A veggie loaded wrap spiced up with chaat masala, tangy tomato ketchup, green herb sauce, and pickled chilies; all rolled together to make a delicious wrap of your dreams – Yes, the Frankie!!!

The food culture of India has its roots from a variety of cuisines of its subcontinent, ranging from Royal Hindu & Mughal dishes all the way to traditional & native street foods. Street food popularity has gained ground over the years, and with the onset of social media, internet, and easy accessibility of information about the best places to dine, more are more customers are exploring the tastes of the street. In the earlier days, it was only the locals or working class who knew about their favorite nearby stalls, but now with the help of food blogs, millions of YouTube videos, and lately the upcoming trend of food series on Netflix n Amazon, people are ready to travel all around the world to savor these mouth-watering dishes which they have to offer. Also, the wide range of customers from both the corporate and non-corporate worlds are demanding quality food, hygiene conditions, cheaper price and obviously a quick-n-fast food like service, which none other than these road side eateries can offer, beating their expectations.

Street food is no more just a means of living; it’s an art, passion, tradition, and an identity. It’s also a great source of income, people are ready to pay and where there is good food, there is good money. Street food is all about authenticity, variety and taste.

Every state has its own popular street dish and Frankies are the pride of Mumbai streets, from the hearts of Maharashtra. Although it is quite common across India, Frankie is a north Indian delicacy. It is like an Indian style taco or a Veggie burrito with the exclusion of rice from its ingredients. The highlight of a veg Frankie is its potato stuffing, and its flavor binding element is the Chaat masala.

Chaat masala is a tangy, spicy, salty masala powder which elevates the flavor of your dish with an authentic taste. It is made from a range of spices including mango powder, coriander seeds, black pepper, asafoetida, Himalayan black salt, cumin seeds, dried mint and ground ginger.

Boiled and mashed potatoes spiced with chaat masala along with fresh vegetables, herbs, cilantro mint chutney, tangy ketchup, pickled chilies and cheese, completes this wrap. You can use your choice of roti or bread and also all your favorite add-on veggies like julienned carrots and bell peppers. The meatier variations of Frankie with paneer or non-veg ingredients are equally popular and favored on the streets.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Veg Frankie

A veggie loaded wrap spiced up with chaat masala, tangy tomato ketchup, green herb sauce, and pickled chilies; all rolled together to make a delicious wrap of your dreams, Presenting to you the Famous Street Food from the Hearts of Mumbai – Frankie…!!!  

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword frankie, indian, wrap

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the potato masala

• 2 large potatoes (boiled and mashed)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1-2 green chilies (chopped)
• ½ inch sized ginger (crushed)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)
• Handful of cilantro leaves (finely chopped)

For the green chilly vinegar

• 2 green chilies (chopped)
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

For the green chutney

• 1 big handful of cilantro leaves
• 1 small handful of mint leaves (optional)
• 1 shallot
• 1 garlic
• 1-2 tbsp yogurt
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt (as required)

For assembling the frankie

• Roti / tortilla
• Ghee / butter (as required)
• tomato ketchup (as required)
• Veggies: onions (chopped), cabbage (sliced)
• Mozzarella cheese (grated)
• Chaat masala
• Oil (as required)

Instructions

• To prepare the potato masala: Heat oil in a pan on medium flame; add garlic, ginger and green chilies. Sauté for 2 minutes until aromatic.
• Add mashed potatoes, followed by turmeric powder, chili powder, chaat masala and salt. Mix the spices and potatoes, check for seasoning and cook for another 5 minutes. Top with cilantro leaves and keep aside. Allow it to cool completely.
• To prepare the green chilly vinegar: Mix all the ingredients for green chilly vinegar in a small bowl. Keep aside and allow it to rest for at least 2 hrs before using. The leftovers can be refrigerated and used for up to 2 days.
• To prepare the green chutney: Grind all the ingredients for green chutney, into a smooth fine paste. Check for the seasoning.
• To make the frankies: Smear a little oil on your palm and prepare cylindrical shaped potato masala patties (as shown in the picture) by rolling it in your palms. Keep aside.
• Prep the roti / tortilla by applying a little ghee / butter on both sides. If you are using a previously prepped roti / tortilla, heat it on a pan once.
• On a flat surface, lay the rotis and apply tomato ketchup on the top and spread it evenly to form a thin layer. Add the chopped onions and cabbage evenly. Place the prepared potato patty on the center of the roti and drizzle chilly vinegar and a spoonful of green chutney over the patty evenly. Sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala over it and finally, top it with grated cheese.
• Now carefully fold the roti from one edge to the other, rolling it to form the frankie and secure it with toothpicks. Slice it into equal halves.
• Serve the frankies with leftover green chutney or tomato ketchup. Enjoy!

