Baingan Bharta 

(Indian Roasted & Mashed Eggplant with Tomato)

I mostly followed a couple of recipes of Neelam Batra in The Indian Vegetarian, but didn't feel like cutting up an onion. I realized later, that the onion would have mellowed the dish, which was "sharper" than usual. Next time, it'll include the onion. 😉 This dish is good for any kind of sandwich, and I think it would also make a good pasta sauce, as well as pizza topping!

Neelam Batra's California Indian Cuisine YouTube

"The Infinite Vegetarian," article on Neelam Batra, 1994, Los Angeles Times

Mini-waffles 

I made these with my new Nordic Ware Silver Dollar Waffle Pan. (Nobody paid me to say that. 😉 I just mention it for anyone who's curious.) This was the first time I'd had waffles in years, so it was nice.

The first photo is of a waffle with melted coconut oil and honey, and bhujia (crispy Indian snack). The third photo shows the pan.

While the waffles weren't perfectly round, I didn't mind, as this was my first attempt, and they tasted good. The batter was from the buttermilk waffle recipe that came with the pan. I used lower heat for a little longer, to brown the waffles. The leftovers were easily crisped up a bit, in the next few days, in the toaster oven.

Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach & Rice)

Throwback to: Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach & Rice). (For details, you can see my post from early May.) This was made from the recipe of Kouzounas Kitchen, and frozen. I enjoyed it recently, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, scrambled egg, and whole-milk yogurt (not shown here). (The hand model is myself. 😉) This dish was warm and comforting.

Kouzounas Kitchen Facebook

FoodieWineLover Website, Spanakorizo (Spinach & Rice) from Kouzounas Kitchen

Maangai Rasam 

(South Indian Unripe-Mango Soupy Dish)

The recipe is from 660 Curries, by Raghavan Iyer. The mango I'd chosen at the store was very unripe, indeed. I'd never before eaten something so unripe. I noticed that the finished dish was tart, in a fruity way. It was yummy. 

[Blue]Berry Muffins

This is from the recipe of The Indian Claypot. The original recipe includes strawberries and blueberries, but I didn't have any strawberries. These contain frozen wild blueberries. Surprisingly, they aren't completely purple like most of my muffins. The muffins are absolutely delicious! They are sweet but not too much, and are good for breakfast, brunch, or a snack. 

The Indian Claypot Facebook

The Indian Claypot Website, Mixed Berry Muffins

Lauki ki Sabzi Sandwich 

(Indian zucchini & tomato)

The Lauki ki Sabzi (Indian zucchini & tomato dish, recipe of @justagirlfrommumbai) featured yesterday, here is part of a sandwich with scrambled egg. It's amazing how just about anything can be turned into a sandwich! 

Just a Girl from Aamchi Mumbai Website, Lauki ki Sabzi

Lauki ki Sabzi 

(Indian zucchini with tomato)

The original recipe of @justagirlfrommumbai on Instagram called for bottle gourd, which I didn't have, so I used the zucchini as a substitute. I like even plain zucchini with tomato, so I really enjoyed this version. There are instructions for cooking it using a pressure cooker, but I found it easy enough to cook in a saucepan. Although I cooked in oil, as I can't have butter/ghee, I added a bit of coconut oil at the end. Outstanding!

Just a Girl from Aamchi Mumbai Website, Lauki ki Sabzi

Stuffed Focaccia Sandwich, 

filled with 

Aloo Mattar (Indian Potatoes, Green Peas, & Tomatoes) 

& Scrambled Egg

After my family's visit was over, I was looking for something simple. I remembered the Focaccia I'd made and then frozen. I found that I also had some Aloo Mattar in the freezer; the recipe was from Raghavan Iyer in The Turmeric Trail. I put it all together, along with some crunchy Indian snack mix, and some whole-milk yogurt (not pictured). It was a very nice sandwich, if I do say so myself! 

Blueberry Rose Cake

This is from Julie Hasson's 125 Best Cupcake Recipes. The original recipe is for cupcakes, but I felt like making a cake, instead, as it seemed easier. It bakes at the same temperature, but just takes a little longer. The recipe advises using fresh blueberries, not frozen, so I splurged and got some organic, local blueberries. The "rose" flavor was from rosewater.

I happened to make this a couple of days before family arrived for a visit. I was so happy to be able to share this with them, and they all said they enjoyed it. 

Julie Hasson Facebook