Tofu Lasagna

Total time 1 hour

Prep time 30 minutes

Oven time 30 minutes

+ 

Rest time 30 minutes atleast. 

There are a lots of versions of lasagna on the web. My daughter loves lasagna and is lactose intolerant. So I set about trying some recipes. 

I have to mention Anu Srinivasan here (http://oystersandlemons.wordpress.com/). Was talking to her and she suggested to add some almond milk to the tofu while making the Bechamel Sauce. I took her suggestion and tried making it the traditional way of making the sauce. Then I made some more changes to the recipe. 

My version of the Bechamel sauce doesn't involve the stove cos I thought no point in firing up the stove if I blend the tofu and milk in the food processor itself. Since it's all already cooked and it's going to go in the oven for 30 minutes, that is enough to get it nice and thick. So I will call it tofu Sauce

This is a kind of a mixture of many recipes. Pretty easy but a little time consuming. It takes about 25 minutes to make the vegetable sauce. 5 minutes to make the tofu sauce.

As a first step, boil the lasagna according to instructions on the box. I haven't tried the oven ready lasagna. I always use the ones that need to be boiled.

I made 12 strips for this recipe. You will use 11 approximately.  I put one extra if one breaks. 

It will be easier if you have a food processor or a hand blender or a regular blender.

For the vegetable sauce, you can use any veggies you want. I add mushrooms sometimes. My daughter loves celery so I always add that.  Today I have added

1 zucchini

4 stalks of celery

1/2 of Chinese Eggplant

2 cups of spinach leaves

5 tomatoes (2 beef steak tomatoes  and 3 Roma tomatoes)

1 Onion

6 cloves of garlic 

          +

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tsp of oregano

1/4 of paprika

1 tsp of sea salt

3 heaped tsp of tomato paste (optional)

All the vegetables have to chopped into small pieces so that it will be easy to eat the lasagna.

If you have a food processor, just chop the tomatoes and put it in and purée that.

In a heavy bottomed pan, on a medium to high flameadd the oil and when that heats up, add the chopped garlic and onion. In about 4 mins they should be getting translucent, now add the chopped Zuchchini, Eggplant and celery and keep stirring. After about four minutes add the chopped spinach and the salt. Let it all mix and stir for a minute. Now add the puréed tomatoes, and the paste. Mix it well and reduce the heat a bit. Add the oregano and paprika, mix well and let It simmer for 10 mins.

For the tofu Sauce

You need two packets of Firm tofu 

Some lactaid. (I have used almond milk also)

Bit of salt

Bit of crushed red pepper (so it won't be too bland)

Wash the food processor if you want your 'tofu sauce' to be white. 

Just drain the tofu, no need to completely drain

Chop them in to big pieces and add to the food processor

And while it's running add the lactaid, salt and crushed red pepper and run until it becomes thick and creamy. 

Your tofu sauce is ready!!!

Now you can start assembling!!

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

I have used 3 small Pyrex glass containers and one really small glass container. 

You can choose to make it in a bigger pan. I like to make it like this cos you end up having leftovers and this way you can just put it in the freezer. Once it's to room temperature that is. 

Since these containers are small I have cut the strips in to two.

For every Pyrex container you will use 6 cut strips.

Start with two spoons of sauce in the bottom

*Layer 2 strips, 2 spoons of sauce, 2spoons of tofu spread them*

Repeat

Repeat

On top I just put a bit of veggie shreds, they are lactose free.

Put all of them in the oven for 30 minutes. (I have already put one in the oven)

Let it rest for a good 45 minutes, it will be easier to cut the lasagna.

I guarantee that you won't miss the cheese. 

This recipe is lactose free!

It can be vegan is you use almond milk or soy milk instead of Lactaid.

And use Soy cheese instead of the lactose free cheese.

Cheese is optional.

I usually serve it with a nice homemade dinner roll :)

Manathangaali keerai / spinach

My friend Mrs. Raji Ramachandran grows this kind of greens in her backyard. We use the fruits (really tiny) as a side to many dishes, you can see the dry version here. This is very high in iron just like spinach. You would also cook it like any other spinach, south indian style.
However, this is a little different version, Mrs. Raji Ramachandran's version.

