Palu Masi’s Gujarati Broccoli

A unique and tasty treat that can be used as a side or main dish!

Ingredients

• 1 large broccoli head
• 3/4 onion
• 2-3 small green chilies
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• Olive oil
• Salt

Instructions

• Cut and dice broccoli head into small pieces (do not need to be even or very small.)
• Dice onion into small pieces.
• Cut the chilies into small slices

Cooking Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a deep nonstick pan.
• Once hot, add cumin seeds and cook until brown. Stir occasionally.
• Add onions and cook until slightly brown. Stir.
• Add chilies and stir for about a minute.
• Add broccoli and stir well.
• Once the broccoli has cooked, add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix thoroughly. (Do not cook the broccoli for too long. You do not want to burn it. Allow it to maintain its rich green color.)
• Allow the dish to remain on medium heat for a minute or two.

Time to Eat!

• Serve with Indian bread (roti/naan) or rice.
• Enjoy!

Dad's Gujarati Spinach

A Gujarati Classic.

Ingredients

• 1 large back of spinach
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt
• Olive oil
• (Serves 2-3 people)

Instructions

• Cut spinach into small strips (doesn’t need to be even).
• Dice garlic into small pieces.  

Cooking

• Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan.
• Once the oil is hot, add mustard and cumin seeds to the pan.
• After the cumin darkens, add the garlic and stir-fry until golden brown.
• Add in the spinach and mix thoroughly.
• Mix and stir occasionally until the spinach is cooked.
• Add the turmeric and red chili powder and ½ teaspoon of salt and mix thoroughly.
• Cook for a few more minutes.

Time to Eat!

• Enjoy!

Kim's Bruschetta

One of my all time favorite appetizers!

Ingredients

• 10 semi-ripe plum tomatoes (or 4-5 semi-ripe large tomatoes)
• 8 oz. block of pepper jack cheese
• 4 garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• Cilantro
• Italian bread (sourdough or French bread can also be used)
• Salt 
• (Serves 3-4 people)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Slice Italian bread into ½ inch-thick slices. Place onto a baking tray (do not overlap any pieces) and bake in the oven for a few minutes until slightly hard and golden.
• Cut the tomatoes in half and deseed. Dice into small pieces.
• Grate the pepper jack cheese.
• Dice the garlic cloves into very small pieces.
• Dice a handful of cilantro into small, finely chopped pieces.
• Add tomatoes, cheese, garlic, and cilantro into a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon of salt. Mix thoroughly.
• Using a tablespoon, place about a spoonful of the mix onto each slice of bread. Make sure to cover the entire slice of bread.
• Place into the oven until the cheese is melted. Remove and serve.

Time to Eat!

• Enjoy!

Rasila Mami's Baked Eggplant Parmesean

The only thing that gets me to eat eggplant.

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• Olive oil
• Pasta sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Crushed red pepper
• Oregano
• Italian bread loaf
• (Serves 4-5 people)

Instructions

Preheat oven at 400 deg. Temperature

Eggplant

Instructions

• Peel the eggplant completely and remove the top (stem). 
• Make thin (about ¼’’ thick) round slices. 
• Take olive oil and brush onto both sides of the slices.

Breading

Instructions 

• Take the slices (after oil is applied) and place onto a plate covered in breadcrumbs. 
• Press gently so that breadcrumbs adhere to the slice. 
• Repeat so that both sides of the eggplant slice are covered.

Bread

Instructions

• Slice and toast Italian bread.

Pasta Sauce

Instructions

•  Heat pasta sauce on stove until boiling.

Cooking

Instructions 

• Arrange the coated slices onto a baking pan (cover first with Pam) and bake until golden brown. (Flip the eggplant if needed.)

Time to Eat!

Instructions 

• Place 2 Italian bread slices onto a plate. 
• Cover the each of the slices of bread with a few slices of the baked eggplant. 
• Place sauce over the eggplant and add mozzarella cheese, as desired. 
• Heat for 20 seconds in the microwave until the cheese melts. 
• Season the dish with crushed red pepper, oregano and Parmesan cheese, as desired. Enjoy!

