Soya Bean and Methi Paratha

We had a sweet old couple living near us they have now shifted to Mumbai.  I used to make it a point to meet them everyday in the evening after Office. The old gentleman whom my kids used to call Ajoba was my feedback on politics, current affairs etc and the lady whom we called Ajji used to share a lot of tips recipes and general gossip.  

 She told me to how to make Soya bean curd or whatever the lump is called and she told me she had watched paratha made on the TV. I tried it and was very happy that I could get in a whole grain in the form of  a Paratha which is highly appreciated here at my home.

The rest is all how I make parthas at home. I have used methi you can use palak, pumpkin bottle gourd anything.

Ingredients:

10 grms Soya bean, soaked over night

1 cups methi leaves, chopped fine

Coriander leaves chopped

Mint leaves (optional)

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 green chillies (adjust as per taste)

 ½ inch piece of ginger

5 cloves garlic

3 cups Wheat flour

Red chilli powder

Turmeric

2 tsp powdered cumin

1 tsp powdered coriander seeds

A big fat pinch of hing/asafoetida

Sesame seeds

Salt

Method:

1.       Peel the soaked Soya bean seeds. 

2.Then grind them to a fine paste in the mixer use water if you feel the need.

3.       Pour the paste in a kadhai and heat it on low flame till it clumps together. Let it cool.

4.       Grind the mint, coriander, chillies, ginger, garlic and onion in the mixer to a fine paste.

5.       Mix all the ingredients to soft dough.

6.       Make balls and roll out into circular shape.

7.       Roast on hot tava.

8.       Serve with curds, tomato chutney.

Here I have served with curds and stuffed capsicum.

Ghhat Varan

When I was newly married I wondered why my MIL boiled extra Toor daal and kept a big ball of it in the fridge. But being very vague about the quantities needed and totally inexperienced I kept quiet.

The reply to my question was in the evening when guests dropped in and were to have food. The way this ball of daal was transformed was amazing not only is it tasty, high in protein content it is also easily made.

The meaning of Ghhat is thick or hard Varan is daal in Marathi so in English it will translate as hard cereal?

Ingredients:

Boiled toor daal (say about the size of a tennis ball)

 1 or 2 Onions, chopped fine

1 tblspn thick tamarind juice

A marble sized ball of jaggery

2 tblspn oil

Mustard

Hing/asafoetida

Jeera

Turmeric

Red chilli powder

Salt

Coriander

Method:

1.       Soak the jaggery in the tamarind juice.

2.       Mix in the onion and toor daal ball land salt.

3.       Heat the oil add the mustard, jeera, hing/asafoetida, turmeric, lastly red chilli powder. This is the vagarni/phodni/bhagar.

4.       Mix immediately in the bhagar.

5.       Garnish with coriander and serve with chapatti.

Grilled Sandwich

My younger daughter, Akanksha, carries breakfast to school. So everyday is a big problem if I give her something like jam toast she does not like it. Cheese toast is also a no-no but she loves grilled sandwiches.

At home she is willing to eat it as open toast but in school she carries it as grilled sandwich.

Ingredients:

To make the filling

½ cup rava

½ green capsicum

½ red capsicum

1 cup cabbage, grated

¼ cup Cauliflower, grated

1 carrot

1 cube of cheese, grated
1/2  cup cream

Salt

sugar(optional)

 I tblspn tomato sauce

Coriander

Sliced bread

Method:

1.       Mix all the ingredients except the bread slices.

2.       Stand the mixture for at least ½ an hour.

3.       Spread on the bread slice if you are making a sandwich put another slice and grill for a open sandwich put on a lightly greased tava and fry only one side.

4.       Serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

Paneer Pav Bhaji

We all love Pav Bhaji and I make it quite often, generally because there is too little of all the vegetables to be cooked individually or I am short of time.

Today I made Paneer Pav Bhaji it as I had to leave early and finish the few cubes of paneer left over in the fridge. Need I say more?

Ingredients:

2 cup mixed vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, French beans

2-3 potatoes

3 onions

2 tomatoes

1 cup peas

1 capsicum, chopped fine

2 tblspn garlic paste

1 tblspn ginger paste

Pav bhaji masala

Red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Butter/oil for frying vegetables

Butter for frying the pav

Coriander, onions chopped fine and lime for garnishing

Method:

1.       Pressure cook the vegetables and potatoes for at least 2 whistles.

2.       Make big pieces of the onion and blend in the mixer. Keep aside.

3.       Do the same with the tomatoes and vegetables. Mash the potatoes.

4.       In a kadhai heat butter (I used butter for frying the onions in the past now I use oil) and add the ginger garlic pastes.

