Saturday 27 July 2013

Spinach And Split Green Gram Pancake (Palak-Moong Dosa)



Ingredients:
Spilt green gram with skin (Chilakewali moong dal)- ½ cup
Fine semolina (Barik Rawa, Suji)- ½ cup
Chopped spinach- ½ cup
Green chilli - 2 to 3
Garlic cloves - 2 
Sugar- ½ tsp
Curd (Yogert) - 1 tbsp
Cumin - ½ tsp
Asafetida- 1 pinch
Sesame seeds- 1 tsp
Soda bi-carb - 1 pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil - as required

Method:
Wash the split green gram and soak over night or min 4 hours water. Drain the water used for soaking in a bowl, don’t waste it (It contains vitamins).
Transfer this splits to a grinder. Add green chili, garlic, spinach, cumin, sugar, curd and grind to a smooth consistency using required amount of water (use same water which is used for soaking). You will need about 1/4  cup of water.
Transfer to a bowl.  Add semolina (rawa), sesame seeds, asafetida, soda bi-carb and salt to the batter. Rest this batter for 15-20 minutes.
Heat a dosa pan/ tawa or griddle and grease the surface with oil. Pour a ladle of batter on the pan/tawa and spread it evenly around in a circular shape. 

Cover & cook for 2 mins. Drizzle little oil around the dosa and when cooked, flip it over and let it cook on the other side too till it became golden brown. 
Serve hot with tomato ketchup or any chutney.

You can use whole green gram. Soak over night.

Thursday 25 July 2013

Peanut Ladoo (Shengadana Ladoo)

Peanut Ladoo are very easy to make, tasty and full of iron. 


Ingredients:
Peanuts, roasted and peeled- 1 cup
Grated jaggery- 1/2 cup
Cardamon powder- 1/2 tsp
Clarified butter (pure ghee)- 1 tsp

Method:
Grind in grinder/mixer into medium fine or coarse powder.
Heat jaggery for just 1-2 minute or till melted. Do not boil.
Add ghee, peanut crush, cardamon powder and mix well.
Let it cool, kned and roll ladoo.
They can stored in air tight container for 15 days.
They are made for fast.

Saturday 20 July 2013

Kantolichi Bhaji (Spicy Stir-fry Kantola / Indian or Spine Gourd )

This vegetable is seasonal and we can find it in the markets during monsoon. It is packed with goodness and taste too. It is rich in fibre and vitamins. It is cooling to the body, easy to digest, good for cough, fevers, increases appetite and good for the kidneys. Lactating mothers can eat this veggie to decrease the problem of vomiting in infants. Recent research shows that it has good for diabetics.
We make a simple roasted vegetable of it. Here is its recipe.


Introduction: It is small ovoid, green and full of soft spines and looks like the sister of Bitter gourd but not definitely not in taste. 


Ingredients:
  • Kantola/ Kantoli- 1 bunch (approx 15)
  • Sprouted and peeled val beans (field beans)- ¼ cup
  • Chopped onion-  1 cup
  • Garlic, bruised- 6 cloves
  • Mustard seeds -  1 tsp
  • Asafetida (Hing) - ¼ tsp
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
  • Homemade mix masala or Chili powder – 1 tsp
  • Goda masala- 1 tsp
  • Grated jaggery- ¼ tsp
  • Salt- to taste
  • Oil- 3 tbsp
  • Scraped fresh coconut- 2 tbsp for garnishing 
  • Finely chopped fresh coriander- 2 tbsp

Method:
  • Cut the Kantola lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Slice them semicircle like. 
  • Add 1 tsp of salt and mix. Now lightly rub the kantola with your hand. Leave it to rest for atleast 10 minutes. It will leave water. Squeeze and drain the water. Wash the kantola under running water to remove the extra salt or just use it as it is. 
  • Heat oil in a pan.  Add mustard seeds. When the splattering starts, add garlic and onion. 
  • When onion become pink, add turmeric powder, hing, masala and sauté for a minute.
  • Add val beans, little water and salt to taste. Mix well, cover and cook for 7-8 minutes on simmer. 
  • Add squeezed cantola slices and goda masala. Add some water. Mix well, cover and cook for 10 minutes or till cooked on simmer. Add jaggery, mix well, cover and cook on simmer for a minute.
  • Garnish with scrapped coconut and coriander. 
  • Serve hot with chapati, bhakari or dal-rice.

