6 delicious ways to fancy up your Avocado toast

Smashed avocado on a perfectly toasted Multigrain Rye, sprinkled with salt and freshly cracked black pepper - pure bliss, our favorite Sunday Breakfast. Quick to prepare and rich in heart-healthy fats this classic avocado on toast makes for a healthy start to your day. If you love avocado toast then here are six delicious ways to make it even fancier. All these recipes are perfect for lunch/brunch, and taste just awesome.

Tips for a perfect Avocado toast

1. Choose perfectly ripe avocados - Gently squeeze into the avocado and feel it give a little. This level of ripeness will mash and spread easily. For slicing, you can choose slightly less ripe ones.  
2. Toast your bread to perfection - Toasting your bread properly is super important to a perfect avocado on toast. The contrasting texture of a crisply toasted slice to the silky rich avocado spread is a match made in heaven. Most wholegrain varieties take longer to reach the perfect crispness while the fruit and nut bread will toast rather quickly. Another technique that works really well is brushing a dense multigrain slice with a little oil and toasting it on a hot griddle until crisp. 
3. Try selecting a bread that complements the toppings - A good dense bread will work best for all avocado toast recipes but there are some combinations that enhance the flavor quotient. Sourdough or rye work really well with avocado and tomato. If you’re topping it with smoked salmon, try seeded bread or bagels. A fruit and nut bread is super delish if you are topping with pear slices and feta. Multigrain works well for almost any topping.

Avocado on toast with sunny side up fried eggs and wilted spinach. An egg is essential to this lineup. 

1. In a moderately hot skillet add a teaspoon of olive oil and a large handful of spinach leaves. Saute for a minute till spinach wilts a little. Keep aside.
2. Fry a couple of eggs sunny side up, season with some spiced salt. 
3. Spread mashed avocado on toast and top with the fried egg and a large spoonful of warm spinach. 

Avocado on toast with poached eggs and fresh seed sprouts. Unique onion flavor and texture with onion sprouts.

1. Toasted bread spread with mashed avocado. Seeded bread/bagel works well here.
2. A thin layer of onion sprouts.
3. Topped with a poached egg and sprinkled with seasoned salt.
4. Cherry tomatoes on the side.

Avocado on toast topped with herbaceous scrambled eggs and pico de gallo. A hint of Mexican flavor. 

1. Scramble an egg and mix chopped fresh coriander and salt and pepper to taste. Keep aside.
2. Mix finely chopped red onion, tomato, and fresh coriander. Season with some salt and pepper and some lime juice. Keep aside. 
3. Toast bread until crisp and spread with mashed avocado. I recommend multigrain bread. 
4. Top it with scrambled egg and a heaped tablespoon on Pico de gallo. 

Grilled cheese-n-tomatoes on toast topped with avocado slices & freshly cracked black pepper. When tomatoes are in season, this is a must make combo. A great vegetarian option.

1. Rye or sourdough bread pairs well with grilled tomatoes. 
2. Top toast with cheese of your choice and sliced tomato, grill till crisp and cheese had melted. 
3. Top with avocado slices and season with freshly cracked black pepper. 
4. I would recommend some red chili flakes on top as well. An evergreen combination perfect for brunch. A fave with my daughters. 

Avocado on toast with smoked salmon and fresh greens on the side. A feel-good combo.

1. Mash avocado and season with salt and pepper. Add some finely chopped red onion and mix well.
2.  Seeded bread or bagels pair well with smoked salmon. 
3. Spread on a toasted slice of bread. Top with a couple shavings of smoked salmon.
4. Serve with baby spinach and lemon slices. 

Avocado on toast topped with pear slices, walnut bits, and feta cheese. A dose of healthy fats!

1. Choose firm but ripe pears. Slice thinly.
2. In our family, we prefer feta cheese in this setup as the salty taste contrasts well with the slightly sweet pear slices. Choose your preferred cheese.
3. I recommend choosing a fruit and seed bread such as raisin or cranberry and pumpkin seed variety. 
4. Spread mashed avocado on a toasted slice of bread and top with a few thinly sliced pears and sprinkle with some chopped walnut pieces and crumbled feta cheese. 

Raw Mango Chutney

No matter how long the Winter, Spring is sure to follow. And Spring brings with it, transformation. Cold to warmth, grey to color, dry branches to bursts of new leaves, beautiful flowers, and delicious fruits.
Thinking of spring, a vision of succulent, fresh, zingy mangoes pops up in my head. Mangoes are the golden glories of an Indian Spring. From Panna (a cooling summer drink) to mango kulfi (frozen mango dessert), chutney to curried fish, there are several local recipes that use mango as their star ingredient.
Kacha aamer chutney is a sweet and spicy, slightly zingy chutney from the Bengali kitchen and is often included in the lunch thali. A typical Bengali meal consists of 5-6 courses and includes all type of flavors, from bitter to sweet. This raw mango (aamer) chutney or chatni (literally meaning to lick)  is served as a palate cleanser just before serving dessert. It is eaten as a course of lunch/dinner to accent the meal and never used as a dip or relish. The tartness comes from raw mangoes and sweetness by adding jaggery or sugar. Addition of dry roasted cumin powder on top gives a beautiful smoky flavor.
Serve it with lunch/dinner, or spread on toast or dunk it with a bite of paratha. Or enjoy it like I do, all by itself.

