Onion Rings

I have such a backlog of recipes & reviews to put up on this blog and I am just not getting the time to do it all. It's Ramadan and even though we technically have to work shorter hours, there's just so much to do - managing office work & house chores & taking out as much time as possible for prayers & spiritual reflection.

This time, I am just going to proceed with the recipe directly - no introductions :). More time for that after Eid inshAllah! 

Onion Rings

Crispy Fried Onion Rings

Adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/old-fashioned-onion-rings/

Ingredients

Makes 3-4 servings

• 2 large onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 - 1 1/4 cups flour/maida
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
• 1.5 tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes 
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup - 1 cup milk 
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I use panko-style bread crumbs as they absorb less oil & are crisper)
• salt for sprinkling in the end 
• oil for frying
• Chilli Mayo Dip (Recipe in the end)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a karhai/wok/deep pan once the onion rings preparation has been completed and you are ready to fry.
2. Separate the onion slices into rings, and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt & spices.
3. Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until they are all coated; set aside. Whisk the egg and milk into the flour mixture using a fork or whisk. 
4. Spread the bread crumbs in a large plate or tray. 
5. Create an assembly line with one container holding the onion rings, the second containing the flour batter, with the breadcrumbs in a plate/tray. 
6. Dip the floured rings into the batter to coat, hold them up so that the batter can drip away. I was in a hurry so I just added all the onion rings to the batter, covered it with a big plate and then shook so that it can mix properly.
7. Place rings one at a time into the crumbs, and scoop the crumbs up over the ring to coat. Give it a hard tap as you remove it from the crumbs. The coating should cling very well. Repeat with remaining rings.
8. Deep fry the rings a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. 
9. Season with salt, and serve with Chilli Mayo dip.

Note: In order to avoid the dipping & coating mess, make the batter (flour + egg + milk) in ziplock bag. Once properly mixed, add the onion rings, close the bag and shake to coat properly. Add the bread crumbs in another ziplock and add the batter coated onion rings a few at a time shaking to coat again. 

Chilli Mayo Dip

Mix 4 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tsp chilli garlic sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Taste & adjust if required. Serve with onion rings, or french fries.

Please 'like' me on Facebook to keep updated with new posts, tips & tricks, or to ask me any questions: Kay's House of Treats 

Everyday Menu Planning - Vegetarian Dishes

Vegetables 
(Includes Desi Pakistani Style Vegetables, Desi + Continental Style Vegetables and Continental Vegetables)

Below is a PDF document detailing different kinds of vegetable dishes that you can make regularly at your home - some of the recipes are already available on the blog (linked below) and the rest I will keep on adding as and when I get time. Please feel free to contribute any recipes & dishes that I have missed and are made at your house! :)

Vegetarian Recipes on My Blog: 

Roasted Tomato Garlic Soup

Leafy Green Salad with Apples & Tomatoes

Green Salad with Fruits & Nuts

Home-Made Paneer

Palak Paneer

Tomato Chutney & Loki Raita

Eggplant Burani

Spiced Rice

Mezze: Hummus, Baba Ganoush & Falafel

Grilled Potatoes

Baked Potato

Garlic Mashed Potatoes 

Potato Gratin 

Green Salad with Fruits & Nuts in a Honey-Yoghurt Dressing

Please 'like' me on Facebook to keep updated with new posts, tips & tricks, or to ask me any questions: Kay's House of Treats 

After I got the hang of the olive oil, lemon juice, yoghurt & mustard dressing, I started experimenting with something different. This time I made a salad with fruits & nuts with a honey based dressing - loved the slightly sweet dressing with the grapefruit & olives. The carrot is only there because I had one lying around so I just tossed it in the salad, but wouldn't recommend adding it otherwise.

Fresh Salad with Fruits & Nuts with Honey based dressing 

Salad Ingredients:
2-3 cups of Lettuce (Mesclun or any variety you prefer)
1/4 cup of Rocket/Arugula
¼ cup of baby spinach
1 large grapefruit
1 orange (optional – I used it because the grapefruit I had was small)
Olives – 2 to 3 tbsp
¼ cup – ½ cup walnuts, toasted

Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp yoghurt
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt & pepper

1. Blend the ingredients for the salad dressing in a blender for 30 seconds till it is creamy. Alternatively you can add all the ingredients and whisk for about a minute. Taste & adjust seasonings if required. 

