Kale and Egg Muffins

Kale and Egg muffins

This is such an easy dish to put together that you can even involve kids in prepping. Its an easy grab and go breakfast for busy mornings as well. These taste excellent hot or cold. This is one of those recipes where you can sneak in some green veggies for the picky eaters. These were gone in no time when I served them for breakfast to my kids this morning, just don't forget to serve it with some ketch-up. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Kale - 1/2 cup chopped
Eggs - 3
Parmesan cheese - 1/4 cup
Salt - to taste

This mixture makes 6 muffins.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F

2. Into a blender, crack open the eggs, add the chopped kale, parmesan cheese and salt. Parmesan cheese is quite salty, add the salt accordingly.  Let the blender run for 2-3 minutes.

3. Pour the mixture into a greased muffin tin. 

4. Bake these for 20 minutes  or until the eggs are cooked through.

Tasty Tips:

1. Kale is a super food, rich in anti-oxidants and packed with calcium and vitamins A, C and K. It is called 'queen of greens'. Unlike spinach, kale holds its texture and shape even after cooking.

2. For some reason if you don't like the taste of Kale, you can replace it with spinach as well.  You can also add, veggies of your choice.

2. You can make this dish by simply whisking all the ingredients in a bowl instead of blending. I used a blender, just to make sure the kale is properly pureed into the eggs so the kids can never know whats in there :-)

Gongura Mutton Curry

Gongura Mutton curry

Gongura Mutton curry is a traditional Andhra dish that surprises non-vegetarian and gongura lovers in a pleasant way. Gongura is a green leafy vegetable rich in iron, folic acid and anti-oxidants. Gongura adds a distinctive tangy flavor to any dish, which wakes up your taste buds and crave more for its unique taste.  Here's my take on this traditional Andhra dish. Enjoy !!!

Ingredients:
Mutton (with bones cut to 1 inch pieces) - 1 pound
Raw Gongura leaves -  3 cups (packed)
Onion - 1 large
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbs
Garam masala powder - 1tsp
Curry leaves - few
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Dry coconut powder - 2 tsp
Cashews - 3 tbs
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - few
Vegetable Oil - 5 tbsp
Lemon Juice (Optional) - 2 tsps

Method

1. Wash the mutton pieces clean and drain the water and keep it aside. 
2. Wash the gongura leaves thoroughly and pat them dry with a paper towel.
3. Heat 2 tsps oil in a wide non-stick pan. When the oil is medium hot, add the chopped onions. Fry till the onions are golden brown. Turn off the flame and let the onions cool down completely. Once the onions are cooled, blend it into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
4. In the same pan, fry the dried gongura leaves for approximately 5 minutes. Drain the oil with a slotted spoon and set them aside on a plate to cool down.
5. In the same pan, fry the cashews till golden brown and set them aside to cool down.
6. Blend the cooled gongura leaves and cashews together in to a smooth paste, add oil to blend it easily. The consistency of this mixture would look like basil pesto.
7.  In a pressure cooker, heat the remaining oil on a medium low flame. Once the oil is hot add in the garam masala powder. Then add in the onion paste. Saute till you see oil on the sides of the pan.
8. Now add the ginger garlic paste and the curry leaves. Saute till the raw flavor is gone. 
9. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and the salt. Saute the spices well. 
10.  Now add the gongura and the cashew paste. Saute till the oil oozes out.
11. Add in the clean mutton pieces. Stir well till all the meat is coated with the spices and onion, gongura mixture. 
12. Add in the coconut powder. Mix well and let it cook on a medium low flame till the oil leaves the sides of the pan. At this stage add some water to your desired consistency. Mix well. Cover the pressure cooker, turn the flame to medium low and wait till you hear at least 8-10 whistles from the pressure cooker. Then switch the flame off.  Wait till the pressure cooker cools down. Open the pan carefully and check to see if the meat is cooked. When the meat shrinks and separates from the bone, it is cooked.
13. Check the seasonings. You can add some lemon juice if it is not tangy enough for you. Finish it off with some chopped coriander leaves.

         Serve hot with fried rice or jeera rice or with any Indian bread like butter naan. Enjoy!!

Tasty tips:

1. Gongura is called Red Sorrel leaves in English. It is easily available at any Indian grocery stores.

2. The gongura pesto in this recipe can be stored for up to a week in  the refrigerator. This pesto tastes excellent over some boiled pasta as well.

3. A pressure cooker is a pot in which food can be cooked quickly under high steam pressure. Alternatively, this dish can also be made in a slow cooker.

Gongura leaves

Pressure cooker

Garam Masala

Garam masala

Garam masala is a blend of powdered spices. As the name suggests, 'garam' meaning heat, 'masala' meaning spices, this spice blend adds a nice warmth and woodsy flavor to any dish. Make it fresh as required to savor its real flavor.

To make 1 tsp garam masala, you will need:

2-3 - cloves
1- cardamom
1/2"- cinnamon stick
1tsp - cumin
1/2 tsp - peppercorns
a pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Method:

Dry roast all the ingredients in a pan on a low flame. Let them cool completely. Grind the spices into fine powder in a coffee blender.