Salsa Cruda Bruschetta

We had been to Houlihan's in Weehawken, NJ last Saturday. Though it was not the first time in that restaurant, it was first in that area. It was long time since we had been to Houlihan's and my husband was longing to eat their Veggie Burger.

We have a few options there for vegetarian entrees. In particular, we like the veggie club sandwich and the Burger with a green peas patty. This time we ordered Salsa Cruda Bruschetta for appetizer course. I was simply mesmerized by its taste. It felt like I didn't want to eat anything else for my entire lifetime. Yes, it was that great. So if my attempt to recreate this Bruschetta is even 10% close, then I would consider myself successful.

Salsa, simply put is tomato sauce. But it is somehow extended to include anything which has more tomatoes. Salsa can be cooked or raw. Uncooked salsa is known as Salsa Cruda. Anyways I found this page very interesting to understand different types of salsa.

I have used garlic infused butter instead of using garlic directly since I don't like to get garlic pieces in my mouth. Also used is vegetable cream cheese spread. You can use any type of cream cheese, in case you can't find it, you can add cheese while toasting bread to melt it directly on bread.

Serves: 2-3

Preparation Time: 10 mins prep time + 10 mins baking time + 10 mins for assembling

Ingredients:

• 1 French Baguette bread slit into half and cut into approximately 8 inch pieces
• 1/4 stick of butter or 1/4 cup of butter
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 3 firm tomatoes finely chopped
• 1/2 onion finely chopped
• 8 to 10 basil leaves shredded
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt as needed
• Black pepper powder as needed
• 3 wedges of cream cheese spread
• Grated parmesan for garnishing

Method:

• In a sauce pan add garlic and butter and let it melt . Once melt switch off the stove.
• Using a brush, rub the garlic butter on top of the baguette pieces evenly.
• Bake them in a conventional oven at 425K for 10 mins or until they crisp up.
• In a mixing bowl add chopped onions, tomatoes basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix it together gently folding in to make salsa.
• Once the bread has toasted spread the cream cheese on top of each bread.
• Add the salsa prepared on top of each bread.
• Sprinkle parmesan on top and serve.

Veggie Kebab

Thanks to my in-laws, first thing I saw today morning were chocolate and strawberry covered strawberries! Thank you for a very early birthday gift Maina and Amma, I simply love it. I think it is one of the best gift anyone can get, since it is fruit - obviously fruit is healthy, and chocolate - I mean who doesn't love chocolates. I feel they are better than traditional cakes for birthdays and are guilt free eats.

Back to the recipe. I love finger foods. Anything that is bit size and vegetarian, I am game for it! I make these kinds of recipes on Saturdays or Sundays when we have had nice and heavy lunch.

Kebabs were first conceptualized in Middle Eastern Countries and was eaten for breakfast with Pita and Naan breads. Though traditionally, kebab are roasted in fire pits, at home, we can roast it on pan or in an oven. There are numerous kebabs available all around the world.

Do you find yourself with left over bread that is going to expire very soon? Then this recipe is for you. I made it when I had few slices of leftover bread and it turned out to be our favorite. In case you don't have bread you can use more potatoes or use baked beans. In our house, my husband is a potato fan and I on the other hand, don't like it that much. You can fry it in oil and call it cutlets so it can work in both ways. I grated the boiled potatoes since it tends to be more even, you can use the good old mashing method as well.

It is best eaten hot on a cold or rainy day with or without traditional pita/naan.

Serves: 3-4

Preparation Time: For oven baking 1 hour, for stove top 30 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 large potatoes boiled, peeled and grated (I used Idaho)
• 2 large carrots grated finely (use the smallest hole of grater)
• 6-8 bread slices coarsely powdered in blender or food processor without water
• 1 small onion chopped finely
• 1 small green chili chopped
• 1-2 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• Salt as needed

Method:

• Mix all the above ingredients in a large bowl.
• Check for salt and add more if needed.
• Pinch a lemon sized ball from the mixture and make a fist and give a rough cylindrical shape to form kebabs. Continue this for the rest of the mixture.
• In a baking tray, place a sheet of parchment paper and place all the hand made raw kebabs and bake it for 1 hour at 350K or 175C, turning it every 15 mins . Make sure they have some space between them before baking.
• For stove top, take a non stick flat pan or grill and roast the raw kebab in batches turning them till golden brown. You can choose to add oil to the pan while roasting, if you need, since there is oil already in the mixture.
• Serve hot with ketchup or mint or coriander chutney.

Ambode - Lentil Fritters

India is known for fried stuffs. Be it Bhajiya, Vada or Pakoda. They are the best appetizers and the most easiest. One of these are Ambode or Lentil Fritters. It is from Karnataka and you can find most kannada people making it during festivals.

This is not to be confused with Masala Vada, unlike Masala Vada,  Ambode is made during festivals so onion is never added. They are nutritious and tasty. Needless to say if you simply can cook it, you can fry it as well. We make this using chana dal or split bengal gram. Chana dal needs to be soaked in water for at least an hour for this recipe, but the more it soaks in water, the better. I left it in water for almost 6 hours.

They can be enjoyed without any condiments as well. Kids like it with ketchup or tamarind sauce. Ambodes usually become soft after sometime like most of the fried items. Once it is soft or eaten the next day, you can dip it in rasam or curd to enhance the taste or in case its difficult to chew. My father-in-law enjoys eating it with payasa (pudding), another essential dessert during festivals.

While frying, it is best to either use vegetable, sunflower or any other oil which does not have any dominant flavor or pungent odor. Only fry 5-6 fritters in one batch as the temperature of oil might come down if the wok is overcrowded.

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 25 mins

Ingrediants:

• 1 cup chana dal pre soaked for at least for 1 hour
• 2 dried red chillies 
• 2 green chillies - finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• A pinch of hing
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves or mint leaves
• 1 tbsp rice flour
• 5-6 curry leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• Oil for frying

Method:

• Use food processor to pulse channa dal and dried red chillies. Make sure not to add any water and not to make it a fine paste 
• Add this mixture to a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients to it except oil.
• Heat the oil in a wok and check the temperature. Best test is to add a pinch of this mixture to hot oil, if it comes to the surface then the oil is ready
• Make small lime sized balls of this mixture in hand and flatten it gently on palm and add it carefully to the oil. Do not prepare too many flat balls at once as it can dry if it stands for too long. Add about 5-6 in one batch.
• Fry them until golden brown and even coloring is seen.
• Drain of excess oil using a spider or a spotted spoon and place it on a plate covered with tissue paper.
• Check the fried batch for salt after it cools down a bit. Make the necessary adjustments in case required to the raw mixture and continue frying in batches.