Mexican Quiche

Quiche is a French dish meaning cake or tart.. Its an open pie with a savoury filling of cheese and vegetables, baked to perfection.. It generally contains eggs which help in setting the filling in the tart, giving it a firm shape.. But, as i had to make it without eggs, i had to make sure that my filling was firm enough which could set easily with the help of cheese..

Perfect slice of quiche without the filling falling apart

I have had quiche many times in the past.. Basically an italian kind of quiche with white sauce, vegetable and lots of cheese.. I wanted to try something different this time.. And so i came up with this mexican quiche.. I made a filling of kidney beans and corn with mexican flavours and combined with a cream and cheese mixture instead of regular white sauce.. I was not sure of how it would taste as i even made the dough using corn meal and not just maida.. It was a total experimental quiche this time.. I seriously wanted to give this a try.. So i went ahead with the idea of making this mexican quiche.. I started it with the dough.. The addittion of cornmeal in the dough required me to use some extra water and oil than i normally require for while making the quiche dough.. It was fine.. I could knead a fine smooth dough.. First trial was successful.. Making the filling was no big task.. As i was aware of this mexican filling.. I made something similar to be filled in my quesadillas, and also used similar kind for my mexican rice.. So i was sure of the filling.. Once my dough and filling were ready, i went ahead with assembling the quiche.. Rolled the dough, layered it in pie tin, basted with some chilli garlic chutney for that extra punch, spread the filling and now was the time to pour the cream and cheese filling.. This part was the most skeptical for me.. As this was the only step which was essential on setting of the quiche.. I had to be sure to add enough cheese to set the quiche and enough cream to help keep the mixture moist and not make the tart soggy at the same time.. I decided to add the cream sparingly and cheese generously.. Somewhere back of my mind I knew this would work.. And now was the time to bake my quiche.. In went my quiche in a preheated oven.. Fingers crossed.. I tried to keep myself diverted all the time while the quiche baked.. But in vain.. I kept peeping inside the oven every few minutes.. The crust firming up.. The cheese on top bubbling and turning golden brown.. A perfect visual treat.. And once baked, i removed it from the oven and allowed to cool for few minutes.. And then was the time for me to cut a slice from the quiche.. Lo, Behold.. Perfect as imagined.. Crust - crisp.. Filling - firm and set... Taste - yummm and cheesy and moist enough.. Success achieved.. My quiche was upto the mark.. It raised my self confidence.. And now on, my take on quiche with different fillings starts.. For now.. relax and enjoy this.. err bake this mexican quiche for time being..

This is how my brother loves to eat his share of quiche.. Crustless.. :P

Ingredients:

For the dough -

1 cup maida

1 cup corn meal

1/4 cup cold water

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2tsp salt

For the filling -

1/2 cup kidney beans boiled

1/4 cup corn

1/4 cup capsicum

1/4 cup onions chopped

2tsp garlic chopped

Salt to taste

1tsp Red chilli flakes

2tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup cheese grated

Method: For the dough - mix water and oil with the help of a fork.. Let the emulsion blend completely.. Mix maida, cornmeal and salt in a bowl and add the emulsion.. Make a dough.. Grease an 8inch pie tin.. Roll the dough into 1/4inch thick round.. Layer it in the pie tin and press firmly.. Make marks with fork so that it doesnt fluff up while baking.. Place it in refrigerator covered till you make the filling..

For the filling - Heat oil in a pan, saute onions and garlic till translucent.. Add in capsicum and saute for a min.. Add in corn, kidney beans, salt, red chilli flakes.. Mix well and cook for 2-3minutes.. Close the flame and let it cool..

Preheat the oven at 200c.. Take the pie dish out of the refrigerator. Bast the base with some chilli garlic sauce and fill it 3/4th with the filling.. Heat heavy cream and till warm and add 1/2 cup cheese..Mix well..  Add this in the pie dish over the filling.. Again cover it with remaining cheese.. Sprinkle some red chilli flakes on top.. Bake at 200c for around 30-40minutes till the cheese is golden brown..

Note - Corn meal here used is makki ka atta..

You can use any filling of your choice..

I have used amul cream..