Notes

• Chaat masala can be bought from any local Indian or Asian grocery stores. 
• Allow the green chilly vinegar to rest and infuse for at least 2 hrs after preparation, so that the flavors set in.

The post Veg Frankie appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Hello December n Happy Holidays…!! It’s been a month since I’ve blogged as I had to take a short break from all of social media due to some personal commitments, and boy have I been tempted so badly to post some delicious Christmas recipes. But better late than never & here I am… A refreshed me with a new addition to my taste buds. Guess what? I’ve started liking COOKIES!!!

It’s cookies everywhere; aisles of cookies in your grocery store, in every party, magazines, social media… wherever I go. I’ve been wanting to try them forever, but somehow, I never got around it and found my own excuses to skip, maybe coz I’m neither a cookie nor a biscuit fan. And that’s why you wouldn’t find any cookie / biscuit recipes in my blog either. Oh, by the way, unlike it being called “cookies” here, in India it is referred to as “biscuits”. And that’s totally different from the dish “biscuits” here in the US.

Ever since I started blogging, I’ve been watching how as the holiday season arrives its an explosion of cookie recipes all over social media; Christmas cookies, Gingerbread man and what not. And there I am, wondering how they all taste? Honestly, as I was reading through the ingredients of some of them I was surprised to know that gingerbread cookies had spices in it, and in spite it being one of the kids’ favorite…!!  All my fancying came to an end when I got a chance to taste them a few weeks back… I loved it!!! In fact, I was surprised that I just liked it on the first bite!

So, with no more doubting n full of excitement, here I am with my gingerbread cookie recipe! There are many things I loved about this bake; starting with the simplicity, ease, & fun… to the ingredients, aroma, flavors and texture of the baked goodies. The different spices used in this recipe reminds me of my favorite Christmas Fruit Cake or Plum Cake, very similar. And while its baking, your whole kitchen smells sooo good, it’s like a spiced room freshener! For this recipe, I have used a simple sugar icing, but you can also go with a royal icing or any buttery icing of your choice. Another fun aspect is the excitement of your kids and how you can engage them. I’m sure they would love to extent their tiny helping hands to make their favorite cookie man/animal shapes.

Enjoy!!

Merry Christmas n Happy Holidays…!

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Recipe partially adapted from here.

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Gingerbread Cookies

Festive Season is here & its time for some Fun Baking! Crunchy, Sweet n Spiced Gingerbread Cookies with the Flavors of Ginger, Cinnamon and All Spice… The Perfect Holiday Treat…!!

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Christmas cookies, cookies, gingerbread cookies, gingerbread man

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 45 cookies

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the gingerbread cookies

• 3¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp allspice
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup 1½ stick unsalted butter (softened)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup molasses

For the icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tbsp milk

Instructions

For the gingerbread cookies

• In a large bowl, prepare the dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Keep aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add brown sugar, beat until combined. Beat in the egg, followed by adding vanilla extract and molasses.
• Slowly add prepared dry ingredients, beat on a low speed until well combined. The dough should be thick.
• Divide the dough into two equal parts and transfer to a plastic wrap. Using your hands, shape it into a ball and tightly wrap in two plastic wraps. Refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours or overnight.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before working on it.
• Preheat oven to 350-degree F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and keep aside.
• Dust your work surface and rolling pin generously with flour. Roll the dough until its 1/8 inch thick. If its sticky, dust the dough with more flour and roll.
• Use your cookie cutters to cut out the dough as desired and carefully transfer them to the baking sheet. Place them with an inch’s gap in-between.
• Re-roll the leftover dough and repeat step 8; cutting and transfer to the baking sheet.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges brown; mine took 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Once the cookies have cooled, decorate with simple icing or sprinkles. Allow the icing to cool and set. The cookies can be stored in an air tight container for up to one week.

