PUMPKIN SWEET POTATO GALETTE

 

Tender, flaky crust and savory, this Pumpkin Sweet Potato Galette can be served as an appetizer or main course for small gatherings.  However, it is served, it is sure to be loved by all.

CRUST

I used all purpose and whole wheat flour for added health benefits.  You could you use all purpose flour entirely for the crust. Replace butter with oil for vegan.

TOPPINGS

The pumpkin and sweet potato  should be sliced thinly so it cooks faster.  They need to be cooked before putting on top of the galette either using microwave for 1 minute or steam for 2 minutes as we need to bake them again for 40 minutes.  After cutting, soak sweet potato in water to avoid discoloration. Create a beautiful pattern for pumpkin and sweet potato atop the sauce if you like.

SAUCE

The mixture of mayo and cream cheese together with paprika, salt, lemon juice and black pepper yield a mild tangy taste and it was seriously delicious.  Add honey if needed but mine done without it.  Use vegan mayo and vegan cashew cream cheese or tofu sour cream if you are a vegan.

My family devoured this rustic Pumpkin Sweet Potato Galette in no time, am so glad there is no leftovers. 

Other similar recipes:

Pizza Rolls

How to make Chicken Calzone

Homemade Tuna Pizza

PETOLA MASAK BENING / HEALTHY LUFFA SOUP

One of the easiest soup you could prepare was Petola Masak Bening / Healthy Luffa Soup.  Made with just a few ingredients you had in your pantry.

This soup can be made without oil by boiling until the luffa is tender. For vegetarian, omit dry anchovies and add freshly ground black pepper for extra heat. 

Luffa or Ridge Gourd is  beneficial to our health and nutritious, among  them are: 

Enhances Vision

Vitamin A in form of beta carotene  improves eye sight, preventing macular degeneration, partial blindness and other eye ailments

Aid digestive system

It contains high amount of dietary fiber,  Vitamin C, riboflavin, zinc, iron,  potassium,  thiamine and magnesium.  High fiber content contributes to healthy digestive system.

Prevent Muscle Pain

Potassium balances the fluid level and helps to relax muscle.  Low potassium leads to muscle cramps, spasms and pain. 

Petola Masak Bening / Healthy Luffa Soup is simple and quick dish, really good for your health.  I always add the luffa when cooking my fish curry, it was super yummy. give it a try, you going to love it too.

VEGGIE PINWHEEL TIKKI /VEGAN VEGGIE PINWHEELS

This make ahead recipe is full of crunchy colorful veggies and spicy yummy  filling all rolled up into easy to eat finger food.  So let's have our all time favorite snack called Veggie Pinwheel Tikki / Vegan Veggie Pinwheels.

This spiced mixed veggies is wrapped in whole wheat pastry, roll into tight log and cut into 1 in thick.  Veggie Pinwheel Tikki / Vegan Veggie Pinwheels were shallow fried until golden and serve with ketchup.

Chopped cabbage, grated carrot and mashed potato are combined and seasoned with chili powder, chaat masala, ground cumin and onion as the filling.  You could also use tortillas for the wrapper.  These were incredibly tasty and disappear in no time.

If you are not keen for spiced pinwheel, this  Pizza Rolls  is for you.  It tastes exactly like regular pizza but in rolls form.

SAVORY OATS PANCAKE

It is close to lunch hour but I have no idea what to cook today.  Since  quite some time we did not have pancake  so why not prepare this healthy and fiber rich  Savory Oats Pancake. 

This is inspired by Oat Cheela where it uses besan (chickpeas flour) but replaced it with whole wheat flour and added an egg to the batter. Also no blending of oats required as soaking them for 15 minutes is sufficient.

Initially my batter was quite thick, added little bit more water.  It should be easy to spread, thickness  similar to condensed milk and not watery.  For smooth pancake, you need to  chop the veggies very fine. 

Apply some oil on my pan for frying the first pancake but need not use oil for the rest of the batter.

Savory Oats Pancake best served hot immediately after you have fried them.  My kids love them with ketchup.  If serving small kids omit the green and chili powder.

PAN FRIED POTATO WITH EGGS

My late mum used to prepare this Pan Fried Potato with Eggs / Kentang Goreng Telur for our breakfast.  It was simple comfort food  yet so filling. 

