Parikh Family Recipes

By: Nipa Parikh

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Vegetable Jalfrezi

(Serves 8)

Ingredients: 

2 chopped onions

1 1/2 cup chopped cauliflour

4 chopped potatoes

2 chopped carrots (rounded)

1 chopped green bell pepper

1 chopped tomato

1/2 cup green beans

1 cup chopped paneer

Directions:

Boil water and add salt and turmeric powder into it

Add cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, and green beans into the water

Let it boil for about 5 minutes

In the meantime, on a nonstick container, put oil, add cumin seeds (jeeru), ginger

Once heated, add onions and sauté it, letting it turn yellow/brown

Add the green bell peppers, allowing it to cook

Then drain out the other vegetables from the water, adding it to the oil/onions pot

Add chili powder (amount to taste), and a little bit of water

Add salt (amount to taste)

Add garam masala

Add tomatoes (make sure to add last because it cooks very fast)

Add a little bit more water 

Adjust spices, and add paneer

Add tomato ketchup and lemon juice (only if needed) and let it cook

[parikhrecipe-blog]

XXL Watermelon Jello Shots

Ingredients:

4 3-ounce boxes of red jello

2 1-ounce boxes of unflavored gelatin

4 cups vodka

1 12-16 pound watermelon

Equipment:

Paper towels

2 large bowls (one to mix the Jell-O, one for the watermelon you’ll scoop out)

2 small sheet trays or baking dishes (each needs to be big enough to fit a watermelon half)

Liquid measuring cup

Electric kettle (or you can boil water another way)

Cutting board

Kitchen spoon

Whisk

Chef’s knife

Directions:

1. Using a large chef’s knife, cut the watermelon into two equal halves, lengthwise.

2. Use your knife to slice all the way around the perimeter of the watermelon flesh, about an inch from the rind. Be careful not to pierce through the skin, as this will lead to your Jell-O leaking out. Then use a kitchen spoon to scrape out the rest and create a smooth bowl with roughly 1/2-inch red watermelon flesh left on the rind.

3. Line two small, rimmed baking sheets with paper towels in a way that creates a bed for your watermelon bowls. The idea is to create enough support to keep the watermelon bowls from rolling at all while they’re in the fridge. Put one bowl in the center of each tray and set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Jell-O mix and the unflavored gelatin. Add 4 cups of boiling water and whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the vodka all at once and whisk just to combine.

5. Pour the Jell-O mixture into the watermelon bowls, dividing evenly. Carefully place the Jell-O filled watermelon bowls in the fridge, and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

6. When Jell-O is set, cut each half into 1-inch slices, crosswise, then cut each slice into 2–3 wedges, and serve.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/xxl-watermelon-jell-o-shots

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Idli

ingredients:

Khiru:

3 cups of long grain rice

1 cup of urad dal

Sambhar:

Oily Toor dal

tomatoes

onions

Directions:

Wash and Soak rice and urad dal in water for 6-8 hours

Grind it into soft khiru using blender

keep it aside for 6-8 hours

Cook dal in pressure cooker

Blend cooked dal and some water

Consistency should be like the regular dal

Add chopped onion and tomatoes

If you have dhudhi then add that too

Add Salt, red pepper, dhana jiru, Garam Masala and Sambhar masala

Do vagar with 2 tsp oil and then add Mustard seeds (Rye) and vagarna marchu and add it to the sambhar

Let it boil

Boil water and Oil and add that to the khiru

Add 1tsp of eno in the khiru

Put khiru in the idli maker

Put idli maker in the container and let it cook for 10 minutes

[parikhrecipe-blog]

Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

5 -6 tomatoes

4 -5 wine ripe tomatoes

Mix vegetables

Corn

Kidney beans

Noodles - boiled

 Directions: 

Cook tomatoes in the pressure cooker

Boil mix vegetables and corn on a separate container

Boil noodles on a separate container

Once tomatoes are cooked, sieve it to another container

Add boiled vegetables and noodles

Add salt, black pepper and chaat masala

(Serves 4)

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Vegetable Panini

Ingredients:

5 -6 boiled and crushed Potatoes

1 cup boiled carrots/peas

¼ cups boiled green beans

Chopped Coriander

Salt

Green chilies

Garam masala

1 loaf of sour dough bread or white or wheat bread

Plain bread crumbs

Sliced green bell pepper, onion

Green chatni

 Directions: 

Cook potatoes in the pressure cooker and mash them with potato masher

Add boiled vegetables and crush them with potato masher too.

Add chopped coriander

Add green chilies, salt and garam masala as per taste

Mix everything and make small patties

Put each patties in bread crumbs

Hear griddle and put patties on the griddle

Sprinkler oil and cook until brown.

