New Recipes
Jowar Na Khatta Meetha Dhebra/ Sorghum Flatbread
Jowar Na Khatta Meetha Dhebra/ Sorghum Flatbread is a flatbread made with jowar (sorghum ) flour, wheat flour, yogurt and spices. The dhebra are sour and sweet due to addition of yogurt and sugar. Carom seeds enhances the flavor of dhebra. They can be served in breakfast, lunch or dinner with tea, yogurt, any lentil curry, butter, jam ,pickle , chunda or chutney. They can be packed in lunch box. They can be carried while travelling.
This is my mother-in-law’s (Geeta Shah) recipe from her village. She has grown up eating these healthy dhebra that her mother (Gangaba) used to cook. Traditionally it is known as ardari. It is usually deep fried. The rolled dough is cut into small rounds with a round cutter and then deep fried. The ardari puffs up like ball and can stay at room temperature for 2-3 days. So is best to be carried while travelling.
However, we avoid deep frying (calorie conscious ) and so try making them by roasting on pan. But the deep fried version of the dhebra are tasty and traditional!!
My son calls it ardari na dhebra and takes them in lunch box by applying either butter or nutella on them. He likes to take mini dhebra and so I try to make them using different cookie cutter.
However you make the dhebra are tasty with sourness from yogurt, sweetness from sugar and carom seeds make them more flavorful.
I am happy to enjoy making the traditional and healthy dish and serving the my family and friends and also sharing with you all . How about you all?
Friends do try this delicious and traditional recipe.
Jowar Na Khatta Meetha Dhebra/ Sorghum Flatbread
Jowar Na Khatta Meetha Dhebra/ Sorghum Flatbread is a flatbread made with jowar (sorghum ) flour, wheat flour, yogurt and spices. The dhebra are sour and sweet due to addition of yogurt and sugar. Carom seeds enhances the flavor of dhebra. They can be served in breakfast, lunch or dinner with tea, yogurt, any lentil curry, butter, jam ,pickle , chunda or chutney. They can be packed in lunch box. They can be carried while travelling.
Servings: 8 dhebra
Calories: 86kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup jowar flour sorghum flour
- 1/2 cup wholewheat flour
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/4 cup yogurt or little more if needed. Try to use sour yougurt
- 4 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp carom seeds
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida hing
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- water if needed to knead the dough
- salt as per tase
- whole wheat flour for dusting
- 8 tsp oil for roasting the dhebra
Instructions
- In a bowl, add sorghum (jowar) flour, whole wheat flour, yogurt.
- Add 1/2 tbsp oil, sugar, salt, carom seeds, ginger garlic paste, asafoetida, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Mix well.
- Mix well and knead into a semi soft dough. Add water if needed while kneading the dough. Add the remaining oil and smoothen the dough. Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes.
- Make lemon size ball from the dough. Approximately 8 balls can be made. Take one ball. Flatten it and dust with whole wheat flour.
- Roll into 2 mm thick circle around 7 cm in diameter.
- Put the rolled dhebra on a heated pan. Let the pan be on medium heat. Flip dhebra to another side when you see bubbles on the the dhebra.
- Put oil and flip on the other side.
- Roast on both the sides till golden spot appear flipping in between.
- The jowar na khatta meetha dhebra are ready. Similarly make dhebra from the remaining dough.
- I have made the mini dhebra from the same dough for my son's (Aarav) lunch box. I have use cookie cutter and cut them into shape after rolling the dough.
- Made the shapes using cooking cutter.
- Put them on the heated pan and cook them till golden spot appear by applying oil and flipping the sides.
- The jowar na khatta metha dhebra are ready to be packed for lunch box. This pic is taken when I have added coriander to the dough. My son loved to sandwich the two mini dhebra either by applying butter or nutella for his lunch box.
- Enjoy the jowar na khatta meetha dhebra for breakfast, lunch or dinner with tea, curry, yogurt, raita, pickle, jam, chunda, butter or ghee or sourcream.
- Pack them for lunch box or take them while travelling.
Nutrition
Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Kantola Nu Shaak
Kantola Nu Shaak is a stir fry dish made with Kantola (Teasel gourd or spiny gourd) along with onions, and spices. It is dry veg dish and goes well with Dal, Rice, Roti. It also goes well with thepla, bhakri or rotla. It is vegan. Skip adding asafoetida to make it gluten free.
Kantola also known as teasel gourd or spiny gourd is a seasonal vegetable and is available during monsoon in India. In Sydney, I have used the frozen packet which we get in Indian store. It has small spines all over its body and hence is known as spiny gourd. It looks similar to bitter melon but is short in length.
Kantola are full of dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and anti oxidants. They have health benefits similar to bitter melon. They help in lowering blood sugar, aids digestion and have anti ageing property.
Mithil (my husband) and I both love kantola and bitter melon and so I try to make them frequently.
You can skip adding onion to the dish. I like the taste on onion. As Kantola is towards bitter taste and onion has sweet taste. So the combination balances the taste of the dish.
I usually serve this dish with gujarati dal, roti, rice and salad. But sometimes I also serve kantola nu shaak with methi dhebra, palak dhebra, moong dal paratha or thepla.
So friends do make this recipe and share your reviews with me.
