A - Z Idli series ~ Z for Zucchini Idli

Here is the final post of the idli series that I have been posting since February. The final 'Z' post would have been tricky if not for the vegetable zucchini and a traditional, cucumber idli recipe from the south Indian state of Karnataka. It was easy to substitute zucchini for cucumber in the recipe since they are similar in texture and ooze water when grated. These idlis are one way to incorporate zucchini in Indian cooking.

So far in this series,

A for Avarekayi Idli

B for Bajra Flour idli

C for Cornmeal Idli

D for Dal Idli

E for Elaneer Idli

F for Foxtail Millet Idli

G for Green Gram Idli

H for Halasina Hannina Idli

I for Idli (using idli rice)

J for Jowar Idli

K for Kumbalakaayi Idli

L for Lauki Idli

M for Mallige Idli

N for Navadhanya idli

O for Oats Idli

P for Poha Idli

Q for Quinoa Idli

R for Ragi Rave Idli

S for Sabbakki Idli

T for Thatte Idli

U for Uddina Idli

V for Vendaya Idli

W for Wheat Rava - Green Peas Idli

X for Xacuti Masala Aloo Stuffed Idli

Y for Yellow Moong Dal Idli

The preparation of zucchini idlis is quite simple since all one needs to do is just mix the ingredients, let it sit for a while and use the mixture to make idlis. These are instant variety idlis that are are made with idli rava or cream of rice. Grated zucchini and coconut are stirred into the rava, which together would lend enough moisture for the mixture to hold the shape to prepare idlis. The usual steps of soaking the ingredients, grinding them or fermenting the batter is not needed here which makes it a fuss-free option. These idlis are of course gluten-free and lacto-vegetarian. These idlis are a great way to ease into idli making if one is intimidated about the preparation of the standard rice and black gram version. They taste great when served with coconut chutney.

Ingredients: (Yield - 6 idlis)

3/4 cup idli rava / cream of rice

Salt to taste
3/4 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut

1 green chili finely minced

1 or 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1/4 cup yogurt
1/4 cup water

Directions:
1. Add idli rava and salt to a bowl and mix to combine.

2. Next add grated zucchini and shredded coconut to the bowl.

3. Stir the ingredients well with a spoon to combine.

4. Add green chili, cilantro, yogurt and water to to the bowl.

5. Stir the mixture well and cover the bowl. Let it rest for an hour.

* Check the consistency of the batter after the resting period. The mixture should look thick but if you squeeze it, some water should come out of it.  If the mixture appears too thick, 1 or 2 tbsp. of water can be added.

6. Grease the idli plates and fill the molds with batter and press them with fingers to shape them. 

* Heat water in a idli cooker / pressure cooker / steamer base on medium heat.

* Place the idli stand in the steamer and close the lid. Don't use the pressure valve if using pressure cooker.

7. On low medium flame, steam for about 20 minutes or until when the surface of the idlis don't stick when touched with moist fingers. 

* Turn off the stove and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

8. Run a sharp spoon around the edges of idlis and remove the idlis.

* Serve them warm with ghee if desired and coconut chutney.

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Eggless Zucchini Cranberry Scones

 
These zucchini based scones are inspired from KAF website and can be a great addition to your tea time / breakfast / brunch table. They are quite easy to make and quick to put together like any other scone recipe and a good one to try when one needs to put that zucchini in surplus to use. Zucchini adds moisture to the otherwise dry dough and the cranberries add a pop of color along with that welcoming sweet - tart flavor. The recipe yields tender and flavorful scones. Double the recipe for big sized scones or make rounds using tablespoon scoop if smaller scones are preferred. The smaller scones may take less baking time and check them around 12 to 15 minutes into baking.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup grated zucchini
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 flax egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 to 4 tbsp. milk (I added 1/4 cup.)


Preparation:
* Combine 1 tbsp. flaxseed meal and 3 tbsp. water in a small bowl and keep aside.
* Peel and grate zucchini.
* (I usually) Freeze the required amount of butter beforehand and then grate it while mixing the ingredients. If not using the frozen butter, cut the cold butter until it's the size of peas.