The hero of this recipe is potato.  Also used sweet potato. There are 2 ways to cook the potato either boiled or fried.  I choose the healthier way by boiling them until soft.

For frying, heat the oil then throw in the cubed potato, cover with tight fitting lid, in between flip the potato to cook until tender and sprinkle with salt.  Constantly check the doneness to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan.  This would take around 10 minutes or more depending the type of potato used.

Added minced ginger as I love it but this is optional also throw in few red chili for color and chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

Pan Fried Potato with Eggs / Kentang Goreng Telur   was absolutely my to go breakfast with fewer ingredients but simply amazing! 

PAV BHAJI

Pav Bhaji is a famous street food of India consisting of pav or dinner rolls either homemade or store bought together with bhaji made from curried mashed vegetables like potato, carrot, cauliflower, green peas and bell  pepper.

You can prepare Pav Bhaji using stove top or pressure cooker method for quick satisfying meal.  This is a 2 step process, first vegetables are boiled until soft then  mashed with potato masher or hand held blender. The texture is up to you either smooth paste of little chunky.

In another pan, masala with onion and tomato is prepared , mashed vegetables are added to this masala.  The spice blend is different from one household to another.  The special ingredient was pav bhaji masala,  am using ready pav bhaji masala that is available from Indian grocery store.

Most people love the bright red color this masala brings without artificial coloring by adding kashmiri chili or red chili powder. Adjust red chili powder according to your preference.  For natural deep red color, add a small piece of  beetroot along with other vegetables.

You can also use broccoli, french bean, brinjal, sweet corn, beetroot or raw banana.

PETOLA MASAK LEMAK / LUFFA in COCONUT MILK

Another oil free cooking from my kitchen  with little twist.  Petola or peerkangai in Tamil would taste better if it is young otherwise the old one is fibrous and not pleasant to eat.  Luffa is cooked in coconut milk together with blended ingredients.

Petola Masak Lemak / Luffa in Coconut Milk is just a basic recipe.  You can add or leave out any ingredients you dislike for example, I have added tiger prawns towards the end of cooking as have lightly fried them first and remove to a plate but this is optional. 

For additional kick have used bird's eye chili for this Petola Masak Lemak / Luffa in Coconut Milk.  If you are not a fan of this, just add green or red chili for milder version.

AMAZING CARROT & SWEET POTATO PANCAKE

 

I always love to explore new ways to incorporate veggies in our diet. This Amazing Carrot & Sweet Potato Pancake  is  made with shredded carrot and sweet potato flavored with green chili, onion and ginger. 

It tastes like dal vada that I used to eat.  In my quest to reduce my intake of rice and wheat noodles, i am happy to share my search for this  quick and healthy meal.  

Sweet Potato is high in fiber,  Vitamin C, potassium , decent source of other vitamins and minerals, and rich in  antioxidant  called beta carotene which is very filling.  It can be boiled, steamed, baked or fried. 

Carrot is highly nutritious, high in Vitamin A,C and K, beta carotene,  vital for eye health, low in calories/carbs  and help improve your  immune system.

This Amazing Carrot and Sweet Potato Pancake  not only light but exceedingly tasty.  You could also turns this into cutlets instead of one big pancake.

HOMEMADE HASH BROWNS RECIPE

My first attempt making hash browns at home.  Am using fresh new potato.

With simple ingredients this Homemade Hash Browns are a new addition to our breakfast list.  Shredded potato is soaked in cold water to remove the starch. Drain and wrap with towel to remove excess water.

I find it a bit tricky to make since this  Homemade Hash Browns do not include flour or eggs to clump together.

Out of this recipe I get 2 x 6 in round hash browns.  My 1st one, turned out great with perfect size.  But had problem with the second one.  It breaks when I flip it.

What I did was remove them from the pan and shape into cutlets.  Mine looks darker in color due to addition of chili powder.  You may omit this if you don.t like a spicy hash browns.

Despite the hiccups, they came out  extremely tasty even my 1st one has been eaten immediately and I have no chance to  snap the photo.  We ate them as it is without any sauce.