Kantola Nu Shaak
Kantola Nu Shaak is a stir fry dish made with Kantola (Teasel gourd or spiny gourd) along with onions, and spices. It is dry veg dish and goes well with Dal, Rice, Roti. It also goes well with thepla, bhakri or rotla. It is vegan. Skip adding asafoetida to make it gluten free.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 157kcal
Ingredients
- 300 g kantola Teasel gourd or spiny gourd, washed and chopped lengthwise
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds rai
- 2 tsp pickle masala athana no sambhar
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida hing
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp coriander cumin powder dhania jeera powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder or as per taste
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp coriander washed and finely chopped
Instructions
- Wash and chop the kantola lengthwishe as shown. (Remove big seeds if any). Drain the washed and chopped kantola in a strainer. Keep it aside for 20-30 minutes so that all the excess water is drained out.
- Heat oil in a thick bottom pan on medium heat. Add mustard seed and let it crackle. Reduce heat and add asafoetida, turmeric powder and 1 tsp pickle masala (athana no sambhar). (If you do not have pickle masala you can add crushed methi seeds)
- Add chopped onions and mix well.
- Saute till onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the drained kantola. Add salt. (be careful as pickle masala also contains salt)..
- Mix well. Cover and cook kantola on medium heat stirring every four to five minutes in between. Cook till kantola are soften and cooked.
- Now add remaning spices - red chili powder, coriander cumin powder and pickle masala. Mix well and saute for 4-5 minutes.
- Add chopped coriander and mix well. The kantola nu shaak is ready.
- Remove it in a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve it with roti, dal and rice. It can also be served with thepla, dhebra, bhakri or rotla.
Nutrition
Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 4.9mg
Malai Paneer Tikka / Grilled Cottage Cheese With Cream
Malai Paneer Tikka / Grilled Cottage Cheese With Cream is a appetizer made by marinating paneer/cottage cheese and vegetables with a mild marinade that is made with cream, hung curd, cashew nut powder and flavored with kasurimethi, fennel seeds and cardamom powder. This marinated paneer and vegetables are than grilled either in a griller, oven or open barbeque or gas flame. The outcome is soft, melt in mouth, succulent and juicy paneer tikka. Serve it hot with green chutney and sliced onions.
This paneer dish is very mild in taste and yet is very creamy and melt in mouth texture. The taste from cream, cashew nut, kasuri methi, fennel seeds and cardamom powder elates the taste of your taste buds. It is very quick to make and needs very less ingredients. The marinade for the dish is ready very quickly.
Always use full fat cream for best result. You can also use the homemade malai (Malai is a top layer formed on the milk after it is boiled and cooled). I have used homemade curd to make hung curd. Take curd and put it in a muslin cloth or soft cotton cloth. Put the cloth and curd in the strainer in a bowl. The water from the curd will drain from the cloth. Keep it around 1 hour in the refrigerator to avoid getting sour. You can also use plain greek yogurt or cream cheese instead.
If you want to do a BBQ in your back yard or at a picnic joint, this is the best dish to carry with you.
You can also involve your guests while grilling the tikkas on the BBQ and thus you can cook, eat and chat together.
The dish can be made in the oven, over the flame of the gas cooktop and on the BBQ machine outside. I have cooked them in my kitchen oven.
See how beautifully it is cooked. After the tikkas were half cooked I have changed the setting of the oven with top grilled to give the burnt effect on the paneer and veggies.
I have made this dish when one of my lovely friend Mithan came for dinner along with her husband Manoj (Maddy) and her sons Ronik and Laksh. She is also an amazing cook. She cooks amazing non veg and traditional dishes from Coorg. She has got a magic in her hands. My son enjoys dishes made by her.
It was a very wonderful atmosphere that day. A chilly cold evening in the summer. And the malai paneer tikka was a perfect appetizer to welcome Mithan and her family. The marination was perfect in taste and paneer was very juicy and succulent after grilling. We all enjoyed the dish and amazing time together with chit chat on different topics.
So friends do make this recipe and it will be a total crowd pleaser for your next get together.
Malai Paneer Tikka / Grilled Cottage Cheese With Cream
Malai Paneer Tikka / Grilled Cottage Cheese With Cream is a appetizer made by marinating paneer/cottage cheese with a mild marinade made with cream, hung curd, cashew nut powder and flavored with kasurimethi, fennel seeds and cardamom powder. This paneer is than grilled along with onions, capsicum and tomato. The outcome is soft , succulent and juicy paneer tikka. Serve it hot with green chutney and sliced onions.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 373kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cream malai
- 1/2 cup hung curd
- 2 tbsp cashew nut powder
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves washed and finely chopped
- 2 tsp green chili washed and finely chopped
- 1 tsp kasuri methi dry fenugreek leaves
- 1 tbsp chickpea flour besan, roasted
- 1 tsp fennel seeds saunf
- 1 tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tsp cardamom powder elaichi powder
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 onion cut into 4 quarters and then each leaf of onion seperated
- 1/2 green capsicum cut into inch cube
- 1/2 red capsicum cut into inch cube
- 1/2 yellow capsicum cut into inch cube
- 1 tomato deseeded and cut into cube
- 500 g paneer cut into 1"x1"
- salt as per taste
- oil for roasting
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add cream, hung curd, ginger paste, garlic paste, fennel seeds, kasuri methi, cardamom powder, black pepper powder.
- Add cashew nut powder and roasted chickpea flour (besan).
- Mix them together and add salt and sugar.
- Mix well. Add chopped coriander leaves.
- Add the cut paneer cubes. Mix them well gently.
- Add the chopped onions, capsicum and tomatoes.
- Mix them gently. Cover and keep aside for an hour.
