potatoes Archives : Soni's Food

Indian Spiced Cauliflower Cakes for #SuperBowl

03 | 02 | 2017
By Soni Sinha

I must thank our local Trader Joe’s for making my life so easy with their precut ready-to-use veggies and various other products, that, I get inspired to cook just because part of it is already taken care of. I make my soups,stews and pasta sauce using their precut mix of onion, carrot and celery. Peeled garlic is such a time saver!I also love their cauliflower/broccoli rice and use it to make various dishes like the one I have for you today.

My Cauliflower Cakes are ridiculously easy and packed with flavors from the garam masala, cumin and ginger. They’re my spin on the traditional Aloo Tikki (a ubiquitous street food across northern India) by using cauliflower and it works beautifully in this recipe. Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables and I love that it can be used in a myriad of dishes and tastes delicious every single time.These days we see cauliflower being substituted for grain in many recipes right from pizza to rice and I think that its a great vegetable that enhances the flavor of any dish. These cakes are a healthier alternative for those watching their carb intake and sure to please your vegan and vegetarian guests, so make a big batch!

I like to serve these with green chutney but you could use your favorite condiment. The chutney is a mix of cilantro, garlic, little water and salt. I usually add some mustard oil at the end, but its purely optional. These beauties are your perfect appetizers for the Super Bowl and can be made ahead and frozen too. Just pan-fry with a little drizzle of oil until golden on both sides and serve.Enjoy!

Indian Spiced Cauliflower Cakes-Makes 12 cakes

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Ingredients

Cauliflower Rice- 3 cups
Large Potatoes-2
Crushed Ginger-1 tsp
Garam Masala-1 tsp
Ground Cumin-1 tsp
Salt
Oil to pan fry

Instructions

Place the cauliflower rice in a microwave safe dish and cook on high for 5 minutes.
Let it cool a bit and either press firmly through a strainer or a muslin cloth to drain excess water.
Boil,peel and mash the potatoes.
Add the cauliflower into the potato mix along with ginger,garam masala, cumin and salt.
Make into rounds and press them to make small patties.
Heat about 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat in a non-stick or cast iron pan and place the patties.Drizzle some more oil all over.Cook until golden on one side before flipping gently.Add some more oil and let it develop a golden color on the other side too.
Serve with green chutney.

Top 10 Recipes of 2014

27 | 12 | 2014
By Soni Sinha

What a year it has been!2014 started off in a very difficult way with Mom in the hospital two days before New Year’s Eve but as the year progressed her condition improved and she is in a much better state. Losing Papa was hard enough but Mom’s illness was like a second blow and took me a few months to recover from the emotional toll it had taken on me and my family.But as they say ‘things, they only get better’, the second half of the year was much better with Mom’s health improving everyday and I could focus on my blog and share my recipes with you all.My kitchen is my sanctuary and it has helped me in the most difficult situations.I tend to forget all my miseries and just immerse myself in my cooking.And, I have to thank you my lovely readers for your unflinching support and keeping me motivated by visiting my blog,reading my posts,recipes,leaving comments each and every single time.

I would also like to share with you my Top 10 Recipes of 2014 in order of their popularity.This year the blog went global with recipes that I’d never attempted earlier like my Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Pita Bites that were also featured on Buzzfeed and my Chicken Meatball Chiptole Chili among others. And for the coming year I promise to give you some more amazing recipes,with a zillion ideas floating in my head right now.Watch out for a few surprises that’s in order too!!

I’m looking forward to a happy,peaceful and a successful 2015 in all aspects and wishing all my readers the same.May all your wishes come true and the new year gives you tons of reasons to smile!

“Happy New Year”

Please scroll down to see the 10 most popular recipes of 2014 on Soni’s Food!

Brussels Sprouts Kofta

2. Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Pita Bites

3. Tofu and Peas Curry (Tofu Matar)

4. Indian Smashed Potatoes

5. Easy Chicken Curry

6. Potatoes and Green Beans (Indian Inspired)

7. Chicken Shami Kebab

8. Chorizo and Spicy Sweet Potato Tapas

9. Chocolate Orange Buttermilk Cake

10. Chicken Meatball Chipotle Chili

Aloo Matar (Potatoes and Peas) #Vegan

03 | 12 | 2014
By Soni Sinha

The mix of the damp and cold weather inspired me to make this dish.I love dry stir fried veggies with parathas or puri during this kind of weather.Its a cozy weeknight meal that just screams comfort.I love the crusty layer that the potatoes develop during the cooking process and the peas add their wonderful vibrant color.Its a simple dish that comes together quickly and is a favorite of my kids too!