Directions:
* Preheat the oven to 400 deg F / 200 deg C. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a greased aluminum foil or grease the moulds of a scone pan.
* Whisk together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add the butter that is grated or cut into small bits and stir in the dried cranberries. Next add the zucchini and the lemon zest but don't stir them yet.
* Whisk the flax egg, vanilla and milk in another small bowl. Add it to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough is moistened. The dough will appear quite dry at first but zucchini will start to release water as you keep stirring.
* Stop stirring when the dough starts to hold together. Scoop it onto the prepared baking sheet and gently pat it into a circle of about 1/2 inch thick or scoop into the greased wells of a scone pan.
* Cut the dough into 8 wedges. 
* Bake the scones until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, about 22 to 25 minutes. 
* Remove the scones from the oven and serve them warm. 

These scones go to Bakeathon event. 


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A - Z Andhra Recipes ~ Z for Zucchini Theeya Pappu

 
Time sure flies by and I am today drafting my final day post of this A -Z Andhra series of vegetarian recipes. The only ingredient I could think of with 'Z' was zucchini and so, I had decided that it would be a zucchini preparation for today without a second thought. There is no 'Z' sound in Telugu though the script allows it possible to write the sound. That is the beauty of Indian languages. What ever may be the sound or the word, native or not, can be written in any of the Indian languages and can be read with proper pronunciation. No guessing games on how to pronounce a word. If you know how to say a word, you can write it exactly as it needs to be written and vice versa. Now that's off my chest, let's move towards today's recipe.

Today's dish is unique to the region while the vegetable zucchini I used to prepare it is not native to India. Zucchini recently had started to appear in upscale markets in Indian cities though it is not widely available through out the country yet. I was not bothered by the fact that it is not native to the region since more than half of the popular and commonly used vegetables in India today were not local to India at some point. Potatoes and tomatoes would be perfect examples for that. 

Theeya pappu literally means sweet dal though no sweetener is used here. It is called so since this kind of lentil preparation is milder compared to pulusu / pappu, the other lentil preparations from the region. Though it should be noted that it is not baby bland and is spicier compared to some preparations from other regions in India. It is on the thicker side like a pappu preparation. The vegetables commonly used for this kind of preparation are ridge gourd (beerakaaya), snake gourd (potlakaaya) or bottle gourd (sorakaaya) which all have mild flavors. Zucchini fits the bill and so, a theeya pappu was prepared.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup toordal
1 zucchini, peeled and cubed
2 - 3 green chillies, sliced lengthwise *
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
A sprig of curry leaves
2 pinches of asafoetida powder
Salt to taste
1 - 2 tbsp. minced cilantro
* Red chillies, each broken into 3 to 4 bits can be substituted.
 
Method:
* Wash the toordal in two exchanges of water and discard the water. Then add green chillies, turmeric powder and about 1 &1/2 cups of water. 
* Pressure cook them together (or in a sauce pan over stove top) until the lentils are softly cooked. After the valve pressure is gone, remove the lid of the cooker. Add salt to the cooked lentil mixture and stir well with the back of a ladle.
* Next heat oil in a saute pan and add mustard and cumin seeds. If green chillies were not used earlier, red chillies can be added now. When mustard seeds start to pop, add curry leaves, asfoetida and the zucchini cubes. Add a little quantity of water and cook until zucchini is done. Zucchini cooks faster and attention needs to be paid. They should be just cooked and not turn mushy. Next add the cooked lentil mixture from the above step and a small quantity of water if the mixture seems hard. Bring to a boil and turn off the stove. Garnish with minced cilantro.
* This pappu is served with some aavakaaya or fried sundried chillies. The pappu is eaten with rice, a spoon of ghee drizzled over.

