This Thursday found me with just a bit too many black eyed beans (lobia) on my shelf.And I was in a mood to cook.

My mom-in-law had made these once, long back. I wish I had asked her for the recipe. But you know how it is. You just assume moms will be around forever making all your favorite dishes.

So figured I will try to make up the taste, my favorite way of cooking.

Ingredients

3 c      black-eyed beans (lobia) soaked overnight
1/2      onion (optional)
1 inch  ginger
1-2      chillies
fistfull   fresh coriander leaves
1/2 tsp haldi
1 tsp    lemon juice
1 tsp    coarsely ground coriander seeds
           salt, red pepper to taste
           oil to fry

Grate the ginger fine. Coarse chop onions (if using). Chop corriander. Mix these with the beans.

Place the beans with ginger-onion-corriander in the food processor, one cup at a time, and grind them until coarse. You may have to add a few teaspoons of water to get it going. It doesn't have to be well done, its okay to have a couple of whole beans and a fairly coarse texture.

Now, when you are ready to fry, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Adjust salt, pepper, lemon to your taste. The final mix is not too sticky, neither is it soupy.

Now, deep frying is the way to go with these fritters. Just drop spoonfuls into a well heated oil in a wok and fry till golden.

But, I don't enjoy fried stuff much, so I just decided to pan fry. Take enough oil to coat the pan generously, and when it is hot, drop spoonfuls of the mix into the pan. Let it cook for a couple of minutes, and flip them over. Another minute or two, and get them out.

With beans and all the fresh ingredients, they taste fairly delicious. So enjoy.

appetizers

Black-eye beans fritters (Lobia ke pakore)

This Thursday found me with just a bit too many black eyed beans (lobia) on my shelf.And I was in a mood to cook.

My mom-in-law had made these once, long back. I wish I had asked her for the recipe. But you know how it is. You just assume moms will be around forever making all your favorite dishes.

So figured I will try to make up the taste, my favorite way of cooking.

Ingredients

3 c      black-eyed beans (lobia) soaked overnight
1/2      onion (optional)
1 inch  ginger
1-2      chillies
fistfull   fresh coriander leaves
1/2 tsp haldi
1 tsp    lemon juice
1 tsp    coarsely ground coriander seeds
           salt, red pepper to taste
           oil to fry

Grate the ginger fine. Coarse chop onions (if using). Chop corriander. Mix these with the beans.

Place the beans with ginger-onion-corriander in the food processor, one cup at a time, and grind them until coarse. You may have to add a few teaspoons of water to get it going. It doesn't have to be well done, its okay to have a couple of whole beans and a fairly coarse texture.

Now, when you are ready to fry, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Adjust salt, pepper, lemon to your taste. The final mix is not too sticky, neither is it soupy.

Now, deep frying is the way to go with these fritters. Just drop spoonfuls into a well heated oil in a wok and fry till golden.

But, I don't enjoy fried stuff much, so I just decided to pan fry. Take enough oil to coat the pan generously, and when it is hot, drop spoonfuls of the mix into the pan. Let it cook for a couple of minutes, and flip them over. Another minute or two, and get them out.

With beans and all the fresh ingredients, they taste fairly delicious. So enjoy.

This is the easiest breakfast you can make, and kids will be all gaga over it. You can also sneak in a bunch of fruits and they will yet love you for making a special meal :-) If you are really ambitious, slip in a couple of teaspoons of wheat germ along with the all purpose flour. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 c      all purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp   baking powder
1/2 tsp      salt
1 tbsp       sugar (more if you like sweeter ones)
1 1/4 c      milk
1               egg
3 tbsp       melted butter
few           blueberries (optional)

Makes about 8 pancakes.

In a large bowl sift the dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. Whish until smooth.

Heat a griddle. Put a small dab of butter on the griddle. Pour some batter onto the griddle. Sprinkle wth a few blueberries.

Wait until the batter begins to bubble and then flip over carefully with a large spatula. If the pancake breaks, just put the pieces together and they stick back again.

Serve hot with maple syrup and whipped cream and fruits. 

breakfast

Pancakes

This is the easiest breakfast you can make, and kids will be all gaga over it. You can also sneak in a bunch of fruits and they will yet love you for making a special meal :-) If you are really ambitious, slip in a couple of teaspoons of wheat germ along with the all purpose flour. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 c      all purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp   baking powder
1/2 tsp      salt
1 tbsp       sugar (more if you like sweeter ones)
1 1/4 c      milk
1               egg
3 tbsp       melted butter
few           blueberries (optional)

Makes about 8 pancakes.

In a large bowl sift the dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. Whish until smooth.

Heat a griddle. Put a small dab of butter on the griddle. Pour some batter onto the griddle. Sprinkle wth a few blueberries.

