have been serving this recipe as a warm appetizer for years. These mushrooms are simple to make and pleasing to the palate.
12 large mushrooms
1 tsp ghee (or butter)
1 tsp olive oil
2 dry red chilies
• To reduce Pitta: omit
¼ cup onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Remove stems from mushrooms and lay mushroom caps on a baking sheet, tops down. Finely chop stems and set aside. In a frying pan on medium-high, heat the ghee and oil. Add dry red chilies and sauté for about 1 minute, until chilies begin to blacken. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add mushroom stems and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Cover with lid and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Add parsley and cook for another 2 minutes, uncovered. Remove pan from heat. Stuff mushroom caps evenly with the cooked mixture and discard chilies. Sprinkle each stuffed mushroom cap with Parmesan cheese and bake for 10 minutes until cheese has melted and starts to brown.
Makes 6 servings (2 per person).
Khandvi Rolls
My friend Renu, who lives in Mombasa, Kenya, offered me this special treat while I was visiting her. It is a great afternoon pick-me-up and gets Kapha moving. Try it instead of a donut!
3 tbsp plain yogurt
1 cup water
1 cup gram flour
Salt to taste
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cayenne pepper (or paprika)
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups water (for boiling)
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp fresh green chilies, finely chopped (for garnish)
• To reduce Pitta: use only 1 chili or omit
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (for garnish)
In a bowl, whisk together yogurt and 1 cup water until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Add yogurt mixture to this bowl and mix until smooth.
In a large pot on high heat, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium to simmer and add gram flour mixture. Stir frequently to ensure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook until mixture becomes a thick sauce. Remove from heat and spread onto a greased baking sheet (do this while the mixture is very hot). Leave to cool and dry out, about 15 minutes. Once cooled, cut into 3-in (4½-cm) wide strips and roll lengthwise. Cut the rolls into 1-in (2 ½-cm) wide pieces and place on serving platter.
In a small pot on medium-high, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and cover with lid until they pop, about 30 seconds. Add cumin seeds and heat for about 10 seconds, then add sesame seeds. With a spoon, sprinkle seeds over rolls. Garnish with chopped green chilies and cilantro.
Makes 8–12 rolls.
Endvo Savory Squares
My mother makes these regularly and they never last long! I love this dish as it is filled not only with protein but lots of veggies, and it’s easy to take to work or on a picnic.
If the dish browns before the suggested baking time, cover with a sheet of foil or greaseproof paper for remaining time.
Vagar is a group of spices sautéed together to bring out their flavors. It is often used in Indian cooking to spice up various dishes.
Vegetable mixture:
2 cups cream of wheat
¾ cups gram flour
1½ tsp salt
Chili powder to taste
¼ tsp turmeric
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
½ tsp fresh green chilies, finely chopped (optional)
• To reduce Pitta: omit
2 tsp ground cumin
3½ cups cabbage, grated
2 cups carrots, grated (can use frozen packets of carrot and pea mix)
2 tsp curry leaves, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
Vagar: (see note)
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp curry leaves, chopped
3 dry red chilies
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup water
¼ cup olive oil
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Lightly oil an oblong 12-in (30-cm) cake pan and set aside. In a large bowl, combine all vegetable mixture ingredients and stir. Stir in buttermilk and water and mix until it has consistency of a loose batter (add more water if necessary). Set aside. In a small bowl, combine all vagar ingredients except dry red chilies and mix well. Set aside.
In a small frying pan on medium-high, heat oil. Add dry red chilies and sauté until they are almost black, then add rest of the vagar ingredients from bowl. As the seeds start to pop, add to vegetable mixture. Mix well, then add baking powder and mix well again. Pour into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over top of mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for another 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Test with a toothpick; if it comes out clean, it’s done. Cut into squares and serve.
Makes
