Authentic tried and tested simple recipes in mainly Indian cooking, including traditional mangalorean, Goan, East Indian, North Indian recipes and much more…
Two-in-one recipe Chole bhature is a typical dish widely eaten in Northern India mainly Punjab. It is a combination of chana masala (spicy white chickpeas) and bhatura/puri, a fried bread made from maida.
Chole bhature is often eaten as a breakfast dish, sometimes accompanied with lassi. It can also be street food or a complete meal and may be accompanied with onions, pickled carrots, green chutney or achaar.
Ingredients
2 cups Kabuli chana (Chickpeas) soaked overnight and boiled (or use 2 cans of ready chick peas 400 gms. each)
3 large tomatoes, chopped (or one cup pasatta, or 2 tbsp. tomato paste)
½ tsp whole black pepper corns
1 tsp Ajwain (caraway seeds)
2 tsp. Kashmiri chili powder
½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
½ tsp. garam masala powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. Ghee or Oil
Chopped onions for garnish
Chopped coriander for garnish
Heat ghee and add the pepper corns and ajwain. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft (alternately use a cup of pasatta and cook few minutes).
Add chilli, turmeric and fry till oil separates.
Add the boiled chana alongwith the liquid and adjust salt.
Bring to a boil and simmer few mintues while mashing some of the chana to thicken the gravy.
Add the tamarind pulp, cook five minutes and then add the cumin powder and garam masala powder.
Stir well and simmer till fat surfaces and gravy is thick.
Sieve with the flour and rava with the baking powder and soda bicarb and salt.
Mix 1 tsp. sugar with 2 tbsp. yogurt, make a well in the centre of the flour, add water little at a time and bring the flour together and knead to a soft but firm dough.
Cover with a wet cloth and leave for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, add melted ghee and knead the dough soft and smooth.
Leave covered with cloth to rest for 45 minutes.
Divide into lemon sized balls or as per desired size and roll out into discs and deep fry in hot oil till puffed up on both sides.
Serve hot with Chhole garnished with chopped onion & coriander leaves.
Quick easy healthy Pancakes with just 3 main ingredients – No eggs, no leavening agents, no sugar. To make it dairy free, use water instead of milk. Makes 6 pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup Ragi powder
2 ripe bananas
1 cup milk
¼ tsp. salt
Butter for greasing the pan
Walnuts and maple syrup or honey for garnish
Method
Peel and mash the bananas.
Add the ragi powder, salt, milk and mix to a smooth thick batter of pouring consistency.
Set aside 10 minutes.
Heat a griddle, grease lightly and pour ½ cup of batter.
Cover and cook on medium flame till top turns opaque about 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip and cook further 2 minutes.
Remove.
Stack all the pancakes and drizzle maple syrup or honey and top with walnuts.
Enjoy healthy delicious and easy to make pancakes!
Pankis are made by cooking batter between banana leaves which imparts a distinct aroma to the pankis. While pankis made with rice flour are more common, they can also be made with moong dal (soaked and ground).
The name Panki is derived from the leaf i.e. paan. As it is cooked between the leaves, it is called Pan-ki. The delicious savoury taste and light but satisfying panki, makes the effort all worthwhile!
Ingredients
2 cups rice flour
½ cup sour curds, beaten
Salt to taste
1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely ground
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp. green chilli paste
2 tsp. ginger garlic paste
2 tsp. melted ghee
4 to 6 banana leaves, washed and wiped clean.
Method
Mix the rice flour with curds, salt and 3 cups warm water in a bowl, to make a medium thick batter of pouring consistency, like lassi.
Cover and keep aside for 3 to 4 hours or overnight to ferment.
Then add the cumin, sugar, ginger green chillie paste and garlic paste and mix well.
Add ¾ to 1 cup water if required.
Remove the thick center stem and cut the leaves into even sized pieces of desired shape, square, round, oval.
Grease the leaves lightly and lay 3 to 4 leaves on a hot griddle, oiled side up, and spoon 2 to 3 tbsp. of the batter over each leaf, depending on the size of the leaf.
Cover with another leaf and press lightly to help the leaf adhere to the batter.
Cook for a minute or so and turn over.
Press the leaf with the spatula applying some pressure to spread the panki as thin as possible.
Cook 2 minutes or till light brown spots appear on the leaves and the panki appears to peal off the leaf.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients till all the batter is used up.
