Rose Milk Pudding

Hello Friends, I am back after a long hiatus to share a very healthy and yummy dessert recipe with you. Many of my friends wanted me to share the recipe and I thought this blog would be a good place to do it :)

It is a very light and delicate dessert with subtle rose flavor, no eggs and no heavy cream or fat.

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Whole Milk (cold) 1cup,  Corn Starch - 2 tsp (optional), Agar agar powder - 2 tsp (vegetarian gelatin), Rose syrup (Indian preferred) or you get organic one without color in USA- 3-4 tsp , Rose petals (optional) - 1 tsp, Sugar - as needed (optional)

Method: 

Take a pan and boil the milk and cool it. Pour 1/4th cup milk (from the boiled milk) in a cup and dissolve agar agar and corn starch (optional but recommended if you want to make it firm) in the milk.

If you are not adding corn starch, please increase agar agar to 4 tsp.

Add the mixture back to the boiled milk and heat everything on medium low heat on stove. Add rose syrup (it already has sugar) and half of the rose petals (optional). Add additional sugar if needed (depending on your preference). Stir continuously and make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Make sure there are no lumps forming as well. Do not over boil. 

Once it is thick (you will feel a bit of resistance while stirring), bring to a boil and switch off the stove. You can also strain the mixture at this point to remove any remaining lumps. Pour the strained mixture into a serving dessert bowl or individual mould(s). 

Sprinkle some rose petals on top. Leave it on the counter to cool. Once it cools down, put it in refrigerator for 3-4 hours. 

After that take it out and enjoy this heavenly dessert.

Till my next post, as always take care.

**If you add Indian Rose Syrup, it will add a nice rose color to the pudding but if you prefer organic non-color kind, it will still taste the same but there will not be much color (only light color from rose petals if you add while cooking). It is totally up to your preference. 

Main picture is with Indian rose syrup and bottom one is without.

Mirchi Ka Salan - spicy and delicious (Green Chilli Curry)

 

Hello all, it has been ages since I updated my blog. What can I say... life is still chaotic and busy. But recently I made Mirchi ka Salan as an accompaniment for Biryani for a get together and some friends asked for the recipe. Thought it was a good time to put it on the blog since some others have been asking for it for a long time too. So here it is...….

INGREDIENTS: Green chillies (large non-spicy) used for pickles OR Anaheim chillies cut into halves - 10-12. For Masala: peanuts - 1 cup, sesame seeds - 1/2 cup, coriander seeds - 2 tablespoon, cumin seeds - 2 teaspoon, fenugreek seeds - 1/8th teaspoon (optional), dried red chillies deseeded - 4-5 (depending on desired spice level), dry coconut powder - 1/2 cup, onion - 1/2, For tempering, Cut onion 1/2, oil as required, For curry: Mustard seeds - 1 tsp (optional), few curry leaves (optional), ginger garlic paste - 2 teaspoon, turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon, red chilli powder - 1 - 2 teaspoon (per desired level of spiciness), Warm water - 1 - 2 cups, tamarind concentrate - 1 tsp dissolved in water, jaggery or sugar - 1 teaspoon (optional), garam masala powder - 1 tsp, salt as required, cilantro chopped for garnish. 

(**1 cup measurement - I used small cup around 6 oz)

METHOD: Lightly roast (individually) and grind all the masala ingredients listed above. Also fry 1/2 onion (golden brown) and keep aside. 

Take 2-3 tbsp oil in a pan and lightly fry green chillies and keep aside. 

In the same pan, add 2 - 3 tbsp oil and add mustard seeds (optional) and after they splutter, add the remaining 1/2 cut onion. Fry till soft and light brown and add curry leaves (optional), ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and sauté for a minute. Add the ground masala and fry till oil separates. 

Meanwhile warm 1-2 cups of water in microwave (adjust quantity depending on how thick or thin you want the gravy to be. Add this to the masala when it is cooked (oil separates). Let it boil for 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Add tamarind concentrate and Jaggery/sugar (optional - helps to balance taste in my opinion) to this and let it cook for 4-5 minutes on low heat. 

At the end add the fried green chillies and let it cook for additional 7-8 minutes on low heat. Finally add garam masala and garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy with Biryani or even paratha. Tastes heavenly.

Till my next post, take care all :) 

Shahi Bread Rolls

Hello Peeps, I am back with a quick and tasty recipe........ Shahi Bread Rolls.