For the icing

• In a large bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. You can add more sugar if its runny or add more milk if its too thick.
• Fill the icing in a piping bag or squeeze bottle and draw/decorate your cookies as desired. Allow it to set at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

Notes

1. Chilled cookie dough is easy to work with as it is firm and doesn’t stick to your rolling pin/surface. I recommend leaving the other half in the refrigerator till you are done with the first batch.
2. Being winter, your butter might not easily soften to room temperature and may still be lumpy while beating with the other ingredients. The hair dryer method is my goto trick to solve this problem, refer the Notes section under the recipe of my Matcha Cake recipe post for details.

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Finally, it’s here, my most favorite season… Fall! It’s a little late this year as the trees are yet to change their colors, but the weather has started to get cold for sure. Also, another beauty is that it’s the season of apples. I did not get a chance to go apple picking this year, but I’m sure most of you would have had a lot of fun. With bags full of apples in your pantry, it’s time to gear up your baker’s suit and start exploring some apple dishes. And that’s what I’m going on get on to, join me and read along!

Apple strudel is one of the easiest apple desserts you can make, with least efforts and the basic minimal ingredients available in your pantry. This dish tastes so damn good; its flaky, sweet, tangy & crunchy. Like I said, you can wow your guests with its taste, aroma and some fancy creativity by showing off your braiding skills.

For this recipe you can either make your own dough, or use a store-bought puff pastry sheet like I did, which will significantly reduce your work load. This is a simple dessert, but while you go through the recipe ingredients and instructions, I’m sure that you will have many questions popping up in your head. And so, here are my answer to a few:

1. Why roll your thawed sheets? Always roll your thawed puff pastry sheets to the right consistency and shape, this helps prevent the pastry crust from puffing-up too much.
2. Why add lemon juice? Always coat your apples with lemon juice (just like your avocados) as it prevents browning, plus it adds a slight tanginess to your strudel which very well compliments the sweetness.
3. Breadcrumbs, huh? Yep, you heard it right. Apples release juices while baking which the pastry dough tend to absorb preventing it from rising and making your strudel soggy. Breadcrumbs absorb the moisture keeping your strudel crispy n flaky. As a substitute, you can use plain flour too.
4. Fruit Substitutes? You can substitute Granny Smith apples with Honey Crisp apples as well, Pear is another good alternative to apples.
5. Nuts Substitute? Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds…

Serve these flaky apple strudels warm, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Apple Strudel

Wow your Fall Holiday Guests with this Flaky Braided Apple Strudel…! The Easiest Fall Season Dessert of your Dreams…!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple, fall dessert, strudel

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ of a 17.3oz package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
• 2 Granny Smith / Honey Crisp apples
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• ⅓ cup raisins
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• Flour (to dust)
• Pinch of granulated sugar (topping)

Instructions

• Thaw your puff pastry sheet for 35-40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375-degree F. Prepare the egg wash by beating an egg, and keep aside.
• Peel, core and slice your apples into small cubes. You can use 2 medium or 3 small sized apples.
• In a bowl, mix together the chopped apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar, pecans, raisins and bread crumbs. Keep aside.
• Now let’s setup your work surface; Cut parchment paper large enough to fill your baking tray and place it on your work surface. Dust it with flour.
• To prepare the pastry wrap, unfold the thawed pastry sheet onto the dusted paper and apply some flour. Roll and stretch it using a rolling pin into a 16” x 12” rectangle shape.
• Now spoon the apple mix onto the center of the sheet, lengthwise. For preparing the braids, make ½” slits using a pizza cutter or a knife on both sides of the apple mix leaving a ½” space from the mix. Starting from one end, fold the braids one after the other, alternating sides, angled over the apple mix. Continue braiding till you read the other end, seal the ends properly.
• Brush the braids with egg wash and sprinkle granulated sugar on top. Place it on your baking tray by lifting and transferring the parachment paper. Bake for 35 minutes or until flaky and golden brown.
• Allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!

The post Apple Strudel appeared first on Pepper Delight.

French Fries are a guilty pleasure. They are sooo damn delicious that even though knowing its unhealthy, we still cheat and chomp them down. And then comes sweet potato fries; a tad healthier than french fries, but if you want to make a difference and scale it up, try this recipe. Its oven roasted and not baked, how about that? This dish is equally crispy on the outside, tender inside, sweet, spicy, and of course with all the possible goodies that a sweet potato can offer… YUM!!!

