Layer balsamic vinegar (or lemon balsamic vinaigrette), boursin cheese, arugula, sliced tomatoes and smoked deli turkey on toasted bread.
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Aloo Baingan
Credits
Recipe adapted from Tea for Turmeric
Ingredients
Amount Ingredients 50g oil 245g onion, chopped 1¾ tsp salt 300g tomatoes 1 T garlic, minced 1 T ginger, minced 1 serrano pepper 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp cumin powder ½ tsp coriander powder ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp black pepper ¼ tsp cayenne 400g potatoes, diced 360g eggplant, diced ½ tsp chaat masala ½ tsp coriander seeds, crushed ¼ cup cilantro, fresh, chopped 1 T lemon juice, fresh ~2 cups water, as needed Process
- sauté onions and salt in oil until golden brown
- add tomatoes, ginger, garlic, serrano pepper; saute until fragrant and tomatoes begin to break down
- add all the spices listed from cumin seeds – cayenne; cook for a few minutes
- add potatoes and eggplant, cook down until the oil starts separating from the tomato gravy; at that point, add a ½ cup of water and keep cooking until potatoes and eggplant are tender
- add chaat masala, crushed coriander seeds and turn off heat
- add cilantro and lemon juice
Nutrition
Per 100g of salan: 118 calories
Notes
- ground spices can burn easily, so it’s good to have them measured out and set aside so they can be added in one go in step #3
- in step #4, you can cover the pan to help steam the vegetables and speed things along
- keep ~2 cups of water on standby and add as necessary to deglaze pan, add steam, etc. at ANY point in this cooking process; use about a tablespoon or two at a time. you may not use all of it.
- cook until potatoes and eggplant have reached your preferred consistency
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Dahi Pallay
Ingredients
dumplings (pallay)
Amount Ingredient ~½ cup gram flour (besan) as needed water 1 tsp cumin seeds to taste salt as needed oil for frying Yogurt (dahi)
Amount Ingredient 1 container yogurt as needed milk 2 potatoes, medium 1½ cups chickpeas, cooked ⅛ – ¼ tsp cayenne peppper 1 tsp cumin seeds to taste salt Process
- score potatoes (for easy-peel) and set to boil in salted water
- OR set on trivet in Instant Pot with a cup of water for (8-10 minutes)
- can also cover with water in Instant Pot (without trivet)
- OR pierce with a knife and microwave until cooked through (5-10 minutes)
- OR set on trivet in Instant Pot with a cup of water for (8-10 minutes)
- mix the yogurt with milk to thin out until desired consistency is reached (keep it thinner than you want the final dish to be since the pallay will soak up the liquid and thicken the overall mixture, as will refrigeration)
- add spices, chickpeas; whisk and set aside in fridge
- prepare the pallay batter by adding all the ingredients to a bowl and mixing until there are no lumps; you may need to scrape some lumps against the bottom and sides of the bowl to crush them. use as much water as needed to get a runny consistency, something like crepe batter.
- heat frying oil in wok, sauce pot, or something deeper than a frying pan, preferably
- drain potatoes, peel, and refrigerate until they’re easy to handle; cubing hot potatoes is a hassle and causes crumbling/smushing
- when the oil is ready, dollop blobs and strings of batter in and fry in batches until light or golden brown. vary the shapes so you have some dumpling shapes and some thinner strings or dots. dump fried pallay into large mixing bowl. repeat until all batter is used up.
- cover fried pallay in water for 1-2 minutes; check to see that even the hard pieces have softened up, then drain completely and add to yogurt mixture
- cube chilled potatoes, add to yogurt mixture
- mix until everything is thoroughly coated; refrigerate and serve once fully chilled
Notes
- recipe as written is a bare-bones base to build off of; but I often like it just like this
mix-ins & toppings
- tomatoes
- thin-sliced onions
- some like to sweeten this dish with a little sugar (to taste)
- a drizzle of tamarind chutney adds sour / tangy notes
- dahi palla are often served with chaat masala sprinkled on top as a garnish and to add color
- score potatoes (for easy-peel) and set to boil in salted water
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Quasi-Caprese Bagel
Ingredients
Amount Ingredient 1 bagel, toasted 25g boursin, cracked pepper ~4 tomatoes, cherry 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 3 basil leaves, fresh, ribboned Process
- toast bagel
- spread each slice with boursin; layer other ingredients on top
Nutrition
470 calories
Notes
- I used and recommend an everything bagel
- you can use any flavor of boursin, but I recommend the cracked pepper one; if you don’t have it, crack some fresh black pepper on top of whatever flavor boursin you have, after spreading
- can turn it into a breakfast sandwich by adding an over easy fried egg on top
better than takeout ○ breakfast ○ calories calculated ○ italian ○ photo ○ quick ○ sandwich ○ vegetarian -
Chicken Salan
Credits
Recipe adapted from Tea for Turmeric.
