Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

These crispy Zucchini Fritters are so crispy and delicious, you cannot stop at just one! Believe me, I tried, but I couldn’t help myself to another! 😁

They make a great appetizer or snack. Chickpea flour(besan) and rice flour make it crispy. So, this is gluten-free and vegan! You can add more green chilies to make it spicier. This is such a great way to use up zucchini.

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Let’s get straight to the ingredients for these Crispy Zucchini Fritters:

Ingredients for crispy Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini – grated, sprinkle salt and keep it aside for 15 minutes 

Onion  red onion chopped 

Green chili (use more for more spice) 

Cilantro 

For the batter:

Besan ( chickpea flour) 

Rice flour

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder 

Kashmiri chili powder 

Cumin powder 

Chaat masala powder

Oil to pan-fry them 

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Here are some of my Amazon Kitchen Favorites:

(Disclaimer: These are affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and know to be of great quality. Thank you for your support!)

 

How do you make these Crispy Zucchini Fritters? 

Grate zucchini, sprinkle salt over it and let it sit for about 20 minutes. This is to draw out the moisture from the zucchini. 

Chop your onion, green chilies, and cilantro. 

In a big bowl, add the besan, rice flour, and spice powders, mix them up. 

Squeeze out all the water from the zucchini and put it into the bowl with the dry mixture. 

Add the onions, chilies, and cilantro. 

Add about 1/3 rd cup of water and mix gently using a wooden spoon or a spatula. 

Your mixture should be neither too thick nor too thin, it should be a little thicker than pancake batter. 

Heat oil in a pan, when it is hot, add your batter with a spoon. Flatten it a bit making fritters. I made 4 at a time. I kept the flame on medium. Fry till golden brown on both sides. 

Drain on a paper towel. Fry them immediately before serving them, because they will not remain crispy. However, they can be warmed up in a toaster oven or an air fryer. 

Serve hot with ketchup, Sriracha sauce, or even a nice yogurt dip! 

Enjoy these crispy tasty fritters! 

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Print

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Shredded zucchini mixed with chickpea flour, rice flour, and a few spices, pan-fried till crispy!
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Author Nandini

Ingredients

  • 1 Zucchini (shredded)
  • cup Chickpea flour(besan)
  • 2 tbsps Rice flour
  • ¼ Onion (chopped)
  • 1 green chili (chopped)

Spice powders

  • ¾ tsp Kashmiri Chili powder
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp cumin powder
  • ¼ tsp chaat masala powder

Instructions

  • Grate zucchini, sprinkle salt over it, and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Chop up the onion, green chili, and cilantro.
  • In a bowl, add the chickpea flour, rice flour, and spice powders. Mix with a whisk.
  • Squeeze out all the water from the zucchini and put it into the bowl with the dry mixture.
  • Add onions, chili, and cilantro.
  • Now pour around ⅓ cup of water and mix gently with a wooden spoon or spatula.
  • Your mixture should not be too thin nor too thick. The consistency should be a little thicker than pancake batter. Add a little more water if required.
  • Heat oil in a pan, when hot, add a spoonful of the mixture. Flatten it to make fritters. I made four at a time keeping the flame on medium heat.
  • Fry till golden brown on both sides. Drain them on a paper towel.
  • Serve these fritters hot with ketchup, Sriracha, or a yogurt dip.

 

Notes:

  • You can add more green chilies or chili powder to make it spicier.
  • Fry the fritters just before serving as they do not remain crispy. However, you can heat them up in a toaster oven or an Air Fryer.
  • The consistency of the mixture is important, add water a little at a time.
  • You can add chopped garlic too if you like the flavor.
  • I added chopped red onion, but any onion is fine. You can even add scallions instead of onion.

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Let me know if you try it out by leaving me a comment below, also don’t forget to rate this recipe. 

You might also like to try my other snack/ appetizer recipes:

Fried Masala Mushrooms – Deep-fried Vs Air-Fried!

Broccoli and Quinoa Patties

Jalapeno Poppers

Pan-Fried Crispy Shrimp

Air Fryer Tortilla Samosas

 

Thank you as always for being here! 

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest @lovetostayhomeblog to know when I post new content.

You can also subscribe to my newsletter to get the latest.

Photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash

Continue Reading

Easy Instant Pot Mutton Biriyani

Instant Pot Mutton Biriyani

This Easy Instant Pot Mutton Biriyani was this Sunday’s special at my house. It turned out really good and I thought I must share this recipe on my blog. The Instant Pot is my favorite kitchen appliance, I have many recipes using the Instant Pot, and I plan to post many more! 

It was so easy to make and once you have all the prep work done, it goes really fast. The Instant pot does all the work for you! 

The most important part of this Biriyani is adding the correct amount of water when cooking the rice. I will share how I did it and got perfectly cooked rice! 

Instant Pot Mutton Biriyani

What are the Ingredients for this Easy Instant Pot Mutton Biriyani? 

Ingredients for instant pot mutton biriyani

Mutton – I used goat meat with bones, using meat with bones always makes a dish more flavorful.

To marinate mutton – yogurt, ginger garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala powder, a handful of cilantro chopped, green chili chopped. 

Basmati Rice – I used Extra long grain Basmati rice. You can use regular basmati rice also.

Onion

Tomato

Cinnamon stick

Cloves 

Cardamom pods

Ghee

Juice of half a lime

To garnish – fried onions and chopped cilantro 

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and know to be of great quality. Thank you for your support!)

 

How do you make this Easy Instant Pot Mutton Biriyani? 

Wash and soak 2 cups of rice in water.

Marinate mutton with all the ingredients mentioned above. 

Slice onions and tomatoes. 

Switch on the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add ghee, when hot, add the cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. 

Add thinly sliced onions and fry till they turn light brown, then add tomatoes. When the tomatoes turn soft, add the marinated mutton. Mix it well. Close the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. 

Once the pressure goes down, open the Instant Pot. Check how much gravy is in the pot. This is an important step as you do not want your rice to be mushy! 

Add drained rice on top, add salt and juice of 1/2 lime. Do not mix. Just spread the rice over the top. 

Add water, I needed to add only 1 cup of water as there were already 2 cups of gravy. 

For every cup of rice, you need 1 1/2 cups water or gravy. 

(Use the same cup you use to measure your rice for your water as well. I use the cup that came with my rice cooker.) 

Close the Instant Pot again and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. 

Once it is done, set a timer for 10 minutes and do a quick release of pressure. 

Open your instant pot and mix your biriyani gently. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fried onions and chopped cilantro. 

Your delicious mutton biriyani is ready! Enjoy with some Raita! 