You wash the spinach and drain well. Cut in small pieces, keep aside. For 2 cups of spinach, you can use 1 cup of moong dal. Wash the dal, In a vessel, put the spinach, place the dal and add a little chili powder and salt on top. Do not mix. Place in cooker and let cook for atleast 3 whistles.
In a pan, add oil, add urad dal, red chili, cumin and let roast until you can smell the spices, don't burn them. Grind the spices with a little coconut and keep aside.

Once the pressure is off, put the spinach in the pan add the ground masala to this and give a tadka with mustard seeds, chili, and curry leaves. This will taste great with rice or hot rotis.

In the Picture Above, is a typical weekend lunch at out house, starting from left to right on top is
Rasam, White Rice, Brown Rice, Kovakkai (Tindora) Kari, Potato Kari, and Manathankaali Keerai.

Palak Wadi ---- Healthy (Iron Rich )Green Squares

                                     Collard Greens Wadi

I learnt this from my friend's (Priya) mom, Mrs.Anjali Ambekar. Traditionally this is made with Spinach. My cousin Aparna gave me two big bunches of Collard Greens, which she got for under a dollar, back in November I think. This was the first thing which came to my mind. Even though it is time consuming, it is worth it. It is essentially a finger food, can be had as an appetizer or as a side to Rotis or Pulav.

For an appetizer, Maggi Hot and Sweet Sauce tastes great with it. It can be made ahead of time. It also freezes well too. This tastes best with Spinach, but since I had collard greens, made it with that.

  Please try this with Spinach, for best results...                      

Collard Greens Wadi

                                                               
                                                              Step  by Step Photos

You will need
 One Bunch Collard Greens (which will amount to approximately 8 cups of greens)
Gram Flour - 1 and 1/2 cups
Rice Flour - 3/4th cup
Salt - 3 teaspoons (more or less, as you may need)
Chili Powder - 4 Teaspoons )more if you can handle spice)
Coriander Powder - 3 Tablespoons
Haldi Powder - 2  Teaspoons
 Oil -- 3 to 4 teaspoons
Red Chili - 2 or 3
Urad Dal - 2 Teaspoons
-----> Wash and drain the collard greens and pat dry.
-----> Chop them in to small strips and keep in a big bowl.
----->  Run them through the food processor once, if you feel the pieces are all too big.
------> Add all the spices to this along with the flour and start to mix with your hand, the mixture should be dry but still bind together.
-----> In a flat vessel, put some oil and spread it all around so the mixture wont stick to the bottom
------> Place this in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes.
------> Let cool and then cut in squares
------> put these squares on a flat pan and grill them lightly so they get a bit roasted on both sides
------> Put the roasted squares in a serving bowl or a box if you plan to serve them later
When you are ready to serve, heat the squares first and then
------> In a dry Kadai, add oil, and when it gets hot, add the mustard seeds, red chili and urad dal
------> When the dal gets roasted pour it over tge warm squares...
Enjoy!!!

Vadai Morkazhambu (Fried Lentil Crisps in Buttermilk Gravy)

This is one of the tastiest morkuzhambu and is also ready in a jiffy, if you don't have any vegetables and want to make somehting yummy for yourself or your guests.
My Maternal Grandma (Mrs Vimala Ramamurthy) is an expert in making this.
She is the one who taught me how to make the vadais.
I think you can learn to make vadai, by watching a person make it rather than reading a recipe.

This Measure serves 4 adults.

All You need for the Gravy is
1 cup Yogurt - Mix this with 3 glasses of water to make Buttermilk, depending on the consistency of the yogurt. (Even though I make my own yogurt, I dont use that to make any morkuzhambu. I use the store bought yogurt just because it is more thicker and holds it well (without seperating) even after lightly boiling it.
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 Teaspoon (more or less)
Masala to grind
(Please soak the Urad dal for the vada also, at the same time, look below for that recipe)
To Soak atleast for half an hour in about less than 1/4th cup of water
Cumin- 1 and 1/2 Teaspoon
Green Chilli - 2
Coconut - (Optional) 2 Teaspoons
Rice - 1 Teaspoon
(Note- You may use rice flour instead of rice)

For seasoning
Oil - 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds- 1/2 teapsoon
Red Chili - 1
Hing- 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves and Coriander Leaves to garnish.


