Let's have Indian food tonight

Indian cuisine is distinguished by its sophisticated use of spices and herbs and the influence of the longstanding and widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society.


Food is an integral part of India's culture, with cuisines differing according to community, region, and state. Indian cuisine is characterized by a great variety of foods, spices, and cooking techniques. Furthermore, each religion, region, and caste has left its own influence on Indian food. Many recipes first emerged when India was predominantly inhabited by Vedic Hindus. Later, Christians, British, Buddhists, Portuguese. Muslims from Turkey, Arabia, Mughal, and Persia settlers and others had their influence as well. Vegetarianism came to prominence during the rule of Ashoka, one of the greatest of Indian rulers who was a promoter of Buddhism. In India, food, culture, religion, and regional festivals are all closely related. Indian meat and fish cuisine is mostly influenced by the Muslim population.


* Bell Pepper Pulao


Rice-2cups(Uncooked)
Crushed red pepper
Red bell pepper-1/4cup(finely chopped
Green bell pepper-1/4cup(finely chopped)
Yellow bel pepper-1/4cup(finely chopped)
Vegetable stock-1/2 cup
(or vegetable cube)
Green onion-1/4 cup
Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
Oil-2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Cook rice with right amount of water.(1cup of rice= 1 1/2 water). Cool the rice before mixing,For better taste cook the rice in vegetable stock. Heat kadai with oil,add crushed red pepper,all three bell peppers,green onions,vegetable stock and simmer till peppers are soft. Then add the lemon juice,rice and mix well. Serve hot with curry & raita.


* Naan


All purpose flour-2cups (maida)
Dry yeast-2 tsp
Sugar-1tbsp
Butter-3 tblsp
Plain Yogurt-2 tbsp
Milk –1/2 cup
1tbsp –ajwain
1/4 tsp saffron extract
Oil
Salt to taste

Add sugar and yeast to warm milk. Allow 30 minutes for the yeast to foam up and then add yogurt to milk mixture,leave it for 10 minutes. Finally add the flour with ajwain little by little to the milk mixture . The dough becomes little sticky . Rest the dough for fermenting overnight or 10 hrs.
Divide the dough into 10 balls and roll them into flat thick round and sprinkle some saffron extract. Heat the tawa hot with little oil or butter cook the dough on both sides well. Serve hot with curry and raita.


* Indian Stir-Fried Shrimp in Cream Sauce - Bhagari Jhinga


1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water

In a medium bowl, stir together tomato paste, salt, sugar, garam masala, ground cumin seed, ground red pepper, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lemon juice, and coconut milk. Set coconut sauce aside.
Heat oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, and cook until they begin to pop. Immediately stir in garlic, and cook until garlic begins to brown. Add shrimp, and cook until shrimp is opaque; this should take only a minute or two. Pour the coconut sauce over the shrimp; cook until the sauce begins to simmer. In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water; stir into the sauce, and continue cooking until thick.


* Indian Eggplant - Bhurtha


1 eggplant
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1 large tomato - peeled, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven's broiler. Rub oil on the outside of the egg plant, or coat with cooking spray. Place under the broiler, and cook until the flesh is soft and the skin is blistering off, about 30 minutes. Turn as needed for even cooking. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, and scoop the flesh out of the skin. Discard the skin; chop up the flesh, and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds, and let them crackle for a few seconds and turn golden brown. Be careful not to burn them. Add the onion, ginger and garlic; cook and stir until tender. I don't let the onions get very brown. Stir in the tomato, and season with turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook and stir for a few minutes.
Place the eggplant pieces in the skillet, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes so some of the moisture evaporates. Taste, and adjust seasonings if desired. Garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve.


* Chicken Kandhari Kofta-Mughlai


500 gms ( 1 Pound ) of chicken mince
1/2 tspn of cinnamon powder
Salt to taste
3 tblspns of oil
3/4 cup boiled onion paste
1 tblspn of ginger-garlic paste
1 tblspn of coriander powder
1 tspn of red chilli powder
1/2 cup of tomato puree
2/3 cup of cashewnut paste
1/2 tspn of garam masala powder
2 tblspns of pomegranate syrup
1/2 cup of fresh cream

Mix cinnamon powder, one teaspoonful of salt and minced chicken thoroughly. Divide the mix into twelve equal portions. Shape them into balls (koftas). Keep the koftas aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Add boiled onion paste and cook till onions turn pink. Add ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for a minute, then add coriander powder and red chilli powder. Stir in tomato puree and cashewnut paste dissolved in a little water. Cook for five minutes on a high flame, stirring continuously. Add one and half cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add chicken koftas and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garam masala powder and pomegranate syrup. Correct seasoning. Simmer for five minutes. Stir in fresh cream. Serve with naan.