It took a while for me to perfect these crispy fries. Sometimes a silly mistake like slicing it unevenly, can burn your fries. To me, the success of this dish is taking care of the following tips, and rest is a piece of cake.

Pro cooking tips:

1. Make sure to cut the potatoes into ½ inch thick even sized slices so that they cook evenly.
2. Sweet Potatoes comes in different shapes and sometimes can be huge. If you don’t want your fries to be long sticks, cut the whole potato into two halves and then slice as instructed above. Do not cut them too short as they may overcook and sometimes burn.
3. Ensure to line your baking tray with aluminum foil, that’s a must for a perfect 30-minute cook.
4. Do not overlap fries while layering on the tray, spread them out onto a single layer.
5. Flip the fries after 15 minutes of roasting to ensure an even cook on all sides.

The secret to crispy roasted fries is corn starch. Sweet potatoes contain lots of moisture and so making them crispy is not easy; smearing with corn starch helps to absorb moisture and provide a nice outer crispy coating.

These orange-fleshed potatoes are basically sweet, so a hint of spiciness goes well with it. Add a pinch of chili powder to your spice rub, and once cooked, how about an extra creamy dreamy delicious sriracha sauce to dip your hot hot fries in? Well well, what more can you ask for? This dish makes a great side to your burger, sandwich or can even be served as a snack to munch on anytime.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Sweet Potato Fries with Creamy Sriracha Sauce

Crispy n Spicy Roasted Sweet Potato Fries with Creamy Sriracha Dipping Sauce 

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword fries, sweet potato fries

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the sweet Potato Fries

• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• ½ tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper

For Creamy Sriracha Sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp sriracha sauce
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease with some cooking spray. Keep aside.
• Peel potatoes and slice them using a sharp knife into ½ -inch sized large even slices. Make sure to cut them evenly into steak shaped sizes to cook evenly.
• Toss them in oil, corn starch, chili powder, pepper and salt. Transfer the slices to the prepared baking tray and spread into an even layer. Ensure not to stack them on top of each other as it will affect the cooking.
• Place the tray in the oven and roast for 30 minutes in total until you see crispy brown edges, flipping them half way through to cook evenly on both sides.
• Remove from the oven and allow it cool for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with creamy sriracha sauce or tomato sauce.
• For the sauce: Whisk all the ingredients until smooth and your sauce is ready.

The post Sweet Potato Fries with Creamy Sriracha Sauce appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I love to have something to snack in my pantry always. Well… who doesn’t? Keeping it healthy and tasty is the tough part, but if you have got all that sorted out, there you go… you have a winner dish for sure! So, it was my hunt for a winner that finally landed me onto these deliciously healthy berry bars; my love for crumble recipes combined with the idea for a snack, a perfect choice I would say.

This dish has a wonderful buttery crust, made with whole wheat flour and oats sweetened with brown sugar. Oats being among the main ingredients in this recipe, is one of the healthiest whole grain and a great source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Unlike regular flour, I have used whole wheat instead, considering its benefits…but I can guarantee you that it doesn’t alter the taste a bit. You can also use your choice of fresh berries for the filling. These bars are crunchy and chewy at the same time, and seriously so addictive that you are not going to stop in one bite.

Keeping aside it’s health benefits, the preparation is even better. All you need are two bowls, one to mix the crust ingredients and the other to prepare the fresh fruits. And in no time your dish is ready!  This eggless snack is a great choice for kids & adults alike, perfect for any time of the day – breakfast, after-lunch, post work out, tea time, or even as a healthy dessert. And if you want to make your dessert fancy, just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream…Trust me, it would be heavenly!!!

