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Masala French Fries- a tasty alternative to the hmm- let’s say, usual, boring regular French Fries :-)

12/28/2019

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Potatoes… ummm… they are probably the most loved vegetables of all. And they probably also have a very bad reputation for being fattening!!

This is probably because of all the fatty ways in which we prepare potatoes!! Potatoes do have many important nutrients. I will write another post on that… this post is about how we can enjoy this delicious vegetable.
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Yes, it is true that potatoes are very starchy and one way to counteract it is to rinse and soak it in cold water and throw away that water. Also, make sure that you have keep the skin on your potatoes to ensure that you retain most of its beneficial nutrients.
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Considering the fact that I absolutely love French Fries- though folks from Belgium will be quick to correct that it originated in Belgium and then became famous after being included the American fastfood meals and that “French Fries” have nothing French about them!!

Now that you know this little tidbit about French Fries history trivia- let’s see how we can enjoy it and make some special flavorful versions of this tasty side dish (sometimes main dish, like in my case- just sometimes, I promise!!)

I invested in an Air Fryer- for those of you who are not sure about how an air fryer works, you can check out my article about it, titled- Air Fryer- great way to occasionally indulge in deep fried foods!!  
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But bottom line is that this machine utilizes just a tablespoon or so of oil to ‘deep fry’ and make a pound of French fries. 
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Then considering I love my Indian masalas, I have made these fries (photographed here) with Garam Masala, by sprinkling some over the half-cooked potatoes, after around the half-cooked mark! 
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I have also made these with other flavors from around the world- Ras al Hanout (also written as Ras el Hanout) spice mix from Morocco is my favorite after Indian Masala French Fries.
Try out this variation or anything else that you fancy- after all it is true that food is about healthy eating and providing our body with good nutrition, but it is also true that it is important to feed our soul with food that truly brings us joy.

In this regard, there are no hard and fast rules about hey- you cannot use Indian masalas on French Fries or sprinkle some Ras al Hanout on your Belgian waffle.

If you like it and it is not detrimental to your health and you do not overdo it, then a little indulgence should help to not just feed your body about also feed and uplift your soul.

Maybe this is where the word- soul food originally came from?? I need to now research that word origin. Will let you know my findings in another post… :-)
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​#soulfood #frenchfries #masalafrenchfries #sinfulfoods #enjoyfood 
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Curried Tri-color Roast Potatoes Salad

9/3/2017

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Curried Tri-color Roast Potatoes Salad
Here is a yummy hot recipe for roast potatoes that you can eat as a side or enjoy on its own!

Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on washed and dried tri-color new potatoes. Next sprinkle some turmeric powder and paprika. After that, sprinkle some coriander and cumin powder along with freshly ground black pepper. Finally add sea salt and mix well. Roast at 400 °F for 20-25 minutes. Half way thru turn the potatoes to ensure they roast evenly.

Now to assemble your salad- finely chop up yellow pepper along with red onion and cilantro. Add the roasted potatoes. Finally drizzle some olive oil and juice of half a lime. Mix well and serve fresh. Slightly ‘tart & hot’ curried roast potato salad is a delightful treat particularly with autumn arriving- where the weather starts to cool and days shorten. Gives one just the right amount of summer feel with its lime-tartness and warms us up with its paprika heat.
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Hope you enjoy this recipe. Let us know how it turned out for you in the comment box below…
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Saffron Rice- a simple and tasty Mediterranean side dish

3/13/2016

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Here is another simple and tasty rice side dish which you can serve by itself or with any curry or with kebabs and other skewered meats. With spring approaching and barbecue season coming up soon, this last option is definitely a great idea.
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Saffron Rice- a simple and tasty Mediterranean side dish
To make the rice: wash some parboiled rice. You can also use other non-sticky rice like Basmati or brown rice, but parboiled is best for this dish, which has more Mediterranean flavors. There is an Asian version of saffron rice, which is best made with Basmati rice- that’s another healing recipe for another day… ;)

Heat a pot on high heat and then add the washed rice and a little olive oil. Mix well and then add chicken or vegetable broth. You can also use plain water, but using broth adds wonderful flavors and heightens nutritional value; so a better choice. Bring this to a boil and then cover and lower heat to a simmer. Allow for rice to cook completely and cover, so that there is just a hint of gap for excess moisture to escape and simmer on very low heat for another little bit, while all excess moisture escapes and rice is well cooked but also is nicely defined (i.e. does not look sticky or pasty).

Saffron flavoring our rice: Take a few strands of very nice quality Spanish saffron in a couple of table spoons of water and let sit. Heat a pan on medium heat. Add a little olive oil. Be careful that the pan is not too hot, otherwise olive oil will smoke, which is not good. Next add a few cardamom and mix in oil, so they start to release they awesome aroma. 

Next add the prepared rice and the saffron-water. Drizzle a little extra olive oil on top and mix well. Cover (but leaving a little gap) for these flavors to set in from the steam, but at the same time, for water-moisture from the saffron water to escape. We want our rice grains to be well-cooked but also nicely defined for maximum texture and taste! 

Finally chop up loads of fresh parsley and mix with the rice before serving. Serve hot as a nice, filling side dish or with curry or kebabs.
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Saffron Rice- a simple and tasty Mediterranean side dish served with Pan roasted curried Shrimps
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    Maitreyi Gautam (my mystic name) comes from the original Vedic Tradition, one of world’s oldest living cultures. 

    Her educational background is in Physical Sciences and Quantum Mechanics. 

    Maitreyi  has several certifications in various Natural Health Remedies & Holistic Healing.

    She is an Ayurveda Specialist & Nutritionist and a Certified Aroma, Color and Crystal Therapist.

    ​In addition, she is attuned to Reiki Energy Level I & II. 

    Also, check out:
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