Tofu,Veggie & Cheese Topped Bell Peppers

When it's the season for good vegetables and fruits, it makes me feel out of the world. I get many more different fruits and veggies for experiments in my Kitchen. I, even my family loves eating our veggies. I often make stuffed veggies and bake them.

My kids are also good with the veggies, it's just I need to make the veggies a bit attractive for them to enjoy. I enjoy feeding my kids home-made dishes, just to ease my heart and mind. Well, well, well, Who doesn't. Lets come to the Dish we are going to see in today's post.

Sometimes, in the season I buy Bells peppers in plenty, wash, deseed and cut them to freeze for making my job easy in the Kitchen. This time me and hubby both bought big packs of bell peppers and even after doing my regular freezing, there was a lot of them left.

If you guys remember, I made some tofu stuffed Buns few days back. I was left with half pack tofu in the fridge, which I needed to finish ASAP. So thats the oppertunity for me. I made "Tofu,Veggie & Cheese Topped Bell Peppers". My kids are a BIG BIG fan of dairy products and still don't know much difference between Indian Cottage Cheese (Paneer) and Tofu. They love eating both in same manner, they simply love both of these dairy products.

Very easy to assemble and healthy because of less oil and light cheese. Goodness of Tofu and Veggies, let your mind to peace as well. Try the recipe in your Kitchen, I'm sure your family will love them just as mine did.....................Until Next Time, happy cooking friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

Mix Bell Peppers         - 4 Wash, de-seeded and cut into half
Tofu                             - 1/2 cup crumbled
Mix Veggies                - 1/2 cup (par-boiled)
Grated Cheese             - 4 tblspaoon
Coriander                    - 2 tblspoon freshly chopped
Lemon Juice               - 1/2 tspoon
Red Chilli Powder      - 1/2 tspoon
Garlic Powder            - 1/4 tspoon
Salt                             - to taste
Oil/Butter                   - 1 tblspoon


Method:

Preheat the oven to 200c. Grease a roasting tray with cooking spray.
Wash, de-seed the bell peppers and Cut into half. I used 3 green peppers and 1 red pepper.
In a bowl, mix crumbled tofu, veggies, 2 tblspoon cheese, red chilli powder, garlic powder, salt, freshly chopped coriander and lemon juice. Mix well and keep aside.
Run a little butter in and out on each half of the peppers.
Spoon the filling into each greased bell peppers. I used 2 tblspoon of filling, because the bell peppers I used was relatively small in size.
Press the filling firmly into the bell peppers to avoid spilling it everywhere.
Place them all on the roasting tray.
Sprinkle rest of 3 tblspoon of grated cheese generously on each bell pepper.
Spray some cooking oil on to them. This step is totally optional.
Bake the peppers in preheated oven at 200c for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese on top starts to turn golden.

Once baked, Serve the bell peppers hot with Soup, Salad and Toasted bread.
My family loves to eat them this way, how does yours?????

Tofu and Veggie Stuffed Rosemary Buns

Mummy is nowadays feeling Lazy! Thats what my kids are thinking. To be honest, It's the weather, which is making me lazy. I just wanna sit down and read with a cold drink in my hands. I do not want to go in the Kitchen, which is just next to the HOT HOT HOT Sunroom.

Can you resist the temptation of baking new recipe, you just read in a magazine. Can you can you, I can not. So here goes Mum in the Kitchen. Mixing some flour, making stuffing and preheating oven. Finding maximum possible ingredients and checking the time.

Why I always start to do preparation, just before I need to go out and pick-up the kids from their schools? Why oh Why??? Just the thought my kid's happy face, when they step inside and smell the aroma of goodies baking in the oven, makes me do that.

"Rosemary Tofu and Veggies Stuffed Buns", The original recipe calls for Indian Samosa stuffing and sesame seeds on top of the buns. I've already tried that recipe, so decided this time it needs some changes. The original recipe calls for plain flour/All purpose flour but I used Chapati Flour/Wholewheat flour.

So here is the end result of all the hard work. very simple recipe, just like all the "made from scratch" bread recipes, it just need some time for the dough to proof. Stuffing gets ready in 10 minutes. assembling is done in few minutes and baked in just 17-20 minutes. Kids loved them for their after school snack. They saved few for their morning breakfast as well. I love my Fairy and Champ!!!

