Veggies loaded Sooji Bites

For the batter :

Fine semolina ( Sooji/Rava)  - 1 cup,
Unflavored Yogurt - 1 cup
Any veggies grated / small pieced : corn, peppers, garlic, onion, tomato, Spinach, Spring onions, Coriander leaves - 1 cup

Additional Veggies that you can use : Grated potato, carrot, cauliflower , beetroot, green peas or paneer as well.

Kasuri methi - 2-3 tablespoons


Garam Masala - 2 table spoons
red chilli powder - per taste
Salt - Per taste
Lemon pepper powder - 2 tablespoons


Add all grated veggies 🌶 and garam masala(optional), and add tadka of kadi patta and mustard.


Today I added some coriander and mint chutney to the batter too.. so very flavorful and green color dominated my batter.

Let it sit for some time and add water to make the consistency a little thicker than our regular pancake / chilla batter, this should resemble more like a cake batter, see video below .. Add water to get the right consistency,

Pour 2-3 spoonfuls of the batter in the non stick pan a ( around 1- 1 1/2 inch height ), spraty with canola/avacado oil on both sides and cover it with a lid and cook on slow / medium flame till golden roast on both sides .. add crushed red pepper on top and cut into 4 pieces

Can add eno.. or baking powder in the batter for more fluffiness. but without that the recipe is equally tasty!
Sprinkle Himalayan salt on top per taste.

                                                                           

                                     

Kofta-e-Lazeez

Koftas are my all time favorite and a delicacy in my house since they are so rich in flavor. In my below recipe I have added a couple of other ingredients to make the koftas extra soft & smooth so that they melt in your mouth.. It's an all time hit!

Ingredients:

For the Koftas

• Lauki( Bottle gourd) - 1 medium Grated (makes around 10 koftas)
• Green chillies - chopped ( deseeded if you want less spicy)
• Ginger Grated - 1 teaspoon
• Besan ( chick pea flour) - 3-4 tablespoons
• Paneer grated - I small cup
• Boiled and mashed potato - 1 small
• Ajwain ( carom seeds) - 1 teaspoon
• Sauf (Fennel seeds) - 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Add the below ingredients to give it a Shahi Touch - These are optional but go a long way in  increasing the richness of koftas.

• Cashews halves and pieces - around 8
• Raisins - about 6

How to prepare the koftas:

First wash and peel the lauki, then using a grater, grate the lauki drain excess water ( store this water to be used later for gravy)

 Mix all the kofta ingredients in abowl and mix them well using your hands , make small balls of around 3 inches diameter. If you feel that the mixture is runny with water then add a little more besan/corn starch to it. Do not leave it aside, immediately deep fry it so that the lauki does not leave more water and makes it soggy.

For the gravy

• Onion - 2 medium (Pureed )
• Tomato - 2 medium ( pureed)
• Ginger garlic Paste - 2 tablespoons
• Cream  / Thick milk Half and Half - Half cup
• Garam Masala - 2 tablespoons
• Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon
• Cumin Poeser - 1 table spoon
• Hing - 1 pinch
• Sugar - 1 teaspoon
• Salt - to taste
• Black cardamom powder - 1 pinch
• Crushed Black pepper powder - 1 pinch
• Crushed Red pepper powder - 1 pinch
• Lal mirch -1-2
• Bay leaves - 1 -2 small
• Vegetable oil - 4-5 tablespoons
• Butter - 1 tablespoon

Heat oil in a pan and add butter when hot, Add the bay leaves, cumin seeds and hing. When the seeds crackle add onion and sauté till the paste starts leaving oil on the sides. Now add the tomato puree and ginger garlic paste and suate till the oil starts to leave on the sides after 4-5 minutes.

                           

Take the pureed onion and add it to the pan, after sauté for around 5 min when the oil starts leaving the edges of the pan, add the tomatoes and sauté them together for another 4-5 minutes.

Now add the Garam masala, coriander and cumin, black cardamom, black pepper, Kashmiri mirch  powder and mix them all well. 

After 4-5 minutes of cooking add the cream/milk and 1 cup of water. Let it come to a simmer, keep stirring so that the milk does not disintegrate.

After 3-4 minutes of simmer should be good to go!

 Now add the koftas and put the lid on and switch it off, Let the koftas absorb the richness of the gravy and server hot. If the koftas are too soft they tend to break in the hot gravy, so sometimes it's better to add the koftas directly while serving, use your cooking judgment for this :-)

To add more richness to the gravy you can also add about 10-15 pureed  cashews to the gravy.

 Garnish with coriander leaves and grated paneer and cashews.