After you soak the above, grind to a smooth consistency.

In the vessel you are making the Morkuzhambu,
--->Pour your masala and add about 1/2 cup of water, the salt and turmeric powder and let it all come to a smooth boil on a low flame
--->At this point, add your buttermilk, and little more salt, depending on the sourness of you buttermilk, and keep stirring on a low flame.
--->After you add your buttermilk, you have to keep stirring so the yogurt does not separate and this mixure should just get warm, not Boiling Hot.
--->For seasoning, in a seperate vessel, add the oil and once it becomes hot,add the mustard seeds and the red chili and once the mustard seeds sputter pout this on the morkuzhambu)


To make the Vadais
(This measure makes atleast 10 vadais, more if you can make smaller vadais!!)
You need
Urad Dal (Whole) - 1 Cup (you may use broken ones too)
Salt-1 Teaspoon
Black Pepper - 1/4 Teaspoon
Green Chillies - 1 or 2
Curry Leaves - 1 strand
Rice flour- 1 to 2 teaspoons
Method
Soak the Urad Dal atleast for half an hour (you may soak at the same time you soak the masala for the morkuchambu, and after making the morkuzhambu, come to make this!)
You will see that the Urad Dal has bloated, which means it is ready yo grind.
You may use a food processor, but for best results use an indian mixer.
Drain all the water and add the salt, pepper and chili to this.
(Optinal - I always grind everything together since my kids would not eat the pepper etc, but if you wish u can grind just the Urad dal alone and then mix in the pepper and chili)

The trick is to grind the Urad dall with no water or as little water as possible, if it is too runny then your vadais will be a flop. It has to be thick. Add the rice flour if you feel it is thin. Adding too much rice flour will take out the softness of the vadas. Add the curry leaves to the dough.

Making the vadais
--->Heat oil in a kadai
---> Take a thick ziploc bag and and lay it down, and spread little oil on it.
--->Check if the oil is done by just putting very little dough in the oil, it should come up immediately bubbling.
---> Start by taking a spoon of the dough and put flat on the Ziploc and press lightly with your fingers, make a hole and carefully peel it out carefully and again without burning your hands place it in the oil.
--->Let it become golden brown and turn both sides equally and take out and place on a napkin so it drains of the excess oil


Making vadais is an art really, it takes some time to learn, I used to make them by the Ziploc way and now I can make it with just one hand. It is just practice. If you don't want to learn, there is always the shapeless vadais which you make by putting a small teaspoon of dough in the oil.

Everything tastes the same!! Just that the shapeless ones are called "Kunukku" not Vadai :)


Coming back to the recipe, once the vadais are warm, put them in the morkuzhambu and garnish with the coriander and curry leaves.

Serve with hot rice and some Paruppu Usili. or
You can make a Tamilian Vegetarian meal by making the Keerai Kootu (I have made the lazy kootu with just regular spinach) and Vazhaikai Manjal Kari.
You can see I have made 3 Kunukkus, on the side :))

Pongal (Rice And Lentil Grits) and Spinach Sambar (Spinach with Split Pigeon Peas)

This is one of the most easiest and tastiest meals to make, and also very healthy for you!

Pongal is kind of like Grits, although in North India they make something similar (not the exact recipe) and call it Khichdi.

I always make it in this Vengala Paanai (Bronze Pot in Tamil). The inside of this is coated with Eeyam. This is my mother's pot and the Pongal or anything made in this tastes exceptional. This also retains heat very well and cooks faster.