Chutney is a versatile spread/condiment that is usually associated with Indian cuisine. Chutney could be sweet, spicy, tangy depending on its main ingredient and could be made of herbs, fruits, veggies, dry fruits or a combination of one or more of these. Most chutneys have similar ingredients, fruits or veggies, sugar, salt, spices and vinegar/acid and these all balance out to adds flavor to whatever it is served with.

Kacha Aamer Chutney (sweet and spicy raw mango chutney)

Ingredients: (yields about a cup)

1 raw mango
2 tsp oil
½ tsp panch phoron
Salt to taste
Red chili powder to taste
1 dry red chili
½ tsp dry ginger powder (you can reduce the quantity as per your taste)
2 tsp lemon juice (more or less based on the acidity of the mango)
½ cup brown sugar (or jaggery)
½ tsp roasted cumin seed powder

1. Peel the skin off the mango and slice it into small pieces. Add salt, red chili powder and toss to mix. Keep aside. 
2. Heat the oil in a pan, break the whole red chili into a few pieces and add to the oil. Allow it to sizzle for a few seconds before adding the panch phoron. 
3. Sizzle for a few more seconds. Now add the mango pieces followed by ginger powder and lemon juice. Stir well to mix it all. Simmer, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. 
4. As it cooks the mango will release some water. Uncover and cook on medium flame till mango pulp is tender. 
5. Now add sugar. If you are using jaggery, add a splash of water to help dissolve it. As the sugar/jaggery melts there will be an increase in the liquid content. Continue cooking at low heat and keep stirring to avoid burning. 
6. Cook till mangoes are a little bit more than fork tender. As the chutney cools, it will thicken. So keep that in mind as you cook down the liquid to achieve the desired consistency. Sprinkle the roasted cumin powder on top and mix to combine. 
7. When it cools completely, transfer the chutney to a glass jar and refrigerate. Keeps well for a couple of weeks.

Blueberry Cobbler

Truth be told, I am no fan of fruit pies. The goopy and gluey fruit sogging up the bottom crust doesn't do anything for my sweet tooth. But all that's good about the idea of a pie, the hot juicy melting fruit, tender buttery crust and fragrant aromas can be savored in a crisp or a cobbler. In addition to being so much easier than pie crust to make, the crisp or cobbler topping is, frankly, also way more delicious.

Cobbler consists of a sweet or savory filling baked with a biscuit type dough topping. Pie, cobbler, crisps, and crumbles are all in the same family of sweet desserts, often having similar fruit fillings but each with its own distinctive topping. As opposed to a crisp or a crumble, the cobbler dough is a thick dense pastry and more cake-like in nature. Regional variations exist, with some mimicking a pie crust and others more like a dumpling than a pastry.

Most popular cobblers are fruit based, peach, blueberry, blackberry, often served with a scoop of ice cream. This combination of hot and cold, crisp and soft creates a party in the mouth. Some of the savory versions include mutton or beef cobbler.

My favorite cobbler by far is the blueberry one. The best thing about this recipe is that you can enjoy it all year round using frozen blueberries. When fresh berries come in season, it becomes even more of a treat. As a general rule, use 4-6 cups of fruit, fresh or frozen. A little sugar and cornstarch added to the fruit creates a shiny luscious sauce from the fruit's juices. The biscuit topping bakes up crisp on top and fluffy underneath for an ideal contrast to the soft fruit. 

Ingredients: (6-8 servings)
Fruit filling
4 cups blueberries
¼ cup sugar
2-3 tbsp cornstarch (based on fresh or frozen berries)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
Cobbler topping
1 cup flour
¼ tsp salt
½ cup sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp butter
½ cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Prep the berries - In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients listed under fruit filling. Pour into a pie dish/baking dish. It should fill the dish halfway to three quarters leaving enough space for the cobbler topping.
3. Prep the topping - In another mixing bowl combine flour,  salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Now add milk to moisten the dough. It should be sticky and quite wet. 
4. Spread the dough evenly on top of berry mixture with your hand and press it down lightly. Or drop spoonfuls of dough all over the fruit. 
5. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown.
6. Serve hot with a blob of vanilla ice cream or as is.  
7. Note - If you are using frozen berries instead of fresh, place the berries on top of a paper towel till they reach room temperature. This will allow any ice crystals to melt off before baking and not wind up making the cobbler too liquidy. Add more cornstarch. 
   
8. Leftovers can be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge. 

Salsa all the way

Spring is the season for warm sunshine, charming sounds of twittering birds and humming bees, colorful blooms, green leaves and little shoots on the bare branches. It also marks a start to the barbecue season. So while you prep your yard and grill, here are a few recipes to get you started this spring. These salsas will complement any grilled meat, fish and veggies.

Salsa is Spanish for sauce. Chunky or smooth, it is a great accompaniment to grilled fish and meat, wraps and fajitas, and tastes awesome with chips. There are many types of salsas. Tomato based salsas, fruit salsas and vegetable salsas. Make them mild or hot, based on your spice quotient. Here are a few of my faves.

