Roasted Baby Potatoes

Ingredients:

• Yellow Baby Potatoes - 2 lbs
• Garlic Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Onion Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Italian Herbs - 1 tbsp ( Oregano, Basil, Thyme and Parsley ) Mix of all or a few. 
• Red Chili Flakes - To taste
• Olive Oil - 2 tbsp

Directions: 

• Cut the baby potatoes into half lengthwise and then cut into half again ( so you will have 4 pieces of 1 potato ) You don't need to peel them.
• Soak them all in a bowl of cold water. 
• Preheat the oven at 475° F.
• In a mixing bowl, Mix all the other ingredients and give it a good mix.
• Pat dry the soaked potatoes with a paper towel. Add those  potatoes in the mixing bowl and toss them well so that all the potatoes are well coated.

• Grease the baking sheet and spread the potatoes in a single layer on it.

• Bake for about 25 minutes, turning the potato fries once in between. Bake till golden brown.
• You can garnish by sprinkling fresh rosemary or mint. 

Eat as appetizer or as side to a soup. Serve hot !!!

Celery Soup

Ingredients:

• Celery - 12-14 stalks
• Onion - 1 medium
• Potato - 1 medium
• Ginger - 1/2 inch 
• Garlic - 2 pods
• Butter - 1-2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Vegetable Stalk - 6 cups
• Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp

Directions: 

• Chop the celery, onion and potato. Keep aside.

• Mince the ginger and garlic, keep aside.
• Heat the butter in a saucepan. Saute ginger and garlic.
• Add celery, potato and onion into the saucepan.
• Add salt and let it cook till they begin to soften. Stir occasionally. 
• Add stalk ( or water ) and cook covered. Cook till all the ingredients are very tender.
• Let it cool.  Grind in batches into smooth puree.
• Return to the saucepan , add lemon juice, mix well and heat the soup.
• Adjust salt. Garnish with the celery leaves or mint leaves and serve hot with bread sticks or crackers.

Cucumber Pachadi 2

I made this chutney with the green cucumber. It can be made similarly with the yellow cucumber too ( known as dosakaya ) Refer : Dosakaya Mukkala Pachadi.

Ingredients:

• Green Cucumber  - 2 medium
• Green Chillies - 4 or to taste
• Red Chillies - 2 or to taste
• Urad Dal - 2 tbsp
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Chopped Cilantro - 3 tbsp

Directions:

• Peel the skin of the cucumber and chop.
• I usually chop the cucumber leaving the center part with seeds. We shall use the seeds part for grinding to add body and texture to the chutney. Check out the picture below.

• Heat 1 tbsp of oil and saute fenugreek seeds and half of the urad dal till they turn reddish. Save the remaining urad dal for tempering.
• Add half the  mustard seeds and let them splutter.
• Add red and green chillies and fry them. Add hing. Add chopped cilantro. Let it cool.
• In a grinder, add this seasoning mix, tamarind, turmeric, salt and the seeds which we had kept aside and grind it into a paste.
• Mix this paste to the chopped cucumber pieces and mix  well.
• For tempering , heat 1 tbsp of oil, splutter remaining mustard seeds and fry remaining urad dal till reddish brown and add to the chutney.
• Mix well , adjust salt.
• Serve with steaming hot rice and a few drops of ghee.