2. Dry roast nuts in a skillet for about 3-5 minutes over medium heat till they are aromatic. Keep shaking the pan so they don't burn. Alternatively, you can toast them in a toaster oven.
3. Take a big salad bowl and add lettuce leaves, baby spinach & rocket/arugula. You can increase/decrease the quantity of the specific type of salad green based on personal preference.
4. Add fruits & olives to the salad leaves and lightly toss with about 2-3 tbsp of the dressing. Taste and add more dressing if required
5. Chop & crush the nuts then add as garnish on top of the salad.  
If you want to save the salad for the next day, then add the salad dressing individually into your plate otherwise the salad will start wilting once the dressing is added.

Playing Around:

1. Fruits: Substitute the apple for pear 

2. Citrus: Substitute the oranges for Mosambi or Grapefruit

3. Vegetables: Olives, capsicum, carrots or broccoli can be added/substituted

4. Protein: Add grilled paneer, grilled chicken or feta cheese to make it more filling

5. Nuts: Add sliced toasted almonds, peanuts Toast some nuts in a dry skillet and crush & sprinkle on top

Read up on my other Salad 101 blog posts below:

Salad 101 - Cleaning & Storing Greens

Salad 101 -Tossing Greens & Adding the Salad Dressing
Salad 101 - Types of Salad Greens
Salad 101 - The Basic Salad Dressing

Where to get Salad Greens in Karachi:

Sungold Organic – Home delivery of Organic Vegetables

Email at Sungoldorganic@gmail.com

Sungold number, 0342-2382731, 0345-2008247:
Growing your Own – Seeds available from Crops in Pots & available from Mom’s Garden

Gardening Help – SWOT’s Guide to House and Gardens & My Kitchen Garden Project

Shops – Assortment of vegetables can be found from Agha’s, Farids, Hyperstar, Empress Market, Defence Sunday Bazaar, & a ‘Sabzi Wala’ near French Bakery at Khadda Market

Reference Books:

How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition
The New Best Recipe by Cooks Illustrated Magazine

Leafy Green Salad with Apples & Tomatoes

So now that everyone is updated on what I haven't been posting for the last couple of weeks, let me start catching up by continuing my Salad 101 posts. I have covered How-to's on Cleaning & Storing Salad Greens, Types of Salad Greens & Tossing and Adding the Dressing. Now I will FINALLY be sharing the recipes :D .. 

Since I embarked on this salad making journey, I have been experimenting with various types of greens, fruits, dressings & seasonings, and have finally achieved the balance that my family loves.

My basic rule is that salad greens will form the base of the salad, along with some fruit to provide the sweetness, along with some citrus  to provide tang. Other vegetables can be added to make the salad more filling, nuts can be added for crunch, and proteins like chicken & cottage cheese can be added to make it more of a main course than a salad. 

Fresh Salad Greens with Apples & Tomatoes

Leafy Salad Green with Apples & Tomato

Salad Ingredients:
3-4 cups of Shredded/Cut Mild Greens (Mesclun Lettuce/Mixed Salad Greens or Chinese Cabbage)
1/4 cup of Rocket/Arugula
1/4 cup of Baby Spinach
Fresh Herbs (Basil, Parsley, Oregano) - 10 to 12 leaves, roughly chopped
1 Apple - cut into slices
1 Tomato - cut into wedges
1-2 Oranges - cut into segments

Dressing:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp yoghurt
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp mustard
salt & pepper
sumac (optional)Note: The dressing is also not a typical vinaigrette - I reduced the olive oil & added yoghurt for some creaminess. 

1. Toss the fruit (apples & oranges) with some lemon juice. 

2. Blend the ingredients for the salad dressing in a blender for 30 seconds till it is creamy. Alternatively you can add all the ingredients and whisk for about a minute. Taste & adjust seasonings if required. 
3. Take a big salad bowl and add salad greens, baby spinach & rocket/arugula. You can increase/decrease the quantity of the specific type of salad green based on personal preference.
4.Toss the salad greens together with 2 tbsp of the dressing. Adjust and add more dressing if required.
5. Add apples, carrots & oranges. Add 1 tbsp of the dressing and lightly toss. 
6.Garnish with tomatoes.

If you want to save the salad for the next day, then add the salad dressing individually into your plate otherwise the salad will start wilting once the dressing is added.

