East Indian Lunch Menu - Vegan & Gluten Free

East Indian Masala Dal Without Coconut, Stir Fry Bhendi & Sweet & Tangy Radish Tomato Salad

My today's simple lunch, brought fresh memories of my father and mother. By the way yesterday was my mother's birthday. Missed them even so much today, that as my hubby and me were having lunch, shared some memories of my dad and mom. My dad making fresh salad and chopping fruits for us almost every day. 

My mom making different dishes for us for breakfast, lunch, dinner and more so ever, even made, evening snacks for us to have with tea. I now, learned to appreciate how hard she worked for us, cause I don't even have half the energy that she had , who cooked for so many of us. Love you Dad and Ma, May your souls rest in peace. 

Let's go to our today's Lunch Menu Serves 3 -4

East Indian Masala Dal Without Coconut
Ingredients
½ Cup Masoor Dal / Red Lentil
3 Big Cloves Garlic - smashed lightly
4 -5 Curry Leaves
1 Medium Onion - sliced
1 Tablespoon East Indian Bottle Masala or to your spice level
4 Slices Amboshi + 1 Dried seed - Homemade
3 Tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste
250 ML Hot Water 

Method

Wash and soak the dal for 30 to 45 minutes. Drain it and keep aside.
In a kadai, heat oil, when the oil is hot the add the smashed garlic and let it sizzle till starts curl, do not brown it or else the flavor of the dal will be different. Add the curry leaves and sliced onion, fry till the onion is translucent , add the dal and bottle masala. Fry this for at least 3 -4 minutes on low medium flame. Add hot water and bring this to a rolling boil. Cover with a lid and let it cook on low flame till the dal is cooked and oil surfaces. Now add salt and the amboshi, cover with a lid, let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Do not make the curry too thin/ watery or else it will not be tasty.  

East Indian Masala Dal Without Coconut is ready. We enjoyed this with rice.

Stir Fry Bhendi / Lady Fingers
Ingredients
700 Grams Bhendi / Lady Fingers
2 Long Green Chilly - Slit
½ Teaspoon Heaped Cumin Seeds
½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
A Pinch of Asafoetida
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
5 -6 Curry Leaves
Salt to taste
3 Tablespoons Oil
12 Thin French Fries - pan fried
Method

Cut the top and tail of the bhendi and cut them into diagonal pieces.
Heat oil in a broad frying pan , add cumin and mustard seeds, when they splutter add the asafoetida and turmeric, add the curry leaves and slit green chilly saute for a minute add the bhendi and saute on medium low till they are cooked, stirring in between. When nearly done add salt and plate a lid on the pan and let it cook till done. Add the french fries and toss it.

Stir fry bhendi is ready.

Sweet & Tangy Radish Tomato Salad

Ingredients 
1 Radish - grated
1 Large Tomato - thinly sliced
Salt to taste
½ Teaspoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Water
1 - 1½ Teaspoon Vinegar
Method

In a small pan add water and sugar place it on medium flame, heat it till the sugar melts. Switch of the flame add the vinegar and salt. Taste for sourness and add more vinegar accordingly. Let this cool.
When you are just ready to serve, pour the vinegar dressing over the salad and toss it well. Salad is ready to serve.

Homemade Amboshi / Sun Dried Raw Mango Slices
Amboshi as is sun dried Raw mango slices. 

Ingredients 
4 -5 Firm Raw Mangoes
1 Tablespoon Heaped Sea Salt
Method

Peel the mangoes and cut into into slices. Add salt on the slices, the seeds and rub the salt well ( do not add more salt or else when dried they will turn black). Keep this in the colander and let is sit overnight so that the excess salt and water drains off. Next morning spread it in a broad plate or a soopra ( a woven basket).  Place this in the sun till fully dried for 4 -5 days depending on the sunlight . Every evening take it into the house. Again next morning place it in the sun. When dried this can be powdered and you will get Amchur Powder. Of this amboshi we make pickle that is sweet and delicious will post the recipe soon.

My Notes:
If you don't have amboshi then add tamarind juice or one medium tomato chopped.  Add the tomato when you add the dal.
Labels: Masoor dal, Bottle Masala, East Indian, Vegan, Gluten free, Main course, Bhendi, Stir Fry, Salads, Radish, Homemade, Amboshi, Sun Dried, Raw  Mango

Pathare Prabhu Masala - Homemade

Seen this recipe on a Marathi food show and I love trying different recipes so, decided to make it. Adjusted the spice level to my taste. 

This is masala that Pathare Prabhu community mainly settlers in Mumbai,  make for the whole  year and store it. They use this masala for their traditional preparations.

Makes  1 Cup 
Ingredients
10 Dried Kashmiri Red Chilies
10 Dried Bedgi Chillies
8 Tablespoons Level Coriander seeds
2 Tablespoons Level Wheat Grains
2 Tablespoons Level Chana dal
1½ Teaspoons Mustard Seeds
1½ Teaspoons Cumin Seeds
½ Teaspoon Methi Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Asafoetida
1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorns
1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder

Method

Dry roast all the ingredients  except the  asafoetida one at a time till it starts to change color and releases a aroma.

