Nasuha Blog

Muttabal.. is a Middle eastern Dip made with eggplant. The eggplant is cooked on fire to give it a smoky flavor and it is then blended with other ingredients and spices to make Muttabal. Enjoy this delicious dip with Pita bread, crackers or as a sandwich spread. Here is how to make Muttabal


All you need is

Eggplant - 1
Onion - 1\4 cup ( finely chopped )
Tomato - 1\4 cup ( finely chopped )
Tahini - 2 tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 6-8
Hung curd - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Chili flakes - 1 tsp
Fresh coriander - 1 tsp ( chopped )

Recipe of Muttabal

Wash the eggplant and pat dry.
Make a few incisions on the eggplant and roast directly on a gas stove or in an oven till the skin turns black and the flesh is softened.
Remove the blackened skin of the eggplant.
Add the flesh and remaining ingredients in a blender and just blend once or twice to make a coarse dip.
Serve with pita or any other crackers.

All you need is

Chickpea - 1 cup
Garlic cloves - 12-14
Tahini - 4 tbsp ( mix 4 tbsp sesame seeds with 2 tbsp olive oil and little water and blend in a blender to make a smooth paste )
Extra virgin olive oil - 8 tbsp
Lemon juice - 5 tbsp
Salt to taste
Roasted cumin powder - 1\2 tsp
Chili flakes - 1 tsp
Warm water from boiled chickpeas - 3-4 tbsp


Method of preparation

Wash and soak chickpeas in enough water for 5-6 hours.
Drain the water.
Add chickpeas and 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook the chickpeas till done.
Drain the water reserving 3-4 tbsp for the hummus.
Add all the ingredients including the boiled chickpeas in a blender and blend to make a smooth hummus.
Serve with pita or any other crackers.

There are a few things which are always there in my refrigerator, handy to be used when there are sudden hunger pangs and the kiddo wants something delicious too. This Pizza sauce is one of those things. Just a good slather on either a whole wheat pizza base or on a whole wheat bread slice, topped with a generous dose of Mozzarella, a pop in the oven for a few minutes and a delicious snack is ready in no time. While coming up to this recipe, I have tried a lot of combinations and proportions in the past and finally have settled down on this one. Here is how to make a delicious Pizza sauce at home from scratch.


All you need is

Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Unsalted butter - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 2 tbsp ( chopped )
Dried oregano - 1 tsp
Fresh tomato - 1 kg ( cut into small pieces )
Tomato puree - 1\4 cup
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder - 1\2 tsp
Fresh basil leaves - a handful ( roughly torn )


Method of preparation

Heat olive oil and butter in a pan.
Add garlic and fry for a few seconds.
Add dried oregano and fry for a few seconds.
Add fresh tomato, tomato puree, salt, black pepper and fresh basil and cook on low heat for around 45 minutes.
Keep mashing the sauce with the back of a ladle.
Remove from heat once thickened to desired consistency.
Keep in mind that sauce will thicken a little more once cooled.
Cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.
It can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Mexican food is not complete without variety of Salsas. Tomato salsa is the most common one and there are many ways to make this simple yet flavorful dish. I too have tried different versions in the past, but have settled for this recipe now. Blending the ingredient coarsely in a food processor make all the difference. You can also use your hand blender if you don't have a food processor. Here is the recipe.


All you need is

Tomato - 1 cup ( chopped )
Onion - 1\2 cup ( chopped )
Coriander - 2 tbsp ( chopped )
Garlic - 2 cloves ( chopped )
Jalapeno peppers - 1 ( chopped )
Olive oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Black pepper - 1\4 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp


Method of preparation

Mix tomato, onion, coriander, garlic and jalapeno peppers in the bowl of your food processor.
Use the chopping blade and blend till the mixture is coarsely chopped.
Add olive oil, salt, black pepper and lemon juice.
Mix well.
Chill for an hour before serving.

Sour cream is made by fermenting regular cream with some bacteria. Due to the bacterial culture, the cream becomes thick and sour. I always missed Sour cream when ever I made Mexican dishes and this is what prompted to make my own at home. It's very easy to make at home and with just 3 ingredients, you can get amazing sour cream at home. Here is the simple recipe.


All you need is

Heavy cream - 1 cup ( room temperature )
Full cream milk - 1\4 cup
lemon juice - 1 tsp


Method of preparation

Transfer the heavy cream in a clean glass jar.
Add lemon juice in milk and keep aside for 5 minutes.
Add the mixture in the jar with the cream
Mix well.
Cover the jar and keep aside for 24 hours at room temperature.
Refrigerate the jar for 6-8 hours.
Your sour cream is ready to be used.
It can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.

Cream fraiche is a soured cream which has a slight tang,  nutty flavor and a rich and velvety texture. It's used in making variety of dishes like soups, pasta sauces and desserts. Although it's available in some gourmet food stores, but is very expensive. It's very very easy to make at home with just two ingredients and the result is awesome. Here is the simple recipe.