Playing Around:

1. Fruits: Substitute the apple for pear 

2. Citrus: Substitute the oranges for Mosambi or Grapefruit

3. Vegetables: Olives, capsicum, carrots or broccoli can be added/substituted

4. Protein: Add grilled paneer, grilled chicken or feta cheese to make it more filling

5. Crunch: Toast some nuts in a dry skillet and crush & sprinkle on top

Read up on my other Salad 101 blog posts below:

Salad 101 - Cleaning & Storing Greens

Salad 101 -Tossing Greens & Adding the Salad Dressing
Salad 101 - Types of Salad Greens
Salad 101 - The Basic Salad Dressing

Where to get Salad Greens in Karachi:

Sungold Organic – Home delivery of Organic Vegetables

Email at Sungoldorganic@gmail.com

Sungold number, 0342-2382731, 0345-2008247:
Growing your Own – Seeds available from Crops in Pots & available from Mom’s Garden

Gardening Help – SWOT’s Guide to House and Gardens & My Kitchen Garden Project

Shops – Assortment of vegetables can be found from Agha’s, Farids, Hyperstar, Empress Market, Defence Sunday Bazaar, & a ‘Sabzi Wala’ near French Bakery at Khadda Market

Reference Books:

How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition
The New Best Recipe by Cooks Illustrated Magazine

Potato Gratin

Potatoes & Cream & Cheese .. All baked in the Oven ...

Need I say more? :)

I served this potato gratin with my Chicken Paprika Straganoff as a side-dish, however, if you are in the mood, you can have the potatoes on their own! They are that good, and the best part about making it at home is that you can have as much as you want (or as much as there are leftover). 

This is indulgent comfort food at its best, and it tastes great in the winters when it comes hot out of the oven, with a bubbling cheesy crust on top. 

You might feel like eating salads the next week to compensate, but this dish is worth it. 

P.s. Make enough so that you have leftovers for the best midnight snack!

Potato Gratin
Serves 5 people

2 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup cream
1 1/2 - 2 cups milk
5 medium potatoes (approx. 1/2 kg), peeled and thinly sliced (use a mandoline for slicing as it would not just save time, but the slices would be of even thickness, which is necessary)
*be careful to not cut yourself while using the mandoline
1/2 - 3/4 cups grated cheese
Salt & Black Pepper - to taste
Fresh or Dried Herbs - Rosemary is preferred, but Oregano is good too

Required for Baking: 8 or 9 inch square baking dish (or similar size)
Ovenproof Pyrex is a good option as it can be served directly on the table.

Note: The initial recipe called for about 2 cups cream, and 1.5 cups of cheese, but I decreased both because while I am sure it would have tasted delicious, there was a little bit of guilt. You may increase the cream & cheese, but do reduce the milk accordingly. 

1. Heat oven to 180 C.

2. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Saute onion for 2-3 minutes till soft and translucent. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds till you can smell the garlic.

3. Add cream and milk and heat until its hot.

4. Start layering the potatoes & cheese in a baking dish making sure to end the top layer with cheese. Sprinkle every layer of potato with a bit of salt, pepper, herbs, and then cheese.

5. Pour in the cream and milk mixture over the potatoes making sure that it comes up at least 3/4th of the way up the potato layers.

6. Put in the oven and cook, until the potatoes are tender and the top is browned, about 45 to 50 minutes. Check by inserting a knife in the potatoes, and if it meets little or no resistance then the gratin is done.

7. Serve immediately.

Note: The cooking time will differ based on the thickness of the potato slices so check accordingly. 

How to make Home-Made Paneer or Cottage Cheese

I tried my hand at making Paneer for the first time when I made Palak Paneer just a few days ago. The inspiration being a local company that delivers organic vegetables & organic fresh milk. I ordered some spinach & the buffalo milk for a trial, and instantly the thing that came to my mind was to make Palak Paneer and also try my hand at making Paneer.

Paneer is a soft fresh Indian cottage cheese which can be easily made using milk & acid together. It's quite popular in Indian cuisine, specifically in North India due to the fact that its a healthy & delicious vegetarian menu. Some of the popular dishes range from Paneer Tikka, Paneer Pakora's (Fritters), Paneer Butter Masala, Palak Paneer & Aalo Matar Paneer (Peas and Potatoes with Paneer). In fact, I think its a much vegetarian alternative to tofu since not only is it easy to make but is delicious eaten on its own as well, or grilled or fried. 