Interested in more snack bar recipes? Check this out;

Healthy Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars

Crunchy n Chewy… Healthy n Easy… Irresistibly Delicious Eggless Berry Bars. Made with Whole Wheat, Oats, Strawberries and Blueberries…...Perfect as a Snack or as a Dessert!!!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword berry crumb bar, crumb bar, healthy snack

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 20 bars

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the crust

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup melted butter
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup slivered almonds (optional)

For the fruit filling

• 4 cups of diced strawberries and blueberry
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375-degree F. Line a 9x13 inch sheet pan with parchment paper extending it a few inches over the sides. Grease the pan properly with butter and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon powder, vanilla extract, melted butter and salt. Stir to mix together until it forms a crumble like texture. Divide the mixture and set 1 cup aside. Transfer the remaining to the prepared pan and press it gently with your hands or spatula to form an even flat base.
• In a separate bowl, toss berries with lemon juice, corn flour and sugar. Spread it evenly over the crust. Top with remaining crumble mixture and slivered almonds.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the fruit mix is bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow it cool in room temperature. Refrigerate for 1-2 hour before cutting into squares.
• You can refrigerate and store it in an air tight container for 3-4 days.

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Hello 2018… A New Year… A New Beginning…!

And I’m Starting this New Year with a single Mantra – Eat Healthy…!

One of the leading food trends of 2018 is sugar alternatives. So, let’s start with January on a positive note by avoiding that extra sugar which you don’t actually need, and still enjoy all the sweetness available from natural sources. Like these bliss balls for example, they are healthy, sweet and nutritious, totally a no-cook fuss-free recipe.

This dish is made by mixing different nuts, adding a sweetening agent like dates/chocolates/honey/maple syrup, and then rolled into little treats. It hardly takes 10 minutes to prepare with only 4 ingredients, and the best part is – you can customize it with endless choices. You can add hemp seeds, chia seeds, cocoa, chocolate chips, or your favorite nuts & dry fruits.

Moist n chewy, these bliss balls work best as a post workout snack, or as little treats to pop into kid’s lunch boxes, or even as an evening snack for that extra sweet craving. Store them in an airtight container and refrigerate, and they stay fresh and taste great for up to 2 weeks!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Bliss Balls

Healthy n Naturally Sweetened, Gluten free n Vegan, Made with Nuts n Dates… a 4 Ingredient, Perfect after-meal Snack… Bliss Balls…!!  

Course Dessert, Snack

Keyword bliss balls, energy balls, healthy, snacks

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 16 balls

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ cup cashews
• ½ cup almonds
• 8-10 dates
• ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• Pinch of salt
• Coating: shredded coconut, matcha powder, cocoa powder, grounded walnuts

Instructions

• If your dates are dry, soak them in water for up to 5 minutes to soften. Drain the water and set the dates aside.
• Blend nuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add shredded coconut, dates, a pinch of salt, and blend until they combine well and the mixture becomes sticky.
• Roll the mix into equally sized balls and refrigerate airtight for 20 minutes to allow it to set.
• To apply the coating, roll the balls in the coat mixture of your choice. Put a little mix on your palm and roll the balls one by one for a final finish.
• The Bliss Balls are ready to be served. For later use, store the balls in an airtight container and refrigerate up to two weeks.

Notes

1. If the mixture turns too moist, try refrigerating it for 30 minutes to firm up or add more grounded nuts or shredded coconut.

2. Roll them on your palm by moistening with a tiny drop of water so that the balls won’t stick to your hand.

The post Bliss Balls appeared first on Pepper Delight.

“Super Quick Appetizers” – that’s a new mantra I’ve started to preach and I’m so excited to share this recipe, you guys are surely gonna love it! Grilled pineapple on skewers along with other veggies/meats is quite popular and commonly available across restaurants throughout the world. But this sweet version of pineapple with brown sugar and a glaze of cinnamon has become my favorite, and I’m so happy to have stumbled on to it.

My memories of a similar variant of this dish go all the way back to my Hyderabad days. It was our wedding treat which my husband hosted for his friends at Absolute Barbeque, a restaurant chain famous for its Indian Wish Grill buffet. Among all the spicy grilled meats & vegetables served, the waiter brought us a big metal skewer stacked with grilled pineapples; I was hesitant initially and quite apprehensive on how a sweet appetizer would taste. But right from the first slice, every bite of it was a revelation!! The acidity and sweetness from the pineapple, and the aromatic flavours of the cinnamon soothes your tongue from all the spicy food you ate so far, and gently resets and preps your appetite for the delicious food to be served ahead.

