Oats and Raisins chocolate cookies

Trying to cut out all forms of wheat flour from my diet, I came across this super easy recipe here .http://www.veganricha.com/2016/11/banana-oatmeal-cookies.html
Adapted it to churn out a batch of delightful cookies, perfect with a Sunday morning cuppa!

Ingredients (makes about ten cookies)

1 ripe banana, mashed
1 cup oats
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornflour( or maida)
20-25 raisins

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
2. This is a one bowl recipes. Just put all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well untill combined
3. Lightly grease your palms and shape into 2 inch cookies. Place on a butter paper lined tray , about an inch apart

4. Bake on the center rack for 15-20 minutes till cooked and crisp.
5. Cool and store in an airtight container

No Fry Cheese Corn and Rocket Balls

Continuing my love for the appe pan , this recipe is a low cal version of an time favourite vegetarian appetiser . The rocket leaves added an extra twist of flavour ,paired perfectly with the cheese.
Served with a fresh tomato salsa

Ingredients (makes roughly 15 balls)

2 cups boiled fresh corn kernels
1 slice of whole wheat bread
1 cup grated cheese (reduce for a lower calorie version)
3/4 cup chopped rocket leaves
1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
Salt to taste
1 chopped green chilli
2-3 tablespoons cornflour
Few drops oil to grease the pan

1. Pulse the corn in the blender into a roughly ground paste

2. In the dry blender, break the bread into big pieces and grind into fine breadcrumbs
3. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl
4. Place the pan on high flame to pre-heat
5. Grease your palms with oil and shape the dough into round balls, size of the appe pan moulds
6. Once the pan is hot, reduce the flame to slow -lightly grease the moulds and place the balls in the individual moulds.

7. Once the lower side is browned, flip over and brown the other side
8. Serve hot, with ketchup or salsa

No Fry Broccoli Manchurian

I was recently introduced to the joys of guilt free cooking with an 'Appe pan' . It might be known by some other name in traditional South Indian homes but it is basically a shallow pan with round cup like holes to pour idli like batter into . Basically, the new non stick ones allow me to use it is an air-fryer , can be used to make any vadas (including dahi wada) . So decided to experiment with manchurian today, opted for a health on health version with broccoli

Ingredients ( makes roughly 12 pieces)

For the balls
1 medium broccoli , minced in a food processor or a dry grinder
1/2 medium cauliflower, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon grated garlic
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons cornflour
few drops of oil , to grease the pan

For the sauce
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2-3 green chillies finely chopped
2 tablespoons dark soya sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon white pepper powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil

1. Place the appe pan to heat on a medium flame

2. Mix all the ingredients for the manchurian balls. Shape into balls. Place into each mould when the pan is hot, lightly grease the pan . Cover with a lid. Turn the flame to low

3. After 4-5 minutes , flip them over and cover with a lid again. Cook for another 4-5 minutes
Repeat for the second batch. Keep aside
4. For the gravy, heat the oil . Saute the onion, ginger, garlic on high heat till the onion is lightly browned. Add all the sauces and toss in the cooked balls taking care to handle them carefully so as to not break them
For a manchurian gravy , add about two tablespoons of cornflour dissolved in two cups of water and bring to a boil.

Serve hot with fried rice or noodles or as an appetizer- guilt free eating!

Oats and sprouts crust Pizza

Recipe inspired and adapted from
http://www.veganricha.com/2012/10/mung-bean-sprout-spinach-crust-pizza.html
I love the nutty flavour and texture of oats for making cheela (pancake) , so this twist was tempting to try. The final result was delicious given that some very fussy eaters loved it. The baking was tricky as in the first attempt the crust stuck tight to the paper. For the second attempt I greased the paper with olive oil before baking and it was easier to peel the paper, just had to wait for it to cool. Use a good quality parchment paper or a non stick baking tray (which I need to invest in shortly too ). For the toppings use any soft vegetables like peppers,onions. The tang of the sundried tomaotes and the goat's cheese complimented the base perfectly. A super healthy breakfast option


Ingredients (makes 3 pizza medium crusts)

For the crust
1 cup roasted oats
1 cup mixed sprouts
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves
1 cup water
1 tablespoon besan
Salt to taste
Chopped fresh herbs( chives/basil)

Olive oil for greasing

For the topping
Chopped bell peppers /onions
Sundried tomatoes/ fresh tomatoes
Crumbled goat's cheese/ feta

1. Grind all the ingredients of the crust into a chunky paste. It should be a thick batter (as shown)

2. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees
3. Spread a dollop of batter into a palm size circle, about 1/2 cm thick on a greased parchment lined sheet.