- Take wooden skewers (place them in cold water for 20 minutes before using for oven) and arrange the marinated vegetables and paneer in sequence as per your choice as shown.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C. Place the skewers on the baking dish lined with baking paper. Brush it with oil. Cook them for 15 minutes or till brown from the edges. Turn them once after 7 minutes.
- The malai paneer tikka are ready to serve. Serve them with onion slices and green chutney.
- Enjoy the malai paneer tikka.
Nutrition
Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 860IU | Vitamin C: 45.4mg | Calcium: 449mg | Iron: 0.8mg
Paneer In Mushroom Curry
Paneer In Mushroom Curry is a dish where paneer and other vegetables are cooked in mushroom sauce along with Indian spices. The gravy is rich and creamy and has a nice flavor of mushroom. The curry goes well with roti, tandoori roti, naan, paratha or jeera rice.
My son loves Pasta in mushroom sauce and hence I make it quite often. This time I had a good quantity of white mushrooms in my fridge, Hence I have made mushroom sauce. I have used some of it to make pasta for my son’s lunch box. With the left out sauce, I wanted to make a dish by using Indian spices. The best way was to make a curry. Paneer and mushroom are good combination for making a curry. We often eat paneer and mushroom in a tomato onion based gravy in restaurants. So I thought of making paneer curry but this time using the mushroom sauce. The combination of mushroom sauce cooked with Indian spices turned out super yummy and delicious. Kasurimethi enhanced the flavor of the curry.
I have shared the video recipe of making mushroom sauce. Click below for detail recipe and video.
I have tossed the chopped veggies – onions, red and green capsicum, mushroom, sweet corn, baby corn in oil and ghee.(Here you can add the vegetables of your choice. I have some sweet corn, baby corn and yellow capsicum from the left over used for making pizza the previous night). Then have added all the spices and a generous amount of kasuri methi. The taste of kasuri methi blends well in the curry and gives it a restaurant style taste. To this I have added the mushroom sauce, cashew nut powder and water and then have simmered the gravy. Cashew nut helped in giving a good binding and rich creamy taste to the gravy. The house was full of aroma released from mushroom sauce, kasuri methi and garam masala.
I made this curry when my college friend -Sandip Chandak had come along with his mother to visit Sydney. They had stayed at our place. Sandip is also a foodie, So making food and serving him was a great pleasure. Not only he and his mom but my husband (Mithil), my son (Aarvav) and my mom (Rekha Ramolia) enjoyed the curry to the fullest. I had made garlic naan and parath paratha to serve with the paneer in mushroom curry. My experiment was a success at my place and my friend and my husband insisted on putting this recipe on the blog.
So friends I hope you all enjoy making this recipe for your family and friends!!
Happy innovative cooking!!
Paneer In Mushroom Curry
Paneer In Mushroom Curry is a dish where paneer and other vegetables are cooked in mushroom sauce along with Indian spices. The gravy is rich and creamy and has a nice flavor of mushroom. The curry goes well with roti, tandoori roti, naan, paratha or jeera rice.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 386kcal
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp ghee clarified butter
- 1/2 tsp cumin seed jeera
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 green chili
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 2 onion slices (each leaf removed and sliced)
- 1/2 green capsicum chopped
- 1/2 red capsicum chopped. I had some yellow bell pepper left and so I have used it.
- 500 g paneer cut into cube
- 1/4 cup mixed vegetables I have used sweet corn and baby corn
- 1 cup mushroom sauce
- 1.5 tsp garam masala
- 1.5 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tsp coriander cumin powder dhania jeera powder
- 1 tsp kitchen king masala
- 1/2 cup kasuri methi
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cashew nut powder
- 5 mushroom sliced
- salt as per taste
- coriander washed and chopped for garnishing
- 1/2 cup water or as needed to adjust the consistency of the gravy
Instructions
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan. (I forgot to add ghee and so have added later in the next step). Add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Add chopped garlic, green chili (you can also use crush chili to make it spicy), ginger paste.
- Saute all on medium heat.
- Add onions and red and green bell pepper, baby corn, sweet corn ( I have made pizza the earlier night and hence I had few of yellow bell pepper, sweet corn, baby corn used for the pizza toppings left and hence have used them too).
- Saute till everything softens. Add spices - coriander cumin powder, garam masala, red chili powder and kitchen king masala).
- Mix well and saute for a minute. Add kasuri methi. (You can also use fresh methi leaves if you have).
- Add chopped paneer.
- Mix well and saute for couple of minutes.
- Add the mushroom sauce and water and mix well.
- Add chopped mushroom. Mix well and cook till mushroom soften.
- Add cashew nut powder, sugar and salt. Mix well.
- Simmer the curry on medium heat for 5-7 minutes. The oil will float on top. The paneer in mushroom curry is ready to serve.
- Remove paneer in mushroom curry in a serving bowl. Garnish with coriander and serve with tandoori naan, roti or paratha.
Nutrition
Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 945IU | Vitamin C: 28.5mg | Calcium: 420mg | Iron: 0.9mg
Apple Date Shake
Apple date Shake is a very healthy and delicious shake made by blending apple, dates, nuts together and topped with chia seeds. It is sugar free and gluten free. It is a perfect breakfast to kick start your day. To make it vegan, use almond milk.
This shake can be enjoyed while fasting or vraat or upwaas. My mother (Rekha Ramolia) always makes it on her fasting days like Thursday or Ekadasi (11th day of moon as per Hindu calendar).
