Vegan Pasta Biriyani - Recipe Adopted from Gita's Blog

Pasta Biriyani:

Over the past few years, as more and more I traveled, the more I tasted and experimented quite a different decadent recipes:) Since, my days are already sorted out with working commitments, cookery classes and regular damn chores...I hardly ever get a chance to try those cakes, soups, salads, pastas from my fellow bloggers' that keep tempting me endlessly, even in my dreams:)

So, when Gita kept ranting all about healthy food and stuff...I was gleefully eager to incorporate some of her wise ideas.:) Particularly, I am bit inclined towards Biriyani(Okay okay, easy...I know you all knew that). When I saw her recipe for Pasta Biriyani' it certainly went deep inside my heart and got crystallized there, the next moment I am with shopping cart, at super market...looking for quality pasta on the aisle. Well, if you haven't tried fusing Italian stuff with Indian herbs, probably you might want to give it a try...the complexity and richness all in one simple recipe, definitely guaranteed satisfaction:)

Here is the Original Recipe:)

Below is my Tweaked Recipe:

Ingredients:

Radiatore Pasta 1 cup
Soya chunks 1/2 cup
Green chili 1 chopped
Onion 1 small bulb - grated
Tomato 1 small - pureed
Ginger 1" grated
Garlic 1 clove minced
Mint leaves few
Cilantro leaves few
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 1 stick
Bay leaves few
Garam masala powder 1/4 spoon
Olive oil few spoons.
Tomato wedges to garnish
Cilantro leaves to garnish
Parmesan cheese to garnish(optional).

Method:

Cook pasta as per the directions behind the box, set aside. I add salt and a spoonful oil to it while boiling, in case if you want to try that:)

Boil the soya chunks with enough water and salt for about 7-10 minutes. Once it is done...squeeze the excess water out, retain the chunks.

In a wide skillet, heat oil. Add the whole spices, followed by chilies, onion, ginger and garlic...fry real good, maybe till the raw odor is gone.

Further add the tomato puree, mint, cilantro leaves and garam masala powder.

Now add pasta and soya chunks to it...fry over high heat, briefly.

Garnish with chopped tomatoes, cilantro leaves and Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy:)

Badam Paal / Almond's Milk - Vegan's Choice

Badam Milk:

Badam Palu. Badam Pal. Almond Milk. Raw Almond Milk - Warm Almond Milk. Bedtime Almond Milk.

Its time to post some milk alernate(cow's milk)recipes for my Vegan buddies. Inspired by bunch of Vegan-Vegetarian friends, I started appreciating greens and vegetables lately, but havent switched from my carnivore diet plan, yet...still going on:) Anyhow...coming upon to the recipe, its rich in protein, tryptopan present in them...helps to fall asleep and stay asleep(most important for insomia), and it turned out nearly silk and smooth(nearly, okay). However it is bit labour intensive, but worth it.:)

Ingredients:

Almonds 1 cup
Milk 1 cup
Sugar to taste
Saffron few strands
Piyal Seeds 4-7

Method:

Soak almonds in warm water, peel the skin off. Wet-grind them with milk or water, Run throw the strainer. Slightly warm the almond milk, add the other ingredients.

Serve warm as a bed time drink.

Vegetarian's Liver Fry - Meat Alternate Recipe!!!

Vegetarian's Liver Fry:

Vegan Liver Fry. Meat Alternate dish. Vegan Liver. Vegetarians liver. Vegetarian's Mutton fry. Vegan Meat Fry. Vegetarians Meat!!!

Now don't get me wrong I don't mind if many people turn to vegetarianism or veganism. Just more meat for me:) The day, I can't find a decent chicken/fish in the market...what I need as a carnivore, I will begin eating the herbivores, he he. They're always tempting me' how healthy they are on their 'meatless diets' ha ha...just kidding:)

Lentils turnd into LiverThis could be the best meat alternate food for vegans. I rarely eat meatless food, but would never appreciate them...as it demands heavy amount of spices to disguise it. But this vegan liver fry is of different league, they are totally tasteee. I virtually scanned this recipe...years before from my Mommy's Chettinad collections.

Ingredients:

For Liver:

Whole Green gram/ Mung dhall/ Pachai payaru/ Pesaru Pappu 1 cup
Green chilies/ dry red chilies 5-7
Ginger 1" grated
Garlic 2 cloves minced
Salt
Fennel seeds
Curry leaves few
Cilantro leaves few
Oil for shallow frying(optional)

For Masala or Gravy:

Onion 1 large grated
Ginger 2" grated
Garlic 2 cloves minced
Tomato 1 chopped
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Oil for stir-frying.

Spices to be Toasted & Powdered:

Coriander seeds 2 spoons
Fennel seeds 1 spoon
Poppy seeds 1 spoon
Cumin 1 spoon
Pepper 1 spoon
Dry coconut 2 spoons.