Instant Pot Mutton Biriyani

Print

Instant Pot Mutton Biriyani

A one-pot meal of perfectly cooked rice and mutton in Indian Spices, a real delicious meal!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Author Nandini

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Mutton pieces with bones
  • 2 cups Extra-long grain basmati rice (or regular basmati rice)
  • 1 Onion sliced
  • 1 Tomato sliced
  • 3 tbsp Ghee
  • ½ Lime (juice)

For the marinade

  • cup whole milk yogurt
  • 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri Chili powder
  • ½ tsp Garam masala powder
  • 10 stalks Cilantro ( a handful) (chopped)
  • 1 green chili (use more if you like it spicy)

Whole Spices

  • 1 Bay leaf ( optional)
  • 1 inch Cinnamon stick
  • 5 Cloves
  • 4 Cardamom pods

For garnish

  • ½ Onion (sliced and fried in oil till brown)
  • Cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

  • Marinate mutton with the ingredients mentioned above. Keep it aside. (Or you can marinate the mutton and keep it overnight in the refrigerator. Take it out before starting cooking so it comes to room temperature.)
  • Wash and soak the Basmati rice.
  • Thinly slice onions and tomato.
  • Switch on the Instant Pot to saute mode. Add the ghee, when the ghee is hot, add the whole spices.
  • Add onions and fry them till light brown, add the tomato, when they turn soft, add the marinated mutton.
  • Mix it well. Close the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
  • Once it is done, open the Pot. Check how much gravy is in the Pot. Add drained rice on top along with salt and lime juice.
  • DO NOT MIX, just spread the rice on top.
  • Add water as required. I added only 1 cup of water as there were 2 cups of gravy in the pot. DO NOT MIX
  • Close the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
  • Once your Instant Pot beeps after the 4 minutes, press cancel. Set a timer for 10 minutes, after the 10 minutes quick release the pressure and open the Instant Pot.
  • Mix the Biriyani gently and transfer to a serving dish immediately.
  • Garnish with fried onions and chopped cilantro.
  • Enjoy your Mutton Biriyani with Raita. (Yogurt with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, green chili, and cilantro)

Instant Pot Mutton Biriyani

Notes:

  • Use mutton with bones for the most flavorful biriyani. Mutton is goat meat. A substitute you could use is lamb.
  • If you do get a chance to try extra long grain basmati rice, you must! I did not know such a thing existed until I tried it at a friend’s house!
  • Using ghee gives this biriyani the best flavor, but you can use oil instead.
  • For marination, I use whole milk yogurt but I am sure that low-fat yogurt will work as well, just do not use non-fat yogurt.
  • You can marinate the mutton and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
  • I have already mentioned a few times that adding the right amount of water is the key to getting perfectly cooked Biriyani, but I will say it again as it is the most important step. For every cup of rice, you need 1 1/2 cups water or gravy. (Use the same cup you use to measure your rice for your water as well. I use the cup that came with my rice cooker.) Once the mutton is cooked, estimate the amount of gravy in the Pot, count that towards the water you have to add. So if you used 2 cups of rice, you need 3 cups of water. So, if you have 2 cups of gravy, only add 1 cup of water.
  • It is important to open the Instant Pot after 10 minutes, take out the Biriyani and transfer it to a serving dish. If you leave it in the Pot it will continue to cook as the Pot will take a while to cool down.

Raita:

A simple Raita that I make is just cucumber, red onion, tomato, green chili, cilantro chopped up. Add yogurt to it, season with salt, pepper, cumin powder, and chaat masala powder. Mix well. That’s it! 

Hope you will try out this easy Easy Mutton Biriyani recipe soon! Please rate the recipe and leave me a comment down below. I love hearing from you!

Here are some of my other Instant Pot recipes you might like to try:

Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao

Instant Pot Peas Pulao

Chicken Pulao

Spanish Chicken Pulao

Thanks for being here! I appreciate you! Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook @lovetostayhomeblog to find out the latest on my blog. Also, you can subscribe to my newsletter by signing up below to get the latest happenings on my blog!

 

Photo by Fendy Pradana on Unsplash

Continue Reading

Paneer Masala

Paneer masala

This Paneer Masala is a creamy delicious curry that tastes best with Naan or paratha. It does not have any cream but gets its creaminess from the cashew nut paste. To make it vegan you can use tofu instead of paneer. 

I love paneer and have it at least once every week. If you like paneer this recipe is a must-try! You might also like to try my palak paneer recipe and my mixed vegetable and paneer curry. 

Paneer Masala

First, let’s talk about this life-changing Onion Masala!

I use Instant Pot onion masala in this recipe. I highly recommend making this over the weekend and you can have all your meals ready in no time for the week. This is a lifesaver and a must if you cook Indian food every day or even if you like eating Indian food. If you have this onion masala your life becomes so much easier! I follow this recipe from Ashley over at her blog myheartbeets.com. Her blog is full of recipes using onion masala and she has tons of Instant Pot recipes too. Do check out her website.

If you do not have onion masala, you can start the recipe by making your masala as follows: 

Heat oil in a pan, add onions(1 chopped)fry till slightly brown. Add ginger garlic paste(1 Tsp), fry a little, add tomatoes(2 chopped)with turmeric 1/4 Tsp), chili powder ( 1 Tsp), coriander powder(1 tsp), and cumin powder (1/4 Tsp). Mix, cover your pan and let it cook. When the oil floats on top your masala is ready. 

Wait for it to cool down and purée it in a blender. Or use an immersion blender. 

Your onion masala is ready. 

If you pre-make this onion masala and have it in your freezer, cooking Indian food becomes much simpler! The baby food freezer cubes from Amazon seen below are what I use to freeze my onion masala cubes.

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and know to be of great quality. Thank you for your support!)

These are my Favorite Amazon Kitchen Picks!

Ingredients required for Paneer Masala:

Ingredients for Paneer masala

Paneer- cut into cubes about 200 gms, soak the paneer in hot water till you use it, this makes it soft. 

Onion Masala – 2 cubes ( or make the masala as stated above) 

Red onion – 1/2 cut into cubes

Green bell pepper- 1/2 cut into cubes 

Vinegar 

Cashew nuts – soaked in warm water for 15 minutes 

Kasuri Methi – Dried Fenugreek leaves are available in any Indian store, you must use this for the best taste. 

Sugar – 1 Tsp

Spice powders- Turmeric, Kashmiri Chili powder, garam masala powder, and salt to taste. 

How do you make this Paneer Masala? 

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cubed onion and green bell pepper. Fry for a few minutes. It has to remain crisp and not become soft. Take them out and set them aside. 

In the same pan, add the onion masala, all the spice powders, the vinegar, sugar, and a little water. Close the pan and let this come to a boil. Add the cashew paste. Mix and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Add water to thin it out if you like. 

Next, add the paneer along with the Kasuri methi and a sprinkle of garam masala powder. 

Mix and cover it, so that all the flavors meld. The masala will be thick because of the cashew paste. You can always add a little water to thin it out, but check for salt and add some if required. 

After 5 minutes switch off the flame. Add the onions and bell peppers into the paneer masala. 

Your delicious Paneer Masala is ready! 

Enjoy this with Peas Rice, Naan, or Paratha. 

