Double decker paratha

I was very confused as to how will both sweet vegetables i.e. Peas and Carrot go along. They both are sweet in taste. But I was amazed by the combination with proper quantity of green chillies. In this recipe the proportion of chillies is very important, we need to keep that in mind.

Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Makes 4 servings

What all you will need:
12 chapatis

For The Carrot Stuffing
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp oil
salt to taste

For The Green Peas Stuffing
1 1/2 cups boiled and mashed green peas
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
1 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
1/2 tsp oil
salt to taste

Other Ingredients
2 tsp oil for cooking

How do we make them:
For the carrot stuffing
1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the cumin seeds until they crackle.
2. Add the carrots, green chillies, lemon juice and salt and mix well.
3. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Keep aside.

For the green peas stuffing
1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the cumin seeds until they crackle.
2. Add the green chillies, coriander and salt and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the green peas and cook for another minute. Keep aside.

How to proceed
1. Spread 1 tablespoon of the carrot stuffing on one chapatti and cover with another chapatti.
2. Then spread 1 tablespoon of the green peas stuffing, place another chapatti on the top and press firmly to seal the edges.
3. Cook the resultant double decker parathas on a tava (griddle) on both sides, using a little oil.
R4. epeat with the remaining chapattis and stuffing to make 3 more parathas.
Serve hot.

Palak-Carrot soup

Ingredients you will need:
Coriander leaves - just few
Green Chilly - 2nos (Should not be very spicy)
Wheat Flour - 2 tbsp
Palak - 250gms
Carrot - 100gms
Garlic - 6 cloves
Pepper - to taste
Ginger - 1 inch
Butter - 1 tbsp
Onion - 2 small
Milk - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Water


How do you proceed:

1. Separate the palak and coriander leaves from the roots. You should use most of the stem part for the soup. Wash it well and cut the leaves into halves .
2. Wash and peel the carrot skin and and cut them into cubes.
3. Cut the onion lengthwise.
4. Peel Ginger and cut into small cubes. Also peel the garlic and keep aside.
5. Cut the green chillies about 2cms in length.
6. Now pressure cook palak, coriander leaves, Carrot, Onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies using milk and some water. Let it cook very well.
7. Allow the above to cool completely.
8. Separate out the vegetables only and put it in the mixer-grinder with almost no water. Make it into very fine paste. Keep in mind that there should be very minimal water, else the vegetables will not grind into fine paste.
9. Now in a kadhai heat the butter and allow it to melt. Now add the Wheat flour and fry it till you get a good aroma.
10. Now add the ground paste to the kadhai. Add the water left out after we pressure cooked the vegetables. Let the soup boil.
11. Now add salt and pepper and stir it.
12. Serve the soup hot with some crostini or bread or breadsticks.

White sauce spread

Ingredients:
Milk - 1Cup
All purpose flour (Maida) - 1Tbsp
Cooking butter - 2Tbsp
Onion - 1 chopped into cubes
Green chilly and garlic paste
Salt to taste
Mint leaves (not a key ingredient)

Method:
1. Melt the butter in a frying pan.
2. Add the chopped Onion and fry till slightly brown.
3. Add the chilly, garlic paste and the chopped mint leaves. Fry well for few minutes.
4. Now add the maida and fry for few more minutes.
5. Add salt and mix well.
6. Finally add milk, mix well and allow to cook. Taste the mix and maida should be cooked well.
7. Serve it with a toasted bread. Cheese lovers, can grate cheese over the spread and enjoy it.


Variations:
1. We can also add boiled sweet corn kernels to the above spread and mix well and spread over bread.

Apple Sheera (Apple rawa halwa)

It is just yesterday i.e.15th dec '11, that I was craving to try something new and also some dessert. I started to look up in my kitchen as to what I had to make some good dessert. I found red apples. So I thought why not give a try with some red apple dessert. The first thing that came to my mind was Apple sheera.

Serves - 2 to 3 persons
Preparation time - 15min

Ingredients:
Red apples - 2nos
Ghee - 4 tsp
Rawa - 1 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Powdered Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Dry fruits (Cashew and raisins)

Method:
1. Take 1 tsp of ghee in a kadhai. Add Rawa to it and roast it well. Take the rawa out of the kadhai and let it cool down.
2. In the same kadhai, put in the powdered jaggery and 1 tsp ghee and allow to melt.
3. Meanwhile, de-skin the apples and chop them in to small pieces. Now add small chopped apples to the melted jaggery. Cook the apples well till they are very soft.
4. Now add the roasted rawa and mix well.
5. Now add the milk and stir well. Also add the cashew and raisins.
6. Add the water, stir and close kadhai with a lid and allow it to cook well.
7. Now add 2 tsp of ghee and mix well. Apple sheera is ready to be served.