Wait until the batter begins to bubble and then flip over carefully with a large spatula. If the pancake breaks, just put the pieces together and they stick back again.

Serve hot with maple syrup and whipped cream and fruits. 

Crunchy and spicy, and healthy too. What's not to like in this green beans recipe?

Ingredients:

2 lbs green beans chopped about 0.5cm length

1 c dried coconut 

1 large red onion, finely chopped

1 in ginger grated

2-3 red chillies

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp jeera

1/2 tsp haldi

2-3 meethi seeds

1 tsp saunf powder (or saunf seeds)

a pinch of asafoetida

red pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Chop the beans. Cover with salted water and microwave covered for about 6-7 minutes till the beans are just tender. I do this to speed up the cooking. You can just cook it entirely in the pan if you wish.
2. In a pan take about 1 tbsp oil and when its hot, add mustard seeds. Reduce heat and add jeera, hing, haldi, red chillies and methi. If you are using saunf seeds instead of powder, add them here. Throw in the ginger and fry it a bit
3. Add in half of the chopped onion and fry it around till transluscent. Do not let it brown.
4. Drain salt water from the beans, and add beans to the pan. If beans are chewy, cover a bit and let it cook. I don't like my beans cooked all the way through, and just cook enough to keep it cooked but crunchy.
5. Uncover the pan. Add the remaining half onion and dried coconut. Sprinkle saunf powder, some salt and red pepper to taste. Stir and its done!

This goes well with rotis for a meal. Or top it with sev and fresh dhaniya and sprinkle some lemon juice and serve it as a snack.

entrees· greens

Green Beans with Coconut

Crunchy and spicy, and healthy too. What's not to like in this green beans recipe?

Ingredients:

2 lbs green beans chopped about 0.5cm length

1 c dried coconut 

1 large red onion, finely chopped

1 in ginger grated

2-3 red chillies

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp jeera

1/2 tsp haldi

2-3 meethi seeds

1 tsp saunf powder (or saunf seeds)

a pinch of asafoetida

red pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Chop the beans. Cover with salted water and microwave covered for about 6-7 minutes till the beans are just tender. I do this to speed up the cooking. You can just cook it entirely in the pan if you wish.
2. In a pan take about 1 tbsp oil and when its hot, add mustard seeds. Reduce heat and add jeera, hing, haldi, red chillies and methi. If you are using saunf seeds instead of powder, add them here. Throw in the ginger and fry it a bit
3. Add in half of the chopped onion and fry it around till transluscent. Do not let it brown.
4. Drain salt water from the beans, and add beans to the pan. If beans are chewy, cover a bit and let it cook. I don't like my beans cooked all the way through, and just cook enough to keep it cooked but crunchy.
5. Uncover the pan. Add the remaining half onion and dried coconut. Sprinkle saunf powder, some salt and red pepper to taste. Stir and its done!

This goes well with rotis for a meal. Or top it with sev and fresh dhaniya and sprinkle some lemon juice and serve it as a snack.

• 
  
• Not too sweet, nut flavored bread makes a perfect afternoon snack. It is filled with wholesome banana, nuts and some real good butter. Go liberal on the nuts, they taste super duper when baked in.
• 
  
• Slice as needed, since it tastes best when moist. I also like to warm it up a bit before serving.

2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups sugar (dark brown: white  3:1 ratio) (less if bananas are very sweet)
• 2 cups mashed overripe bananas
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. 
3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing it well before adding the next. 
4. Stir in mashed banana.
5. Stir in dry sifted flour, salt and baking soda in three batches, mixing it well.
6. Stir in nuts. 
7. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans.
8. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely. 
9. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep in the moisture. 

• To vary the flavor, you can substitute a part of bananas with crushed pineapple (reduce sugar since pineapple is fairly sweet), or add in some grated orange peel to bring a hint of citrus-y flavor or a bit of cocoa to make it chocolatey. 

breads· desserts

Banana Nut Bread

• 
  
• Not too sweet, nut flavored bread makes a perfect afternoon snack. It is filled with wholesome banana, nuts and some real good butter. Go liberal on the nuts, they taste super duper when baked in.
• 
  
• Slice as needed, since it tastes best when moist. I also like to warm it up a bit before serving.

2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups sugar (dark brown: white  3:1 ratio) (less if bananas are very sweet)
• 2 cups mashed overripe bananas
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. 
3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing it well before adding the next. 
4. Stir in mashed banana.
5. Stir in dry sifted flour, salt and baking soda in three batches, mixing it well.
6. Stir in nuts. 
7. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans.
8. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely. 
9. Wrap in aluminum foil to keep in the moisture. 

• To vary the flavor, you can substitute a part of bananas with crushed pineapple (reduce sugar since pineapple is fairly sweet), or add in some grated orange peel to bring a hint of citrus-y flavor or a bit of cocoa to make it chocolatey.