Corn Palak & Methi

I love corn and recently have started to cook more greens for my daughter who is turning 10 in march and I am trying to keep it simple and healthy for her.

So, here it is a very simple recipe which turns heads around when served.

Ingredients :

Corn : 2 cups
Fresh Methi leaves / / Kasuri Methi - a bunch, washed and cut
Fresh Spinach Leaves - a bunch, washed and cut / Handful
Garlic - 4-5 cloves of garlic minced

Oil - 2-4 teaspoon to sauté based on your preference

Onion - 1 medium diced in small pieces
Tomato - 1 medium diced in small pieces

Zeera - 1 teaspoon
Heeng - 1 pinch

Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon

Dry Masala :





Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon
Dhaniya power - 1 teaspoon
Black pepper poder - 1 teaspoon
Red chilli Powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt - To Taste

 

 

 

 

Method:

Put a non stick pan on heat and pour the oil

 

 

 

 

When hot, put the cumin seeds and hing powder, When they start crackling, put the onions and sauté till golden

 

Put the tomato and sauté till they blend together for 3-4 minutes on high flame, then put the dry ingredients from above and sauté it for 2-3 minutes till the oil starts to leave on the sides

Put the corn, methi and Spinach and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle some water and put a lid on and let it simmer on low heat for 4-5 minutes.

Sprinkle the lemon juice and Serve it hot with your favorite Nan/Roti ... Enjoy a healthy and Yummy dish..

Healthy Soya Pulao

Soya or textured soy protein is a  very important source of protein for a healthy body. I am a big fan of soya chunks and have a couple of recipes based off that.

In my latest dive into getting something quick and healthy for my family for dinner yesterday, I managed pretty good.









Ingredients :

For the Tadka

1. Cummin seeds - 2 tablespoons
2. Oil - 3-4 tablespoons
3. Hing - a pinch ( Asafoetida )
4. Cloves - 2-3 pieces
5. Black Cardamon - 2-3 pieces
6. Bay leaves - 2 medium sized

For the Pulao

1. Basmati Rice - 1 cup
2. Soya Nuggets - 1 cup ( Boiled in salt water)
3. Baby Spinach leaves ( Spinach leaves cut into small pieces is also OK ) - 2 cups
4. Cut vegetables of your choice - Carrots, beans, cauliflower etc. - I cup total
5. Corn - half a cup
6. Onion - 1 medium cut into small pieces
7. Tomato - 1 medium cut into small pieces ( Optional )
8. Ginger Garlic paste - 2 teaspoons
9. Kasuri Methi - a handful
10. Salt - to taste
11. Black Pepper corns - 10 pieces
12. Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon
13. Garam Masala - 2 tablespoons
14. Coriander powder - 2.5 tablespoon
15. Red chili powder - 1 tablespoon
16. Biryani Masala - 1 tablespoon (Optional)

For the soya chunks

Preperation :

Boil water in a pan, put 2 teaspoons salt and put the soya chunks it the boiling water.

Let it cook for 15 min. Then drain out the water and rinse the soya chunks with cold water.

Then drain the remaining water and squeeze the chunks with your palm so that the excess water if any is removed.

 

Rice

Microwave recipe:

Take 1 cups of Basmati wash and wash it under running water. Then add 2 cups of water, Add half a teaspoon of salt to the water,  1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of oil. Microwave it for 15 minutes till the rice is properly cooked.
Slighly fluff the rice with a fork so that it does not stick together.

Add the 1 cup of washed rice in a pan & add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of oil. and fried cummin seeds. Add 1 bay leave for flavor. Then fill it up with 2 cups of wate. Add half a teaspoon of salt to the water, add the lemon juice and cover with a lid. Let it cook for 20 min on low flame. Do not stir in between.

When the water has evaporated from the rice we have our aromatic rice ready for more....Slighly fluff the rice with a fork so that it does not stick together.





For the pulao

Heat oil in a pan and add the cummin seeds and the hing into it, when it starts splattering add the cloves and black cardamon into it. Immediately add the cut onions and saute them till golden brown.

Add tomatoes and saute the mix for another 3-4 minutes.

when the oil starts leaving the edges of the mix, add some garam masala, Black pepper corns, Salt, coriander power and the red chili powder and mix it well. Saute the mix for another 3-4 minutes. Add the ginger Garlic paste now and str well.

Then add the Greens and the cut vegetables and saute on medium flame for 5 minutes.

Add the cooked rice and mix it well for about 4-5 minutes till all the dry gravy mix is evenly distributed with the rice. Add the Biryani Masala now and stir it well.

 

 

 

Sprinkle some lemon juice on the rice and Server it hot with boondi Raita...

 and pickle and enjoy the YUM flavorful healthy guiltless dinner / Lunch!

