Homemade Squash Casserole

I'm posting the full recipe for this but I halved it when I made it because I had a sneaky feeling that my people were not going to be as on board with this as I was. I LOVED it, I mean I love squash casserole so no surprise. Everyone else, not so much. But they don't love casseroles like this so...their opinions just don't count. This recipe was adapted from Chef in Training.

3 cups water
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups chicken broth
10 cups sliced yellow squash
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4oz cream cheese (softened)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
1 1/2 cups crushed ritz crackers
4 tbsp butter

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan.  In a large pot bring the water, chopped onion and chicken broth to a boil. Add the squash and bring to boil with the squash. Reduce heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and drain the squash and onions. In a large bowl combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder and egg. Stir well. Carefully stir in the squash. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Pour into the greased baking dish.  Top with the crushed ritz crackers. Cut the butter into small slices and place over the top of the crackers. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Vegetables

0

Beetroot Poriyal

Beetroot has multiple health benefits. Consumption of beetroot helps in lowering blood pressure, treating anemia etc. Beetroot Poriyal is a Tamilian recipe. Similar type of recipe is also known as 'Beetroot Thoran' in Kerala and 'Beetroot Palya' in Karnataka. I have made this recipe in Tamil Brahmin Style without using the Onion and Garlic. In have heard about recipe that in Karnataka the beetroot is boiled in water by adding Sambar Powder to give the curry a distinct flavour. In few regions, they also add boiled Chana (Gram) to this curry. In Kerala recipe, the paste of Onions and Coconut is also added to this Curry.  

Serving: 3-4 people

Approx. Time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients

2 large beetroots
1/2 cup freshly scrapped Coconut
1 tspn Sugar (Optional)

Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
1 tbspn Coconut Oil (or Vegetable Oil)
1 tspn Mustard Seeds
1 tspn Urad Dal
1/4 tspn Asafoetida
2 vertically chopped Green Chillies
A sprig of Curry leaves

For  Garnishing:
Curry Leaves or Coriander leaves

Method

Trim the edges of the beetroot and steam / pressure cooker it till the beetroot is cooked (nearly 80%). Then allow it to cool and peel the skin of Beetroot. Dice it into small cubes. Set the beetroot pieces aside.

Then heat the Coconut Oil in a pan and add Mustard Seeds and Urad Dal. Saute till the Urad Dal changes its colour. Then add Asafoetida, chopped Green Chillies and Curry leaves. Then add the Beetroot cubes and stir fry till the Beetroot is completely cooked. At this stage sprinkle some water in the curry if required for cooking. Add Salt, Sugar (optional) and scrapped Coconut. 

Garnish it with Curry leaf and serve hot with steamed Rice and Sambar or Roti. 

Notes:
1. Alternatively, the Beetroot may be grated instead of cutting into cubes 
2. The Beetroot may also be cooked directly in the pan instead of pre-steaming.
3. The Sugar has to be added to curb strong flavour of Beetroot. 

Stepwise Pictures:

Sending this entry to the event - Lets cook for Mothersday

Vegetables

0

Besan Moola Bhaaji (Radish Curry)

Many of us do not like Radish. This Curry however balances the taste of Radish by using additional flavours of Onion and Sour Curds. In short, this Curry is a combination of Gujarati Kadhi (Kadhi) and Maharashtrian Jhunka. 

Servings: 3-4 people
Approx. Time: 15 min.

Ingredients:
2 tbspns Oil
1 tspn Cumin Seeds
1 tbspn finely chopped Garlic cloves
1 cup raw Onion Paste
1/2 tspn Asafoetida
1/2 tspn Turmeric Powder
1 tspn Red Chilli Powder
Water
1 cup Boiled Radish Cubes
1/2 cup Sour Curds
1  tbspns Besan (add 1/2 tspn more for thick consistency)
Radish Water
Water (to adjust the consistency)
Salt to taste
1 tspn Sugar
1/4 cup Corriander leaves

Method:

Pre-preparation:

Chop the Radish into half to one inch cubes. Boil some water and add the Radish cubes into it. Then add a pinch of Salt and parboil it for 5-10 minutes. Remove the Radish from water and retain the water for using it in the Curry.

To make Radish Curry:

Heat Oil in a non stick pan. Once the Oil is heated, add the Cumin Seeds, chopped Garlic, and Onion Paste. Cook till the Onion paste starts turning pink in colour. Then add the Asafoetida, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilly powder and saute. Add some water (say a tablespoon or so) to prevent the spices from burning. Then add the boiled Radish cubes and saute it for 2 minutes. Then add the Curds. 

Mix the Chickpea flour with the boiled Radish water. Stir in the Chickpea flour paste into the Curry. Season it with Salt and Sugar as per taste. Add some more water to adjust the consistency. At the end add Coriander leaves and turn off the flame. Serve hot with Bhakri or Roti.

Notes:

You may also add Methi leaves to the Curry.

Stepwise Pictorial:

Vegetables

0