A delicious, scrumptious, crispy, crunchy South Indian Breakfast recipe. Serve dunked in steaming hot spicy sambar and fresh coconut chutney! Guaranteed to satisfy. Very easy to replicate the restuarant style medu vadas, just follow the YouTube video recipe…
Ingredients
2 cups Urad dal
1 tsp. black peppercorns powder
A pinch Asafoetida
Salt
1 spring curry leaves (6 to 8)
Oil for deep frying
Pick and wash the urad dal in water and soak for couple of hours or overnight.
Put the dal in a blender and make a fluffy paste adding a little water at a time (about 1/2 cup in all).
Dissolve asafoetida in 1 tsp. of water. Wash and cut the curry leaves roughly. Transfer ground dal paste to a bowl, add pepper, asafoetida, salt and curry leaves, mix well.
Heat oil in a Kadhai, moisten a spatula or steak-turner, place 2 portions of the batter at a time on it, flatten into a round shape (approx 2-inch dia) with a moist hand, make a doughnut-like hole with the index finger and invert the spatula deftly over the kadhai. Alternately, use a medu vada maker, fill the cylinder with the batter and press into the oil, as shown.
Deep fry over medium heat until light golden. Remove, keep aside for 2 minutes, return to the kadhai (optional) and deep fry until crisp and golden brown.
A good way to add millets to the diet, add some jowar (sorghum) flour to the besan flour for an healthy option. Have for breakfast or as a snack or make a meal of it. For variation, add some finely grated potato and/or zucchini to the batter.
Pancake style – makes 4 to 5 Chilas
Ingredients
1 cup besan (gram flour, chickpea flour)
½ cup jowar (sorghum) flour (or maida, oats, ragi, bajra)
2 green chilies, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
½ tsp. Ajwain (carom seeds)
Small pc ginger, chopped fine
¼ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. baking powder (to make the chilas thick & fluffy like pancakes)
2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
1 tsp. salt or to taste
Oil for greasing the pan
Method
Mix all the above with sufficient water to make a thick batter and keep for 5 to 10 minutes.
Heat a frying pan, smear the pan with ½ tsp. oil and add ½ cup of batter.
Cover the pan and allow to cook on medium till underside is light brown.
Smear the top of the chilla with ½ tsp. oil and turn over to cook the other side to a light brown.
Remove and serve with Green coriander and mint chutney, Masala Bharwa Mirchi and yogurt.
To make Hari Chutney (Green Chutney)
Grind to a paste:
1” pc ginger
2 green chillies
2 flakes garlic
1 to 2 cups fresh coriander leaves
½ cup mint leaves
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
Grind all together to a paste without adding water as far as possible. Serve with chilas, etc.
Make a meal of these sandwiches, for brunch, lunch, dinner or simply as a quick snack to satiate you. If you wish to cut down on the carbs, have them as “open sandwiches”, using only one slice of bread. Enjoy these crisp, crunchy sandwiches with various fillings with fresh ingredients that can be adapted to suit your taste. Instead of tomatoes, use cucumbers, jalapenos or gerkins. I am partial to fresh basil and like to use it in everything if I have it on hand. You can substitute basil with parsley or fresh coriander. Feel free to use your preferred sauces like, tomato, mayo, mustard, etc. to suit your taste.
Tapenade and Feta Cheese Sandwich with Zaatar (Wild Thyne or Oregano)
Ingredients – Per Sandwich
2 Slices bread
2 tomato slices
2 tbsp. crumbled Feta cheese
2 to 3 tbsp. Black Olive Tapenade
1 tsp. Zaatar
2 tsp. olive oil
Lettuce, fresh basil and cherry tomatoes for serving
Method
Apply Tapenade to the bread slices. Put one tbsp. olive oil on a hot pan and place the bread slice tapenade side up. Spread the crumble feta cheese, sprinkle the zaatar, drizzle some olive oil and top with the tomato slices. Place the second slice of bread on top of the tomato slices tapenade side down. Apply olive oil to the top of the bread. By now the underside of the sandwich should be brown. Turn over and toast both sides. Serve crisp olive tapenade and feta cheese sandwich with soft succulent centre, with some iceberg lettuce and fresh basil.
2. Grilled Pepperoni Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients – Per sandwich
2 Slices Bread, of your choice
2 slices cheese
8 slices pepperoni
Butter to coat the bread
Dijon Mustard
Method
Butter one side of the bread and place on a skillet or pan, buttered side down. Place 1 slice of cheese and 8 slices of pepperoni on the top of the bread. (You may broil the pepperoni for ½ to 1 minute in the microwave if you wish). Top the pepperoni with a slice of cheese. Cover the open-faced sandwich with a lid. Spread some Dijon mustard on the second slice of bread. When the underside of the open-faced sandwich is brown, top the sandwich with the other slice of bread, mustard side down. Butter the upper side of the bread and turn to brown the other side. The cheese should be melted by now. Remove and serve immediately when brown and crisp on both sides.