My Pongal links on Instagram-

Pongal with Gothsu - https://www.instagram.com/p/5CT4gwOWWl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

At a south indian wedding - https://www.instagram.com/p/3nKQjVOWSD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Alright lets come to the recipe

Pongal

The rice used to make this has to be raw rice. I use sona masoori rice to make this, you want the pongal to be soft and the grains shouldnt be noticeable after its cooked.

The measure of Rice to Mung Lentil is 1 is to 3/4th proportion. you may use more or less lentils, how ever you like.

Rice 1 Cup

Split Skinned Mung Bean 3/4th Cup

Cumin Whole (Coarsely ground) 2 to 3 Teaspoons

Black Pepper (coarsely ground) 2 Teaspoons 

Cashewnuts Sliced - a handful

Ghee - 3 tablespoons

Water - 4 to 5 Cups

Salt - 2 teaspoons

Method

---> Wash the rice and the lentils and put in the vessel you are going to make and add about 4 cups of water, add the salt and half of the cumins and let it come to aboil, keep stirring it with a wooden spoon so it does not boil over

--->after the rice is about 3/4ths cooked, check to see if the water is enough and add the extra water if needed

---> In a small kadai, add half of the ghee and let it get hot, when it is hot, add the rest of the cumin and all of the black pepper, and pout it in to the the pongal vessel and return the kadai back to the stove

--->add the rest of the ghee to the kadai and add the sliced cashews, and roast it till it gets light brown, be careful not to burn the cashews

--->Pour it over the Pongal and by now the water should all be gone. Check if the rice and the mung bean is cooked, test by taking a spoon of it and put on plate and smash with your finger lightly, it should get smashed, then it means it is done.

The other option is to make this in a pressure cooker, in that case, add all the water, rice and mung dal together in the cooker, add salt and let it come to 3 whistles. after pressure comes down you can do the tempering and garnish.

Serve hot with Sambar or Chutney or Gothsu!!

Spinach Sambar

This is even more easier than any other sambar, Just follow the same recipe as my Shallot sambar, only use a half pound of frozen spinach and boil in the tamarind water, along with the spices mentioned in the other recipe....

you don't even have to thaw it, just plop it tn the water and do your thing!

I have added a handful of soaked black chick peas to the sambar.

P.S.(I always soak a lot of chick peas once every two weeks and drain the water and store in a Ziploc in the freezer and throw some in my Sambar, or Dal to get the extra protein. If i want to add it to my salad, I just put some in the pressure cooker with some salt and water, and when it is done drain the water and add the water to my Dal or rasam and just the chickpeas to my salad)


Scaling this for a party

NOTE: The one thing about pongal is when you make it for a large group, and plan to serve it after 5 hrs, it ill go bad if you follow the same ratio above. Any dish made of Mung Dal will usually go bad if not served immediately cooking it.

So in temples when they make pongal for prasadams, you will notice that they have very less of mug dal in it. This is the reason.
Also since mung dal tends to stick after its cooked, it makes the whole pongal like a brick as time goes by and it gets worse if it gets cold.

But in case you want to make this for a party, and make it ahead of time, you can by reducing the amount of moong dal in pongal.


When you make pongal, if its the main dish then you need to count the following recipe for about 15 to 20 generous servings.
If you are making it along with idli then the following recipe will yield about 30 servings.
Either way, if you have an idea of the guests appetite, scale it accordingly.

For 15 to 20 generous servings / 30 servings if you are serving with another dish - Standard half a tray

Double the recipe for a full Tray of Pongal

Rice 4 Cups

Split Skinned Mung Bean 1 Cup 

Cumin Whole 6  to 7 Teaspoons (Coarsely ground) 2 to 3 Teaspoons

Black Pepper Whole (coarsely ground) 5 Teaspoons

Cashewnuts Sliced - 3/4 cup

Ghee- 3/4 cup to 1 cup

Water - 16  to  20Cups

Salt -  2 tablespoons (Depends on the taste)

the more ghee you add, the longer this will stay fresh. Try and keep this in a crock pot so it will be warm so the ghee or the mug dal doesn't solidify.

Keerai Masiyal (Simple Mashed Spinach)

You can use fresh or frozen spinach for this.