She made this delicious apple date shake when she had fast for breakfast. I also enjoyed it with her. I liked the shake. She did not add any sugar to it and hence I would prefer having it. The sweetness in the shake is achieved by dates and apple. However you can add sugar or honey if you prefer it to be more sweeter. The apple date shake also contains dry nuts which provides good energy and filling when one is fasting. One glass of this shake would give you energy for next 3-4 hours. I enjoyed biting the chia seeds while drinking my milk shake.
Since the shake is make from milk and is combined with apple, it is best to consume it immediately upon serving, The milkshake will curdle if kept long. If you want to make and refrigerate the milkshake and consume later, I would prefer to use non dairy milk such as almond milk, or soy milk. You can make this milk shake vegan by choosing non dairy milk. I prefer almond milk goes well. However you can use soy milk or coconut milk. The later two will give a change in taste.
So friends enjoy making this powerful energy drink and kickstart your family day by a healthy breakfast!!
Apple date Shake
Apple date Shake is a very healthy and delicious shake made by blending apple, dates, nuts together and topped with chia seeds. It is sugar free and gluten free. It is a perfect breakfast to kick start your day. To make it vegan, use almond milk.
Servings: 2 glasses
Calories: 419kcal
Ingredients
- 3 medjool dates chopped, or use any dates you have
- 5 walnuts chopped
- 5 almonds chopped
- 5 macadamia chopped
- 1 apple washed and chopped
- 2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp chia seeds soaked
Instructions
- In a blender jar, add chopped dates, almonds, walnuts, macadamia and apple. (Use the nuts of your choice).
- Add a cup of milk.
- Blend into a smooth paste.
- Add the remaining milk and blend all together. The apple date shake is ready.
- Serve in a serving glass and top with a tbsp of chia seeds. Enjoy the apple date shake. ( Consume quickly after serving to avoid from curdling of milk).
Nutrition
Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 108mg | Potassium: 758mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 500IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 387mg | Iron: 1.7mg
Ragi Jowar Pyaaz Phudina Roti
Ragi Jowar Pyaaz Phudina roti is a delicious roti made with combination of flours such as finger or red millet (ragi/nachni) flour, sorghum (jowar) flour, chickpea flour and whole wheat flour. Onion and mint leaves are added to give extra flavor to the roti. This roti goes well with curry or dal, and can also be eaten for breakfast with yogurt and pickle. It is packed with rich nutrients from all the flour. It is vegan if you do not use ghee while roasting the rotis.
At my house, we prefer eating roti made from different flours. So I usually cook
chawal ki roti, – Made from rice flour
bajri ki roti, – made from pearl millet (bajri) flour
makki ki roti – made from maize (makkai) flour
jowar roti, – made from sorghum flour
missi roti, – made from chickpea flour
ragi roti, – made from finger or red millet (ragi) flour
rajigira roti – roti made from amaranth flour (made during upwaas/fast).
or make combination with different flours and cook.
I have always different kind of flours stocked in my pantry. Our bodies gets benefited with the nutrients available from different flour. Also we can enjoy different taste. My son also likes to eat them. He will enjoy them with subji or curry or sometimes with jaggery and ghee or butter. I am happy that he is adapting the taste derived from different flours. It is difficult in kids to get used to the taste and texture of the roti made using different flour.
Ragi, jowar, chickpea, rice, maize, bajri flour are gluten free and hence roti will become dry after they are cooled. It is best to eat them hot and fresh. Personally, I like the dry texture of the roti. I eat the left over with peanut butter.
I thus add little whole wheat flour when making roti using the gluten free flour to get a little softness. But I do not add whole wheat flour when cooking chawal ki roti. If you want to make gluten free roti then you have to skip adding whole wheat flour.
Earlier people in the villages use to grind the flour fresh daily and make roti from it. The roti made from the fresh flours would taste better and will be softer. But nowadays we get these different flours packed in the departmental stores. I feel they are not that fresh and hence I prefer adding whole wheat flour to them while making roti to make the roti soft in texture.
The rotis can be flavored with different ingredients such as onion, tomato, coriander, fenugreek leaves, potato, sweet potato, or with spinach or paneer. You can add the spices as per your taste. Try making the rotis by experimenting with different ingredients.
Ragi is good source of iron and calcium.
Try out this ragi jowar pyaaz phudina roti and you will enjoy it!!
I have served this roti with sarson da saag, mango pickle and sliced onion.
Ragi Jowar Pyaaz Phudina roti
Ragi Jowar Pyaaz Phudina roti is a delicious roti made with combination of flours such as finger or red millet (ragi/nachni) flour, sorghum (jowar) flour, chickpea flour and whole wheat flour. Onion and mint leaves are added to give extra flavor to the roti. This roti goes well with curry or dal, and can also be eaten for breakfast with yogurt and pickle. It is packed with rich nutrients from all the flour.
Servings: 15 roti
Calories: 157kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup red millet ragi flour /nachani flour
- 1 cup sorghum flour jowar flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup chickpea flour besan
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup mint leaves washed and finely chopped
- 2 green chili finely chopped or as per taste
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp carom seeds ajwain
- 1 tbsp oil
- salt as per taste
- lukewarm water as needed to knead the dough
- 15 oil/ghee for roasting the roti. I have used oil for roasting
- whole wheat flour for dusting
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add chopped onion, green chili and mint leaves.