Dahi wada

What made me think of Dahi wada suddenly?
I had few guests coming home. Wanted some more yogurt, so got half a litre from outside. Also had some yogurt at home as well. My guests cancelled their visit. I had this youghurt left over. Lots of thoughts went around what to do with this yogurt. Was thinking of Kadi, felt a little bored to eat kadi and rice. Then was thinking of some dosa with curd. But found that it uses just 1 cup of youurt. Finally decided to make the yummy dahi wada.

Now here goes the recipe.

Cooking Time : 45-50 minutes
Servings : 4

Constituents:
For wada
Urad daal - 1 Cup
Split Moong daal - 1 fist
Flattened rice (Poha) - 1 table spoon
Jeera - 2 tea spoons
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

For Curd
Curds - 1 litre
Dhaniya jeera powder
Black Salt powder
Freshly chopped Cilantro
Red chilly powder
Tamarind chutney
Chat masala
Sugar
Salt

Process:
Wada
1. Soak the Urad daal, Moong daal and Poha for 4-5 hours in water.
2. Grind it into thick consistency paste by adding very little water to grind.
3. Add salt and Jeera. Mix well.
4. Keep oil to heat to fry the wadas. To test if oil is hot, just put a small ball of the above batter in oil and see if it splutters. If yes, keep on low flame and fry the wadas by making lemon sized balls. Fry to golden brown.
5. After fry the wadas, allow them to cool down. Then dump these wadas into a bowl of water. Keep in the water for 10min or till the next batch of fried wadas are ready.
6. Squeeze the wadas tight so that there is minimal amount of water left in the wadas. Then dip them in the masala curd.


Masala Curd
1. Beat the curd in a large bowl to accomodate the curd and the wadas.
2. Add salt, black salt, sugar, dhaniya-jeera powder, red chilly powder, cilantro leaves, chat masala and mix well.

Curd is ready.

How to serve this?
1. Take a serving bowl.
2. Put curd-wada from the big bowl.
3. Sprinkle dhaniya-jeera powder, red chilly powder, cilantro leaves, chat masala.
4. Now add some tamarind chutney according to taste. Chill it and serve.

Lauki Muthia

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
2 cups grated bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki)
1/4 cup grated onions (optional)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 cup semolina (rava)
1/2 cup besan (bengal gram flour)
2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
2 pinches of soda bi-carb
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste
3 1/4 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 tsp sesame seeds (til)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
Curry Leaves

For The Garnish
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)


Method
1. Squeeze out excess water from the grated bottle gourd and onions and keep the liquid aside to knead the dough if required.
2. Combine the bottle gourd, onions, whole wheat flour, semolina, besan, ginger-green chilli paste, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, lemon juice, sugar, coriander, soda bi-carb, asafoetida, salt and 1 tsp of oil in a bowl, mix well and knead into a soft dough adding lauki water (if required use extra water)
3. Apply ¼ tsp of oil on your hands and divide the mixture into portions.
4. Shape each portion into a cylindrical roll approximately 150 mm. (6") length and 25 mm. (1") in diameter.
5. Arrange the rolls on a greased sieve and steam in a steamer for 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Remove, cool slightly and cut into 12 mm. (½”) slices and keep aside.

For the tempering:
1. Heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil in a non-stick kadhai and add the mustard seeds with curry leaves.
2. When the seeds crackle, add the sesame seeds and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds, while stirring continuously.
3. Add the muthia pieces and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes or till they turn light brown in colour and crisp.
4. Serve immediately garnished with coriander.


Tips
To check if the muthias are done, insert a toothpick in the centre. If it comes out clean, the muthias are cooked.

VARIATION :
You can use cabbage or methi instead of bottle gourd.

Health tip:

1. For a heathy living, drink lots of water throughout the day.
2. Drink atleast a glass of water before lunch or dinner.
3. Do not drink water immediately after lunch or dinner. Drink warm water (if possible add some lemon juice to it) after about half hour post lunch or dinner. This will help in proper digestion of the food taken in.
4. Have Apricot sized jaggery (gud) after lunch or dinner. This helps in digestion and will reduce acidity.

