Flaxseed & Corn Poha#Improv

Flax seed is called Alasi in Marathi and Hindi. The Marathi name for this dish is Alasi Ani Makyacha Pohe. Flaxseeds are shiny & nutty seeds, have an earthy aroma which are a great source of omega 3 fatty acids and a host of other health benefiting properties. I love the earthy and nuttiness of these seeds. 
This Poha (beaten rice) is a fusion recipe is made with corn, which is delicious and nutritious. Try this lip-smacking recipe for your friends and family on various occasions like kitty parties, game nights or even road trips. Go ahead because it is worth a try, as it's so wholesome and tasty that you can make it any time of the day, as breakfast, supper or a simple evening tea snack.

Ingredients
2 Cups Poha
1 Cup Boiled Sweet Corn
3 Green Chillies - finely chopped
1 Large Onion - sliced
1 Teaspoon Grated Ginger
2 Dried Red Chillies
A Sprig Curry Leaves
2 Tablespoon Heaped Flax seeds
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
2 Tablespoon Lemon juice
1/2 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
3 Tablespoons Oil
2 Tablespoons Desi Ghee
Chopped Coriander Leaves for garnishing

Method 
Wash the poha in a strainer well and set aside.
Heat a oil in a wok/ kadai. Add the mustard seeds, flax seeds red chillies and let the seeds sizzle, then add the onion, ginger and green chilly and curry leaves to it and fry for a few seconds or till onions are translucent.
 
Now add the salt, sugar and corn and fry for a minute. Add the soaked poha and mix well. Cover and cook for another 2 minutes and turn off the flame. Add the lemon juice and mix well.   
Serve garnished with coriander leaves as a snack or breakfast.
Labels: Poha, Breakfast, Corn, Flaxseed, Maharastrian Cuisine, Maharashtra, Healthy, Improv Cooking Challenge
  
Improv Cooking Challenge

Corn & Peppers

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Laham Fuq il-Fwar - Maltese Steamed Beef#EatTheWorld

Laham fuq il-Fwar, is steamed beef, it's a very popular and traditional Maltese recipe. Just add salt, pepper powder, beef or chicken broth and this dish is ready to steam. It's a simple with not much spice but has a delicious flavor.  For this an important tip is that semi freeze the chunk of beef undercut and then you will be able to slice is thinly. 
Place the sliced garlic then the meat slices on top in a oven proof pie plate or a large enamel plate,  place it over the pot of boiling water and plate with any lid that would fit. 
I used a rack on the big pot then placed the plate and covered it tightly with aluminum foil to lock the steam inside and kept it for an hour and 15 minutes and it was done. 
There is no frying or sautéing involved and needs little prep, but it is really delicious and the meat is super tender!

Serves Two
Ingredients

300 Grams Beef undercut/Sirloin - sliced thinly as possible
8 Cloves Garlic - sliced thinly
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
½ Teaspoon Beef Stock Powder
6 - 8 Cherry Tomatoes - halved
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
Freshly Chopped Parsley - optional
¼ Cup Water

Method
Take an enamel tin plate or use a round oven proof pie dish or shallow pan. Place the sliced beef in the pan, place the sliced garlic under and around the beef slices. Mix the stock powder with a quarter cup of water and pour this over the meat. Place the tomatoes around the meat, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with fresh parsley and drizzle olive oil over the top.
Place it over the pot of boiling water and plate with any lid that would fit, I used a rack on the big pot then placed the plate and covered it tightly with aluminum foil to lock the steam inside. Kept it for an hour and 15 minutes and it was done.
Soft juicy and succulent slices of meat.
You can thicken the sauce with a little cornstarch or arrowroot powder and water if too thin. I did not thicken the sauce, have this with mashed garlicky potatoes which absorb all the lovely juices or you can have this crusted bread, I had with garlicky cauliflower mash.
Serve with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley(optional).