Recently I had to make an appetizer for a Diwali party so decided to turn the plain and ordinary bread roll into "Shahi" or Royal avatar :) It turned out to be a delicious twist to the traditional.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients: For the cover: Plain brown or white bread per your preference (I always use brown) and room temperature water. For the stuffing: Potato (boiled and mashed) - 3 large, Mixed vegetables like peas, carrots, beans, corn (frozen or fresh) - 3/4th cup,  Onion - 1 medium, green chillies - 3-4, ginger - 1 inch piece, fresh garlic - 5-6 pods, fennel seeds - 2 tsp, cashew pieces - 12-15, chopped raisins (optional). Tempering ingredients: Mustard seeds - 1 tsp, Asofoetida: 1/4th tsp, cumin seeds - 1 tsp, Turmeric powder - 1 tsp, Red chilli powder - 1 tsp, Garam masala - 2 tsp, oil - 4 tbsp, salt per taste, sugar - 1 tsp, Mango powder - 1/2 tsp, Lemon juice - few drops, chopped cilantro - 4-5 tbsp. For frying: Sufficient oil in kadhai or pan.

Method: Take out all the bread pieces from the packet and trim the sides or brown edges. Keep aside. For the stuffing, boil and mash the potatoes, microwave frozen/fresh vegetable in a microwave safe container for 10-12 minutes (till soft) and then mash or run in food processor to mash (preferably), cut onion into pieces and grind ginger, garlic, chillies and fennel seeds in food processor and coarsely grind. In same processor, coarsely grind the cashew pieces and keep aside. Then heat a pan, add oil and once hot add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add asofoetida, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and onion. Saute and cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add coarsely ground chilli-ginger-garlic and fennel paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the mashed cooked vegetables and mashed boiled potato. Stir and mix everything well. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garam masala, dry mango powder, lemon juice, sugar, salt per taste and coarsely ground cashews and chopped raisins (optional). Mix everything well and cover and cook and medium low heat for 3-4 minutes. Add chopped cilantro and keep aside to cool.

Take some room temperature water in a bowl and keep aside. Take a cutting board. Keep the side trimmed bread on it and sprinkle sufficient water on it and press it with your hand to wet everything evenly. Once it is nicely wet and flat, add 2-3 tsp stuffing in it. Fold over and press the sides and make it into a roll with edges sealed. Repeat for all the bread pieces and set aside. Now we are ready to fry. Take a pan and heat sufficient oil in it to fry the Shahi bread rolls. Once the oil is hot enough for frying, put the rolls that we prepared earlier in batches and fry till golden brown and crisp.

Shahi Bread rolls are ready..........Enjoy with Ketchup or Sriracha. I must say that they do taste heavenly especially if enjoyed while they are crispy and hot!! This recipe is a must try and definitely a keeper. 

Happy festive and holiday season. May you all be blessed with health, wealth and prosperity.

Till my next post, take care everyone!!

TIP: You can also dip the bread in water but I found it can get overly wet, so I prefer to sprinkle water on it so you have more control. You can only dip the edges where you need to seal the bread roll. 

Healthy Modak (with Moong Dal flour, coconut and Jaggery)

Hello Friends...... it has been quite sometime I posted on the blog. Life is busy and I hardly get time these days to cook and post. 

But anyhoo.... today was Ganesh Chaturthi and I wanted to make some modaks very quickly. So I put together this healthy version of traditional modaks with all the ingredients I already had in the pantry. These are made only with ready-made moong dal flour, shredded coconut and jaggery!!

Ingredients: Moong dal flour - 1 cup, Dry shredded coconut - 1/2 cup, white cornstarch - 1/2 tsp for binding, Ghee - 1/2 cup, Jaggery - 1 cup (adjust per sweetness of jaggery), cardamon powder - 1/2 tsp, Saffron - 1/2 tsp

Method: Dry roast shredded coconut and keep aside. Then heat some ghee in the same pan and roast moong dal flour +1/2 tsp white cornstarch till it loses its raw smell (light brown color) and keep aside. Add jaggery with 1/2 cup water and boil for 4-5 mins on low heat. add saffron and cardamon powder and add roasted coconut and roasted moong dal flour that was set aside and cook on very low heat for 2-3 mins till the mixture comes together. You can add 1 tsp ghee if needed at this point. Add 1/4th cup or as needed raw shredded coconut (if mixture is too runny).

When it is a bit cool, take about 1 tbsp mixture in the palm of your hand and make it into shape of Modak.

Enjoy these delicious, healthy, jhatpat modaks!! Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!! May Lord Ganesha shower his blessings on you and your loved ones. 

Till my next post, take care everyone..........