Paneer Masala

Print

Paneer Masala

A creamy paneer gravy made with onion tomato masala with added spices, green bell pepper, and red onions.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

  • 200 grams Paneer ( around 25 cubes)
  • 2 cubes Frozen Onion Masala (around 1/2 cup)
  • ½ Red onion cut into cubes
  • ½ Green bell pepper cut into cubes
  • 1 tsp White vinegar
  • 15-20 Cashew nuts (soaked in warm water for 15 minutes)
  • 2 tbsp Kasuri Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt

Spice powders

  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
  • ½ tsp Garam masala powder

Instructions

  • Heat about 1 tbsp oil in a pan. When hot add the cubed onion and bell pepper. Fry for a few minutes, it should remain crisp and not become soft. Take them out and set them aside.
  • In the same pan add 1 tbsp oil, then add the onion masala, the spice powders, vinegar, sugar, salt, and a little water. Mix it all up and cover the pan. Let it come to a boil. Stir in between so it does not burn.
  • Blend the cashew nuts into a paste adding some water. Add this cashew paste to the masala, cook for about 5 minutes, adding a little water to thin it out.
  • Add the paneer along with the Kasuri methi and a sprinkle of garam masala powder. Mix it and cover the pan. Cook it for another 5 minutes on low flame.
  • Check for salt and add more if needed.
  • Add the previously fried onions and bell pepper to it, mix it and garnish with more Kasuri Methi or chopped cilantro.
  • Your paneer masala is ready! Enjoy with rice, Naan, or paratha.

Paneer masala

Notes: 

  • To make it vegan, use Extra firm tofu instead of paneer. 
  • To make it even tastier you can fry the paneer before adding it to the masala. I left out that step as I did not want to add more oil to the dish. 
  • After the curry is ready, you can serve it drizzled with heavy whipping cream on top or add a dollop of butter! That adds to the richness and taste.
  • Add more red chili powder to make it spicier. 
  • You can leave out the onion and bell pepper if you do not have them.

 

Let me know if you try this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment.

Thank you for visiting! Hope you have a wonderful day!

Here are some other vegetarian recipes you might be interested in:

Fried Masala Mushrooms – Deep-fried Vs Air-Fried!

Chickpea Masala

Beetroot Cutlets

Air Fryer Tortilla Samosas

Easy and Tasty Chickpea Burgers

Indian Lime/ Lemon Rice

Air Fryer Okra Fries

 

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

Continue Reading

Fried Masala Mushrooms – Deep-fried Vs Air-Fried!

Fried Masala Mushrooms

These Fried Masala Mushrooms – Deep-fried Vs Air-fried are such a treat! You can serve these as an appetizer or snack. They can also be an accompaniment to any meal.

I like mushrooms but struggle to find different ways of cooking them. So I decided to cook them this way as let’s face it, who does not like fried food?! As I am a big fan of the Air Fryer, I decided to try them in an Air Fryer as well. So read on to find out how it is done, and how it turned out!

If you have any leftovers(if there are any!😁), give them a makeover and make Mushroom Manchurian(bonus recipe included)! 

Whichever way you eat it, these mushrooms will be your new favorite! 

What are the ingredients required for Fried Masala Mushrooms – Deep-fried Vs Air-fried? 

 

Ingredients for Fried Masala Mushrooms

Mushrooms- Button mushrooms, I’m sure you could make these with baby Bella mushrooms as well. If you do try them out let me know if it works.

I wash the mushrooms and dry them thoroughly. I know most people say don’t wash mushrooms but I do as that’s the only way to get rid of stuck-on dirt. Moreover, I have never had a problem with washing and then cooking them. 

Oil – For deep frying use a high heat oil like Vegetable Oil, Canola Oil, Peanut Oil, or Sunflower Oil.

For the masala coating:

Chickpea flour or Besan – you can find this flour in any Indian store. Bonus it is gluten-free!

Rice flour – This flour can be found in an Indian store as well. 

Ginger garlic paste (optional)

Kashmiri Chili Powder

Turmeric powder 

Cumin powder 

Pepper powder 

Chaat masala powder

Salt to taste

Water to mix

Here are some of my Amazon Kitchen Favorites!

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and know to be of great quality. Thank you for your support!)

 

 

How do you make these Fried Masala Mushrooms – Deep-fried Vs Air-Fried? 

Add all the dry ingredients for the batter together in a mixing bowl, and use a whisk to mix them. 

Add water a little at a time to get a smooth batter. I used about 1/2 to 3/4th cup. The batter should not be thin, it should be on the thicker side. 

Add the mushrooms into this mixture and coat them well. 

How do you fry these mushrooms? I tried 2 ways. DEEP FRIED Vs AIR FRIED

DEEP-FRIED

Fried Masala Mushrooms
Deep-fried Masala Mushrooms

In a cast-iron pot, heat oil, I used canola oil. 

When the oil is hot, add mushrooms one by one, they should start sizzling as soon as you put them in. That’s a good indication that the oil is at the right temperature. Let the flame be on medium. 

Turn them after a few minutes. Fry them till they are crispy about 8 to 10 minutes. 

Take them out and put them on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the extra oil. 

Serve them hot! They will become soft as they sit. But you can always warm them up in a toaster oven or air fryer. 

AIR-FRIED

Fried Masala Mushrooms
Air-Fried Masala Mushrooms

If you have seen some of my previous recipes, you probably know that I love the Air Fryer! So I had to test this out in the Air Fryer to see for myself how they compared to the deep-fried Mushrooms.

First, line the air fryer basket with foil. Then brush a little bit of oil on the foil. 

Drizzle some oil (1 tablespoon) on the coated mushrooms and mix. 

Using tongs, place battered mushrooms on the foil in the Air Fryer. 

Close the Air Fryer basket and switch it on to 400degrees for 10 minutes. 

Turn the mushrooms once in between. 

After 10 minutes your crispy air-fried mushrooms are ready! 

Taste-wise I would say surprisingly both tasted equally good! 

The only thing with using the Air Fryer was that you can only put it a little at a time. So it might take longer depending on the quantity you are making. And it does tend to stick to the foil a bit. Next time I would try parchment paper.

Enjoy your fried masala mushrooms with some tomato ketchup or Sriracha sauce! 

Here are some of my Favorite Amazon Dining Picks!

Print

Fried Masala Mushrooms

Mushrooms in a spicy chickpea and rice flour batter, deep-fried or Air-fried to crispy deliciousness!
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Author Nandini

Ingredients

  • 15-20 Button Mushrooms
  • 2 cups Canola Oil (for deep frying)

For the batter

  • ½ cup Chickpea flour (Besan)
  • ¼ cup Rice flour
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri Chili powder
  • ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp Cumin powder
  • ¼ tsp Pepper powder
  • ½ tsp Chaat masala powder
  • 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste (optional)
  • 1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
  • ½ to ¾ cup Water

Instructions

  • Wash and dry the mushrooms. Cut them into 4 depending on the size of them If they are small you can cut them in half. Keep them aside.