Labels: 
Eat the World, Malta, Beef, Steamed, Healthy, Main course, International Cuisine, Serves Two, Keto, Low Carb
Each month a group of us join Evelyne of CulturEatz as she travels to different countries to Eat the World.
Check out all the wonderful Malta dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Check out all the wonderful Maltese dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! 
Pandemonium Noshery: Soppa tal Armla (Widows Stew) 
Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Stuffat Tal-Qarnita (Octopus Stew) 
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Fenkata 
Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Brodu Tat-Tigiega (Maltese Chicken Soup) 
Kitchen Frau: Baked Rice Cultureatz: Maltese Pastizzi Pastry

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Low Crab Coconut Flour & Oat Fiber Flatbread#BreadBakers

These keto flatbreads are vegan and gluten free and are must-have keto staples. They’re so easy to make and super low carb. I make toasties, wraps, pizzas, salad rolls out of them and can be used to make sweet treats by slathering them with any keto approved fruit coulis or spread... the possibility of using these are endless. I make a big batch of these every week. They stay good in the fridge for 10 days or more. I reheat them and enjoy.
Makes 12 Flatbreads
Ingredients

60 Grams Coconut Flour
100 Grams Oat Fiber
40 Grams Psyllium Husk powder
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
4 Tablespoons Oil
24 Tablespoons Hot Water

Method
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl well. Add the oil and give it a good mix. Now add the water 22 tablespoons and knead with a spoon, because the water is very hot. After that knead the dough with your hand adding a tablespoon water at a time. ( I used the entire given water to knead the dough). Knead to a soft, moist and smooth dough is formed. Cling wrap the dough and keep it for 20 minutes. 
Then cut into 12 equal parts. Moisten your hand with little water and roll into smooth ball.
Roll each ball between two plastic sheets with a rolling pin  
Or use a puri /tortilla press to make these. 
Place a ball between two plastic sheets and press it. 
Heat a non stick pan and bake them on one side for 3 minutes low flame.    
Then flip and cook on medium high pressing the edges with a cloth till brown spots appear.  
These puffed up like normal wheat flour rotis. Your will love these low crab flatbreads.  Our low crab flatbread is ready.
Like wise make the rest, I usually bake and side by side roll another one. 
Wrap them in a cloth and refrigerate the remaining these stay good in refrigerator for a 10 day or ore. You freeze these for a month in the freeze. Enjoy!!

Net carb per flatbread varies depending on the flour you use. Check your product package. These coconut flour flatbreads works out approx. 0.5 carb as the rest of the ingredients have close to 0 carb.
Labels : Flatbread, Keto, Low Carb, Coconut Flour, Oat Fiber, Bread Bakers 
BreadBakers
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. 

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Mahahrastrian Misal Pav#SundayFunday

Misal-Pav” is a another favorite meal of a“Maharashtrians / Mumbaikar's ” after the most famous Vada Pav. Misal pav is a pretty popular dish from Maharashtra and every region has it’s own version of making misal.
What is Misal? Misal is basically a spicy curry made of moth beans/matki or mixed beans sprouts. The dish is topped "farsan" or "sev", onions, lemon and coriander before serving. It's eaten with bread or pav, a katori of yogurt/curd or a glass of buttermil.
In Konkan where the spice levels are so high that a glass of solkadi is guzzled down to cool the heat!

Misal has in three steps
1. Making of the usal/curry
2. Making the kat/tarri spicy water based thin gravy!
3. The toppings - tomato, onion , lemon juice and farsan

Ingredients
For The Sprouted Mixed Beans Curry
2 Cups Mixed Bean Sprouts - see notes
1 Large Onion - finely chopped
2 Medium Tomatoes - finely chopped
1 Green chilly - chopped
1 Teaspoon Heaped Ginger Garlic paste
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
A Spring Curry leaves
1 Teaspoon Heaped Goda masala - see notes
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 Teaspoons Heaped Kacha Masala - East Indian - see notes
A Small Lemon Size Ball Tamarind, soaked in 1/2 cup water
1 cup water or add more if you want thin consistency
2 - 3 Tablespoons Groundnut Oil
Salt to taste

Method
Soaked the tamarind in ½ cup water for 15 - 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind and remove the plup, keep this aside.
Rinse the bean sprouts first in running water well. Drain them completely and then add the sprouts, a little turmeric powder, salt and water 2 inch's above the sprouts, in a pressure cooker till done. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles, or until the beans are cooked yet firm.
Take a deep pan/kadai, heat oil, add in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds when they splutter. Add onion and curry leaves, sauté the onion till they turn translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilly, stir and sauté till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away. Now add the dry spices - kacha masala, turmeric powder and goda masala. Stir and then add the tamarind pulp. Keep stirring till the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away. 
Now drain the bean sprouts ( reserve the stock to make the tarri), lighlty mix and add a cup water or more water if required. I added more because the sprouts while getting cooked makes the curry thicker. Bring this to a rolling boil. Reduce the flame and let it simmer for 15 minutes, so the flavors infuse, keep stirring in between so that the beans don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.  
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Ingredients
For The Tarri/ Kat