Tempered Tortilla (Phodnicha Tortilla)

It was nearly weekend and time to clean out the refrigerator. Found a bunch of Tortillas lying in there. I did not want to make quesadillas or enchiladas so decided to try out an Indian twist. Tempered it Indian style and turned it into something similar to Maharashtrian 'Phodnichi Poli'. Phodnicha Tortilla or Tempered Tortilla!! Turned out to be really good. You can eat this for breakfast, snack or as a light one dish meal too.

Sharing the recipe here:

Ingredients: Tortillas - 4, Onion - 1 medium chopped, Oil - 2 tbsp, tempering: mustard seeds-  1 tsp, cumin seeds - 1 tsp, asofoetida - 1/2 tsp, Turmeric powder - 1 tsp, red chilly powder - 1 tsp (per taste), curry leaves - 4-5, green chilly - 1-2 slit, salt to taste, sugar 1-2 tsp, lemon juice - few drops, cilantro - chopped - 3-4 tsp.

Method:  Roughly tear the tortillas and grind them to coarse in a mixer. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to it. When they start popping add asofoetida, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, curry leaves, slit green chillies and chopped onion. Saute, cover and cook for 3-4 mins till onions are soft. Then add the coarse tortilla mixture and saute and cover for 3-4 mins. Add salt, sugar and lemon juice and saute for 1 minute and cover and cook for additional 2 minutes. Add cilantro and saute and serve warm.

It tastes exactly like phodnichi poli. Was really delicious and got my family's seal of approval!! Now this has become my go to recipe for finishing extra tortillas. 

Till my next post, take care everyone!! #staysafe

Masala Chawli Vanga (Black Eyed peas and Eggplant in spicy Curry sauce)

Hello Friends, this Covid 19 lock down has created unique challenges for everyone. Hope you and your loved ones are doing good and everyone is safe. Shopping for groceries is a nightmare and we are mostly trying to limit our visits and shopping remotely as far as possible. Well, that also means that we have to put on creative hats, mix a bit of this and a bit of that and try to maximize our purchases to last through the week.

Masala Chawli Vanga recipe is the result of this exact situation. I had few eggplants and a packet of frozen black eyed peas left in the refrigerator. So decided to combine the 2 in a unique masala/curry sauce. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Eggplants/Vanga - 2-3 small, Black eyed peas/Chawli - 1 cup, Onion - chopped 1 medium, oil - 5-6 tbsp, dry shredded coconut - 1/4th cup, peanuts - 1/4th cup, sesame seeds - 5-6 tsp, poppy seeds - 2-3 tsp, coriander seeds - 4-5 tsp, cumin seeds - 4-5 tsp, garlic - 4-5 pods, ginger - 1 inch crushed, green chillies - 2-3 (depending on spice level), turmeric powder - 1 tsp, coriander powder - 1 tsp, red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp, garam masala - 1-2 tsp, jaggery - 4-5 tsp, kokum - 3-4 pieces crushed, salt to taste and cilantro (chopped) to garnish.

Method:

Cut the Eggplants/Vanga into quarters. Cook the Black eyed peas/Chawli in microwave for 12-15 mins with a pinch of salt. Chop onion into pieces. Take a pan and dry roast dry shredded coconut, peanuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Take oil in same pan and saute chopped onion till light brown. Grind it along with roasted ingredients. Also make paste of ginger, garlic and green chillies. Once more take oil in a pan and add this paste. Saute it for a min and add the ground paste and saute for 4-5 mins till oil separates. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and saute. Then add cut eggplants and a bit of water and cook for 3-4 mins till eggplants are a bit soft. Then add the cooked chawli and jaggery and crushed kokum. You can add water to make the curry thinner if you prefer but I did not add much water. Cover and cook for 4-5 mins till everything is soft and cooked but not mushy. Add garam masala and salt to taste and cook for 1 min. Garnish with cilantro and chopped green chillies (optional) and serve with hot roti or as side dish with rice. Enjoy!!

Till my next post, take care everyone!! #staysafe 

Spicy Tofu, Chickpea and Vegetable Stew

This stew is my go to meal on the days I am lazy to cook but still want to eat a health and hearty meal. It is full of proteins and vitamins and is ready in minutes. Some of my friend's had asked for this recipe and I had promised to put it on the blog this weekend.