After leaving Hyderabad I totally forgot about this dish and last summer while planning for a barbeque party, my husband and I were thinking for something unique and all of a sudden he remembered this. Our first attempt was a huge success, everyone loved it. I did experiment this dish many times thereafter with varying oven temperatures; the more it caramelizes, the tender and juicier it becomes! The natural sweetness of pineapple along with brown sugar and the aroma of cinnamon make it a wonderful appetizer, a treat which both kids and adults enjoy.

You can also try out this recipe in an outdoor grill as well as in an oven, by following the cooking times properly. When grilling outdoors or broiling indoors, ensure to keep an eye as the pineapple can get burnt easily. These grilled pineapples can be served as appetizers, snacks or even as fruit dessert.

Do you guys have any other Pineapple grilling ideas? Lemme know in the comments section below.

Enjoy this Summer Grilling…!!

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Grilled Pineapple with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar

Tender, Juicy n Caramelized… Grilled Pineapple with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar…!! A Super Quick Appetizer to kick of your Party.  

Course Appetizer, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword grilled pineapple, summer

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 23 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 pineapple
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

Instructions

• Peel and slice the pineapple into ¼ inch thick round steak slices. You can remove the core of the pineapple if you don’t like it.
• Mix cinnamon and brown sugar, and marinate the pineapple. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a grill pan or baking tray, arrange the marinated pineapple slices and bake for 15 minutes. Lightly brush or baste the left over marinade at regular intervals.
• Turn the heat to broil, bake each side for 2 minutes until it starts to caramelize. Keep an eye while broiling to prevent burning.
• You can also use an outdoor grill; baste and grill until you see caramelized grill marks on each side.
• Serve warm.

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Alright, so this is my first Fat Tuesday dish and a totally un-planned one. In fact, I was just relaxing after my weekend shoot of my upcoming Mojito recipe, and all of a sudden my hubby calls me up from office and asks “What’s Fat Tuesday? Do you know to cook any Fat Tuesday dishes?” It turned out that his workmates quickly decided to do a potluck the next day for Fat Tuesday and had also picked up the dishes they planned to cook. The funny fact is, my husband was clueless and the best dishes were already taken. So that left me with little time, limited choices, and I thought… “Well, I’ve been looking for an inspiration for my next recipe and I badly want to try a new cuisine… and there you go Akhila, an Opportunity right in front of you… Grab it… time for you to get Inspired…!” So, I took a quick look at the list of dishes already chosen by his colleagues and saw no appetizers listed; quickly called him up and without any hesitation said, “I’m making a Jambalaya Flatbread”. I heard a pause (I’m sure he was surprised and confused, hehe…) and he said “Ok dear, as you say!” I dropped the call, sat down and thought to myself “Alright, so now how do you prepare it???”

Jambalaya is one among my favorite dishes; especially the Cajun styled one from our local farm market (Soulard market @ St. Louis, MO) which I love a lot. It is a traditional dish made with rice, vegetables and meats, rich in the flavors from spices and is cooked either Creole or Cajun style. Cajun Jambalaya is tomato less and more of a Central Louisiana style whereas Creole Jambalaya is a New Orleans style.  I would consider my today’s dish as more of a mix of both considering the Cajun seasoning used and the tomato based marinara sauce on top of the flatbread.

This recipe is quite easy to make and calls for only one spice rub; Cajun seasoning. I have used AIDELLS Cajun Style Andouille sausage in this recipe which is a smoked pork sausage, and it along with the chicken and shrimp are sautéed in the Cajun seasoning, cooked till brown, and spread on flat bread coated with marinara sauce, along with veggies & cheese. Super easy and quick, makes a great meal on your table.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

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Jambalaya Flatbread

Classic Mardi Gras dish with a twist… Jambalaya on a Flatbread!!! Relish the Cajun flavours with chicken, shrimp, andouille sausage, bell peppers, white onions, jalapenos and garlic, flavored in seasoning, all on a thin flatbread, topped with Mozzarella cheese and parsley.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword flatbread, game day recipe, jambalaya

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Total Time 32 minutes minutes

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• Andouille sausage (I have used AIDELLS Cajun Style Andouille sausage)
• 15-17 shrimp (peeled, deveined and tail removed)
• 1 chicken breast (sliced into small pieces)
• 1 yellow,red and orange bell pepper
• 1 white onion (sliced)
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers (sliced)
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 garlic pods (crushed)
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• Olive oil
• Freshly chopped parsley (garnish)
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Store bought flat bread