To make the batter

  • Mix all the dry ingredients in a big bowl using a whisk or a fork.
  • Add water a little at a time, using a whisk, mix until you get a nice batter consistency. It should not be too thick nor too thin. The batter should be able to coat the mushrooms.
  • Add mushrooms to the batter and mix until all the mushrooms are coated evenly with the batter.

To deep-fry:

  • Heat oil in a cast-iron pan. When the oil is hot, drop the mushrooms into the hot oil. It should sizzle as soon as it goes in. Fry the mushrooms on both sides till crispy. This should take about 6 minutes or so.
  • Take them out and drain them on a paper towel. Fry them in batches without overcrowding the pan.
  • Serve hot with Sriracha or Tomato Ketchup.

To Air-Fry

  • Line air-fryer basket with foil or parchment paper.
  • Brush the foil or paper with oil. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of oil on the battered mushrooms. Mix well.
  • Using tongs, put the mushrooms into the Air-Fryer basket leaving space in between each one.
  • Close the basket and switch on your Air Fryer to 400° for 10 minutes.
  • Turn the mushrooms once in between.
  • After 10 minutes, take them out of the Air-Fryer and enjoy!

Fried Masala Mushrooms

Notes:

  1. To make it spicier, use more Chili powder or add chopped green chilies or jalapenos.
  2. You can use the same batter for other vegetables as well. Good options are onions, cauliflower, bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, etc
  3. If you do not have an Air fryer and want to make this without deep frying it, I am sure you can use your oven at 400F, and bake the mushrooms for maybe 15 minutes. Let me know if you do try it out in your oven.
  4. To re-heat these mushrooms, you can use a toaster oven or the Air-fryer. They do become soft after a while.

If you happen to have leftovers, I did because I made so much! I decided to experiment with making Mushroom Manchurian. 

Bonus recipe using Fried Masala Mushrooms! 

Mushroom Manchurian

Chop up a quarter of an onion (or use scallions), 5 cloves garlic, 1-inch ginger, and 2 green chilies. 

Sauce – To make this easy sauce, add 1/4 cup soya sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon chili sauce(I used Sriracha) to a bowl. Mix it up. 

In a pan, heat some oil. When the oil is hot, add all the chopped ingredients. Fry well till slightly brown. Add your sauce and mix well. 

Put in your fried mushrooms and mix well to coat them with the sauce. I did not add any salt and didn’t need to. But you can taste it and add if required. 

I also added a squirt of tomato ketchup as I felt it was too spicy. 

So you can adjust the spice accordingly. Garnish with lots of chopped cilantro or scallion greens.  Enjoy your easy and tasty Mushroom Manchurian

It turned out really delicious in the end! 

If you like easy recipes like this, you might also be interested in:

Broccoli and Quinoa Patties

Easy Egg Masala

Potatoes and Dill Indian Style

Jalapeno Poppers

Easy and Tasty Chickpea Burgers

Homemade Pizza

Air-Fryer Potato Wedges

Pan-Fried Crispy Shrimp

Air Fryer Okra Fries

Air Fryer Tortilla Samosas

Thank you for visiting! Hope you will try out this easy recipe, let me know if you do, by leaving a comment and rating the recipe. I would love to hear from you!

Take care and Happy Cooking!

Photo by Anthony Garand on Unsplash

Continue Reading

Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole

Sausage and egg bake

This Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole is a perfect one-pan meal for brunch or dinner. You can put this meal together in no time., it can even be put together in advance and refrigerated till you want to bake it. Everything is just put in the baking dish and baked! This is as easy as it gets! 

You can leave out the sausages if you do not like meat and make it with broccoli and potatoes. Other vegetables can be substituted for broccoli, like mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, bell peppers, onions, etc The best part about this casserole is you can make it your own with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Also, you can use different types of cheese, bread, or sausage!

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and know to be of great quality. Thank you for your support!)

What Ingredients do you need for this Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole? 

Ingredients for sausage and egg bake
Sausages, eggs, bread, cheese, broccoli, potatoes, cream, salt, and pepper

Sausages – you can use any kind of sausages. I used chicken sausages. Ground sausage meat can be used too. 

Eggs 

Potatoes 

Broccoli 

Cheese

Bread

Heavy Whipping Cream – Whole milk is a good substitute for heavy whipping cream

Salt and pepper 

Butter

How do you make this Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole? 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Grill the sausages for a few mins so that they are crispy on the outside. They will finish cooking in the oven. Cut them into slices. 

Cut the bread slices into cubes, grate the cheese, cut the potato into small cubes and cut broccoli into small florets. Cook the broccoli and potatoes in the microwave for 2 minutes, drain and keep them aside.

You can also use a boiled potato and cooked broccoli that you have leftover. That’s what I did. 

In a big bowl, beat eggs, add cream, cheese, salt, and pepper to taste. 

Butter the dish that you will be using to bake the casserole. 

Layer the sausages, potatoes, broccoli, and bread in the dish. Mix gently. Pour in the egg and cream mixture all over. Sprinkle some cheese on top. Cube about 2 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and put it all over the top. Here is the casserole ready to go into the oven!

Cheesy Sausage and egg casserole before baking

Bake in the oven for 50 minutes till it is golden brown.

Take it out and let it cool for a few minutes. Then serve with hot sauce or tomato ketchup.

Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole

Can you freeze this Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole??

Most certainly! This casserole is perfect if you love to make freezer-friendly meals! Just assemble and freeze it. Make sure to cover it well using foil. To bake, take it out the night before so that it comes to room temperature, bake it for about 50 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Here are some of my Amazon Picks!

You might also like these simple one-pot/pan recipes:

Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice

Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao

Quick Chicken and Egg Noodles

Instant Pot Spanish Chicken Pulao

Print

Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole

A delicious combination of sausages, cheese, eggs, bread, broccoli, and potatoes, baked to golden perfection!
Course Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Author Nandini

Ingredients

  • 4 Sausages (browned and cut into slices) (or 1 pound sausage meat browned)
  • 4 Slices of bread
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack)
  • 4 Broccoli florets (cooked)
  • 1 Potato cubed (cooked)
  • ½ cup Heavy whipping cream (can substitute with whole milk)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp Butter (cubed to add just before baking)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Grill sausages for a few minutes on all sides. Slice them and keep them aside.
  • For the broccoli and potatoes, I had already cooked them. You can just chop both the broccoli and potatoes. Put them in the microwave with a little water for 2 minutes. When done, drain and keep them aside.
  • Grate the cheese.
  • Chop the bread into cubes.
  • Beat eggs in a big bowl, add cream, cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.

To assemble the casserole:

  • Butter a casserole dish.
  • Put in the sausages, potatoes, broccoli, and bread cubes.
  • Gently mix. Pour the egg mixture, making sure everything is covered.
  • Sprinkle some cheese on top, add a few small cubes of butter all over.
  • Bake for about 50 minutes till golden brown.
  • Once done, let it cool for about 10 minutes, cut, and serve with Sriracha sauce or tomato ketchup.