Turia sabji

You will need:

Serves 2 people

2 medium sized Turia(ಹೀರೆಕಾಯಿ)

1 medium sized Onion

3/4 cup powdered groundnut(peanut)

4-5 Garlic cloves

4-5 Curry leaves

1 tsp Red chilly powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Sugar

Oil for tadka

1 tsp Jeera

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

Asafoetida

1 tsp Turmeric powder

2 tsp Dhaniya-Jeera powder

How to Prepare:

1. Make tadka with oil, asafoetida, turmeric powder, jeera, mustard seeds. Allow to splutter.
2. Add the curry leaves and garlic cut or paste. Fry well.
3. Add onion and fry well till golden brown.
4. Then add the turia and fry well.
5. Add the groundnut powder, dhainya-jeera powder, chilly powder, salt, sugar and mix well.
6. Add some water(according to prefered thickness) and allow to cook well. Check if the turia has cooked well.
7. Serve hot with roti or rice.

Cucumber Dosa

You will need:

1 medium size cucumber

2 Green chillies

Coriander leaves

3 tsp Jeera

4 cup rice

1 cup Poha(Flattened rice)

How to make it:

1. Soak rice and poha for 12 hours.
2. Grind them along with coriander, cucumber, jeera and green chillies.
3. Make dosa's immediately.
4. Serve hot with butter and chutney of your choice.

Coconut chutney

Coconut chutney is made with different ingredients and believe me all taste different and yummy. Will post my most favourite and will also give options of other modification in the chutney.

You will need:
Serves 4 people
2 cup Fresh grated coconut
3 Green(Or Red dried) chillies chopped (depends on your preference)
4-5 Garlic cloves
1 inch Tamarind
1/2 tsp Jaggery
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Asafoetida
2 tsp Jeera
Lots of coriander(No coriander if we use red dry chillies)
4-5 Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil for tadka

How to make it:

1. Put just some 1 tsp oil in a pan. Fry the cut green chillies(Or red dry chillies), jeera and garlic cloves till golden brown.
2. In a blender, put the remaining ingredients with some water (depending on your preference of thinckness) , even put the roasted chillies and garlic.
3. Blend it well and transfer into a serving bowl.
4. Make tadka with oil, asafoetida, jeera, mustard seeds allow to splutter. Then add curry leaves and green chillies(Or red dry chillies) if you like. Fry it well.
5. Pour the tadka on the chutney. Mix well and serve with idli, dosa or may be parathas.

Idli

You will need:

1 cup - Urad dal

2 cup - Rice or idli rava

1 Tbsp - Poha

How to make it:

1. Soak all the ingredients in the morning.
2. Grind the soaked mixture in the night (meaning you will have to soak the mixture for 12 hours minimum).
3. Allow the batter to ferment for about 12 hours(Note: It may take more time to ferment on a dark cloudy day).
4. Before making idlies add salt according to taste and then use the idli stand to make hot yummy idlies.
5. Serve hot idlies with Sambar, fresh butter and different chutneys (Like coconut, Tomato, etc)

Batata (Aloo) vada

Batata (Aloo) vada is one of the most loved dishes in maharastra, especially in the form of vada pav. People just love it. If it is spicy and served with spicy imli (tamarind) chutney and pudina chutney it is more delicious.


You will need:


Makes 5 vadas

For the Filling:
2 Big potatoes
2 Green chillies(depending on how hot the cillies are or your preferences)
2 tsp Jeera
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp Oil
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1 tsp Turmeric powder
Some Coriander
2 tsp Dhaniya-jeera powder
21/2 tsp Ginger paste
Few Curry leaves
Cashew nuts(optional)
2 tsp Lemon juice
Salt to taste







How to make it:

1. Boil the potatoes well.
2. Peel them and mash them. Add salt, dhaniya-jeera powder, pieces of cashew nuts, lemon juice and coriander to it.
3. Make a paste of green chillies and ginger.
4. Make tadka of oil, Asafoetida, Turmeric powder, jeera, mustard seeds, curry leaves.
5. Add the chillies and ginger paste to the tadka.
6. Then add the potatoes to the tadka.
7. Mix it well.
8. Allow to cook for sometime (10-15minutes).
9. Allow the filling to cool down to room temperature.

