Chicken empanadas

Puff pastry -- enough to make as many.empanadas as you require

Ingredients for the stuffing:
Onion, finely chopped - 1 medium
Zucchini, finely chopped - 1 medium
Bell pepper, finely chopped - 1 medium
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Chicken stock - 1/2 cup
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Olive oil - 2-3 tsp
Shredded cheese (I used provolone) - 1/3 cup or to taste
Egg, beaten - 1

Method:
Heat a pot and add the oil. Sautée the onions until soft, add garlic, stir for a few minutes. Add the peppers, stir for a few minutes. Add the zucchini and cook until soft. Add the garam masala and cumin powder, salt and pepper, and mix well. Add the stock and cook until the liquid evaporates. It is important to ensure that the mixture doesn't contain moisture in order to ensure the dough remains pliable without getting moist. Cool the mixture, and add shredded cheese if using.

Roll out the puff pastry and cut circles out of it. Place 1-2 tsp of stuffing in each circle, fold carefully and crimp at the edges using a fork. Coat with the egg wash.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place the dough in the oven and bake until golden brown (approximately 20 min).

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Air fryer potato wedges

 Cut potatoes into wedges, soak in water for 30 min.

Mix garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, sambar powder (or use chili powder), salt, and amchur together.

Drain the potatoes, and place in a large bowl. Add oil and coat well. Mix in the spices. Now mix in corn starch.

Turn fryer on to Air Fryer setting (rack 3 will light up). Cook for 20 min at 400 F, turning halfway through.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Chayote koottu

Ingredients:
Moong dal, split - 1/2 cup
Moong dal, whole - 1/2 cup
Chayote, cut into bite-size pieces - 2
Dried red chilies - 3
Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
Sambar powder (optional) - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Coconut, grated - 3/4 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:
Wash and rinse the dal until the water runs clear. Soak for 10-15 min and drain. Add 2 cups of water, a pinch of turmeric and two drops of oil and mix.

Add 2 cups water to the Instant Pot.  Using a trivet, place a container with the dal and place the chayote pieces on top in another container. Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes.

In the meantime, blend the coconut and 1 tsp of cumin seeds along with 1-1.5 red chilies and enough water to make a thick paste.

Heat a saucepan and add oil. Add mustard seeds and the remaining cumin seeds and chilies. Add asafoetida. Mix well. Stir in the chayote pieces and coat well. Add the lentils and 1/2 cup water, mix well. Cook on a medium-low flame until the ingredients come to a boil. Add the sambar powder if using, and cook until the raw smell goes away. Add the coconut paste, mix well, and cook for another five minutes.

Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Japanese Golden Curry with beef and mushroom

 This recipe.

Once beef is seared, remove from pan and set aside. Stir fry the mushrooms in the pan. When done, add the rest of the ingredients and continue with the instructions as above.

Bharwan Baingan

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4R5tENjnMU&ab_channel=CookWithParul

Instant Pot Chicken Salad

 From this recipe:

https://instantpoteats.com/instant-pot-chicken-salad/

1 kg chicken, 1 L water, 1 tsp salt, pressure cook for ZERO minutes and then 10 min natural release followed by manual release. Shred.

Kaththirikkai (brinjal/eggplant) poriyal

A traditional Tamil recipe

Ingredients:
Oil - 3 tbsp
Vadagam - 1 tsp
(optional; if you don't have this, use 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp mustard seeds)
Eggplant, large, cut into large pieces - 1
Onion, large, chopped fine - 1/2
Garlic cloves - 6-8
Curry leaves - 8-10
Tomatoes, medium, chopped - 2
Salt - to taste
Sambar powder - 2 tsp
Kuzhambu powder, or red chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves, chopped fine - 1/2 cup

Method:
Heat a wok and add the oil. When hot, add the vadagam and stir fry for a minute. Add the curry leaves, stir fry, and add the onions and garlic. Mix and cook until the onions soften. Add the tomatoes, stir, and cook until the tomato pieces soften and some of the water is lost. Add the sambar, kuzhambu, and turmeric powders and salt and mix well. Cook uncovered for a few minutes until the raw smell of the powders goes away. Add a couple tbsp water if the mixture is too thick and starts to stick to the bottom of the work. Add the eggplant pieces and coat well with the paste. Cook covered on a medium low flame for 3 min, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add half a cup of water and mix well. Cook covered for 10 min, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and cook for a few more minutes until the eggplant is soft. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with white rice.

Author:
Shrinkingsodacan