Cheesy sausage and egg casserole

Cheesy sausage and egg casserole

Notes:

  1. You can use ground sausage meat instead of regular sausages.
  2. Substitute any vegetables of your choice.
  3. Heavy cream can be substituted with whole milk.
  4. More eggs can be added. I think I will try 6 eggs next time.
  5. Any bread is fine, good options will be leftover french bread, wholegrain bread, sourdough bread, etc
  6. Use any cheese that you have, I used cheddar cheese.

The fun part of this casserole is that you can customize it to use whatever you like or have in your fridge.

Hope you will try this out, it is so easy to make and tastes great! I am sure even your picky eaters will love it!

Let me know if you try it out. Please rate the recipe and leave me a comment down below.

Thank you for visiting! Do come back again soon, I post new content at least twice a week. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to get the latest!  You can find me by looking for “Lovetostayhomeblog”.

Also, please consider subscribing to my newsletter.

Until next time, take care!

Image by Igor Ovsyannykov from Pixabay

Continue Reading

Chickpea Masala

Chickpea masala

Chickpea Masala without the readymade powder! 

This Chickpea Masala or Chole Masala is so delicious and very easy to make. Most recipes I have seen use a readymade masala mix called ‘Chole masala powder’. 

I have tried it with my own mix of spice powders, I am very happy with the way it turned out. My kids love chickpeas and I use chickpeas in my cooking at least once a week.

What are the ingredients for Chickpea Masala?

Ingredients for chickpea masala

Chickpeas – canned chickpeas or you can soak dry chickpeas and pressure cook them, I soaked the dry chickpeas overnight, in the morning, I pressure cooked them in my Instant Pot for 8 minutes.

Onion – one onion chopped 

Tomatoes – Purée tomatoes in a blender 

Ginger garlic paste

Lime juice – juice of half a lime

Cilantro for garnish 

Spice powders: 

Turmeric 

Kashmiri Chili 

Coriander 

Cumin

Chaat masala powder – this gives it a tangy taste! It can be found in any Indian grocery store. Or the link will take you to Amazon where it is available online. 

Garam masala powder

Salt 

Oil for cooking

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and know to be of great quality. Thank you for your support.)

Chickpea masala

 

How do you make this Chickpea Masala? 

Keep all your ingredients ready. 

Heat a pan on medium heat. Add oil, when the oil is hot, put in onions and fry well till translucent. 

Add ginger-garlic paste. Fry for about 5 minutes. 

Add tomato purée and all the spice powders. 

Mix well, cover, and cook. 

After about 10 minutes you can see the oil floating on top. 

Add chickpeas and about 1/2 cup water. 

Mix and cook for about 5 minutes. 

Switch off the stove, add lime juice and cilantro to garnish. 

I served this Chickpea Masala with this Instant Pot Peas Rice and this 2 ingredients Naan. It tasted really delicious!

Print

Chickpea Masala

Chickpeas in an Onion Tomato gravy with a blend of Indian spices.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Author Nandini

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Cooked Chickpeas
  • 1 Onion (chopped)
  • 2 Tomatoes (pureed) ( I used Roma tomatoes)
  • ½ tsp Ginger garlic paste
  • ½ Lime (juiced)
  • Cilantro for garnish
  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • Salt to taste

Spice powders

  • ½ tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri Chili powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • ½ tsp Cumin powder
  • ½ tsp Chaat masala powder
  • ½ tsp Garam masala powder

Instructions

  • Heat a pan on medium heat. Add oil, when the oil is hot, add onions. Fry till translucent.
  • Add ginger-garlic paste, fry for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not burn.
  • Add pureed tomatoes and all the spice powders along with salt.
  • Mix well, cover, and cook.
  • After 10 minutes, you can see the oil floating on top.
  • Add chickpeas and about half a cup of water.
  • Mix and cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Switch off your stove, add lime juice and chopped cilantro.
  • Your chickpea masala is ready!

Some of my favorite Amazon Kitchen Picks:

 

Chickpea masala

Notes: 

  • You can cook the chickpeas ahead and keep them in the fridge or freezer! It is a time saver and you save money too by cooking your own chickpeas. 
  • This can be made in the Instant Pot as well. Press the saute function and follow the recipe, when adding the chickpeas, you can add the soaked chickpeas, so basically you are cooking the chickpeas along with the masala. This is a time saver for sure! Pressure cook for 10 to 12 minutes. If you are using canned chickpeas just pressure cook for 4 or 5 minutes. Once done, open the Instant Pot, add the lime juice and cilantro to garnish.
  • When you add water along with the chickpeas you can add more if you want extra gravy. 
  • If you like it spicy increase the amount of chili powder.
  • Chaat masala powder gives it a tangy taste, I really recommend using it. A substitute for it could be Amchur Powder which is Raw Mango Powder. 

Hope you will try this recipe out. It really is delicious, you can eat it with rice, bread, paratha or naan.

Please rate this recipe and leave me a comment down below. I would love to hear from you!

You might also like to check out my other Vegetarian recipes:

Beetroot Cutlets

Mixed Vegetable and Paneer Curry

Air Fryer Tortilla Samosas

Potatoes and Dill Indian Style

Easy and Tasty Chickpea Burgers

Air-Fryer Potato Wedges

Indian Lime/ Lemon Rice

Potato Masala

Air Fryer Okra Fries

Have a wonderful day and thank you for visiting my blog!

Photo by Manasvita S on Unsplash

 

Continue Reading

Beetroot Cutlets

These beetroot cutlets are a great snack or accompaniment to any main meal. They are full of vegetables mixed with mashed potatoes, rolled in breadcrumbs, and pan-fried till golden brown or in this case a beautiful purple from the beetroots! I actually started out making these as vegetable cutlets, but the beetroot kind of took over and so I decided to call them beetroot cutlets!  

They can be made ahead of time and kept refrigerated until you need to fry them. I have kept them for about 3 to 4 days refrigerated. 

If you want you can even freeze them. Just put them on a baking tray, and leave them in the freezer till frozen. After they are frozen put them in an airtight freezer-safe container or a freezer bag and put it in your freezer. 

Fry them straight from the freezer when you need a quick snack! 

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and know to be of great quality. Thank you for your support.)

Beetroot Cutlets

What are the ingredients for these Beetroot Cutlets? 

Beetroot Cutlets

Beetroot cooked

Mixed vegetables- carrots, cauliflower, peas 

Half an onion

Tomato 

Ginger

Garlic

Green chili 

Cumin seeds 

Spice powders- turmeric, chili, coriander, and garam masala powder 

Salt to taste

Boiled potatoes

Breadcrumbs – I make my own breadcrumbs at home using toasted bread

Oil for frying the cutlets.

You might also be interested in this recipe which uses boiled potatoes Potato Masala

How do you make these Beetroot cutlets?

First cook your beetroot in an Instant pot or pressure cooker for 15 minutes. Keep aside to cool. 

Boil potatoes in an instant pot or pressure cooker for 10 minutes. 

Chop onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and green chili.

Prep all the vegetables, including the beetroot, and keep them aside.