Furthermore, for a bit of extra flavor, flavored paneer can also be made by adding spices or herbs. For example, the first time I made Paneer was basic plain flavored paneer and the next time I added fresh coriander (dhaniya) & some crushed red chilli flakes to give it just a little bit of kick. I was always a big fan of Paneer, but ever since I tried making it at home, there's definitely going to be no store-bought Paneer for me. 

Flavored Chilli & Coriander Paneer

How to Make Home Made Paneer 
Yields approx. 200-225 grams of Paneer from 1 litre milk

Update: Have found a supplier that delivers fresh hormone-free cow's milk to my place; Good quality milk which is convenient & affordable. Details are available at the end of this post.
Ingredients:
1 litre full-cream milk; its necessary to make sure that the milk is fresh - tetra-pak milk  cannot be used
Acid Ingredient - One of the following
2 tsp lemon juice or 2 tsp fresh yoghurt or 2 tsp vinegar
Flavorings (Optional) - Finely chopped fresh coriander, red chilli flakes, black pepper, salt etc
Flavorings - finely chopped garlic with red chilli pepper; finely chopped garlic with chopped green chilli;

Equipment Required: 
Muslin Cloth/Cheesecloth - Muslin cloth is basically 'malmal' in Urdu - so any clean & washed old Dupatta or fabric lying around can be used
Heavy Weight - A Mortar is good for pressing down the Paneer or desi Sil-Batta.

Note: It is not necessary to add flavorings in the Paneer, but since I had taken pictures of this version, this is what I posted. I think it makes the procedure much more simpler when explaining with pictures.

Method:
1 - Pour the 1 litre milk in a medium sized pan and put to boil. If using finely chopped garlic as a flavoring agent, then add now so that the raw garlic can cook for a bit & infuse the milk. 
2 - Line a sieve with muslin cloth/cheese cloth & put it over a big bowl. 
3 - Make sure that you keep standing next to the stove, since the milk can boil over anytime.
4 - Once small bubbles start appearing at the edge of the pot and the milk is about to start boiling, add flavorings if using. For example, in this recipe, I used 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp crushed red chilli flakes, & 1 tsp of fresh corriander leaves.

Light Boil - Added the spices & herbs

Time to add the the acid when the milk starts boiling 

5 - Once the milk starts boiling, turn the heat to low to make sure it doesn't boil over. Add the acid ingredient (lemon juice) and keep stirring. The milk should curdle/separate as soon as the lemon juice has been added. Stir continously until the milk is completely curdled and the water (whey) turns yellow-green in color. In case the milk does not curdle then add a few more drops of lemon juice till the milk has curdled and the water turns yellow-green. 

Curdled Milk with White Curds Separated & Greenish Yellow Liquid Remaining

6 - Remove from heat. 
7 - Pour the mixture into the sieve lined with a muslin cloth.
8 - Drain the whey/yellow liquid. 
9 - Tie up the cheesecloth/muslin in a tight bundle and hang it for about 15-20 minutes so that the moisture is drained. Alternatively, you can just lift it up, close the muslin cloth & squeeze the moisture as much as possible.

Paneer with the whey drained

10 - Then place the cheesecloth on a flat surface and place a weight on it so that the cheese gets flatter and any additional moisture is drained. Keep it for about 30 minutes.
11 - Once the paneer is set, it can be cut into cubes of any shape to be used.

Set Paneer ready to cut into cubes

12 - Keep the Paneer in the refrigerator in an airtight container. 
13 - It will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
14 - Use the Paneer to make Palak Paneer, grill it for sandwiches or use to make gravies.

Sources for Fresh Hormone-Free Cow's Milk
While you can purchase cow's milk from the nearby milk shop, there is a new supplier that I discovered that delivers it to my place and it is also hormone-free. Have been using the milk since end May 2014, and so far its pretty good. Details for getting delivery done given below:

Puro
Pure Cow Milk
For information and free home delivery:
UAN: 11-11-DAIRY (11-11-32479)
Email: customer.care@fd.com.pk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purodairy
Some Tips:
1 - Use good quality fresh milk. I used Buffalo milk for the first time which yielded a slightly creamier & white colored Paneer.
2 - Either yoghurt, lemon juice or vinegar can be used to curdle the milk. If yoghurt is used, then it should be fresh. Its best to add 1 tsp at a time to see when the milk curdles. If the milk has not curdled, then another tsp needs to be used. The milk will completely curdle when the water turns a light green/yellow color. 
3 - Remove immediately & drain once the milk has curdled otherwise if the milk is overcooked, it will lead to a hard Paneer.
4 - Once you get the hang of making Paneer, keep experimenting with flavors and try them out in different recipes. 
5 - The leftover liquid/whey can be used for making roti's (making the dough) or added to veggies/gravies or used to water plants. 