Make cashewnut paste by soaking half-cup cashewnuts in water for half an hour. Grind it to a smooth paste. You do not need to use expensive full cashewnuts, you can use cashewnut pieces (tukda).


Enjoy your spicy meal.


Thanks kadaicuisine, allrecipes and corbis

Sushi 101

In Japanese cuisine, Sushi is a food made of vinegared rice combined with various toppings or fillings, which includes seafood and can also include vegetables, mushrooms, eggs, or meat. Sushi toppings may be raw, like most fish; cooked; blanched; or marinated.
Sushi as an English word has come to refer to the complete dish (rice together with toppings); this is the sense used in this article. The original term Japanese: sushi (-zushi in some compounds such as makizushi), written with kanji (Chinese characters) refers to the rice, not the fish or other toppings.
Outside of Japan, sushi is often misunderstood to mean only clumps of rice topped with raw fish or even the raw fish by itself, as well to refer to other raw-seafood dishes, such as sashimi (sushi and sashimi are considered distinct in Japan).
There are various types of sushi. Sushi served rolled in nori (dried sheets of laver, a kind of pressed and dried alga) is called maki (rolls). Sushi made with toppings laid onto hand-formed clumps of rice is called nigiri; sushi made with toppings stuffed into a small pouch of fried tofu is called inari; and sushi made with toppings served scattered over a bowl of sushi rice is called chirashi-zushi, or scattered sushi. In Korea, a type of maki known as Kimbap or Gimbap is popular.

All sushi has a base of specially prepared rice, complemented with other ingredients.

* Sushi rice
Sushi is made with white, short-grained, Japanese rice mixed with a dressing made of rice vinegar, sugar, salt, kombu, and occasionally sake. It is cooled to body temperature before being used. In some fusion cuisine restaurants, short grain brown rice and wild rice are also used.
Sushi rice (sushi-meshi) is prepared with short-grain Japonica rice, which has a consistency that differs from long-grain strains such as Indica. The essential quality is its stickiness. Rice that is too sticky has a mushy texture; if it is not sticky enough, it feels dry. Freshly harvested rice (shinmai) typically has too much water, and requires extra time to drain after washing.
There are regional variations in sushi rice, and of course individual chefs have their individual methods. Most of the variations are in the rice vinegar dressing: the Tokyo version of the dressing commonly uses more salt; in Osaka, the dressing has more sugar. Sushi rice generally must be used shortly after it is made.

* Nori
The seaweed wrappers used in maki and temaki are called nori. This is an algae traditionally cultivated in the harbors of Japan. Originally, the algae was scraped from dock pilings, rolled out into sheets, and dried in the sun in a process similar to making paper. Nori is toasted before being used in food.
Today, the commercial product is farmed, produced, toasted, packaged, and sold in standard-size sheets, about 18 cm by 21 cm in size. Higher quality nori is thick, smooth, shiny, black, and has no holes.
Nori by itself is edible as a snack. Many children love flavored nori, which is coated with teriyaki sauce. However, those tend to be cheaper, lesser quality nori that is not used for sushi.

* Omelette
When making fukusazushi, a paper-thin omelette may replace a sheet of nori as the wrapping. The omelette is traditionally made in a rectangular omelette pan (makiyakinabe), and used to form the pouch for the rice and fillings.


Toppings and fillings

* Fish

For culinary, sanitary, and aesthetic reasons, fish eaten raw must be fresher and of higher quality than fish which is cooked.
A professional sushi chef is trained to recognize good fish, which smells clean, has a vivid color, and is free from obvious parasites (many go undetected).
Only ocean fish are used raw in sushi; freshwater fish, which are more likely to harbor parasites, are cooked.
Commonly-used fish are tuna, Japanese amberjack, snapper, conger, mackerel and salmon. The most valued sushi ingredient is toro, the fatty cut of tuna. This comes in varieties toro (often from the bluefin species of tuna) and chutoro, meaning middle toro, implying it is halfway in fattiness between toro and regular red tuna (akami).