4. Bake for 10-15 minutes on the center rack till the crust dries up and feels firm, slightly brown on the edges
5. Remove from oven, add the vegetables and back again on the top rack till the base gets brown and crisp and the vegetables are cooked ( about ten minutes). Cool slightly and remove from parchment paper
6. Crumble goat's cheese/feta cheese/grated paneer. Serve warm.

Dahi ke kabab

Two things are a must for this recipe. A really good non stick pan and lots of patience :)
But the result is worth it. I used store bought curd as it is thicker and that's what this recipe needs
Another tip is to keep the batter in the fridge until the time of serving. Add the salt also right before frying and completely avoid onions in the batter as that will add to the water content
Serve hot with green chutney

Ingredients (makes about 12 kababs)

1 1/2 cups thick  hung curd (http://sparrow-in-the-kitchen.blogspot.in/2013/04/how-to-make-hung-curd.html)
1/2 cup grated paneer
1 green chilli chopped
Few sprigs coriander chopped
Few mint leaves chopped
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoons garam masala , preferably freshly ground
2 tablespoons roasted besan
2 tablespoons cornflour
You can add boiled and mashed peas or corn
Salt to taste
Oil to shallow fry

1. Mix all the ingredients into a smooth and thick batter. Depending on the curd your batter might not be thick enough to hold shape will frying. Add more besan and cornflour in equal parts to adjust the consistency.
2. Chill the batter in the fridge for a few hours. Take out from fridge just before frying
3. Heat a non stick pan on medium heat with enough oil to form a very thin layer
On the surface
4. The pan should be hot. Take the batter and directly spoon about one tablespoon
Onto the pan. Do not attempt to shape them with your hands as the batter is very sticky Flatten the kabab lightly with the spoon. Keep flame on medium
5. You need to flip the kababs only once on each side as they are very delicate. Lift the kabab
Gently and if it is nicely browned flip onto other side to cook. The oil around the kababs was a bit frothy in the beginning so if that happens it's normal.
6.  Flip and Cook the other side too and remove from pan
7. Serve hot

Quinoa Peas and Mint Cake

Quinoa is a wonderful and super healthy grain that packs in a lot of fibre and protein. Extremely versatile, try these delicious kabab style cakes. You can use sweet potato or regular potato instead of the peas. Serve with a tangy and fresh red pepper salsa (http://sparrow-in-the-kitchen.blogspot.in/2012/01/red-bell-pepper-salsa.html)


Ingredients (makes 10 small cakes)

1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 garlic pod
1 tablespoon olive oil , plus extra for shallow frying
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup boiled peas
2 tablespoons cornflour
1/2 teaspoon amchoor
Breadcrumbs, to coat
Salt to taste

1. In a saucepan, heat the oil. Add the whole garlic clove and fry. Remove from oil. Keep aside
2. Roast the quinoa in the oil for 3-4 minutes till golden brown
3. Add the water and about 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce flame and cover the saucepan. Cook for about twenty minutes or till all the water is absorbed.Keep covered with lid for another five minutes.
4. Mash the peas roughly with a fork and add to the quinoa with all the remaining ingredients (chop the garlic clove from step 1 and add to the mixture )
5. Shape into cakes (as big or small as preferred) and coat with breadcrumbs
6. Shallow fry in olive oil on a non stick pan till brown on both sides. Serve with red pepper salsa

