Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Fried Polenta

07 | 01 | 2015
By Soni Sinha

Welcome to the new year!As promised I’m on my task for the new year and have some exciting recipes lined up for you.During the winter break we visited our family in the UK.We met some old friends in London and had a lovely time with my in-laws near Birmingham.The kids got to meet their cousins and I also got to meet my sister in Wales and spent some quality time with her sans hubby and kids.We chatted our hearts out, watched movies, went shopping, you know..all the good stuff that sisters do!

Fried Polenta

We went out for a drive around the country side one morning and was hungry after a while.We spotted this lovely restaurant and decided to have lunch there.The menu consisted of some pretty good options and after much deliberation we settled on Fried Polenta with Asparagus that sounded amazing.Believe it or not I’d never had fried polenta before!I was always intrigued looking at the pics on the web or when somebody mentioned it but never tried it until this point.When the dish arrived it just looked stunning!The polenta was topped with pan fried asparagus,a poached egg and shavings of parmesan cheese.It looked divine and I couldn’t wait to dig in.It tasted amazing.Slightly crispy on the outside along with the contrasting textures of the asparagus and the egg.We enjoyed our lunch and ever since I came back I’ve been wanting to try them at home.

Fried Polenta 3

Hence today, Fried Polenta is on the menu for you.I had some cornmeal sitting in the pantry waiting to be used and this seemed like the perfect opportunity!I loved how easy the process is and it also makes for a great party appetizer served along with some marinara sauce.I searched the web for a good recipe and found this one from Giada De Laurentiis.I was delighted that they turned out so good in the first try !My kids ate them for their after school snack with a thumbs-up!Will be making them again and again!Enjoy!

Fried Polenta

Fried Polenta

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Ingredients
  

For Polenta

  • 6 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 ¾ cups yellow cornmeal
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

For Fried Polenta

  • 3 cups Basic Polenta
  • 6 tbsp olive oil for frying
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan
  • Salt
  • 1 cup purchased marinara sauce

Instructions
 

Polenta recipe

  • Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan.
  • Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal.
  • Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  • Add the butter, and stir until melted.

Fried Polenta

  • Cut the polenta into thin long pieces.
  • Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Working in batches, fry the polenta pieces until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the polenta pieces to paper towels and drain.Serve warm along with some store bought marinara.

 

 

Aloo Asparagus (Potato and Asparagus)

09 | 09 | 2014
By Soni Sinha

 

Aloo Asparagus

Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables and I love to experiment with it in different ways.This recipe I have for you today combines Asparagus with Potatoes.Typically this dish is made using just potatoes,but teaming it with Asparagus was a brilliant idea and was a hit even with my kids!

Aloo Asparagus

This dish is called ‘Bhujia’ and is a staple in the states of UP and Bihar in India.Its a simple stir fry that requires minimal ingredients and tastes great with some roti/naan along with some dal (lentils) for a simple weekday supper.The potatoes are cooked first and a non stick pan or cast iron skillet would work best since you don’t want them to stick to the pan.They’re cooked until they develop that lovely golden color and the asparagus is added a little later towards the end since they don’t take long to cook.This dish has lovely flavors from the garlic,turmeric and red chili.A family favorite that’s super easy and healthy too!Enjoy!

Aloo Asparagus 2

Aloo Asparagus

Aloo Asparagus (Potato and Asparagus)

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Ingredients
  

  • Potato-3 medium diced
  • Asparagus-1 bunch
  • Cumin Seeds-1 tsp
  • Crushed Garlic-1 tsp
  • Red chili or paprika-1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric-1/2 tsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-3 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Trim the tough ends of the Asparagus and chop them into 1/2 inch pieces and dice the potatoes.Wash and pat dry.
  • In a skillet heat the oil and add the cumin seeds.
  • Once they splutter, add the potatoes along with the turmeric and some salt.Lower the heat to medium and cover.
  • Keep stirring every few minutes until more than halfway cooked and add the asparagus.
  • Add the crushed garlic,red chili/paprika,salt and mix well.
  • Cook for another 6-8 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

 

 

Curried Green Beans

04 | 12 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

Green Beans have never been one of my favorite vegetables.I despised them as a kid and until my late twenties.Then one fine day, it dawned upon me to try something different.I remembered the times when we were living in the South Indian state of Karnataka where we were introduced to some great South Indian food through my parents’ friends.They made a similar version using Green Beans and also Cabbage.Although this recipe might not be the exact way its made,I’ve tweaked it to make it easy enough for me and the flavors are similar.I do remember that they cut the beans very fine, but I just leave it whole.They look prettier that way. I’ve been enjoying them ever since.

Curried Green Beans

This dish is spiced up using curry powder.You could use mild or hot depending upon your preference.The use of coconut is quite common in South Indian cooking.It adds a nice texture and crunch to the dish.You can serve this as a side dish for the Holidays.It cooks fast and is on the table in a matter of minutes.I use frozen beans but you could use fresh ones too.Couldn’t be any easier and it could easily feed a crowd.Serve alongside your favorite entree.Enjoy!

Curried Green Beans 1

Curried Green Beans

Curried Green Beans

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Ingredients
  

  • Frozen or Fresh Green Beans-3 cups
  • Curry powder-2 tsp
  • Shredded Coconut-1/4 cup
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-2 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • In a skillet heat the oil and add the green beans.
  • Add the curry powder,salt and the shredded coconut.
  • Saute until the beans are cooked but still crunchy.
  • Serve hot.

 

 

 

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

07 | 05 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

If you’ve been reading my blog you would very well know by now how much I love roasting my veggies!There’s so much flavor that you can extract out of any vegetable just by roasting them!The best part is they’re super easy and you don’t end up using your pots and pans that prevents the mess around the stove top and makes cleaning a breeze!I serve roasted vegetables as a side dish with my Indian and Non-Indian meals very often and now even my kids have started enjoying them!

Roasted Curried Cauliflower 1

Cauliflower is one vegetable that I’ve always loved even as a kid. My kids also love it as much as I do and I make it a point to cook it at least once a week. From heath perspective its something you’d want to make very often since its full of antioxidants and fiber.As a great source of Vitamin K it contains anti-inflammatory properties too.Source

Roasted Curried Cauliflower.jpg

This preparation I have for you today is very simple.All you need is curry powder,salt and chili powder.The fact that I’ve sliced the cauliflower all the way makes for a delightful presentation and its quicker too.I’ve also garnished it with some toasted coconut since it pairs well with curry powder.Simple yet flavorful this is one amazing side dish for any table!

Roasted Curried Cauliflower.jpg

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

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Ingredients
  

  • Medium Cauliflower- sliced into 1/2 inch slices
  • Curry Powder-2 tsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Red chili or paprika-1/4 tsp
  • Shredded Coconut-1 tbsp
  • Oli-2-3 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Toast some shredded coconut in a dry pan until slightly golden.Keep aside.
  • Rub the cauliflower with the spices on both sides.
  • Drizze some oil all over.
  • Roast on a greased baking sheet for about 20 mins until all golden.Sprinkle the toasted coconut all over.
  • Serve hot!