Method:

Wet grind the ingredients mentioned for liver, except oil. Now steam cook this batter for about 10-12 minutes.

Cut them into bite size pieces.

Either shallow fry them or just skip this procedure...its up to you.

In a separate pan, heat oil and stir-fry the masala ingredients. Wet grind these.

In a wide wok, heat oil...bring this wet-ground masala and powdered spices together...fry real good. Now throw in the vegan liver pieces...fry over high heat, till you believe its done.

Enjoy with steam cooked rice:)

Vegetarian's Fish Curry - Arusuvai Arasu's Recipe

Saiva Meen Kuzhambu:(Chettinad Style)

Vegetarian's Fish. Vegetarian's Fish Gravy. Saiva Meen Kuzhambu. Dhall-Machchili ka Saalan. Pappu-Chappalu Pulusu.

Auntie told that she learnt this recipe from The Famous Chef 'Arusuvai Arasu'. When the crew cooked for the family function. And its a big hit.:) This curry was too good and the sentiment was shared by all (Vegetarians and Not so Vegetarians).

Did I ever tell you'll that many(80%) of my relatives are all hard core vegetarians!! One of my Auntie said that 'she never had a chance to see an egg' until the day she got married to my uncle:( Although its hard to believe, I have to respect her feelings. I generally don't talk about my food expeditions to her.

At the same time...I feel pretty bad, when people make faces at non-vegetarians! Come on, its just a food! Well...I am this person who doesn't mind what is cooked, but do care a lot 'how it is cooked, presented and eaten! Get the point? I expect hygiene at every level (right from procuring the produce, treating the stuff in the kitchen, the presentation and the table manners). I have a cousin who eats plain 'curd rice' in a very disgusting manner (with all her 5 fingers going in and out each time, yogurts running till her elbow and the slurping noise exceeding 1000 decibels). I don't mind whether it is a 'crab meat or quail feather or frog leg or bat tissue', all I expect is...it should be well done, neatly presented and if people enjoy it...wish everyone learns to respect them! Yeah, this will make me very happy.

Ingredients:

For Vegetarian's Fish Fillets:

Dry whole thuvar dal (cow peas, I guess), Muzhu thuvarai in Tamil.
Salt
Ginger 2"
Garlic 2 cloves
Dry red chilies
Fennel seeds
Curry leaves
Oil for shallow frying
Banana/plantain leaves
Skewer
Steam cooker.

For Curry:

Garlic 1 fistful, peeled & crushed
Red onions 2 finely chopped
Tomatoes 2 chopped
Salt
Turmeric
Chili powder
Tamarind paste 1 spoonful
Sesame oil few spoons
Vadagam (Tempering spices of Tamils)
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Fenugreek 1 pinch
Peppercorns 2
Asafoetida
Curry leaves
Dry red chilies.

Method:

Soak and wet-grind the lentils, along with spices to a thick batter.

Now clean the banana leaf, sprinkle water...place the skewer stick. Now mount a fistful of batter on the top, pat them into fish shape, you get it??

Now repeat the same for all the batter, oh yeah each time in different leaf with skewer placed, okay. Maybe you chop the leaves accordingly.

Now carefully place them in your steam cooker (idly cooker, if you have one), I used bamboo steamer here (yes Chinese one, very good indeed).

Once they are done, probably took 10 whole minutes for me. Then remove the skewers gently.

Then I also shallow fried them for brief time, to get that nice reddish tint up there, sounds cook, huh.

Again...should I even talk about making the curry...you'll know!

Once the curry is thickened, drop these fried vegetarian's fish and cook over medium heat for few minutes...never overdo here, they may tend to disintegrate.

Serve warm to go with your rice.

Tofu Steak:

Tofu Steak??? Ha ha......could never agree upon such names! I don't know why would all these vegan and vegetarians relate their special recipes to some speciality Non-Veg! Like I heard people saying 'hmmmm mushroom is much like mutton, u know', 'Paneer 65 is like Chicken Pakoda' , 'Plantain/yam fry is always compared to fish and now tofu is compared to steak! So.....whatever fits you.....imagine yourself.

Ingredients:

Tofu firm and water packed(slice them to your choice)
Honey 1 heavy tea spoon full
Ginger 1" grated and minced
Garlic 1 bead grated and minced
Soy sauce heavy 1 spoon
Hickory sauce 1 spoon
Japanese soy-sesame sauce 2 spoons
Sesame oil for pan frying
Sesame seeds to garnish
Green onions to garnish.

Method:

Bring all the above said ingredients (except oil, green onions and tofu) in a bowl. Mix well.

Now brush them over tofu slice. Better leave it for complete marination. About 3-4 hours.

Now either grill or pan fry them.

I pan-fried today. Do not often turn the slices. Leave to one side for a long time, over low heat. This is a key for firm and crispy tofu.

Garnish with green onions. Enjoy!