The recipes published in 'A - Z' Andhra Cuisine,
A for Alasanda Vada
B for Bellam Garelu
C for Chiyali
D for Dondakaaya Kaarapu Kaaya
E for Endu Kobbari Podi
F for Fine Biscuits 
G for Gongura - Mamidikaya Pappu
H for Halwa Holigalu
I for Idli Karam Podi
J for Janthikalu
K for Kobbari Koora
L for Lauzu
M for Matikkaaya Kaaram Koora
N for Nimmakaaya Kaaram
O for Ottotti
P for Perugu Vadalu
Q for Qubani ka Meetha
R for Ragi Sangati
S for Satyanarayana Vrata Prasadam
T for Theepi Dibba Rotte
U for Usirikaaya Pulihora
V for Vankaya Kothimira Karam Koora
W for Wadiyala Pulusu
X for Xtra Spicy Hot Andhra Aavakaaya
Y for Yerra Gummadikaaya Pulusu 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 63.

An InLinkz Link-up

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Eggless Zucchini- Chocolate Chip Muffins

 
I had asked the other adult at home to get a zucchini and as usual I ended up getting four instead. And also was told that I would find ways to use them anyway. That was true in a sense and I made some crisps, and a bread but was still left with one zucchini. It was not sufficient to make a chocolate zucchini bread but I could bake some muffins instead. I found a recipe online which had eggs and the muffins looked super moist going by the images. I was so tempted by those images that I made them instantly converting it into an eggless version and was very much pleased with the results. Somehow I could not trace the original recipe now as these were made a few weeks back and I forgot to save the link.  

I am surprised to notice that my muffins are kinda looking dry in images but they were moist in reality. I forgot to take pictures showing their crumb and by the time I remembered, there were no muffins left to try. Usually I take a bite of what I bake to notice their texture and taste but I ended up eating the whole muffin as it was really good. The base of the muffins are subtly sweet and the sweetness comes more from the chips when you bite into the muffins. They were moist and yummy and the latter part was certified by my daughter as well who sat and ate three in one sitting. That's like a aatwa ajooba (8th wonder) in my home considering that she needs a lot of cajoling and threatening to eat anything.

Ingredients: (Yield 9 muffins)
1 flax egg or go with any other substitute
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peeled and grated zucchini
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Method:
* If using flax egg, combine 1 tbsp. flax meal with 3 tbsp. warm water and let it sit for five minutes.
* Preheat the oven to 425 deg F.  Grease a muffin pan or line them with paper cups.
* Combine the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
* Whisk the flax egg, brown sugar, oil, milk and vanilla in another bowl.
* Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Finally stir in grated zucchini and chocolate chips.
* Fill the muffin cups up to 2/3rds with the batter and place the muffin pan in the preheated oven.
* After 5 minutes, lower the temperature to 375 deg F and bake for another 15 minutes or until, a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

Check the blogging marathon page to see what my fellow marathoners are cooking for BM#52.

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Veggie Wednesday ~ Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

My husband has this habit of tucking away important things carefully and considers himself very organised. While he is at it, he also likes to think that I am just the opposite and take everything lightly ('Think' is the keyword here). People who know me personally may beg to differ and call me a neat freak but that is what my husband likes to believe. He puts things away so carefully that no one including him would be able to locate them when they are needed. That's what happened when I went searching for a hard disk of our old computer which is stuffed with pictures that I was supposed to use for blogging. We looked and looked around the house and couldn't locate it until now. The pictures I could use for this post were in it and I wondered if this post of mine will ever see the light of the day. These zucchini crisps along with the okra fry, handvo I posted last week have been in my drafts for years now, for the lack of better pictures. It is another thing that I used the same pictures for okra fry and handvo in this marathon since I couldn't prepare them again this month. With these zucchini crisps it was totally another story. The pictures I took earlier were good but as I mentioned above, the pictures went missing.

These zucchini crisps were not an experiment for this marathon but are baked regularly in my home since they are my daughter's favorite. I got some zucchinis and baked them again instead of wasting time over the old pictures. These were baked last month as an evening snack and so the pictures were taken when the light was really low. I was not happy with the pictures and was thinking of posting something else. However when I realized that I have to yet bake four more dishes for this marathon, I gave up and used the image. 

Zucchini is sliced into thin discs for this recipe and are coated with bread crumbs and cheese mixture. Then they are baked until the coating turns crispy. We cannot expect the zucchini to turn crispy here but the outer cheese coating provides the crunch and the flavor. These crisps are great to snack on and are a better alternative to the frying method.