This is a dry version of Aloo Matar that is a tad different from the usual.I boil the potatoes first and then fry them in some aromatic spices like cumin,coriander, turmeric ,chili and amchur (dry mango powder).Amchur is is basically powdered green mango and adds this wonderful citrusy tangy flavor to the dish.Its easily available at your local Indian grocers.Enjoy!

Aloo Matar (Potatoes and Peas) #Vegan

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Ingredients

3 medium Potatoes
Frozen green peas- 1 cup
Oil-3 tbsp
Cumin Seeds-1 tsp
Ground Coriander-2 tsp
Turmeric-1 tsp
Red Chili powder-1/2 tsp
Tomato paste-1 tsp
Amchur dry mango powder-1 tsp
Salt-to taste

Instructions

Boil the potatoes in some water until cooked.Peel off the skin once slightly cooled.Roughly chop them.
In a skillet heat the oil and add cumin seeds.
Once they crackle lower the heat and add the rest of the spices and tomato paste.
Stir for about a minute.If sticking to the pan add about a tbsp of water.
Add the chopped boiled potaoes and let it coat in the mixture.Add salt and peas.
Mix all together and cook until the peas are cooked.
Enjoy!

Kashmiri Dum Aloo (Potatoes cooked in aromatic spices-an authentic Kashmiri dish)

10 | 07 | 2014
By Soni Sinha

If there’s one cuisine that’s always intrigued me,it has to be Kashmiri cuisine.Its amazing how with just a few spices and yoghurt, you can create some amazing recipes that’s to die for.I was introduced to Kashmiri food through my brother who has friends from the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India.Being a foodie just like the rest of us he has learnt to cook some of those amazing dishes that he enjoyed at his friends’ .When I recently visited India he made the most amazing Mutton Rogan Josh, and the taste still lingers in my mouth.

The recipe I have for you today is a Kashmiri Potato dish called Dum Aloo and involves cooking whole potatoes in some aromatic spices like aniseed and cumin along with some yoghurt.It takes some effort but the end result is out of this world.Its in a way easier than any other Indian preparation since the recipe does not call for onion or garlic.But you do have to patiently stir throughout for the sauce to come together. Enjoy.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo (Potatoes cooked in aromatic spices-an authentic Kashmiri dish)

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Ingredients

Potatoes medium same size-1 lb
Cumin Seeds-1 tsp
Cloves-3
Asafoetida-1 pinch
Red chili powder-2 tsp or a mix of 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder and 1 tsp red chili powder
Turmeric-1/2 tsp
Ground ginger-1 tsp
Aniseed powder-1 tsp
Yoghurt-1/2 cup
Garam masala-1 tsp
Powder 1 black cardamom 1/2 inch cinnamon and black pepper-1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Mustard Oil- 1/2 cup to fry potatoes plus cooking

Instructions

Boil the potatoes until tender.Once cool peel and prick the potatoes all over using a tootpick.Keep aside.
Heat some oil in a wok or a deep dish and fry the potatoes until golden on all sides.
Strain with a slotted spoon and keep aside in a tray.
Add about 1/4 cup of oil back into the wok and add cloves,cumin and asefoetida.
Stir, lower the heat and slowly add the red chili and turmeric along with a tbsp of water.
Make sure to not burn the chili and turmeric.
Stir till the oil separates from the sides and mixes in with the chili/turmeric about 3-4 minutes stirring continously.
Beat the yoghurt with a little bit of water to smooth.Add in the beaten yoghurt into the mix while still stirring.
Add the ground aniseed and ginger and conitnue to cook constantly stirring until you see oil separating.
Add the potatoes and mix all over so that they get coated in the mix.Add just enough water to cover the potatoes.
Cook on low heat until oil separates and the sauce thickens.Add a little water if too dry.
Add garam masala and the cardamom spice mix.Adjust the seasonings.
Serve hot with your favorite bread or rice.

Top 10 Vegan Recipes from Soni’s Food

29 | 05 | 2014
By Soni Sinha

Vegan recipes are always a huge hit with my readers and are very well received all across the web.My emphasis has always been to make foods healthier and flavorful since food has to be enjoyed, not just eaten.Every bite has to be delicious and devourable in texture,taste and looks.With Vegan foods people think that their choices are very limited, but I want to show them otherwise.My Vegan recipes would give any meat recipe a run for its money and I’ve even seen people skip the meats for my Vegan recipes, would you believe!

So for all the Vegan and Non Vegan people out there, there’s no limit to creating exciting fun recipes using the ingredients that work for you.Cooking is an art and you just have to be creative and not scared to try out different combinations and expand your horizon .I just wanted to give you an insight into My Top 10 Vegan Recipes in order of their popularity.Get some ideas and get cooking!Enjoy.

1. Brussels Sprouts Koftas