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Frozen mixed vegetables - 1 cup, Tofu extra firm (preferable) - 1 cup cubed, onion - 1 sliced, ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp, oil - 3-4 tsp, coconut milk - 2 cans, chickpeas - 1 can, pepper powder, cinnamon sticks - 1 or 2 1 inch, cumin powder - 1 tsp, turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp, paprika - 1/2 tsp, curry powder (not garam masala) - 3 tsp, salt to taste, Serrano chillies - 1 sliced, cilantro - chopped for garnish

Method:

Boil/cook in frozen mixed vegetables. Boil/microwave chickpeas till soft with little salt. Cube the Tofu and shallow fry till light golden brown in a pan (optional but enhances taste of tofu). After this, take a pan and add oil to it. Once hot add cinnamon sticks and sliced onions and fry till soft. Add ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, paprika powder and curry powder to it. Add half sliced Serrano peppers and saute for 2-3 mins. Add cooked frozen mixed vegetable and chickpeas and saute for 2-3 mins, then add the fried tofu and keep sauteing for 2-3 mins. Then add coconut milk and salt to taste. Let everything boil for 4-5 mins. Add the rest of the sliced Serrano peppers and cilantro to garnish and serve hot with brown or white rice.

Enjoy this hearty meal!! Believe me once you try this it is going to be your go to meal too :)

Till my next post, take care everyone!! #staysafe.

Puffed Rice Upma or Uggani

Hope everyone is doing okay amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to give a shout out via this post to all the healthcare, law enforcement, essential service and grocery store workers. They are the real heroes moment with their hard work and compassion. 

The stay-at-home mandate is taking a toll on everyone especially the kids since they are unable to meet up with friends. It is also a big challenge for moms, especially working moms to cook so many meals at home while juggling work deadlines and such.

Well, here is a very easy peasy snack that you can get ready within minutes to satisfy tea time cravings of your family. It is a perfect accompaniment with tea or coffee. It goes by many names: puffed rice upma, mandakki or churumuri susla, uggani, borugula upma. Whatever you call it, it is just as delicious :) So without further delay, here is the recipe:

Ingredients: Puffed rice (murmura/churmura) - 8 cups, Onion - 1 large chopped, Tomato - 1 medium chopped, peanuts - 4-5 tsp (optional), curry leaves - 8-10, cilantro - 5-6 tbsp chopped and for garnish, roasted chana dal (dalia) - 3-4 tbsp (powdered). Tempering: Oil - 3-4 tbsp, Mustard seeds - 2 tsp, cumin seeds - 1 tsp, asofoetida -  1/2 tsp, red chilli powder - 1 tsp, turmeric powder - 1 tsp, sambar powder - 2 tsp, salt to taste, lemon juice - 1-2 tsp. Sev - for topping

Method: Rinse and soak puffed rice (murmura/churmura) for 2-3 minutes in a vessel. Lightly squeeze and drain it in a colander. Keep aside. Heat a pan and and add oil. Add tempering ingredients once hot. Add chopped onion (reserve 5-6 tbsp for later), and peanuts (optional). Cover and cook for 2 minutes, add sambar masala. Cover and cook till onion is a bit soft. Then add the soaked and drained puffed rice that was set aside. Saute and add powdered dalia (roasted gram), lemon juice and salt per taste. Cover and cook for 2-3 mins on medium heat. Add cilantro, reserved chopped onion, chopped tomato and take off heat. Mix well. Top with sev of your choice and serve. Enjoy this novel snack.

Also #staysafe, #stayhealthy and most important do your part and #stayathome to #savelives!

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Kumquat pickle (instant kind)

Hello everyone, this was a while ago......one of my friends gave me a bunch of kumquats from her garden. For those of you who don't know, kumquat is a kind of citrus fruit. Looks like a mini orange. You can eat the skin and seeds too. It is rich in vitamin C and fiber. So coming back to my story; after my friend dropped of a batch, we ate as much as we could but still had a bunch of them lying around. So decided to make a pickle out of them. Turned out to be a hit and everyone loved it. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients: Kumquats: 15-20 halved or whole (you can de-seed but I prefer to eat the seeds - sometimes they might be a bit bitter), Red chilly powder - 5-6 tsp, cumin powder - 1 tsp, coriander powder - 1 tsp, pickle masala - 3 tsp, apple cider vinegar - 5-6 tsp, sugar - 4-5 tsp (adjust per taste), salt to taste. Tempering: oil - 3 tbsp, mustard seeds - 1 tsp, cumin seeds - 1 tsp, asofoetida - 1/2 tsp, turmeric powder -1 tsp.

Method: Cut the kumquats into halves and add 1/4th cup water and pressure cook them for 1 whistle till soft (you can also cover and microwave them in microwave cooker - add 1/4th cup water). Once done, add red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, pickle masala and apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt and keep it aside for a while. Meanwhile take a pan and add oil for tempering. Once hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seed and a little turmeric for color. Pour the tempering over the pickle and mix thoroughly. 