* Seafood
Other seafoods are squid, octopus, shrimp, fish roe, sea urchin (uni), and various kinds of shellfish. Oysters, however, are not typically put in sushi because the taste is not thought to go well with the rice. However, some sushi restaurants in New Orleans are known to have Fried Oyster Rolls, and Crawfish rolls.

* egetables
Pickled daikon radish (takuan) in shinko maki, various pickled vegetables (tsukemono), fermented soybeans (natto) in natto? maki, avocado in California rolls, cucumber in kappa maki, asparagus, yam, tofu, pickled ume (umeboshi), gourd (kampyo?), burdock (gobo), and sweet corn mixed with mayonnaise.

* Red meat
Beef, ham, Sausage, and horse meat, often lightly cooked.
Note: It is a common misconception that in Hawaii, fried Spam is a popular local variation of sushi. In reality, Spam musubi differs from sushi in that its rice lacks the vinegar required to classify it as such. Spam musubi is correctly classified as onigiri.

* Other fillings
Eggs (in the form of a slightly sweet, layered omelet called tamagoyaki), raw quail eggs riding as a gunkan-maki topping.


Condiments

* Shoyu

The common name for soy sauce. In sushi restaurants, may also be referred to as murasaki (lit. "purple").

* Wasabi
A piquant paste made from the grated root of the wasabi plant. Real wasabi (hon-wasabi) is Wasabi japonica. Hon-wasabi has anti-microbial properties and may reduce the risk of food poisoning.[3] The traditional grating tool for wasabi is a sharkskin grater or samegawa oroshi.
An imitation wasabi (seiyo-wasabi), made from horseradish and mustard powder and dyed green, is common. It is found at lower-end kaiten zushi restaurants, in bento box sushi, and at most restaurants outside of Japan, If it is manufactured in Japan, it may be labelled "Japanese Horseradish".[4]
In sushi restaurants, wasabi may be referred to as namida ("tears").

* Gari
Sweet, pickled ginger. Eaten to both cleanse the palette as well as to aid in the digestive process.

* Ocha
In Japan, green tea (ocha) is invariably served together with sushi. Better sushi restaurants often use a distinctive premium tea known as mecha. In sushi vocabulary, green tea is known as agari.


Sushi Vocabulary - good tips for the beginners

* Sushi a la carte
aji -- horse mackerel
akagai -- ark shell
ama-ebi -- raw shrimp
anago -- conger eel
aoyagi -- round clam
awabi -- abalone
ayu -- sweetfish
buri -- adult yellowtail
chUtoro -- marbled tuna belly
ebi -- boiled shrimp
hamachi -- young yellowtail
hamaguri -- clam
hamo -- pike conger; sea eel
hatahata -- sandfish
hikari-mono -- various kinds of "shiny" fish, such as mackerel
himo -- "fringe" around an ark shell
hirame -- flounder
hokkigai -- surf clam
hotategai -- scallop
ika -- squid
ikura -- salmon roe
inada -- very young yellowtail
kaibashira -- eye of scallop or shellfish valve muscles
kaiware -- daikon-radish sprouts
kajiki -- swordfish
kani -- crab
kanpachi -- very young yellowtail
karei -- flatfish
katsuo -- bonito
kazunoko -- herring roe
kohada -- gizzard shad
kuruma-ebi -- prawn
maguro -- tuna
makajiki -- blue marlin
masu -- trout
meji (maguro) -- young tuna
mekajiki -- swordfish
mirugai -- surf clam
negi-toro -- tuna belly and chopped green onion
ni-ika -- squid simmered in a soy-flavored stock
nori-tama -- sweetened egg wrapped in dried seaweed
Otoro -- fatty portion of tuna belly
saba -- mackerel
sake -- salmon
sawara -- Spanish mackerel
sayori -- (springtime) halfbeak
seigo -- young sea bass
shako -- mantis shrimp
shima-aji -- another variety of aji
shime-saba -- mackerel (marinated)
shiromi -- seasonal "white meat" fish
suzuki -- sea bass
tai -- sea bream
tairagai -- razor-shell clam
tako -- octopus
tamago -- sweet egg custard wrapped in dried seaweed
torigai -- cockle
toro -- choice tuna belly
tsubugai -- Japanese "tsubugai" shellfish
uni -- sea urchin roe