3 Tablespoons Grated Dry Coconut (lightly dry roasted)
1 Medium Tomato chopped
1 Medium Onion - chopped
½ Teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste
1 Teaspoon Goda Masala
½ Teaspoon  Red chili powder
1 Tablespoon Groundnut Oil
Salt to taste

Method
Heat the pan with oil, add the  garlic-ginger paste, fry for till they turn light brown. Add onion and fry till they turn golden and soft. Add tomatoes and fry for few minutes. Turn off the flame and let it cool. Once cool add above made onion masala, dry coconut, garam masala, red chilly powder and grind to a smooth paste.
Heat the pan with 4-5tsp oil, add above made masala paste and cook till the oil starts leave the sides. At this point you can add red chili powder, salt. Add stock from the beans and little more to make a watery consistency. Cook till it comes to boil.  
Kat or tarri is very thin watery consistency is ready.

Assembling The Misal Pav  
In a bowl or divided plate take the usal curry. Fill it to half. Add in the tarri. Garnish it with tomatoes, onions, farsan, potato sallis, as much as you would like to. Squeeze in lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.  
Serve it warm with pav, cold buttermilk or Solkadhi
My Notes
Do not sprout the beans too much or else the misal will be mushy.
If you do not have goda masala then you can use garam masala powder but half the quantity of goda masala.
Instead of Kacha Masala - use 2 or more teaspoon of red chilly or according to spice level, a teaspoon heaped of coriander powder and a teaspoon cumin powder.
Labels: Mixed Beans, Sprouts, Curry, Street food, Maharastrian Cuisine, Maharashtra, Sunday Funday, Main course
For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Our theme for Sunday Funday: "Sprouts".
Chinese Cuban Fried Rice from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Korean Banchan (Bean Sprout, Pickled Radish and Cucumber) from Palatable Pastime
Masala papad with sprouted moth bean chaat from Mildly Indian
Mahahrastrian Misal Pav from Sneha’s Recipe
Quick and Easy Pork Pho from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Spicy Tofu Bowl from Mayuri’s Jikoni
Sprouted Wheat Bread (Wet Sprouted - No Dehydrating or Grain Mill from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
Tomato and Sunflower Sprout Salad from Pandemonium Noshery
The Goan Usali Recipe from The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen
 

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Keto Beef Mince With Broccoli & Zucchini#Foodieextravaganza

This is a creamy delicious and simple main course dish to prepare. For this recipe you can substitute any Keto approved veggies, this will still taste yummy. Net Carbs per serving is just 7grams.

Serves 2
Ingredients

250 grams Beef Mince
150 Grams Broccoli florets with stalks
150 Grams Zucchini
¼ Cup Onion
2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
½ Teaspoon Paprika Powder
½ Teaspoon Red Chilli Flakes
½ Teaspoon Fresh Thyme
25 Grams Grated Cheddar Cheese
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
25 Grams Cream Cheese
½ Tablespoon Coconut Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method
I have used 80% lean and 20% fat beef mince.
Cut the broccoli florets from the stem and set them aside. Also chop the zucchini into small cubes or slices, however you like them.
Heat the oil in a skillet or non stick pan, add in the beef mince, add a little salt and pepper and then sauté for two minutes, then add in the onions and garlic.  Once the onions turn translucent and the garlic starts to brown add in the paprika, chilli flakes and thyme, give everything a good mix. Cook for a minute before adding the zucchini and the broccoli, season with salt and mix. 
Cover and cook for 4 minutes and then grate the cheddar cheese and add the heavy cream, mix well, cover and cook for another few minutes till the cheese melts. If there is too much stock in the pan cook till that reduces down ( this should be semi dry).
Finally add in the cream cheese and mix everything well. Serve with some fresh parmesan grated on the top and a sprinkling of paprika. 
Enjoy with Low Crab Coconut Flour & Oat Fiber Flatbread!!  
Labels: Foodie Extravaganza Party, Zucchini, Keto, Beef, Broccoli, Mince, Asian Cuisine, Main course, Serves Two
Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog 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.

Posting day for #FoodieExtravaganza is always the first Wednesday of the month.
The theme for this month is "Zucchini"    

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