Types of salsa
Salsa Ranchero: Red, tomato-based with taste of cilantro and garlic. Spice can vary from mild to very hot. Usually served warm to provide full flavor.
Salsa verde: Tomatillos give the color and flavor for this salsa. Can be prepared with raw tomatoes or with roasted for an enhanced flavor.
Tomato-based chunky salsas: Most tomato-based salsas are a mixture of tomatoes, onions, peppers and spices. Cilantro and jalapenos are used to spice it up.
Vegetable Salsas: Popular vegetables for salsa include corn, dried beans and peas, sweet peppers, avocados, sweet potatoes and olives. Use them as starters or as a salad, serve over rice or inside a wrap.
Fruit Salsas: The combination of hot and sweet is a fave with our family. You can use just about any fruits for the fruit based salsas but the tropical fruits taste the best (e.g. pineapples, mangoes, citrus fruits and papayas). You can also use fresh berries such as strawberries and raspberries, and other fruits such as pomegranate, watermelon, pears and peaches. I do not recommend using frozen fruits because the texture will be affected and the flavor dilutes as the fruit defrosts. Fruit salsas should be served cold.

Pico de gallo (or salsa fresca)

Ingredients:
1 large diced tomato
1/2 diced medium sized red onion
1/4 bunch of cilantro (use more or less depending on your taste)
juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 tsp of salt
1 jalapenos (or more if you prefer it hotter)

Mix up all ingredients and keep at room temperature for half an hour to let flavors blend in.

Spicy fresh pineapple salsa
Ingredients:
1/2 a pineapple cored, chopped to bite sized pieces
1 large red pepper chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
Handful of fresh mint leaves chopped
2 jalapeños, stemmed and minced
1⁄4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp sugar (optional)
Mix all the ingredients together and chill for 2 hours. Serve at room temperature over the grilled fish.

Mango avocado salsa
Ingredients:
2 ripe mangoes
2 avocados
1 small red onion
Handful fresh cilantro
Few leaves of fresh mint
2-3 jalapeño peppers
Salt to taste
Lime juice

1. Cut mango and avocado into small bite sized pieces. Thinly slice onion and chop jalapeño, cilantro and mint fine.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients. Chill for an hour to blend the flavors. Serve cold.

Mango salsa
Ingredients:
3 mangoes cubed into ½ inch pieces
1/2 red onion, chopped fine
1 Thai chili, finely chopped
Handful fresh coriander , chopped roughly
1 red pepper, chopped into ¼ inch cubes
bunch fresh mint, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything, cover and chill for an 30 minutes before serving

Citrus Salsa
Ingredients:
2 ruby red grapefruits
2 navel oranges
1 small red onion
Handful fresh mint and coriander
1 jalapeno pepper
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Peel and chop the grapefruit and oranges into small bite sized pieces. Do this in a bowl to catch all the juices that will flow as a result of chopping.
2. Chop onion, jalapeno, mint and coriander.
3. Add these to the chopped citrus fruit. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
4. Taste. If the fruit is sour enough then your salsa is ready. Sometimes the oranges and grapefruit are sweeter than you want. In that case add some lime juice to taste. Cover.
5. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Salsa Ranchero
This earthy salsa is traditionally pounded to a smooth paste in a mortar and pestle, but a food processor works just as well.
Ingredients: 
1 lb tomatoes
4 hot chilies (serrano/jalapeños)
4 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt to taste
Handful finely chopped cilantro
1⁄2 onion, chopped fine
1 lemon, juice and zest

1. Use 4 or less chilies based on your spice quotient.
2. Place tomatoes, chilies and garlic on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on high. 
3. Turn them often. Cook till you see charring (blackened spots) and everything cooks through about 10-15 minutes. 
4. Chilies and garlic will be done before the tomatoes. Remove as each ingredient is done. Cool.  
5. Place everything in a food processor and puree until smooth. Small chunks are okay if you like your salsa a bit chunky.
6. Keeps in the fridge for up to a week. Serve warm for an enhanced flavor.

For a detailed recipe click here

Salsa verde
This salsa has 2 versions. Raw and roasted. Both taste great. Choose based on prep time available as the roasted one takes some cooking time. I must say the cooked version has an earthy smoky flavor.
Ingredients: 
1 lb tomatillos (husks removed)
2-3 cloves of garlic
3-4 hot chili peppers (serrano/jalapeños)or less based on your spice quotient
Handful finely chopped cilantro
1 lime, juice and zest
1⁄2 medium onion, roughly chopped
Salt, to taste

Black bean and corn salsa

For a detailed recipe click here

Ingredients: (serves 4-6)
1 can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 red pepper
1 large tomato
1/2 large red onion
Few sprigs fresh coriander
1 jalapeno pepper
1 tsp roasted and ground cumin
1 Lime, juice and zest
Salt to taste
1 tsp oil

Tomato olive salsa
This pico de gallo gets a briny boost from olives. Serve it spooned over grilled fish or chicken.
Ingredients:
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped fine
1 garlic minced
5-6 green pitted olives, chopped
Salt and pepper
Juice and zest of 1 lime

In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients.
Let sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Blueberry Pancakes