* Maki-zushi (sushi rolls)
maki-mono -- vinegared rice and fish (or other ingredients) rolled in nori seaweed
tekka-maki -- tuna-filled maki-zushi
kappa-maki -- cucumber-filled maki-zushi
tekkappa-maki -- selection of both tuna and cucumber rolls
oshinko-maki -- -pickled-daikon (radish) rolls
kaiware-maki -- daikon-sprout roll
umejiso-maki -- Japanese ume plum and perilla-leaf roll
negitoro-maki -- scallion-and-tuna roll
chUtoro-maki -- marbled-tuna roll
Otoro-maki -- fatty-tuna roll
kanpyo-maki -- pickled-gourd rolls
futo-maki -- a fat roll filled with rice, sweetened cooked egg, pickled gourd, and bits of vegetables
nori-maki -- same as kanpyo-maki; in Osaka, same as futo-maki
natto-maki -- sticky, strong-tasting fermented-soybean rolls
ana-kyU-maki -- conger eel-and-cucumber rolls
temaki -- hand-rolled cones made from dried seaweed
maguro-temaki -- tuna temaki

* Other sushi terms
nigiri(-zushi) -- pieces of raw fish over vinegared rice balls
Edomae-zushi -- same as nigiri-zushi
chirashi(-zushi) -- assorted raw fish and vegetables over rice
tekka-don -- pieces of raw tuna over rice
sashimi -- raw fish (without rice)
chakin-zushi -- vinegared rice wrapped in a thin egg crepe
inari-zushi -- vinegared rice and vegetables wrapped in a bag of fried tofu
oshi-zushi -- Osaka-style sushi: squares of pressed rice topped with vinegared/cooked fish
battera(-zushi) -- oshi-zushi topped with mackerel
-tataki -- pounded, almost raw fish
odori-ebi -- live ("dancing") shrimp
oshinko -- Japanese pickles
neta -- sushi topping
wasabi -- Japanese horseradish
gari -- vinegared ginger
shoyu -- soy sauce


Hmmm...my favorite is saba. What's yours?

Thanks bento.com and corbis

In Loving Momory...Eldee Young

The time you smile,
The flowers grow,
The birds sing with you,
We sing with you,
Today and Everyday,
Tonight and Every night,
You’re in our heart…always.
02.21.2007

I love you. You’re always in my heart.

Oh Buddharat

Chocolate Chip Cookies- What's your favorite?

Let choose your favorite chocolate chip cookie.

Interesting tips:

What makes cookies soft and chewy?

High moisture content does; so the recipe, baking time, and temperature must be adjusted to retain moisture. Binding the water in butter, eggs, and brown sugar (it contains molasses, which is 10 percent water) with flour slows its evaporation. The dough needs a little extra flour, which makes it stiffer. The stiff dough spreads less, less liquid evaporates, and the cookies are thicker. Mass also helps cookies stay moist--big dollops of dough make softer and chewier cookies than tiny spoonfuls of dough. Bake these thick cookies for a shorter time at a high temperature to firm them quickly and minimize spreading. Most important, don't bake them too long--remove from the oven when the cookie rim is brown and at least 1/3 of the center top remains pale. The cooked centers will be soft.


Why are some cookies cakelike instead of chewy?

A little extra liquid in the cookie dough from water, egg, or milk makes the dough more elastic and adds steam as the cookies bake, making them puff more.


What makes a cookie crisp or crunchy?

Reducing the amount of ingredients that hold moisture--flour, egg, and brown sugar--makes it easy for liquid to evaporate, producing crisp cookies. The fat, which goes up proportionately when other ingredients are cut back, gets hotter than the water in the dough and drives out the moisture. Fat also makes the dough softer and melts when hot, making the cookies spread. For crispness, bake cookies longer at a lower temperature to give them more time to spread before they firm. Then bake long enough to dry and brown them evenly to develop the maximum toasty flavor and crisp texture throughout.


What else makes cookies spread as they bake?