5.       When they are done add the onions and fry on low heat till the oil comes out.

6.       Add the tomatoes and cook till the oil comes out.

7.       Add the Pav bhaji masala and the chilli powder till you get a fragrance.

8.       Add the vegetables, mashed potatoes, peas, paneer and salt.

9.       Adjust the consistency of the gravy adding the water.

10.   When the bhaji starts to boil add the capsicum.

11.   Put off the flame. Garnish with coriander.

To Serve:

On a non stick tava heat a big blob of butter. Put the pav cut in half and soak the butter, quickly turn the pav over and let the other side cook a little. When this side is done cook the other side.

Serve with finely chopped onions, and lemon wedge.

Olya Haldiche Lonche or Fresh Turmeric Pickle

The benefit of   turmeric is well documented in Ayurveda; it is amazing how well integrated turmeric is in Indian Cooking. Just the other day I read that the incidence of Alzheimer's disease is less in India thanks to this magical yellow powder that we use.

Ambehalad this is" nothing but fresh halad is what I told my colleagues at work" but I have been feeling guilty ever since for I am better educated now Ambehalad is the rhizome that when cut gives the smell of freshly cut unripe mangoes.

So what I thought of as Ambehalad is halad or turmeric, hence my posts name should be Olaya Haldiche Lonche!

The ingredients are simple and there are no set proportions. I soaked the turmeric in water for 1/2 and hour then grated it you can cut it into fine pieces if you wish

Ingredients:

Ambehalad

1 cup halad/ turmeric, grated

1 tblspn methi

1 tblspn pepper

Rock Hing about the same size as the methi. If you are using powdered hing use 1 tblspn.

1 tsp oil

Chilli powder

Salt

Phodni of mustard in 3 tblspn oil (cooled)

Method:

1.       In the tsp of oil roast hing, when you get the aroma of fried hing remove it.

2.        Fry next the pepper, remove.

3.       Switch off the gas and add methi. You will have to remove the methi almost immediately; as if methi becomes black it will taste bitter.

4.       Cool the masala and grind them fine.

5.       Mix the grated Halad and all the ingredients. Serve with almost anything paratha, chapatti, and rice.

Indian Spices for all diseases

This was forwarded to me at work.  Some of the tips sure seem to work especially for cold so I thought of putting this here for all of us to see and maybe use. 

