Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Indian Spiced Roasted Fennel and Goat Cheese Salad

13 | 08 | 2015
By Soni Sinha

Hello!!

I’ve been missing in action since I was away on a family Holiday to the UK. It’s our second home since the hubs and I have family there and we’ve lived in various parts of UK including London, Walsall and Edinburgh. We had a great time meeting our families, attending my cousins’ engagement ceremony and also got to meet an old school friend after 20 years!!Our trip also involved going down the memory lane and showing our kids our old place in London and favorite local areas apart from the famous landmarks.The trip was fantastic and the weather gods were very kind since we had some gorgeous days with plenty of sunshine. Here are some pics from our London trip.

London

Just before we left for our holiday, I made this amazing salad that I have to share with you. You know how much I love Fennel. The sweet flavors reminiscent of licorice and anise are very refreshing and my favorite way to use them is by roasting them until they’re slightly golden and the flavors come through. Some other examples of using fennel are over here and here. But this recipe I have for you today has it all.The flavors, the richness, the elegance and the ease of the oven doing the work for you.

Indian Spiced Roasted Fennel Goat Cheese Salad

I like to use Indian spices in my roasted vegetables. Ground Cumin and coriander work perfectly with almost anything. Adding garlic is imperative while roasting veggies. Don’t you agree? My last minute idea of adding some smooth and delicate goat’s cheese is the icing on the cake here that does wonders to this salad. The complex flavors from the spices and the garlic with the sweetness of the fennel combined with the tangy creamy goat’s cheese is all you need in your life. Trust me.

Indian Spiced Roasted Fennel and Goat Cheese Salad

 

Indian Spiced Rosted Fennel and Goat Cheese Salad 3

Indian Spiced Roasted Fennel and Goat Cheese Salad

Indian Spiced Roasted Fennel and Goat’s Cheese Salad

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Ingredients
  

  • Fennel-2
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander-1 tsp
  • Garlic powder- 2 tsp
  • Paprika or mild red chili powder-1/2 tsp
  • Salt
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil-2 tbsp
  • Fresh Goat cheese-small log about 5 ounces

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven at 400 degrees.
  • Discard the hard outer shell and slice the fennel into strips.
  • In a baking sheet add the fennel along with cumin,coriander.paprika,garlic,salt and oil.Mix well
  • Spread evenly all over the tray and bake for about 12-15 minutes until slightly golden.
  • Crumble goat cheese all over and bake for another 2-3 minutes until slightly melted.
  • Enjoy!

Stir fried Quinoa with Vegetables

15 | 06 | 2015
By Soni Sinha

I like a light lunch during these hot summer days and Quinoa fits the bill perfectly.I love the fact that it’s healthy and you can dress it up pretty much any way you want.It soaks up the flavors added to it and tastes amazing.I’ve tried Quinoa with sweet and salty flavors and loved it both ways.Today I’ve made a simple stir fry packed with some vegetables for an easy lunch or dinner.The crunch of the veggies and a hint of ginger in the background is all this dish needs to satisfy your tastebuds.

Stir Fried Quinoa with Vegetables

I first tasted Quinoa in a restaurant in a salad with a sweet orange dressing and it tasted absolutely delicious!Since then I’ve been making it with various combinations and each one has come out good like this  Quinoa Aloo Tikki and my Quinoa Chickpea Stew that are easy to prepare and taste amazing!Its a pantry staple and I typically cook a big batch at a time.That way I have it ready and can use it whichever way I want.

Stir fried Quinoa with Vegetables

The flavors in my stir fry are pretty simple.I start off with browning some onions in oil and add the ginger followed by the veggies before adding the Quinoa.I love adding mint to my rice dishes and have treated this Quinoa dish is a similar fashion by garnishing it with sweet mint. It instantly adds its fresh sweet taste and works nicely with the rest of the ingredients.You could get creative and also add your choice of nuts to this dish if you prefer.Enjoy!

Stir Fried Quinoa with Vegetables 4

 

Stir Fried Quinoa with Vegetables

Stir fried Quinoa with Vegetables

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Ingredients
  

  • Quinoa-1 1/2 cups
  • Water-3 cups
  • Onion-1 large chopped finely
  • Jalapeño- 1 chopped
  • Crushed Ginger-1 inch
  • 1 cup peeled and diced carrot
  • 1 cup diced green pepper
  • 1 cup chopped Baby Bella Mushrooms
  • Mint for garnish
  • Salt
  • Oil-3 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the quinoa and add in into a pot with water with a little salt.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 15 mis or until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is cooked.
  • In a separate pan heat oil and add chopped onion and sauté until slightly golden.Add the chopped jalapeño.
  • Add crushed ginger and cook for half a minute and then add the mushrooms.
  • Saute until the mushrooms are golden .
  • Add the carrots along with some salt and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the peppers and mx well.Once the veggies are cooked add the quinoa.
  • Mix well and check the seasoning.
  • Garnish with chopped mint.