Add cumin seeds, ginger-garlic, and chili to a blender, I used my Ninja small jar., just make it into a fine chop. 

Heat oil in a pan, add the onions, and ground-up ginger, garlic, chili, and cumin seeds. Sauté till the onions are slightly brown. Add tomatoes, spice powders, and cook till tomatoes turn soft. 

After that add the chopped vegetables and salt to taste. Mix well, cover, and cook till the vegetables are cooked. 

When cooked add some chopped cilantro and mix. 

Let it cool down. 

In the meantime mash the boiled potatoes.

When the vegetables and potatoes are cool. Add the potatoes to the vegetables and mix well. (I added 3 boiled potatoes) 

Taste and add salt if needed. 

Make balls out of the mixture. Add breadcrumbs to a plate. Take one ball and flatten it into the breadcrumbs, turn and do the same for the other side. Make it a round shape. Roll the sides too in the breadcrumbs till the whole cutlet is coated with breadcrumbs. 

Do the same with all of the balls. At this stage, if you want to freeze some go ahead and put them on a baking sheet and freeze them. 

You can refrigerate them for some time before frying. But you can also fry them immediately. 

To fry them, heat oil in a pan. Fry till golden brown on both sides. 

Enjoy your beetroot cutlets as a snack, in a sandwich, or as a side to your main meal. 

Print

Beetroot Cutlets

Beetroot and other vegetables cooked with Indian spices, mixed with mashed potatoes, made into patties, covered with breadcrumbs, and pan-fried to a crispy cutlet!
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Beetroot (cooked)
  • 3 Potatoes (boiled and mashed)
  • 1 cup Mixed Vegetables (carrots/peas/broccoli/cauliflower/corn)
  • ½ Onion (chopped)
  • 1 Tomato (chopped)
  • 1 cup Breadcrumbs
  • Oil for frying the cutlets and for frying the masala

To grind:

  • ½ inch Ginger
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 1 Green chili
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds

Spices

  • ½ tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri Chili powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • ½ tsp Garam Masala powder

Instructions

  • Pressure cook the beetroot, peel, chop, and keep aside.
  • Boil potatoes in Instant Pot or Pressure cooker. Peel them, mash them, and set them aside.
  • Prep all the vegetables. Chop the onion and tomatoes
  • Grind the ginger, garlic, green chili, and cumin seeds.
  • Heat oil in a pan, fry the onions till transparent, add the ground ginger, garlic, chili, and cumin seeds. Add tomatoes and spices.
  • Next, add all the vegetables including chopped beetroot. Add salt to taste.
  • Mix well, cover, and cook.
  • When the vegetables are cooked, switch off the stove.
  • After the vegetables have cooled down, add the mashed potatoes.
  • Mix and make balls out of the mixture. I got about 20.
  • Add breadcrumbs to a plate.
  • Take one ball and flatten it onto the breadcrumbs. Turn and make sure the cutlet is coated with the breadcrumbs.
  • Do this with all the cutlets. Keep them refrigerated.
  • When ready to fry, add oil to a pan. When the oil is hot, add the cutlets and fry them on both sides till golden brown.

Beetroot Cutlets

Notes: 

  • When cooking with beetroot everything gets that deep red color. I recommend using some sort of liner on your cutting board so it doesn’t get those deep red stains. I am still trying to take out the stains from my cutting board! And maybe wear gloves so your hands do not become red!
  • When adding the mashed potatoes, the number of potatoes depends on their size. I used 3 big Idaho potatoes. Use as many as needed to get the mixture to a consistency that it can be made into a ball without falling apart.
  • An option is to dip the cutlet in a beaten egg and then coat it with the breadcrumbs. This helps the breadcrumbs stick better. If you do not want to use an egg, you can dip the cutlet in a cornstarch and water mixture before rolling them in breadcrumbs.
  • You can always leave out the beetroot and use other vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, corn, or peas. 
  • When frying the cutlet, since everything is already cooked, just fry them till the breadcrumbs are golden brown. 
  • An exception is made when frying frozen cutlets, you will have to cover them so the inside of it thaws and warms up. 
  • This might take a while to get together, but the end result is worth it, so do give it a try. From this recipe, you can get about 20 cutlets. So freeze some for later!

Do check out my other easy snack recipes:  Broccoli and Quinoa PattiesAir Fryer Okra FriesJalapeno PoppersAir Fryer Tortilla Samosas,  Air Fryer Salmon Fish Fry

Let me know if you try this recipe, I love to hear from my readers! Please leave a comment and rate this recipe.

Thank you for reading and happy cooking!

Photo by Felicia Buitenwerf on Unsplash

Continue Reading

Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice

Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice is a simple and delicious way of using your day-old rice and vegetables. 

It’s basically a one-pot meal that has rice for carbs, vegetables for fiber, and shrimp and eggs for protein!

You can even substitute quinoa for the rice to make it healthier! 

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and know to be of great quality. Thank you for your support.)

What are the Ingredients for Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice? 

Ingredients for Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice
Mixed Vegetables, Marinated Shrimp, Scallions, Garlic, Cooked Rice ( Salt, Pepper, Oil, Soya sauce not pictured)

Shrimp – It’s best to use raw peeled deveined shrimp. I used jumbo shrimp so I cut them into bite-size pieces. 

Vegetables -You can use up whatever vegetables you have on hand. Carrots, beans, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bell peppers, and peas are all good options. 

Just make sure that all your vegetables are cut to the same size. 

Rice – It is a quick meal if you have the rice already cooked, it is recommended to use cold rice that’s a day old. But you can cook the rice and use it after it has cooled down. Make sure to spread it out on a plate so it can cool completely otherwise your fried rice might be clumpy. I used cooked Basmati Rice. 

Scallions – the white parts are used for the fried rice and the greens used to garnish at the end

Garlic – A few garlic cloves chopped. 

Red chilies – (optional) If you like it spicy you can use red chilies or red chili flakes. 

Soya sauce – I use regular soya sauce (Not light or dark)

Oil – any high temperatures cooking oil as it is cooked on high flame. Sunflower oil, Canola oil, Vegetable oil, Peanut oil are all good options.

Salt and pepper to taste. 

Honey – This is the honey I used.

Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice

 

How do you make the Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice? 

Marinating the shrimp:

Once the shrimp are cleaned, washed, and drained,  make a marinade which includes honey, chopped garlic, soya sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix it with the shrimp and set it aside for 15 minutes.

Prepping the vegetables:

In the meantime, you can prep the vegetables. 

Cut all the vegetables into the same size. 

Chop the scallions and garlic. 

Have the soya sauce, salt, and pepper nearby as you are going to cooking everything on high flame. 