Ingredients:
2 small zucchinis (I had around 25 slices)
1 tbsp oil
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 

Method:
* Preheat the oven to 425 deg F. Grease or line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
* Mix bread crumbs, salt, pepper and cheese in a bowl. 
* Wash and wipe dry the zucchinis. Slice them into about 1/4 inch discs. Add oil and the discs to a bowl and toss gently to coat.
* Dip the zucchini discs in the bread crumbs - cheese mixture and press down firmly so that the coating sticks to the discs. Flip and coat the other side too. Repeat the steps with the remaining discs.
* Place the bread crumbs - cheese coated discs on the prepared sheet and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes or until the coating turns crispy.
 
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51.

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An InLinkz Link-up

Monday Meals ~ Eggless Zucchini - Carrot Bread

I had planned early on that I would bake at least one loaf of bread for this marathon. I wanted it to be a little on the sweet side, moist and yummy instead of a plain sandwich loaf and this zucchini - carrot bread adapted from here perfectly fit the bill. This quick bread would be a great addition to any breakfast / brunch menu. I converted the original recipe into an eggless version, replaced a portion of plain flour with wheat flour and used equal quantities of carrot and zucchini. This bread is a great way to sneak in vegetables for picky eaters.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm milk (I used fat-free milk.)

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 

1 medium sized zucchini (about 1 cup gated)

1 large sized carrot (about 1 cup grated)

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or substitute all purpose flour)

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup raisins 

Method:

* Stir together milk and vinegar in a bowl and keep aside.

* Peel and grate carrot. Peel and grate zucchini and squeeze out excess liquid.

* Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Grease a 8"x3" pan. (I used 9

x5 pan.)

* Combine flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking salt and salt in a mixing bowl.

* In another bowl, whisk the milk-vinegar mixture, oil and vanilla. Next add brown sugar and mix until smooth. Gently stir in grated zucchini and carrot.

* Now add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Add the raisins finally and stir gently to combine.

* Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 45 - 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. (Mine was done in about 45 minutes.)

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51.

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An InLinkz Link-up

Veggie Pizza

I was contemplating to go with a dessert pizza for the final post until I realized that kids were least interested in the option and I would end up eating the whole pie by myself. And so I pulled back from the sweet version and stuck to one of the favorite pizzas at home - a vegetable based one. This hearty, filling pizza uses a whole wheat based crust but you can go with any crust of your choice. Also you can go with your choice of quick cooking vegetables for the toppings.

I was preferring a crispy crust and so first baked the crust for about 7 minutes and spread the sauce and toppings later and baked again for 17 minutes.

Ingredients:
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup luke warm water
1 & 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp olive oil  / canola oil / vegetable oil + extra for greasing
6 - 8 Tbsp pizza sauce
8 oz / 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Vegetables for topping - I used seeded & sliced capsicum, thinly sliced red onion, olives, diced zucchini, diced and sliced tomato

Method:
1. Preparation of pizza dough:
* Combine water, yeast, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir just until everything is dissolved. Cover and set aside the mixture for about 5 minutes at room temperature. The mixture would usually bubble and foamy by the time.
* Stir in both flours and the oil. Work dough back and forth with the heels of your hands on a floured work space. Knead until smooth and elastic for about 8-10 minutes. If the dough is dry while kneading, add extra water in 1 Tbsp increments. 
* Grease a bowl and place the dough in the prepared bowl. Turn the dough so that all sides are coated with oil. Cover and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

2. Assembling and Baking:
* Preheat the oven to 450 deg F.
* Grease a large baking sheet or a pizza tray.
* Punch down the dough and knead briefly. Place the dough on the baking sheet and dimple the dough with fingertips until its a flattened circle. Then pull and press it until it forms about 14 inch circle or 12 by 7 inch wide rectangle, of about 1/8 inch thickness. (I used half the dough here.)

* Spread the sauce evenly over the crust, leaving a 1/2 inch border at it's edge. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the sauce and top with vegetables. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes if desired.

* Bake until the cheese has melted and just started to brown, about 17 minutes. 
* Remove and transfer the pizza onto a wire rack to slightly cool before slicing it.