Baked Zucchini Crisps

Super easy finger food. Serve as a side with a dip or ketchup or toss with a salad of greens topped with a sweet and sour dressing. I added the chips to zing up my regular veggies pasta in tomato sauce. Tasted fabulous! Take care to pat dry the zucchini well after the salt rub as any extra moisture will not give crisp crisps 

 

Ingredients

1 medium zucchini, sliced very thin 

3 tablespoons breadcrumbs 

3 tablespoons grated parmesan

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon mixed herbs

Olive oil for greasing

Salt to taste

 

1. Cut the zucchini into very thin slices

2. Sprinkle some salt over the slices and leave aside for 15-20 minutes. Dry the zucchini slices with a  paper kitchen towel to absorb the moisture from the salt

3. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees

4. Mix all the remaining ingredients together ( add a little salt to this mixture) 

5. Line the tray with baking paper and grease the paper with olive oil. Coat the slices individual with the breadcrumbs and cheese mixture and arrange on the tray

6. Sprinkle some olive oil on top of the slices 

7. Bake on the top rack for 10-12 minutes till the top turns golden brown and then bake on the bottom rack till the chips are crisp, another 10-12 minutes

8. Serve warm

Kothimbir Vadi

A Maharashtrian delight , Kothimbir Vadi is essentially deep fried squares of a coriander and besan mixture which is first steamed and then cut into squares. You can choose to shallow fry instead of deep frying and also the size and thickness of the vadis is your choice. The end result is mouthwatering anyway !

Ingredients (makes about 30 medium thin squares)

2 cups chopped coriander leaves
3 cups besan
1 and 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon khus khus (poppy seeds)
1 teaspoon haldi powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
2 teaspoons salt
Pinch heeng
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon crushed ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 tablespoon oil plus extra for greasing

1. Mix all the ingredients together into a smooth batter

2. Leave for 15 minutes
3. Grease a deep thali or any other vessel and spread batter over it uniformly. Depending on the width of the thali you can make the entire batter in one lot or two separate batches
I used a small thali to fit into my steamer and made two separate batches, ending up with thin vadi pieces. If you want thick pieces then put all the batter in one go
4. Heat water in the steamer. Place thali on a stand in the steamer and steam with the lid shut for roughly 12-15 minutes , you can test with a fork or toothpick that will come out clean

5. Remove and cool
6. Cut into squares with a knife and remove from the thali, you can use a sharp spoon or the end of the spoon to remove the vadis

7. Fry the vadis till crisp and golden brown.
8. Garnish with fried sesame seeds and green chilli
9. Serve with green chutney

Moutabal - Roasted eggplant dip

Back from a recent trip to Oman, I would go back there anyday just for the food! I lost count of the number of times that I ate hummus and finally decided to try this dip on the last evening there. Served with absolutely divine Turkish bread, this was as good as hummus- and so easy to make. I read up on a few websites and found that this is different from the Lebanese Baba-ghanoush as that is also made of roasted eggplants but uses chopped onion/tomato etc..


Ingredients (makes 1 medium bowl)


2 medium brinjals/eggplants ( do not take big or overripe ones)
1/2 cup roasted white sesame seeds
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons olive
Chilli/paprika powder (to garnish)
Extra olive oil (optional,to garnish)


1. Soak the sesame seeds in 1/4 cup water for about 2 hours.
2. Lightly grease the eggplants (you need the round fat dark purple ones) and roast over a medium direct gas flame till the skin is charred all over. Roast on one side and then turn to the other side to roast. When roasted from all sides, leave on a plate to cool
3. Grind the sesame and water into a thick smooth paste.
4. Peel the eggplants with your hands. Do NOT run under water to peel, if the skin is tough to remove then wet your hands slightly and peel off the skin
5. Blend the peeled eggplants with all other ingredients in a food processor (if you want a chunky textured dip) or in a grinder for a smoother texture.
6. Serve this dip cold with pita bread/crackers

Papad Crusted Stuffed Paneer

Got this recipe from a friend and served it a recent dinner party. It is interesting as the outer coating is of papad crumbs and not bread crumbs. This starter was a big hit ! It is only slightly tricky to handle as the stuffing tends to spill out while dipping in the cornflour/papad. Trick is to be quick and make sure that the cornflour paste is not too runny. The filling can be flavoured as per your choice, you can add herbs/chopped capers/jalapenos etc..

