Tamarind Date Chutney

Guys...I have no words to describe this chutney.

It has become my number one favorite chutney! Zoomed right to the top...

So guys, how was your weekend? Good, bad, somewhere in between?

After a not so great week, I had a decent weekend. I had a thought provoking weekend. It  has been all about defying what I thought I liked. Hmmm.

I went Sari shopping with my mother in law and picked up a sari I never imagined myself buying. I bought a Mysore Silk, my first! I went so certain I wouldn't even buy silk. I surprised myself by picking up this mustard yellow and green Mysore Silk. The color combination I love, in a fabric I never though I could love. But it is lovely and I hope I enjoy wearing it. I've already started planning how to accessorize the Sari.

But my weekend got a lot better before I picked up the Sari. The reason? This awesome delicious amazing fabulous Tamarind Date Chutney I made earlier in the day and enjoyed with an even more delicious Sweet Potato Chaat (Recipe coming up soon, watch out!!)

Tamarind Date Chutney is an Indian version of barbeque sauce. It is tangy, it is sweet, it has a subtle taste of spice.

I am a more traditional South Indian coconut chutney kinda girl. At least I was, until I made this one.

I had one spoonful of the Tamarind Date Chutney and my mouth exploded. Seriously. Exploded with flavor. And I could not have enough of it. I kept sneaking in spoonfuls as I walked in and out of the kitchen while the chutney cooled. I'm sure I saw Raj do it too though he totally denies it.

It's not like I've not made Imli ki Chutney or Tamarind Chutney before, it's just that I'd never made it with dates. It was usually with sugar or jaggery and tamarind. While the sugar added to the sweetness it never gave the chutney that kind of depth it got from the dates.

This chutney can be eaten with anything and everything. You can use it as a marinade where ever you would use barbeque sauce. You can eat it with french fries or Samosa. I even topped a cracker with it and relished it off while no one was around.

The above para just states what you can do.... but not what you need to. You NEED to add this chutney to your chaat*. No chaat is complete without a tangy sweet tamarind chutney and once you've made chaat with THIS Tamarind Date Chutney, there is just no turning back.

*Chaat is Indian version of street food 

My message is clear - Eat this with absolutely anything. But eat it for sure. This chutney is what cravings are made of (when not chocolate cravings, of course, nothing beats chocolate in my world). Try it and tell me what you think.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Coriander Mint Chutney - Another must have for chaat, a tart spicy chutney made with fresh coriander and mint leaves.
• Mint Peanut Chutney - Simple cooked chutney made with mint and peanuts. Almost like a pesto.
• Creamy Pumpkin Sauce - Vegan creamy sauce made from ripe pumpkins.

Tamarind Date Chutney

Tamarind Date Chutney is an Indian version of barbeque sauce. It is tangy, it is sweet, it has a subtle taste of spice.

Recipe Type:  Dessert
Cuisine:            North Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     20 minutes
Yield:                3/4 cup

Ingredients:

0.25 cup Tamarind
1.5 cup warm Water
6-8 pitted Dates
1-2 tsp Jaggery powder or Brown Sugar
0.5 tsp Cumin Powder
0.25 tsp Red Chilli Powder

Method:

Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Squeeze the tamarind pulp and extract all tamarind juice.
Chop the dates finely.
Combine the tamarind and dates in a pan and cook on medium flame until it starts bubbling.
Add the cumin powder and red chilli powder and mix.
Cover and simmer on low flame for 8-10 minutes.
Allow it to cool and then blend into a smooth chutney.
Add jaggery powder or brown sugar if the chutney is not sweet enough.
Add water if the consistency is very thick.
Serve chilled.

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Beetroot and Cauliflower Burgers with Eggless Mayo

BURGER or PIZZA? Definitely, burgers for me. When I've had a hard day and my stomach craves some comforting fast food, it is always the burger I turn to. Every single time (I've had hundreds), I decide to go on a diet, I always grab that one last burger. I always assume it's my last for a loonnng time. You can't punish a  girl for being positive. But my weakness for food usually overtakes my willpower to lose weight and I'm quicker at a burger joint than I'd prefer to be.

This time tough, I'm not on a diet and neither at a burger joint. I'm in my house, standing in my kitchen, making my own HEALTHY burger. Usually, a veggie burger has to have Potato, correct? WRONG!!! Not this one. This is 100% potato free. It is full of beets, cauliflower and beans. It's a nice way to trick someone into having their veggie fix for the day. 