This is my Day 3 post under "Pizza" theme and check this page for other marathoners who are doing BM #35.

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Lemony Zucchini - Almond Pizza

I had noted down this recipe from a cook book that I had borrowed from my local library some time ago since the ingredients that went into making this pizza sounded interesting. This blogging marathon seemed like a perfect opportunity to try it and today I did. A different version than the regular tomato based one and it was like eating a cheese pizza with potent lemony flavor.  

Ingredients:
1 pound pizza dough (Check recipe here.)
1 zucchini, shredded
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon / lime zest
1/2 cup / 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp sliced almonds 

Method:
* Toss the zucchini with the salt in a colander and drain for about 30 minutes. Squeeze the shredded zucchini to remove as much as liquid as possible. Add the lemon / lime zest to it and mix well. 
* Preheat the oven to 450 deg F. Grease the pizza tray or baking sheet that is going to be used.
* Place the dough at the center of the tray. Form the dough into a flat thick circle by dimpling with fingertips. Then shape it into a 14 inch circle / 12x7 inch rectangle. (I used half pound dough and made a small sized one.)

* Spread the zucchini - lime mixture evenly over the prepared crust, leaving an 1/2 inch border at its edge.
* Top with the cheese and sliced almonds.
* Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 16 - 18 minutes.

Notes:
1. I had some leftover pizza dough when I baked the cheese pizza and I made use of it for this pizza. The original recipe uses a semolina based dough for the crust. I haven't tried it but here is the recipe for anyone who is interested. 
List of ingredients:
3/4 cup luke warm water
1.5 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
2 Tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp for greasing the bowl.
Preparation of pizza dough:
* Combine water, yeast, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir just until everything is dissolved. Cover and set aside the mixture for about 5 minutes at room temperature. The mixture would usually bubble and foam by the time.
* Stir in both flours and the oil. Transfer the mixture to a floured work space and work dough back and forth with the heels of your hands. Knead until smooth and elastic for about 8-10 minutes. If the dough is dry while kneading, add extra water in 1 Tbsp increments. I find that this recipe needs an extra tbsp of water.
* Grease a bowl and place the dough in the prepared bowl. Turn the dough so that all sides are coated with oil. Cover and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1.5 to 2 hours.

2. The original recipe uses a lemon that is cooked in water for about 25 minutes and drained. Then the inside pulp is removed, the rind is shredded and used in the recipe. I followed this method and found the flavor to be very potent. I like the lemon flavor to be subtle in any recipe and so I think lemon zest suits better here.

This is my Day 2 post under "Pizza" theme and check this page for other marathoners who are doing BM #35.

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Z ~ Zucchini Biscotti

 

The A - Z marathon comes to an end today. The marathon and month seemed to whiz by so fast that it seemed like it was done in the blink of an eye. However "Behind the scenes" was a different story altogether for everyone who participated in it, if I am not wrong. The frenzy and the excitement started months before the actual marathon started. The participants through chain of emails decided on the themes, shared ideas and helped each other with the list of recipes if needed. Like many, I made an umpteen number of recipe lists / plans on paper in advance though only a handful recipes were ready when the marathon started. However when marathon started, everything fell in place on it's own (kinda) and I enjoyed the process immensely.

And I am ending this BM with these crispy zucchini biscottis, that I had bookmarked earlier from Harini's place. My earlier eggless biscotti experiment from a cookbook kind of fell flat and so when I saw this recipe I wanted to give it a try and I was not disappointed.

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup oatmeal flour (or grind any oats you have.)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

A pinch of salt

1 Tbsp yogurt

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp oil (I used canola oil)

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 cup peeled and grated carrot

1/2 cup peeled and grated zucchini

1 Tbsp of raisins / dried cranberries

Method:

* Preheat the oven to 190° C / 375 deg F.

* Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt. dried fruits and cinnamon powder in a mixing bowl.

* Add grated veggies, oil, yogurt and sugar in another bowl and whisk them well until the sugar is dissolved.

* Grease a baking tray with oil or line it with a parchment paper or aluminium foil.

* Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well to form a stiff dough.