- Add flour - red millet (ragi/nachni) flour, sorghum (jowar) flour, whole wheat flour, chickpea flour (besan). Add salt, carom seeds, turmeric, asafoetida, and oil.
- Mix well with your fingertips till mixture resembles like crumbs.
- Add lukewarm water and knead into a soft dough
- Knead into soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 20 minutes.
- Make balls from the dough. Take a dough and flatten it . Dust it with whole wheat flour.
- Roll into a 2mm thick circle of 15 cm.
- Heat a flat pan. Put the rolled roti on the pan for roasting.
- When bubbles appear, flip the roti gently. Apply a tsp of ghee or oil .
- Flip and roast on both the sides.
- Roast till golden spot appears on medium to low heat.
- The ragi jowar pyas phudina roti is ready. Remove in a plate. Similarly prepare other roti.
- Serve the roti hot with pickle or yogurt or any curry.
- I have served the ragi jowar pyaz phudina roti with sarson da saag, pickle and sliced onions.
Nutrition
Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Sarson Da Saag
Sarson da saag is a curry made using fresh mustard greens along with other greens such as spinach, fenugreek leaves, bathua leaves, or kale. The curry is flavored with a tempering made with ghee, onions, ginger, garlic and green chili. It is made specially during winters and served with makki ki roti (cornmeal flatbread). It is everyday meal made in villages of North India. It is gluten free. To make it vegan avoid adding ghee and butter and use oil instead.
“Sarson” is the fresh mustard green leaves as shown above. It is grown from mustard seeds. It is available in abundance in winters in India. Sarson da saag means a creamy curry made from fresh mustard greens. Since the flavor of sarson is somewhat bitter, it is combined with other greens such as spinach, kale, radish leaves, methi (fenugreek leaves), bathua (chenopodium) and cooked. Generally in India, sarson, spinach and bathua are cooked together. However it is difficult to get these leaves everywhere and hence you can use sarson along with spinach. I am in Sydney and I got this sarson leaves from an Indian grocery store. You can also find them in some Asian shops. I have cooked them with spinach leaves. You can also use Kale leaves.
My husband loves saron da saag. It reminds us of our golden days in Pune. We started our married life there and we were there for 8 years. We used to go to a small joint named “Lovely” in Wanaworie (Pune) and used to relish piping hot sarson da saag along with Makki ki roti over there in winters. The joint was owned by a Punjabi family and the taste of the food was really authentic.
This time my mom was here with us in Sydney. We had gone to an Indian shop for our grocery shopping. I was so happy to see the sarson leaves and bought them. Cooking sarson da saag is very easy and does not need any elaborate procedure or any fancy gadgets. “Sarson da saag” is a popular dish cooked in villages of North India.
Once the greens are cleaned cook them along with ginger, garlic, green chili and water. Cook in the pot along with water till they are soft. Or cook in pressure cooker to be more quicker. I have pressure cooked them. (I can’t imagine me and my kitchen without a pressure cooker). Now once the green are cooked grind them coarsely using a grinder or hand blender. Add maize flour to it and simmer the mixture for 25 minutes. The maize flour would thicken the mixture as it simmers. In villages, when there were no gadgets, a hand whisk or ravai that is used to make butter milk was used to mash the green. Women used to constantly stir the greens with the whisk while adding maize flour to it. This way the greens leaves would be mashed coarsely.
I have used jowar or sorghum flour in place of maize flour. It is a good substitute when you do not have maize flour.
The gravy at this stage can be freezed in a zip lock bag and used as needed.
The most important stage is making tempering or tadka for the curry or saag. You can prepare the curry and keep and then prepare tadka before serving.
I prefer using ghee to make tadka. However, to make it vegan use oil in place of ghee. Make tadka using onions, ginger, garlic, and green chili and cook the prepared saag in it. The flavor will be enriched. Add butter to the prepared saag and serve it hot with makki ki roti /cornmeal flatbread.
I have chopped the onions, ginger, garlic and green chili very finely using wonderchef string pull chopper. My son would eat it without any fuss that way.
We prefer to eat less spicy food. However you can add chilies as per the spice level you need.
I have served it with roti made from ragi and jowar using onions and mint leaves – ragi jow
ar pyaaz phudina roti along with sliced onions and mango pickle. It was a perfect nutritious and wholesome dinner. Recipe for ragi jowar pyaaz phudina roti coming on the blog soon.
Friends do make this tempting recipes and enjoy with your family and friends.
Happy cooking!!
Sarson da Saag
Sarson da saag is a curry made using fresh mustard greens along with other greens such as spinach, fenugreek leaves, bathua leaves, or kale. The curry is flavored with a tempering made with ghee, onions, ginger, garlic and green chili. It is made specially during winters and served with makki ki roti (cornmeal flatbread). It is everyday meal made in villages of North India. It is gluten free. To make it vegan avoid using ghee and butter and use oil instead.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 167kcal
Ingredients
- 250 g sarson fresh mustard leaves washed and trimmed
- 250 g spinach palak, washed and chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic chopped
- 1 green chilies chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1.5 cup water
- 2 tbsp sorghum flour Usually maize flour is used. I did not have maize flour and hence sorghum flour is used.
- salt to taste
- onion for garnishing
- butter for garnishing
For tempering
- 2 tbsp ghee clarified butter
- 1 tsp cumin seeds jeera
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger finely chopped
- 1 green chili finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp butter
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a pressure cooker pan, add washed and chopped sarson and spinach. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chili.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Add water.
- Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.
