement serves 2-3 people.

Read More »

Homemade Ginger- Garlic Paste

Ginger Garlic Paste comes handy when you cook North Indian dishes on a daily basis. Until few months back, I never made ginger garlic paste in bulk. I would always use fresh grated ginger and garlic in my dishes. But I made this paste once in bulk, for my husband so that it will be of some help when I am away from home. After that even I got used to using it and use it regularly and quite happy with it. Do try making it and I am sure it will be of great help for busy days! I promise it is much better than the store bought ones which has preservatives.

I adapted the recipe from here.

Ingredients:

• Ginger, chopped - 1 cup
• Garlic pods, peeled - 1 cup
• Salt- 1 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1-2 Tbsp

Procedure:

Peel the garlic and set it aside.

Now wash and scrub the ginger. Then tap it dry with a paper towel or kitchen towel. Once it is completely dry, chop it into small pieces.

Now take the salt in a small pan and dry roast it until it changes its color slightly. Then turn off the heat and allow it to cool completely.

Now add ginger, garlic, salt and 1 Tbsp of oil in a food processor or blender jar. 

Then process it until you get a paste (I like to have some texture and not a complete paste. Hence I make it  in a food processor).

Once done, transfer it into a clean dry glass bowl. Ginger - Garlic Paste is ready!!

Store it in the refrigerator. It stays good upto three months.

Notes: For best results store the paste in the coldest region of your refrigerator (not in the door). Use clean , dry spoon every single time.

You can also vary the quantities of ginger and garlic. If you like more ginger then add 1 1/4 cup of ginger and 3/4 cup of garlic (or 1 1/4 cup of garlic and 3/4 cup of ginger).

Don't add water while grinding. Use only oil. If water is used, then the paste doesn't last longer.

You can also freeze the paste in ice cube trays (I have not tried this method).

Read More »

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Soup

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup is a recent try in my kitchen. Few months back I came across this recipe and wanted to give it a try in the Fall season. I tried making it few days back with variations to suit our taste buds. It turned out very yummy and hence I made it again so that I can share the recipe. Do try making it and you will be surprised as to how sweet potato pairs so well with black beans. In my upcoming posts I will also share recipes of tacos and quesadillas using sweet potato and black beans.

Ingredients:

• Sweet Potato, big sized - 1
• Red Onion, small sized - 1
• Jalapeno, finely chopped - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic pods, big sized - 2
• Tomato, medium sized - 1
• Black beans (cooked or canned) - 1/2 cup
• Red chilli powder - To taste
• Roasted cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1 Tbsp
• Salt & Pepper - To taste

Procedure:

Wash and peel the sweet potato. Chop them into small cubes. Then chop the onion, garlic, tomato and jalapeño.

Now heat oil in a small pot. Then add chopped onion, chopped garlic and jalapeño. Fry until the onion turns transparent.

Then add in the sweet potato cubes and fry it for 2-3 minutes. Then add in red chilli powder, cumin powder, salt and pepper.

Mix it and after a minute add in chopped tomato and cooked/canned black beans.

Mix and add sufficient water (or vegetable broth). Bring it to a boil and close it with a lid. Let  it cook for 10- 15 minutes or until the sweet potato cubes are cooked (add more water or broth to get the desired consistency of the soup).

Then turn off the heat. Sweet Potato & Black Bean Soup is ready!!

Serve it hot. Garnish it with chopped onion, cilantro, lime juice or any thing your heart desires. This serves two people generously.

Read More »

Batate Thoy (Potato Soup)

Batate Thoy is a simple Konkani dish which makes a good accompaniment to rice. Few days back, I mentioned about this dish to my mother. She told me the recipe for it and it matched with the recipe I read in a cook book written by Jaya V Shenoy. She told me that her mother used to make it regularly. But I don't remember my mother making it. So I tried it and it did turn out tasty.

The recipe requires only few ingredients and is very simple to put together. It can be a quick fix for lunch/dinner on lazy days. Do try it and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Potato, big sized - 1
• Green Chilli - 1-2
• Asafoetida (hing) - 1/8 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chilli - 1
• Curry Leaves - Few
• Salt - To taste

Ingredients:

Wash the potato and cook it whole in a microwave or on stove top. Once done allow it to cool slightly.

Then remove the peel and chop into small cubes.

Now transfer the potato cubes in a saucepan containing a cup of water. Mash the potato pieces using your hands. Then add green chilli pieces, asafoetida and salt. Mix it and start heating the mixture.

Once it comes to a boil, continue heating for 3-4 minutes. Then turn off the heat and add the seasoning.

For seasoning - Heat oil. Once hot add mustard seeds. After it pops, add broken red chilli and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds and turn off the heat. Add this to the potato mixture. Mix well. Batate Thoy is ready!!

Serve it hot along with white rice and a spicy curry of your choice. Above measurement serves two people.

Read More »

Refried Beans

Refried Beans is a staple of Mexican Cuisine. The beans (Pinto or Black beans) are cooked until soft and then mashed and seasoned. The process of making it is very simple and requires only few ingredients. I always cook a big batch of beans in a pressure cooker to lessen the cooking time and then freeze the refried beans for future use. This way I have it on hand all the time. I use it in my tacos, nachos etc. Do try making this at home and I am sure you will never buy the canned ones.

I adapted the recipe from here.

Ingredients:

• Dried Pinto Beans - 1/2 cup
• Corn Oil - 1 Tbsp (I used Canola oil)
• Garlic powder - 1 tsp
• Red Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Salt - To taste

Note: You can also add cumin powder, onion powder etc.

Procedure:

Wash and soak the beans for 7-8 hours. Discard the water in which it was soaking. Wash the soaked beans in fresh water, 1-2 times.

Transfer the soaked beans into a pressure cooker along with water and salt.

Cook it for 4-5 whisles.

Once done, mash the beans using a potato masher or a hand blender.

Then add garlic powder, red chilli powder and oil. Start heating the mixture until it thickens. Then turn off the heat and transfer it into a bowl (the mixture thickens as it cools. So I don't thicken the mixture too much). 

Refried Beans is ready!!

Serving Suggestion:

Serve it as a dip to corn chips. In that case you can brighten it up by adding chopped cilantro and lime juice. You can also add some cheese.

You can also use them in burritos, quesadillas, Nachos, 7 layer dip etc.

Notes: #You can make a big batch of refried beans, portion it in freezer bags and then freeze it. It stays good for many months.

#Each time you make them, play around with the spices and stick to the one you like the most.

#You can cook the soaked beans in a slow cooker or in an open pot too and the cooking time varies accordingly.

#You can also heat oil in a separate pan and then add cooked beans and seasonings. Then mash it.

Read More »