Second method :
  • Prepare this vegetable to cook as above.
  • Heat oil in a pan.  Add mustard seeds. When the splattering starts, add pieces of  2-3 green chilies, garlic and onionsauté till translucent.  
  • Add turmeric, hing and sauté for a minute. Add cantola and salt & mix well. Sprinkle some water. Cover & cook for 10-15 minutes or till cooked on simmer. Stir occasionally.
  • Garnish with scrapped coconut and chopped coriander. 
  • Serve hot with chapati.

कंटोलीची  भाजी

कंटोली हि कंटूर्ली, कर्टुल, कर्टुले, काटेली, फागल इत्यादी वेगवेगळ्या नावाने ओळखली जाते. हि भाजी फक्त पावसाळ्यातच मिळते. छोट्या कार्ल्यासारखी दिसणारी हि रान भाजी खूपच उपयुक्त आहे.

साहित्य:
  • कंटोली - १ जुडी (साधारणपणे १०-१५)
  • मोड आणून सोललेले वाल-  १/४ कप
  • चिरलेला कांदा- २ कप
  • ठेचलेला लसूण पाकळ्या - ७ ते ८
  • राई/ मोहरी- १ टीस्पून
  • हिंग- १/४ टीस्पून
  • हळद- १/२ टीस्पून
  • घरगुती मसाला किंव्हा मालवणी मसाला - १ टीस्पून (किंव्हा मिरची पूड आणि थोडा गोडा मसाला जास्त वापरावा.)
  • गोडा मसाला- १ टीस्पून
  • खिसलेला गूळ- १/४ टीस्पून
  • मीठ चवीनुसार
  • तेल- ३ टेबलस्पून
  • बारीक चिरलेली कोथिंबीर- २ टेबलस्पून
  • खवलेले ओले खोबरे- २ टेबलस्पून

कृती:
  • कंटोली उभी मध्यभागी चिरून दोन भाग घ्या. त्याच्या बिया चमच्याच्या मागच्या बाजूने काढा. 
  • नंतर चिरून घ्या. थोडं मीठ टाकून हलक्या हाताने चुरा. थोडावेळ तसेच ठेऊन द्या. म्हणजे पाणी सुटेल व ते मऊ पडतील. वाहत्या पाण्याखाली धुऊन, पिळून घ्या.
  • एका कढईत तेल गरम करून मोहरी टाका, मोहरी तडतडली कि लसुण, कांदा टाका. कांदा गुलाबी झाला कि त्यात हळद, हिंग आणि मसाला टाका. व्यवस्थित एकत्र करून घ्या.
  • त्यात सोललेले वाल व थोडे पाणी टाका. झाकण ठेऊन मंद आचेवर ७-८ मिनिटे शिजू द्या.  नंतर त्यात कंटोली व मीठ टाका.  व्यवस्थित एकत्र करून घ्या.
  • त्यात थोडे पाणी शिंपडा. झाकण ठेऊन मंद आचेवर १० ते १५ मिनिटे किंव्हा भाजी शिजेपर्यंत  शिजू द्या. नंतर गुळ टाकून एक वाफ काढा. वरून कोथिंबीर व ओलं खोबर पेरा.  गरमागरम भाकरी किंव्हा चपाती किंव्हा आमटी-भातासोबत वाढा.

दुसरी पद्धत :
एका कढईत तेल गरम करून मोहरी टाका, मोहरी तडतडली कि लसुण, कांदा टाका. कांदा गुलाबी झाला कि त्यात हळद, हिंग आणि २-३ मिरच्या कापून टाका. व्यवस्थित एकत्र करून घ्या.
 नंतर त्यात कंटोली व मीठ टाका.  व्यवस्थित एकत्र करून घ्या.
त्यात थोडे पाणी शिंपडा. झाकण ठेऊन मंद आचेवर १० ते १५ मिनिटे किंव्हा भाजी शिजेपर्यंत  शिजू द्या. वरून ओलं खोबर पेरा.  गरमागरम भाकरी किंव्हा चपाती किंव्हा आमटी-भातासोबत वाढा.

