Fatima's Fabulous Kitchen

I don't eat to live. I live to eat.

Vegetarian

Meal-Prep Bean Salad

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Red Kidney Beans, Onion, Bell Pepper, Jicama, Carrot, Cilantro

My friends are all highly successful career-women with very little time to spare in the day for cooking.

And while they do seem to love seeing my 10-step fusion recipes with 20 different ingredients and 3 different sections, for the purpose of practicality they need something easy and reliable that they can make week-after-week that will keep the taste-buds satisfied and the waistline consistent.

So that’s why I thought it would be nice to share this simple, five-minute salad recipe.

It is so simple that I feel kinda embarrassed for sharing it but because it’s so freaking good I’ll have to relent.

I use diced jicama, carrot, red bell pepper, onion, cilantro along with some red kidney beans and some roasted sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes, I think is what gives this salad a fabulous kick compared to your average bean salad. Anyone who dislikes sweet potatoes can bite the dust.

I keep the dressing very simple here. Just a bit of lime juice, agave nectar, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Salads are of course incredibly versatile so feel free to swap out vegetables or add additional ones such as lettuce or corn.

Make a whole batch of this salad Sunday night and add it to all your lunches throughout the week. You won’t be disappointed!

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Meal-Prep Bean Salad

A healthy meal-prep salad consisting of roasted sweet potatoes, jicama, carrots, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, beans and a dressing made with lime juice and agave nectar

Servings 5 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 sweet potatoes diced
  • 1 cup carrot diced
  • 1 cup jicama diced
  • 3/4 cup bell pepper diced
  • 3 Tbsp onion diced
  • 1 13 oz can of beans of your choice (black bean, kidney bean, cannelloni etc)
  • 2 Tbsp cilantro
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil (for roasting potatoes)

Dressing

  • 4 tsp agave nectar or honey
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • lime juice to taste
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel and then dice your sweet potato. Coat with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer baking sheet to oven.

  2. Remove once sweet potatoes are lightly brown on the edges. This should take about 35 minutes. In the meantime, work on prepping your other ingredients.

  3. Chop your veggies in any shape, way, or form you’d like. For this salad, I prefer to dice over julienne. 

  4. Combine all the veggies and dressing ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust for seasoning as needed. 

Achaari Udon Noodles

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If you’re anything like me, then you make some kind of stir-fry at least once a week. It’s ridiculously simple, versatile, and the perfect solution when you haven’t done any grocery shopping.

I admit that this recipe is nothing out of the ordinary – for seasoning, I use all the typical ingredients– soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil. The only difference is that I added a bit of achaar – a fantastic spicy pickle often eaten alongside main dishes for people who want a little extra spice and acidity.

You can use any achaar – store-bought or homemade. Just make sure to taste adjust the seasonings of everything else accordingly since some achaars will be saltier or more sour than others.

Also feel free to use whatever veggies you have on hand – I used carrots, bell peppers, and shiitake mushrooms. Shiitakes are hands down the best mushrooms to use in a stir-fry like this; it’s got a deep woody-umami flavor that white baby bellas can’t match.

(side note – mushroom haters are complete losers with atrocious palates. Fight me.)

I love using udon here – these thick fatty noodles add a wonderful texture and an awesome bite.

Top this with some toasted sesame seeds and a poached egg – cut into that creamy runny yolk for immense satisfaction.  

And there you have it! A great go-to weeknight recipe to satisfy all your carb and spice cravings!

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Achaari Udon Noodles

Ingredients

  • 16 oz udon noodles
  • 1 cup shiitake mushrooms (julienned)
  • 1/4 cup bell pepper (julienned) may substitute with veggies of your choice such as broccoli or snap peas
  • 1/4 cup carrot (julienned)
  • 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 Tbsp oil

Sauce (use this as just a guide, you may have to adjust depending on how spicy, salty, and sour your achaar is)

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp achaar (or to taste)
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • lime juice (to taste)

garnish

  • 1 poached egg
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Cut your veggies into thin strips. Set aside.

  2. Combine all your sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust for seasonings. You may need more or less achaar depending on your spice level and how salty it is. Set aside.

  3. In a hot wok, add in your oil. 

  4. Add in your shiitake mushrooms first. Cook for one minute. Now add in the rest of your veggies, ginger-garlic paste, and turmeric. Cook down for another 2-3 minutes.

  5. Now add in your noodles and sauce. Mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes. 

  6. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Garnish with green onion or cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. Top with poached egg.