Have a go on this recipe in your Kitchen, alter the stuffing, herbs and flour according to your taste. Enjoy the product of your hard work. My family loved these little bunds. Fulfilling and yummy, easy to make and bake. Drop a comment below with your feedback............Until next time, Happy Cooking friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

For the dough:
Whole Wheat Flour         - 1 cup
Rosemary                         - 1 tspoon
Salt                                   - to taste or 1/2 tspoon
Yeast                                - 1 tspoon
Honey                               - 1 tspoon
Oil                                    - 1 tblspoon
Water                                - 1/4 - 1/2 cup lukewarm

For the stuffing:
Tofu                                - 1/2 cup crumbled
Mix Veggies                   - 1/2 cup (par-boiled)
Salt                                  - to taste
Italian Seasoning             - 1 tblspoon
Lemon Juice                    - 1/2 tspoon


Method:

Mix flour, rosemary, salt, yeast, honey and oil in mixing bowl.
With the help of water start to knead the dough. Make it a bit wet and sticky dough. I used 1/2 cup water for that.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for few minutes until smooth.
Grease a deep bowl and place the dough in it, cover with a cling film and leave it to rise.
It takes 2 hours to double up in warm weather and 4-5 hours in a cold weather.
Once risen punch it down and knead again, keep aside.
In another bowl, mix crumbled tofu, veggies, seasoning, salt and lemon juice. Mix well and keep aside.

Line a baking tray with parchment/baking mat/grease with butter.
Now divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll all of them of the size of coaster.
Put the stuffing in the center of rolled out dough coaster.
Pinch all the corners of the dough and seal it properly.
Place them on a baking tray pinched sides down.
Keep the baking tray aside for the second rise of the buns. It will take near to 30-35 minutes, depending on the temperature of Kitchen /weather.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 190c.
Bake the stuffed buns for 20-30 minutes or until start to form golden crust. Keep an eye on the after 20 minutes.
Once baked brush them with butter and serve them with choice of other snack and condiments.
I'm sure this will be a hit in your family as well.

Whole Wheat Stuffed Buns

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Bead Dough                                      - 4 balls
Leftover Veggie Noodles                                        - 1 cup

Bread dough can be white as well. You can follow the links for recipe of Bun dough:
Stuffed Masala Buns
Pizza Buns

Stuffing can be anything of your choice

Method:

Roll out each ball of dough of the size of coaster.
Put the stuffing of your choice in the center of rolled out dough ball.
Now pinch all the corners of the dough and seal it properly.
Now place them on a baking tray pinched sides down.

Let them rest and rise for 30 minutes before baking.
After 30 minutes give them a butter wash and bake them for 25-30 minutes on 180c.
Stuffed Whole Wheat Buns are ready to serve with tea or coffee.

Tofu & Veg Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice               -2 cup cooked
Tofu                           -1/2 cup cut into chunks
Mix Vegetables         -1/2 Cup Boiled (Mix bell peppers, sweetcorn, green peas)
Green chilli paste      -1 tspoon
Ginger paste              -1 tspoon
Garlic Paste               -1 tspoon
Onions                       -1 medium cut in julienne
Ghee/oil                     -1 tblspoon
Water                         -1 1/2 cup
Fresh Coriander         -1 tblspoon chopped
Cumin Seeds              -1/4 tspoon
Asafetida                    -1 pinch
Turmeric powder       -1/2 tspoon
Coriander powder      -1/2 tspoon
Garam Masala           -1/2 tspoon
Amchoor Powder      -1/2 tspoon
Salt                            -to taste

Method:

Heat the oil into a heavy bottom pan and shallow fry the Tofu chunks.
Once they are golden brown from each side take them out on a paper towel lined plate.
Now temper the remaining oil with cumin seeds and asafetida.
Add onion, green chilli paste, ginger and garlic paste and fry till transparent.
Keep frying until the raw smell goes away, but make sure not to burn it.
Add ground spices, turmeric, coriander, amchoor, garam masala, salt and give it a good mix.
Now add the vegetables and tofu in the pan and give it a good mix and let it cook for 2 minutes and cover the pan by lid.
Now open the lid and tip the rice in the pan. Mix it very well with vegetables and tofu.
cook the rice for 5 minutes. Now sprinkle some fresh coriander and mix again.
Serve the rice as a breakfast or as a side dish in your dinner and lunch parties.
My kids love eating tofu so i make these rice for them in after school snack.