Grind to a find powder add the turmeric and asafoetida and mix it well. Cool and store in airtight container or a zip lock bag in the refrigerator. Why! I, say refrigerator since we do not use this masala often and  refrigeration retains the aroma and color.

This is a very flavorful masala, you will love it.  Check  my blog to see in which recipes I used this masala.

Labels : Pathare Prabhu, Homemade, Masala, Preservatives free

Temprado Masala- Homemade - Goan Masala

Temprado Masala is a green Goan masala and a very spicy masala paste. This can be used to make just anything you wish, be it fish or meat. It is a multipurpose masala paste.

Ingredients

10 Green chilies
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
8 Cloves Garlic
1 Big Piece  Ginger 

1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Teaspoon Heaped Black Pepper Corns
1 Teaspoon Granulated White sugar
1 Teaspoon Vinegar or as required to grind 

Method

Keep all ingredients ready and put them in a mixer grinder  Grind the masala into a slightly coarse paste using vinegar.

Temprado Masala is now ready. 

My Notes

To grind the paste I used only a teaspoon of vinegar, you can add more if you wish.

Can reduce the peppercorns or green chillies according to your taste.

If you are making this in large quantity then label and store the remaining paste in the deep freezer, stays well for many months.

I use this to marinate meat and  chicken too.

You would like to check on other Goan Recipes
Goan Prawns On Sticks
Recheado Masala - Homemade 

Pan Fried Seer Fish in Recheado Masala

Labels:  Masala, Homemade, Goa, Green Chilly, Black Peppercorns, Vinegar, Multipurpose Masala, Preservatives free

Homemade Curry Powder

This can be easily made at home since it requires all ingredients that are available in your pantry.  All the spices are used by us in our daily cooking
Ingredients
4 Tablespoons Red Chilly Powder
1 Tablespoon Level Turmeric Powder
5 Tablespoons Coriander Powder
3 Tablespoons Roasted Cumin Powder
2 Tablespoons Garam Masala Powder
2 Tablespoons Salt
1 Tablespoons Ginger Powder
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

Method

Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend it for a minutes. It's ready

Lables :  Homemade, Masala, Curry powder, Preservatives free

Beef Empanadas#Foodieextravaganza

There are as many variations of empanadas, these are Venezuela style and the pastry is made with oil.   You can fill the little pastries with fresh cheese, minced meat or any combination of veggies and beans. These make a filling breakfast or a wonderful evening snack.

Makes 10 - 12
Ingredients
For the Pastry
300 Grams All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Level Salt
120 Ml  to 125 Ml  Cold Milk
100 Ml  Vegetable Oil

For the Mince Filing 
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
500 Grams Boiled Beef Mince
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
3 Cloves Garlic cloves - finely chopped
½ Inch Garlic - finely chopped
3 Red Chillies - finely chopped
2 Teaspoons Heaped Homemade Curry Powder
Salt to Taste
¼ Teaspoon Garam Masala powder
Other Ingredients  
½ Cup Pizza Sauce
1 Egg - beaten -  for brushing pastry

Method
For the pastry

Combine the flour, oil and salt in a mixing bowl

Rub the oil into the flour until it forms fine crumbs. 

Add enough cold milk to form a soft dough. Set aside in the fridge to rest for an hour.

For the filling

Heat oil in a large pan, Add the chopped onions, green chillies. garlic and ginger and fry till translucent. Add the boiled mince, salt and curry powder fry for about two minutes until brown. Cover and let it cook on low flame for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garam masala powder and mix well.  the lid, till its dry.  Taste for salt and add if needed. Keep it aside to cool completely. Mix in the pizza sauce  well. It's ready. 
To fill the Empanadas

 Take the pastry out of the fridge, and on a lightly floured work surface, roll out a thin sheet.

 Using a 5 inch circle cutter , cut out discs of pastry.

On one half of the pastry circle place a heaped tablespoon of the filling

brush the edge with egg

fold over, crimp the edges together. 

Arrange them on a lined baking tray . Keep this in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. 

Brush with egg and bake at 180°C it in a preheat the oven

for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.

They are ready to enjoy!!

Delicious!!
Labels : Beef, Mince, Foodie Extravaganza Party, Baked, Breakfast, Starters, Appetizer, Venezuela, International Cuisine

This month my Foodie Extravaganza we are sharing empanada recipes a theme given by our host, Sue of Palatable Pastime.
Check out all the other empanadas recipes:

Argentine Beef Empanadas from Making Miracles
Beef Empanadas from Sneha's Recipe
Easy Cornish Pasties from Food Lust People Love
Easy Empanadas from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Empanadas de Atún (Argentinian Tuna Empanadas) from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Empanadas de Picadillo from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Indian Spiced Empanadas from Sara's Tasty Buds
Spiced Potato Empanadas from Palatable Pastime

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays by cooking and baking together with the same ingredient or theme each month. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board!