Sunday, October 28, 2007

Salad, sabzi, or both and a weekend brunch idea :)

I am sure you are all familiar with the days, when you get back home tired and really hungry: the times when you don't have much energy to do some elaborate cooking, but would still love to have some yummy food! On one such day last week, i felt really lazy to cook much, yet craved something spicy and filling. In this bus, i had been dreaming about making some baked vegetables in some cilantro based marinade. When i got home, i checked out the vegetables in the fridge and wondered what all to use. Finally, i decided to go for some bell peppers, some mushrooms, a lil' paneer and some spring onions and marinate them in a cilantro based marinade. The cilantro chutney/marinade was made by simply blending together cilantro, green chillies, ginger, garlic salt, salt and lime juice. I mixed the marinade with the veggies in the baking dish and the whole thing looked really appetizing. I then wondered, if i should go for a salad, a sabzi or both :-D. I decided to take some in a bowl as a salad, which was yummy! and put the rest in the oven. As i feasted myself upon the lip-smacking chutney-vegetables combo, i simultaneously had been making some baked vegetables, which turned out to be equally delicious, if not more :-D. I am sure you all have your own variations on this theme, here's my version:

Baked vegetables in cilantro marinade:

We need:

  • 1 big bell pepper (chopped into bite-sized pieces)
  • 2 Roma tomatoes (sliced)
  • 20 or so bite sized pieces of paneer
  • 1/2 cup sliced crimini or baby bella mushrooms
  • 1 bunch spring onions (chopped)
For marinade:

  • 1 small bunch/3/4 th cup equivalent chopped cilantro
  • 1 serrano pepper or 2 green chillies (adjust chillies to your taste)
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 1 tsp. lime/lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • Salt to taste

Grind together the ingredients for the marinade. Mix these with the chopped vegetables. In case you are making the salad, leave the spring onions and chill the salad in the fridge. Mix the chopped spring onions before serving.

The salad :)

For making baked vegetables, mix the marinade with all the chopped vegetables and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 F meanwhile. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes, mixing once in between (or till the bell peppers are tender-rest of the stuff doesn't take long to cook). The end result should have slightly crisped paneer and well done bell peppers, with some thick gravy. If you want grilled vegetables, add less marinade, and bake a lil' longer. Enjoy the baked vegetables with crispy toast :).

The sabzi :)

As i was having the salad, i wondered about all those laments that one gets to hear from time to time, as to how Indian food doesn't have much to do with salads! Indian cuisine boast of such an enormous variety of salads, from the lovely koshimbirs, to kosumbari, to the sundals, raitas and pachidis and the regular kheera-tamatar with lime, salt an pepper and many many more. Just that we don't label them as "salad" :-D.

Oh, and here's a quick weekend brunch idea. i am sure again that many of you make this in your own way as well. i am talking about the sandwich made with (aloo ki) sabzi :-D. i use left over aloo sabzi (dry) or any dry sabzi, stuff it in the sourdough or rye bread, along with a lil' skim mozzarella or five cheese blend and toast it on tava/griddle. i'll be honest with you, i use a lil' ghee (just a cpl. of drops) to toast :-D. It gives such a heavenly aroma!



Here's a quick aloo ki sabzi-a zero oil version:

We need:

  • 1-2 potatoes (boiled/microwaved and mashed)
  • 1/2 tsp jeera/cumin
  • 1 ripe tomato
  • 1 bunch spring onions (optional)
  • 1 tsp. grated ginger
  • 1 clove garlic (chopped fine, optional)
  • 1 chopped green chilli
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp. lime juice or 1 tsp. sour curds
  • Chopped cilantro for garnish

Wash the potatoes and keep them in the microwave for cooking. It takes about 4 minutes per potato, and 7 minutes for two potatoes in my micrwave. Alternatively you can boil the potatoes. Meanwhile, heat a pan and dry roast the cumin seeds till they release the aroma. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the grated ginger and onions and garlic, if using. Stir and cook for a cpl. of minutes. (By now the potatoes should be done. Quickly peel them and mash them roughly). Add the microwaved/boiled and mashed potatoes to the pan and mix. Add the salt and souring agent of your choice (lime juice or curds) and mix well. If the mixture is getting too dry or sticking to the pan, drizzle some water. Cook for another 5 minutes with occasional stirring. Add the green chillies and cilantro.