Thursday 18 July 2013

Sago-Samo Dosa (Sabudana-Vari Dosa)



Ingredients:
  • Vari/ Bhagar/Sama ke chaval (Barnyard millet/Morayo or Samo seeds)- 1 cup
  • Sabudana (Sago/Tapioca)- ½ cup
  • Cumin Seeds- 1 tsp
  • Boiled potato- 1 med size
  • Green chilli- 3 to 4
  • Scrapped fresh coconut- 2 tbsp (optional)
  • Peanut oil or clarified butter- as required
  • Salt to taste
  • Water- as required
Method:
Wash and soak sago and samo separately , add enough water to just cover them and soak over night.
Peel the boiled potato, grate or mash finely.
Blend together samo, chilies, scrapped coconut and cumin seeds with little water into fine paste. 
Blend also sago with sufficient water. 
Mix together both paste, potato mash and salt. It should be have little thicker than dosa batter consistency.



Heat the frying pan. Sprinkle little oil and pour the batter in middle of pan. Spread in round shape like pan cake. Fry both sides until it turns golden brown. 



Serve hot with cucumber or any fasting chutney.

Thursday 11 July 2013

Thalipeeth / Thepala( Multi Grain Pancake )

This is very authentic healthy breakfast or tiffin for kids. I added some extra ingredients to increasing its nutritious value of this thalipeeth. Traditionally thalipeeth made in rainy season, but I think no specific season to eat this tasty and nutritious dish.


ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून.......  इथे क्लिक करा.


Ingredients:

  • Bhajani (Roasted multi grain flour)- 1 cup
  • Chopped onion- 1 cup
  • Red chilly powder or homemade masala- 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
  • Hing (Asafetida)- ¼ tsp
  • Sesame seeds (Teel)- 1 tbsp
  • Chopped fresh coriander- ¼ cup or as your choise
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil - as required
  • Water – approx. ¾ cup


Method:
Take above all above mentioned ingredients except flour, water and oil in a big plate or bowl.




Mix well & crumple with hand. Thus onion become soft.




Add flour and water, kned dove. Divide the dough in 3 to 4 parts, it depends on what size of thalipeeth you want.




Take a clean and wet cloth and keep it on a flat surface. Then take a small ball of the dough and pat it evenly to make a small thalipeeth. While spreading the thalipeeth dip your hand in a bowl of water and then again spread the thalipeeth so that the dough becomes wet and spreads easily.




Lift the cloth along with the thalipeeth which sticks to the cloth and put it on the tawa with the thalipeeth touching the tawa. Slowly remove the cloth.

                                                                 or

Apply some oil on a cold pan, put dough on it.



Pat this with hands in pan. Make holes for pour oil.



With a spoon put some oil from the sides and in the holes. cover and cook for 2-3 minutes on simmer. Fry until it becomes crisp and golden brown from both sides.


And your tasty thalipeeth is ready to eat. Serve the hot thalipeeth with a dollop of butter on top. It tastes wonderful with when eaten along with curds or even tomato ketchup.





Tips and Variations: 
  • Use non-stick pan mostly, it reqiurs less oil.
  • To increase the nutritional value of the recipe and make it even more zesty, add one or more of these vegetables: spring onions, cabbage, carrot, radish, bottle guard, pumpkin, potato, leafy vegetables like spinach, raddish etc.
  • Use vegetables separately or make mix vegetables thalipeeth.
  • Use this thalipeeth like pizza base. Serve like pizza for kids.


Sunday 7 July 2013

Indoitalino Khandavi

Everybody knows about Gujarati delicacy “Khandavi”.  But this is my version of khandavi .




Ingredients:

Beetroot pulp- Clean, peel and boil 1 beetroot.  Grind with 3 garlic cloves & little water.

Spinach pulp- Wash and blanch spinach leaves (1 bunch). Grind with 3 garlic cloves, 1 green chili, pinch of sugar & little water.

Batter 1-
Plain flour (maida)- ¼ cup
Beetroot pulp- 1 tbsp
Red chili powder- ¼ tsp
Olive oil- ½ tsp
Salt to taste

Batter 2-
Plain flour (maida)- ¼ cup
Spinach  pulp- 1 tbsp
Olive oil- ½ tsp
Salt & pepper to taste  

Stuffing 1-
Chopped carrot- ¼ cup
Chopped capsicum- ¼ cup
Garlic cloves- 4
Olives- 2
Chilli flexes- ½ tsp
Dried mix herb- ½ tsp
Olive oil- 2 tsp
Processed cheese- as required
Salt & pepper to taste  

Stuffing 2-
Boiled sweet corn kernels- ¼ cup
Grated Processed cheese- ¼ cup
Garlic cloves- 3
Olive oil- 2 tsp
Salt & pepper to taste  



Method:

For Pink Pataka Khandavi:

Stuffing 1- Take carrot, capsicum, olives and garlic in food processer, mince without water.
Heat olive oil in a pan, add above mixture. Add chili flex, mix herbs, salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 min on simmer. Let it cool.