- Let the pressure cooker cool by itself. Open the lid and coarse crush the mixture with the help of a hand blender or grinder.
- Add sorghum flour - jowar atta. (Maize flour is better option. Since I did not have maize flour I have opted to use sorghum flour).
- Stir the mixture and then simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat. The mixture will start to thicken as it simmers. The saag mixture will be ready after 25 minutes. Keep it aside.
- For the final tempering /tadka - Heat ghee in a pan. If you want to make vegan, add oil instead of ghee.
- When the ghee heats, add cumin seeds and let it crackle.
- Add finely chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chili (you can keep onions, garlic, ginger and green chili medium chopped. I had chopped it really fine as my son would eat them without any fuss). Add salt and saute till onions are translucent and soft.
- I have finely chopped onions, garlic, ginger and green chili using my wonderchef string chopper.
- Add red chili powder and mix well.
- Add the thickened saag mixture. Mix well.
- Add garam masala powder. Mix well and simmer for couple of minutes.
- The sarson da saag is ready. Before serving add butter and mix well. (Avoid adding butter to make it vegan).
- Remove in the serving bowl. Add a little butter and garnish with onion rings. Serve the piping hot sarson da saag with makki ki roti. I have served it with ragi jowar pyaaz phudina roti, sliced onions and mango pickle.
- Let's eat.
Nutrition
Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 658mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 8040IU | Vitamin C: 67.4mg | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 3.4mg
Kodha Nu Shaak/Bhopda Chi Bhaji/Kaddu Ki Subji/Pumpkin Curry
Kodha Nu Shaak/Bhopda Chi Bhaji/Kaddu Ki Subji/Pumpkin Curry is a very delicious and mouthwatering dish made from pumpkin along with peanut, poppy seeds and spices. It is made sweet and tangy with jaggery and tamarind and is enjoyed best with rice flour roti, or regular roti or rice.
My mom (Rekha Ramolia) visited me at Sydney. She stayed with us for three months. We had an amazing time together. My son (Aarav) was so happy and enjoyed her company to the fullest. She would always come to drop and pick up at the school. She would accompany him for this cricket or AFL training and match. She would tell him different stories and would play with him. And when mothers are visiting they will always try to make different delicacies and feed us. I used to enter kitchen less when mom was there as she would always make food for us and it was a feeling of heaven to feast on ready food cooked by her.
She prepared this amazing pumpkin curry for us. It was irresistible. She is Maharastrian and so prepared the pumpkin in a Maharastrian way. The curry was rich with the flavor of peanuts and poppy seeds. I thought of sharing the recipe on the blog. “Maa ke haatho main jadoo hain”. The curry goes well with “chawal ki roti” / Akii/Rice roti. It can be also enjoyed with chapati or rice. The curry is good to be carried in the lunch box.
I will share the recipe of “apple shake” and “herbal green tea” that she used to make often. My son used to enjoy the “palak paneer cooked in desi style” by her. He has AFL training every Wednesday. So when I used to take him to the training she used to make palak paneer for him and keep it ready with jeera ajwain paratha and jeera rice. He used to lick his fingers and enjoy to the fullest. From then palak paneer is as Wednesday’s special menu at my house.
Love you and miss you mummy!!
Friends do try this recipe and share it with your family and friends..
Kodha Nu Shaak/Bhopda Chi Bhaji/Kaddu Ki Subji/Pumpkin Curry
Kodha Nu Shaak/Bhopda Chi Bhaji/Kaddu Ki Subji/Pumpkin Curry is a very delicious and mouthwatering dish made from pumpkin along with peanut, poppy seeds and spices. It is made sweet and tangy with jaggery and tamarind and is enjoyed best with rice flour roti, or regular roti or rice.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 161kcal
Ingredients
- 500 g Pumpkin peeled, washed, deseeded and cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp peanut crushed or whole
- 1 tsp poppy seeds khus khus
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds til
- 1 onion
- 1/2 inch ginger
- 2 garlic clove
- 4 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seed
- 1/2 tsp cumin seed jeera
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seed methi dana
- 1/4 tsp hing asafoetida
- 10 curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1/2 cup water
- 1.5 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tsp coriander cumin powder dhania jeera powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp tamarind pulp 1 tbsp tamarind soaked in 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp jaggery
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- In an mixer grinder, add peanut, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, poppy seeds
- Add chopped onions.
- Grind them all together into a paste.
- Soak tamarind in hot water.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and fenugreek seeds. Let them crackle. Add curry leaves and asafoetida.
- Add pumpkin cut into cubes.
- Mix well.
- Add turmeric powder and 1/4th cup of water. Mix well.
- Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes on medium heat.
- The pumpkin will be soften. If not cook for 5 more minutes. Add the ground paste. Add 1/4 cup of water.
- Add spices - red chili powder, coriander cumin seed powder, garam masala.
- Mash the soaked tamarind with hands. Sieve the tamarind pulp. Add it to the curry. Mix well.
- Mix well and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Add jaggery and mix well till it melts.
- Simmer the curry until the jaggery melts.
- The pumpkin curry is ready to serve.
- Remove in bowl. Garnish with curry leaves and serve kodha nu shaak/ bhopda chi bhaaji/pumpkin curry with chawal ki roti (rice roti) or plain rice or chapati.
Nutrition
Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 19865IU | Vitamin C: 59.5mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 3.2mg
Kofta Biryani
Kofta Biryani is a variation of a biryani where kofta made from paneer and bread is layered with the gravy and rice with spices and then it is cooked on a slow flame (dum) before serving. It is a one meal dish and can be enjoyed on different occasions and potluck.