Enjoy with paratha, rice or roti. Tastes heavenly!!! blend of sweet, sour and spicy flavors to tickle your taste buds :) Till my next post, take care everyone!

Amsooli Dudhi (Bottle gourd with Amsool or Kokum)

Doodhi or bottle gourd is a very nutritious and healthy vegetable. We are trying to incorporate more of this vegetable in our diet every day. It aids in weight loss and helps with sleep problems and reduces inflammation. It has lots of essential vitamins and minerals. Ayurveda highly recommends eating doodhi or bottle gourd as a part of every day meal.

Since my little one gets bored with the same style of doodhi bhaji, I was trying something new and ended up adding the flavor of amsool or kokum and it turned out really yummy. change. Everyone polished off this 'chatpatit' bhaji with poli in no time :)

Sharing the recipe here:

Ingredients: Dudhi or Doodhi or Bottle gourd - 1 medium chopped into pieces, moong dal - 1/4th cup (soaked for at least an hour), green chillies - chopped, curry leaves - 6-7, Kokum or Amsool - 3-4 pieces, Oil - 5-6 tsp, cilantro - for garnish, freshly grated coconut - 3 tbsp, tempering: mustard seeds-  1 tsp, cumin seeds - 1 tsp, asofoetida - 1/2 tsp, Turmeric powder - 1 tsp, red chilly powder - 1 tsp (per taste), goda masala or garam masala - 1 tsp, kitchen king masala - 1 tsp, salt to taste, sugar 1-2 tsp 

Method: Wash and chop the bottle gourd into small pieces and add soaked moong dal at the bottom of the container and cook in microwave or pressure cooker or instapot till soft. I also do not remove the skin if the bottle gourd is really fresh. It adds nutritive value. Once cooked, take a pan, add oil and once hot, add the tempering ingredients along with chopped green chillies and curry leaves and kokum/amsool. Add the cooked doodhi or bottle gourd with dal to the pan. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the goda/garam masala and kitchen king masala. Stir everything and add the grated coconut and cilantro. Mix and serve with Roti or rice. Enjoy this simple, healthy and flavorful bhaji. I hope you enjoy it as much as my little one.
Till my next post, take care everyone!

Shahi Cashew Spinach and Potato Pulao or Pilaf - simple and tasty

Hello everyone, today I am sharing a very simple but incredibly tasty recipe. Shahi Cashew Spinach and Potato Pulao or Pulav or Pilaf - call it whatever you like :) It is very easy to make and you can make it in Instapot or regular pan.

Ingredients: Rice - 3 cups, Spinach - 1 bunch (chopped), Potato - 1 large, Onion - 1 large, Ginger garlic and chilly paste - 1 tbsp, Whole Masala: (Bay leaf - 1 whole, Cinnamon - 1 stick, Cardamom - 2 small, Cloves - 2-3), Cumin seeds - 2 tsp, Turmeric powder - 1 tsp, Red chilli powder - 1 tsp, Pulao or biryani masala powder - 2-3 tsp, Garam masala - 1 tsp, Cashews - broken 10-12, Salt to taste, Oil -4-5 tsp, Yogurt - 1/2 cup whisked, Water - 5 cups.

Method: Chop  onion, potato and spinach. Heat a pan or put Instapot on saute mode. Add oil and whole masala and cumin seeds. Saute for 2 mins. Add chopped onion and saute till onion is soft. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and biryani/pulao masala. Saute for 3-5 mins. Add chopped potatoes. Saute for another 3-4 mins. Then add chopped spinach. Continue to saute till spinach is wilted. Then add rice and saute for 4-5 mins on medium flame. Finally add Cashews, garam masala, whisked yogurt, water and salt as per taste. 

• If cooking in pan - cover and cook for 15-18 mins on medium low heat. 
• If cooking in Instapot, cook on manual setting for 6-8 mins, natural release.

Enjoy with chips, boondi raita, pineapple raita,  or pickle and yogurt.

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Aloo Paratha (Spiced Potato filling stuffed flatbread)

Aloo paratha is a classic Punjabi dish that needs no introduction. It is an Indian flatbread with spiced potato stuffing inside it. It tastes heavenly. One bite and you will be hooked forever. Even though it is a traditional Punjabi dish, it is made in almost all regions in India. Who doesn't love potatoes, right??!! You can follow this recipe and try it out for yourself:

Ingredients: For the dough: 2 cups wheat flour, 1 tsp maida flour (to give elasticity to the dough), 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder. For Stuffing: Potatoes - 4-5 boiled and mashed, turmeric powder - 1 tsp, chilli powder - 1 tsp, coriander powder - 1 tsp, ginger garlic paste, green chillies and cilantro crushed - 2 tsp (optional), 1/2 tsp dried mango powder, salt to taste.

