CIABATTA SANDWICH ON A RAINY DAY!

Cloudy cold days and Ciabatta sandwiches go hand in hand! Nothing beats eating a warm sandwich with soup on a dreary evening, watching Andaz Apna Apna or maybe Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikander( two of my many favorites!).I have made a sandwich using a little butter, grilled veggies, pesto and mozarella...all healthy options in moderate quantities. Then I placed it on a grill( you don't have to have one, a griddle will do just fine), put somthing heavy on it....heavy can be really anything...few soup cans, a garden brick, pressure cooker!! ( see, there is always room for creativity!) Let me tell you how I made it first ...the recipe follows...

Ingredients

• 1 full Ciabatta - you can get it at a grocery store or at your favorite bakery
• Store bought Pesto ( Homemade is great too!)
• Unsalted butter
• Mozarella cheese
• 1 Onion cut in rings about 1/4 inch thick
• 1 Zuchini cut in 1/4 inch rings
• 10-12 Asparagus Spears
• 4 Oven roasted Yellow and Red Bell peppers( I used store bought)
• Pepper to taste

Method

• Brush a hot grill with little olive oil and arrange all your veggies on it.
• Grill approx. 3 mins. on each side for onions and about 2 mins. each side for asparagus and zuchini, or until you get grill marks on both sides and veggies become tender. Remove on a plate.
• Cut your Ciabatta through the middle using a sharp knife. Be careful not to slice it completely through.
• Spread butter on one side of the bread and pesto on the other.
• Cut mozarella into 1/4 inch slices.
• Arrange veggies and mozarella,season with pepper and put the flap side back on so that you have a filled sandwich.
• On the same grill/griddle, place the sandwich and press down with a heavy weight for about 5 mins. on each side or until heated through.
• Remove on a plate and cut into quarters for easy eating!

After toasting the ciabatta becomes nice and crunchy , the insides still nice and tender because of the butter and pesto. Hope you guys enjoy this recipe, coz I definitely do!

BESAN LADOO

Although I cannot make fancy Diwali treats like Chirota or Anarsa, I can definitely make Besan Ladoos! It's an easy fun sweet to make and doesn't need the excuse of a festival to make. I followed the recipe of Kamlabai Oagle(who by now is known to majority of the maharashtrian girls).I went a little easy on the sugar and ghee(clarified butter). This is how I made it...

Ingredients

• 4 cups besan (Gram flour)
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 6-8 cardomom (powdered)
• 8-10 coarsely ground almonds
• 15-20 raisins
• 1/4 cup milk (slightly warmed)
• 1.5 cups clarified butter/ghee

Method

• Heat a heavy bottomed vessel and add clarified butter.
• Once the butter has melted, add the besan and roast until it turns golden brown. Be careful not to burn it ie. do not let it overbrown.
• Take it off the heat and gently sprinkle the milk over it. Mix thoroughly.
• Let it cool for about 10 mins. Then add sugar, mix thoroughly and let the mixture cool completely.
• Remove onto a plate, big enough to contain all the mixture and knead through, roughly 10-15 mins.This aerates the mixture and smoothens it in texture.
• Add almonds, cardamoms , raisins and mix.
• Roll the mxture into balls. If the mixture is too dry add little warm milk , enough to bring the mixture together.

STIR FRIED VEGETABLE AND ROTINI PASTA

Ingredients (Serves 4 people)

• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 small head of brocolli
• Handful of french beans/green beans
• 1/2 cup snow peas/ sugar snap peas
• 1 medium sized carrot
• 1 medium sized zucchini (green or yellow)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (Kikkoman)
• 1 tbsp chinese hot sauce
• 1/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil (can be omitted)
• 1 medium sized box rotini pasta (can be substituted by penne or egg noodles)
• Salt to taste

Method

• Cut all vegetables at an angle into half inch strips.
• In a large vessel, bring water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until Al dente(tender).
• Drain water and keep aside. Sprinkle little olive oil and toss gently to prevent pasta from sticking to each other.
• Heat wok on medium high and add olive oil.
• Add ginger and garlic and stir for few seconds only until the flavor is released. Be careful not to burn it.
• Add carrot,french beans and saute for a minute.
• Add brocolli, peppers, squash and snow peas.
• Stir until vegetables become tender but should still retain bite.
• Add soy sauce, hot sauce, worcestershire sauce, salt and combine.
• Add chopped scallions.
• Add pasta, sesame oil and toss to combine well.
• Serve warm
  

HEALTHY FRUIT N VEG SALAD

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 medium sized carrot
• 1 medium sized apple
• 1 medium sized pear
• 1 yellow squash1 green squash/zucchini
• Quarter cup peeled and cubed jicama.
• Mint leaves cut into ribbons to garnish
• 3 slices of mozarella cheese (torn into bits)

Dressing

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
• 1/6 tsp crushed thyme (can be omitted)salt to taste
• 3 tbsp poultry/grill or any seasoning of choice
• pinch of chilli powder

Method

• Cut all vegetables and fruits into cubes.
• In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk with a fork to homogenize.
• Pour it over cut vegetables and fruits. Add mozarella cheese and combine. Check for taste.
• Garnish with mint ribbons.