Other breakfast  recipes you might be interested:

Vegan Banana Pancake

Moist Banana Muffin

Carrot Apple Muffins

7 TASTY RECIPES USING FRESH TOMATO

This juicy, plump and colorful tomato can be used to make  all sort of dishes that not only gives a beautiful color but importantly a great taste.

Tomatoes should be part of your diet since they are beneficial to your health. Enjoy this tomato  fresh or cooked.   So my 7 Tasty Recipes Using Fresh Tomato  would help you to enjoy tomato in  7 different ways.   

The list consists of  pizza, noodles, tart, soup and fish dishes.  You may want to have a look at  these   7 Tasty Recipes Using Fresh Tomato

Click on the title, to  view full recipe

CHICKEN PAPRIK / AYAM PAPRIK RECIPE

A combination of chicken and vegetables stir fried  in spicy sauce. .

I used to buy this Chicken Paprik when I lived in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur few years ago.   Am craving to eat my favorite chicken dish now..

As always a store bought has very small portion and very little veggies.  It is so satisfying to cook Chicken Paprik in your own kitchen with your choice of vegetables and sauces.

You may include long bean as well but I don't like it so  exclude  them from my recipe.  Reduce  the water if you prefer a fairly dry ones.

It  is entirely up to you to increase or decrease the amount of sauces added including the chili paste and bird's eye chili.

Other chicken recipes:

Red Mughlai Chicken.

Baked Yogurt Turmeric Chicken

Chicken In Hot Soy Sauce

BAKED VEGGIE SAMOSA RECIPE

A healthy version of  classic Samosa stuffed with fresh vegetables, made from scratch.

This famous fried snack from Indian subcontinent  are well liked and enjoyed around the globe.   Mostly they are deep fried and stuffed with vegetarian or non vegetarian fillings.

If you are looking for  an alternative way to eat them, this Baked Veggie Samosa is the solution.  These are stuffed with fresh vegetables  I  have on hand, capsicum, carrot, potato and tomato.

When mixing the dough, add water little by little.  You may not need to add the specified amount as per the recipe.

I did not boil the potato before hand but straight away add them to the spices and sprinkle with some water to let them become tender..

My Baked Veggie Samosa turned  out amazing, pastry is wonderful with crisp crust.   This one is a keeper!.

 Other snack recipes you should try:
Vegan Homemade Doughnuts

Honey Oat Bars

Prata Tuna Rolls

Fruit Cornflakes Bars

FRIED TEMPEH & POTATO IN SOY SAUCE RECIPE

Mixed vegetables  dish  consisting of  fried  tempeh and  potato simmered in spicy sweet soy sauce.

One of my son's favorite vegetables, tempeh (fermented soya  bean cake), potato  with loads of bird's eye chili.

Fried Tempeh & Potato in Soy Sauce was extra spicy due to addition of bird's eye chili.  Spices are a matter of individual taste so adapt accordingly.

Adjust the soy sauce and sugar to your liking.  Cut the tempeh and potato into almost equal size for  uniform cooking.  If you choose a healthier option, do boil,  bake or microwave the potato  until done but still nice and firm.

Fried Tempeh & Potato in Soy Sauce is a versatile dish.   In case you run out of potato, easily replace it  with tofu  or sweet potato. For extra crunch and taste,  add some fried anchovies to the above and toss well..

Other vegetable recipes:

Cauliflower & Pumpkin Curry

Bean & Carrot Poriyal

Stir Fried Cabbage

BROCCOLI & TOMATO PASTA RECIPE

We love pasta but I seldom cook it.   My son requested  to have pasta this week,   first thing I  check what I have in my pantry and fridge.

Since we have broccoli, macaroni and fresh tomato, decided to whip up my Broccoli & Tomato Pasta for our meal today.

Wonder why I don't make this often since this is the easiest and importantly tasty.   When boiling the pasta, cook until aldente as stated on the package.   Use the water from boiling pasta to cook broccoli and retain some of the water to be added to the pasta if it is too dry.

Prefer spicier pasta, added more chili paste than stated.   In case you don't have chili paste, opt for chili powder.  I know some of you may not have  chili powder so add black pepper instead.

This Broccoli & Tomato Pasta is so versatile, you can add other vegetables, meat or cheese to your liking  Even without any add on, it tastes awesome!

