Falafel Wrap with Pea & Feta Hummus

Ingredients for Falafel:

1C. Chick pea/Garbanzo beans (soaked in water overnight)
3 – 4 Garlic cloves (minced)
1 onion (finely chopped)
1T. Cumin powder
1T. Coriander powder
1T. Red chili powder
½ T. Black pepper powder
½ T. Baking soda
½ T. Cardamom powder
2T. Whole wheat flour
1T. Lemon juice
¼ C. Parsley leaves (chopped)
½ C. Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt to taste

Ingredients for Pea & Feta Hummus:

1C. Peas
½ C. Feta cheese
1T. Tahina paste
2T. Olive oil
Salt & pepper

Other Ingredients:

Whole wheat wraps or tortillas
Oil to fry
Salad filling (thin diced – cucumber, tomato, onion & lettuce)
Mayonnaise

Recipe:

Start with preparing the falafel. Add all the ingredients for falafel into a food processor and make a course mixture. Leave it in the refrigerator for one hour.

To prepare the hummus, add peas, feta cheese, tahina paste, olive oil, salt & pepper in a food processor and pulse until smooth puree is formed.

Remove the chickpea mixture from the refrigerator and roll into medium sized balls. Deep fry in batches for about 3 to 4 minutes or till golden brown and drain on paper towels

To make a wrap, warm the tortillas a bit. Spread a generous layer of hummus and place 3 – 4 falafel balls on top. Layer the wrap with desired amount of salad and mayonnaise. Roll up the tortilla and tuck it well.

It is now ready to be served. Enjoy!

Classic Pesto Pizza

I got this recipe from my aunt and I liked it a lot as it’s a great alternative to a regular pizza. Less  of cheese and more of flavor!

Ingredients:

1 Pizza crust
⅛^th C. Italian 5 cheese or any mozzarella (shredded)
⅛ ^th C. Crumbled goat cheese
5-6 Cherry tomatoes (halved)
2T. Pesto
1T. Fig balsamic vinegar
Handful of baby lettuce leaves

Recipe:

Pre heat the oven at 230°.

Layer the pizza crust evenly with pesto and add a layer of shredded cheese on top.

Add cherry tomatoes and the crumbled goat cheese on the pizza crust.

Bake the pizza in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

Once it’s out from the oven add a handful of baby lettuce leaves on top and drizzle some fig balsamic vinegar.

Cut pizza into slices and serve immediately.

Bon Appetit-O !

Babylon Hookah Lounge, NYC

A good hookah and enjoyment goes hand in hand. I am sure there are many hookah lounges in New York City but I found this one closest to The Empire State Building, while I was on a city tour. I am very picky about flavored smoke, may be because I know my good hookah. After going to this lounge, I must say, I was impressed!

They start operations at 15:00 and are open till late. Also have a decent food and drinks menu to choose from. When I visited this place I was greeted by Selin. She not only made me comfortable but also suggested me few options that I could try.
Beware – other than being gorgeous, she’s good at up selling too 😉

So, I ordered a special flavor (out of the menu) in a fruit head along with some beer and not to forget, their happy hours include almost everything fancy. Service was prompt and they constantly checked the coal. Selin and her team not only made sure that everything is fine but also were very hospitable and made sure that all their guests are having a good time.

Their hookah hits amazingly and the overall profile is excellent. The music being played in the lounge is mixed genre which brings people from different origins together. They also have a club setup for a weekend which is another added advantage… probably a perfect spot to come smoke hookah, socialize and dance!

The seating area is comfortable and spacious, plus the Turkish lamps add to the ambience. I came to this place for the first time and I absolutely loved it! If compared hookah prices with the other part of the world some people might find it a bit expensive but in the end what matters is having a good time. 🙂

Whenever I will be in NYC will for sure stop by.

Contact for reservations:
Babylon Hookah Lounge
208 East 34th Street New York, NY
Phone: 212-933-0912

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Templeton Rye – The Good Stuff

While I was traveling within the United States I tried the Templeton rye. This review is about the same. I am generally fond of Scotch & Bourbon but this time I thought of trying something new.

