Fall foliage around home captured on 26th October with cell phone.

Here in Cary fall foliage is in its peak colorful phase. As predicted  in September  this years colors are extra bright and vibrant. Today morning I walked  around home, 50-60 ft  distance along side wooded area. I enjoyed several fall color shades, picked up few fall colored leaves, got them home, made collage. It was wonderful feeling.  All images are captured with cell phone, Enjoy.

Panicled Aster flower that blooms in fall.

Upside down fallen leaf, I turned it and took one more image.

Fall season beauty of Dogwood tree, deep maroon colored leaves.

Assorted fall colored leaves from 7-8 different trees.

Fall color shades of Sweet gum Tree leaves.

Chinese Yard long bean Salad with fresh coconut and Carrots.

Today morning first I thought to prepare long bean subzi to pack with rotis for lunch but later change of thought and ended up making  long bean (chawli chya shenga) salad with  lettuce, carrots and sliced fresh coconut with simple drizzle of ready made Greek Salad dressing. This is simple salad  enriched with vegetable and fresh coconut slices, a nice twist to every day subzi. All images in this salad post are taken with the cell phone.

Salad Ingredients :
(Makes one serving of Salad.)

• Iceberg lettuce - Chopped - 2 cup lightly packed
• 8-10 Yard long beans - cut into 1-inch long pieces.(1 Cup yield, Pre boil in microwave for 5-6 minutes.)
• 1 Carrot - cut into small pieces. (match shape with cut beans.) Pre boil in microwave for 4 minutes.
• 1/4 Cup Fresh coconut - thinly sliced pieces
• 1 T.spoon - Diced bottled Jalapeno. (chopped green chillies can be used.)
• 1/4 Cup - fresh cilantro leaves for garnish.
• 1 Tb.spoon - Greek dressing with Feta, black olives and Olive Oil ( I used Kens Steak House.) In absence of Greek dressing use 1 tsp Vinegar, 1.5 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp crumbled feta cheese.

Lettuce, Carrots, Fresh sliced coconut, long beans.

Preparation method for Chinese long bean Salad.

1. Slice or tear 2 Iceberg lettuce leaves into small pieces, about  2 cup lightly packed quantity.
2. Slightly snap off both end tips of  each long bean, then slice into 1 inch pieces. Place sliced beans into a microwave safe bowl filled with water, add 1/4 tsp salt, stir and  boil for 5-6 minutes. Drain out water, allow beans to cool.
3. Cut carrot into similar shape and size like long beans, boil in microwave for 3-4 minutes without adding salt. Drain and allow to cool.
4. Cut few pieces from fresh broken coconut, peel off brown skin with potato peeler, slice into thin one inch size pieces.
5. In a medium size bowl  combine chopped lettuce leaves, boiled and cooled carrot and long bean pieces, coconut slices. Add 1 tsp diced bottled jalapeno, 1 tbsp ready made Greek dressing with feta, black olives, olive oil. (make sure you thoroughly shake salad dressing bottle before pouring out.) 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves. Toss to mix well, if needed you can add a tiny pinch of salt. For more coconut flavor sprinkle little fresh grated coconut. Enjoy this salad as a meal or side dish.

Capsicum stir fry with pan roasted Pumpkin cubes, garnished with Tuxedo Sesame seeds.[Lunch box sabzi.]

Today morning I took out one Capsicum and a small piece of pumpkin from the fridge to prepare sabzi for lunch box. Just a little change of separately roasting pumpkin cubes in the pan and adding Tuxedo sesame seeds (mix of black and white sesame.) made this routinely cooked vegetable stir fry more interesting. This is single serving stir fry cooked to pack in lunch box. Scroll down to see what I did with the pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients :
(Makes Single stir-fry serving.)

• 1 large Capsicum - sliced into small chunks (1.5 cup yield)
• Pumpkin piece - around 200 gm cut into small cubes. (1 heaped cup yield.)
• 1 medium size onion - chopped into small pieces (1 heaped cup yield.)
• 1 T.spoon - Tuxedo sesame seeds (Mix of black and white sesame.) white sesame seeds can be used.
• 1 green chili - finely chopped.
• 5-6 Curry leaves
• 1 generous pinch - Hing (asafoetida)

StirFry Cooking Method :

1. Heat a medium size skillet/griddle, drizzle few drops of oil, wipe with paper towel to evenly grease the pan surface. Spread cubed pumpkin pieces in a single layer. Sprinkle 1 generous pinch of salt, roast for 12-15 minutes by flipping pieces few times until they are slightly charred and turn golden brown over minimum  2-3 sides. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp black and white sesame seed blend. Mix well with wooden spoon or toss the skillet holding handle few times to coat roasted pumpkin pieces with sesame seed blend. Shut off the heat, leave the skillet over burner.
2. While pumpkin cubes  are being roasted, heat medium size saute pan with 1 tsp oil, add chopped onions,sliced green chilies, 5-6 curry leaves. For first two three minutes saute over medium high heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat to medium, continue to saute for another 6-7 minutes until onions turn soft and start to get brown over the edges.
3. Now add  chopped capsicum, continue to saute over medium heat for 6-7 minutes until capsicum pieces are softened. Add a generous pinch of hing, 1/2 tsp tuxedo sesame blend, salt. Mix well, saute for 2 more minutes.
4. Lastly add  pan roasted pumpkin cubes, gently mix, taste and adjust salt level. Cook for 2-3 minutes over medium low heat. Garnish with cilantro, you may add some fresh grated coconut, serve with roti.

Cooking step - 4, Before mixing roasted pumpkin cubes with sauteed capsicum.

Image taken with cell phone -Samsung SGH-1337

While prepping pumpkin piece, I removed some seeds, instead of throwing them away I sow them in a empty tofu container. I was surprised to see the result after 10 days, pumpkin seedlings looked so pretty.