Authentic tried and tested simple recipes in mainly Indian cooking, including traditional mangalorean, Goan, East Indian, North Indian recipes and much more…
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.
Toum (Garlic Sauce) usually used as a dip for grilled chicken, meat, etc. So creamy and fluffy and ah the taste… simply lip-smacking, you can just eat and lick it as it is. You would never believe it is homemade! Serve with Shish Taouk, Souvlaki chicken, Crispy fried chicken and any grilled meats or roasted vegetable. Slather on pita bread sandwiches or serve as a regular dip!
Traditional homemade garlic sauce
Ingredients
1 cup garlic
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup lemon juice
1/2 cup iced water
3 cups oil, like canola, sunflower
Method
Peel garlic and remove the germ if desired (makes the taste less sharp) by cutting in half and scooping out the germ in the centre of the garlic. I skipped this step today due to lack of time.
Place the garlic with salt in a blender and process till garlic is smooth, use the lemon juice at intervals to facilitate movement of the garlic.
Add a little water if the lemon juice is not sufficient. Adding more lemon juice may make it too sour.
Once the garlic becomes a smooth paste, start adding the first cup of oil in a continuous drizzle while the blender is running.
Stop the blender to give it a rest.
Then continue adding the remaining oil alternating with the iced water till all oil and water are incorporated.
The paste should be light and fluffy by now.
If not add one egg white and run the blender for 2 minutes to achieve the fluffy consistency.
Transfer to a sterilized glass jar or a container and refrigerate.
Use for a month, if it lasts that long!
This recipe makes a large quantity of toum. So it would be better to try with half or quarter of the recipe.
But bear in mind that if the toum doesn’t become thick and fluffy, the garlic mixture should not be wasted, use it in cooking where garlic paste (with tartness) is required.
These stuffed chillies can be consumed as a pickle or an accompaniment or loaded into sandwiches or rotis for a snack! Make a large batch and store in the refrigerator for upto a month!
Bharwa Masala Mirchi
Ingredients
6 large long green Chillies
¼ cup sev (fried bhel puri sev)
1 ½ tbsp. fennel seeds (Saunf)
¼ tsp. Ajwain (carom seeds)
½ tsp. turmeric powder
2 tbsp. coriander powder
2 tbsp. Amchur (Dry mango powder)
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. Asafoetida
½ tsp. mustard seeds
4 to 5 tbsp. oil
Wash chillies and wipe dry. Make a slit on the length of the chilli without cutting through. Carefully remove the seeds and the pith with a small spoon or a knife. Leave the stem on.
To prepare filling:-
Powder the sev fine. Grind the fennel and Ajwain to a powder. Mix the sev, fennel, Ajwain, coriander, amchur, turmeric and salt in a bowl and add 2 tbsp. of the oil and mix well.
Stuff the masala powder into the chillies and set aside. Heat the remaining oil and temper with asafoetida and mustard seeds. When the seed pop add the stuffed chillies and fry on medium low heat for 3 to 4 minutes till it changes color and is light brown. Turn and cook other side for 2 minutes. Don’t burn them. When the chillies are soft, switch off flame and cover and keep for 5 minutes.
Serve with besan chillas, rotis or with any meal as pickle or appetiser. Can be preserved for a month in the refrigerator.
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.
The combination of Dal & Palak makes it extremely healthy and nutritious. Split yellow moong dal is rich in vitamins, proteins and essential nutrients and palak (spinach) a rich source of iron.
Tastes delicious with chapatis, puris or any Indian bread. Even goes well with steaming hot rice and a little pickle!!
Enjoy this meal-in-one dish, which is not only delicious and satisfying, but healthy too.
Dal Palak
Ingredients
1 cup moong dal, soaked in water for an hour
1 large bunch spinach, chopped
1 Large tomato, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped roughly
5 cloves garlic
1” piece ginger
4 green chillies
½ tsp. turmeric powder
½ tsp. chilli powder
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tbsp. ghee
Method
Grind garlic, ginger, chillies, onion, turmeric and chilli powder to a paste.
Heat ghee and add cumin seeds, saute for 1/2 a minute,
Then add the masala paste and fry till ghee separates.
Add tomatoes and salt.
Cook till tomatoes turn soft.
Add the soaked dal and 2 cups of water.
Bring to a boil, cover and cook till dal is tender.
Add chopped spinach, add a cup or two of water if dal is dry and adjust consistency.
Cook 10 minutes, then add some chopped coriander leaves, save some for garnish.
Remove to a serving dish and serve hot garnished with coriander leaves
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.
Sprouted Moong (Green Gram) and Jackfruit Seeds (Bikna) Curry
A super easy, quick, delicious and highly nutritious curry.
When I last prepared the sprouted moong bhaji (check out the video recipe) I had saved the excess sprouts in the freezer. The Biknas I had frozen a large batch of boiled jackfruit seeds. These proved handy when I had to rustle up a quick nutritious meal before rushing to work!
All you need is some steamed rice or chapatis any bread of your choice, with your favorite pickle (aachar).
For a more elaborate meal, serve with fried fish or fish cutlets!!
Ingredients
1 cup sprouted moong (green gram)
1 cup boiled jackfruit seeds (Bikna)
1 medium to large Potato (optional), cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 flakes garlic, sliced
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp. mustard seeds
2 tbsp. Bafat masala, or to taste
4 tbsp. coconut powder
1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
1 tsp. Salt, or to taste
1 tbsp. Oil
Method
Rinse the sprouts and drain.
In a vessel add oil, when hot add the mustard seeds, when they splutter, add the curry leaves, garlic and onion and saute till onions are light brown.
Add the bafat masala and fry for ½ a minute.
Add the moong and and potatoes, if using, and more water, salt and bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes till potatoes are cooked.
Add the boiled bikna and tamarind pulp and cook 5 minutes.
Meanwhile dilute the coconut powder with some water and add to the curry, adjust gravy by adding sufficient water.
Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes or till fat suraces.
Clean the tambdi bhaji, discarding the damaged and insect eaten leaves.
Save only the clean and complete leaves and the tender stalks. To find out if the stalks are tender, they should snap easily on breaking.
Immerse in plenty of salted water and leave for 10 to 15 minutes to loosen the dirt and kill insects if any.
Slice the onion, crush the garlic, break the red chillies into 2 to 3 pieces and transfer to a cooking vessel.
Wash the soaked bhaji well, drain and chop roughly.
Add the vegetable to the vessel, add salt and oil and 1/4 cup water if desired and place on heat and cook 10 minutes till vegetable is tender. Stir in between.
Add the fresh coconut, mix and cook further 5 minutes.
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.
Karela Bitter Gourd Stir Fry, is usually cooked at home on a weekly basis. This is the only way we enjoy it besides is easy and quick to prepare.
Ingredients
3 Large Karelas (Bitter Gourd)
2 to 3 tbsp. Coconut or Olive Oil
1 tsp. chilli powder, or to taste
½ sp. Turmeric powder
1 tsp. Amchur (Dry mango powder)
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
Method
Wash the Karelas.
Chop the head and tail and slit vertically (lengthwise) in half.
Scoop out the seeds.
Cut the vegetable horizontally into thin slices.
Add the salt to the sliced Karela, mix well and set aside 10 minutes. Then squeeze out the karela to remove the excess juice (this removes some of the bitterness, but this step is optional).
Transfer the karela to a vessel.
Add the oil, chilli powder, turmeric powder, amchur and mix well.
If you skip step 5 then , set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
Cook on medium flame and stir fry till karela is cooked and lightly fried, but do not burn.
Serve with rotis or as an accompaniment with any meal.
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