A big stack of soft fluffy pancakes, served with berries, dusted with powdered sugar or chocolate, drizzled with sweet earthy maple syrup - a drool worthy breakfast to start an awesome weekend. Pancakes are flat cakes made from a batter of flour, eggs and milk with a leavening agent such as baking powder to make them thick and fluffy. As a variation to the basic recipe, the eggless buttermilk pancake recipe can be found here. 
Basic pancakes 
This basic recipe for pancakes makes about 8 pancakes. The trick to making pancakes is to mix all dry ingredients together and wet ingredients together and then combine the two. It is important not to over mix the batter in order to make fluffy pancakes. Some lumps are fine, the batter should be a little lumpy.  
Ingredients: 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp sugar (optional)
11/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1 to 11/4 cup milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Butter/vegetable oil for cooking pancakes

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to get the dry mixture.
2. In another bowl, whisk together milk, butter, vanilla extract and egg to make the wet mixture. 
3. Add dry mix to wet mix and whisk until just moistened. Do not over mix, a bit lumpy is fine.
4. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add butter or oil to the skillet and spread it around the pan with a pastry brush.
5. Drop a small ladle full of pancake batter into the pan.
6. Cook until surface of the pancake has some bubbles, takes about 1-2 minutes. Flip carefully and cook for another minute or two till underside is golden. 
7. Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm with desired toppings.

For making blueberry pancakes: 

Basic pancake recipe

1 cup blueberries 

Follow the basic recipe till step 5. Sprinkle a few blueberries on the pancake. Continue cooking as above. Serve drizzled with maple syrup. 

Make it wholesome - Substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour. Add a tbsp of ground flaxseed to the dry mix. If batter is thick, add more milk a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a pouring consistency.
Spice it up – Stir 1/2 to 1 tsp of different spices into the flour before adding wet ingredients, to create a flavor variation. Choose from cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, green cardamom powder.

Assorted topping ideas for pancakes - butter, maple syrup, dusting of confectioners' sugar, honey, jams and preserves, whipped cream, chocolate syrup and chocolate chips, berries, fresh fruit (berries), cooked fruit such as apples, peaches and pears.

Sweet Crepes

Cinnamon apple crepes with chocolate drizzle

A crêpe is a very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour. These French street-food staples are easy to make and can be served with a variety of fillings both sweet and savory. Classic crêpes are made with a wet mixture of flour, eggs, milk and salt. A small amount of this thin batter is gently cooked in a butter greased pan till it turns lightly golden.
Breakfast and dessert crêpes are commonly filled with sweet fillings such as fruit, syrup, chocolate, whipped cream. The lunch ones can be more hearty and savory and stuffed with meats, cheese, eggs, veggies. Crêpes are a great way to turn left overs into a delicious meal. Use a different flour to make the shell for a taste variation - whole wheat, buckwheat, etc.
Here are some filling ideas for your sweet crêpes.

Other filling ideas for sweet crepe

1. Cinnamon apple crêpes with chocolate drizzle
2. Chocolate spread (Nutella) with raspberries 
3. Fresh whipped cream with blueberries 
4. Maple syrup and walnuts 
5. Chocolate drizzle, hazelnuts and banana slices
6. Strawberry, rhubarb and Mascarpone cheese 
7. Peaches with whipped cream

Cinnamon apple crepes with chocolate drizzle

Cinnamon apple crepes with chocolate drizzle
Ingredients: makes 8
For the crepes
1 cup flour
1 egg
1 tbsp butter
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water

For the filling
1 apple, cored and diced

2 tsp sugar
1/3 tsp cornstarch
1/3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp lemon juice

1. Make the apple filling: Combine sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon with 1/4 cup of water and stir to dissolve. Add apples and lemon juice and bring to boil. Reduce to medium heat and cover. Cook until the apples have softened and liquid has thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool while you prepare the crepe shells.
2. Make the crepe shells: Mix all the ingredients for crepes and whisk to get a lump free thin batter. Bring a lightly greased non-stick skillet to medium heat. Pour 3-4 tbsp of batter onto the pan and rotate the pan around so that there is an even coating on the bottom . Try not to run batter up the sides as this can over crisp the edges. Turn the crepe over after 30-40 seconds. It should be lightly browned on both sides. 
3. Lay crepes flat on a dry surface. Evenly distribute the apple mixture between the crepes. Fold each crepe
4. Plate your crepes and drizzle them with chocolate syrup. Serve warm. Optionally, serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or dust with powdered sugar.

Guacamole

You may already have a favorite guacamole recipe. But I thought why not share one of my favorite. I love avocados, they are so delish and so good for you. The trick to a good guacamole is to not mash the avocados thoroughly, but leave it chunky. Then create a perfect balance of salt and lime juice, add some red onions and there you have it. if you like your's spicy, add some diced jalapeño, I always do. Some add diced tomato. I am personally not a fan of adding them to guacamole, I like mine crunchy.

Essentially all you need is some salt and lime juice, that makes it plenty delicious. But here is the basic recipe that I use. Serve as a dip with crisp crudité, dollop into fajitas, quesadillas, tostadas or burritos. So quick and easy, so festive, great for your next party.