INDIAN SPICES FOR ALL DISEASES KEEP IT HANDY COLDS Mix a gram of dalchini/cinnamon powder with a teaspoon of honey to** cure cold. Prepare a cup of tea to which you should add ginger, clove, bay leaf and black pepper... This should be consumed twice a day.. Reduce the intake as the cold disappears.* ** GINGER FOR COLDS Ginger tea is very good to cure cold. Preparation of tea: cut ginger into small pieces and boil it with water, boil it a few times and then add sugar to sweeten and milk to taste, and drink it hot. DRY COUGHS Add a gram of turmeric (haldi) powder to a teaspoon of honey for curing dry cough. Also chew a cardamom for a long time. BLOCKED NOSE For blocked nose or to relieve congestion, take a table spoon of crushed carom seeds (ajwain) and tie it in a cloth and inhale it. SORE THROAT Add a tea spoon of cumin seeds (jeera) and a few small pieces of dry ginger to a glass of boiling water. Simmer it for a few minutes, and then let it cool. Drink it twice daily. This will cure cold as well as sour throat. AJWAIN/AJMO FOR ASTHMA* *Boil ajwain in water and inhale the steam. CURE FOR BACKACHE Rub ginger paste on the backache to get relief. GARLIC FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE** Have 1-2 pod garlic (lasan) first thing in the morning with water * HONEY AND GINGER FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Mix 1 table spoon and 1 table spoon ginger (adrak) juice, *1 table spoon of crushed cumin seeds (jeera), and have it twice daily. MIGRAINE For the cure of migraine or acute cold in the head; boil a tablespoon of pepper powder, and a pinch of turmeric in a cup of milk, and have it daily for a few couple of days. BITTER GOURD/KARELA IS GOOD A tablespoon of amla juice mixed with a cup of fresh bitter gourd (karela) juice and taken daily for 2 months reduces blood sugar. TURMERIC: CURE FOR INJURIES For any cut or wound, apply turmeric powder to the injured portion to stop the bleeding. It also works as an antiseptic. You can tie a bandage after applying haldi/turmeric. CRAMPS You must do a self-massage using mustard oil every morning. Just take a little oil between your palms and rub it all over your body. Then take a shower. This is especially beneficial during winter. You could also mix a little mustard powder with water to make a paste and apply this on your palms and soles of your feet. HEADACHES If you have a regular migraine problem, include five almonds along with hot milk in your daily diet. You could also have a gram of black pepper along with honey or milk, twice or thrice a day. Make an almond paste by rubbing wet almonds against a stone. This can be applied to forehead. Eat an apple with a little salt on an empty stomach everyday and see its wonderful effects. OR when headache is caused by cold winds, cinnamon works best in curing headache. Make a paste of cinnamon by mixing in water and apply it all over your forehead * TURMERIC FOR ARTHRITIS Turmeric can be used in treating arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory property. Turmeric can be taken as a drink other than adding to dishes to help prevent all problems. Use one teaspoon of turmeric powder per cup of warm milk every day. It is also used as a paste for local action. GOOD FOR THE HEART Turmeric lower cholesterol and by preventing the formation of the internal blood clots improves circulation and prevents heart disease and stroke. Turmeric can be taken as a drink other than adding to dishes to help preventall problems.. Use one teaspoon of turmeric powder per cup of warm milk every day. It is also used as a paste for local action. GOOD FOR INDIGESTION * Turmeric can be used to relieve digestive problems like ulcers, dysentery. Turmeric can be taken as a drink other than adding to dishes to help prevent all problems. Use one teaspoon of turmeric powder per cup of warm milk every day. It is also used as a paste for local action. HONEY IS A GOOD CURE FOR ALL DISEASES Mix 1 teaspoon honey with a teaspoon of cinnamon powder and have it at night. HICCUPS Take a warm slice of lemon and sprinkle salt, sugar and black pepper on it. The lemon should be eaten until the hiccups stop. * HIGH BLOOD CHOLESTEROL In 1 glass of water, add 2 tbsps of coriander/dhania seeds and bring to a boil. Let the decoction cool for some time and then strain. Drink this mixture two times in a day. **OR Sunflower seeds are extremely beneficial, as they contain linoleic acid that helps in reducing the cholesterol deposits on the walls of arteries.* PILES Radish juice should be taken twice a day, once in the morning and then later in the night. Initially drink about ? cup of radish juice and then gradually increase it to ? cup.. OR Soak 3-4 figs in a glass of water. Keep it overnight. Consume the figs on an empty stomach, the next day in the morning VOMITING Take 2 cardamoms/elachi and roast them on a dry pan (tava). Powder the cardamoms and thereafter add a tsp of honey in it. Consume it frequently. It serves as a fabulous home remedy for vomiting. OR In the mixture of 1 tsp of mint juice and 1 tsp limejuice, add 1 tsp of ginger juice and 1 tsp honey. Drink this mixture to prevent vomiting. * *OR Limejuice is an effective remedy for vomiting. Take a glass of chilled limejuice and sip slowly. To prevent vomiting, drink ginger tea. OR In 1 glass water, add some honey and drink sip by sip. * WARTS Apply castor oil daily over the problematic area. Continue for several months. OR Apply milky juice of fresh and barely-ripe figs a number of times a day. Continue for two weeks. OR Rub cut raw potatoes on the affected area several times daily. Continue for at least two weeks. * *OR Rub cut onions on the warts to stimulate the circulation of blood. OR Apply milk from the cut end of dandelion over the warts 2-3 times a day. OR Apply oil extracted from the shell of the cashew nut over the warts. OR Apply Papaya juice OR Apply Pineapple juice.* URINARY TRACT INFECTION Drink Cranberry juice. You can also add some apple juice for taste. SINUSITIS Mango serves as an effective home remedy for preventing the frequent attacks of sinus, as it is packed with loads of vitamin A. OR Another beneficial remedy consists of consuming pungent foods like onion and garlic, as a part of your daily meals. OR Fenugreek/methi leaves are considered valuable in curing sinusitis. In 250 ml water, boil 1 tsp of Fenugreek seeds and reduce it to half. This will help you to perspire, dispel toxicity and reduce the fever period. OR Tie a tsp of black cumin seeds in a thin cotton cloth and inhale.* TONSILLITIS Take a fresh lemon and squeeze it in a glass of water. Add 4 tsp of honey and ? tsp of salt in it. Drink it slowly sip by sip. OR Milk has proved beneficial in treating tonsillitis. In 1 glass of pure boiled milk, add a pinch of turmeric powder and pepper powder. Drink it every night for about 3 days. *