* Grease your hands generously with oil or dust them with dry flour. Work with the dough and shape it into a rectangle of about 4 inches wide and 3/4 inch thickness on the greased baking tray.

* Bake it for 25 minutes at 190°C / 375°F . (I baked for about 20 minutes.)

* Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely for 15 minutes.

* Slice the loaf crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces using a sharp knife.

* Place the cut side up and arrange the slices on a baking tray. Bake it at 190°C for 7-8 minutes till they become slightly brown. Turn them to other side and bake again for 6-7 minutes at190°C.

* They needed to be put on broil for a minute to get crisp. However don't be tempted to broil more than one minute or else you will end up with burnt ones.

My A - Z journey during this blogging marathon, under the following themes mentioned.

Street Food / Condiments / Pictorial / Others Theme:

A - Aloo Bonda

B - Bhel Puri

C - Cheddar Cheese Sauce

E - Erra Karam Dosa

H - How to Blanch Tomato 

P - Pongal Ready Mix 

S - Salsa 

W - Watermelon Milkshake

Baking / Microwave Cooking:

D - Dhokla

J - Jam filled Muffins

L - Lime Crinkle Cookies 

O - Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies 

V - Vegan Braided Bread 

International / Fusion Recipes:

F - Farfalle in Lime and Cheese Sauce

I - Irish Bread

N - Nazook

Q - Quinoa Pilaf

T -  Taco Shells

X - Xoriatiki

Regional Recipes:

G - Gutti Vankaya Koora

K - Kanda Koora 

M - Methi Muthiya

R - Rava Dosa

U - Urad dal Chutney

Y - Yogurt Idly

Logo courtesy : Preeti

 

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Simple, Sunday Meals - Soup and Sandwich

Salad:
Carrot, cucumber, lettuce & tomato

Veggie Burgers sans Cheese:
Soy patties toasted with a little butter, shredded lettuce, tomato slices, cucumber slices, dill pickle along with mustard and ketchup gave company to toasted, multigrain, thin sandwich bread.

Minestrone Soup:
This wholesome Italian soup doesn't follow a standard recipe and can be either a vegetarian or a non vegetarian soup. It is prepared with the ingredients at hand and usually contains vegetables, beans and pasta.

Ingredients required for 6 servings:
1 - 2 Tbsp oil
1 small onion - peeled and diced
1 small carrot - peeled and diced
1 small potato - peeled and diced
1 tomato - diced
1 celery stick - diced
1/4 cup of zucchini cubes
A handful of chopped green beans or frozen green peas
Celery leaves
1/2 cup of tomato sauce
1/4 cup small shell pasta (I used elbow pasta.)
1/4 cup any white beans, cooked (I used navy beans.)
1 tsp - Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
(Also add garlic, if preferred.)

Making soup:
* Heat oil in a deep sauté pan and add the onions. Sauté them on low heat till they turn translucent. Then add carrot, potato, tomato, celery, celery leaves, zucchini, green beans or peas and add sufficient water. Cook on medium flame till the vegetables soften.
* Then add tomato sauce, seasoning and simmer for some more time.
* In the meantime, cook pasta al dente and drain.
* Stir in the cooked pasta and beans. Adjust the consistency of soup adding water, if needed and season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for a few minutes more so that all flavors mingle.



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Zimikand Halwa & Zucchini - Tomato Pappu

As all good things in life, Nupur's A-Z Indian vegetable series is also coming to an end. I wish there had been more letters in the English alphabet. I have been a vegetarian all my life and so, this event became my 'favorite' one. Sending recipes every week, was like a self made commitment, though initially planned things were never executed. Planned 'V' entry vangibhath became vergodalas dal, 'S' for saagu became spinach rice and in a similar fashion, majority of the planned things became different and something else depending upon my time and availability of ingredients. Still I managed to get acquainted with some 'new' veggies in the process.
For the final letter 'Z' of the series, 'Zimikand Halwa' & 'Zucchini - Tomato Pappu' are my entries.

