Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Monster Pumpkin Pancakes

29 | 10 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Today is all about monsters.Monsters that are not scary but kind of funny :)My four year old is not a big fan of scary things, unlike my nine year old who LOVES anything and everything SCARY!!This Monster is super easy to make and you can ask your kids to come up their own versions.My son made this one by using decorative candy strings for the mouth and hair.Its an easy Halloween recipe idea for little kids without being too scary :)My kids were super excited to eat these for breakfast this morning 🙂

 

Monster Pumpkin Pancakes

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Ingredients
  

  • All Purpose Flour-1 1/4 Cups
  • Sugar-2 Tablespoon

 

 

 

Pumpkin Masala-Spiced Pumpkin

22 | 10 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

With the abundance of Pumpkins this season, its always a challenge to come up with new and exciting recipes that are easy to make, yet different and of course taste delicious.My recipe today is the result of exactly that, an experiment that was successful and received a thumbs up from the taste testers aka hubby and kids 🙂 We recently went Pumpkin picking and got ourselves some gorgeous looking pumpkins in two different sizes one large and one small.The smaller pumpkin is what I’ve used here today.It was unripe and I would recommend using unripe Pumpkins for this preparation, since they are not overly sweet.

On a recent twitter chat when some friends asked about some good pumpkin recipes to try, I recommended Pumpkin Curry!My friends immediately wanted recipes and that gave me the idea to come up with an Indian inspired Pumpkin recipe on my blog.So here is a savory Pumpkin recipe that will totally blow you away with all the different layers of delicious flavors.Its savory, spicy, tangy all in one and its totally different from the sweet creations thats normally associated with Pumpkins.

 

Indian Spiced Masala Pumpkin

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Small Unripe Pumpkin- 2 cups Cubed
  • Onions-1 cup chopped
  • Crushed Ginger-1 tsp
  • Crushed Garlic-1 tsp
  • Jalapenos/Green Chili-1 chopped
  • Large Tomatoes-2 pureed
  • Ground Coriander-2 tsp
  • Ground Cumin-2 tsp
  • Garam Masala-1 tsp
  • Turmeric-1/2 tsp
  • Red Chili Powder Cayenne-1 tsp
  • Water-2 cups
  • Salt- to taste
  • Oil-3 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • In a skillet, heat oil and add the onions.
  • Saute until slightly golden and add the ginger and garlic.
  • Add the spices and saute on low heat for about 2 minutes stirring constantly.Add the jalapeno/green chili
  • Add the tomato puree and continue to cook on medium heat, until the oil begins to separate from the sides (about 8 minutes)
  • Add the pumpkin pieces.Stir and mix well.Add salt and water.Mix well, cover and cook on medium until fully cooked (about 10-15 minutes)
  • Serve hot!

Rigatoni with Pumpkin Ricotta Sauce ~ All things Orange #SundaySupper

07 | 10 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Autumn colors are indeed magical.Nature seems like a canvas painted with beautiful warm colors.Pumpkin patches, halloween, trick-or-treating all the fun and the excitement has begun! Autumn also brings along with it some glorious orange colored foods from pumpkins to squash to sweet potatoes and its no surprise then that our friend Pam chose ‘All things Orange’ for today’s SundaySupper!

pumpkin ricotta rigatoni

My entry for this event is an easy Rigatoni with Pumpkin Ricotta Sauce that captures the essence of fall colors and flavors into a gorgeous creamy pasta dish.I found a Martha Stewart recipe and tweaked it by going for the Ricotta instead of heavy cream and adding nutmeg!The result is an elegant pasta dish that takes no effort to prepare and yet makes a strong statement in terms of flavors and texture.

pumpkin+ricotta+rigatoni3

The sage adds this sweet lemony touch and fragrance to the dish and the pumpkin with the ricotta is pure magic.The nutmeg is essential in enhancing the creamy flavors and the grated parmesan is all you need to finish off this gorgeous sauce.I was so happy to see my kids enjoy the dinner as much as we did :).They were very excited to know that there was pumpkin in the sauce. Something about Pumpkins and Halloween that gets them all excited 🙂

Rigatoni with Pumpkin Ricotta Sauce ~ All things Orange #SundaySupper

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Ingredients
  

  • Rigatoni-3 cups uncooked
  • Pumpkin Puree-3/4 cup I used canned
  • Ricotta Cheese-1/2 cup
  • Milk-1/4 cup
  • Grated Nutmeg-1 tsp
  • Sage leaves-10 cut into strips
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil-1 tbsp
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese-1/4 cup
  • Salt-to taste
  • Pepper-1 tsp

Instructions
 

  • Cook the Rigatoni in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente.
  • In a bowl mix together the pumpkin puree, ricotta,milk, sage leaves.
  • In a pan on medium heat, add the Olive Oil followed by the pumpkin sauce.
  • Gently mix together until all creamy.You can add more milk to reach the desired consistency.Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  • Add the cooked pasta into the sauce and add freshly grated parmesan cheese to finish off.Serve hot!
 