3. Grilled Halloumi Tapenade Sandwich
Ingredients – per sandwich
2 slices Bread
3 slices Halloumi Cheese
2 to 3 slices tomato
Iceberg lettuce (or any lettuce you have at hand)
Some fresh basil
2 tbsp. tapenade
Olive oil to brush the bread
Method
Grill the halloumi slices on a hot pan till brown on both sides. Brush the bread slices with olive oil and spread tapenade on the other side of the bread. Place the olive oil side on a hot pan with the tapenade facing up. Top it with the tomato slices, lettuce, basil and halloumi and cover with the second slice of bread, olive oil side facing up. When brown on the underside, flip the sandwich over and toast till brown. Serve immediately, crisp and warm on the outside and crunchy, salty and tangy on the inside!
P.S.: I am partial to fresh basil and use it in everything if I have it at home. Feel free to use any fresh herbs of your choice.
4. Tuna Melts
Ingredients – for one sandwich
1 small tin Canned Tuna (in sunflower oil)
1 small Onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. Mayonnaise, or as required
1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
1 tsp. Sweet relish (optional)
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard (optional)
2 slices of tomato
Fresh Basil
1 slice cheese
Method
Put the tuna alongwith the oil in a bowl, add the chopped onion and green chilli and mash to a paste. Mix with mayonnaise and the sweet relish and mustard, if using. The tuna would taste as good though, without the relish and mustard. But if you love their complex flavors, you would enjoy these additional flavors. Butter one side of the bread and place on a heated griddle, buttered side down. Top with the tuna mayo paste, tomato slices and cheese slice. Add the fresh basil and cover with the second slice of bread, buttered side up. Flip the sandwich over when the underside is brown and toasted. Brown both sides and serve hot and crunchy with the soft juicy delicious tuna filling. Serve with some crisps or potato chips.
For variation: Add gherkins or jalapenos instead of tomatoes
5. Grilled Egg & Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients – for one sandwich
2 slices bread
2 eggs
Salt and pepper for the eggs
2 tomato slices
Butter to spread on the bread
Method
N.B: You need to use a large skillet for this recipe so you get enough of the egg omlete to fold over the sandwich.
Grease the skillet with a little butter and add the beaten eggs seasoned with salt and pepper and spread evenly over the pan. Place one slice of bread buttered side up in the centre of the egg omlete. When the egg browns lightly and sets completely, flip over so that the buttered side of the bread is now touching the pan . Fold the egg over the four sides of the bread. Top with tomato slices and fresh basil (or lettuce or baby spinach) and a slice of cheese. Place the second slice buttered side up on top of the cheese slice and turn the sandwich over the brown both sides. Serve hot and crisp with some green salad or sprouts salad if you wish to serve it as an express lunch or dinner!
6. Halloumi Lettuce Wrap
Ingredients – for one wrap
1 tortilla wrap
Mayonnaise or mayo Sriracha, etc as desired to spread over the wrap
3 to 4 Tomato slices, grilled
3 to 4 Grilled Halloumi
Lettuce, fresh basil, (or coriander leaves or mint)
Method
Place the tortilla on a warm pan on low heat. Drizzle mayonnaise as required and place on one end of the tortilla, grilled halloumi slices, tomato slices, lettuce and basil. Fold into half and serve immediately.
(Jowar – Bajra Dosa) (Sorghum – Pearl Millet Dosa)
Ingredients
Makes 8 to 10 Dosas
½ cup Bajra flour (Pearl Millet flour)
½ cup Jowar flour (Sorghum flour)
½ cup Rice flour
¼ cup flaxseeds powder (optional)
1.5 cups thin butter milk (Chaas)
Water as required to make a thin batter
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. green chilli paste
½” pc ginger finely chopped
½ tsp. pepper powder
1 tsp. Salt or to taste
Ghee as required
Mix the flours and combine well, add salt, cumin, green chilli paste, ginger, pepper and mix with butter milk to a pouring think consistency. Add additional water if required and adjust consistency. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.
Heat a dosa pan to very hot. Pour a ladle and a half of the batter and cook till brown. Drizzle ghee in the centre and all around. After a minute, flip and fry on the underside for a minute. Remove and serve while crisp and hot with Idli Podi (Gun Powder) or any chutney of your choice. Continue frying the remaining dosas ensuring the batter is thoroughly stirred and mixed before each dosa is put on the pan, as the flours tend to settle to the bottom of the dish. Leftover batter can be stored in the refrigerator and later or the next day.
P.S.: To ensure the bajra and jowar flour remains fresh, store in the freezer.
