Sun-dried Tomato Paste

I have been keeping a jar of this paste in my refrigerator for quite some time. It comes in really handy whenever I need to whip up something quick. You can add it to make a quick salad, it works really well with a sandwich too

Sun-dried Tomato Paste - Makes 1 full jar (250ml)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (without oil)
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tbsp garlic - crushed
• 2 tbsp capers (optional)
• 1 tbsp red chilly powder or flakes
• 3 tbsp Oregano (preferably fresh)
• 20 leaves of fresh basil
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• Salt to taste

NOTES:
- The measurements are all my best approximation of the original recipe so you might have to tweak them a bit.
- If using oil packed sun-dried tomatoes then skip adding the extra olive oil
- The paste stays well at room temperature for about a month and in the refrigerator for about a year.

PROCESS:

1. Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in balsamic vinegar and water overnight
2. Blend the soaked tomatoes with the rest of the ingredients till it turns into a smooth paste
3. Adjust the seasoning - you might need to add a little bit of sugar if the paste is too sour.

Recipe Source: Healthfood Desi Videshi

Raspberry Chia Jam - Super Simple

As much as I love trying our new creative recipes, I love making basics such as pasta sauce, tahini or nut butters. One thing that I never thought of trying was making jam at home - the idea never allured me - it seemed like wasting fresh fruit to me. But boy was I wrong !! this Raspberry jam is so simple and tastes divine - way way better than the store bought variety.

Here is how to go about it:
Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh raspberries (can use frozen too)
• 1 juice of orange
• 1/4th cup honey (can use agave or maple syrup)
• 2 tbs chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• small pinch of cinnamon
• dash of salt (v.v little)

Instructions:

1. Add raspberries, orange juice and honey in a pan - and bring it all to a boil (try and keep the flame on medium low)
2. After a boil - add the chia seeds and turn the flame down to minimum and let it simmer for about 15 mins (Next time, I am planning to add chia seeds after I remove it from the stove)
3. Take it off the stove - add vanilla, cinnamon and sea salt.
4. Chill in the fridge

Tomato Garlic Chutney - 2 versions

Another super duper simple recipe with tons of nutrition and flavor. In fact its barely a recipe but I simple love the freshness of this chutney and the ease with which you can make it. I had it first at a friend's house in Bombay and have been a fan since. I usually serve this with besan chilla for a weekend brunch, much tastier and healthier than ketchup.
This chutney has a very strong flavor and after taste of garlic - which we all know has many health benefits - it's a very good source of Vitamin C and helps strengthen the immune system by fighting off infections - so next time you see first signs of a cold popping up - just crush/grate a clove of garlic mix it with 3-4 drops of water or honey and gulp it down (do not chew) and do not have water for 5 minutes after that.
Now the recipe

Tomato Garlic Chutney #1
What you need:

• 3-4 tomatoes (I used dry farmed tomatoes - love their taste)
• 2-3 garlic gloves depending on the size
• 1tbsp mustard oil
• 1tbsp mustard seeds (rai)

Process:

• Take the skin off the tomatoes - the most common way is to blanch them and then peel the skin off. I however, have bought a soft fruit peeler (I have this set which also includes a julienne peeler that is great for making veggie noodles) and just directly peel the skin off- save me one extra step and I like the taste of raw tomatoes better
• Put the garlic cloves in a food processor then add the tomatoes- blend them into a puree
• In a small pan, heat the mustard oil and add the mustard seeds - once they start to pop - take them off the stove and add to the tomato mixture.
• Sprinkle salt and chilli powder and done!!

Tomato garlic chutney #2
(Recipe Source: Health food desi videshi)
This is a more of a cooked version of the chutney but again full of flavor. The sesame oil adds a nice aroma to it.

What you need:

4-5 Tomatoes - cubed in large chunks

2 Tbsp Garlic - Peeled and minced

1 tsp Red chilly powder (or more to taste)

Salt

2 tbsp Sesame Oil

Process:

• Heat sesame oil in a pan and tip in the chopped garlic. Let it fry till aromatic but not brown. 
• Add the red chilly powder and mix , then immediately tip in the chopped tomatoes and salt. 
• Mix well and cook covered for 5 minutes on high flame.
• Use a spatula to crush the tomatoes when they start getting mushy. Keep stirring and cook without lid for another 5 minutes.
• The finished chutney is thick with a nice sesame oil and garlic aroma.

As for the besan chilla, this is the recipe I picked up a few years ago:

Ingredients:

•  2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
• 1 Onion 
• 1 tomato 
• 1 green or red pepper 
• 2-3 Broccoli florets - 
• 2-3 tbsp cilantro - 
• 1 inch ginger - minced/grated
• 1tsp red chilli powder
• 1tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 pinch heeng (asafetida)
• Salt
• Oil ( I used coconut, ghee or mustard depending on the day)

Process:

• In a large mixing bowl, add besan, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, heeng and salt and mix.
• Add water to the above mixture to make a thick batter- I let the batter site for about 10-15 minutes and then whip it with a whisk to make sure no lumps are formed and the batter is smooth
• Dice all the veggies - onion, tomato, peppers and the green chilli and add it to the above mixture - grate the ginger and add that as well.
• Heat a griddle (I use a cast iron one) and spread the batter and cook it from both sides till its golden brown
• Serve with any of the above chutnies.

Multiple Uses of Tahini

 There are plenty of ways to use tahini—so don't let yours go to waste. Here are eight simple ideas for making the most out of the next can of tahini you purchase. (I have underlined my favorites):

1. Dip raw veggies in it. For a simple snack, reach for tahini instead of ranch dressing next time you're looking for a dip for crudités. Add lemon juice, cumin, minced garlic, salt, and a dash of pepper and chopped parsley to garnish.