For Khandavi (using batter 1 ingredients) - Strain maida. Combine all ingredients in bowl except water. Add water slowly slowly to avoid the lumps in batter. Mix it well so that no lumps are formed.
Add this mixture into non stick pan, turn on heat to high and bring the mixture to boil. Keep on stirring continuously while mixture is boiling in pan.
Once it becomes thick and shiny, reduce heat to low. Cover and cook it for 5 minutes.  
Once mixture starts leaving sides of pan, turn off the heat.
Spread the mixture on big SS plate evenly.
Spread some grated cheese on it.
Sprinkle stuffing mixture evenly. Do not over stuff the mixture.
Cut into thin strips vertically, cut horizontal in middle for small size.  Roll up each strip into firm roll.

For Green Cheesy Khandavi:

For Stuffing 2- Crush coarsely boiled corn kernels and garlic in food processor. Heat oil in a pan. Add this mixture, add also salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on simmer. Let it cool. Add grated cheese and mix well.

For Khandavi (using batter 2)- same as above mentioned method for khandavi.

Arrange these two types of khandavi  in a plate. Garnish with cheese. Serve with homemade tomato based magic sauce.  You can reheat in micro-oven before  serving.

I used nominal oil. You can say…it’s oilfree.

Saturday 6 July 2013

Bhajani ( Roasted Multi-Grain Flour)

Bhajaniche Thalipeeth is a popular and authentic foodstuff from Maharashtrian  culture. Bhajani is a Ready-to-use flour prepared by roasting and grinding many grains and pulses. Many tasty and quick recipes can be prepared using this flour like Thalipeeth, Vade and many more. I will post them soon. 
Its main characteristic is its Nutritional Value.  Increasing the number of different cereals and pulses reduces the possibility of deficiency of any essential amino acid in “Bhajani” Due to roasting of grains and pulses, Bhajani is easier to digest.





ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून.......इथे क्लिक करा.


This is my recipe of Bhajani:
I added some extra ingredients to increase its nutritious value. Original method is also given bellow.

Yields approx. 2 ¼ kg flour

You need:
  • Rice – 1 kg  [use mostly unpolished thick in size (not a long) rice which is used for bhakari/roti]
  • Spilt Bengal gram (chana dal)- ¼ kg
  • Spilt green gram (mung dal)- 100 gm
  • Spilt black gram (udad dal) or whole black gram- 100 gm
  • Soybean- 100 gm
  • Wheat- 100 gm
  • Sorghum (Jawar/Jwari)- 100 gm
  • Millet (Bajara/ bajari)- 100 gm
  • Finger millet ( ragi/nachani)- 100 gm
  • Horse gram (Kulith)- 50 gm
  • Dried Corn- 50 gm
  • Cumin seeds (jeera)- 50 gm
  • Coriander seeds (dhane)- 100 gm
  • Fenugreek seeds- 1/2  tsp (optional)


Directions:
Over a low to medium heat, dry roast  all ingredients  individually in heavy bottom pan until  nice and crisp or their colour turns light brown. Don’t burnt it. Stir frequently to prevent burning. Let them cool.







Combine and grind into a coarse powder using a flour mill.



Store this flour in airtight container. Keep in dry place. Finish this in maximum 2-3 months. The aroma tells that the flour is fresh.



Traditional Recipe (Konkani):
  • Rice - 1 kg
  • Spilt Bengal gram (chana dal)- 1/2 kg
  • Sorghum (Jawar/Jwari)- 1/4 kg
  • Wheat - 1/4 kg
  • Spilt black gram (udad dal) or whole black gram- 1/4 kg
  • Coriander seeds - 100 gm
  • Cumin seeds - 50 gm

Traditional Recipe (Other):
  • Millet (Bajara/ bajari)- 1 kg
  • Rice - 1/2 kg
  • Spilt Bengal gram (chana dal)- 1/2 kg
  • Sorghum (Jawar/Jwari)-  1/2 kg
  • Wheat - 1/2 kg
  • Spilt black gram (udad dal) or whole black gram- 1/4 kg
  • Coriander seeds - 1/4 kg

Notes:
  • This recipe has a number of pulses used. However, you may omit any of the pulses mentioned above if not available.
  • If flour mills are not easily accessible or if you are in a big city or outside India, then this is the alternative method you can go for. 
  • Quick recipe: Dry roast all flours (which are available) separately for 10 minutes, combine and make thalipeeth in a usual way.
  • You may grind small amount of pulses in mixer-grinder. It is quite easy to grind roasted pulses.