Method: Mix all the ingredients for the dough and set it aside for at least 2-3 hours. For the filling: Boil and mash 4-5 potatoes. Mix all the stuffing ingredients and make small balls and set aside. Take the dough and make small balls (slightly bigger than the stuffing balls) and set aside. Roll one dough ball to disc shape and fill in the stuffing ball. Seal the stuffing inside the dough dip it in loose wheat flour and roll the paratha. After that fry it on hot tava and add ghee or olive oil or butter as per your preference while roasting. Make sure to roast on medium flame so that the paratha does not burn.

Enjoy with raita, ketchup, pickle, chutney or any condiment of your choice. In this picture, I have served it with boondi raita and ginger-orange chutney.

Till my next post, take care everyone!!

Narali Bhat (Sweet Coconut Rice) - a sweet delicacy for Narali Pournima (full moon) Festival

Hello friends, on the auspicious occasion of Narali Pournima and Rakhi, I am going to share a recipe for a traditional Maharashtrian dish called Narali Bhat also known as Sakhar bhat.

It is super simple and delicious. We always used to make it for Rakhi pournima or Rakshabandhan since my brother has a sweet tooth. So this narali bhat has lots of fond memories of childhood hidden in it.

So here goes the recipe:

Ingredients: Rice - 1 cup, Water - 2 cups, Grated coconut - 1 cup, Sugar - 1 cup (you can reduce sugar and add 3-4 tbsp jaggery too), salt - 1 pinch, ghee - 1/2 cup, cardamoms - 5-6, cloves - 5-6, Cashews halved- 10-12, Almonds - chopped - 8-10, few saffron strands - mix with warm milk.

 Procedure: Wash the rice and set it aside. Heat a pan (preferable flat), add ghee, when it melts, add cloves and cardamom, cashews and almonds. Saute till cashews are very light brown. Add the washed rice and saute it for 4-5 mins. Add a pinch of salt. Add water and cover and cook for 10-12 mins on medium low heat till rice is almost done. Add grated coconut, sugar/jaggery and saffron dissolved in warm milk to the rice. Take care not to break the rice. Cover and cook for 5-8 mins on low heat. Turn off the gas and let it sit for 10 mins. Remove everything in a pan and let it cool. Decorate with nuts and serve.

Happy Narali Pournima and Rakhi Pournima to all. Till my next post, take care everyone.

Garlic Mustard greens with Moong sprouts - insanely simple and healthy

Hello everyone!! Life is really busy as always but I am going to try and post something at least once in a while.

Today I want to share this insanely simple and healthy dish with you - my own creation - Garlic Mustard greens with Moong sprouts

Now-a-days everyone seems to be following some kind of diet and they want to eat smaller portions and healthier. Please keep in mind that even if you are dieting, it is essential that you eat food that is highly nutritional. If you compromise on nutrition, your body will be deficient of essential vitamins and minerals. Well, this recipe that I am sharing today is extremely minimalist on spices and high on nutritional value and taste.

Ingredients: Mustard greens - 1 bunch, Moong sprouts - 1 cup, Onion - 1 medium, Tomato - 1 small, Garlic - 10-12 pods chopped, Cumin seeds - 1 tsp, black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp, oil - 3 tsp, salt to taste.

Method: Wash mustard greens and chop them, cook sprouts with a little salt in a microwave for 8 mins, chop tomato and onion into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds chopped garlic and black pepper powder when hot. Saute for 1/2 minute and add onion. Cook till soft and then add the mustard greens. Cook for 3-5 minutes and then add cooked sprouts. Check for salt and add some if required (since we cooked the sprouts with some salt earlier). Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes in the end and turn off the flame. Let the tomatoes cook on steam for 1 minute.

Serve with rotis or as a side dish with rice. Can't get any simpler than this :)

Till next time, take care everyone!!

Jhalmuri - a chatpata snack from the streets of Bengal

Hello everyone, it is Friday today and I am looking forward to a great weekend catching up with friends and shopping. I was craving for something unique and chatpata so decided to try this jhatpat chatpata snack straight from the streets of Bengal. The famous Jhalmuri. Although it seems similar to Suki Bhel from Maharashtra, there are some unique ingredients that sets the tastes of the two items miles apart. 