For the besan cover:

1 cup Besan (Gram flour)

1/2 tsp Red chilly powder (depends on the personal choice. You can add more)

Salt to taste

1 tsp jeera

1/2 tsp tumeric powder

Oil to fry

How to make it:

1. Mix all the above ingredients with 1 or little more water.
2. Mix well to make good consistency to hold the aloo filling well.
3. Make small balls of aloo filling or any shape you wish. I have made round as well as heart shaped.
4. Dip the balls in the besan mix.
5. Heat oil in a kadai.
6. Fry the vadas on low flame till golden brown in colour.
7. Hot Batata vadas are ready to serve.
8. Serve with tamarind chutney, pudina chutney or tomato ketchup.

Walnut Brownie!!!

Valentine was around. I was thinking how will I make this 2nd valentine's day with my husband special. Thanks to my Mom who gave me the idea of Walnut Brownie and it turned out really good. We both enjoyed it.

You will need :
1 1/2 cup - Maida
1/2 cup - Oil
1 cup - Powdered sugar
1/2 tsp - Soda
1/2 tsp - Vanilla essence
1/2 cup - Cocoa and coffee powder together
1 cup - Milk
2 tsp - Vinegar
1/2 cup - Walnut (cut into smaller pieces)




















How to make it:

1. Warm the milk. Add vinegar. The milk will get spoilt.
2. Mix all remaining ingredients in a bowl.
3. Add the milk and beat well.
4. Add the Walnuts to the mix. Mix well. Keep some just on the top of the Brownie (Just for good presentation).
5. Bake the cake in a microwave for 5 min (may depend on the microwave power also).

Peanut Amti (Shengdana amti)

Peanut Amti (Shengdana amti)

Servings - 4 persons

Preparation time - 15 min

Ingredients :

100gm - roasted peanut powder

ginger according to taste

2 nos - green chillies

Jaggery or sugar

Kokum or imli

Curry leaves

Cumin seeds

asafoetida

Cilantro

Ghee

Method :

1. Grind roasted peanut powder, cilantro, green
chillies, ginger, kokum and cumin seeds with some
water.

2.Heat some ghee in a pan. When hot add some
cumin seeds to it and allow to splutter. Add curry
leaves.

3. Add the above ground mixer and mix well.

4. At the end, add salt and some sugar or jaggery.

5. Cook it well and serve hot.

Sabudana khichadi

Sabudana khichadi

Servings : 4 persons

Time for preparation : 15 min

Ingredients :

2 cups - Sabudana

1 tea spoon - ginger paste

2 tea spoons - chopped green chillies

2 tea spoons - lemon juice

1 large potato

2 tea spoons - oil

4-5 leaves curry leaves

2 tea spoons - dhaniya zeera powder

1 tea spoon - asafoetida (hing)

2 tea spoons - zeera

1 tea spoon - mustard seeds

4 table spoons - crushed peanuts

grated coconut for garnishing

chopped cilantro according to liking

salt to taste

Method :
1. Wash the sabudana, drain the water and keep for atleast 4 hours.

2. Heat some oil in a deep pan. When the oil is hot put some asafoetida. Then put some jeera and mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter.

3. Then add the curry leaves.

4. Then add the green chillies, ginger and potato and fry well.

5. When potatoes are cooked well, add the sabudana, salt, peanut crush, dhaniya zeera powder and lemon juice and mix well.

6. Close the lid and allow it to cook well.

7. Garnish with chopped cilantro and grated coconut and serve hot.

Ragi Roti and Coconut chutney dry

Ragi Roti

Ingredients :
3 cups Ragi flour
1 medium onion
2 teaspoon jeera
2 teaspoon green chilly finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
water
salt



Method :
1. Mix chopped onion, jeera, hing, salt, green chilly chopped and ragi flour in water to make a hard dough.
2. Make small balls and tap it round.
3. Make some small holes in it, so that it cooks well and roast on a pan with some oil. Roast on both the sides.
4. Serve it hot with dry coconut chutney and yummy butter.

Coconut chutney dry

Ingredients :
200 Grams fresh coconut
2 teaspoon jeera
some cilantro/coriander
2 teaspoon green chilly chopped
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 teaspoon garlic paste
salt

Method :
1. Add all the above ingredients in a mixer.
2. Grind all the ingredients dry and serve with Dosa, Idli or anything.