Enjoy as a sabzi/side dish or as a sandwich/parantha stuffing :). Don't go by the picture, it tastes really good :).

63 comments:

indosungod said...

Baked Vegetables with cilantro looks tasty and if it is healthy that we are interested in its got that too. Aloo Sandwich is a childhood favorite, back home sandwich meant was aloo subji with mint chutney smeared on the bread, but you know what I have never tried them here :)

TBC said...

I do the same with my leftover aloo sabji. It tates so good!
Baked veggies with cilantro sauce/chutney sounds great:-)
So the bus ride home is where your ideas are born, huh?:-)

Sreelu said...

Musical, baked veggies in cilantro looks like a great idea.

Anonymous said...

I made something similar to your baked veggies 'cept it was with chicken and I cooked it in the pressure cooker. Chutney makes for a wonderful marinade and sauce. My chutney had some coconut in it, too. It was great with rice! I think I will be making your baked veggies soon!

And, since I like my potatoes all mushed up, your zero oil aloo sabzi is making me drool!

Sig said...

Love that marinade/salad dressing musie... Guess I just need to substitute the veggies with some meat and I am all set ;)

musical said...

ISG:

Thanks, dear :). Hey, and i completely agree about the aloo-sandwich :). its a childhood favorite indeed! You should make it sometime ;).


TBC:

Really, left over aloo-sabzi always tastes great with bread or parantha! He he, and the bus ride serves a great purpose in "inspiring" me to think about food :-D.


Sreelu:

Thanks, dear :). It did taste really good!

musical said...

Manisha:

Hey, see, we are thinking on the same lines these days :-D. i am sure coconut would have added a deep flavor to the dish. Next time i'll try the mushrooms and eggplants combo with your recipe, that will definitely taste yummy :). You like your potatoes mushed up too, wow! i like those bhartas too :-D. and am thrilled that my hazy picture is tempting enough :).

Sig:

Sure it will work well with meat preparations too. Manisha seems to have tried it. Though i was hoping that you would like the vegetarian version too ;).

Raaga said...

I made something very similar and added pasta to it :) I grilled instead of baking :)

Nice ghee toasted sandwich :)

Rachna said...

hee yeah hubby loooves aalooo sabzi ka sandwish made on the tava.... i love yur bake... with paneer and dhania and the veggies...its like a hariyali baked paneer tikka.....am so hungry now....

Padmaja said...

Nice n simple sandwich!! love it!!!i am gonna try but will avoid the ghee bit!! you know why, my little one and hubby says i have put on weight after i started food blogging yaar!!

sra said...

I too look for something snappy when I get home wanting something hot/fresh (and when what's in the fridge bores me) but sometimes it's just too much trouble to cut and chop and grind - I usually heat up a pack of ready-to-eat curry. I don't eat bread or rice and that makes everything harder for me!

Pelicano said...

The last few days I've been making green chile and cheese stuffed paranthas- and am getting quite good at making them quickly (yep, I'm proud of myself and am bragging)- and then I come here and read that you are taking SLICED BREAD and making subzi-grilled cheese sandwiches!!! ;-)

Whatever is the world coming to?! :-) hehehe
Your salad-or-subzi sounds wonderful Muse, bright and fresh-tasting as a salad. I'll try it next time I make panir. Do you know if panir can be frozen?

FH said...

Great looking Panini!! Slurp!!

