Mexican Black Bean Wrap with Pico De Gallo

Mexican cuisine is very dear to my heart for various reasons. One of the first cuisines I tasted, after I came to US was undoubtedly, Mexican. Since the food packs quite a punch with good level of heat and tangy flavors, it sings to my heart and appeals to my Indian palate. Be it the gooey Guacamole with rich buttery mashed Avocados dipped in Corn chips, the overloaded and stuffed Tacos which is a super cheap, quick meal if you are a student in US studying on a limited budget for food or the humble everyday dish of re-fried beans served with Mexican rice, the truth clearly stands out - they are all made with zesty and fresh ingredients, have a spicy edge and are very easy to fix.

One of the biggest blessing for the Roti lover in me is the unlimited options and varieties of Tortillas available at my local grocery. From the traditional Corn Tortillas made from Masa flour to the healthy variety of Tortillas made of Whole Wheat Flour and often even Spinach Tortillas, the options are endless and one can plan a decent meal with less than 15 minutes of prep work.

Days when I do not have the inclination to move a muscle, I happily opt for Black Bean Wraps made of Honey-Wheat Tortillas. They have a mild sweet taste and do not break easily when added with a stuffing. Pico De Gallo is the version made in many Mexican homes similar to what Kachumbar or Koshimbiri is to all Indians.  The wraps are very portable and great as outdoor foods.

Mexican Black Bean Wrap with Pico De Gallo 
A quick and easy wrap made of Black Beans

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Processing Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
For Pico De Gallo -
Tomatoes (ripe, finely chopped, pulp drained) - 1 cup
Shallots (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup
Jalapeno (seeds and membranes removed, finely chopped) - 2 tbsp
Lime juice -  1 tsp
Salt

Black Beans (soaked, pressure cooked with salt) - 2 cups
Cheese of choice (grated) [Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalapenos] - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves (roughly chopped) - 3 tbsp
Crushed Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Tortillas (Honey-Wheat variety) [store bought] - 4-6

Method:
Remove the inner membrane of Jalapeno and finely chop into tiny bits. Mix with chopped Tomatoes, Shallots, lime juice and salt (remove the seeded pulp of Tomatoes as the water content will make the wrap soggy, just retain the outer thick skin).
Mix the cooked black bean with little salt and crushed black pepper powder and keep aside. Grate the cheese on box grater.
Warm both sides of a Tortilla on Tawa for a minute. Transfer to a work surface. Place a tbsp of Pico, add a tbsp black beans, garnish with a a tsp of grated cheese and coriander leaves. Add a dash of lime juice. Fold the sides and then wrap like a log. Too much stuffing and the wraps break, stuff with caution. Slice diagonally with a knife to divide into two portions. Transfer to a serving dish. The wraps are portable and great as appetizers. Warm for 30 seconds in MW just before serving for home style flavor.

Pan roasted Asparagus in Za'atar with Orange Zest

Spring season implies the entry of few of my favorite vegetables and greens - Asparagus, Artichokes, Arugula and many versions of Chard greens. Asparagus - grilled, roasted or steamed is a favorite in my home. I've tried to doctor the vegetable with Indian spices, but they seemed too overpowering. 

A recent hot favorite in my home are two Middle Eastern spice powders - Za'atar and Sumac. I've been using Sumac in Indian food as well since it renders a nice tangy finish, much like lemons to a dish. Sumac is a much darker, brown colored spice blend with a deep, lemon like tangy flavor. Za'atar as a spice blend is like a silent soldier whose presence is felt yet is very understated and subtle. Za'atar spice blend comes in various combination of spices blended to a dry powder depending on various geographies of Middle East. For instance, a Lebanese version of Za'atar is very different from the ones used in Jordan. The one I use is a blend of Thyme, Oregano, Sumac, Sesame seeds and Marjoram. The usage of Za'atar is diverse and plenty - garnish a bowl of Hummus, season the Falafel sandwich, add as a topping on a Pizza or Bread or use it for a salad.

Za'atar spice blend - Sumac, Sesame seeds, Thyme, Oregano and Marjoram

The interesting things about Asparagus is, it retains the moisture and remains juicy even after cooking owing to high water content. We prefer the spears when they are a bit overcooked, but you could stop after 15 minutes and serve. 

Pan roasted Asaparagus in Za'atar and Orange Zest

Prep Time: 5 + 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15-25 minutes

Ingredients:

Asaparagus (stem removed) - 5-10 spears

For the seasoning -

Za'atar spice blend - 1/2 tsp

Black Pepper Powder (crushed) - 1/3 tsp

Turmeric powder - just a pinch

Sea Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

For garnish -

Orange zest - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Cleaning Asparagus - The Asparagus spears you get at local markets here are cleaned, trimmed and banded together. Wash the spears under cool water, pat dry. Hold the bottom half and snap off from the top end. The trick here is it will snap at the point where the woody part separates from the tender part. Reserve the bottom pieces for soups, stocks. 