Ingredients:
2 medium avocados
1 lime, juiced
1/2 medium red onion, minced
1 large clove garlic, finely grated
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt and fresh pepper, to taste
1/2 jalapeño, diced (optional)

1. Peel and pit the avocado. Place the pulp in a bowl and mash it coarsely with a fork leaving some large chunks. 
2. Add lime juice, salt, pepper, cilantro, red onion, garlic and mix thoroughly.
3. If you are serving this at a later time, cover tightly with plastic wrap so no air gets on it to keep the guacamole from turning brown.
4. Keep chilled till serving. 

Fish tacos with mango avocado salsa

Tonight's dinner

Cajun grilled fish tacos

Mango avocado salsa

Sour cream topping (optional)

Tacos are by far my favorite things to serve during summer. There is less cooking involved, only a whole bunch of chopping and prepping. All the things can be made in advance and then assembled just before serving. If you have to feed a crowd, just prep it all and create a taco bar for everyone to assemble their own tacos. Don't forget the margaritas.  

I love serving sweet fruity salsas with spicy grilled seafood and during summer and there are a lot of delicious fruits to choose from. These Cajun spiced fish tacos with mango avocado salsa are spicy, full of awesome flavor and totally delicious. The Cajun spice rub gives the fish an incredible smoky and spicy taste. The sweet and sour mango avocado salsa adds the summer to the dish. If you have a high spice quotient then add extra jalapeno pepper rings and a few extra dashes of lime juice. really brings out all the flavors.    

Fish tacos with mango avocado salsa

Ingredients: 

Corn tortillas

Cajun spiced Salmon fillets (recipe below)

Shredded cabbage

Mango avocado salsa (recipe below)

Sour cream (or plain hung yogurt)

Lime wedges 

1. Heat the tortillas till lightly toasted.
2. Place shredded cabbage inside the tortilla, followed by Cajun spiced fish.
3. Top with mango avocado salsa and sour cream.
4. Give a little sprinkle of lime and serve with extra salsa.

Cajun spiced salmon

Ingredients: 

Salmon fillets 

Salt to taste

Olive oil

Cajun spice (recipe here)

1. Season the salmon fillets with salt on both sides. Rub the fillets with cajun spice rub and keep aside for 10 minutes. 
2. Spray with olive oil and grill till cooked through. Serve inside corn tortillas with mango avocado salsa. 

Mango avocado salsa
Ingredients:
2 ripe mangoes
2 avocados
1 small red onion
Handful fresh cilantro
Few leaves of fresh mint
2-3 jalapeño peppers
Salt to taste
Lime juice

1. Cut mango and avocado into small bite sized pieces. Thinly slice onion and chop jalapeño, cilantro and mint fine. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients. Chill for an hour to blend the flavors. Serve cold.

Shrimp tostadas

Tostadas are crispy tortillas that are piled high with toppings that are often held in place with a base of guacamole or refried beans. They are just like crisp tacos, only flat. Anything that goes in a taco can go on top of the tostada. So you can use any toppings of your choice - small pieces of grilled fish or chicken, salsa, cheese, sour cream, refried beans. 

The greatest question, however, would be - how to make these crispy tostadas. Most commonly you can take corn tortillas and fry them crisp. Another option, which I prefer as it requires less monitoring, would be to spray them with oil and just stick them in the oven for a few minutes. They come out perfect. While they are cooking you can chop and prep the other toppings. 

These delicious tostadas with smoky shrimps and crunchy sweet and sour pineapple slaw on creamy guacamole are sure to hit the spot and they are perfect for those tropical themed meals. Just add a citrus margarita to make it spectacular.

Corn tostadas

Ingredients:

8 small corn tortillas

Vegetable oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Spray the tortillas lightly with vegetable oil on both sides.
3. Place on the oven rack and bake for 7-8 minutes till crisp and lightly toasted.
4. Do not overcook. They keep toasting for a bit even after you remove them from the oven.
5. Spread a generous layer of guacamole, top with pineapple slaw and jalapeno peppers. Place the grilled shrimp on top. 
6. Serve hot and crisp.

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Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients:

25 Raw shrimp
Salt to taste
1 tsp Red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lime juice

1. Peel and devein the shrimp.
2. Mix all the ingredients together and grill till cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. 
3. Or cook on medium high in a pan for 3-4 minutes per side till cooked through.

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Pineapple Slaw
Ingredients:
Red cabbage
Pineapple
Red onions
Carrot
Fresh coriander
Lime juice
Olive oil
Salt and crushed black pepper

1. Finely shred cabbage, thinly slice the red onion, grate the carrots and chop pineapple and coriander. 
2. Mix lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. 
3. Let flavors blend for 30 minutes before serving.   

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Guacamole

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados

1 clove of garlic, crushed

Salt to taste

2 tbsp lime juice

Mash the avocados and mix all ingredients together.