Dal palak

Dal palak

Servings - 4 persons
Preparation time - 20 min


Ingredients :
2 teaspoon dhaniya-jeera powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chilly powder
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 bunch spinach/palak
1/2 Asafoetida (Hing)
Cilantro/coriander
1 medium tomato
2 teaspoon jeera
1 medium sized
1 cup toor dal
salt to taste
onion
Oil






Method :
1. Take some oil in a pan and make it hot. Add Asafoetida (Hing) and
haldi to it. Then add jeera and mustard seeds.
2. Add onions fry till golden brown. Then add chopped tomato and cook well.
3. Add cooked toor dal, cooked palak, water and chopped cilantro.
4. Add salt, red chilly powder and dhaniya-jeera powder.
5. Cook well.






Tips :
1. If you like sour taste you can add some tamarind water and jaggery along with it. Tastes good.
2. If you like peanuts also can be added.

Muli or raddish paratha

Muli or Raddish paratha

Servings - 4 persons

Preparation time - 20 min

Ingredients :
1 teaspoon green chilly finely chopped
2 teaspoon dhaniya-jeera powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
250 grams Muli or raddish
1/2 Asafoetida (Hing)
Cilantro/coriander
2 teaspoon jeera
salt to taste
Oil




Method :

1. Take some oil in a pan and make it hot. Add Asafoetida (Hing) and
haldi to it. Then add jeera.

2. Add grated raddish and chopped cilantro.

3. Add salt and green chilly. Fry it for sometime.

4. Roll the wheat flour ball in a small circle. Put some muli/raddish masala
into the circle. Fold in the shape you wish and roll it into the shape
you wish.

5. Roast the paratha in butter and have hot with any sabji or pickle of
your choice.

Coriander/Cilantro paratha

Coriander/cilantro paratha

Makes 8 parathas

Time of preparation - 20 min

Ingredients :
1 bunch Cilantro/coriander (makes 8 parathas)
1/2 teaspoon red chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 Asafoetida (Hing)
2 teaspoon jeera
salt to taste
Oil




Method :
1. Take some oil in a pan and make it hot. Add Asafoetida (Hing) and haldi to it. Then add jeera.
2. Add the chopped cilantro.
3. Add salt and red chilly powder. Fry it for sometime.
4. Roll the wheat flour ball in a small circle. Put some cilantro masala into the circle. Fold in the shape you wish and roll it into the shape you wish.
5. Roast the paratha in butter and have hot with any sabji of your choice.

Mughlai gobi

Mughlai gobi

Serves: 4 persons

Cooking time (approx.): 20 minutes

Ingredients :
2 tablespoons grated paneer / cottage cheese (optional)
finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
1 teaspoon hot spice mix (garam masala)
2 small sized cauliflowers (whole)
1 teaspoon garlic finely chopped
1 teaspoon red chilli powders
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon each of turmeric
1 tablespoon each of ginger
2 large onions finely sliced
2 tablespoons cashewnuts
1" piece cinnamon broken
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
fresh cream (optional)
1 cups tomato puree
4 green cardamoms
4 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons oil
2 green chillies
6 cups water
salt to taste



Method :
1. In a pan roast together cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms and cashewnuts till they are aromatic. Fry the sliced onions on medium level till brown. Allow to cool. Grind together browned onions, roasted spices, green chillies and chopped ginger-garlic with a little water.
2. In a pan bring to boil the water along with some salt. Place the cleaned cauliflowers in hot water for about 10 minute(s). Remove from water, wash well and wipe dry.
3. Heat half the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot. Add the cauliflowers (flower side in oil). Cover and cook while stirring occasionally on medium level till the cauliflowers are browned lightly and cooked. Remove fried cauliflowers from the pan and keep aside.
Add the remaining oil, heat it till hot and fry the paste on medium level till the oil separates. Add the turmeric powder, hot spice mix (garam masala), red chilli powder and fry for a few seconds. Add the tomato puree, water and sprinkle salt to taste. Mix well.
Reduce the flame and add the milk slowly whilst stirring to get a thick gravy. Stuff a little of this gravy in between the cauliflower florets and stems. Add some water to the remaining gravy to get a desired consistency. Add some of the chopped fresh coriander, grated paneer / cottage cheese (optional) and simmer for about 5 minutes. Pour the gravy into a bowl. Now place the stuffed cauliflowers in the same pan and pour the gravy over it evenly. Cover tightly and keep on low flame for about 5 minutes or till it is heated through fully.
4. Alternatively arrange the cauliflowers topped with gravy on a serving plate and heat through in a preheated oven. Garnish with fresh cream (optional) and finely chopped coriander leaves.


Tips :
To make this dish richer, a desired amount of fresh cream could be added at the stage when the cauliflowers are almost but not fully done.