Broccoli Fritters

Broccoli fritters are perfect for those tea time snacks.. Light, healthy, filling and yet delicious.. They can be eaten all by itself or stuff them in your burgers for a healthy twist..

Broccoli is now in my list of favourite vegetables.. Earlier it was difficult to find or even see broccoli in my vegetable market.. But now as i can find them easily, its a regular vegetable in my home.. I love having it as a curry, as a soup or simply roasted.. Be it an form, i can devour it happily.. But then, i like to keep trying and experimenting new dishes.. And so, these broccoli fritters were born..

Fritters are generally fried snacks.. I wanted to make a healthy fritter with broccoli.. And so i ended up shallow frying them.. I avoided adding any all purpose flour to the mixture and in lieu, gave the binding using flaxmeal.. It is a great ingredient to use for binding mixtures.. And at the same time, making it healthy too..

Ingredients:

2 cups broccoli chopped finely

2 cloves garlic chopped

2-3 green chillies chopped

2tbsp coriander chopped

1/2 medium onion chopped

1.5tbsp flaxmeal mixed in 3tbsp water

Salt to taste

1tsp red chilli powder

1/2tsp cumin seed powder

3tbsp processed cheese grated

3tbsp bread crumbs

2-3tbsp rice flour

For yoghurt and lemon dip

1/2 cup yoghurt

1tbsp lemon juice

Salt

1 clove garlic chopped

1tbsp coriander chopped

Method - Mix the ingredients of dip and keep aside..Cook broccoli with around 2-3tbsp of water, covered, on a low flame, till it is tender enough, approximately 5minutes..  Remove in a bowl and let it cool.. Add in all the other ingredients.. Make patties and shallow fry.. Serve with dip..

Note - I have used the broccoli florets as well as the stems.. Chopped them in food proceesor..

Use salt sparingly, as there is salt in cheese as well..

You can make the patties and store in refrigerator covered, if you want to serve later..

 Cooked Broccoli

 Add coriander, pnion, garlic, green chilli and flaxmeal

 Add spices

 Add breadcrumb, riceflour and cheese

 Make patties

 Shallow fry

Serve with dip

Nolen Gur Shahi Tukda

           

Shahi Tukda is a dessert made with bread and rabdi.. The twist here is, the rabdi has been made using Nolen Gur / jaggery which is made with date palm and generally available only during winters.. This is a very authentic gur and very healthy from the regular gur that we get..

            I have always had sweet rice made of gur, which my mother makes very often for my family.. Its the first time i have used gur to make rabdi and the outcome has been fantastic..

           

Coming to shahi tukda, it has been one of my favourite Indian desserts.. And one of my fond memories relating t oshahi tukda is when i was in school and we used to go on picnics, my dad wud make this special dessert for me as well as my friends, so that we all could relish it together.. Since then, this dessert holds a special place in my heart..

            Generally when shahi tukda is made, the bread is first cut in cubes and shallow fried in ghee.. It is then dipped in a thick sugar syrup and then rabdi is spread over it.. But here, as we are using gur to make rabdi and trying to make it healthy, i toasted the bread with some butter and skipped dipping in sugar syrup.. Instead made rabdi of bit thin consistency and baked the bread pieces placing in rabdi.. The outcome has been immensely satisfying.. The texture was soft as well as crunchy with authentic flavors of gur coming out beautifully..

Ingredients

8 to 10 slices of white bread
2 tbsp of butter
1 ltr full cream milk
1/2 cup cream
1cup Nolen gur( Khajur gur)
Pistachios

Directions
Boil the milk and reduce it to half , to this thickened milk add cream n stir. Add the Gur and stir till it melts completely. Switch off the gas. 
Meanwhile Cut of the bread sides from all four sides. Cut them diagonally. On a tawa or pan put some butter and toast the bread slices till golden brown and crunchy. Plate these bread pieces on a shallow baking dish and pour the rabdi. Bake this at 180 degrees for 15 mins in a pre heated oven. The bread gets soaked but a corner which is not submerged in milk remains crunchy.
Decorate with pistachio and rose petals or as desired.

Note - Can avoid cream and use only milk to make it low fat..

You can even add around 100gms of grated paneer to the rabdi mixture to give it a textured base..

Can use regular gur also to make this dish..