Battered shrimp tacos

Tonight's Menu

Crispy battered shrimp tacos with sliced avocado

Grapefruit orange salsa

Jalapeno cream

Beer

Tacos, the traditional Mexican dish made of corn tortilla folded around a simple filling for a weeknight meal or a more elaborate filling fit for an extravagant night of entertaining, are just right for almost any occasion. This version here fits the extravagant bill.
Crispy fried shrimps inside a corn tortilla drizzled with a spicy jalapeno cream and a side of tangy crunchy grapefruit orange salsa - colorful, flavorful spread. I love using fruit in savory dishes like this specially in summer. Certainly adds a lot of color to the plate. Feast for the eyes even before it hits your taste buds.
All the flavors and textures work very well together here. The pairing of crispy fried shrimp with the juicy sweet and sour orange salsa, crunchy cabbage, crisp radish, gentle heat of the jalapenos, silky avocado slices with a drizzle of the jalapeno cream in these tacos is simply divine. A must try.

 

Crispy battered shrimp tacos 

Ingredients:

8 small corn tortillas

Battered shrimp (recipe below)
Shredded cabbage
Thin avocado slices
Thin slices of radish
Jalapeno rings (optional)
Jalapeno cream (recipe below)
Orange grapefruit salsa (recipe below)

1. Warm up the tortillas in a hot griddle till lightly crisp.
2. Place 2 fried crispy shrimps in it.
3. Top with some shredded cabbage, sliced radish and avocado. 
4. Drizzle a tsp if the jalapeno cream on top.
5. Add some jalapeno rings on top if you prefer a spicy taco.
6. Serve with a side of orange grapefruit salsa.

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Crispy battered shrimp

Ingredients: (For 8 tacos)

24 raw shrimps

3/4 cup flour

1/3 tsp baking powder

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Water to make a batter

Oil for frying

1. Heat oil in a pan for frying.
2. Remove the shell and vein from the shrimps. 
3. Make a thick batter of pancake like consistency with flour, baking powder, salt  pepper and water.
4. Dip the prepared shrimp in the batter and coat it evenly with the thick batter. Drop them in the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes on both sides. Remove the fried shrimp on a plate lined with paper towel to remove excess oil.
5. Keep them there until ready to serve.

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Orange grapefruit salsa

Ingredients: (For 8 tacos)
2 ruby red grapefruits
2 navel oranges
1 small red onion
Handful fresh mint and coriander
1 jalapeno pepper
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Peel and chop the grapefruit and oranges into small bite sized pieces. Do this in a bowl to catch all the juices that will flow as a result of chopping. 
2. Chop onion, jalapeno, mint and coriander. 
3. Add these to the chopped citrus fruit. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
4. Taste. If the fruit is sour enough then your salsa is ready. Sometimes the oranges and grapefruit are sweeter than you want. In that case add some lime juice to taste. Cover.
5. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Jalapeno cream
Ingredients:
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp sour cream
3-4 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp lime zest
1 large clove of garlic, grated
1/2 jalapeno pepper minced fine
3-4 sprigs of fresh coriander, chopped fine
Salt to taste (Remember mayonnaise has salt, so use sparingly)

1. In a small mixing bowl, mix together all the above ingredients. It should be a pourable consistency. 
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

5 delicious coleslaw variations

A good slaw is crunchy, refreshing and flavorful. Whether you're a fan of the creamy mayonnaise dressed slaw or the bright, acidic vinegar dressed slaw we can all agree that it really brightens up the meal. All these slaw recipes make good use of cabbage, carrots, onion and more. They make great accompaniment to your summer barbecue, fall pot roasts, fried chicken/fish, fillings for tacos, sandwiches, burgers, hotdogs. Try one today.

1. Pineapple slaw
Pineapple adds a whole lot of tropical feel to this delicious slaw. Serve it in a taco, or alongside your grilled meats, it is sure to please all taste buds. This is truly summer in a bowl.

Ingredients:

Red cabbage

Pineapple

Red onions

Carrot

Fresh coriander

Lime juice
Olive oil

Salt and crushed black pepper

1. Finely shred cabbage, thinly slice the red onion, grate carrots and chop pineapple and coriander. 
2. Mix lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Let flavors blend for 30 minutes before serving.   

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2. Red Cabbage slaw

Ingredients: 

1/4 medium red cabbage

2 small carrots

1/2 medium red Onion

Handful fresh coriander

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large clove of garlic, grated fine

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1-2 tsp olive oil

1. Core and shred the cabbage fine and chop coriander. Grate carrots and thinly julienne red onions. Toss together.
2. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, lime juice and zest, garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Add the dressing to the veggies and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

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3. Southwestern slaw
The zesty flavor of this slaw is perfect on a fish taco.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

1 cup fine shredded cabbage

1/2 red onion thinly sliced

1 jalapeno minced

handful chopped coriander

2 tsp lime juice

2 tsp honey

salt to taste

Combine everything and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving

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4. Jamaican Coleslaw

The vinaigrette dressing for this slaw is tangy and sweet. No mayonnaise is used so the slaw remains crisp. The longer the salad sits with the dressing, the better it gets.   

Ingredients: (serves 4-6)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp cider vinegar/white wine vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp granulated sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 small green cabbage, shredded

2 small carrot, shredded

1/2 large red onions, thinly sliced

Handful fresh coriander, finely chopped

1. In large bowl, whisk together the first five ingredients.
2. Add cabbage, carrot and green onions; toss to coat
3. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. 