Most often the culprit is low-fat butter or margarine spread, which has about 20 percent more water, used in place of regular butter or margarine. It's this extra liquid that's causing the problem. Low-fat products can't be used interchangeably with regular fats for baking without recipe adjustments.

Cookies also spread when you drop high-fat dough onto a hot baking sheet; the heat melts the dough, and cookies spread before they're baked enough to hold their shape.


* Thick, Soft, and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cooking time: About 7 minutes per pan
Makes: About 18 cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine, at room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 package (6 oz.) or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg, mixing well. Add flour mixture, and beat slowly to incorporate, then beat to blend well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop batter in 2 tablespoon portions about 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
Bake in a 400° oven until edges of cookies are brown but an area about 1 inch wide in the center is still pale, 6 to 7 minutes. If using 2 pans in 1 oven, switch positions at half-time.
Let cookies cool on pan about 5 minutes, then transfer to racks with a spatula. Serve warm or cool. Store airtight up to 8 hours, or freeze for longer storage.


* Thin, Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cooking time: About 20 minutes per pan
Makes: About 32 cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 package (6 oz.) or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt. With a mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons water, and vanilla until blended. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture, then beat until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop batter in 1-tablespoon portions about 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
Bake in a 300° oven until an even golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. If using 2 pans in 1 oven, switch places at half-time.
Let cookies cool on pan about 3 minutes, then transfer to racks with a spatula. Serve warm or cool. Store airtight up to 1 day, or freeze for longer storage.


* Thin, Crisp, and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Make thin, crisp chocolate chip cookies, preceding, baking until edges of cookies are browned but an area about 1 inch wide in the center is still pale, about 14 minutes.


* Thick, Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Make thin, crisp chocolate chip cookies, preceding, increasing butter to 2/3 cup and omitting water. Dough will be dry and crumbly; pinch into 1-tablespoon-size lumps. Bake cookies until they are an even golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.


My favorite would be the soft cookies with lots of chocolate and a little of macademia. I cannot wait to have one now.
How's about you?

Thanks Sunset Publishing Corporation and Corbis

Hello Avocado!

Fun Facts

Avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable, belonging to the genus Persea in the Lauraceae family.

Avocados are sodium- and cholesterol-free and have only five grams of fat per serving, most of it the monounsaturated kind.

Avocados were once a luxury food reserved for the tables of royalty, but now California avocados are enjoyed around the world by people from all walks of life.

Brazilians add avocados to ice cream.

Filipinos puree avocados with sugar and milk for a dessert drink.

Latin Americans wrap avocados up and give them as wedding gifts.

The avocado is also called an Alligator Pear because of its pear-like shape and green skin.

Avocado is a corruption of the Spanish word aguacate, which is in turn a corruption of the Aztec word ahuacatl.

California produces about 90% of the nation's avocado crop.

San Diego County is the Avocado Capital of the U.S., producing 60% of all the avocados grown in California.

There are about 7,000 avocado groves in California; the average size is around 10 acres.

A single California avocado tree can produce about 500 avocados (or 200 pounds of fruit) a year although usually average about 60 pounds from 150 fruit.

There are seven varieties of avocados grown commercially in California, but the Hass is the most popular, accounting for approximately 95% of the total crop volume.

California avocados grow year-round.

About 43% of all U.S. households buy avocados.


Health Benefits

One-fifth of a medium avocado or about one ounce is 55 calories, but contributes beneficial nutrients such as fiber, potassium, Vitamin E and lutein to the diet.

Avocados act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.

Avocados provide more than 25 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid.

One-fifth of a medium avocado has 55 calories and provides beneficial phytochemicals such as glutathione, beta-sitosterol, and lutein. Phytonutrients are thought to help prevent many chronic diseases.

Avocados can help consumers meet the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association, which are to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat. The fats should be primarily unsaturated and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat.

Avocados help assist consumers in meeting a major dietary goal of reducing saturated fat in the diet, when they are consumed in place of saturated-fat containing foods.

Avocados are a good source of fiber and fiber may help maintain heart health.

When used instead of other fats, avocados contain over 25 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and can be part of a calorie-reduced diet.

When used instead of other fats, avocados can be a satisfying addition to a calorie-reduced diet.

