While you home cook your way to good health, don't forget to add nuts on your grocery list, apart from must-have essentials like fresh fruits and vegetables.
Peanuts are a great source of healthy fats, protein and fiber. Cashews are rich in heart-healthy fatty acids and lower risk of gallstones. And walnuts are an excellent source of plant-based omega-3 ALA, antioxidants, and fiber
Chef Anahita Dhondy, Chef Partner, SodaBottleOpenerWala demonstrates how you can weave the humble walnut into everything from pav bhaji to aloo paratha and spaghetti.
Get, set, cook!
California Walnut Pav Bhaji
Ingredients:
For the bhaji:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
3 tomatoes, finely chopped
¼ cup peas
½ capsicum
2 potatoes, boiled
Salt
Water
2 teaspoon red chilli powder
2 ½ teaspoons pav bhaji masala
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 onion, finely chopped
100g California walnuts halves
Finely chopped onions, for garnish
Lemon, butter and green chilli, for garnish
For the pav:
3 fresh pav
50g butter for toasting
Preparation:
1. In a pan, heat oil and butter, and then add the onions. Sauté well.
2. Add all the dry masalas and cook by adding a little bit of water, if required, to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn.
3. Add tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Then add the peas and capsicum, and cook for another 10 minutes.
5. Add boiled potatoes and mash well.
6. Once it’s a homogenous mixture and all the veggies are cooked, taste for salt and spice. If you
like it spicy, add more masala or salt accordingly. Add the walnuts and a little bit of water and let
it cook. Add coriander before finishing the bhaji.
7. Garnish with butter, onions, lemon slice and chilli.
8. For the pav, add butter in a pan and let it heat. Slice the pavs and toast on both sides. Serve hot
with the bhaji.
Homestyle Spaghetti With California Walnuts, Sausage And Egg
Ingredients:
1 packet spaghetti
4 chicken sausages (chopped)
1 egg
A handful of California walnuts (crushed)
1 tablespoon Italian spices
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 garlic pods
50g tomato purée
2 fresh tomatoes
1 onion
3-4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons oil (1 tablespoon for the sausages and 1 tablespoon for the egg)
Preparation:
1. In a pot, bring water to boil. Add a few drops of oil and a little salt and add the pasta to it. Boil
till al dente, remove and strain. Let it cool.
2. In another pan, add oil, let it heat and add bay leaves, then add garlic and sauté till golden
brown.
3. In the mixer- grinder, grind the tomatoes and onion. Add the mix to the pan, and cook for five
minutes.
4. Add spices, crushed California walnuts, salt, and pepper and let the sauce bubble.
5. In a pan add oil and sauté the chopped sausages till they are golden brown.
6. Add the sausages and spaghetti to the sauce and mix well.
7. Lastly, in the same pan used for the sausages, add a little oil and fry an egg.
8. Place cooked spaghetti in a plate and top with the fried egg. Garnish with some spring onions
and a dash of chilli powder on the egg and serve hot!
Aloo Walnut Paneer Paratha
Ingredients:
For Stuffing
3 medium sized potatoes, boiled and mashed
¾ cup mashed/crumbled cottage cheese
¼ cup finely crushed California walnuts
1 medium sized onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
3-4 green chillies, chopped
A handful of chopped coriander
For Parathas
100g of whole wheat
100g of any millet flour (Ragi / Jowar / Bajra)
Water for dough, as required
2 tablespoons oil for roasting the parathas
Preparation:
1. In a bowl, add mashed potatoes and cottage cheese.
2. To the mix, add all the spices along with finely chopped onions, crushed walnuts, coriander, and
green chillies.
3. Mix well then add salt. You can add more chillies according to your taste.
4. Prepare the dough by mixing all the ingredients for the parathas and keep it aside for 30
minutes.
5. Take a small portion of the dough (about 40gm) and roll it into a ball.
6. Shape the ball into a little pocket and stuff the mixture into it.
7. Roll it into a round shaped paratha.
8. On a hot skillet, dry roast the parathas on both sides, then add oil and press down to get that golden colour.
9. Serve hot with butter, curd, and pickle.
(Recipes contributed by California Walnuts)