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5. Creamy cabbage apple slaw
Crunchy and a little creamy with a hint of sweetness from the apple. 

Ingredients: (serves 4)

1/4 head green and purple cabbage each shredded

2 carrots grated

1/2 red onion sliced

1 apple grated

Dressing

1 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tsp grainy mustard

1 tsp sugar

salt to taste (optional)

freshly grated black pepper

2-3 tbsp water to adjust consistency

1. Combine all the ingredients for dressing and stir well with a whisk.
2. Combine all the veggies in a large bowl. Pour dressing mixture over it and toss gently to combine. Chill.

20 Awesome BBQ side dishes

Its that time of the year. Spruce up your back yard, clean the barbecue and soak up some sun. To make the most of the few precious months of warm sunny weather, here is a collection of some tempting side dish recipes that are the perfect accompaniment to grilled food, outdoor parties, picnics or even for your weekend supper. Featured here are some fresh, healthy and weather appropriate dishes that are flavor packed and capture the essence of spring and summer.

Most of these dishes are make ahead dishes. Assemble and refrigerate till serving time. This works great when you have company. Prep everything in the morning and then enjoy with your guests. Most of them will also make excellent dishes to pack for a picnic. Choose 2 or more of these sides with your main dish for a grand meal and have a spectacular summer.

1. Watermelon Salad
No other fruit says summer like the luscious, thirst quenching watermelon. Making them a part of the meal adds color and vibrancy.
This anti-oxidant rich fruit is a great thirst quencher and has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. This salad pairs perfectly with any grilled fare.

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2. Pineapple Salad
Crunchy, tangy pineapple with red onion, fresh herbs and lime juice all in one.
Ingredients: (serves 4)
Pineapple in bite sized chunks
Red pepper chunks
Yellow pepper chunks
Red onion chopped
Handful fresh coriander chopped
Handful fresh mint chopped
Jalapeno peppers chopped
Salt to taste
Lime juice
Combine all the ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to blend in the flavors.

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3. Thai Green Mango Salad
This is a very simply dressed salad which is refreshing and balances the heat when served alongside any hot Thai dish. The tart green mangoes are the main ingredient. The crunch comes from red onions and roasted peanuts white a handful of red peppers incorporate color.
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4. Mango Salsa
For Mango salsa, peel and chop 2 mangoes into bite sized pieces. Also dice 1/2 red onion, 1 red pepper, handful of fresh coriander and mint, a few green chilies. Toss them all together and dress with a couple teaspoons of sesame oil, a drizzle of lime juice, salt, freshly ground black pepper.
Make this salsa ahead of time and chill for a minimum of 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve cold. This makes for a wonderful accompaniment with any grilled fish or meat dish.
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5. Orange Salsa
Ingredients:
3-4 oranges, seeds removed cut into chunks (or 2 cans of mandarin oranges drained)
1/2 red onion chopped
large bunch coriander finely chopped
2-3 green chillies or habanero, chopped (optional)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
Mix everything together and let flavors blend for about 1/2 an hour before using.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Waldorf Salad
This timeless American classic dish consists of apples, celery and grapes dressed in a creamy dressing and topped with candied walnuts. It was originally dressed in mayonnaise but has since undergone some transformation to make it more modern, light and refreshing. Be sure to add it to your menu, you will be delighted with the combination of textures and flavors. Here is how I make this salad.
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7. Deviled eggs with guacamole
Whats not to love in this. Eggs-yummm..., guacamole- double yummm...Combine the two together and you have a winner. A great dish for a party starter, or for those evenings when you don't want to spend eternity in the kitchen.
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8. Lemon couscous
This light tasting couscous salad is a perfect side dish with any BBQ. Incorporate any veggies in this such as red onions, peppers and any fresh herbs you have at hand.
Ingredients: (serves 5-6)
1 cup couscous
1 cup boiling water
Salt to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 English cucumber diced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 green onion thinly sliced
1 tbsp lemon rind
Big handful each of fresh mint and Coriander finely chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
Handful dried sweetened cranberries (optional)

1. Take boiling water in a large bowl. Add salt and couscous. Mix well, cover and set aside for 5 minutes. 
2. Fluff with a fork, add all remaining ingredients, and toss to combine. 
3. Serve at room temperature.

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9. Israeli Couscous salad
Israeli couscous (called 'Ptitim' in Israel) is similar to regular couscous in that it's a small, whole grain-like food made from semolina or wheat flour. But unlike the regular couscous it is twice as big and toasted, rather than dried. Toasting gives it a slight nutty taste. It has a sturdy composition and cooks with a slight bite to it. Use it in soups or salads or as a side dish cooked like rice pilaf. It is also called 'pearl couscous' or 'Jerusalem couscous'.
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10. Tabbouleh Salad
This classic Middle Eastern salad is a refreshing parsley salad with bulgur wheat, cucumbers and tomatoes dressed with a simple lemon vinaigrette.
The recipe calls for soaking the cracked wheat in cold water, but in our house we like it a little soft, so I used boiling water. Use hot or cold water as per your requirement to re-hydrate the wheat.
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11. Lemon Quinoa
Inspired by the chitra anna (or lemon rice) recipe, the quinoa is tinted yellow with turmeric and flavored with lemon, fried peanuts and spices.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa (I used white quinoa here)
2 cups water
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
Pinch asafoetida(hing)
1 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp peanuts
2-3 whole red chilies
2 green chilies finely chopped
1 tsp ginger grated (traditionally not used, i use it, gives a great flavor)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Red chili powder to taste
Lemon juice as per taste