My family also love the following pasta.  Check the recipe by clicking on the title.

Stir Fried Pasta

Penne Arrabiata

Spaghetti In Ccurry Sauce

OKRA MASALA /BHINDI MASALA

Okra Masala is a perfect dish for a vegetarian meal with rice or flat bread.  This lightly spiced Okra Masala is great on its own.

If you never cooked Indian food before, this is a nice recipe to start with.  It comes together quickly, leave room for slight adaptations and taste absolutely delicious.

Spices are always a matter of individual taste.  Start with the ones in this recipe and adapt to suit yourselves especially the chili powder.

If you are lucky to find this versatile vegetable fresh, make sure to select the smallest and firmest pods.  If okra pod gets too long, it often becomes hard to eat.

CAULIFLOWER & PUMPKIN CURRY

To all my Muslim readers, HAVE A BLESSED EID!

Get bored with your stir fry vegetables?  You might just change your mind, when you discover this simple and healthy  Cauliflower & Pumpkin Curry.

This is an easy recipe but make sure you have all the spices on hand before you try this Cauliflower & Pumpkin Curry.  A combination of Indian spices transforms this simple vegetarian dish into a delight for the senses.

Here is my tips for perfect Cauliflower & Pumpkin Curry

1.  If possible cut the vegetables almost the same size and thickness. This to ensure uniform cooking time

2.  Do not add water, the veggies will ooze out water while cooking.  This is sufficient to cook the vegetables

3.  After you cover the pan, stir in between and check for tenderness. Don't overcook, the pumpkin will lose the shape and becomes mushy

BOTTLE GOURD DHAL CURRY

Bottle Gourd or sorakkai (Tamil) or lauki (Hindi) was found in every Indian kitchen. Not only it was inexpensive but easily available in the market.

In fact this Bottle Gourd Dhal Curry is loaded with fiber, vitamin C, zinc, iron and magnesium but low in fat. It is great for treatment of acidity, weight loss and constipation.

The combination of bottle gourd and mung beans produce a delicate and awesome flavor that you can consume it by itself but equally great with steaming hot rice and freshly baked chapati.

POTATO PANCAKE

A fried flat cake of grated potato with onion and freshly ground black pepper. Treat yourselves to a delicious and  easy breakfast that was less spiced and much reduced fat.

After peeling the potato, soak then in water to avoid discoloration. Had  used my hand grater but food processor works fine.

This is an egg free version. The most important factor for perfect Potato Pancake was controlling the heat, high heat will make them browned so quickly but the center was uncooked. Mine done using medium heat.

These were surprisingly perfect.  Potato Pancake  are best served  hot and fresh immediately after you  have fried them.

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*SABUDANA VADA/SAGO CUTLET*

This crispy savory snack recipe is made with soaked sago pearls and mashed potato. Sabudana Vada is one of  popular Indian food served during fasting. There are various combination to prepare it. In this case, mine was  prepared without peanut but using semolina instead.

After combining all the ingredients, it was shaped into small  round cutlet. It can be shallow or deep fried but I prefer shallow frying since it uses least oil.

FRYING TIPS
Choose a healthy oil with higher smoke point such as canola, safflower or peanut oil.

Make sure the oil was fully heated before adding any food. To check whether it is ready, drop a small piece of  bread, it should be golden brown in 60 seconds.

Do not crowd the pan. Work in small batches. The temperature of the oil decreases as soon as you add food to it.

Heavy bottomed  cookware is best for frying. It allows to keep the temperature of the oil steady. A thicker bottom guarantees the heat will slowly warm up the oil.

Discard  your used oil if it smells rancid, strong  discoloration or excessive foaming around the frying food. Be sure to cool your used oil completely before disposing

STIR FRIED CABBAGE

A meal isn't complete without a side dish especially vegetable.  My family prefer a simple and non spicy version of vegetable.

Here is a quick delicious recipe that you could serve with rice or as a stuffing for flat bread. This is a basic stir fry but feel free to substitute with other veggies or add shredded chicken or meat if desired.

If you have delicate palate, this is a perfect choice and isn't spicy. I like my veggies with some crunch but if you prefer a softer one,  cook it a bit longer.