Spinach Enchilada

Enchilada is a popular Mexican dish. Enchiladas are made by rolling corn tortillas around some filling like beans or veggies and covered with chile + tomato puree and baked with cheese. Click to read more about it. I have a very nice neighbor (Shukla aunty) and we exchange our best dishes always. Last month she brought us a plate of flavorful enchiladas she prepared using spinach. She made it from scratch and taught me that recipe. Here is that yummiest enchilada with 'home made enchilada sauce'. We used my homegrown basil leaves in this recipe. This may be a unique recipe with little Indian touch and sweetness, but this is the best for us. Hope you all enjoy!

Basil plants are growing (right)

Ingredients:
tortilla - 6
shredded mozzarella cheese - 3/4  cup

Spinach filling:
Spinach - 1 small bunch
onion - 1/2
garlic - 3 clove
bell pepper - 1/2
cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
oil  - 1 tsp

Filling:
Heat oil in a wok.
Add chopped garlic and onion. Fry for a minute.
Put the chopped bell pepper. Saute till it wilts.
Then add chopped spinach and saute for 1 minute.
Add required salt, red chilly powder, cumin powder.
keep aside.

Enchilada sauce:
butter / oil - 1 tbsp
garlic - 2 cloves
green onion (spring onion) - 1 small bunch
dried Italian seasoning - 1 tsp
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
tomato sauce - 2 tbsp
hot sauce - 1 tbsp
red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
All purpose flour - 1 tbsp
water - 1/4 cup
basil leaf - 1 sprig
cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Heat oil and saute the chopped spring onion + garlic for a moment.
Add AP flour and saute for a few seconds.
Pour in the tomato puree and add salt, red chilly powder, cumin powder, dried Italian herb seasoning and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and cook till raw smell of tomato vanishes.
Then add finely chopped basil, hot sauce, tomato ketchup / sauce (for sweetness),  1/4 cup water and bring it to a boil. Switch off.
If needed add some shredded cheese now (anyways we will be adding cheese later).


arranging the enchiladas: 
Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Pour  few tbsp of enchilada sauce in a baking dish.
Toast the tortillas both sides in a tawa or microwave. place them in a wide plate.
Divide the spinach filling into 6 and scoop 1 part to each tortilla.
Fold them as shown in photo and keep them in the baking dish with seam side down (touching the sauce in bottom).
Now pour enough sauce to cover the tortillas.
Sprinkle enough cheese to cover the top.

Bake 15 minutes or till cheese turns bubbly and mild red.

Spinach enchilada is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as main course meal.

Tips:
The left over enchilada sauce (while preparing) can be refrigerated for 3 weeks and used as sauce for pasta or pizza.

Eggplant fry and kitchen garden

Gardening is one of my favorite hobby from childhood. After coming to US, I couldn't understand this weather for a few years and planted only mint, herbs and some flowering plants. Bringing the plants indoor for cold weather and maintaining them is equally interesting but needs more space and knowledge. Then I wanted to grow some seasonal plants (annuals) as if it is a typical kitchen garden. This summer (by June) we bought 3 eggplant seedlings and one tomato plant from the local grocery shop. The apartment has allowed the residents to have some garden space. We planted them in our garden space in downstairs and the plants started growing very fast. I watered them regularly and fed them with home made fertilizer. My neighbors are already much enthusiastic gardeners and hence I started enjoying gardening again with them all. Within 6 weeks we could harvest huge eggplants (18 till now and still coming up) and I made many dishes with that. Also I shared the brinjals with my neighbors and got back some green chillies, long hot pepper (bajji milagai), tomato, spring onion. Our eggplant tastes very good, just like butter (am I boasting now:)). Totally we all enjoyed that buttery creamy delicious home grown brinjals:)
Here is the simple varuval (fry) I made using the second brinjal .... the first one....i picked before it got big, as I didn't realize how big it will grow: )

Eggplant varuval / fry.

Eggplant started showing up and growing.

Eggplants in cluster.

fully grown eggplant shrub.

see the small seeds inside...buttery eggplant.

I weighed each and every brinjal and noted down for fun. The biggest one weighed 584 gm :)

Ingredients: 
Eggplant (big brinjal) - 1 (300 gm)
oil - 2 tbsp
fennel seed (sombu) - 1 tsp
onion - 1
garlic - 5 cloves
curry leaf - 1 sprig
red chilly powder - 1.5 tsp
garam masala powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
salt - to taste

Method:
Cut the eggplant into small cubes. Heat oil in a wok and add the fennel. After it gets mild red, add the chopped onion and fry till it gets golden brown. Add the crushed garlic, curry leaf and fry for 10 seconds. Then add the chopped eggplant and stir well. Cook covered with a tbsp of water and low heat till it is well done. Add the chilly powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt and cook covered in low heat for a few minutes.
Switch off before it gets mushy.
Eggplant varuval is ready!

 Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish with chapati or any rice.