I do understand the feeling! We had a busy weekend, last night we didn't have anything to eat or energy to cook. I just cooked some rive in MW and mixed some Vangibhath pd without any Vangis!!;P

You did way better than me. Happy Monday Musie!:)

Richa said...

thuannu karva chuth di vadhaiya' & best wishes :)
paneer in marinade, yummy yum!
sandwich looks yum, definitely a plus for quick fix meals anytime :)

Saju said...

now you have done it! gone and made me hungry, it is three hours before dinner time......

Rina said...

Wow, those look so tempting.

Anonymous said...

That looks really delicious, Musical. I add some baingan too to my bakes/grills these days - naturally, yummy!

And I have just had that day when you are too tired to cook...but unlike you I picked some bad food from the closest (to where I was) dhaba...was not lucky with my choice...but I really could not have cooked tonight.

You did a swell job of eating your salad and having some too!

Bong Mom said...

On such days I just go out and order some Thai :D
But now I will be a good girl and bake my veggies and eat them

Sharmi said...

I liked the paneer subzi. looks juicy and delicious. the sandwich looks so inviting and crisp. My kind of idea!!

musical said...

Raaga:

Pasta with grilled veggies is a lovely idea! Thanks, dear :). Will try it out sometime.


Rachna:

Those aloo sandwiches are everyone's favorite, i guess :). Potatoes do that, don't they :). Paneer tikka, wow, kya yaad dilaya :). i am hungry too, now :).


Padmaja:

Thanks, ji :). He he, so you think your hubby is true ;). Am sure the sandwich will taste good even without the ghee, just that i am kinda' addicted to the aroma of ghee :-D.

musical said...

Sra:

Why no bread or rice? Are you trying to minimize starches? My most favorite quick eat is upma, poha or khichdi!! Poha works the best because it takes 10 mins flat to get done :).


Pel:

He he, that was a very "in-laws" kind of statement ;). i know, i know, those paranthas :-D. They do that to you :). i had some y'day, mooli paranthas :). oh, and i do freeze my paneer often. i generally make a huge batch, cube it and freeze it. Works well. The salad did taste super-fresh!


Ashakka:

Thanks, dear :). I am totally out of Vangibaath powder, that really comes in handy when one is tired! Hope that you are having a great day!

musical said...

Richa:

Tuhanu vi karva-chauth diyaan vadhhaiyaan :). Do you fast? he he, i am not yet qualified to ;). Yup, that aloo sabzi sandwich is always a great option! Paneer is usually great in any form, isn't it :-D.


Saju:

He he, your dishes do that to me all the time :-D.


Rina:

Thanks, buddy :). Enjoy it, its a great two-in-one option :).

musical said...

Anita:

I completely agree, eggplants do taste yummy in these bakes! they taste good in any form :-D. I ate out on Saturday at an Indian restaurant-really bland food! I can imagine how you must have felt-its like when you are too hungry and get food from outside, hoping that since its from dhaba it might taste good, and then it doesn't! i was too hungry that day, just hogged the salad :).


Sandeepa:

That's where i get lazy, ordering and then waiting for it! Really, when i am hungry, i just want food :-D. Good girl, am glad you've promised to eat the vegetables :-D.


Sharmi:

Thanks, ji :). Those aloo-sandwiches always liven up the day :-D. The bake did turn out yummy!

remya said...

simple n lovely sandwich....looks invitating...

Manasi said...

Ummmm!! Love the baked version (i'd mke it minus the mushrooms) I can smell that marinade!! YUM!!!
I often make the s/which with potato filling! Infact use that kinda stuffing for puff pastry sheets too!

Pelicano said...

Thank ya sweet Musey! I'll go get like 3-4 gallons of milk now so I'll be totally prepared for your temptations. :-D BTW The b/f is now looking at the pic of this subzi and wanting some NOW! ;-)

Mishmash ! said...

u can use those cilantro base/chutney as a sandwich spread too, ...will give an extra kick to ur aloo filling :)

sunita said...

