Khakhara, gujrati snack

Long back, when some of my relatives came from india, they brought the khakharas (readymade ones) along with them. That was the first time i had them, and liked them so much, that i was drooling to have them more...., And nowadays, whenever i see my one of favorite serial, Baa Bahoo n Baby, hearing them say khakhara, thepla, dhokla and all, my temptation to eat grew very much. So finally i searched the net, and found out these. The recipe sounded simple(but i think, its actually no so simple), so finally made them.

The taste was not as good as the readymade ones, but it sure is a yummy and healthy snack, as i read in the various sites , its a good food for diebatic people. Khakharas are very wholesome, nourishing and great item for breakfast. The sugar content is very low and active carbohydrates are easy on stomach.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
3 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
½ tsp caraway seeds (ajwain/ omam)
1 tsp black sesame seeds
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp cumin powder
salt to taste

Method:

Mix all the ingredients and enough water into a softish but elastic dough similar to dough for making chapathi.Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes. Pinch off a ball of dough the size of a small lemon/ lime and roll out into as thin a circle as possible(wafer thin is good). Dust lightly, if necessary, with whole wheat flour while rolling out the dough to prevent it from sticking.

Heat a cast iron griddle. Put the rolled out dough on it and cook, over low to medium heat on both sides till faint brown spots start appearing.Now take a thick kitchen towel, fold it and roll it up into a size fills your palm. Holding the rolled up towel press down on the cooked dough circle, a little at a time till every part of the circle has been pressed down. This ensures that it cooks and crisps out evenly. Now turn the khakhra over and repeat with the other side. The khakhra would now have a light brown colouring on both sides and would have become crisp.(this step requires time and patience) If you would like, the khakhra can be brushed with butter or ghee at this point. Cool on a cookie rack. Finish the rest of the dough in this manner.When cool, store in an airtight container.


Khakharas are best enjoyed with Khakhara powder. We had it with chat masala powder. Just sprinkle chat masala over the khakhara, and eat it.Can also have it plain, with tea, or served with a variety of dips or salsas, sweet and sour chutneys or even curries.

I'm sending this to SWC:Gujrati cuisine , hosted by notyet100 of Asan Khana. And i request all my readers(specially gujju), if they have a better recipe, do tell me too, as they were not as nice as readymade ones....:)

Posted by Neha 17 comments

Labels: bread indian, dry snacks, healthy

Healthy Palak Tofu

Posted by Neha 12 comments

Labels: gravy, healthy, spinach, tofu

GM diet plan

Hey guys, 2 days back myself and my hubby started the GM diet plan, which i think is very popular among indians(as i searched the net and everywhere its indians only who did it...)..Both of us are actually not obese(don't dare compare with the above one, hehe..), but yep, we have some extra pounds, which we thought of shedding.., for me, its the extra post pregnancy weight (still there with me after 2 years) which i wanted to loose and for him, he's really a bit conscious to stay really fit......(actually i'm a lazy bones, its due to him only we are finally doing this...hehe).Regular exercising or gymming is not our cuppa tea.I had been trying to postpone this too for a few months, but finally with a subh mahurat , it did started....

Ooops...You all must be wondering what's this is all about, can see the links in the right section of the page(both veg. and non veg.versions).

Till now everything's going fine(though i already cheated once....:) ),and i think ,i already lost my appetite or can say carving for grains; first 2 days were a bit tough though,today i feel fine.My hubby's already reduced a bit and he's feeling good too, and as far as i'm concerened, still the same...hehe

I'll definately tell you all the end results.So not much cooking(read, nice n yummy cooking) this week..mostly the vegetable soup only...see u all....

One more thing, we got inspired from our friend,who really wanted to loose weight, and lost 3.5 kgs doing this (along with exercise),and finally reduced 10 kgs in 2 months.....

Posted by Neha 15 comments

Labels: healthy, miss.

Simple sandwich

This is the most simplest sandwich to make, i ever knew. And i mostly prepare them for sundays breakfast, when we getup late and there's hurry for the breakfast :) What i feel is, that bread is something everyone in the world loves to eat(apart from potatoes), and for me, with any filling its yum...hehe
The sandwich is America's most popular meal.They love them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and frankly anytime as a sandwich is quick and easy, portable and versatile – the ideal meal for people anytime!