This easy and quick breakfast is ready in minutes! Enjoy as a snack or for dinner or supper.
For variation, use chapatis or phulkas instead of tortillas.
Quick Breakfast Tortilla Wrap
Ingredients –
To make one wrap – per person
1 Tortilla
2 eggs
2 slices cheese
A handful fresh baby spinach
2 or more slices of cold cuts (beef, pork, chicken ham, smoked turkey, mortadella, etc.)
A pinch Salt & pepper, or to taste
1 tsp. butter
Method
Break the eggs into a bowl, season with salt and pepper.
Heat a pan, add butter and pour the beaten eggs into the pan.
Immediately place the tortilla over the egg and quickly turn the tortilla over (must use your fingers for this) so it is coated with the egg on both sides.
Now fry for a minute till egg on the underside is light brown.
Flip the tortilla over and place 2 slices of cheese side by side at the end nearer to you.
When cheese melts slightly, top with spinach and 2 or more slices of cold cuts, as per your taste.
Carefully transfer the tortilla to a board and form into a compact roll, beginning from the side with the filling.
Cut diagonally into two halves and serve immediately.
Ketchup, mayonnaise or mustard sauce may be added as per taste.
Healthy, nutritious, cabbage and paneer stuffed parathas. Enjoy them hot for breakfast or brunch or as a quick meal. Satisfy those hunger pangs and have as a snack!! Try the Aloo Parathas too…
CABBAGE PANEER PARATHAS
Ingredients
2 cups wheat flour
1 tbsp. melted ghee or oil
1 tsp. salt or to taste
½ to 1 tsp. Ajwain (Carom seeds)
2 cups cabbage, shredded fine
1 cup paneer, crumbled
½ cup coriander, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped fine
Method
Wash, drain and sprinkle salt over the cabbage and keep aside for 10 minutes.
Sieve flour with salt.
Add the melted ghee/oil and mix well.
Add water and knead well to a soft dough.
Cover with wet cloth and set aside.
Squeeze out the water from the cabbage and add the paneer, coriander, green chillies, salt (if required) and mix well.
Keep aside.
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.
Roll out each portion into circle of about 4” diameter.
Spread 2 heaped tbsp. stuffing over the entire circle and cover with another circle.
Roll the paratha lightly to compact it and seal the edges.
A Soft and fluffy mangalorean pancake you can make in two ways – Sweet & Plain (Savory) which can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack or as an accompaniment with your favorite curry for lunch and dinner.
Ingredients
2 cups Idli or basmati Rice
2 cups Buttermilk
1 cup poha
¼ tsp. fenugreek seeds
½ cup coconut
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. Soda bicarb
For sweet version
½ tsp. turmeric
¼ cup jaggery powdered (for half the above quantity of batter)
Method
Wash the rice and fenugreek seeds and soak in buttermilk for atleast 4 hours.
Soak the poha in water for 15 minutes.
Grind the rice, poha, coconut to a thick paste.
As far as possible do not add more water when grinding.
Add salt to the batter and divide into two.
To one half, add turmeric powder and jaggery and mix well till jaggery is dissolved.
Leave both the batters to ferment 8 hours or overnight.
Before frying you may add a pinch or ¼ tsp. soda bicarb to the batter (If the batter has not fermented well) and mix. This is optional.
You may thin down the batter slightly, if required by adding little water if batter is too thick.
To fry, heat a dosa pan very hot, smear with oil using an onion, put two ladles of batter (3/4 cup), do not spread.
Cover and cook till it is covered with holes, becomes opaque and light brown on the edges. (Suruli for holes in Konkani).
Remove and serve the sweet Surnalis with butter
And the plain or savory ones with chutney.
Also enjoy them with your favorite curry for lunch or dinner.
No cook breakfast or teatime snack. Comes together in minutes (if you have all ingredients to hand). Delicious, satisfying and healthy. My mother made this often as a teatime snack, when we returned from school. When was the last time you had Godd Fov?
Ingredients
3 to 4 cups thin (beaten/flattened) rice (Fov)
1 cup grated jaggery
1 cup grated coconut
½ tsp. cardamom powder
2 tbsp. milk/water/coconut water
Method
Clean the flattened rice (fov/poha) for any dirt, etc. Do not wash. Pick any husk or impurities, if any. Usually the packaged beaten rice (good brands) will be quite clean.
Add the jaggery, coconut, cardamom powder and mix all ingredients.
Add the milk or water to moisten the mixture a little bit and mix well with fingers.
Leave aside for 10 minutes.
Serve with tea or coffee for breakfast or a teatime evening snack.
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