Thank you Nupur for such a wonderful event, which I really enjoyed. You ARE a gracious hostess. :)

Zimikand Halwa

Zucchini - Tomato Pappu
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Zimikand Halwa

I had a feeling that I could not pull off a dry zunka and it was planned that zucchini would come into picture only if I could not find any other 'Z' alternatives. When I was going through the hindi words for veggies, I came across 'Zimikand'. After some web surfing, I concluded that it has to be suran or ratalu, the purple yams.

I must admit, I have never encountered these 'Indian Yams' in and around the region, I grew up. I therefore went yesterday and bought two bags of frozen ratalu. The picture on the bag had beautiful purple discs of chopped ratalu. When I opened them, it was a sheer disappointment. Half of them were brown rotten things. I had to throw more than half of them into the garbage. The remaining purple things were enough to cheer me up. I would like to see some real fresh stuff in the future and enjoy it in it's true form.

Somehow, I did not wish to see the purple hue lost to some spices and other veggies added in the dish. Unlike some colorful root vegetables, these yams were on the bland side. Still, their rich color tempted me to try a sweet dish. I thawed them for a while, grated them, added milk and sugar, cooked it and ended up with a yummy dessert. I have a hunch that probably the halwa would be rich purple in color, if I had access to the fresh stuff.

Coming to this lilac colored dessert, it was just heavenly. Unlike carrots & lauki, this vegetable almost becomes a mush when cooked and will have a melt in your mouth kind of creaminess to it. If you have ratalu available at a grocery store near you, I would recommend you to try this dish. I was so glad that I did not try to cook it into one more sabji. I am so excited with this new found veggie and am looking forward to try some more desserts with it.

Ingredients:
Grated zimikand - 1 cup
Milk - less than 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2 Tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Cooking part: Add grated zimikand, milk, sugar and ghee to a pan and cook on low flame. The mixture tends to get a little sticky at the initial stages but keep stirring in between. When the mixture turns to almost halwa consistency, add cardamom powder and mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes more and turn off the stove. Refrigerate for a couple of hours and serve.

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Zucchini - Tomato Pappu (Dal)
I could not resist the fresh zucchinis at the grocery store and brought some. I made delicious, dal adding some tomatoes along with it today.

Ingredients:
Toor dal - 1 Cup
Zucchini - Peeled, ends cut and chopped into medium sized cubes - 1 Cup
Small sized tomatoes - 2
2 Serrano peppers (or green chillies), vertically slit into 4 pieces
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind extract - 1/4 cup
Chilli powder - 2 to 2 & 1/2 tsp
Salt -2 & 1/2 tsp

For tadka / seasoning, you need:
Oil - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
A few pinches of asafoetida
Few curry leaves

Cooking pappu:
Cook toordal with tomatoes (whole), green chillies, turmeric powder adding 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker until you hear one or two whistles.
Mean while, cook the zucchini with a little amount of water in a MW. Let it be cooked till tender, (not turning them into a mush).
When the valve pressure is gone, remove the cooker's lid. Mash the tomatoes well along with the dal and add cooked zucchini, tamarind extract, chilli powder, salt to the dal mixture.
Turn on the stove and let the dal simmer on low - medium flame for about five minutes.
Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves in that order. When mustard seeds start to pop, turn off the stove and add the mixture to the cooked dal and mix well.
Serve hot with rice and ghee or rotis.

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Previously On A - Z series

D - Daikon Chutney
E - Eggplants, Stuffed
F - French beans & Indian Beans In a Sabji
G - Gajar Ka Kheer
H - Hagalakayi (Bitter gourd) Gojju
I - Idli Upma
I - Imli Ke Paththon Ka Dal
J - Jalapenos – Mirchi Ka Salan
K - Kosumbari
L - Lauki Ka Halwa
M - Mirapakaya – Aloo Koora
N - Nuggekayi Palya
O - Okra dal
P - Patoli
Q - Quick Mango chutney
R - Rajma - Aloo
S - Spinach Rice
T - Tomato Gojju
U - Urlagadda – Menthaku Koora
V - Vergodalas Dal
W - Whole, White Potatoes In Spinach Gravy
X - Xacuti Masala Rice
X - Xacuti, Vegetarian
Y - Yogurt With Snakegourd

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