2 lbs Frozen Spinach or 2 bunches Fresh Spinach
1 and 1/2 Spoons Cumin
1 and 1/2 Spoons Urad Dal
2 or 3 Dry red Chili
1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
2 teaspoons oil
2 teaspoons grated coconut
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 and 1/2 spoons salt (more or less)


---> If using Fresh Spinach, Cut the ends and wash 3 times.
---> In a big pan, place the drianed spinach leaves or if using frozen place them directly with just a 1/4 cup of water on a medium low fire and cover the pan.
---> Keep stirring the spinach to make sure it is not getting burnt.
---> Using a hand blender, blend the spinach well
---> In a different pan, add a teaspoon of oil, and add the Urad Dal, Red Chillies, Jeera and Black pepper and roast till you smell the cumin and the pepper and the dal becomes slighlty rose in color
---> Add coconut to the roasted ingredients, and make a fine powder with a regular mixer or a coffee grinder
---> Add this to the Spinach and mix well
---> As a last step, add a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and let it sputter, add this to the spinach, garnish with curry leaves and serve.

When you are done, this should have a consistency of Idli Dough.
This goes well with Rice and Rasam!

Palak Paneer, Spinach with Cottage Cheese

All children like Palak Paneer, even if they dont like spinach by itself.

Items you need

Spinach - 3 bunches ( 1 lb each, triple washed, i dont cut the stems)

Onions - 1 1/2 large (Sliced finely)

Garlic - 6 or 7 cloves

Ginger - Thick 1 inch piece (peeled)

Tomatoes - 5 medium ones (diced)

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Corainder powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Oil- 2 or 3 teaspoons

Method

-->Cut the spinach at the very end and wash very well. You don't need to really pluck the leaves If you are using frozen spinach, go to the next step. You should place the spinach in big bowl and fill water and transfer the spinach to a drainer, you will be able to see the mud in the water. This process has to be reapeated atleast 3 times before you start cooking the spinach.

-->Steam the spinach, in a pan, Do not add any water or salt to this. It will let out water.

--> Just take the spinach and reserve this water, You will use it later. Blend the spinach in a food processor to chop it.

-->In a different pan, on a medium flame, add the oil, once it is hot, add the cumin, one it starts to sizzle, add the garlic and ginger.

-->Once they start to get brown add the onions

--> Once they start to get brown add the tomatoes

--> Once the tomatoes start to stick to the pan, add the water you drained off the spinach and let it all cook together.

--> Once the tomatoes are mashed, blend this in a food processor

-->Mix the two together (the onions tomato puree with the spinach)

-->Add the Coriander powder and turmeric powder and salt to this and let it all simmer together for 10 minutes.

For the paneer, you may buy storebought ones or make it yourself. I will write another post on how to make paneer yourself. When you buy store bought one, make sure it has only 2 to 3 ingredients on the packet, which are milk, vinegar or citric acid. sometimes i see more ingredients on the paneer packet than necessary!

Cut the paneer in little squares and take a pan and add little oil and slightly toast the paneer on it and add to your spinach.

Palak Paneer is ready, eat with hot rotis!

Spinach Rice

My Sister in law (Cousin's Better Half) Bhairavi made this Spinach Rice.

Tasted as good as it looks.

You will need

1lb Spinach (whole or chopped) (If Whole, chop in food processor)

2 1/2 cups of cooked rice (not squishy)

1 bunch cilantro

5 to 6 Green Chillies

4 tsp of oil

1 tsp of Mustard

1 tsp of Urad Dal

2 tsp of jeera

2 pinches of hing

2 Red chillies

2 Strands of Curry Leaves

2 handfuls of roasted peanuts (optional)

Method

Grind the cilantro and G chillies in to a thick dry paste.

Take a Kadai and add oil, mustard, red chillies, Urad Dal, Curry Leaves, Jeera, Peanurs, Hing and when it all sputers, add the cilantro chilli paste and fry till fragrant, and then add the spinach and fry for less than 5 minutes and then add the rice and salt to taste.