Masala Mac N’ Cheese

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Masala Mac N’ Cheese is a concept that has been on my mind for a while. Ever since I’ve heard of the bomb-ass kimchee mac n’ cheese from the Korean American food bloggers I knew an Indian version had to be made.

Since masala is in the name, I start off by making a masala-based component. Like with many South  Indian curries, I begin the dish by tempering some oil with mustard seeds and curry leaves. I then sautée in some onions, chilies, and cooked it all down in pureed tomatoes.  I wanted to keep this vegetarian so I also used mushrooms as a great flavor enhancer and base of the masala, but if for some strange reason you don’t like them, you can of course used ground beef. Lastly, I season it all with your go-to classic Indian spices – turmeric, chili powder, cumin, and coriander along with some ginger-garlic paste.

The bechamel cheese sauce is made in a standard-fashion (if it ain’t broke, why change it?). I make a quick roux with butter and flour, added milk, sharp cheddar cheese cheese, and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

I don’t think there should ever be hard-and-fast rules for mac n’ cheese. As long as it tastes great, you should be able to do any variation you like. Everything is subject to change. But if there is one rule for making mac n’ cheese that everyone should abide by it’s this:

Always use a block of cheese and grate it yourself. Don’t use pre-shredded; it jut doesn’t melt that well!

The assembly is pretty straight-forward. I combine cork-screw pasta cooked al-dente with the masala and cheese sauce. I then pour it all in a casserole dish, add a layer of extra grated cheese along with some crushed up butter crackers. (You can of course substitute with bread crumbs or even potato chips).

I then bake it at 400 F until its beautiful and bubbly and golden brown.

Some people might feel apprehensive about this fusion dish. After all classics remain classics for a reason, and sometimes adding too many things can turn it into conFUSION.

Traditional mac n’ cheese is comfort food at its finest but often it can be a bit heavy and rich. The spices and acidity of the masala cuts the richnesss a little bit and adds a new dimension of flavor making this irresistibly good.

If you want a little something special on your Thanksgiving table make this and you won’t be disappointed!

********** This recipe has been updated to have more cheese sauce!

4 from 1 vote
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Masala Mac N' Cheese

An Indian-American fusion dish perfect for thanksgiving

Ingredients

bechamel cheese sauce

  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (grated) (1 block)
  • 2 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Masala

  • 4-5 tbsp butter and/or oil
  • 2 small onions
  • 1/2 bell pepper
  • 1-2 jalapenos or serrano chilies
  • 3 large tomatoes (pureed)
  • 3/4 lb ground beef OR 1 lb of mushrooms (vegetarian version)
  • 1.5 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp coriander
  • 1 1/2 - 2 tsp salt or to taste

Assembly

  • 1 lb pasta noodles (cavatappi or macaroni etc)
  • 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
  • 5-6 butter crackers such as Ritz may substitute with bread crumbs
  • 1 tsp masala spice mix of your choice optional

Instructions

  1. Start by prepping your ingredients for the masala. Dice your onions, bell pepper, chilies, and mushrooms (if you are using them instead of ground beef). Puree your tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Set aside. 

  2. In a large and wide pan, melt your butter on medium high-heat. You may also use oil.

  3. Now add in your ground beef. Break up with a wooden spoon and allow it to turn brown. If you are using mushrooms instead, allow them to cook down and shrink.

  4. Now add in your onions, bell pepper, chilies. Cook down until onions are translucent and vegetables begin to caramelize. 

  5. Add in your salt, spices, and ginger-garlic paste. Cook and stir for about a minute or two. 

  6. Add in your pureed tomatoes. Cook down the mixture until about half of the liquid is gone. The masala shouldn't be too dry nor should it be too thin like soup. Somewhere in the middle is just right. Taste and adjust for seasonings.

Bechamel Cheese Sauce

  1. Start off by making your roux. In a small pot, melt your butter on medium-high heat. Add in your flour. Stir with a whisk. Make sure there are no lumps. The roux will start to thicken and turn brown. 

  2. Now stir in your milk. Mix well. Then add in your cheese. Allow it to melt while you stir frequently. The cheese sauce should be a little thick yet smooth in texture. 

Assembly

  1. Set your oven to 400 F. 

  2. Boil your pasta in salted water (al dente) according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

  3. Combine all three elements - pasta, masala, and cheese sauce. 

  4. In a oiled or buttered casserole dish, add your pasta mixture. Now top the mixture with the remaining grated cheese. Sprinkle some extra spices such as a good quality channa masala blend on top if you'd like. Crush up your crackers and add to the top. 

  5. Bake in the oven until cheese is melted and top layer is golden brown. Your Masala Mac N' Cheese is ready to serve!