I've always loved beets. As a kid I was obsessed with the color Pink. I had to have that pink dress, that pink ribbon, that pink compass box, that pink pencil. Show me something in pink and orange, and I would always pick the pink one. May be it was my obsession with the color pink that made me love beets or may be it was the sweetness of the beets. I've always had a massive sweet tooth. But beets remained my friend for life. Look how pretty pink these burgers look....

I added the cauliflower, just to add some bite to the burgers. The beans are a must though. You can replace the kidney beans with chickpeas, black eyed peas or any beans capable of becoming mushy. The beans act as a binding agent in the burger in the absence of potato or eggs. 

Most of the beet burger recipes I've browsed in the past, ask for roasted beets and that is a lot of effort. So I made the LAZY version of the beet burger. Just some grated beets, grated cauliflower, some cooked beans - mash mash mash. Add spices. Mix mix mix. Then shape and fry in a pan. EASY, right? It definitely is!! To get firm burgers, us

I paired the burgers with homemade eggless Mayo. Very simple to make and tastes just like the store bought one. Some tips for the Eggless Mayo:

• The mustard makes all the difference. If you don't have mustard powder, just crush a few mustard seeds and add that.
• If the Mayo ends up having lumps, do not worry, just strain it using a strainer once it cools to remove the lumps.
• If the Mayo ends up becoming one hard lump, blend it in the mixer or blender with a little milk to loosen it up.
• Allow the Mayo to cook, before adding the vinegar to prevent the milk in it from curdling.
• To make it Vegan, use any vegan milk like soy or almond.

Beetroot and Cauliflower Burgers with Eggless Mayo

Spiced beetroot, cauliflower and beans patty combined with some eggless mayo to make a Veggie Burger

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:          International
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     20 minutes
Yield:              4

Ingredients:

Beetroot and Cauliflower Patties:

1 cup Red Kidney Beans (cooked)
1 cup grated Cauliflower
2 cups grated Beetroot
2 Tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves
1 tsp of Garlic Powder
1 tsp of Garam Masala
1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder
1/2 sp of Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
3-4 Tbsp Oil to fry

Eggless Mayo:

1 cup Milk
2 Tbsp Plain flour or Maida
1 tsp white Vinegar
1/2 tsp Mustard Powder or Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp of powdered Sugar
Salt to taste

To assemble:

4 burger buns
Beetroot and Cauliflower Patties
Eggless Mayo

Method:

Beetroot and Cauliflower Patties:

Mash the beans well.
Add all the other ingredients to it except the oil and mix well.
Shape into patties.
Heat oil in a pan and place the patties.
Cook the first side on medium flame for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 5-6 minutes.

Eggless Mayo:

Mix the flour in 1/2 cup of milk.
Heat the remaining milk in a pan and when it starts to boil, add the milk and flour mixture and whisk well so that there are no lumps.
Keep stirring or whisking until the mayo thickens and reaches the consistency you want.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

To assemble:

Toast the burger buns,
Spread the mayo on the buns.
Place the hot patties and serve.

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Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Sauce

This pumpkin sauce is AMAZING with not just pasta, but with lots of other  things too. Toss in some stir fried veggies and make it a delicious and vibrant orange CURRY to pair with rice. Or DRIZZLE it over some grilled vegetables to liven them up.

This creamy- silky smooth-delicious-orange sauce filled with the goodness of those freshly picked farm pumpkin is completely VEGAN. Yesss!!! I mean you can make your own non-vegan version by replacing the coconut milk with some cream, but according to me, the coconut milk adds a lovely taste to the regular pumpkin sauce.

Did I tell you how easy to make this was? Or how you could finish making this before your TV serial/sitcom reached its credits? Yup, it’s THAT simple!!!

What do you need, you ask? Just some olive oil, pumpkin, garlic, coconut milk, oregano and anything to add some heat to this baby. I used some dried red chillies, you can add hot sauce or green chillies or paprika or totally skip  it.  And of course, salt. 6 ingredients, including salt and oil. Nothing gets simpler than that.

After you assemble all your ingredients, it is just chop, saute and blend. 3 steps. So now 6 ingredients and 3 steps – no reason at all to not try this at all.

I added it over some cooked farfalle pasta and tossed in some stir fried vegetables like broccoli. I love broccoli. Feel free to add or not add anything at all. It doesn’t really demand anything, it is just as good being plain.

If you plan on drizzling this on veggies or using it as a dip, I suggest adding less of the coconut milk to keep it nice and thick. If it is curry you plan to make, you can add other spices – cumin and coriander go well with it.

Oh oh oh – This would make an interesting SALAD DRESSING too. Some zucchini ribbons, some julienne carrots and some fresh salad leaves with this slightly sweet pumpkin sauce – DELICIOUS and healthy!!!