Ingredients
Amount Ingredients 1½ lb chicken breast, raw, cubed 50g oil 160g onion, chopped 1½ tsp salt 150g tomatoes, chopped 1 serrano pepper, slit 1 T garlic, minced 1½ tsp ginger, minced 6 black peppercorns, whole 3 cloves 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp coriander powder ¼ tsp cumin powder 1½ cup water ½ tsp coriander seeds ½ cup cilantro, chopped Process
- Sauté onions, salt in oil until lightly golden; deglaze with a tablespoon or two of water, if necessary
- Add tomatoes, serrano, ginger, garlic; sauté for a few minutes
- Add chicken; sauté until color changes and chicken is no longer pink on the outside, about 5 minutes
- Add all the spices except coriander seeds; sauté for 2 minutes
- Add water
Pressure: High Time: 7 minutes Release: natural for 5 minutes
- Taste for salt, add coriander seeds, chopped fresh cilantro; serve
Nutrition
Total Recipe: 1,330 calories
Per 100g: 119 caloriesNotes
- After making the masala base (just before adding the chicken), you can stick blend the mixture to make a smooth consistency.
- In lieu of the above, you can also chop up the onions and tomatoes in a food processor before they go in the pot. I don’t bother with either of these.
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Charred Asparagus with Beets, Dates, & Goat Cheese
Credits
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit
Ingredients
Amount Ingredients 2 beets, sliced thin 1 lemon, juice + zest of ¼ tsp salt 15g extra virgin olive oil 450g // 1 lb asparagus 1 tsp black pepper, fresh cracked ½ tsp red chili flakes 55g dates, pitted, sliced 85g goat cheese, crumbled 2 T mint, fresh, ribboned Process
- Toss beets in lemon juice, lemon zest, salt; set aside
- Char asparagus in olive oil over medium-high heat
- Sprinkle fresh cracked black pepper, chili flakes
- Add chopped dates, cook til softened (about 3 minutes)
- Add beets along with juices in bowl
- Turn off heat; top with goat cheese, mint
Nutrition
Total recipe: 650 calories
Per 100g: 102 caloriesNotes
85g goat cheese makes it quite decadent; this can easily be reduced
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Falafel Salad
Ingredients
Makes 1 serving
Amount Ingredients 28g hummus 100g falafel 92g cucumber, peeled, diced 44g tomatoes, diced 50g sweet kale salad (salad only) Process
- Spread hummus around bottom of low bowl or plate; thin with water to desired consistency (use about a teaspoon at a time)
- Crumble falafel on top; layer cucumber and tomatoes
- Chop up salad kit and add on top
- Mix everything together, scraping the hummus from the bottom in the process
Nutrition
311 calories
Notes
- I used restaurant falafel, but you could use any that you prefer.
Variations
- add hot sauce; I’d particularly recommend something with a smoky cumin flavor like a red shug/zhug
- can also add tahini to help increase the moisture and keep it from being too dry; this will significantly increase the calories
- can add seasonings like sumac, za’atar, or herbs like mint and cilantro
- can bulk it up with chickpeas, beans, or chicken
arab ○ calories calculated ○ cold ○ low effort ○ middle eastern ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ photo ○ quick ○ vegetarian -
Spicy Cheddar Arugula Toast
Layer upscale flavors on light, rustic toast for a boutique bistro experience. Great for breakfast as it’s light on the stomach.
Ingredients
Makes 1 serving
Amount Ingredient 57g Pane Turano Italian bread, toasted 32g red pepper fruit spread 40g cranberry white cheddar ~¼ cup arugula Products
Aldi
- Pane Turano Italian Bread
- Specially Selected Red Pepper Fruit Spread
Costco
- Maple Leaf Cheese Cranberry White Cheddar
Assembly
Layer bread with ingredients in the order listed.
Nutrition
393 calories
Notes
- Ingredients as listed makes 2 decent sized toasts, though only one is pictured.
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Mint Kava
Ingredients
Makes 1 cup
Amount Ingredients 1 cup water, boiling 1 teabag, black tea ½ tsp honey 1 T lemon juice, fresh 5-10 mint leaves, fresh Process
- Add all the ingredients to a teacup and pour boiling water on top
- Steep to desired strength
Nutrition
25 calories per cup
Notes
All measurements are to taste. I prefer it less sweet, more tart, quite minty and weak on the tea but feel free to adjust to your own preferences.
arab ○ calories calculated ○ desi ○ middle eastern ○ one pot pan or bowl ○ pakistani ○ photo ○ quick ○ vegetarian -
Chickpea Salad with Citrus Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
Chickpea Salad
Amount Ingredients 180g chickpeas, dry* 320g cucumber, diced 45g tomatoes, diced 22g shallots or red onion, finely diced 20g cilantro, chopped *Can replace with ~2 15oz cans of chickpeas (drained), or 450g cooked & frozen Citrus Tahini Dressing
Amount Ingredients 75g tahini 50g lime juice, fresh 40g lemon juice, fresh 26g water ½ tsp sumac to taste salt Process
- If using dry beans, add them to instant pot, cover with water by several inches, add salt and seal lid.
Pressure: High
Time: 40 minutes
Release: Quick- Prepare all the ingredients (chop, dice, juice, etc.)
- Toss everything together and taste for seasoning
Notes
- This dish is best served cold, so if using dry chickpeas, prepare them in the morning or the night before and refrigerate
- Shallots are milder than onions but super expensive; use red onions if you’re not a Rockefeller
- Can use all lemon juice or all lime juice, if that’s all you have on hand