All you need is

Fresh cream - 500 ml
Cultured buttermilk or cultured yogurt - 3 tsp


Method of preparation

Heat the fresh cream on medium heat till lukewarm.
Stir in the buttermilk or yogurt.
Transfer the mixture in a glass jar.
Cover the jar with a kitchen towel and secure the towel with a rubber band.
Keep the jar undisturbed in a warm place for 12-15 hours.
Your home made cream fraiche is ready.
Remove the kitchen towel and put the lid on the jar.
Store the jar in refrigerator for up to a week.

The weather has become cold and I love to snuggle inside a blanket sipping on a hot bowl of soup. It's the time when I keep experimenting with different flavors of soup and try to incorporate fresh and healthy ingredients in them. This peas and corn soup is creamy, filling and very healthy. Serve it with a loaf of bread and your dinner is taken care of. Here is the recipe.


All you need is

Butter - 1 tbsp
Onion - 2 tbsp ( chopped )
Garlic - 5-6 cloves ( chopped )
Bay leaves - 2
Black peppercorns - 10-12
Peas - 2 cup
Corn - 1 cup
Olive oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder - 1\2 tsp
Fresh cream - 2 tbsp

Bread croutons, fresh coriander and cream for garnishing.



Method of preparation

Heat butter in a pan.
Add onion, garlic, bay leaf and black peppercorns.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Add peas, corn and a cup of water.
Cover and cook till pea and corn are softened. ( Approx 5-6 minutes )
Remove from heat and cool.
Discard the bay leaf.
Blend in a blender to make a smooth paste.
Add olive oil in a pan.
Add the pureed mixture to the pan once the oil is hot.
Add salt and black pepper.
Add water till soup reaches the desired consistency.
Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add cream and mix well.

Garnish with bread croutons, fresh coriander and fresh cream
Serve hot.

Achar or pickle has been an Indian tradition and most households have a family recipe for different varieties of pickles. The blend of different spices that is used to pickle is called the achari masala. Apart from using this masala in the pickle, we can use it to enhance the flavor of curries, pulses and make a variety of starters. It gives a typical Achari taste to the dish. Here is the simple recipe to make this masala.


All you need is

Dry red chilies- 16-18
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Onion seeds \ kalonji - 3 tsp
Fennel seeds \ saunf - 6 tbsp
Mustard seeds \ rai - 6 tbsp
Fenugreek \ methi seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 6 tsp
Salt - 6 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 3 tbsp
Asafoetida \ heeng - 1\2 tsp
Dry mango powder\  amchoor - 3 tsp


Method of preparation

Dry roast dry red chilies, coriander seeds, onion seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds and cumin till slightly browned and fragrant.
Cool for 5 minutes.
Blend in a blender with rest of the ingredients to make a coarse powder.
Store in an airtight container for up to a month in a cool and dry place or refrigerate it for about 2 months.

You can add this powder in curries, dal and can make various starters.

All you need is

Full cream milk - 3 lt ( preferably cow's milk )
Lemon juice - 3 tsp
Arrowroot powder - 4 tsp
Baking soda - a pinch
Sugar - 1 and 1\2 cups and 1\4 cup
Water - 4 cups
Cardamom - 2-3  ( crushed )
Cashew nut - 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Saffron - a good pinch
Rose water - 1\2 tsp
Yellow food color - a small pinch
Dry fruits slivers for garnishing



Method of preparation

Heat 2 lt milk in a pan.
Switch off the heat when it comes to a boil.
Add lemon juice.
The milk will curdle immediately.
Let it rest for 5 minutes.
Drain the curdled milk in a cheese cloth.
Wash the cheese under running water to remove the traces of lemon juice.
Hang the cheese cloth for an hour to drain all the whey from the cheese.

Mean while, heat the remaining 1 lt milk in a heavy bottom pan.
Add saffron and yellow food coloring.
Cook on low heat, till milk is reduced to half.
Blend sugar and cashew nuts in a blender.
Add in the reduced milk.
Add rose water and cardamom powder.
Mix well.
Keep the milk aside.

Remove the chenna from the cheese cloth.
Add arrowroot powder and baking soda.
Knead the chenna with your palms for 6-8 minutes.
Make 12-14 equal size balls from the chenna.
Flatten the balls a little bit.
Heat 1 and 1\2 cup sugar and water in a pressure cooker.
When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the chenna balls.
Do not over crowd the cooker.
The balls should not touch each other.
Put the lid with the whistle and cook on high heat till 2 whistles.
let the cooker cool on it's own.
Open the cooker and take out the rasmalai gently and add in the reduced milk.
Make all the rasmalai in the same fashion.
Add 2-3 tbsp water every time before adding the balls  in the cooker.
Refrigerate the rasmalai for at least 5-6 hours before serving.
Garnish with dry fruits slivers before serving.