 

Hearty Ratatouille with Goat’s Cheese #WeekdaySupper #Giveaway

11 | 05 | 2015
By Soni Sinha

Its hard for me to walk past a cookbook in a book store without stopping to take a look while flipping through the pages.And if I happen to like it, then it gets added to my already expanding collection in my kitchen.How can you not be mesmerized by the tantalising recipes and stories in each cookbook and the knowledge you derive about your favorite cuisine.Right from the tools required to make the dishes,to the handy tips that’s always welcome while trying out the recipes, its always a great joy to own a cookbook and try recipes from it.I’m excited today to be reviewing Molly Gilbert’s cookbook Sheet Pan Suppers!Family recipes that you can bake in a Sheetpan?Who wouldn’t want that!!Less dishes to wash and and less mess.Its a godsend for anyone with a busy lifestyle and I’m in love with the book.

Hearty Ratatouille

Sheet Pan Suppers has 120 easy and delicious recipes right from mouth watering appetizers like Baked Feta and Chunky Mango Chutney (a must try) to elegant entree dishes like Salmon with Roasted Cucumber and Dilled Yoghurt sauce to a Serve-Withs section that even has a Spring Rice Pilaf (in a sheet pan!) and desserts like Fresh Brioche Cinnamon Roll!

Drooling yet?

Molly is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, a fellow food blogger at Dunk & Crumble PLUS a recipe tester in the kitchen of Saveur.Her cookbook has something for everyone and I love her handy tips and hints that’s super helpful.The recipes are fresh and make use of ingredients in a very creative way that makes for some very elegant dishes.Its what I love the most about this book.

Hearty Ratatouille 5

The recipe that caught my eye as I was flipping the pages is a classic that I’ve been wanting to try for a long time.Its a Hearty Ratatouille with Goat’s Cheese and I absolutely loved how stunning it looked and how equally delicious it tasted!A healthy dish with colorful vegetables that’s so super easy and the addition of simple herbs like thyme and basil just works beautifully.The vegetables are perfectly soft and and you can taste the lovely tomato sauce underneath in every scoop.The goat’s cheese gives it that smooth richness that somehow rounds up the overall balance of flavors along with the vegetables and even my kids (7 and 11) loved it and went for seconds!They even helped layer the veggies with so much enthusiasm :). Its a new family favorite.I served it with some toasted French Baguette and it was one winner dinner!

Hearty Ratatouille

Hearty Ratatouille with Goat’s Cheese #WeekdaySupper #Giveaway

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Ingredients
  

  • Olive Oil Cooking Spray
  • 1 can 12 ounces tomato puree
  • 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter cut into small cubes
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1 large Chinese Eggplant or other long skinny eggplant
  • 1 large zucchini
  • 1 large yellow squash
  • 3-4 smallish yukon gold potatoes unpeeled
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 4 ounces soft goat's cheese
  • 1 tbsp roughy chopped basil leaves
  • Crusty Bread for serving

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with one rack about 4 inches from the broiler and one rack in the center.
  • Mist a sheet pan with cooking spray
  • Dump the tomato puree onto the prepared sheet pan.Add the garlic, onion, salt and pepper.Use a rubber spatula to spred evenly.Drop the butter cubes all over.
  • Cut the top off the pepper, pull out the seeds.Take a sharp knife and slice into 1/8-1/4 of an inch rounds and slice the rounds into thirds.
  • Trim the ends of the eggplant, zucchini and squash.Slice each into 1/8-1/4 inch.
  • Slice the potatoes the same size too.
  • Carefully arrange the vegetables over the tomato base overlapping them in a pattern going from oe short end to the other.
  • Drizzle the veggies with olive oil.Sprinkle with thyme and some salt and pepper.
  • Bake the ratatouille on the center rack until the vegetables are tender and the tomato sauce is bubbling up the edges, 30-40 mins
  • Remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven to broil.
  • Break the goats cheese into large crumbles and scatter evenly over the ratatouille.Broil to gently melt the cheese about 1 min.
  • Sprinkle the chopped basil and serve warm with crusty bread.

The Giveaway!

All you have to do is leave a comment and let me know your favorite food to cook on a sheet pan. Entries will be assigned a number and the winner selected using Random.org. The winner will be notified by email. If the winner does not respond in 48 hours an alternate winner will be selected. Contest ends on Wednesday, May 16, 2015 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Contest is only for United States residents, with a US shipping address, and over the age of 18. There are several more chances to win the cookbook on other Weekday Supper posts (see list below). Entrants can only win one cookbook via this Weekday Supper campaign.