Avocados are a good way to get more lutein in the diet. An ounce of avocado contains 77 micrograms of lutein.

Avocados are a good way to get more lutein in the diet. By adding avocado to foods like salads, salsa, soups or sandwiches you can get more of the phytonutrient in your diet.

Now, it's time to cook and eat more avocado.


* Guacamole


2 ripe avocados
½ red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
A dash of freshly grated black pepper
1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avacado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness. Be careful handling the peppers; wash your hands thoroughly after handling and do not touch your eyes or the area near your eyes with your hands for several hours.

Keep the tomatoes separate until ready to serve. Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready. Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix. Garnish with red radishes or jicama (maxican turnip). Serve with tortilla chips.


* Scrambled Eggs With Bacon and Avocado

2 slices bacon
2 large eggs
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 avocado, diced
Toast (if desired)

Brown bacon in a small skillet over medium heat, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove bacon; pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat.In a bowl, beat eggs with 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Pour into pan; cook, scraping bottom frequently with a flexible heatproof spatula, until just set, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Crumble bacon over top; sprinkle with avocado. Serve with toast, if desired.


* Avocado Green Salad

1 big or 2 small size avocado(s)
1 to 2 kiwi fruit (not very soft and sweet)
½ Pound fresh spinach (baby spinach preferred)
5 to 6 scallions
½ green bell pepper
1 to 2 plum tomato or 1/2 tomato
salt, to taste
lemon juice (1 whole lemon)


Chop the scallions, bell pepper fine. Cut the kiwis and tomatos in fine cubes. Mesh the avocados. Mix ingredients.
Steam the spinach in a pan with a very little water, wait till water gets evaporated almost totaly and spinaches should get softened. Add the spinach on top. Again mix them by adding salt and lemon juice.


* Portobello Mushroom Burger with Spicy Avocado Sauce


4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 jalapeño chile, finely chopped (ribs and seeds removed, for less heat), if desired
4 soft rolls, split horizontally
1 beefsteak tomato, cored and thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425°. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with oil and 2/3 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Arrange stemmed side down; cover loosely with foil. Roast until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, mash avocado with a fork. Stir in mustard, horseradish, and lime juice. Fold in jalapeño; season with salt and pepper.

Toast rolls. Dividing evenly, layer each bottom half with tomato and portobello, and each top half with avocado mixture.


* Panko-crusted Salmon Roll with Avocado and Grilled Maitake Vinaigrette

4 pieces salmon fillet, center cut, 4 ounces each, 1/4-inch thick (like a paillard)
4 sheets nori
2 avocados, sliced, lightly tossed with juice of 1 lime, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups panko, (Japanese bread crumbs)
Canola oil, for frying
2 shallots, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh grated wasabi
1 tablespoon naturally brewed soy sauce
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups prepped maitakes, lightly tossed in extra-virgin olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled
Fleur de sel and black pepper, to taste

Lay each piece of salmon on a sheet of nori (on a bamboo mat) towards the bottom half. Season and lay down avocado slices and roll tightly like maki sushi. Place flour, egg and panko in 3 separate dishes. Roll sushi in flour, then egg, then panko and fry at 375 degrees F until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a blender, add the shallots, wasabi, soy and lemon juice and blend. Drizzle in the oil and toss with grilled maitakes. Check for seasoning.


* Tuna and Avocado Tartare Tostada

Tortillas:
Canola oil, for frying
4 flour tortillas, cut into 2-inch by 1-inch rectangles
Kosher salt
Avocado Butter:
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tartare:
12 ounces sushi grade tuna, finely diced
2 tablespoons mustard oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper puree (from chipotles in adobo sauce)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup finely sliced green onion
1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted, and finely diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the tortillas: Heat the oil in a heavy, high-sided pan to 350 degrees F. Fry the tortilla pieces a few at a time until lightly golden brown and crisp. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and season with salt.
For the avocado butter: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

For the tartare: Combine tuna, mustard oil, olive oil, capers, chipotle, cilantro, and green onion in a large bowl. Gently fold in the avocado and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place each of the fried tortilla pieces on a plate and spread with a small dollop of the avocado butter. Top the butter with some of the tuna tartare. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.


Enjoy your healthy meal!

Thanks avocado.org and corbis