Stuffed Masala Buns

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
Maida/All purpose flour                            1 - 1/2 cups
Milk                                                           1/4 cup
water                                                          1/4 cup(add if more needed)
Active dry yeast                                         3/4 tblsp
sugar                                                          1 tblsp
Salt                                                             3/4 tsp
Olive oil                                                     3 tblsp

For stuffing:
Potato                                                         2 nos. (small)
carrot/beans/peas(together)                        1/2 cup
Onion                                                         1 no.
Jeera or ajwain                                           1 tsp
Garam masala powder                               1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder                                      1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder                                       1/8 tsp
Coriander leaves, lemon Juice                  As to taste
Oil                                                             1 tsp
Salt                                                            As to taste


Method:

Warm the milk,add sugar to it and mix well. Add the yeast to it and mix well. Keep aside.
Take flour and make a dent,add water,olive oil,salt in it and the yeast completely dissolved in the milk.
Mix and make a smooth dough,keep in a warm place covered with a cling wrap for an hour.
Meanwhile prepare the stuffing. Cook the vegetables and heat a pan with oil,season with jeera/ajwain,add the onion and fry till transparent.
Add the masala powder,red chilli powder,turmeric and salt and give it a quick stir.
Add the cooked,mashed vegetables and fry till everything mixes well.
Remove from fire and add the coriander leaves and lemon juice if desired,mix well.
By now/after an hour, the dough we prepared would have doubled in size. Take it again and just give it a gentle knead and make six equal sized balls.
Line a baking tray with aluminium foil,grease with olive oil and arrange the rolled balls with enough spacing between them. Brush with olive oil .
Meanwhile roll the stuffing after cooling down completely.The stuffing should be around half the size as we roll the buns.
After 10 minutes or so the rolled bun dough, would have raised again just a little bit .
Take each bun and make a dent in the middle.
Keep the rolled stuffing inside and pinch all the end towards centre to cover the stuffing.
Roll in to smooth bun. Repeat for every bun. Arrange them in the lined baking tray. Keep the pinched joined side down.Brush them well with olive oil.
Preheat the oven for 190°C. When the preheat is finished,by the time the buns would have raised too.
Bake for 17- 20 mins or until the top crust turns golden brown in colour. (Mine took exactly 20 mins) Smells heavenly!!
After finished baking,brush them with butter or oil and enjoy with tea/evening snack! This would also be a great snack for kids after they come back from school!

Pizza Buns

Ingredients:

For the Buns:
All purpose flour 1 -1/2 cup
Milk 1/2 cup
olive oil 1/8 cup
Salt 1 tsp
Sugar 1-1/2 tsp
Active dry yeast 1 tblsp

For the filling:
Capsicum,chopped 1
Onion 1
Tomato(optional) 1
Grated mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup
Pizza sauce or any tomato based sauce 2 tsp
Italian herb of ur choice 1 tsp
Red chilli flakes 1 tsp
Salt to taste
oil 2 tsp

Instructions:

Heat milk until lukewarm,dissolve sugar and yeast. Let it rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes the mixture would have been raised to frothy, proving that the yeast is active. If not,your yeast is not active and use active yeast.

Meanwhile, take flour in a large bow and make a dent in the middle. Add salt, oil and the yeast mixture in the dent and make a smooth pliable dough. If sticky sprinkle little more flour,if too dry sprinkle some water. The dough should be smooth and pliable.

Let it rest for 1 hour, wrap the bowl with cling wrap. After an hour the dough should have been raised. Punch it down and knead to make it smooth.

Make equal sized balls and arrange in a greased baking tray.Meanwhile prepare the filling. Heat a pan with oil and fry capsicums,tomato and onion for just a minute. Cool down and add sauce, cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and chilli flakes . Mix well.

Flatten the prepared dough balls and keep a small lemon sized ball of the filling.

Pinch the edges towards centre to cover the filling as shown in the picture. Arrange in the baking tray with the sealed side down. Make sure you have sealed properly,otherwise, the cheese will ooze out.

Pre heat the oven to 190o C and till then brush the buns with milk little and bake it for 18-20 minutes or until the buns start becoming golden brown on the top. Brush generously with butter after done.

Serve hot with any of your favourite drinks.