I enjoy making this biryani as I like the process of making it. I like the combination that it is made of- kofta with the rice. My friend in Pune, (Jiya Karamchandani) loves this biryani and tell me that the combination of kofta and rice with the masalas and gravy tastes similar to Non veg biryani. The gravy is made using onions, tomatoes, ginger garlic and is flavored with the regular spices available at home. There is no special biryani masala or any other specific masala used, yet the flavor of the biryani is enhanced when the gravy and koftas are cooked together. Also the taste of biryani is enhanced by using the yogurt coriander and mint mixture. Take care the yogurt used in the biryani should be fresh. Do not use sour yogurt.
You can just combine the rice, gravy and kofta together and cook and serve. But I like to layer the biryani and then cook on “dum” (cover and cook oven). This way the spices are infused nicely in the biryani and the taste of biryani is enhanced.
The rice cooked in the biryani needs to be long grained and each grain needs to be separated. So try to use a good quality of basmati rice. Usually, the rice is cooked in an open pot in the water till it is 85% cooked and then drained. But I prefer to cook it in a pressure cooker. You might be thinking how can we cook rice separated in an pressure cooker. I have shared the process with you and I always have been cooking rice this way. I have learnt this process of cooking the rice from my ex-boss at IndusInd Bank Ltd, Mr Dilip Deshpande. He loves cooking and shared with me this process of cooking rice. I find it quiet easy, quick and convenient. It has been more than 12 years now that I have been cooking rice for biryani, pulao or fried rice. I am so thankful to him to teach me the process. You can see how wonderfully each grain of rice is separated, long and cooked.
You need to soak the rice for 30 minutes. Then put the rice in the pressure cooker with water along with salt, oil and any spices you need. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook the rice for 3- 4 whistles on high heat. After 3-4 whistles, remove the pressure cooker off the heat and pour the tap water over it. This will cool down the pressure cooker and the cooking process will stop further. Remove the whistle and open the lid. Immediately drain the rice in sieve. Pour cold water over the rice and keep it aside on a bowl. After 15 minutes, when the water is drained, spread the rice on a clean kitchen towel. Cover with another clean towel to avoid the rice to get dry. Now you can use rice as per use. The pressure cooker cooks the rice quickly compared to cooking the rice in a pot. You will also skip the process of stirring the rice as you do while cooking it in a pot.
Also the kofta are deep fried. But being health and calorie conscious, I have pan fried the kofta using less oil in a paniyaram pan. I have cooked this biryani when one of our good friends (Vinod, Ruchita and their son Ishaan) visited us. They were the first family whom we were introduced when we moved to Sydney. The couple is a very lovely, energetic and jovial couple. They have helped us lot and we love spending time with them. It was the Christmas holidays in Sydney. I have also prepared some kebabs, bruschetta and eggless mango mousse for lunch.
The kofta biryani goes well with black grapes raita (black grapes churned in yogurt with cumin and chili powder, and rock salt).
Friends do try this version of making biryani and your family and friends will love it.
Kofta Biryani
Kofta Biryani is a variation of a biryani where kofta made from paneer and bread is layered with the gravy and rice with spices and then it is cooked on a slow flame (dum) before serving. It is a one meal dish and can be enjoyed on different occasions and potluck.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 362kcal
Ingredients
Making Kofta
- 4 slices brown bread or white bread grind into crumbs
- 100 g paneer grated
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 green chilies finely chopped
- 1 tbsp yogurt fresh
- 1/8 tsp soda bi carbonate or a pinch
- 1 tbsp coriander washed and finely chopped
- salt to taste
- oil to grease palm and fry kofta
For Rice
- 1 cup basmati rice long grained rice
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cardamom pods elaichi
- 2 clove laung
- 1 tsp oil
- water to cook
- salt to taste
For Gravy
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp ghee clarified butter
- 2 cloves laung
- 1 cinnamon
- 1 medium onion washed and sliced
- 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp cumin seeds jeera
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tsp coriander cumin powder dhania jeera powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1 green capsicum washed and chopped
- 4 tomato washed and chopped
- 1/2 cup yogurt it should be fresh and not sour
- 1/4 cup green peas boiled
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi crushed between palms
- 1 tbsp mint leaves washed and chopped
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves washed and chopped
- salt to taste
For Garnishing
- 1/2 cup yogurt fresh
- 2 tbsp coriander washed and chopped
- 2 tbsp mint leaves washed and chopped
For Assembling
- ghee
- green chili
- coriander washed and finely chopped
- mint washed and finely chopped
- garam masala
- salt to taste
Instructions
Making Kofta
- In a mixing bowl, add bread crumbs, ginger garlic paste and salt.
- Add chopped onions, grated paneer, chopped coriander, green chilies and soda bicarbonate.
- Mix well and knead into a dough.
- Grease your palms with oil and take small portion from the dough and make small size balls. Keep them in a plate.
- You can deep fry the kofta at this stage. But I have avoided deep frying and have cooked them in a paniyaram pan using little oil. Heat the paniyaram pan. Add oil in the indent of the pan. Put the kofta in it and cook on medium heat till golden.
- Flip the kofta after 2-3 minutes and cook from all the sides in the same way till they are golden.
- Cook all the kofta in the same way.
- Remove in a dish and keep it aside.
For Rice
- Wash and soak the basmati (long grained rice) for 30 minutes.