Ingredients

200 gms paneer block

For the stuffing
3/4 cup grated cheese (regular processed cheese)
1/2 cup finely chopped mint leaves
2 chopped green chillies
1 teaspoon ajwain
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic

For the cornflour paste
2 tablespoons cornflour
2 tablespoons maida
3/4 cup water

For the papad layer
4-5 regular papads( I used Lijjat Garlic papad)

1. Cut the paneer into one inch cubes. Slice each cube horizontally into two pieces
2. Mix all the ingredients of the stuffing together
3. Place a little amount of the stuffing between the two halves of each cube and sandwich together.
4. Mix all the ingredients together of the cornflour and maida mixture to get a smooth paste
5. Grind the raw papad in a dry blender to get fine crumbs.
6. Hold each paneer cube (with the filling) with your thumb and forefinger and dip into the cornflour paste to coat from all sides . This needs to be done quickly as the filling tends to slip out (might require some practise)
7. Then roll the paneer in the papad crumbs
8. Keep all the coated paneer ready to fry together on a plate
9. Heat oil in a pan for shallow frying. When hot, add the paneer pieces and fry till all sides are browned and crisp.
10. Serve with mint chutney

Vegetables Seekh Kabab

A very healthy vegetarian starter - the aroma and taste of the freshly powdered garam masala is the main attraction of this dish. You can use your own variations for the vegetables - anything will do! Peas/beans/methi/corn/paneer can also be added- to make this a more versatile recipe


Ingredients( makes about 20 medium sized kababs)

For the dry masala powder
2 small elaichis
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon jeera
2-3 cloves
1/2 tablespoon dhanya powder
1 tablespoon khus khus

4 medium potatoes
3 small carrots,peeled
1 small cauliflower (use as small a flower as possible, else batter will be too wet)
2 green chillies finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
15-20 kishmish (raisins)
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon chaat masala
1 tablespoon mustard oil
3-4 tablespoons roasted besan
Cornflour (optional, if additional binding is needed)

Oil for greasing

1. Steam all the vegetable together in a cooker (see pic below). I place all the vegetables in the steamer basket , add 2 cups of water , give one whistle and let the cooker stay on a low flame for ten minutes. Then turn off the gas and open the lid when the steam is released
2. Dry roast all the masalas for the powder . Cool and grind
3. Peel the potatoes and mash all the vegetables. Add all the remaining ingredients and mash thoroughly. If the paste feels too soft/wet , add a little cornflour - else the kababs will fall off the skewers while cooking
 4.If using wooden skewers, soak the skewers 30 minutes prior to using them. This helps soften the wood and the kababs come off easily.
5. Grease the skewers with oil(I use regular sunflower cooking oil) . Grease your palms also lightly. Place the skewer on the palm, take a fist full of the batter and shape the kababs on the skewer- this might require some practice! I do not take too much batter on one skewer as it is easy to shape and does not break either .
6. Place the skewers on the grill/tandoor/oven tray and cook for 10-12 minutes till slightly charred. Grease the tops of the kababs lightly. You can turn the skewers over after 5 minutes. The time will vary on the cooking device being used. If using an oven, set the temperature to maximum.
7. Take the kababs off from the skewers when done and serve with chutney and lemon wedges

Watermelon and Feta Salad

There is no recipe for this salad actually :)

All you need is fresh watermelon, cut into any shape you fancy (I used a regular cookie cutter to get these beauties ) Top with crumbled feta cheese/goat's cheese or any salty cheese (white cheese preferably) . For an even lower calorie version, top with crumbled salted paneer.

Garnish with fresh black pepper, oregano (or fresh basil) and a few drops of olive oil.