Make a marinade of the seasoning ingredients and add the spears. Give a good toss and leave aside for 10 minutes. Heat a cast iron pan to smoking high heat. No need to add oil. Add the spears side by side. Do not use a spatula. Cook on a high flame for 2-4 minutes and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes. Frequently, give a good toss by gently shaking the pan. Once they are lightly charred, turn off flame and serve hot with a dash of orange zest.

Rice and Mung Dal Khichdi

These days I am besotted with Khichdi. Plain, nutritious yet tasty mushy mess full of goodness.

A dear friend asked me if I am into spring cleaning diet with a focus on cleanse. I explained that it was a sheer coincidence. Eat sensibly, be happy and take time out for exercise and activities you enjoy is my mantra. Many of my American friends follow a spring cleanse routine during the switch in weather from winter to spring. For those who are clueless, spring cleaning is an activity undertaken in US where a lot of cleaning activity happens on the home front. This is more applicable if you live in geographies that have a relatively colder climate. Much before I could even think of spring cleaning, there was a weird snowfall with freezing cold weather couple of days ago.

Pure home made Ghee is a must for Khichdi. In my opinion, its a match made in heaven. The Khichdi recipe has many variations with respect to Indian kitchens. I am very picky about my Khichdi and do not like too many spices, vegetables intervening in the recipe. Ma makes this Khichdi for us regularly and I adore the simplicity of this dish, although my Dad dislikes rice based foods unless its an authentic Konkani recipe. :-)

Rice and Mung Dal Khichdi

Simple mushy Rice and Mung Dal with ghee and spices 

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20-30 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Rice (Jeeraga Samba Rice) - 1 measure

Mung Dal (split variety) - 1/2 measure

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Black Pepper Corns (whole) - 1/2 tsp

Pure homemade Ghee - 1 tbsp

Sea Salt 

For Garnish -
Homemade Ghee - 1 tsp
Coarse Black Pepper powder - a pinch

Method:
Rinse the rice and mung dal in multiple changes of water, till the water is clear. Drain the water and keep aside.

In a non-stick pan, heat a tbsp of Ghee. Once the ghee melts and is hot enough, season with cumin seeds. Once the seeds bloom in ghee, add the pepper corns. Give a good stir and add the washed rice and lentils. Mix gently and add three times the quantity of warm water. Add sea salt to taste. Give a taste test. Bring to boil. Simmer away and let it cook for 20-25 minutes with the lid on. Check after 25 minutes, the rice and lentils will be mushy and cooked completely. The consistency will be like that of a porridge. Turn off flame and serve hot. Garnish with homemade ghee and coarsely crushed black pepper powder.

Note - Use good quality of rice which carries a nice aroma. I prefer not to use Basmati rice for Khichdi. Add three times the quantity of warm water to the rice and lentils ratio [3:1].

Sabudana Khichdi

Khichdi is known as elixir of the gods in ancient hindu scriptures. Eaten piping hot, bit mushy with very simple flavors if you consider the everyday khichdi made in Indian homes comprising of lentils and rice. This is one dish where excess of any sort is omitted. No wonder for any great tasting khichdi everything needs to be in moderation. There are days when I like bold, pop flavors and there are days when I yearn for a warm bowl of khichdi. With festivals demanding long hours of fasting, its an Indian tradition to cook Khichdi and observe a Sattvik diet with no garlic and onion. A good warm bowl of Khichdi is also filling. Few regular khichdi recipes made at my home are Sabudana Khichdi, Rice and Mung Dal Khichdi which is my personal favorite served with a dollop of ghee dunked atop while its hot.

The Sabudana Khichdi made at my home is inspired by the easy and simple khichdi recipe followed in Marathi homes. I add Daanyachey Koot and few whole Peanuts for garnish, may be a little more than required because I like the crunch. It took me a while to master this dish because there are many failure modes (for lack of any word) possible in the process. Couple of things gone wrong and the whole dish can be messy. 

Sabudana Khichdi

Tapioca Pearls Khichdi with Peanuts and Peanut powder

Prep Time: 5-6 hours 

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Tapioca Pearls (Sabudana) - 1/2 cup
Potatoes (thinly sliced, MW par cooked) - 1/2 cup