 

 

 

Paneer Hariyali

 

Paneer Hariyali : This is a super healthy entree, full of greens and loved by kids and grown-ups.
This is one of my personal favorites since it adds so much color to the dinner/lunch table. Its also interesting how you can experiment with the variations of the green color of the curry by putting in a variety of greens.
 




Ingredients:

From The Green World:

1. Fresh Dhania (Coriander ) leaves cut in small pieces - 1 bunch
2. Methi ( Fenugreek ) leaves - washed and cut 1 bunch
3. Palak ( Spinach ) leaves -washed and cut 1/2 bunch
4. Pudina ( Mint ) leaves - 6-7
5. Green peppers - 1 medium  diced very fine
6. Green Peas - 1 cup
7. 2 green chillies - diced

The regulars:

1. Onion - 2 medium diced
2. Tomato Cut in small cubes - 2 medium
3. Paneer ( Indian Cheese ) - 500 gms

Dry Masala:

1. Coriander Powder - 2 teaspoons
2. Cummin Powder - 2 teaspoons
3. Chili Powder - 1.5 teaspoon ( to taste)
4. Chat Masala - 1 teaspoon
5. Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon
6. Ginger Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
7. Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon ( ground )
8. Salt - to taste

Tadka:

1.  Oil - 3-4 tablespoons
2. Cummin seeds
3. Hing - a pich (astafotedia powder)

Optional ( if gravy is needed)

1. Cream - 1 cup
2. Milk - 1/2 cup

Wash and get the green leaves and the other ingredients ready as shown below.

 

 

 

 

Heat Oil in a skillet and put in the hing & cummin seeds till the seeds crackle. Now  saute the Onions and till they turn translucent and brown..

 

 

 

 

Then add the remaining greens.. you can add / modify this recipe to ad the greens of your choice and Paneer.Put the dry masala and stir well.  Now put the Ginger garlic paste and salt. Stir well. Cook on medium flame and keep stirring every 2 min so it does not stick in the base. Do this for 4-5 min till the curry paste mixes well with the paneer.

 

 

 

 

 
Cover it with a lid and on low flame cook for 2-3 min.

 

Server it hot with Chapati / Tandoori Rooti / Pooris.

 

For a gravy version, put 1 cup of cream and 1/2 cup of Milk(2%) and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes on medium flame.

 

 

 

Enjoy the awesome green delicacy.
Note : Sometimes you can also add grated celery with the greens to trick your children into eating a healthy dish.. I do that!! Just make sure that the quantity is not overpowering i.e. 1/4 cup or less.

To get a greener version : you can make a paste of the green leaves and use it.

Aloo Lahsuni ( Garlic Patatoes..)

 

 

Spicy n Hot ( or not! ) Aloo Lahsuni ( Garlic Potatoes )

 

 

 

With all the festivities of holidays going on around me how could I stop myself from blogging about one delicious recipe my husband experimented over a couple of days and has now mastered the skill. Don't caution yourself just by looking at the super spicy texture of these baby potatoes... It will be a taste to remember.. No doubt!!

 

A simple recipe with minimum ingredients and super quick is what everyone is looking for to make a good conversation starter!!

 

Ingredients:

1. Small Baby Potatoes - preferably in round shape  15 count
2. Peeled Garlic cloves - 15
3. Oil - 3 Tablespoons
4. Hing / Asafoetida powder - 1 pinch
5. Cumin seeds - 1 Teaspoon
6. Curry leaves - 5

Masala

1. Garam Masala - 2 teaspoons
2. Coriander powder - 3 tablespoons
3. Chaat masala or amchur powder - 1 tsp
4. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder - 1 tablespoon ( This is not so spicy compared to the regular red chili powder)
5. Salt - To Taste

Wash thoroughly the potatoes then pressure cook the potatoes to boil them.

 

Boil the potatoes in a Traditional Indian Pressure cooker and peel them. One good trick to peel hot boiled potatoes is to submerge them in cold water so that the skin leaves the potato body and it is easy to peel it off. Make sure that the potatoes are not too soft and crumble when you peel them.

 

 

 
 
Chop the Garlic into small pieces as shown below

 
In a flat base Skillet warm the oil and let the cumin seeds crackle. Put the curry leaves and the pinch of Hing and let the garlic pieces saute for 2-3 min. Then mix the remaining Masala Ingredients together and blend in together to get the spicy look.

 

Let the onions saute for 5-10 min till they are crispy on the outside. Stir until the oil separates from the potato masala.

 

Yummy comfort food ...finger snacks are served!!

                                                                  ENJOY the holidays!!!