Try serving it as a cold starter at your next summer bash! Will be an instant favourite with your guests - make it more fun by cutting it different shapes of the watermelon

Caramelised Onion Dip

The crazy summer is here ! Beat the heat with cool summer salads and dips - I am always on the lookout for new dip recipes. A dip is so versatile and can help you whip up a meal so quickly! With pita or as a sandwich filling or a salad dressing, the uses are plenty . This recipe uses cream cheese but you can omit it totally for a lighter version or maybe just add a spoonful of regular cheese spread instead.

Ingredients (make a a medium bowl)
1 cup hung hurd
1/2 cup cream cheese (optional)
1 large onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Salt
Pepper
Mint/Coriander leaves (for garnish)

1. Heat the olive oil. Fry the onions on medium heat till dark brown in colour (like the color of onions used for biryani)

2. When brown, add the sugar and fry again for a minute. Turn off the gas and cool.

3. Mix the onions with all other ingredients (save a little for garnish). Garnish with chopped mint and serve chilled.

Corn Bhel

Such a welcome snack to beat the crazy summer heat ! Packed in with a good deal of healthy stuff too. You can just about anything to this recipe - bell peppers/olives/cucumber . The murmura (puffed rice) is also optional , I just add very little to give it a more authentic bhel taste . Sure to be a party favourite soon.

Ingredients (makes one medium bowl)

2 cups steamed corn
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 boiled potato, chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped capsicum
1/2 cup dry bhel mixture (plain murmura OR the packed variety)
Chopped coriander
2-3 tablespoons tamarind chutney (as per taste)
Salt to taste
Lime juice (as per taste)
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
Sev to garnish

No recipe really- just mix all the ingredients well and serve immediately. You can even add roasted peanuts/chana dal - just about anything !

Karela Theplas

Adapted from Tarla Dalal's recipe for diabetics (karela and one of its many health benefits), this is a very healthy breakfast option. It uses the grated skin of karela actually, so the next time you are making stuffed karelas , dont throw the peel away! I used plain atta but you can add nachni/makki/bajra atta also to make this more nutritious

Ingredients (makes 6-8 theplas)

Grated peel of 4-5 karelas,about 3/4 of a cup (use a fine grater to peel the karelas)
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 teaspoon powdered saunf
1/2 teaspoon haldi
1 teaspoon garlic paste
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon curd
2 tablespoons besan
3 cups atta
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon oil (I used olive oil)
Water for kneading the dough

Oil for cooking

1. Mix in all the ingredients with the atta and leave for 10-15 minutes
2. Then add the water and knead into a tight dough
3. Divide into small balls and roll out into thin chappatis
4. Cook on a tawa with little oil
5. Serve with curd/chutney - these can be kept in the refrigerator and eaten later (if they last :)

Gooseberry Salsa

My favourite fruit of this season! Packed with Vitamin C and plenty of health benefits, this gooseberry is also known as caped gooseberry for the paperish cape it has as a covering.
Eat it raw or use it in salads or try this fresh and refreshing twist to the regular salsa !

Ingredients (makes one medium sized bowl)

10-12 gooseberries
1 large tomato
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
Salt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 cup coriander leaves
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Slightly prick the gooseberries and place on a baking tray. Bake till the skin starts turning soft and dark brown ,about ten minutes. Similarly roast the tomato.  Cool and peel off the charred skin. Use a wet hand to wipe away any stubborn bits.
2. Repeat the same step with the tomatoes.
3. Chop the gooseberries roughly and tomatoes into chunks and place in the mixer jar with all other ingredients.
4. Grind till you get a smooth but slightly chunky paste..do not grind into a fine paste. You can grind for 2-3 seconds at a time and check till you get the required consistency.
5. Chill and serve with chips/vegetables ..

Couscous and Pine Nut Salad Flower Pots

I made this recipe for a baby shower and the salad in little ramekin pots made such a beautiful picture. Couscous is such a versatile and healthy grain. I sourced mine from Dubai, but it is easily available in all major super market stores these days. Just follow the measurement on the pack to cook the couscous. As per the packet I had ratio of couscous was 1:1.2 ,so I took 1 cup couscous and added 1.2 cups of hot water. Cover the mixture for 5 minutes with a tight lid and the couscous soaks up all the water in that much time. Remove the lid and separate the grains gently with a fork, you can add a little olive oil at this point. Couscous can be eaten plain as a healthy substitute for rice with curry dishes too!