Palak Paneer / Spinach with Cottage Cheese

Yes, I know. I keep pulling a disappearing every few weeks or so, but then I try to compensate by posting a number of recipes in one go :). This time I am posting a really delicious vegetarian recipe - palak/spinach with paneer/cottage cheese. I personally don't like spinach, but this is one dish which I love spinach in - the spinach is grinded into a paste & the creaminess of the paneer/cottage cheese contrast beautifully making this a delicious vegetarian main course.
Also, this time instead of buying store-bought paneer/cottage cheese I experimented in making my own and I could not believe how good it was - it was so fresh & creamy & delicious and the best part is that it can easily be adapted in different flavors - a little bit of herbs to make Masala Paneer & some crushed red pepper to make Chilli Paneer. Will be posting the recipe soon & keep on experimenting with new flavors & recipes. 

Recipe for Home-Made Paneer Updated: http://kayshouseoftreats.blogspot.com/2013/09/how-to-make-home-made-paneer-or-cottage.html

Palak Paneer - Spinach with Cottage Cheese

Ingredient 
Spinach - 2 large bunches
Paneer (cottage cheese) - 200 grams (Store-bought or Home-Made)
Recipe for Home-Made Paneer: http://kayshouseoftreats.blogspot.com/2013/09/how-to-make-home-made-paneer-or-cottage.html
Corn flour - for coating paneer/cottage cheese
Green chillies - 2-3 (roughly chopped)
Garlic - 6 cloves (finely chopped)
Onion - about 1/2 a medium onion (finely chopped)
Oil - 3 tablespoons
Cumin seeds/Zeera - 1/2 teaspoon
Crushed Red Chilli Pepper - 1 tsp (optional to make it more spicy)
Salt - to taste (about 2 tsp)
Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
Fresh cream - 4 tablespoons (optional)
For Prep: Pot of boiling water a pot of ice-cold water for blanching
                     Oil for shallow frying paneer/cottage cheese

METHOD
Put a pan of salted water on boil. Remove stems of spinach & thoroughly in running water. Blanch in salted boiling water for two minutes. Take spinach out of the boiling water and immediately add it in the ice-cold water. Drain & squeeze out excess water. The reason that it is added in cold water after boiling is so that the beautiful green color of the spinach is retained.

Blend/Grind spinach into a fine paste along with green chillies. This step can be done ahead and the spinach/green chili paste can be kept in the refrigerator for about 2 days. 

Chop paneer into one inch by one inch by half inch pieces. Toss in cornflour to coat & shallow-fry in hot oil till brown on all sides. Drain paneer on a kitchen towel and keep aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet/wok/pot. Add cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour, add chopped garlic and sauté for half a minute. Add chopped onion and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes till light golden. Add the spinach puree and mix well. Keep the heat on low the spinach puree has a habit of sputtering and that gets messy. 

Add salt & red chilli flakes & adjust seasoning if required. Add water if required. When the gravy comes to a boil, stir in lemon juice. Add half of the paneer and mix. Garnish with remaining paneer & cream & serve.

Note: The paneer and cream should be added at the last minute, so that it can remain the crisp texture. My usual habit is to make the spinach mixture, and then re-heat it just before serving and pouring it in a dish. After that I add the paneer and/or cream and serve. 

Tomato Chutney & Loki ka Raita

One of my favourite meals in the hot summer months is Aalo bharay paratha's (Paratha's stuffed with Potatoes) served with Tamatar ki Chutney (Tomato Chutney) & Loki ka Raita (Raita with Bottle gourd). What we usually do is that my mother makes Aalo ka Bhurta for lunch, and then the remaining bhurta is used to make Aalo Paratha's. That's my preferred method of having the Raita, but it tastes just as great with roti or a normal paratha and in the hot weather, it feels good to have something light & cold. 

Just sharing a recipe of the Raita & Chutney right now, but will share the Aalo Bhurta recipe in another post. 