Dhokla

Dhokla

Dhokla the very word lights up my husband's face. He is willing to eat it night and day.  When we were newly married I remember making 3-4 tins of dhokla and dumping it in the fridge. He used to come home from work before me  and he would eat it with or without the accompanying toppings.

Somehow these days I just could not turn out a proper Dhokla and the poor dear used to still eat it( he does eat a lot of my failed experiments so this is not an exception). As a result we started buying it from the local supermarket.

Yesterday I decided to dig out the old recipe and make Dhokla.

Steaming time: 20 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

TO SOAK:

2 cups besan/kadli hit

1 cup rava

2 cups buttermilk

  TO GRIND:

1 inch Ginger

8-10 cloves garlic

3 green chillies

OTHER INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

Salt

 2 tsp Sugar

Turmeric

1 tsp Eno's fruit salt

3 tblspn +2 tsps (to grease) oil

2 tblspn of Phodi/ vagani made of popped mustard, hing/asafoetida and sesame seeds

Coriander

Freshly grated coconut

METHOD:

1.       Mix all the ingredients to soak in a big bowl as the batter is going to ferment and rise and let it stand for at least 6 hours.

2.       After 6 hours put the 2 tsp oil in the mould and keep aside (do not grease as yet).

3.       Mix well the rest of the ingredients except the Eno's fruit salt.

4.       Get your cooker heated with enough water to steam the batter for 20 minutes.

5.       In the mould that you have added oil for greasing, add the Eno and mix with your fingers till the Eno is well mixed with the oil. Grease the sides of the mould also.

6.        Pour the batter in the mould and continue mixing till the Eno is well mixed in the entire batter.

7.       Transfer the mould to the cooker and steam (without the whistle) for 20 minutes.

8.       Serve topped with freshly grated coconut, coriander and the  phodni/ vagarni made of 2 tblspn of oil, mustard, hing/asafoetida and sesame seeds.

Sol Kadi

Sol Kadi

Here in Goa SOL-KADI and SHEET(pronounced as Sheeet) is everyday food just like any South Indian having curd rice. A beautiful ending to a lovely meal. It is a digestive, an antacid that works wonders after a nice spicy fish curry rice.
The colour of the curry is a beautiful pink………….. baby pink, complete it with a few leaves of coriander and chopped green chilli.
We had 'SOL-Kadi" today after a long time and I remembered my brother –in-law Rajesh a lot. When he visits us in Goa he requests for "SOL- KADI" and he loves it. If anyone can guzzle it down he can.

This recipe is dedicated to him.
Ingredients:
1 Grated coconut
2 green chillies (adjust as per taste)
3-4 pepper corns
2-3 cloves garlic
5-6 amsol
Method:
Grind all the ingredients except the amsol/sola with a little water (say ¾ to 1 cup).
In the bowl you want to make the KADI put the sola and strain the ground coconut through a fine strainer. Press with a spoon or if you prefer squeeze all the juice.
Repeat 2 more with lesser water.
You can always adjust the consistency of the curry but I like it thick.
Let the sola rest in the curry for atleast ½ an hour.
Sprinkle salt to taste, coriander and chopped chillies.
You can serve it with plain white rice or a spicy pulao. Tastes good when you have it as a drink.
Rajesh Cheers!!

Award

HURRAY!! 
I WON MY FIRST AWARD EVER!!
Thanks Sujana !! 


This is my first award and I am ecstatic!! Thanks again Sujana!