Ingredients:

Bread slices
3 potatoes(boiled & choppped)
2 onions(finely chopped)
2 green chillies(finely chopped)
1 tomato (finely chopped)
corainder leaves (finely chopped)
salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chillie powder(optional)
1/2 tsp cumin powder (optional)
butter
ketchup

Method:

Apply butter to one side of all the slices.
Boil the potatoes and chop them.Now add the finely chopped onions,tomatoes,green chillies,salt, chilli powder, cumin powder and finely chopped coriander leaves.
Mix all the ingredients well and put them in between the two bread slices (buttered side out).
Meanwhile switch on the sandwich maker, so it is preheated. Add a bit butter to the plates.
Place the sandwich in the sandwich maker.
When the sandwiches are ready, serve them with ketchup.



***********************
I'm sending this for the sandwich festival hosted by Anupama.
And to Bread mania hosted at Bay leaf by Sindhura.

Posted by Neha 10 comments

Labels: bread, breakfast n brunch

Sooji Dhokla

Semolina, or sooji, is one of my favorite ingredient. I can't do without it. Mix it with curd, and see there's lots and lots of ways to cook it as yummy snacks. It may be Dhokla, Sooji sandwhich, Rava idlis, Sooji ka chilla, Instant rava dosa, and .......the list goes on and on.. Some snacks i have posted and some i'll post very soon .

The good thing is its light to eat and with slight variations in some of above mentioned dish, we can easily add a lot of veggies in it,so its really healthy.. and my kids love its all forms.

Ingredients:

Sooji/Semolina 2 cups
Gramflour/ Besan 2 tbsp
Curd 1/2 cup
Eno Fruit Salt /eating soda 1 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp(if you want it yellow)
Green Chilli Ginger Paste to taste
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste.

For tempering:

Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Green Chillies 2 finely chopped (optional)
A few Curry Leaves
Sesame seeds 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Chopped Corinder 2 tbsp
Grated Coconut 1 tbsp

Method:

Mix all the ingredients(sooji, besan ,curd,salt, sugar ,turmeric ,green paste and oil) in a container and make it into a batter.
Add water as desired to have a consistency of idli batter.
Leave the batter for 1/2 an hour.
Add Soda(/Eno Fruit salt) and lemon juice to the batter. Mix well.
Pour it in a greased dish and steam it for 10 to 15 minutes(as we do for idli's or khaman's).
Take it out in a separate dish and let it cool,then cut it into pieces.


In a big pan, prepare tadka of mustard seeds,sesame seeds, green chillies and curry leaves.
Add the dhokla pieces in it and stir till done.
Garnish the dhokla with coriander leaves and grated cocounut.
Serve with a spicy Chutney.


These Dhokla's i'm sending as my second entry to SWC: Gujrati cuisine, hosted by Notyet100.

Posted by Neha 10 comments

Labels: appetizers, breakfast n brunch, semolina

Khandavi

Have taken a break this weekend from blogging, to spend full time with my family.Then morning i thought what to post for SWC:Gujrat??, then searched internet, and found this, Khandavi...
Actually earlier also, i tried making khandvi , but that time i didn't had the proper recipe(i think), and it didn't came out well, so with a lot of courage i tried again...:) , and this time .....all went well, and actually its really very easy to make . Yummy snack in just a few minutes...

Ingredients:

Gram Flour/Besan 1 Cup
Buttermilk 2.5 Cups
Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice 2 tbsp(optional)
Salt to Taste

For Filling:
Fresh or Thawed Grated Coconut 1/2 Cup
Finely Chopped Cilantro(coriander) 2 tbsp
Grated Ginger 1 tsp
Green Chillies chopped finely 2
Salt to Taste

Seasoning:
Oil 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds 2 tsp
Sesame seeds 1 tsp.
Asafoetida a pinch
Green chillies(optional)

Method:

Mix Gramflour,buttermilk, turmeric powder,lemon juice, salt and make a smooth paste.
In a bowl, mix coconut, coriander leaves,ginger, green chillies & salt,keep aside.
Grease 3-4 plates and keep it ready
Now in a heavy non stick pan, add batter.
Cook in a medium heat till the mixture does not taste raw, stirring continuously and evenly to avoid lump formation,(consistency of batter should get thick)
When done (about 7-8 minutes), pour a ladleful in a large plate.
Spread as thin as possible(about 1 mm thick) with the back of a large flat spoon.
Use circular outward movements as for dosas. Let it cool for 5 10 minutes.
When cooled, sprinkle the coconut filling evenly on it.
Then with a knief cut into 1" wide strips.