1. Wash quinoa in cold running water, drain. 
2. Place it in a pan with 2 cups water and salt. 
3. Bring to boil and simmer covered for 18-20 minutes till translucent and all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and keep aside to cool. 
4. For good results always advisable to cook quinoa a few hours in advance. 
5. In a large pan heat oil and add mustard seeds. Let them roast for 5-7 seconds, then add hing, urad dal, peanuts and whole red chilies. Roast till dal turns golden. 
6. Add the cooked quinoa, green chilies and ginger and stir to combine. Keeping the heat at medium, add turmeric and chili powder. Saute well to combine everything for about 3-4 minutes. 
7. Finally add the lemon juice as per taste and adjust any seasoning. Serve hot.

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12. Saffron Rice
This recipe kind of evolves from the pilaf recipes of the Mughlai cuisine, and goes very well with any BBQ dish.
Ingredients:
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1 tbsp milk
2 Tbsp ghee or clarified butter
4 green cardamom pods
1 small (2-inch) cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
3 cups water
Salt to taste (optional)
1 tbsp orange zest
3 Tbsp pistachios
3 Tbsp blanched slivered almonds
1/3 cup cranberries

1. Wash rice and drain the water.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan heat ghee and add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon. stir for 10 seconds and add rice along with zest and cranberries. stir to coat the rice with ghee and spices.
3. Add water and salt. mix well. Add the saffron threads soaked in milk. Stir well if you want the entire rice to turn yellow OR just give it one random stir to get the effect you see in the picture.
4. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes till rice is cooked through and all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the almonds and pistachios.

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13. Thai inspired peanut noodles
If you like Thai food then you will love these flavors Sweet nuttiness from the peanut butter, coupled with sesame oil and lemongrass makes a wonderful blend. You can use any type of noodles here, I used spaghetti.
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14. Garlic Potatoes
Ingredients: (serves 4-5)
4-5 large potatoes
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tbsp Greek seasoning
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp lime juice
Salt to taste
Greek Seasoning
1 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp each onion and garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp mint
1/3 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg

1. Heat olive oil in a pan, and add crushed garlic. Cook till light pink. 
2. Add all other ingredients and a sprinkle a palm full of water. 
3. Mix thoroughly, simmer and cover. 
4. Cook for 10-15 minutes checking frequently to prevent it from burning till potatoes are cooked through. 
5. Serve hot with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.

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15. Plantain Chips
Green plantains are starchy and taste like potatoes, but as they ripen they become yellow and soft and sweet. Fried sweet plantains are commonly served as a side to savory dishes such as fish. Trick to making delish fried plantains is to know how to choose them. If you want sweet crisp dish then choose the riper bananas - the more beaten up and black the skin looks, the riper and sweeter they are.
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16. Southern Corn bread
Slightly sweet with lots of flavor from garlic and jalapenos cornbread can be served anytime of the day.
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17. Vegetable kebabs
I have used mushroom, onion, zucchini and peppers for these kebabs. You can use any veggie combo you like.
Ingredients: (serves 4) 
Mushrooms whole
Red onions
Green and/or Red peppers
Zucchini
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic paste
salt to taste
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp dry basil
freshly ground black pepper

1. Keep the mushrooms whole if they are the button mushroom variety, otherwise half them. Cut all other veges into large chunks.
2. Mix all ingredients for the marinade and marinate the veges in it. for 1/2 an hour.
3. Skewer the veges alternating each type in on skewer.
4. Grill on high for 10-12 minutes till desired tenderness or crispness is achieved.

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18. Greek salad
Ingredients: (serves 4-5)
Lettuce
English cucumber
Tomatoes
Red onion
Olives
Feta cheese
Dressing
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cloves garlic, grated
1 1/2 tbsp Greek seasoning
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
Greek Seasoning
1 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp each onion and garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp mint
1/3 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg

1. Tear lettuce into small pieces, cut large chunks of tomatoes and cucumbers and slice red onion into rings. Put all these in a large bowl. 
2. Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and toss into the above bowl. Cover and refrigerate to let the flavors blend(30 minutes). 
3. To serve spoon a large helping on the serving plate and top with kalamata olives and some crumbled feta cheese. Mmmm mmm good.

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19. Pineapple Slaw
Ingredients:
Red cabbage
Pineapple
Red onions
Carrot
Fresh coriander
Lime juice
Olive oil
Salt and crushed black pepper

1. Finely shred cabbage, thinly slice the red onion, grate carrots and chop pineapple and coriander. 
2. Mix lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Let flavors blend for 30 minutes before serving.   

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20. Jamaican Coleslaw
The vinaigrette dressing for this slaw is tangy and sweet. No mayonnaise is used so the slaw remains crisp. The longer the salad sits with the dressing, the better it gets.