So, the story goes like this, in November 1918 because of war time Prohibition act in the United States the beverages having alcohol content more than 2.75 % were banned. The country went completely dry for almost a year till few residents of Iowa started producing their own rye whiskey. It was affectionately known as “The Good Stuff”.

In 1982 the production was legalized and was introduced to a wider audience.

In year 2007 this brand was known widely in the country and the production plant expanded at a very high speed. Also, the same year it bagged four top awards at the prestigious Los Angeles Wine and Spirits Competition. Which were – Best of American Straight Rye, Best of Whiskey, over all Packaging Design & Gold Medal & American Straight Rye Whiskey category.

Over a week of having Templeton I realized that it is a well-balanced rye that’s perfect for the holidays. It has a nose of mint and pine and delivers smooth butterscotch and allspice. It has another interesting bit attached to it. Templeton Rye can actually get you a partial refund here in the states ranging between 3$ – 6$. No, it’s not because the company likes you. It’s because of a law suit filed against them which accused them of “deceptive marketing”.

Templeton Rye Spirits appear to be an Iowa product. Although the whiskey is distilled and aged in an Lawrenceburg, Indiana plant, a facility where many ryes on the market are produced but it’s in the different state.

Many legends and rumors have surfaced over the years concerning Templeton Rye but one thing is for sure that unique brand loyalty can still be found in the hearts of Templeton people even today.

Alcohol/Volume: 40%

Proof: 80°

Website: www.templetonrye.com

THERE’S A REASON PEOPLE CALL IT THE GOOD STUFF.
Cheers!!

Lentil Broccoli Curry

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions (chopped)
1 T. Chili powder
1 ½  T. Black pepper
2 T. Cumin
1 T. Ground coriander
2  T. Turmeric
1 C. Red lentil
1 lemon juice
3 C. Vegetable broth
2 medium broccoli, chopped
½ C. Dried coconut (optional)
Salt

Recipe

Heat butter in saucepan and sauté onions until well browned.

Add chili powder, pepper, cumin, coriander and turmeric. Stir and roast for a minute.

Add lentils, lemon juice, broth and coconut if using.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45-55 minutes.
(If mixture is too thick, you may need to add a little hot water).

Add broccoli & salt to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve hot over Basmati rice or chapattis.

Edinburgh Festival Camping 2015

Camping at a festival is like becoming a part of a colorful village that only exists for a few days. It’s where friendships are made and adventures begin, where everyone is ready to have a good time. The Fringe is the world’s largest art festival held in Edinburgh every year in the month of August. It goes on for good 25 days and you can choose from one of the many camping venues. This year I preferred to stay in a camp site managed by camping ninja. It was at Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston.
The camping ground was clean and well maintained. I was carrying my own tent so I picked up a standard pitch close by a lake. Other camping options were also available. A separate ground for people camping in their caravans was at a walking distance from the main entrance. A mini kitchen, toilets, shower rooms, cafeteria, and a charging station was also there.

It took me just few minutes to setup my tent and I was already thinking ahead of time about what to do next. Thinking about camping has a stress relieving effect on me. Camping means staying outdoors, close to nature, which never fails to make me happy. Campers on the whole are very friendly. I take great pleasure in having random chats, and sharing some stories I have.

I think I like the feeling of being connected.

Camping festivals always seem to be their own little alternative places where saying things like “join me for a drink” or “let’s go for a walk later” are totally common. Another best thing about festival camping is that curfews are non-existent, parties last all night, and nobody is judged.

If you’re attending the festival and want to feel the true camping spirit, stop by a retail store to grab a sleeping bag. It’s a must have. I love wriggling inside my sleeping bag, in my tent and look up at the stars; luckily this time while I was camping it was a full moon night. It just enhanced the panoramic view of the entire place.

A camping experience can be either the best few days of your life or a frustrating hassle depending on the campground’s location and weather. My advice to you all is to plan well & book in advance.

Exploring and finding joy in the natural world is something I’ll never grow out of so people who would like to join me for the next festival camping session can pre register by following the link.

http://www.campingninja.com/

Hope to see you there!