Hurry Curry

My favorite kind of recipe is one that is simple, delicious and versatile: Crepes are one of them. Growing up in India, we were treated to different styles of crepes - Ma made the thin and crispy masala dosas for Sunday breakfast, the hot and savory cheela for snacks and the pathishapta (the Bengal version of crepe with a filling of coconut and jaggery) during special occasions.

A Sweet and Simple Crepe Recipe

Quesadillas are one of my favorite Mexican dishes: Quick, simple and so versatile! Customize it with your favorite fillings and you have a meal in no time. This chicken quesadilla is a delicious, family friendly recipe that can be whipped up in no time!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)

• 4 tortillas of your choice 
• 4 boneless chicken thigh
• Seasoning of your choice -- I use the Taco seasoning
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1/2 onion
• 2-3 tbsp of oil
• Generous serving of Mexican blend cheese

PROCESS

1. Coat the chicken with your favorite seasoning.  I like using Taco seasoning.



2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until it turns brown on both sides and is cooked in the center (Around 2-3 minutes on each side depending on the size and thickness).



3. Remove chicken from pan. Add sliced onion and pepper and cook until brown. (Use the same oil from the chicken and scrape the seasonings to coat the veggies -- remember, that's free flavor.)



4. The fun begins now. Add one tbsp. of oil and add a tortilla. Warm until brown and crisp. (I love a crisp quesadilla). Remove the tortilla from heat. Add another one, and start building. Add a generous serving of Mexican-blend cheese, top if off with the onion, pepper and chicken. I also add a dash of Habanero hot sauce that I picked up from the local Asian store.



5. As the cheese starts melting, top the quesadilla with the first tortilla and keep pressing it until the cheese melts completely.



Serve it with salsa and sour cream, and enjoy!

Quick Chicken Quesadilla

PROCESS

1. Coat the chicken with your favorite seasoning.  I like using Taco seasoning.

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until it turns brown on both sides and is cooked in the center (Around 2-3 minutes on each side depending on the size and thickness).

3. Remove chicken from pan. Add sliced onion and pepper and cook until brown. (Use the same oil from the chicken and scrape the seasonings to coat the veggies -- remember, that's free flavor.)

4. The fun begins now. Add one tbsp. of oil and add a tortilla. Warm until brown and crisp. (I love a crisp quesadilla). Remove the tortilla from heat. Add another one, and start building. Add a generous serving of Mexican-blend cheese, top if off with the onion, pepper and chicken. I also add a dash of Habanero hot sauce that I picked up from the local Asian store.

5. As the cheese starts melting, top the quesadilla with the first tortilla and keep pressing it until the cheese melts completely.

Slow cookers are blessings in disguise for those busy week nights. You throw in everything, turn it on and you return to a house ready with home-cooked food and smell that puts air-fresheners to shame. Chana masala is a popular, delectable dish: Chickpeas cooked in a mild onion, tomato gravy. Serve it over white rice or with a garlic naan and you have a healthy, vegan and delicious meal.

Need a meal idea that you can whip up in a jiffy? Try these Indian-inspired turkey burgers that're loaded with the right nuances of Indian spices and herbs. The flavors of green chillies, garlic, ginger and cilantro add a zing to the otherwise "dry" turkey meat. Serve them in a bun like a regular burger or have it with a side of  steamed vegetables -- dinner is served in no time. Looking to customize it as a snack -- use the same proportions and make them smaller and you have Indian-inspired meatballs for you and your guests to savor.


Ingredients
(Yields 8)

• 16 oz. ground turkey meat
• 2 medium onions
• 5-6 gloves of garlic
• An inch of ginger
• Handful of fresh cilantro 
• 5-6 Thai green chilly (customize according to the desired spice level)
• 2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp of curry powder
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil

Process

Pulse slowly ingredients 2 through 5 in a food processor. Chop fine.

Add all ingredients to the meat. Add salt, pepper, curry powder and salt to taste. Use your hands to mix well.

Add around a table spoon of olive oil to a skillet. Twirl the oil so that it coats the skillet.

Lightly grease the palm of your hand.

Put a dollop full of the meat on your palm and press it with your other hand -- until you get the desired thickness.

Gently add the burger to the skillet and allow it to cook on one side and then flip it to cook the other side  (3-4 minutes on each side). Keep in mind  that the heat is on low to medium -- else the meat gets charred on the top leaving the inside uncooked.

Serve and enjoy!

Tip:

Need a meal idea for your Whole 30 diet plan? Omit the curry powder and you have a Whole 30 compatible meal.

The first time I thought of cooking a rack of lamb, it left me intimidated.

 I remember it was our 20th anniversary and we were both on our last week of the Whole 30  diet plan. As we were restricted to home-cooked food, I wanted to cook something special for him, but couldn't decide. Hence, when I saw the Australian rack of lamb in our local Costco, I thought, "Why not?" After all, what could go wrong in a rack of lamb?

My first attempt was a success and ever since then I have indulged in several variations. Sharing here one of my favorite concoction of flavors in a classic rack of lamb.

Ingredients

• 1 rack of lamb (Mine came with 8 ribs)
• 2 tbsp. rosemary
• 1 1/2 tbsp. of thyme
• Garlic
• Peppercorn
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

Marinating the rack of lamb

Put rosemary, thyme, garlic, peppercorn and salt in a mortar and pound it. (This step can be done in your food processor, however, I feel using a mortar and pestle does magic to the flavors.)

Add the remaining olive oil and mix it well with the herbs.

Put the marinade in a container and add the lamb of rack to it. Make sure the lamb is covered well with the marinade. Refrigerate overnight or keep it in the marinade for 4 - 6 hours. If refrigerating, take it out 2-3 hours prior to cooking to ensure that the meat comes to room temperature.

Searing

Many of my friends omit this step, however, when it comes to searing, I am a huge fan. Searing the meat creates a caramel crust that is simply divine. To sear, heat olive oil on a heavy-bottomed  frying pan (cast iron works best ) until it becomes smoking hot. Add the rack of lamb and allow it brown on each side (3 - 4 minutes each side).

Roasting

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Place lamb in an oven-proof dish and place it on the center of the rack.
Cook for 10 - 12 minutes, until nicely browned.
Lower the heat to 350 degrees and cook for another 10 minutes - 12 minutes. (Click here for internal temperature reference according to your preference.)

Do you have a favorite marinade for your rack of lamb? Please share it in the comment section below.

Thai curries are quick, wholesome and flavors on steroids. While I make a dozen variations of the curry, this one happens to be an all vegetarian red curry version with tofu. Serve it over a plate of steamed white rice, or simply have it as a soup -- this quick version is a blessing for those chaotic week nights.

This tortellini salad has been a go-to since my older one was in elementary school (she's now a freshman in college). I have made it every week, shared this recipe so many times and it continues to be a hot favorite with everyone.

What I like about it is its versatility. There are endless way to dress up a tortellini salad -- this continues to be our favorite way for so many years. For this recipe, I use the five-cheese Seviroli tortellini that I purchase from Costco.

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 cup of Seviroli five-cheese tortellini
• 1 Tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tsp of Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp of crushed red chilly flakes
• I Tbsp of grated Parmesan