Tamatar ki Chutney/Tomato ki Chutney
Tomato - 1/2 kg (5 to 6 medium cut into small squares)
Onions - 2 medium (sliced)
Oil 
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
Red Chilli Pepper - 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
Green Chilli - 3 to 4
Fresh corriander - 1/4 cup

Heat oil. Add onions and fry while stiring constantly till light golden. Add tomatoes and spices (salt & red chilli pepper). Cook on low heat, stirring every few minutes till oil separates. Add green chilli's and cook for 5 more minutes. Garnish with fresh corriander and serve slightly warm or room temperature. 

Loki ka Raita / Raita with Bottle Gourd 
Yoghurt - 1/2 kilogram
Bottle gourd/Loki - 1/2 kilogram (peeled and cut into thin slices or grated)
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Red Chilli Pepper - 1/2 to 1 teaspoon
Garlic - 2 to 3 cloves (minced)
Roasted white cumin - 1/2 teaspoon

For Bagarh/Tempering
White Cumin - 1/2 teaspoon
Whole Red Chilli Pepper/Sabit Laal Mirch - 3
Curry Leaves/Kari Patta - 3 to 4 leaves
Oil - 1 tablespoon

1. Boil the squash/loki in about 3/4 cup of water for about 10-12 minutes till cooked and soft and mash if necessary (if the squash/loki has been grated, then mashing should not be necessary). Drain the water well. 
2. Whisk yoghurt. Add bottle gourd/loki, salt, red chilli pepper, garlic & cumin seeds. Mix well.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan or tempering pan. Once oil is hot, add cumin seeds, whole red chilli peppers and curry leaves and fry for a minute or two till toasted. Add the tempering ingredients including oil to the yoghurt mixture. Serve cold.

Mezze

 I absolutely love the Mezze platter served in middle eastern restaurants; a bit of this and a bit of that all combined together with toasted pita bread that can be had either as an appetizer or as a complete meal. The first time I had Falafel was in this middle eastern cafe in New York and it was in the form of a sandwich with hot crispy Falafel topped with a salad and drizzled with tzatizki sauce; its a delicious vegetarian meal and while I enjoy the platter, but to date, my favorite way of eating Falafel is still in the form of a sandwich with everything mixed together.

By definition, Mezze is not exactly a specific recipe or recipes but a style of eating with a bunch of small dishes served all at once. It can be served as appetizers before a meal, or as the main meal depending on the combination of dishes. Serving Mezze is actually great for a party or for a close family get together because the dishes can be made in advance and the best way to eat it is mixing it all up together as per your taste.

A Mezze meal usually includes Hummus (Chickpea Dip), Baba Ganoush (Eggplant Dip), Falafel, Olives, some sort of salad/yoghurt along with Pita bread, but can also include Dolma (Stuffed Grape Leaves), Fatayer (Stuffed Spinach Parcels), Kebabs, Feta Cheese and the list goes on.

I usually make Hummus & Pita Chips separately for parties as an appetizer, but when I make Falafel then I always make the accompaniments because it tastes best that way; that includes Hummus, Baba Ganoush, a basic Raita and serve it with store bought Olives & Pita Bread.

Hummus
Hummus is one of those really simple dishes that don't require a lot of exact ratios and I always add more or less according to taste; furthermore the taste can easily be changed by adding different ingredients like roasted garlic, chilli pepper, coriander; pesto sauce etc.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight (or substitute canned chickpeas (drained) which you don't need to cook) (10 ounces)
2-2.5 lemons, juiced (3 ounces)
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
a big pinch of salt
4 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Paprika/Red Chilli Pepper - 1 tsp
Black & Green Olives - Garnish
Method:
1) Drain and boil the soaked chickpeas in fresh water for about 1 ½ hours, or until tender. Drain, but reserve the cooking liquid. Keep a few chick peas to garnish on top.
2) Puree the beans in a blender or a food processor adding the cooking water as needed until you have a smooth paste.
3) Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
4) Make an indentation in the center and drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with red pepper.
5) Garnish with black and green olives & leftover chickpeas
6) Refrigerate for at least