I love the baked veggies, but,I think, no, I'm sure that I'm falling in love with that aloo sabzi of yours.

bee said...

gosh, you are patient. when i'm hungry and there's nothing cooked, it's always bread and jam for me. or bread and cream cheese.

musical said...

Remya:

Thanks, dear :). i totally love aloo-sandwich :).


Manasi:

Thanks, sweetie :). Try it your way! If you like zucchini or eggplants, they work well here too. Oh yes, the aloo-puffs :). Thanks for reminding me about those-haven't had them in a long time! Will bake some over the weekend :).


Pel:

You surely look excited :-D. Are you planning to supply paneer ;). Send some over, if that's the case :-D. oh, btw, that's typical of b/fs, isn't it :-D.

musical said...

Shn:

i completely agree with you :). Coriander chutney kicks up any food, especially the sandwiches :-D. Hmm, i am reminded of the Bombay style grilled sandwiches :). About time i made some ;).


Sunita:

i knew you would like the aloo sabzi :). You inspired me to post some zero oil/low oil recipes :).


Bee:

The word is chatori :-D. i can and do eat bread and cream cheese, many a time with chai, for dinner!! but am not too keen on jams (why don't they make hot and spicy jams)!

Mansi said...

wow Musi! this looks good and also healthy! a simple dish with a twist..nice one girl:)

sagari said...

Delecious food

Suganya said...

I can smell cilantro here. And love yr sandwich idea. Like parathas, sandwich can be stuffed with almost anything.... wel.. thats the idea :D

Mandira said...

I might just make the aloo paratha I have been promising myself with the filling musical :) bet the cilantro marinade was fabulous!

musical said...

Mansi:

Thanks, dear :). It did taste good and like you said, is healthy too :).


Sagari:

Thanks, dear :).


Suganya:

Aren't sandwiches and paranthas few of the most versatile dishes :). and i agree, the cilantro aroma was yummy!


Mandira:

Sure, do make the paranthas NOW :). The cilantro marinade was really cool!

Shweta said...

I could gobble up that salad even if I wasn't hungry! I love tave pe seki hui bread with ghee or amul butter... yummmmm. Hubby is a big time sandwich lover, I am gonna try this aloo filling next chance I get. We've been on a potato high for a few days, ragda patties, dabeli and samosas (still have leftover dabelis to finish.. sigh!)... Sandwiches next weekend sounds like a plan!

Pelicano said...

Yes...very typical of b/fs...especially those of food-bloggers! I bet there are many who are hounded with requests from husbands, wives and b-g/fs: "Can you make this, can you make that? You haven't made it in awhile, how about it? You know how much I love that dish..." etc. ;-)

Panir- you getting low in your supply Muse? Wanna know what I'd really like to make? Panir pakodes... have you ever made these?

Ramya's Mane Adige said...

hey, thanx for these two healthy recipes!!! I loved the fact that they take almost no oil!!

musical said...

Shweta:

I think that tave pe seki hui bread is also a very Punju thing :). and leftover dabeli? how is that possible :-D.Sandwiches are always an easy breezy, yet very filling options for a weekend brunch :).


Pel:

How true :). i still have some paneer, but since you are planning to make paneer on industrial scale, i was just wondering ;). Yes, paneer pakodas are yummy! There are many ways of making them :-D. I do prepare them sometimes. They are one of the yummiest pakodas :-D.


Ramya:

Thanks, dear :). They are healthy and tasty to boot :).

Anonymous said...

Love that sandwich. I too make with bread and make it in the sandwich maker. The picture of it is looking so tempting.

Divya and Chaya said...

hi there,
so nice to get u'r msg this early morning! Thanks 4 visiting. Have added u 2 our blog roll. U have a great blog 2- would have mised it if u hadn't visited ours!

musical said...

Hima:

Thanks, dear :). Yup, i remember the sandwiches made with sabzi in the grilled sandwich maker :). Those taste so good, especially with aloo-matar sabzi :).