Steps to make it:

  • Heat a wok on medium-high flame. (I use a stainless steel wok ) Another great option is this Hammered Carbon Steel Wok.
  • Add about 2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, add the marinated shrimp and cook for 2 minutes till the shrimp turn white. Take them out of the pan and set them aside. Add 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan, add in the white parts of the scallions, garlic, and red chilies or chili flakes (if using them). 
  • Add the prepped vegetables, salt, and pepper to taste. Using less salt is better as you are using soya sauce and the marinated shrimp also has been seasoned. 
  • Stir fry for about 2 to 3 minutes. You want the vegetables to retain their crunch. 
  • Next, add the rice and about 1 to 2 tablespoons of soya sauce.
  • Mix it all well. Add the shrimp to the rice. 
  • Switch off the flame and take the pan off the stove. 
  • If you like to add scrambled eggs to the fried rice, make them in another pan and add them in at the end. I always add eggs when making fried rice as it just adds to the taste and you get more protein too! 
  • Garnish with the green parts of the scallions. 

Enjoy your fried rice! The shrimp are juicy and are sweet and garlicky, they taste so good. 

Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice

Print

Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice

Fried Rice with Honey Garlic Shrimp, a simple easy delicious meal!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Author Nandini

Ingredients

  • 10-15 Jumbo Shrimp
  • 2 cups Mixed Vegetables Carrots, Beans, Peas, Corn, Broccoli, etc
  • 2 cups Cooked Rice
  • 2 Scallions chopped
  • 2 Garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 tbsps Soya sauce
  • 3 tbsps Oil (any high smoke point oil)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 2 Red chilies or Chili flakes (optional)
  • 2 Eggs (optional)

For marinating the Shrimp

  • 2 tbsp Honey
  • 1 tbsp Soya sauce
  • 2 Garlic cloves chopped
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Marinating and prepping the vegetables

  • Clean and de-vein the Shrimp. Marinate them for 15 minutes with the above ingredients.
  • Chop the vegetables that you are using and keep them aside.
  • Chop the scallions and garlic cloves.
  • Keep the soya sauce, salt, and pepper handy as you are going to cook the fried rice on medium-high flame.

Cooking the fried rice

  • Heat up a wok on high heat, add oil.
  • When the oil is hot, add the marinated shrimp and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp turn white. Take them out and set them aside.
  • In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Put in the white parts of the scallions, the garlic, and red chilies. (if using)
  • Stir and add the chopped vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir fry to about 2 to 3 minutes. You want the vegetables to retain their crunch.
  • Next, add the rice and about 2 tablespoons of soya sauce.
  • Mix it well. Add the cooked shrimp to the rice.
  • Switch off the stove and take the wok off the stove.
  • If you would like to add scrambled eggs, you can do so now. I always scramble the eggs in a different pan and add them at the end.
  • Garnish with the green parts of the scallions.
  • Your delicious Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice is ready!

Honey Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice

 Notes:

  • You can use any cooked rice, just make sure that the rice is cooled before adding it in. In fact, I like to break up any lumps if any with my hands.
  • Add less salt as you can always taste the fried rice and add more at the end.
  • Make sure that the vegetables are cut in more or less the same size., so they cook evenly. They should remain crunchy.
  • You can drizzle some tomato ketchup or Sriracha hot sauce on your fried rice at the end. 
  • I used Jumbo shrimp, so I cut each one into about 3 bite-size pieces. If you are using small to medium shrimp, leave them as they are. If you are using large shrimp, maybe you can cut them in half., anyway it is totally up to you!

It’s really easy to make and a recipe that can get lunch or dinner on the table in about 20 minutes if you have your previously cooked rice. 

Hope you will try this out, let me know how it turns out for you. Please leave a comment below and don’t forget to rate the recipe.

Thank you as always for being here. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram at Lovetostayhomeblog (for all 3) to know when I have a new blog post out. 

Until next time!

Photo by Emma Matthews Digital Content Production on Unsplash

Continue Reading

Broccoli and Quinoa Patties

Broccoli and Quinoa Patties

Broccoli and Quinoa Patties are healthy and tasty snack options. Quinoa is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, You can read all about Quinoa and its health benefits here at Healthline.com.

If you are a fan of quinoa, you will really like these patties. And even if you have never tried quinoa before you might be a fan after you taste these patties! The addition of broccoli makes them healthier too! And of course, everything is better with cheese right? 😁 

They make a great snack, sometimes I just eat them for my lunch or dinner with something on the side like a slice of grilled fish. A nice yogurt dip or sauce would complement these patties well. 

What do you need to make these Broccoli and Quinoa Patties? 

Ingredients for broccoli and quinoa patties
Quinoa, broccoli, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cheese, egg, breadcrumbs. (I totally forgot the breadcrumbs in the picture, I will update when I make it next!)

Broccoli – steamed and chopped (1 cup)

 I usually cook broccoli in the microwave for 2 minutes. Just put the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl, add water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Drain immediately. Once there were cooked down I put them in my Ninja blender small blender cup and chopped them. Do not make it a paste, just a rough chop. 

Quinoa – 1 cup cooked. If you have previously cooked quinoa, it is ideal to make these patties quickly. But if you do not, you can cook the quinoa but you have to wait for it to cool down before you make the patties.

Egg – 1 beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic powder

Cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese – 1/4 cup grated

Breadcrumbs- 1/4 cup

Oil – I use olive oil but you can use any cooking oil. I just love this oil dispenser from Rachael Ray, it is one of my favorite buys in my kitchen.

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and know to be of great quality. Thank you for your support.)

 

How do you make these Broccoli and Quinoa Patties? 

Broccoli and Quinoa Patties

Add quinoa, broccoli, beaten egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a big bowl. Mix. Add in breadcrumbs and cheese. 

Now combine the mixture well. 

Heat oil in a pan. I just drizzle oil all over the pan. If you are looking for a good pan, I recommend this pan from Nordicware, it is a pancake pan that can be used to make these patties. Using a rounded spoon take the mixture and pack it in the spoon, just overturn the spoon on your pan, it should come out a perfect size and shape. If it sticks just use a spatula to take out the mixture.

Print

Broccoli and Quinoa Patties

Broccoli, Quinoa, Cheese, Egg, and Breadcrumbs seasoned and fried to a crispy patty.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Broccoli florets
  • 1 cup Cooked Quinoa
  • ¼ cup Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
  • 1 Egg
  • ¼ cup Breadcrumbs
  • ½ tsp Garlic powder
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Cooking oil

Instructions

  • In a big bowl, add cooked quinoa, broccoli, beaten egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix it well.
  • Add in grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Combine all the ingredients well.
  • Heat oil in a pan. I usually just drizzle some oil all over the pan.
  • Using a rounded spoon or a cookie scoop, drop packed spoonfuls into the pan. Use a spatula to form a good-shaped patty if required.
  • Once the patties are nicely browned on one side, turn them with a spatula, cook them on the other side till golden brown.
  • The quinoa and cheese become crispy on the outside but it is soft on the inside.
  • Fry all the patties and serve hot with a dip, hot sauce, or tomato ketchup.

Let the patties cook nicely on one side before turning them. If they break when you turn them, using a spatula gather the mixture together. 

Patties in pan
Patties in the pan. ( Please excuse the state of my pan, it’s been used a lot!)