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
• Slice the andouille sausage and season it along with the chicken & shrimp, in Cajun seasoning (1 ½ tbsp).
• Heat olive oil in a pan, add the seasoned meats, and saute. Cook for 2 minutes on each side till browned. Remove the meats from the pan and set aside.
• Into the same pan, add crushed garlic and saute for a few seconds. Add sliced bell peppers and onions, ½ tbsp Cajun seasoning, saute and cook until softened. Add olive oil if necessary. Remove the veggies from the pan and set aside.
• Add marinara sauce into the same pan, cook on medium heat until it is slightly thick.
• Place your flatbreads on a greased sheet pan, and spread the marinara sauce evenly on top of it as the base. Top with some mozzarella cheese.
• Spread the cooked chicken, shrimp, sausage and vegetables evenly on top of the flatbread, and finally top with jalapenos and some more mozzarella cheese.
• Place the sheet pan in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes until the cheese has melted. Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool.
• Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

The post Jambalaya Flatbread appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Puff pastry is a very common snack in my hometown with the only difference being that it would be store bought as we hardly bake it at home. Well, surprisingly Yes… and it’s because a conventional oven was not common at homes during my good old childhood days, until recently. Unlike in the US where there are a variety of sweet and savoury puff pastries, we are so used to the savoury ones; be it a vegetable masala, egg, chicken or a meat puffs. In fact, if we have guests visiting for tea or a party at home, curry puffs would be first dish we would be running out for to our nearby bakery. To my memory, puffs held the royal first place as my favourite “Snack / Appetizer” until recently where the dominance of samosas and cutlet started to creep in…!

Curry puffs aka the Indian version of the vegetable puffs, is made of a light stuffing of veggies like potato, green peas, carrots or beets, in a spicy masala. Here I have tried to give my western touch to the classic curry puffs, making it non-spicy with mushrooms and broccoli combined in a creamy white sauce. The preparation is soo easy and similar to any other puff pastry; rolled and toasted until golden and flaky. The melted cheese inside makes each bite ooey, gooey, and seriously addictive.

 If you are a fan of Puff Pastry, I am sure you gonna love this combination of mushrooms and broccoli. Serve these wonderful puffs as an appetizer for your parties or as a snack for your tea time.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare.

Prep time: 20 mins; Baking time: 18 – 20 mins
Serves: makes 12 nos

INGREDIENTS

For white sauce

• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt (a pinch)
• ¾ cup milk

For puffs

• 8 oz. mushrooms (chopped )
• 1 cup broccoli florets (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely minced)
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt (as required)
• pepper (as required)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 2 sheets of puff pastry (thawed, cut into 12 squares)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation of white sauce

1. Melt butter in a pan, add flour and whisk vigorously.
2. Add milk and whisk on a low heat for 2 minutes till it thickens. Season with salt.
3. Remove from heat as the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.

Preparation of puffs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a pan, saute garlic until fragrant.
3. Add mushrooms, saute for 3 minutes until they turn tender.
4. Add broccoli to the pan, saute on a medium flame (1-2 mins). Switch off the flame and mix with the prepared white sauce.
5. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, grease with cooking spray, and keep aside.
6. Carefully open thawed pastry sheets to a clean lightly floured flat surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the sheets to even and smoothen, refer notes section for details.
7. Using a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the pastry sheet into equal square shapes as per your preferred serving size.
8. Add 1 tbsp filling to the center of each square and top with some mozzarella cheese. Carefully fold and seal all four edges and brush generously the sides and top with egg wash. This helps to make the crust look golden.
9. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden.
10. Remove from the oven and allow it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Note:

1. Using mozzarella cheese and white sauce are optional. If you don’t want the creamy cheesy texture, go ahead with the veggie mix alone.
2. While preparing the white sauce, whisk vigorously to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. The puff pastry sheets should be kept frozen till ready to use. Once taken out from the freezer, thaw it at room temperature for not more than 40 minutes or until they unfold easily. The sheet should still be cold, and unfolded to a floured flat surface. If it cracks, sprinkle water at the edges and press together to seal. Grease with flour and using a rolling pin, roll and shape to your preferred size and thickness.

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