Carefully roll each strip, repeat for all plates.
Place in a serving dish.
Sprinkle coconut and coriander all over khandvi rolls.
Heat oil in a small pan.
Add musturd, asafoetida, and chillies.
At last at sesame seeds and immediately pour over rolls.

Serve as it is or with garlic chutney.

Tips:
As mixture cools fast, make khandvi in small quantity at a time.
If you don't want to stir continuously you can cook besan mixture in microwave too.

I'm sending this to SWC:Gujrati cusine hosted by Notyet100 .

Posted by Neha 8 comments

Labels: appetizers

Chinese Veggie Noodles

This recipe is specially for the kids, my kids like to eat it so much, that every week atleast once they have this for the dinner.Fast to cook and good to eat(and fast to feed too).I usually prepare it for dinner time only, unlike my mom's place where we used to have it as evening snacks. As this dinner results in early and not so very heavy meal..(ideally dinner ought to be like this, i think???)

Ingredients:

1 packet Noodles
2 tbsp Soya sauce
1 tbsp Tomato ketchup
1 Tbsp Chilli garlic sauce
1 tbsp vinegar(optional)
2 cup of julienne carrots, spring onions,potatoes,french beans & cabbage.
2 cloves garlic chopped finely
1 big onion,sliced
2 tbsp Oil
2 tsp Black pepper
Salt to taste

Method:

Boil the noodles with sufficient water(or as par instruction given in the packet), some salt and 1 tbsp. of oil till the noodles are soft. Drain out the water.
Pour some water (2-3 glasses) of room temperature on them, so that they do not stick together.
Keep it aside to cool.
Heat Oil in a thick bottomed pan. When oil gets hot,add garlic,and then sliced onion,cook till onions are translucent.
Add cut vegetables, sprinkle a pinch of salt and stir fry at high heat for about 3 4 mins.
Now add spring onions, soya sauce, chilli garlic sauce & tomato ketchup, stir for couple of minutes and add cooked noodles.
Add salt to taste.
Stir fry for 2-3 mins and serve hot.

Tips: Prepare the noodles at high heat for best results.
If you want,you can use any brand noodles(discard the taste maker) to prepare this dish
Soya sauce contains lot of sodium, check for salt before you add any.

**********************
I'm sending this indo chinese Main course to AWED:Chinese ,hosted at Culinarybazaar...

Posted by Neha 12 comments

Labels: chinese, healthy

Rajasthani cuisine

I know a lot of you don't know much about rajasthani cuisine, so just wanted to throw some light over it...

Rajasthani cooking, it was inclined to the war-like lifestyle of its inhibitants and the availability of ingredients of the region. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred, more out of necessity than choice. Scarcity of water, fresh green vegetables have had their effect on cooking.

In the desert belt of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Bikaner, cooks use a minimum of water and prefer, instead, to use more milk, buttermilk and clarified butter. A distinct feature of the Maheshwari cooking is the use of mango powder, a suitable substitute for tomatoes, scarce in the desert, and asafoetida, to enhance the taste in the absence of garlic and onions.

Generally, Rajasthani curries are a brilliant red but they are not as spicy as they look. Most Rajasthani cuisine uses pure ghee (clarified butter) as the medium of cooking. A favourite sweet dish called lapsi is prepared with broken wheat (dalia) sautéed in ghee and sweetened,along with the more popular Dal bati churma.

Crops like millet (bajra) and barley (jowar) is also used as it could be cultivated in parts of Rajasthan. Use of beans from locally grown plants like sangri, ker etc besides dried lentils is also popular here. Gram flour is a major ingrediant here and is used to make some of the delicacies like khata, gatta ki sabzi, pakodi; powdered lentils are used for mangodi, papad.Also there's yummy moong dal bhajjis. The daily food in Rajasthan typically comprises unleavened bread, made of wheat, barley, millet or maize.The bati, lachhedar paratha and besan ki missi puri are types of bread peculiar to Rajasthan.

Rajasthan is famous for its collection of exotic desserts too, like ghewar , pheni, jalebis, rasgullas, falda, Mishri Mawa, Sohan Halwa, Mawa Katchori, Dil Jani etc.Rajasthan is also famous for spicy chutneys and pickles. Bikaner also has a whole range of other savories and snacks like the world famous Bikaner ki bhujia.The best part about Rajasthan cuisine is not just the taste, but the way it is served for guests.