To make Panini:

Take two pieces of bread and spread green chatni on both sides

 Put Patties and then add sliced onion and green pepper

 Make Panini in Panini maker until crust is brown.

(Serves 4)

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Dal (Lentils)

Ingredients:

6 oz. oily toor dal

Salt

½ tsp. Red chilies

1 tsp. Dhanajeeru

¼ tsp. Turmeric powder

Vagar marcha

Rai

1 tsp. oil

Gol

Pinch of asafetida (hing)

 Directions:

Wash and cook dal with water in pressure cooker

Once cooked then mash it with hand blender

Add about ½ cup of water until desired thickness

Add salt, red chilies, dhanajeeru, turmeric power, and gol

Heat oil in the small container

Add rai and vagar na marcha, hing

Let it cook until thickens like a soup

(Serves 2)

[parikhrecipe-blog]

Okra (Bhindi)

Ingredients: 

Cut okra

Chopped potatoes

Salt

Red chilies powder

Dhana Jeeru

Turmeric powder

Amchur powder

Rai

Directions:  

Heat oil in the non-stick container

Add Rai

Add Potatoes, turmeric power

Add cut okra

Add salt

Let it cook until potatoes and okra are cooked.

Once cooked then add red chilies powder, dhanajeeru, amchur powder

(Serves 4)

[parikhrecipe-blog]

Prairie Fire Bean Dip - Don Pablo’s

Note: This recipe isn't an exact imitation, but it comes close, and at least in my opinion tastes better.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 15-ounce can refried beans

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

2 chipotle chiles, finely chopped1

1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the chiles

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Dash salt

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes or until soft but not brown.

Directions: 

Place beans in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until slightly warm and spreadable. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Microwave on high for 2 1/2 minutes or until hot. Stir well before serving. Serve with chips, or with soft flour tortillas cut into quarters.

To get closer to the restaurant version, substitute 2 3-ounce cans of mild chopped green chiles and omit the adobo sauce. I prefer chipotles, though.

[parikhrecipe-blog]

Sangria

For one standard bottle of wine (750 ml) combine:

3 oranges (Juice 2 and slice one and add it to wine)

1 lemon (Juice and add)

1/4 cup of sugar (Mix well)

3 tablespoons of cinnamon powder (thats about how much I put)

1 lime (Juice and add)

1 Pink Lady Apple (this kind tastes the best with red wine, slice and add)

1 Pear (slice and add)

1/2 can of sprite or seltzer water

(Brandy- can also add brandy - but I never have any around, and recipe tastes fine without it)

Note: make this a few hours beforehand and chill in refrigerator. Immediately before serving place in freezer for 5 - 10 minutes to serve extra chilled.

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Kadai Paneer

Ingredients:

½ lb. Paneer chopped

1 large green bell pepper - chopped

1 mid red bell pepper - chopped

3 mid tomatoes - chopped

1 green chili

1 piece ginger

3 tsp. oil

1 tsp. cumin seed

Pinch of hing

1 ½ tsp. coriander powder

¼ tsp. turmeric powder

2 tsp. chopped kastoori methi (dry)

1 tsp. salt

 Directions: 

Heat oil

Put paneer pieces for a minute (stir fry paneer)

Take them out & Put them on a paper towel to remove excess oil

Same oil – Put bell peppers for about 3-4 minutes until they are tender

Take them out & Put them on top of paneer

Same oil – Put cumin seeds & Hing

Put tomato paste (grind green chili, ginger and tomatoes)

Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, kastoori methi

Cook until tomatoes are cooked then add salt

 Add Paneer & bell peppers

 Cook on med heat for 2 -3 minutes

 Add couple of tea spoons of water and cook for additional 2 minutes

(Serves 4)

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Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

2 tbls Olive Oil

1 Chopped Onion

2 Cloves Garlic chopped

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. Cilantro chili powder

1 tsp. Chipotle Spicy Smoke Jalapeño Chili Powder

Pinch of Oregano

Salt

1 cup of tomato sauce or tomato puree

3 cups of water

1 cans Red Kidney Beans

1 can Black beans

1 cans pinto beans

1lb frozen sweet corn

Taste of jalapeno

1 red pepper chopped

Shredded Cheese

 Directions: 

Sauté the onion in Olive oil

Add chopped garlic.

Add Cumin

Cilantro chili powder

Add chipotle spicy smoke jalapeno chili powder

Add pinch of oregano

Add salt

Add 3 cups of water

Add tomato sauce or puree

Add beans and corn

 Let it simmer

 Use potato masher and crushed some beans to thicken the chili

 Let it cook until it’s thick

 Add chopped green chili. Add rest of ingredients of filling.