Awards Time

I received my first award in October from Sujana  Thank you Sujana !  The award she has passed on to me had a rule attached to it - asking me to pass the award on to 15 other blogger friends. Since, my first award was a great source of inspiration, I was on the hunt to find new budding bloggers, on to whom I could pass the 'One Lovely Blog Award'. Finally I think, I have found the deserving blogs that need to be highlighted.

I am handing over the 'One Lovely Blog Award' to the following 14 bloggers, do check out their lovely blogs, when time permits.

1.Shilpa from http://www.aayisrecipes.com/
2. Priya from http://priyaeasyntastyrecipes.blogspot.com/
3.Sushma Mallya from http://authenticfooddelights.blogspot.com/
4.Satya from http://superyummyrecipes.blogspot.com/
5.Manjula from http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/
6.Jagruti from http://joyofcooking247.blogspot.com/
7.Gayatri from http://gayathriscookspot.blogspot.com/
8.Sujana from http://worldofsujana.blogspot.com/
9.To the contributers of http://beyondcurries.blogspot.com/
10http://evolvingtastes.blogspot.com/
11.Meena of http://www.hookedonheat.com/
12

The 'Sunshine Award', was passed on to me by Chaitrali Pathak. Do check out her blog 'I am not a Chef'and I am thankful to Chaitrali for the lovely award and would love to share this award with all my blogger friends.

Pasta

I had read this recipe for pasta  here  at Priya's site it looked delicious and I was dying to try.

So when it was my younger daughter's ninth birthday I decide to make it!

 The next logical step would be to just list out the ingredients, buy them and make the pasta, simple, as my logical hubby dear told me! The catch was that I had left everything to the last minute and panicked. I could not find the recipe!!  I had not bookmarked it or copied it or e- mailed it and the recipe base that his lady has is amazing…  So I did the next best thing I am very good at you guessed it I went on improvising as I went by.

Ingredients

For The Pasta:

500 g Boccoli 55 Pasta (I mistook it for elbow pasta it turned out to be a squiggly pipe)

5 tblspn Oil

2 tblspn Garlic, crushed

7-8 large onions, chopped fine

250 grams paneer/cottage cheese, cubed

2 cups bite sized cauliflower florets

100 grms of baby corn cut in small pieces

20 olives  

2 red capsicum deseeded and chopped

1 green capsicum deseeded and chopped

2 cups cabbage cut into fine long strips

Salt

Method:

1.       In a large vessel boil about 8 litres of water with 2 tblspn of salt and oil.

2.       In the boiling water add the pasta and boil till the pasta is cooked or you can cut the pasta with the slotted spoon easily.

3.       Drain the pasta and cool immediately. Apply oil to the pasta and keep aside.

4.       Heat oil in a kadhai and the garlic and fry till golden brown.

5.       Add the chopped onion and fry on medium heat till translucent.

6.       Add panner stir on high flame; add the cauliflower the cauliflower florets stir for about 3-4 minutes next add the baby corn. Put out the flame.

7.       Add salt mix now add the olives, chopped red and green capsicum and cabbage.

8.       Add the pasta mix well.

9.       Serve with tomato sauce, white sauce or pungent sauce.

Pachdi/Raw Salad

Pachidi/ Raw Salad

I remember staying in my friend Savitri's place she is better known as Savi and she took me all around her vegetable garden plucking various leaves and god alone knows what and making a salad out of the leaves she had plucked along with some tomatoes, cucumbers, onions etc.
I was sure she had set out to poison me and I told her as much. So to prove that she was not out to murder me she ate a full plate first only then I ate it. And was I hooked!!
My elder daughter loves this salad and I make it often mainly when we get radish greens, tender, juicy and green.( Do I sound like Rapenzul's mom?)  The other day I made it after a long time so I thought of posting this recipe. There are ingredients in this recipe but no measures as mix as per your taste but be sure to finish it off in one sitting as it does not taste as good later.
Ingredients:
Radish leaves chopped fine
Radish grated
Tomato chopped fine
Onion chopped fine
Coconut (Savi had used roasted ground nut powder but I prefer coconut)
Salt
Sugar
Lime juice
Oil for phodni (about ½ tblspn)
Mustard
Green chillies (I chopped them fine but you could just slit them)
Method:
1. Mix all the ingredients.
2. Heat the oil and crackle the mustard seeds.
3. Add the green chilli.
4. Add to the salad. Mix well and serve.

P.S. I have added a few slices of apple cubed .