Cook on the other side till golden brown. 

The quinoa and cheddar cheese become crispy. So it’s crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. 

Fry the rest of the patties. Serve hot with a dip, hot sauce, or just tomato ketchup. 

Enjoy this healthy snack at any time of day! It actually is a good way of introducing quinoa to someone who has not tried it before. You never know they just might love it!

Broccoli and Quinoa Patties

Notes: 

  • Use a chopper or blender to chop the broccoli florets. Do not make it into a paste. 
  • You can use store-bought bread crumbs. However, it is really easy to make your own. Whenever you have any end slices from your bread loaf, put them into your toaster oven( it does not have to be on)They eventually dry out and you can just grind them up to make your own breadcrumbs. 
  • Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese are good options, but you could also use a Mexican blend.
  • To make it tastier, you could fry half an onion and a couple of cloves of garlic chopped in a little oil, and add it to the mixture.

Do try out this recipe, and let me know what you think. I would be grateful if you leave a comment and rate this recipe.

Thank you as always for your support, it means the world to me!

You might like these other appetizers/snack recipes:

Jalapeno Poppers

Air-Fryer Potato Wedges

Pan-Fried Crispy Shrimp

Air Fryer Okra Fries

Air Fryer Tortilla Samosas

Until next time…

Photo by takwa abdo on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

Continue Reading

Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao

Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao

Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao is an easy one-pot meal with not much prep work.

It is a lazy Saturday morning and I wanted to make a quick one-pot meal for my family. So this is my version of an Egg Pulao.

Since we all love boiled eggs, I decided on this Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao. The Instant Pot is soon becoming a staple in every kitchen. This recipe is very quick and you don’t have to spend too much time prepping as the ingredients are simple. 

It turned out delicious, so I decided to share the recipe as I am all for quick and easy cooking!

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy any of these recommended products, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and know to be of great quality. Thank you for your support.)

What are the Ingredients for Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao?

Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao
Rice, peas, tomato, onion. ghee, whole spices, powdered spices, and cilantro. (The boiled eggs are missing in this picture, I apologize for that.)

Onion 

Tomato

Boiled Eggs

Basmati rice – I use Royal Basmati Rice

Peas

Whole spices – Cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom, and fennel seeds 

Powdered spices – turmeric powder, coriander powder, chili powder, fennel seed powder 

Salt to taste 

Ghee/Oil – Ghee recommended – I use Nanak Desi Ghee

How do you make this Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao?

Boil the eggs and keep them aside. If you use boiled eggs a lot, an egg cooker might be a helpful gadget in your kitchen, it is easy and quick, I recommend this Dash Egg cooker

Press sauté on your Instant pot, add ghee. When the ghee is hot, add the whole spices. Stir so they do not burn. 

Add chopped onion, fry till slightly brown, add tomatoes, and stir. Put in all the spice powders, adding about 2 tablespoons of water. Fry it well for about 5 mins, adding peas and salt.  Mix and add boiled eggs so they are coated with the masala. 

Next, add 2 cups of rice along with 3 cups of water. Mix and check for salt. Add more if needed. 

Close the Instant Pot, cancel the sauté function, add the weight, and put it on high pressure for 4 minutes. 

When it is done and you hear the beep, press cancel. Do a quick release after 10 minutes. Gently mix and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Your delicious one-pot meal is ready. 

Serve with Raita or plain yogurt on the side. 

Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao

Print

Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao

Rice, Boiled Eggs, and Peas cooked in mild Indian spices to make the perfect one-pot meal. Quick and easy!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Author Nandini

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Basmati Rice (washed and drained)
  • 6 Eggs (boiled and shells removed)
  • ½ Onion (chopped)
  • 1 Tomato (chopped)
  • 1 cup Peas (frozen or fresh)
  • 2 tbsps Ghee
  • Salt to taste

Whole Spices

  • ½ inch Cinnamon Stick
  • 4 Cloves
  • 2 Cardamom pods
  • 1 tsp Fennel seeds

Spice powders

  • ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri Chili powder (or regular)
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • ½ tsp Fennel seed powder

Instructions

  • Boil eggs, remove the shells, and set them aside.
  • Wash and drain the Basmati rice.
  • Chop half an onion and one tomato.
  • Switch on your Instant Pot by pressing saute. When hot, add ghee.
  • Add the whole spices, stir so they do not burn.
  • Add chopped onion, fry till slightly brown. Add tomatoes and stir.
  • Next add in the spice powders along with about 2 tablespoons of water so they do not burn.
  • Fry well for about 5 mins till tomatoes are soft, add peas and salt to taste.
  • Mix well and add boiled eggs coating them with the masala.
  • Add your rice, then add 3 cups water. Mix gently, and check for salt. Add more if needed.
  • Close the Instant Pot, cancel the saute function, add the weight and put it on high pressure for 4 minutes.
  • After it beeps when done, press cancel. Do a quick release after 10 minutes. Gently mix and transfer to a serving bowl
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro. Your delicious one-pot meal is ready!

Instant Pot Egg and Peas Pulao

To make Raita:

Chop half a red onion, half a cucumber (deseeded and chopped), and 1 green chili.

Mix the above in a bowl, add salt and pepper to taste. Beat about 1/2 cup of yogurt with a little water (1 tbsp). Add it to the chopped onions, cucumbers, and chili. Mix well. ( you can add chopped tomato too) 

Garnish with a few cilantro leaves chopped.

Sprinkle some cumin powder or chaat masala powder for a tangy taste! 

Enjoy it with your Egg and Peas Pulao! 

Notes: 

  • Using ghee is recommended for the best taste. 
  • Do not skip the fennel seeds and fennel seed powder, they really do make all the difference. 
  • I used frozen peas as I always have them on hand. Fresh peas can be used instead. 
  • Feel free to add other vegetables like carrots, potatoes, or cauliflower. 
  • If you do not eat eggs, you can just make it with vegetables.
  • When adding water, make sure that the liquid is always 1 1/2 times the rice. Use the same cup measurement that you used for the rice. For 1 cup rice, use  1 1/2 cups water, and for 2 cups rice, use 3 cups water.
  • You can make it in a pressure cooker if you do not have an Instant Pot. But I highly recommend buying an Instant Pot, it really is a time-saver in the kitchen for busy moms and dads! If you do have an Instant Pot and use it on your countertop, I recommend getting a steam diverter to protect your walls and cabinets.

If you liked this easy one-pot recipe, do check out my other simple recipes:

Instant Pot Peas Pulao,

Easy Egg Masala

Instant Pot Spanish Chicken Pulao,

Easy Indian Chicken Stew

Instant Pot Chicken Pulao

Simple Chicken Curry

Mixed Vegetable and Paneer Curry

Thank you for being here, I appreciate it more than you know! Please leave a comment and rate this recipe if you try it out.

Do come back for more, new posts are out at least 2 to 3 times every week! Until next time!

Photo by Amanda Jones on Unsplash

 

Continue Reading