- Put the rice in the pressure cooker with 3 cups of water. Add bayleaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom pod, cloves, oil, and salt. Mix well.
- Put the pressure cooker lid with the whistle on and cook the rice for 3-4 whistles on high heat.
- Immediately take the cooker off the heat after 3-4 whistles and put it under the tap of running cold water to cool down. Remove the whistle and open the lid.
- Drain the rice in a sieve and remove water. Pour cold water over the cooked rice to stop the further process of cooking. Keep it aside on a bowl to remove excess of water. Then spread the grains of cooked rice on a cotton cloth. (The cloth will absorb excess water). Cover the rice with other cloth to prevent from drying.
For Gravy
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan.
- Add cumin seeds. When they crackle add cloves and cinnamon stick.
- Add the sliced onions and mix well.
- Add the chopped capsicum and cover and cook on low heat till the onions and capsicum get translucent and soft.
- Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cover and cook till the tomatoes get soften.
- Add the spices - turmeric powder, coriander cumin powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
- Lower the heat and add the fresh yogurt. Cook on low heat to prevent from curdling.
- Mix well and cook on low heat.
- Add garam masala powder and mix well.
- Add kasuri methi (crushed between palms) and Mix well.
- Simmer for a minute and then add the boiled peas.
- Simmer for 5-6 minute or till the oil floats on the top.
- Add the chopped coriander and mint leaves and mix well. The gravy is ready. Remove it in a bowl and keep aside.
For Garnishing
- In a mixer grinder add washed and chopped coriander and mint leaves.
- Add yogurt and blend them.
- The mint coriander yogurt mixture is ready.
- Remove in a bowl.
Assembling the Biryani
- Grease a heavy bottom pan or a bowl. Put half of the prepared gravy at the bottom of the pan. ( I have used two small bowls around 9 inches).
- Add the prepared rice. Spread it evenly on the gravy. Put the koftas on the rice. Put ghee and slit green chilies. Sprinkle salt and garam masala.
- Put remaining half of the gravy on top of the rice kofta layer. Add more kofta and put ghee, slit green chilies. Sprinkle garam masala and salt.
- Top the prepared layers with the yogurt, mint and coriander mixture. (keep aside some mixture for garnishing while serving the biryani)
- Cover the bowl with aluminium foil and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes at 200 C.
- Remove the bowl from the oven. Remove the foil and relish the delicious Kofta biryani with sliced onions and papad. Serve the biryani hot.
- Remove the biryani in a plate. Garnish with chopped coriander and yogurt coriander and mint mixture and serve. Enjoy every grain of the biryani.
Nutrition
Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 505mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1095IU | Vitamin C: 41.8mg | Calcium: 220mg | Iron: 2.4mg
Eggless Mango Mousse
Eggless mango mousse is a creamy dessert made using fresh mango and cream. It is enjoyed by all and is a perfect dessert after having a good meal.
I have made this dessert during summer when fresh mangoes are available in plenty. I like using fresh mangoes for this dessert. However you can use the canned mango pulp available instead. (If you are using canned mango use the alphonso canned pulp). It will give nice taste and orange colour to the mousse.
I have made this dessert when one of our good friends (Vinod, Ruchita and their son Ishaan) visited us. They were the first family whom we were introduced when we moved to Sydney. The couple is a very lovely, energetic and jovial couple. They have helped us lot and we love spending time with them. It was the Christmas holidays in Sydney.
I have prepared some kebabs, bruschetta and kofta biryani for lunch. It was a hot summer afternoon and after having a good lunch, mango mousse was an excellent way to end our lunch on the hot day.
They have enjoyed the food and the dessert. The colour of the mango mousse was eye catching and the taste the of fresh mango was divine.
So friends just make this quick and easy no fuss dessert and enjoy it with your family and friends!!
Eggless Mango Mousse
Eggless Mango Mousse is the creamy dessert made from fresh mango and cream. Agar-agar is used in place of gelatine to set the dessert.
Servings: 16 shotglasses
Calories: 153kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cup full fat cream
- 2 cup mango pulp
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 2 tsp agar agar powder
- 2 tbsp water to dissolve agar agar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- cherry to garnish
- blueberry to garnish
- mint leaves to garnish
- 1/2 cup mango pulp for making mango glaze
Instructions
- Take agar agar powder in a bowl.
- Add water to it and stir.
- The agar agar will be dissolved. Keep aside.
- Take chilled full fat cream in a bowl. (I have put the bowl and the blades in the freezer couple of hour before whipping). Start whipping with an electric beater on low speed for 4 minutes.
- The cream will start to become thick. Add the icing sugar to it around 1/4 cup.
- Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Soft peaks will start to form. Now beat on high speed for another 4-5 minutes.
- The cream will become thick and have stiff peaks. Cover and refrigerate till in use,
- Now take mango pulp in a pan. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and melted agar agar. Mix well.
- Let the mixture come to boil and everything is dissolved well. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and let the mango mixture cool.
- Now take the whip cream and add mango mixture to it. (leave 1/2 cup of mango mixture aside to be used as a glaze).
- Gently fold the mixture till everything is mixed well.
- Take the container or glasses in which the mousse is to be set. Fill first with the prepared cream and mango mixture. Now top with the prepared mango mixture glaze.
- Set in the freeze for 5-6 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and garnish with cherry or blueberries or mint leaves or mango cube or dry nuts.
- Serve the mango mouse chilled.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 22mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1320IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 4.6mg