This Giveaway is now closed.

MORE FABULOUS SHEET PAN SUPPER RECIPES:

WEEKDAYbadge-150x150

 

Molly Gilbert’s Social Media Sites:

Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – Pinterest

Please check out the Sheet Pan Suppers Pinterest Board for more scrumptious sheet pan inspiration. And don’t forget to order your own copy of Sheet Pan Suppers. You’ll love it!

Would you like to learn a little more about Molly Gilbert? Check out this interview on the Sunday Supper website.

Disclaimer-This post is sponsored by Workman Publishing Company in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.

Indian Spiced Cabbage and Fennel

10 | 11 | 2014
By Soni Sinha

Stir fried vegetables are always a great addition to a dinner table. And with the holidays nearing, its not a bad idea to add some to your repertoire of recipes to serve. I love Indian spiced Cabbage and decided to give it a little twist by adding some sweet fennel. I don’t know about you but I absolutely love Fennel and have enjoyed them in recipes like this and this. In this recipe the Cabbage and fennel combo works wonderfully and you can taste the sweet licorice flavors amped up with some spices.

Indian Spiced Cabbage and Fennel

If you’re pressed for time you could use sliced cabbage from Trader Joe’s like I’ve done or just get a regular green cabbage and slice them thinly. The spices consist of smoky cumin, coriander, a little bit of garam masala and ginger. The dish brings together all these flavors and the leftovers can be turned into tasty sandwich fillings or even a savory puff pastry filling. This dish is sure to please your vegetarian and vegan guests too. I served this with some roti and dal and its an easy and delicious way to use fennel in Indian cooking. You’ll be glad you tried it. Enjoy.

Indian Spiced Cabbage and Fennel

Indian Spiced Cabbage and Fennel

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Ingredients
  

  • Cabbage-1 head thinly sliced
  • Fennel-2 bulbs edges trimmed and thinly sliced
  • Cumin seeds-1 tsp
  • 1 large onion-sliced
  • 1 inch ginger crushed
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander-2 tsp
  • Red chili powder-1/2 tsp
  • Garam masala-1 tsp
  • Green chili-2 optional
  • Tomato paste--1-2 tsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-3 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • In a skillet or wok heat the oil and add the cumin seeds until they crackle.
  • Add the onion and saute for a about 2 mins.
  • Add the ginger and continue to cook.
  • Add the spices followed by the tomato paste and cook until all aromatic about 2 minutes.Add a tbsp of water if its sticks to your pan.
  • Continue to cook for about 5-6 minutes until the paste doesn't stick to the pan and oil starts to separate from the sides.
  • Add the cabbage and fennel along with salt.Mix well.
  • Cover and continue to cook stirring every few mins until evenly cooked.

Leek and Potato Soup

16 | 09 | 2014
By Soni Sinha

“Here comes the morning chill
the leaves falling on the ground so still
the beaming sunshine
the soft breeze
kissing me softly on my cheeks
as I sit down by my window
staring at the wonder
of nature in all its splendor
Of birds singing
Of trees swaying
to the tune of the soft Autumn wind”

Leek and Potato Soup

Today we got a glimpse of Autumn when we woke up to cooler temperatures for the first time this season and I instantly decided that I had to make soup for dinner.It just seemed the perfect day to enjoy some warm soup to warm us up.I was also reminded that I had some gorgeous leeks that needed to be used and Leek and Potato Soup came to mind.

Leek and Potato Soup 2

I love the simplicity and the delicate balance of flavors that this soup has to offer.Leek and potatoes are a classic combination and with minimal ingredients its just the perfect food to warm and comfort you on a cold night.I’ve tried to make it healthier by omitting cream and just going with 2% milk and water combo.You could also use stock instead of water.Its a family favorite.  Enjoy!

Leek and Potato Soup

Leek and Potato Soup

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Ingredients
  

  • Leeks-2 bunches cleaned and chopped
  • Large potatoes-2 peeled and diced
  • Onion-1 medium chopped
  • Butter-2 tbsp
  • 2 % Milk-1 cup
  • Water-1 cup
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a pot heat the butter and saute the onion until translucent.
  • Add the leeks.Saute for another minute.
  • Add the potatoes, milk, water, salt and pepper.
  • Once it comes to a boil, cover , reduce the heat and continue to cook for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fully cooked.
  • Check the seasonings.
  • Carefully transfer into a blender or use a hand blender and blend until all smooth.
  • Garnish with your favorite herb and serve hot.