Dee and Chai:

Thanks, ladies :). You are on my reading list too :). and i am glad i discovered your blog, it felt really nice being there!

KayKat said...

Yum! That marinade looks delicious - I'm definitely hopping onto that recipe the next time I'm making rotis!

And that sandwich is an awesome leftover idea.

Yay for cilantro!

musical said...

Kaykat:

Yes, do try it with rotis! and cilantro rocks, isn't it :-D.

Sona - quick picks/pick quicks said...

lovely combo!!

musical said...

Kitchen Scientist:

Thank you :).

Anonymous said...

Oh, look at all that paneer and veggies swimming in savory dressing! Could I have some of that sandwich while the veggies bake, please? :)

Divya and Chaya said...

Love your panini- want to try it out soon! Happy Diwali !!

Latha Narasimhan said...

HAPPY DIWALI MUSY!:)

KellytheCulinarian said...

Those look delicious! What a great assortment of dishes.

Anonymous said...

Happy Diwali Musical, are you in tune with it ?

Anonymous said...

hey musy
Not much Diwali stuff at my end too, except for the twinkling lights on the porch and a general "feel good" factor :D, so you are not alone.
To jazz up a little I had planned to take the whole family for "Om Shanti Om" tonight. (Nothing like inane BW movies with SRK to cheer up a cold night) But all the shows are sold out !!! That makes me so depressed :(

Sona - quick picks/pick quicks said...

hai, liked the oil free version, yumm

Swati said...

Its really my favourite for breakfast.........
Happy belated diwali to you.

musical said...

Sorry all, for replying so late!

Linda:

Sure, join me for some anytime. BTW, i am sure your son enjoyed the Sox victory a lot :).


Dee and Chai:

Thanks, dear buddies :). i hope you both enjoyed the Diwali too :).


Latha ji:

Very warm Diwali wishes to you too :).


Kelly:

Thanks a lot, dear :).


Sandeepa:

Happy Diwali to you and your loved ones too, dear :). Oh, atleast you have a place close by where you can go watch Indian movies, here there's nothing around. The Fallbrooks and Naz are so far away from here! Hope you get the tickets soon :).


Kitchen Scientist:

Thanks a lot :). i am glad you enjoyed this dish :).


Sugarcraft:

Thanks, dear :). Happy Diwali to you and your family as well :).

Kajal said...

Love your sandwich my dear. Looks delicious!!!!!!

Shweta said...

Happy Diwali to you too dear Musical :)
I finally posted the life in fours me-me! Had written it some time back but wanted to club it with a recipe post and that took forever :) I had fun doing it..Thanks!

Seema Bhat said...

Musical, I liked that salad urf baked veggies. I would like it stuffed in the bread as well. Sandwich yeah i do that often too. Stuff any leftover dry sabzi and the sandwich is ready.It actually tastes great too right?

Mansi said...

ma'am where are you??!! waiting for your posts!

musical said...

Dear friends:

My sincere apologies for replying really late.

Kajal:

Thanks, dear :). Hope you had a great time for holidays :).


Shweta:

I loved your me-me, dear and all the goodies you posted with it :).


Seema;

Oh yes, the baked vegetables would work really well in sandwiches too. The aloo and left over sabzi sandwiches are my favorite too :).


Mansi:

Yaar, first i was not in a mood to write down much (kinda' tired) and then once felt like blogging, i fell sick :( I'll be posting something today :).

Srivalli said...

hello musi...Long time no news!..hope everything is going good..Wish you a very happy new year!

Latha said...

The baked veggies is a great idea! Also love the look of the salad. One of my friend also makes Pineapple chaat this way -cube up the pineapple, mix it with some spicy cilantro chutney and enjoy! It tastes great.
Will try the baked veggies soon. Great idea!
Happy New Year to you and your family musical!
Hugs
Latha