So here is the recipe that is super simple and incredibly tasty:

Ingredients: 1&1/2 cups puffed murmura/puffed rice or bhel mix, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, 2-3 finely chopped green chillies, 1/4th cup aloo bhujia or farsan/sev, 1/4 tsp chaat masala, 1/4th tsp black salt, 1/4th tsp cumin powder, 1/8th tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 small boiled potato, 1 chopped onion (small), 1 chopped tomato, 1 chopped cucumber, 4-5 tbsp chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp peanuts, 2-3 tsp - lemon juice, 4-5 tsp mustard oil (do not substitute).

Procedure: Take a large mixing bowl and add all the ingredients in it one by one. Mix everything gently by hand or you can use a spoon. After that, add the mustard oil and mix everything again.Enjoy this jhatpat chatpata Bengali snack "jhalmuri" with your afternoon tea or just anytime for snacks :)

Note: People use jhalmuri masala, which is typically a combo of coriander powder, amchur powder, red chilli powder, black salt, pepper and cumin powder. You can substitute with the ingredient shown above. It will taste just the same.

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Hirvi Mirchi Thecha or Kharda (Rustic Green chilly chutney)

Today I am sharing recipe for a traditional rustic Maharashtrian condiment Mirchi cha thecha also known as Mirchi cha Kharda in some parts of Maharashtra. It is typically consumed with Pithala (made with chickpea flour) and Bhakri (made out of Jowar or Bajri flour). It is extremely spicy, so use with caution. It is really simple to make. 

Ingredients: Green chillies (Hirvi Mirchi): 20-25, roasted peanuts (raw or roasted as per your preference) - 1/4th cup, Garlic: 8-10 pods, Cilantro: 4-5 tsp chopped, Oil to saute - 3 tsp, Cumin: 1 tsp, Lemon juice: 1/2 tsp, salt to taste. 

Method: Wash green chillies, wash and chop cilantro, peel garlic. Saute the green chillies, garlic and cilantro in oil till soft. Add peanuts and saute for 2 mins. Cool and grind the green chillies, peanuts, cilantro, garlic with cumin seeds, lemon juice with salt in a grinder to a coarse paste. Do not add water. Keep pulsing the mixer till you have achieve desired level of coarseness. Remove the coarse paste into a bowl. 

Note: I like to add tempering at the end for added flavor. Heat oil in a pan and heat 4-5 tsp oil, add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. When they crackle, add 1/4th tsp asafoetida and add it to the ground thecha.

Enjoy the spicylicious mirchi cha thecha or kharda with Jowar or Bajri bhakri or even as a part of your everyday meal with roti and rice.

Till my next post, take care everyone.

PS: I am contributing this to #tasteofindianstates on Insta.
It is a cool initiative by 8 ladies of insta @kitchenmai @lakshmiscookbook @nandini_shivraj @dine_with_danika @sanoberbansal @happytummybyritumbhara @gastronomicbong and @mycurryvedaCook where you some favorite dish from any Indian state cuisine and Use #tasteofindianstates to contribute and don’t forget to mention all 8 ladies.

Flower Matar Rassa Bhaji (Cauliflower and Green Peas Gravy)

This is one of my favorite vegetables. It is a classic traditional Maharashtrian recipe and loved by most of the people I know. It is also served on festivals, special occasions and weddings. It is spicy and totally delicious. So here is how I make it:

Ingredients: Cauliflower - 1 large, Green peas - 1 cup, tomatoes - 1, mustard seeds - 1 tsp, asafoetida - a pinch, bay leaf - 1, chopped, green cardamom - 2, red chilly powder - 1 tsp, green chillies - 1 or 2 chopped, ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp, sugar - 2 tsp, Garam masala powder - 1 tsp, coriander powder - 1 tsp, turmeric powder - 1 tsp, oil - 2 tbsp, salt as per taste, chopped cilantro for garnish. For Masala: Oil - 2 tbsp, Onion - 1 large chopped, Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp, Poppy seeds - 2 tsp, Dry coconut - 3/4th cup.

Method: For Masala: In a large pan, dry roast coconut and poppy seeds, then take 2 tbsp oil in same pan and fry onions till golden brown, add coconut and poppy seeds and ginger garlic paste and grind to fine paste and set aside. For Rassa: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when they pop, add asafoetida, chopped green chillies, ginger garlic paste, bay leaf, green cardamoms, turmeric powder, coriander powder and ground masala. Saute everything till the oil separates. Add sugar and garam masala powder. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the cauliflower and green peas. (For special occasions shallow fry the cauliflower and peas in oil separately and add - gives special taste). Add tomatoes and saute everything. Add 1/2 - 3/4th cup water and cover and cook everything for 5-7 minutes. Take care not to cook cauliflower too much or it will get mushy. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with hot roti or rice or even masale bhat.