Ingredients

For the dressing
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped oregano (preferably fresh)
1 teaspoon white pepper powder
1 tablespoon honey


For the salad
Approx 2 cups cooked couscous (from 1 cup of raw couscous)
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 cup steamed corn
1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
Salt to taste


Fresh oregano to garnish


1. Mix all the ingredients of the dressing
2. Toss in all other main salad ingredients
3. Serve in ceramic pots with oregano as dressing (as shown in the pic)

Low Cal Bisi Belle Bhaath

Bisi Belle Bhaath is a meal by itself, a one pot dish . This south indian treat is the best remedy for comfort eating. Although the original is made with rice, this healthy version is made with dalia (broken wheat). Use as many vegetables of your choice to make this even more healthy. I will always be amused by the name of this dish !

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 cup dalia (broken wheat)
1 cup arhar dal
2 cups mixed chopped vegetables (carrot, beans, brinjal, potato)
1 drumstick, chopped
Few curry patta leaves
3 tablespoons sambhar powder
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon heeng
1 tablespoon rai seeds
2 green chillies, chopped
1 dry red chilli
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon jaggery (optional)
2 tablespoons tamarind paste
5 cups water
1/2 cup tomato puree (fresh tomatoes pureed)
2 tablespoons ghee
8-10 cashewnuts (optional)

1. Soak the dal and dalia together in water for an hour
2. Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the heeng,rai, chillies, garlic, curry patta leaves all together for the tadka. Fry for a few seconds.
3. Add the sambhar powder and toss for a few seconds.
4. Add all the vegetables , drumstick and tomato puree. Cook on medium heat for a minute.
5. Add the dal, dalia and the water and salt to taste. Stir in the jaggery. Cover the lid and place flame on high. After one whistle reduce to sim for 7-8 minutes and turn off gas
6. Fry the cashews in ghee/oil or dry roast them meanwhile.
7. When the cooker releases its steam, open the lid, stir in the tamarind paste and the fried cashews.
8. Serve hot with curd and pickle/papad!

 

Lebanese Pizza

After Tex-Mex Bruschetta (Read recipe here) , tried a variation on the pizza to combine Italian with
Lebanese, and this worked too! I soaked the vegetables for the topping in vinegar for an hour , to give them a slightly pickled flavour. A small bit of cheese retains the pizza bit of the taste. Try this at your next dinner party!

Ingredients (for 1 base)

1 pizza base (I used a whole wheat base)
1/2 cup hummus (Read recipe here)
2 tablespoons grated cheese
1 small onion,finely chopped
6-7 pitted olives
1 cup sliced bell peppers
Salt to taste
Few basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon paprika(or chilli flakes)
Olive oil
Vinegar for soaking the vegetables

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees Celcius.
2. Lightly grease both sides of the base .
3. Spread the hummus uniformly over the base. Sprinkle the cheese over the hummus
4. Place the vegetables over the hummus and cheese layer. Top with olives.
5. Finally, sprinkle salt and paprika. Put chopped basil over the vegetables.
6. Before baking, pour about 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the pizza.
7. Bake on the top rack till the base becomes crisp and the vegetables are slightly browned.

Cucumber Dip

Dips! For me no party menu is complete without one, hence the pressure to innovate and not repeat earlier ones :) This was a super hit, went all out with the chillies to give it a zing, you can modify as per your taste. Serve with chips (calorific but the best option!) or vegetables or lavash..


Ingredients (makes one big cup size)

1 cup hung curd
1 cucumber
1 tablespoon grated cheese or cheese spread
2 green chillies
1 tablespoon chopped herbs (fresh or dried)
1 tablespoon olive oil,plus extra
1 garlic pod
Salt to taste

1. Peel the cucumber and chop into rough pieces.
2. Put the cucumber and all the ingredients into the mixer jar and blend into a smooth dip. You can use any choice of herbs, fresh herbs preferred.
3. Garnish with olive oil and serve chilled with chips.