Baba Ganoush (Dip made with Eggplant) 
Ingredients
Eggplant - 1 (Large) or 2 Medium;  Try to make sure it has less seeds
Yoghurt - 1/4 - 1/2 cup
Tahini Paste - 2 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1.5 - 2 tbsp
Salt - To taste (1/2 tsp)
Garlic - 2 cloves (minced)
Olive Oil - Garnish
Cilantro - Garnish
Method
Roast the eggplant; this can be done on the stove or on the oven; the best way that I have found of doing this is washing the eggplant, and then pricking it with a fork then wrapping it in aluminium foil and putting it on the stove directly. Turn the eggplant every 5-10 minutes and it should cook in about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the eggplant. They should be soft but charred from the outside and give off a smokey flavor; As an alternative you can also roast them in the oven, but that takes more time so I prefer this method.
Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, scoop out all the flesh and put it in a bowl. If the eggplants were roasted correctly, the flesh should be easily scoopable. If you want to make the baba ganoush smooth, then add all the ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. However, I prefer a chunkier texture, so I add half the flesh and process it in a blender and then mash the rest of the flesh into the processed paste so it becomes more chunky. Alternatively, you can just mash it all up with a fork. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
Garnish with olive oil and chopped cilantro.

Falafel
Recipe adapted from Epicurious.comPrep Time: Overnight for dry beans and 1 hour to make Falafels
Ingredients
Chickpeas - 1 cup/7 ounces
Dried or Canned – if using dried, they must be soaked overnight and then drained. If using canned, they must be drained.
Onion - 1 large
Fresh parsley - 2 Tablespoons (Chopped) Can use dried, just a few pinches.
Cilantro - 2 Tablespoons (Chopped) Can use dried, just a few pinches.
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Red pepper - 1 teaspoon
Garlic cloves - 4 (Peeled & Chopped)
Cumin - 1 teaspoon
Baking powder - 1 teaspoon
All Purpose Flour -  4 Tablespoons
May need more flour
Oil for frying

Method: 
1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, and then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.
Falafel made with soaked chickpeas is more coarse & more crunchy but that requires planning in advance; If canned chickpeas are used, they are much more softer, but at the same time, care needs to be taken while processing since it can become quite smooth and the batter will be too soft.
2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed. If you don’t have a food processor, then mash this up as smooth as possible by hand. If mashing by hand, then chop the vegetables finely otherwise they won't mix together well.
3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.
5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375ºF (190ºC) in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Cucumber Raita
Ingredients
2 cups yoghurt
1 cucumber (chopped)
1 tomato (chopped)
1/2 onion - chopped
Corriander - 1/4 cup (chopped)
Salt - To taste
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Garlic cloves - 1 (minced)
Method
Mix all the ingredients together. Adjust seasoning to taste; it should not be spicy like traditional raita, but its more like an accompaniment to the Falafels. Garnish with red chilli pepper on top.

Eggplant Burani (Eggplant with Yoghurt)

Continuing with my interest in savory food, this is one of my favorite vegetarian dishes, which not only tastes delicious but is also great for the summers since it can be served cold or at room temperature.

It's basically fried eggplant, mixed with masala, and then layered with yoghurt garnished with onions and coriander/dhaniya. After a few minutes, the oil comes on top adding a bit more color to the dish.

Ingredients:
For Spice Mixture
1/2 kg eggplants (preferably big round egg plants with less seeds)
2 medium onions (chopped)

1 tsp ginger and garlic paste each ..
2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
Oil - 2-3 tbsp
For Yogurt Mixture
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tsp coriander powder
2 garlic cloves (sliced and minced)
Sliced Onions (for garnish)
Coriander/Dhaniya (For garnish)

Method: 
Heat oil. Fry onion till golden brown and then make onion paste by mixing with water and grinding it in food processor. In the same oil, add all dry spices and then saute with the paste till it is slightly brown and the spices have been cooked properly. Set this mixture aside.
Slice egg plants thinly and put in salt water. Dry the eggplants on a paper towel and fry on both sides till golden brown. Mix the fried eggplants with the spice mixture made earlier.
In order to make the yogurt mixture, take yogurt, add spices and mix it all together. Taste yogurt and add more spices depending on your taste.
To assemble the Burani
Layer the eggplants in the bottom of the dish, then add the spice mixture on top of the eggplants and make sure that the eggplants are coated properly. Then add the yogurt mixture on top. Garnish with sliced onions and coriander leaves. Leave for a few minutes so that the oil in the spice mixture can come on top and also add a bit more color to the dish. This can be served both cold as well as on room temperature. However, it cannot be warmed because it contains fresh yogurt.