2. Spread it on toast. On whole wheat bread, perhaps with a little honey or agave syrup, tahini can be part of a balanced breakfast.

3. Drizzle it on falafel. For a no-stress summer meal, warm up store-bought frozen falafel and stuff it a pita. Thin out your tahini by adding add a few tablespoons of hot water and lemon juice and then drizzle it over the sandwich.

4. Use it to make Tarator sauce. Tarator is a little-known but much-loved multipurpose sauce that's particularly tasty for dipping grilled chicken or steamed vegetables. Add 4 cloves minced garlic to ½ cup tahini, ½ cup lemon juice, and ¼ cup parsley. Pulse in a food processor until combined.

5. Dress your salad with it. Give your balsamic dressing a break and try a tahini-based salad dressing instead. For an easy recipe, combine ½ cup tahini and ½ cup olive oil with 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of grated ginger in a blender. Drizzle over your greens and enjoy.

6. Stir it into soup. You can use tahini as an alternative soup thickener, too.

Recipe Source: Serious Eats

Hummus

This is a slightly Indian-ised version of the traditional hummus. The ideal healthy way is to eat it with celery sticks, cucumber and carrots. 
Ingredients:

• Boiled chickpeas
• 1-2 tbsp Tahini sauce 
• 2 cloves garlic (can also try roasted garlic)
• 1 green chilli
• 1/4tbsp roasted jeera powder
• lemon juice
• red chilli powder & salt
• fresh coriander

Process

• Soak the chole 12-24 hours and then cook them on slow gas for about 4-5 whistles. You want the chickpeas to be super soft and their outer skin should start to peel off. This will result in a super creamy hummus otherwise you will have a dry and gritty mixture. (PS:You can try putting garlic cloves while boiling the chickpeas too). Do not throw the water away and use the same water for making the hummus thin.
• Mix them all in the blender. Add some water to keep the consistency a bit thin. You can more chilli powder, salt and lime juice as per taste.
• Before serving season with 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil and red chilli powder

Making Tahini Paste at home: If you are keen you can make tahini paste at home as well

• White hulled or unhulled sesame seeds
• Olive Oil
• Salt (If you want, I personally don't add any)

Dry roast sesame seeds: Toast the seeds until they are lightly colored (not brown) and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a large plate or tray and let them cool completely.

Blend the seeds first in the food processor and then add 2-3 tbsp olive oil. Can add more oil for thinner consistency.

Can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 weeks and maybe longer.

Notes:

• Store bought tahini is typically made from white hulled sesame seeds - this gives the tahini a lighter color and smoother texture. Tahini made from unhulled sesame seeds is not quite as smooth, but it has a richer (sometimes more bitter) flavor and potentially more nutrients. I personally use unhulled seeds. 

Soy Sauce, So Confusing

They look the same, smell the same, and even taste very similar. So what is the difference between soy sauce, shoyu, nama shoyu, and tamari anyway? It seems a little confusing, but all of these salty seasonings originate from the same humble ingredient, the soybean.

One method of making soy sauce is by fermenting soybeans (which removes the two chemicals, goitrogens and phytoestrogens, that affect your thyroid and sex hormones). - wheat- water- and a special starter containing an aspergillus fungus. This mixture can be fermented for several years, which is the traditional method. 

A modern method speeds up the process by skipping the fermentation step, cooking the soybeans with hydrochloric acid (which leaves chemical residue) , and adding caramel color, corn syrup, salt and MSG.

When buying Soy sauce - look for the words traditionally brewed, organic, and non-GMO. This is one condiment I will not compromise on – it’s worth the extra cost for purity and unparalleled flavour. 

Soy Sauce – this is a Chinese seasoning of which there are two varieties, light and dark. The light one is lighter in colour with a low viscosity, and it is extremely salty. This type is more expensive than dark and used as a condiment at the table. Dark soy sauce is deep in colour with a higher viscosity, and sweeter in flavour (usually due to additives such as caramel colour and/or molasses). Dark soy sauce is used more frequently in cooking.

Shoyu – This is the Japanese word for soy sauce. Shoyu is traditionally used as a condiment or seasoning after cooking, and for dipping sushi.

Nama Shoyu – Typically called for and used in raw food recipes, nama shoyu is unpasteurized soy sauce. However, because the vast majority of soy sauces are heated about 118°F / 47°C during pasteurization, you must read the label to confirm that the sauce is truly “raw”. Many brands label themselves nama shoyu even though they have been pasteurized.

Tamari – Tamari is another type of soy sauce, but prefect for people with gluten intolerance, as it is traditionally brewed without wheat. Absolutely check the labels to be one hundred percent sure. It must say gluten- and wheat-free.

Tamari has a stronger flavour than shoyu. It is usually used to season longer cooking foods such as soups, stews, and baked dishes. Tamari is used less frequently as a tabletop condiment or seasoning because its flavour can be overpowering.

All that said, I generally just keep shoyu in my kitchen, as I find it the most versatile of all the soy sauces.
Always remember to keep soy sauces of any kind in the refrigerator. Yes, it goes bad. A bottle of open soy sauce will keep for two to three months.

Noops Notes: I keep Shoyu and Tamari and use it alternatively with recipes. I use the organic versions of San-J brand. Can buy it here on Amazon.

Burmese Tomato Chuney

Recipe From Health Food Desi Videshi
This is a super simple and super tasty chutney that you can eat with this Indian Risotto

• Chop 3 large tomatoes
• Chop 1-2 green chillies
• Chop a handful of cilantro leaves
• 1/4th cup of roasted peanuts (Or dry roast raw peanuts on the stove)
• Lightly fry 2-3 whole garlic gloves in 1 tbsp of mustard oil
• Salt 

Put everything together in a blender and make a coarse paste.

Can add cut onions for topping when serving