MOONG DAL RICE

A fantastic  dish  that offers almost a complete meal using moong dal and rice. There are various ways to cook them. some added ground pepper or other spices as well.

This recipe was perfect. My family raved about how good it was. Perfect blend of seasonings comprise of mustard seeds, whole cumin, ginger and chili powder makes this rice so appetizing that you can eat them without any gravy. I honestly didn't expect them to like it so it was a great surprise! Even the color made it fun for them to eat.

GARLIC NAAN

A  staple in most West, Central and South East Asian countries . Naan has also become popular in other parts of the world  especially in Arab states, Europe and North America. This  leavened flat bread  is cooked in tandoor by most North Indian restaurant around the globe.

Since tandoor is unavailable in most homes, the best alternative is  to bake them  in an  ordinary oven or stove top.  Naan comes in different flavors, by varying the toppings.

The recipe below uses only 3 cloves of garlic but you can add more if desired and  I have  cooked  this Garlic Naan  over the stove top without any topping.  If  topped with  one of the following, cilantro, sesame seeds, nigella seeds, chopped onion or minced garlic, it certainly  improve. the flavor. Below are a few tips for perfect naan:

1. Roll out each naan about 1/4 in thick and not very thick. It will expand during cooking.

2. Cook each naan on preheated cast iron skillet or heavy bottom  pan  using medium heat.

3. Rotating the naan using your hand or with the help of folded dish towel ensuring even cooking.

4. Flip the naan more than once to obtain nice golden color.

Chewy, tender and absolutely delicious paired with spicy gravy.  My son gulped all 4 pieces at one sitting!

FOODBUZZ TOP 9 - APPLE CROSTATA

  

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for your support and vote for picking my Apple Crostata as your Foodbuzz Top 9 on March 18, 2012.

All that happens due to  your buzzing and right now  I'm getting a couple of new friends and visitors.

This will certainly motivate me to stay active and contribute a worthy post  for all my valued readers.

Have a wonderful day!

Cheers

APPLE CROSTATA

A crostata is an Italian version of a free-form tart, it is called galette by the French. I had used apples as the filling but you can use any other fillings either sweet or savory.  The crust can be made using food processor or by hand.

It is not difficult to bake one. Here are the tips to make a perfect pie crust:

1. Butter  and water should be ice cold
2. Handle the dough as little as possible. Overworking the dough will make it tough. 
3. Gradually add  enough water to form into a  pliable dough. It must sticks together and not crumbly.
4. Refrigerate the dough before rolling out 
5. Prepare the filling 10 minutes  before removing the dough  from the refrigerator.

The following recipe produces a flaky and tender crust that is so easy to handle. It turns out perfectly every time!

VEGETABLE PASTA

This versatile Vegetable Pasta dish is so healthy and fun to make. It's quick to fix, delicious and always different. just choose the vegetables and any type of pasta (spaghetti, fusilli, fettuccine, penne) you have in stock. For non vegetarian version, you can include chicken, seafood or mince meat to the pasta.

The pleasing  Vegetable Pasta is a great accompaniment to most any lunch or dinner.