Peanut powder (Daanyachey Koot) - 3/4 cup

Toasted Peanuts (whole or split) - 1/3 cup
Ghee

For Seasoning -

Green Chillies (slit lengthwise) - 2 

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Salt

Sugar

Method:
1. Soaking - Rinse the pearls in multiple changes of water. Soak in enough water to submerge the pearls for about 6-8 hours. The water will also get absorbed in the process. If the pearls look tad bit dry, sprinkle some water, fluff gently with a fork and cover again.After the time has elapsed, they will proliferate in size and you can easily squish them under the thumb and index finger. If its squishes well, its ready. The water will also get absorbed in the process. If the pearls look tad bit dry, sprinkle some water, fluff gently with a fork and cover again. If its squishes well, its ready. The pearls almost double up in volume once soaked and ready. Drain the water completely, ensure that Sabudana has no water content before you proceed. Typically, there is no need to drain the water as it gets absorbed.
2. Toast the Peanuts (about a cup) in a small frying pan. Save about 1/3 of the cup as reserve once toasted. Allow the rest to cool. Make Daanyachey Koot. MW peeled Potato with little water and cook for 2-4 minutes till its partially cooked.
3. In a non-stick pan, heat ghee. Once the ghee melts and the pan is hot enough, season with cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add curry leaves and slit green chillies. Add the MW cooked potatoes and sear the potatoes for couple of minutes.
4. The Potatoes will get a light sear by now, add the soaked Tapioca Pearls. Give a good toss, follow with crushed peanut powder. Add salt and sugar. Balance the taste so that its neither salty nor sweet. Give a taste test. Cover with a lid. Lower the flame and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes.
5. Once cooked, the pearls will turn translucent to almost opaque shade of color. Give a gentle toss. Check if done, turn off flame and enjoy while its hot. Garnish with reserve toasted peanuts.

Note - Cook in a non-stick pan. The pearls could at times stick to the pan. Avoid fiddling with it too much while its getting cooked, else it could turn mushy.

Quinoa Mediterranean Salad

The husband has a good knack of fixing quick salads and light meals. He prefers not to go by the book, likes quick and fast meals preferably with Chicken/ Seafood, etc. We cook together whenever opportunity strikes and more often than not I am amazed at the way he puts together a Salad with all the good stuff or a light dish comprising of vegetables and chicken/ shrimps/ fish, etc. 

I got the motivation to try different approaches to light meals from him. It takes a lot of discipline especially if you are a foodie like me. But hey, nothing ever came easy to anyone especially when your goals were tough! He has an adventurous palate and the flavors range anywhere from spicy, sour to bit sweet which is very unlike my preferred flavors of savory and spicy. He has a soft corner for Mediterranean ingredients like Olives, Chickpeas, Dates, Couscous, Laban. Its not odd that his favorite dishes include salads like Fattoush and Tabbouleh, light overstuffed Pita bread sandwiches with Falafel chunks laced with Tahini and Hummus, grilled meats like spicy chunks of Shish Tawook cooked with lot of Taoum and finally, royal and rich desserts laden with nuts, dry fruits like Umm Ali, Mouhalabieh and silky, smooth tasting Cream Caramel served with a dollop of whipped cream. Here's a salad he dished out some time back and I was very pleased. :-)

If we are eating out and there is a food joint/ food truck/ restaurant selling Middle Eastern fare, there is a high probability that both of us will gladly nod our heads and attack the food with an unsaid decision taken in unison. Much to our relief, most of the Middle Eastern places serve a salad made either with Couscous or Quinoa an an appetizer. That being one of the reasons why we piqued a stealth but sure love for grains which we would not have tried otherwise. Access to a variety of food choices, willingness to shift gears and an open mind plays a large role in remoulding your food habits in the long run. 

Few of my friends cook Quinoa in pressure cooker which I have not tried as yet. I used Sumac, a Middle Eastern spice powder which has a subtle lemon like flavor. The variety of Quinoa which we used here was pre-flavored with Mushrooms and Parsley which does not force one to use vegetable or chicken stock, which also implies that you can cook the grains with water and it would still turn out tasty.  I was running out of Cucumber and Feta, but a must if this Salad is your main and only meal. The taste takes a bit of getting used to but once you like it, there's no looking back.

~ Quinoa Mediterranean Salad ~

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Quinoa (cooked as per instructions on the packet) - 2 cups

Mixed Olives (Chopped and pitted - Salt cured) - 4 tbsp

Chickpeas (cooked and lightly salted) - 1/2 cup
Cucumber (peeled, seeds removed and chopped) - 1/4 cup

Shallots (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp

Sumac - 1/2 tsp

Goji Berries - 1 tsp
Feta Cheese (cold, cubed) - 3 tbsp

Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp

Sea Salt

Method:

Wash Quinoa in multiple changes of water. Cook as per instruction on the packet (I used a variety which was flavored with Mushroom and Parsley). It took me approx. 20 minutes to cook the tiny grains on the stove in plain water. Upon cooking, tiny pigtails like thing sprout out from each of them. Fluff the grains with a fork and add Sumac powder, Shallots, Chickpeas, Olives, Cucumber, Feta and give a gentle toss. Adjust salt as desired. Garnish with Goji Berries and Coriander leaves. Serve warm or as a side dish. If serving cold, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

Note: Add very less salt if using salt-cured Olives. Salads take very less salt as compared to main meals like curries. The Salad can be served cold or warm.