Quinoa Patties

Quinoa has started getting very popular as high protein vegetarian grains.... I got a chance to try a recipe when my friend who moved gave me a box of these grains. As I have never eaten or even seen it before, I googled information about it and how to cook it..... Interesting trivia on quinoa can be found here.... Last week, I opened the box and finally decided to use.........so thought of making this recipe with some other vegetables in the fridge.

Ingredients:

• quinoa -- 1 cup
• bread -- 2 slices
• beetroot -- 1 small
  
• carrot -- 1 small
• broccoli -- 4/5 florets( half a head)
• garlic -- 4 cloves
• coriander leaves -- 1 small bunch
• onion -- about 1/2
• green peas -- about 1 cup
• lemon juice -- about 1 tbsp
• powdered spices -- coriander powder and tandoori masala powder (about 1/2 tsp each)
• salt and pepper -- about 1 tsp each
• butter or oil -- about 2-3 tsps
• water -- 2 cup

Recipe:

• Boil about 2 cups of water and add salt. Add quinoa and cover the pot and let it simmer on medium heat till the water is absorbed by the grains. About 15-20 minutes. The grains will fluff up. Add 1-3 tbsps of water if needed. Keep it aside to cool.

• Prep the vegetables and make bread crumbs in a food processor. Grate the broccoli, carrot and beetroot. (I boiled the beetroot prior to grating). Chop onions, peel and grate garlic. Defrost the peas and heat them in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.

• Take all the prepared vegetables in a large bowl. Add the powdered spices and season well with salt and pepper. 

• Add quinoa and mix well.

• Add breadcrumbs, coriander leaves and lemon juice. Mix well with a spoon.

• Take about 2 tbsp mix in your hands and roll them in a ball and flatten to patties. Use up all the mix to make patties and keep them flat in a plate.

• Refrigerate the patties for an hour. I kept them in the freezer for 10/15 minutes.

• Heat a pan and brush the bottom with a tsp of oil or butter. Arrange the patties in a single layer and brown the bottom on medium heat. Flip the patties after 3-4 minutes and brown the other side.

• Serve hot with ketchup, mint chutney or tartare sauce. 

Quantity:

• Makes about 15 -20 patties 
• 2-3 patties are good for a serving size along with a salad or rice or pasta.

Notes:

• I found the binding part a bit difficult with breadcrumbs made with  just 2 slices of bread.... can increase the bread slices to about 4 or 5
• You can add potato, paneer or even egg instead of bread crumbs. 
• The refrigerating helps keeping the shape.
• Instead of using indian powdered spices you can use cheese and mixed italian herbs too.
• I preferred the ones, I sauteed with butter for obvious reasons...  :)

Gobhi-matar subji (cauliflower and peas curry)

Oh how I used to dislike the gobhi-matar subji ..... until about 2-3 months ago...!! It was my first get-together with my new gal-pals in the US... a girl made this gobhi-matar curry and I loved it..... !! It looked exactly the way, I made it.....but it tasted so better than mine and I wondered how did she make it! She kindly shared the recipe and I m so glad to be sharing it with you.... I got a friend and a new "regular" in my lunch recipe list. Thanks, Ana!!

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower -- about 300-350 grams (I used about half of a medium sized cauliflower)
• tomatoes -- 2 
  
• green peas -- 1/2 cup
• red onion -- about half
• garlic -- 3 cloves
• ginger  -- 1 inch piece
• green chilies -- 2
• mustard seeds -- 1 tsp
• asafoetida -- 1/4 tsp
• curry leaves -- 4-5
• turmeric powder  -- 1/2 tsp
• coriander powder -- 1 tsp
• salt -- about 1 tsp 
• canola or vegetable oil -- 1 tbsp
• coriander leaves -- a handful bunch
• water -- 1 to 1 1/2 cup
• and the last secret ingredient -- Rasam Powder -- about 1 and 1/2 tsp

Recipe:

• Cut the cauliflower to half. Remove the green stalks and break to florets. Clean and wash well in running water. Keep it aside.
• Grate the ginger and garlic and make paste. Slit the green chilies and remove the seeds if needed. Chop the coriander leaves. 
• Chop the onions and tomatoes and grind to a fine paste/puree with a blender. Keep it aside.

• Heat a tbsp or two of oil. Add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add asafoetida and slit green chilies.

• Add the onion paste. Keep the heat medium and keep stirring till the liquid is evaporated and the paste is darkened and shiny(about 5-7 minutes)

• Add the tomato puree and keep stirring for about 10 minutes.

• Add the ginger-garlic paste and the curry leaves, while continuously stirring.

• Once the "masala" starts coming together (looks like it's getting dry), add the powdered spices -- turmeric powder, coriander powder, rasam powder and salt.

• Stir for 1-2 minutes on medium heat after adding the dry spice powders.

• Add the cauliflower florets and the green peas and saute them in the "tomato onion masala" for 2-3 minutes.

• I cooked this curry in a pressure pan. So at this point, I added about 1 cup of water to the curry, covered the pressure pan with lid and let it cook for 1-2 whistles.

• You can cover the lid, if cooking in a regular skillet or pot after adding water and let it cook for another 7-8 minutes till the cauliflower is done.

• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot as a side to chapatis or rice.

Quantity:

• 4-5 servings with accompaniments like rice/chapati, etc

Notes:

• I used only 1/2 of the cauliflower and got a gravy (liquid based) curry.
• If u want the subji to be dry, you can use about 400 gms of cauliflower and cook the subji with less water.

• You can add garam masala or goda masala or any of your favorite homemade mixed spice powder.... that will make it different flavored. I particularly loved the flavor and combination of peas and cauliflower with the rasam masala :) 

Matar pulav (green peas pilaf)

Most of the recipes, I cook at home everyday, can be cooked within 30 minutes. I have a busy day with my gym schedule, kids schools and activities, shopping, cleaning and my blog.... :) Though, I love photographing, desserts and baking, my everyday meals have to be made in a short time, while supervising a kid at a homework or arranging blocks to a building with other...or multitasking with some other job. This is one of such recipes, which can be made fast and a hot meal is ready in about 30 minutes.