I hope i've given a good overview of rajasthani food. Here's its all veg, but red meat is also popular, i don't know much about it ,being a vegetarian myself

The above picture of the typical rajasthani thali(that i googled out), is not a exaggeration. Even now when i go back to my hometown,or have some religious function we are served thali's like this only......

Posted by Neha 14 comments

Labels: miss.

Missi Roti

Yesterday, when i made shahi gatte, along with it i made missi roti too. As i goes as a ideal comination along with pickel, onions(salad) and papad. In the rajasthani food we don't have much greens, which is a consequence of the climatic conditions of rajasthan ,and also its not as spicy as it looks.
So now can enjoy this missi roti.., for the recipe ,here it goes.....


Ingredients:

150 gms Wheat flour
250 gms gram flour(Besan)
1 tsp Red chilly powder
1 tsp Dhaniya Powder (coriander)
3 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 tsp Jeera (cumin seeds)
1/2 tsp Kaala jeera(/ Kalaunji)or Nigella Seed
1/2 tsp Ajwain (carom seeds)
Salt to taste

Method:

Mix the wheat flour and besan together. Add oil, salt, red chilly powder, dhaniya, jeera, kala jeera and ajwain.
Mix well, make a stiff dough. Set aside for atleast 15 minutes.
Roll into small and thick rotis and roast as we do our normal rotis,but as its thick n meant to be crisp, roast over direct flame (low) for a longer duration.
Brush missi roti with melted ghee(lavishly).
Serve hot with Shahi Gatte.

Note: These rotis better to be eaten hot only, as once cold becomes a bit hard.
Also, i have seen that these rotis are made smaller in size like puris..

And also the missi roti is my 2nd entry for the event RCI rajasthan .

And now,

Wondering.. why this again ,

I'm reposting my Spinach paratha, so that it along with Missi roti ,goes as my entry for the roti mela event hosted by srivalli of cooking4allseasons.

Posted by Neha 6 comments

Labels: bread indian

Marwari Shahi Gatta Kadhi

Though i'm a Rajasthani, but seriously i don't know much of rajasthani cooking. I ate everthing my mom made, but was never much interested in its recipes. And as we were born and brought up in a cosmopolitan city, all the cusines from all parts of india were so mixed up that we could hardly differenciate. For us south indian idli dosa, gujrati dhokla or gatta kadhi or punjabi chole ,these all were our regular meals.So when this event RCI Rajasthan was accounced, and i read comments that people don't know much about rajasthani cuisine, i was in the same plate.....haha
But hey, i know some, so here goes my first one...

Ingredients:

For the gattas

3/4 cup Bengal gram flour (besan)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1/2 tspn ajwain (carom seeds)
a pinch baking powder
2 tsp oil
salt to taste

For the kadhi

2 cups curds, beaten
1 tbsp Bengal gram flour (besan)
4 to 6 curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
2 tsp oil
salt to taste

For garnish

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

Method:

For the gattas

Combine all the ingredients for the gattas. Knead into a firm dough using 1 to 2 tbsp of water.
Knead well, rest it for 10 minutes and then divide into three or four equal portions, roll them in cylindrical shape

and then boil in water until cooked( 7 to 8 minutes,Drain )

Take off and cut into small pieces.


Deep-fry these pieces in medium hot oil until lightly browned. Remove and leave aside.(I sometimes avoid the step of deep frying gattas ,instead shallow fry them while making kadhi)

For the kadhi

Combine the beaten curds, gram flour, ½ cup of water,turmeric powder,chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well so that no lumps remain.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. (here can now add gattas too, if not deep fried previously)
When the seeds crackle add the curd mixture, 1 cup of water and salt and bring to a boil while stirring continuously, so that the kadhi does not split and stir fry until it returns to medium thick consistency Keep aside.
Mix in fried gatte, bring to a boil. Finally put the tadka of red chilly powder,top with cut green coriander leaves(for garnish) and serve hot with missi roti or parathas.

This is my first entry for RCI:rajasthan, hosted by Padmaja of Spicyandhra.

Posted by Neha 12 comments

Labels: gravy

Chole (Spicy chick peas)

This weekend some of my guests came for dinner , so i did prepared it for the dinner.The way it looked good, it tasted equally good too. Basically this recipe too, i learned from my mom, with a little bit variations here and there. I learned it when,i think i was in 10th standard, and my mom left me with my father and kitchen alone,and went out of station for some work.I just asked her the recipe and noted down in the diary for the reference(with a lot of other ones too). And then,i did made this first time in her absence :) Here it goes.....