Advantages of preparing “Bhajani" at home: 

  • Self control over selection, purchase, cleaning and roasting of grains and pulses. 
  • Self control over selection and proportion of different types of contributing grains and pulses. 
  • Home-made “Bhajani is always much cheaper.
  • Preparation of “Bhajani” is a very simple procedure and it requires only 1 hour on any holiday, every 2-3 months.

Recipes from this Bhajani /flour: (for recipe, click on recipe name)

Friday 5 July 2013

Mirchi Vada (Chili Fritter)

Mirchi Vada  is a Rajasthani popular snack. This snack for people who love spicy and hot food.


Oil - for deep fry


For Stuffing-
Boiled potatoes,peeled and mashed- 1 cup
Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Mango powder (amchoor)- 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder- 1/4 tsp (optional)
Salt to taste

For Batter-
Gram flour (besan)- 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Asofedia (hing)- 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder- 1/4 tsp
Soda bi-carb- 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Water- approx. ¼ cup 


Method:
Vertically slit the chili, don’t remove the stem. If you don't like spicy,remove the seeds. Set aside.
Mix all the filling together.

For making the batter, combine add all the dry ingredients together. Add the water slowly to make smooth and lumps-free batter.
Stuff the chilies with potato mix.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat wok (kadai). 
Dip the filled chili in the batter one at a time making sure chili is covered with batter all around and slowly drop into the wok.
Turn occasionally fry the mirchi vada until all sides are golden brown. It should take about 3-4 minutes on simmer. Take the mirchi vadas out over tissue paper.
Served hot with tamarind Chutney.

Do not use Bhavanagari chilies for this vada, in my opinion. Becoz bavanagari chilli has thick skin. The skin uncooked, when we fried them.

Other long and thick chilli also available in the market, but they are spicy. So you can omit red chilli powder from this recipe.  



Thursday 4 July 2013

Tamarind and Dates Chutney/ Dip (Khajur-Imli ki Chutney )

This Sweet and sour chutney is very important key factor of chat. It adds magic in all varieties of chat like Pani Puri, Bhel Puri, Ragada pattice etc. It goes well with every fried snack.        
           
Dates, deseeded- 10 to 12
Tamarind, deseeded- 1/4 cup
Grated jaggery- 1 cup
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Asafoetida (hing)- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Water- 4 cups
Method:
Heat water in a heavy bottomed S.S. vessel, add all above ingredients and boil for 20 minutes on simmer. Turn off heat and cool.



Once cool, grind this mixture along with dates to a fine paste. Strain if necessary.
Store refrigerated and use as required.
You can store it in deep freeze for 6 months.
When you required in a thin consistency, add little water to dilute. Adjust salt also.

Omit hing, when you want to use with fasting snack like sabudana vada for fast.

Monday 1 July 2013

Carom Leaves (Ajvain patta / Ova pane) Pakoda

These pakodas are very tasty and healthy too. Carom is useful for digestion. 



ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून……. इथे क्लिक करा.

Ingredients:

  • Carom leaves- 10 to 12
  • Besan (gram or chick pea flour)- ½ cup
  • Rice flour- 1 tsp
  • Water- approx. 3 tbsp
  • Cumin powder- ½ tsp
  • Coriander powder- ½ tsp
  • Chili powder- ½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
  • Asafetida (Hing)- ¼ tsp (optional)
  • Soda bi-carb - 1 pinch
  • Salt to taste.
  • Oil for frying



Method:


Wash and wipe the leaves. Remove stems. 




Combine besan, rice flour, above mentioned all spice powders, soda and salt in a bowl. Add water slowly and stir the mixture. There should not be lumps in the batter.





Heat the oil in a wok(kadhai). Turn flame to medium heat once oil is hot. Put slices into the batter, they are completely coated and deep fry them till colour turns nice golden. Be careful not to over crowd the wok. You can put 5-6 bhajjias in at a time.
Serve hot with any chutney or in meal with dal-rice.