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Vegetable Cutlets

This recipe is loved equally by adults and kids. It is a good way to get vegetables into your kids diet. Recently I made these vegetable cutlets for an office potluck party. They turned out to be really yummy and everyone loved them. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients: Potatoes - boiled and mashed- 2 large, Mixed Vegetables (boiled and mashed) - 2 cups (carrot, beans, green peas, corn),  Onion - 1 medium chopped, Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp, Red chilly powder - 1 tsp, Turmeric powder - 1 tsp, garam masala - 1 tsp, Bread crumbs - 3-4 tbsp, corn flour - 1 tsp, cilantro - chopped - 2 tbsp, salt to taste, Oil for deep frying.

Method: Heat some oil in a pan and saute onions till they are golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste, red chilly powder, turmeric powder and saute for 1 min. Add boiled and mashed mixed vegetables and potatoes. Add garam masala and salt to taste. Add corn flour dissolved in 1/2 tsp water and bread crumbs and chopped cilantro. Let it cool. The mixture consistency should be such that you are able to shape them into patties. Add some bread crumbs if needed to adjust consistency. Dip  and coat the cutlets with bread crumbs and deep fry in hot oil. Drain on tissue paper to absorb excess oil. Serve with Ketchup. Enjoy the yummilicious cutlets!! 

Till my next post, take care everyone!

Achari Bhindi (Okra cooked with pickling spices)

Bhindi or Bhendi (Marathi) or Okra is a favorite with our family. I try cook this vegetable in many different ways to experiment with new flavors. This time I made it Achari style - with pickling spices. Needless to say it was a hit at our dinner table. So here is the recipe.......

Ingredients: Okra - 3 cups (I used frozen packet), Oil -1 tablespoon (mustard oil - optional), whole achari (pickling) spice mix - 2 tsp (take mixture of fenugreek/methi seeds  (least qty in mix) , kalonji/onion seeds, fennel seeds) , Onions - cut 1 medium, ginger/garlic paste - 1 tsp, coriander powder - 1 tsp, red chili powder - 1/2 tsp, turmeric powder - 1 tsp, Whole Red chilly - 1 optional, Cilantro - finely chopped, Sugar - 1 tsp, Apple cider vinegar - 2 tsp, Salt - as per taste.

Method: Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add all the whole achari spices, add onions and cook until they turn golden brown, add ginger and garlic paste and fry for another 2 min. Add coriander, chili, and turmeric powder, whole red chilly (optional) and stir, add sugar and apple cider vinegar and then add bhindi and cover and until everything is cooked. Add salt according as per taste
Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot rotis or as a side dish with rice. Enjoy the burst of sweet, spicy and sour flavors bursting in your mouth.

Till my next post, take care everyone!

Dhapate (Maharashtrian Wholegrain Multi-flour Flatbread or paratha - Healthy and spicy)

'Dhapate' is a typical Marathi word. It literally means 'beating'. Dhapate are typically made not by the traditional rolling method but by gently patting (beating) the dough into a flat roti shape - hence the name :) They are made by mixing various whole grain flours and that's what makes them super healthy - full of fiber and tasty. Dhapate are somewhat like Thalipeeth except thinner like paratha. They taste awesome and are easy to make.

Ingredients: Whole wheat flour - 1 cup, Jowar flour - 1/2 cup, Bajra flour - 1/2 cup, Besan (Chickpea flour) - 1/4 cup, Onion - 1 medium finely chopped, Green chillies - 1-2, Cumin seeds/ powder - 1 tsp, Ajwain/(Owa)/ Caraway seeds - 1/2 tsp, Garlic - 6-8 pods crushed, Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp (optional), Cilantro - 3-4 tbsp finely chopped, Sesame seeds/flax seeds - 2-3 tsp, oil - 2-3 tsp tsp knead,  Salt - as per taste.


Method: Coarsely grind green chilies and garlic in a mixer. Chop the onion finely or coarsely grind in mixer too. Combine flours, onion, coarsely ground green chili/ garlic, cumin seeds or powder, red chili powder (optional), cilantro and salt in a mixing bowl. Add 2-3 tsp oil and just enough water to mix and knead the flour into a soft dough. Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes. Divide the dough into equal size pieces. Take a plastic sheet and gently pat the dough pieces into discs. Put some sesame seeds or flax seeds on top and gently pat them down into the Dhapata.  Gently remove the dhapata from plastic sheet and transfer and cook them on hot griddle/ tawa. Make sure to thoroughly cook by adding a few drops of oil on both sides till light golden in color.

Serve with Spicy Garlic/Peanut chutney. Enjoy this unique Maharashtrian delicacy!! 

Till my next post everyone, take care!!