Ingredients:

2 cups chick peas or kabuli chana
1 tsp eating soda,
1 tsp. tea leaves (tied into a small muslin cloth to form a pouch)

2 tomato pureed
1 medium size red onion
2 florlets of garlic
1 inch ginger
2 green chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
1 stick of cinnamon,
1 whole big cardamom,
3-4 cloves,
2 tsp chana masala(optional),
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. coriander seed powder
1/2 tsp. chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
Coriander leaves(for garnish)

Method:

In a big vessel put water, soda,little salt and Chick peas.Soak this over night.
In it ,drop the small pouch containing tea leaves,half of ginger grated and pressure cook,till the chick peas becomes soft(i usually ,after a whistle,let it simmer for about 15 minutes),
When cooked discard the tea leaves pouch.

Gravy:

Grind chopped onion,chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies, in mixer.
Add oil in a heavy pan.
Add cumin seeds, cinnamon ,cardamom,bay leaves and cloves,and allow it to splutter.
Then add the onion paste and cook.
Add all dry powders and salt(Add a little as already added while boiling) .
Mix it very well, and stir till oil seprates.
Add pureed tomatoes in prepared paste and cook until oil separates.
Now add this paste into cooked chole.
Close the pressure cooker again for 1 whistle.
Sprinkle garam masala on top of it.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve it hot with puri,roti or with bhatura.
*******************
Sending this to MLLA Seventh Helping at Cooking4allseasons.

Posted by Neha 11 comments

Labels: gravy

BlogRolls and a query...

Finally, i too joined the 2 blogrolls, Great cooks blogroll and The foodie blog roll.

My blog is in very amature stage, and i wish ,i could get feedbacks from all my visitors, about how they feel about it, my recipes, my snaps, and did they even tried any recipe??, or planning to try. As i mentioned earlier in one of my post , that the initial purpose of my making this blog was just to consolidate my recipes at a place, but now again, i have a long list of recipes from other blogs that i wanna try (now, that too scattered everywhere in my computer)...hehe.
Hopefully, soon i 'll be able to find some way, to manage them too... :)

One more thing, i wanna know, how much do u all spend in managing your blogspots??, I really see such nice blogs, so well managed, with such a nice and well written articles along with the recipes, that too, a lot are working ladies (unlike me, a housewife). I too wanna improve my blog to be well managed, with a lot of interesting recipes, but.. hey, that takes a hell lot of time. May be, i am a bit slow in my computer skills, that's why??,

Anyways, the main purpose of this post was the one posted in top, my 2 Blogrolls...

Happy blogging to all. :)

Posted by Neha 5 comments

Labels: miss.

Cabbage n beans veggie

This one comes for our day today cooking, very fast to cook and a bit healthier version too. I got the idea of making this vegetable from one of my fellow blogger only, but now can't remember who. Earlier whenever i made cabbage, i mixed it with potato or made as it is, but in her recipe she mixed cabbage with beans , i liked it very much, so with this combination, i just made this veggie,( as i liked and as much as i remembered her recipe)
It came out quite good, and really fast, hope you all like it too...


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cabbage chopped coarsely
1/2 cup beans
1 stalk curry leaves
2 green chillies
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp lemon juice
2 pinches asafoetida
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. each cumin & mustard seeds
1 tbsp. oil

Method:

Wash and drain cabbage and beans. Keep aside.
Slit green chillies. Wash curry leaves.
Heat oil in a heavy pan. Add seeds, allow to splutter.
Add asafoetida, green chillies, curry leaves,turmeric; Stir.
Add cabbage and beans,
Add salt to taste (put a bit less salt as cabbage tends to reduce a lot)
Stir fry the vegetables for about 3-4 minutes,(do not cook fully, its taste better as crunchier)
Sprinkle red chillies over vegetable.
Stir to mix the masalas well.
Cook for about a minute.Add lemon juice.
Serve hot with wholewheat chappati or bread.

Tip: For cabbge(and also ladyfinger),if u are not sure add salt after it gets cooked for abt 3 4 minutes, as they reduce a lot sometime..

Posted by Neha 4 comments

Labels: cabbage, dry veggie