Mommy and Me Guacamole!

An easy and delicious mix of my mom's and my recipes.

Ingredients

1 large green avocado (or 3 Haas avocados)

1 semi-ripe plum tomato

½ onion

½ jalapeno

Lemon juice

Salt

Cilantro

Chips

(Serves 3-5 people)

Instructions

• Cut the avocado in half. Separate the two halves of the avocado and remove the seed. Take the two halves and remove the peels. Dice the avocado (does not need to be even- keep small “chunks”.)
• Wash the tomato. Cut in half. Take a spoon or knife and de-seed the tomato. Dice the remaining part of the tomato into very small pieces.
• Dice the onion and jalapeno into very small pieces.
• Dice a handful of cilantro into very tiny pieces.
• Add the avocado, tomato, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro into a bowl. Add lemon juice (typically 4 teaspoons) and salt (typically ½ teaspoon) to taste. Mix thoroughly.

*Add more of any of the ingredients as desired.

Time to Eat!

• Serve with warm tortilla chips. 
• Enjoy!

My Mom's Incredible, Famous Chimichangas

This recipe...is home.

Tortilla

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour               
• Water

Instructions

• Mix all the ingredients together to make dough. 
• Roll out tortillas and partially cook them. (Can be made a week in advance and kept frozen if needed.)

*You can also use store-bought flour tortillas.

                 

Filling

Ingredients

• 4 canned light/dark kidney beans
• 3-4 large broccoli crowns (chopped)
• 1(regular size) white/yellow onion (chopped/diced)

Instructions 

• Hand mash kidney beans. 
• Add chopped broccoli and onions and hand mix evenly.

(I prefer to use my hands because it’s easier and everything mixes more evenly.)

Cooking Instructions

• Place 2-3 tablespoons of the filling into the middle of a tortilla. 
• Fold the two ends (sides) towards the middle of the tortilla and cover the filling. Press firmly.
• Tightly fold the remaining two sides towards the middle of the tortilla so that they overlap the previously folded sides. Flip the chimichanga so that all of the ends are on the bottom and therefore do not come undone. You should end up with an envelope/box shape. 
• To cook the chimichangas, fry them in oil or bake them (spray with Pam) until golden brown.

Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cans (29ozs) Hunt’s tomato sauce
• 2 cups mild/medium picante salsa
• 1 tbsp Paprika
• 1 tbsp Sugar                          
• 2 tbsp green spring onions
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
•  5-6 packets of taco bells sauce (optional)

Instructions

• Mix everything in a big pot and let it stand for few hours.
• Start heating about an hour before serving and bring it to boil few times. 
• Let simmer.                                                                                                         

    

Spanish Rice

Ingredients

• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic (sliced)
• ½ packet of taco seasoning
• 1.5 cups of frozen peas and carrots
• 1.5 cups of medium rice (soak 15 minutes before cooking
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Heat a wok or any big open non-stick pot. 
• Add olive oil and chopped/sliced garlic. 
• Cook the garlic till it changes its color (don’t brown it). 
• Add taco seasoning, peas and carrots and cook for about 1-2 minutes. 
• Drain and add the soaked rice. 
• Mix everything together and add 1 cup of water. 
• Add salt according to your taste. 
• Cover and let the rice cook on medium heat. (Make sure to check every few minutes. If the rice is still uncooked and there is no water in the pot add ½ cup of water again and let it cook. If the rice is cooked and there is still water in the pot, uncover the increase the heat to let water evaporate.)

Time to eat!

Instructions

• Place cooked chimichanga onto a plate and cover with sauce. 
• Add Mexican cheese and sour cream on top. 
• Serve with a side of Spanish rice, a small salad, and guacamole (See our recipe). 
• Enjoy!