Diwali: recipes from a parallel world

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One likes Indian food. At times. Without the overdose of spices. Without all the ghee and the oil. Without it being mushed from overcooking. And, only if one did not have to spend half a day to make one dish.

These things will be possible in another time and space, in a parallel world. It is only wishful thinking that we will be so evolved that we won’t have to eat in that world. But for now, we can try some of that world’s recipes!!

Diwali Sweet Ghughara

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Crescent Dough Sheet – frozen

1 oz pack of Polly O or any other brand Light Ricotta Cheese

2 cups nicely ground dry toasted mixed nuts

A few packets of Splenda sweetener

Few strands of saffron

1/4^th teaspoon cardamom powder

4-5 drops of vanilla

1 tablespoon ghee

1/4^th tablespoon grapeseed or peanut oil mixed with 3/4^th tablespoon regular milk or coconut milk

Parchment paper to line baking pan

Method:

1. Heat a pan on low to medium heat and roast the ricotta till it starts drying out.
2. Add the saffron, cardamom, the nuts, vanilla and the Splenda and roast a little more till it firms up. Let cool. Taste for sweetness and adjust.
3. Take the dough sheet out of the can, bring it to room temperature, and gently roll it out on a large surface to make it thinner.
4. Cut medium size rounds of the dough sheet.
5. Keep the remaining dough covered and fold one round double, pinching its two corners to keep it folded.
6. Place a teaspoonful of the stuffing in the middle of the folded dough round. Add a little more if the round seems very empty.
7. Close the whole edge of the round by pressing the dough.
8. Follow with the rest of the dough rounds till all stuffing is finished.
9. Take each folded dough moon and press a fork on its edges to close properly and to create a pattern.
10. Brush with the milk and oil mix and place on a pan lined with parchment paper.
11. Bake at the temperature and time instructed on the dough sheet can.
12. Take out of oven and let cool.

Serving suggestion:

Serve and eat in moderation.

These ghugharas can last for a week in the refrigerator.

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Dry Potato Vegetable/Appetizer

Ingredients:

10 baby potatoes

Salt

Black pepper

Brown sesame seeds

2 tablespoons oil, any kind

1 bunch green coriander

2-3 strands of curry leaves

1 not-so-hot green chilly or Thai chilly

1” piece of fresh ginger root

1 cup of very fine sev or bhel sev

1 half lemon

1 shallot

Red pepper flakes

1/4^th cup peanuts roasted, skins removed and powdered

1/4^th cup roasted coconut powder

Method:

1. Wash and chop the coriander
2. Wash and chop the curry leaves
3. Wash and chop the green chilly
4. Wash and chop the ginger root
5. In a chopper or food processor, mix-grind coarsely roasted peanuts, coconut powder, shallot, coriander, curry leaves, green chilly, adding 1 teaspoon of oil.

The mix would be a bit soggy, not entirely dry.

6. Take the mix out in a bowl and mix in sesame seeds, salt, sugar, lemon juice and the bhel sev.

Stir and mix thoroughly. Taste to adjust salt etc.

7. Wash and halve the baby potatoes.
8. Heat remaining oil in a deep skillet or wok, Throw in the potatoes. Stir for a minute and then sprinkle some salt on them.
9. Cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Do not add any water.
10. Check after 5 minutes, stir and cover and cook again for 5 minutes.
11. Check the potatoes, letting the water from the lid fall in. Stir and cover and cook for 5 more minutes. This would cook them for a total of 15 minutes with cover.
12. Now open the lid and check one potato with a fork to see if tender.
13. If tender, add the stuffing mix to the pan, stir and cook covered for 5 minutes. Make sure not to use too much of the stuffing. Just enough to sparsely cover the potatoes.
14. If not tender yet, cook some more before adding the stuffing.
15. When cooked to desired consistency, take off the stove and serve in a baking plate. Sprinkle fresh coriander, some fine sev, and some pomegranate seeds if available.

Serving suggestions:

These potatoes be served as vegetables with rotis or parathas.

These potatoes can also be served as dry appetizers.

Or they can be served as chaat.

To make a chaat, add some whipped yogurt on top of the potatoes first.

Then add some green chilly chutney and some sweet date chutney.

Sprinkle the sev and the coriander.

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Orzo Vegetable Biryani-Pulao

Ingredients:

Orzo pasta any brand

Brussels sprouts

Broccoli

White mushrooms

Carrots

Mixed greens

Feta cheese

Olive oil

Salt

Black pepper

Italian seasoning

Method:

1. boil plenty of water and add pasta (no salt)
2. boil for 10-12 minutes or until tender, a little more than a la dente
3. in a non-stick pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute vegetables – brussels sprouts halved, broccoli florets, diced carrots, diced white mushrooms- on low to medium flame.

Do not add any water.

4. Cover the pan fully for 5 minutes for the veggies to cook.
5. Then uncover half and let cook for 5 more minutes.
6. Finally, uncover fully and cook for 5 minutes or more, turning occasionally, untill veggies get charred (browned).
7. add a pinch of salt (make sure it is very little as Feta cheese is very salty).
8. add a little black pepper.
9. add italian seasoning.
10. add the boiled pasta and mix everything.
11. turn the flame very low, cover the pan fully and bake (dum) on stove top for 5 minutes.
12. stir once. Cover and bake for 5 more minutes.
13. separately, crumble some feta cheese. Chop some mixed greens and mix together.
14. Turn off the flame after ten minutes. Keep covered for 10 minutes.
15. Then remove the cover, pour pasta into a serving dish, and add the feta mix to pasta, mixing lightly.
16. Serve warm or at room temperature.