Linguine with homemade basil pesto, grape tomatoes and wilted spinach.

Method:

1. Boil a saucepan of water, enough to cook the pasta al dente. Stir once to separate.
2. Remove from heat and drain pasta in a colander, running through cold water.
3. In a non stick pan, saute sliced onions, celery, and garlic. Add grape tomatoes cut into halves, some baby spinach, salt and pepper.
4. Add pasta to the pan and the homemade pesto (I used basil, garlic powder, olive oil, salt and pepper).
5. Sprinkle grated parmesan and serve warm.

Barbeque pork fried rice

Ingredients:
Left over rice/cooked rice drizzled with low sodium soy sauce and chinese salt
Diced red onion- 1 medium
Handful of green peas
Some thoroughly washed snap peas
Cooked barbeque boneless pork loin, cut into strips
Dry red chilies , sliced thin ( a pair of kitchen scissors work best)
Scallions and Chinese peppers (optional)

Method:

1. In a wok, fry diced onion, snap peas and  green peas. Add salt. Add the scallions and Chinese pepper if you are using them,
2. Add the cooked pork and then the cooked rice. Sprinkle the sliced red chilies. Mix thoroughly. Serve warm.

Lobster tail with ginger, garlic and scallions

I was inspired by this YouTube video, though I did not use chicken stock to remove the grease, because I like the crust crunchy.  Instead, I drained excess oil in paper towels.

Ingredients:
2 lobster tails
5-6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced (use more if you are not using garlic powder)
1/2 inch ginger, sliced and crushed (no need to peel)
Bunch of scallions
Low sodium soy sauce
Garlic powder spice mix (taste for salt)
Paper towels
Cooking oil
1 tbsp Butter
Salt

Method:

1. Cut the lobster tails lengthwise with a sharp knife (and mallet, if you need it). Sprinkle garlic powder spice mix and flour.
2. Deep fry in canola oil for 5 minutes or until the tails turn red. Fry bottom side first because the tails bend on heat and then it is difficult to cook the downside uniformly. Drain excess oil in paper towels.
3. In a non-stick pan, add butter, ginger, garlic and the lobster. Drizzle soy sauce. Cover on low flame. Add scallions, chopped into inch long strips.
4. Serve warm, with lemon wedges.

Soya kabuli

This is a recipe inspired by my aunt who made soya nuggets with vatana.

I was hungry in the morning and had no pre-soaked vatana which I usually use for making Bengali ghugni. However, my pantry had a can of chick peas. I got to work

Ingredients:
1 medium sized diced potato
1 cup soya nugget
1 can of chickpeas 28 oz or about 800 gm (Alternately you may soak chickpeas or yellow vatana overnight)
Minced onion- half of 1 large OR one full medium
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt, turmeric, cooking oil, garam masala and ghee

Method:

1. Heat mustard oil in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves.
2. Add diced potato, minced onions, some soy nuggets (soaked in warm water until they are soft, then squeeze the excess water).
3. Add the chickpeas, salt, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and ghee.
   (If you prefer to use onion paste to make the gravy thicker, stir fry the paste with potatoes. Make sure it is cooked thoroughly.)
4. Add 2-3 cups of warm water and boil on pressure or until soft.

You may serve it as a snack, or with poori.

Chal Potol (Pointed gourd with rice)

চাল পটল 

Ingredients: 
2 packets frozen parwal/potol/pointed gourd or about 15-20 fresh (cut in halves)

Pre soaked kalonji rice- about 1/4 cup
1 tbsp ginger paste
1/2 medium sized onion paste
Cumin powder
Garam masala
Ghee
Cooking oil

Optional:
Dry red chilies 2
panch phoron powder (a pinch)

Method:

1. Heat mustard oil. Temper with whole cumin, bay leaves and 2 red chilies (broken into halves).
2. Add onion-ginger paste, stir fry and add the pointed gourd (you may shallow fry them if you are using fresh vegetables)
3. Add pre-soaked kalonji rice to the vegetables. Add turmeric, salt, cumin powder, panch phoron powder (a pinch). Stir.
4. Slow cook till the water released by the vegetables dry off and the rice is cooked thoroughly but is not mushy. Add garam masala and ghee. 

Spinach and feta puffs

Greek spanakopita inspired spinach feta puffs

Method:

For Filling:

1. Melt olive oil/butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until  tender. Add (frozen/ fresh chopped) spinach and cook until the liquid evaporates, stirring constantly. Add salt, pepper and spices to taste. Set aside.
   
   You may use leftover palak matar for filling too.

For puff pastry

1. Prepare the puff pastry sheets according to instructions (I used  Pepperridge Farm for this recipe) : Bring a sheet to room temperature  for 40 mins or until soft. Lay it on a clean, lightly floured cutting board. Cut into rectangles and brush egg wash (1 beaten egg + garlic powder). 
2. Spoon about 1 tsp spinach filling, minced onions, and crumbled feta on each rectangle. Fold the pastry in half (into triangle or rectangle). You may crimp the edges with a fork to seal. 
3. Brush the egg wash one more time over the pastries on both sides.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes in pre-heated oven at 400 F or until golden brown.

Eat within a few hours of baking. Preserve the unbaked pastries in freezer for later use.

Chicken, gnocchi and spinach soup

1. In a saucepan, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add diced red onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. 
2. Add baby spinach and cooked chicken (leftover rotisserie breast will work fine). Season with salt, pepper , and crushed coriander.
3. Cook the gnocchi separately in salted hot water until it rises to the serface or with the other ingredients in the saucepan. Add organic chicken broth.Simmer. Serve with grated Parmesan.
   
   You may skip chicken and use vegetable broth for a vegetarian option. I added a pinch of flour- you may skip it to have a clear soup and add some more for the Olive Garden version.