 (Serves 4)

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Vegetarian Frankie – Kathi Roll

Ingredients (for outer): 

Flour Tortilla

Ingredients (for filling):

Paneer – grated

Boiled Potatoes – Crushed or Grated

Salt

Coriander Powder

Red Chili Powder

Amchur Powder

1 tsp. Oil

1 Chopped Green chili

1 slice red onion

 Directions (to prepare): 

Heat oil and add chopped green chili.

Add rest of ingredients of filling.

Directions (to make):

Spread green chatni on tortilla

Add little bit of filling

Add red onion – sliced

Roll and cook on griddle until brown.

(Serves 4)

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Mexican Bhel

Ingredients (for Ragda):

Refried Beans

Picante Mexican Sauce

Oil

Ginger, Garlic paste

Water as needed

Ingredients (for Bhel):

Tortillas

Vegetables of your choice (Chopped Green, Yellow, Red bell peppers, Onion, Tomatoes, Green Onions, Lettuce, Jalapeño)

Guacamole

Sour Cream

Directions (for Ragda):

Heat oil

Add Jeera

Add Garlic, Ginger Paste

Add refried beans

Add Taco Seasoning

Add Picante Sauce

Add water as needed and let it cook for few minutes.

Directions (for Bhel):

Add Onion, Tomatoes, Peppers, Corn

Add Guacamole

Add Sour Cream

Add Ragda

shredded cheese

garnish with cilantro & green onion & lettuce

(Serves 4)

[parikhrecipe-blog]

Mexican Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

Spring rolls wrapper

1 tsp. Jeera

1 Onion chopped (very small pieces)

Green onions (chopped)

1 each Red, Green, Yellow bell pepper chopped (very small pieces)

1 can each Red, Black kidney beans Washed, chopped (very small pieces)

Taco seasoning

Mexican Shredded Cheese

1 Jalapeño chopped

Red crushed pepper

 Directions: 

1) Heat oil and add Jeera.

2) Sauté Onion, garlic, yellow, red & green peppers.

3) Add taco seasoning & red crushed pepper

4) Let it cool for little while.

5) Once cool, add shredded cheese & green onions & jalapeño.

6) Put little bit of mixture in each wrapper and deep fry in the oil.

(Serves 4)

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Mexican Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion

2-3 Garlic

1 jalapeno

Knorr Vegetable boullion - Yellow pkt (1 cube = 2 and half cups of water)

1 Diced Tomatoes can

1 Black Bean can

Salt, Crushed Red Pepper, Oregano

 Directions:

1) Grind Onion, Garlic, and Jalapeño in food processor.

2) Sauté Onion Paste.

3) Grind Diced tomatoes in food processor.

4) Add Knorr.

5) Wash and grind black beans in food processor

6) Add salt, crushed red pepper, oregano

7) While eating add tortilla chips, green onions, shredded Mexican cheese            

(Serves 4) 

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Idli Chatni (Dal)

Ingredients:

1 cup chana dal

1/4 cup urad dal

1/4' Ginger

Dry coconut 1/4 cup

Salt as per taste

Lemon juice as per taste

 Directions: 

1) Sauté chana dal in 1 tsp. oil until it becomes little bit red.

2) Soak in water for 6 hours at least.

3) Grind soaked dal, lemon juice, ginger, salt, and dry coconut in blender.

4) For Vagar:  Hot 1 tsp. oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, limdo and pour it on the chatni.

(Serves 4)

[parikhrecipe-blog]

Mexican Gumbo Soup

Ingredients:

         2 T Olive Oil

         1 C each diced red and green bell pepper and white onion

         2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

         3 T Ground Cumin

         1 28 Oz. can crushed tomatoes

         3 small cans of chopped green chile peppers, drained

         4 14 oz cans vegetable broth

         1/2 C Lime juice

         3 C cooked white rice

         3 C cooked black beans

         1 16 oz container pico de gallo

         OPTIONAL (not included in nutritional info):

         Cilantro

         Cheese

         Sour cream

         Avocado

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the peppers and onions, garlic and cumin. Cook 5 minutes until vegetables are tender. Mix in the tomatoes and chile peppers. Pour in the broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add in lime juice and blend with an immersion blender for a smooth texture and even flavor.

In 6 bowls (or into the soup for convenience) add 1/2 C each rice and black beans. Ladle the soup over the rice and beans and top with pico de gallo and your choice of garnish.

Number of Servings: 6 (Makes 6 Large Bowls!)