VEGGIE WIZ

Romanella tomatoes

Beautiful Romanella tomatoes. That's what they are. Absolutely gorgeous! This Italian variety of tomatoes is just a bit bigger than cherry tomatoes and slightly oblong. Used them to make a lip-smacking antipasto with marinated bocconcini. The latter, in case you're wondering, are bite-sized fresh mozzarella balls. Bocconcini literally means "small mouthfuls" in Italian. As i am typing, I see the rain outside my window, and I feel glad that i made them yesterday. This cold appetizer was the perfect way to say goodbye to summers!

Bocconcini and tomato antipasto

Saw yet another fruit yesterday that was new to me! It was called "figue de barbarie" in French. I assumed it translated into something like 'Barbarian fig' - I had no idea that the english name would be so different. Turns out that it's called Prickly Pear in english and is actually a cactus! Then i knew why I felt a prick when i picked a few up!

I must say that I am a serious fruit-lover....there are very few fruits that manage to disappoint me......and this was one of them! It was just an alien taste. Could get a slight taste of melon but it wasn't really a nice taste. I couldn't even figure out what part of it to eat.....it was so full of seeds! 

I don't know if it's just a tasteless fruit or am I doing something wrong here! Anyone know how to eat this or what to do with it??? Any recipes or ideas?

Phew! The mercury has really been rising lately...and that doesn't quite motivate me to stand in front of a hot stove! Paris experienced one of its hottest days of the year this week, and i was in no mood to spend even one minute more than necesary in the kitchen. So the end result was a cold, quick and healthy dinner...a delicious, low-fat, greek yogurt dip with veggies and bread!

I love greek yogurt. It's low-fat, low-carb, and protein-rich.....yet the texture is to-die-for! Thick and creamy, it almost doesn't feel like yogurt...more like a dessert! So its consistency makes it just perfect for a dip!

Veggies with Yogurt dip

For 2 servings:
250 gms greek yogurt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsps fresh mint leaves (finely chopped)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 tsbp olive oil
salt and pepper

Put all the ingredients in a big bowl and whisk everything together into a smooth mixture. Serve chilled with your choice of boiled/sauteed/grilled/raw vegetables and bread.

Ever since I first made my aubergine and feta rolls, i had been meaning to do the same with zucchini...and i finally got around to doing it! I used cream cheese instead of feta this time, and rolled in some asparagus as well...and it was simply divine! There's no better way to describe it. The soft cream cheese with the tender asparagus and marinated zucchini gives an absolutely melt-in-your-mouth sensation. Perfect appetizer for a hot summer day!

Zucchini & Asparagus rolls

Finally......an Indian recipe! It was high time...i was feeling too guilty about not having anything Indian on my blog when i love it so much and eat it so often!  So that had to change. Love chickpeas in all forms possible...and Chana Masala is just one of them.

Chana

For 4-6 servings:

2 cans boiled chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 tbsp cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 onions, chopped
1 tsp ginger, chopped
1 tsp green chilli, chopped
4-5 tomatoes (chopped) or 1 can peeled tomatoes
3 tbsp oil
salt
1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Spices:
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp corainder powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp dry mango powder
1-2 bay leafs
2 cloves
1 tsp star anise powder or 1 whole star anise
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder or 1 stick
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder or 1 small piece
1/2 tsp pepper or 4 whole black peppers

Drain the chickpeas and wash if needed. Keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies.....fry for 4-5 mins or until the onions start to turn brown.


Add all the spices and fry for another 4-5 mins. Then add the tomatoes and cook for 8-10 mins or until the oil starts to seperate and the mixture becomes like a thick puree.


In a large pot, combine the chickpeas and the tomato-onion mixture. Add salt. Bring to a boil and then cook for 30 mins on a low flame, stirring a few times in between.


Serve hot garnished with freshly chopped coriander.

If using whole spices, you might want to remove them before serving so that you don't end up biting into them. And you could also add 100 ml of light cream just 10 mins before turning off the flame, if you want to tone down the 'hot' factor a bit.