The #SundaySupper family is using the spirit of the season to inspire you and will be sharing some fabulous dishes at the #SundaySupper table this week, and we do hope that you’ll join us!

Just look at all of the fabulous dishes being offered up this week:

Sunrise (Breakfast and Brunch)

Sunset (Dinner and Main Dishes)

By The Bonfire (Sweets, Snacks and Sips)

That is one great list of orange culinary delights. What a way to brighten up a meal. A feast for the eyes and the tummy!

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check our our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

 

Curried Apple and Leek Soup ~ Autumn Apple Party #SundaySupper

23 | 09 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Come autumn and the crisp cool air just feels so good in the mornings.I’m enjoying this transition of the weather and the lovely warm and comforting foods that come along with it!Talking about autumn, its also the season of Apples!.This lovely fruit is one of my most favorite things to cook/bake with and I can think of so many ways to use them in my sweet and savory creations.So when my friend Cindy from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings suggested ‘Autumn Apple Party’ as the title for this #SundaySupper I jumped with excitement 🙂
apple soup2
I’m bringing a savory item for this event and its already becoming a family favorite, going by the verdict of my 4 and 9 year olds :)Its my creamy Curried Apple and Leek Soup that has so many varied flavors that tickle your tastebuds in just the right way.I found the original recipe at All Recipes and added my own twist with the bacon and paprika! The soup is slightly acidic from the Granny Smith Apples,with a slight hint and heat of the spices combined with the creaminess of the potatoes. The flavors further elevate with the garnish of the salty, crisp bacon!One bowl full of goodness for this Fall~

Curried Apple and Leek Soup

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Ingredients
  

  • Granny Smith Apples-2 peeled cored and chopped
  • Leeks-2 stalks cleaned and chopped
  • Potato-1 medium peeled and chopped
  • Curry Powder-2 tsp
  • Paprika-1 tsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Pepper-2 tsp
  • Water-2 cups
  • Bacon-2 slices
  • Butter-2 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Heat butter in a sauce pan and add the chopped leeks.Saute for about a minute until translucent.Add the curry powder and saute for another minute.Add the potatoes,apples,all the other spices and water.Bring to a boil.Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes.Adjust the seasonings.
  • Crisp up the bacon in a pan and break it by hand.
  • Once cooked blend the soup until all smooth and creamy.Garnish with the bacon bits and serve hot with crusty bread!

Check out the scrumptious creations of my blogger friends using Apples and don’t forget to join our twitter chat at 7pm est!Soups, Salads, Starters and Breads

Indian Spiced Sweet Potato Patties

20 | 04 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

My newest craze these days are Sweet Potatoes.So rich in texture, taste and a nicer and healthier alternative to Potatoes.Packed with nutrition, rich in fiber, vitamins and beta carotene, this is a wonder vegetable that you can incorporate into your family’s diet. Its a versatile vegetable, that can be used in many different ways right from cutlets,to a simple mash, casseroles or desserts.

sweet potatoes

I’d originally planned on making sweet potato mash for dinner.The idea of making these into patties popped in when I’d peeled them up and I instantly changed my plan.I opened up my spice cabinet and threw in some coriander and cumin to give it a kick.The result is a luscious healthy appetizer or snack that you can enjoy guilt free!

The patties taste best when the natural sugars in the sweet potato caramelizes and imparts an earthy slightly charred flavor!The ginger kicks in along with the spices and the corn starch works as a binder.Its rustic and delicious!!I have been making it ever since and I’m sure you will too!

Indian Spiced Sweet Potato Patties

Indian Spiced Sweet Potato Patties

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Ingredients
  

  • Sweet Potatoes-3 Medium or 4-5 small makes about 8-10
  • Potato any kind-1 medium boiled
  • Ginger-1 inch crushed
  • Green Chillies jalapeños-2 chopped finely
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander-1 tsp
  • Cornstarch-2-3 tbsps
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-for shallow frying

Instructions
 

  • Wash the Sweet potatoes and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees F for 50 mins- 1 hour until cooked.
  • In the meantime boil a potato either on the stove-top or in a microwave.
  • Peel off the skin of the sweet potatoes and the potato, mash it and mix all the ingredients except oil.
  • Take some of the mix and flatten it between your hands, into round shaped patties.
  • Heat oil in a non stick pan over medium heat.
  • Shallow fry until nicely brown and caramalized on both sides.Serve hot with some ketchup!
Notes: For best results 
  • refrigerate the ready patties for about 20 minutes before you fry them
  • Use a Non-Stick pan to prevent them from sticking (do not use too much oil, just 2 tbsp on each side should suffice)
  • Let the patties develop a nice golden color on one side before you flip them.