Step by Step Instructions:

1) Heat oil in a pan and add the minced garlic. Saute for 1 min. 

2) Add the diced pumpkin and cover and cover and cook on low heat until the pumpkin is done. Cut into smaller pieces to get it cooked sooner. 

3) Add the oregano, chopped red chillies, coconut milk and salt.

4) Cook for around 2-3 mins on low heat.

5) Allow it to cool and then blend into a smooth sauce.

Pumpkin Sauce [Vegan]

Versatile vegan pumpkin sauce that can be used for pasta, as a dip or as a base for curry.

Recipe Type:  Sauce

Cuisine:          International

Prep Time:     10 minutes

Cook time:     20 minutes

Yield:              Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

For Pumpkin Sauce:

2.5 cups or 125gms of diced Pumpkin

1 Tbsp of finely minced Garlic

3/4 tsp of dried Oregano

3/4 cup of Coconut Milk

1.5 Tbsp of Olive Oil

1 tsp of dried Red Chillies

Salt to taste

Pasta:

250gms of Pasta

1 cup of assorted stir fried Vegetables (Broccoli, Peppers/Capsicums etc.)

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add the minced garlic. Saute for 1 min.

Add the diced pumpkin and cover and cover and cook on low heat until the pumpkin is done. Cut into smaller pieces to get it cooked sooner.

Add the oregano, chopped red chillies, coconut milk and salt.

Cook for around 2-3 mins on low heat.

Allow it to cool and then blend into a smooth sauce.

Boil the pasta according to the packet instructions.

Toss with the sauce and the vegetables and enjoy it hot.

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Zucchini, Spinach and Onion Pizza

The GoodFood magazine put me in a zucchini pizza mood. The photo looked so delicious that I just had to eat it. Sadly, no pizza joint close to home serves you such a pizza. So it fell upon me to create one :) The magazine was courteous enough to provide a recipe for the base as well. I added the pesto and the remaining veggies to give it more volume. The recipe for the pizza base and the pesto used can be found on the blog as well.

Place the topping on the pizza base

Grate cheese and spoon olive oil

Pizza after baking

Pizza

Pizza with carrot fries and blueberry muffins

Zuccini, Spinach and Onion Pizza

Pizza with pesto sauce topped with spinach, onions and zucchini

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:          International
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     20 minutes
Yield:              Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 medium sized Pizza base
3/4 cup Pesto sauce
3 Cheese cubes
1 medium Zucchini
1 small Onion
A handful of Spinach leaves
1 tsp Oregano
3 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Rosemary (dried)

Method:

Spread the pesto on the base and grate one cheese cube and spread on it
Roughly chop the onion into large slices.
Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and toss the onions in it until soft
Cut the zucchini into fine ribbons. I used a peeler to make the fine ribbons
Toss the zucchini with 1 tbsp. oil. Add a little salt and the pepper.
Add the oregano, rosemary and the onions
Place the spinach on the base.
Spread the zucchini and the onion mix
Grate the remaining cheese on the pizza
Spoon the remaining olive oil on the pizza
Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celsius and bake for 10-15 minutes.

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Basil Almond Pesto

I'm a BIG BIG fan of Pesto sauce. In an Italian restaurant, my eyes always look out for pasta with pesto. Once in a while the Arrabbiata makes an appearance on our table. But I'm totally biased towards the pesto. So much so that I started growing Basil in my balcony. One of the easier plants to grow.

Pesto works great as a dip for chips too. And its equally delicious as a sandwich spread. I made a pizza with it. Rather, I topped a pizza with pesto sauce and to tell you, it was amazing, as usual.

 I love the fact that it is sooo easy to make and no cooking needed. All you need is a trusty blender.

The original pesto has pine nuts instead of almonds. But the cost of pine nuts had me reaching for almonds immediately. You can use cashews too, it tastes just as good.

Basil Almond Pesto

Sauce made with basil, almonds and olive oil. Can be used with Pasta, pizza, sandwiches or as a dip for chips.

Recipe Type:  Sauce
Cuisine:          Italian / International
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     0 minutes
Yield:              1/2 cup


Ingredients:

1/2 cup Basil leaves
1-2 Tbsp Olive oil
6-8 Almonds
1 tsp Pepper powder
1 Green chilli (Optional)
1 tsp Lime juice
Salt

Method:

Grind together all the ingredients except the lime juice
Mix the lime juice with the pesto
You can use this as a pizza sauce or a pasta sauce or simply as a dipping sauce
This recipe makes around 3/4 cup

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