HEALTHY VEGETABLE MANCHURIA

Manchuria, this very famous Chinese became so popular in India that every party or function menu is incomplete without it. Every restaurant, or even a road side chaat hut has this in its menu. The deep fried vegetable dumplings are cooked in a spicy sauce. As the dumplings are deep fried many hesitate to take this when ever they like. Here I come with a healthy version of vegetable manchuria which can be had as many time as you like. Although this is made healthy, the taste remains the same. Give it a try. The dumplings for the recipe are baked in the oven, so make sure you start the preparation an hour before.
INGREDIENTS
for the dumplings

• Cabbage             finely shredded 1/2 cup
• Carrots               finely grated      1/2 cup
• Boiled potato     1 large
• Cauliflower          very finely chopped 1/2 cup
• Green peas          1/2 cup boiled
• Salt                      to taste
• Pepper powder   1 tsp
• Tasting salt         a pinch(optional)
• Green chilies       1 finely chopped
• Corn flour            1 Tsp
• Oil                        1 Tsp

for the gravy

• Onion              1 large finely chopped
• Tomatoes        1 small finely chopped
• capsicum        1 Small finely chopped
• Tomato sauce  1 Tsp
• Soy sauce         1/2 tsp
• Garlic cloves     3 finely chopped
• Ginger              1/2 inch finely chopped
• Green chilies    1 finely chopped
• Oil                     2 Tsp
• Salt                   to taste
• Sugar                1 tsp
• Tasting salt       a pinch
• Corn flour         1 tsp

PROCEDURE
Pre heat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
Take the finely shredded cabbage, cauliflower, grated carrots in a large pan. Add a cup of water and cook for five minutes, until the veggies turn soft.
squeeze out the water from the veggies. Keep the water and use it in the gravy. The veggies should not contain any moisture. This is an important step.
As the veggie balls are baked in the oven, very little corn flour is used, so if the veggies contain more moisture it will be difficult to roll the balls.
You can even spread the veggies on a kitchen towel to remove any moisture.
Now smash the boiled peas and potato. Add the veggies to the peas and  potato mixture.
Mix well. Now add the remaining ingredients for the dumplings(salt, pepper, chilies, corn flour, tasting salt.)
Mix well and make small balls with this mixture.
Spray the baking tray with oil, place the dumplings on it and brush them with some more oil.
Bake for about 30 minutes. Now increase the temperature and bake for another 15 minutes till the dumplings turn deep brown.
To make the gravy add a couple of spoons of oil in a pan. Heat the oil and add the finely chopped ginger and garlic. When they turn brown add the finely chopped onions.
When the onions turn brown, add the finely chopped tomatoes and the capsicum.
Add enough salt, sugar, tasting salt, green chilies.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes till the tomatoes are very soft.
Now add the tomato sauce, soy sauce, corn flour and a cup of water( Use the squeezed out water from the veggies).
Cook till the gravy is soft and thick.
Add the baked dumplings. Coat them with the gravy and remove them into a serving dish.
Serve with roti or naan or any fried rice.
TIPS

• Do not use more of the corn flour for the dumplings. I used potato(generally not used for veg manchuria) as a binding agent instead of maida.
• Soft veggies can easily be made into balls.
• If you cannot make the balls add a couple of spoons of bread crumbs and not the corn flour or maida.
• Adding too much of corn flour make the dumplings hard. So make sure that the veggies do not contain any moisture.
• To make the veggies soft you can skip boiling and try this: add a couple of spoons of water to the veggies and microwave for 2 minutes.
• This procedure is best suited only for the gravy version of the manchuria.
• You can skip the capsicum if you do not like.
• Different ovens have different temperatures so be cautions while baking.  

  

KARAPPODI/GARLIC SPICE POWDER

Karappodi, this is known to every South Indian. The famous South Indian idly is incomplete without karappodi. This spicy powder is a favorite to everyone in my family. It can be served with almost all of the south Indian Tiffin's or even with rice. Karappodi with a spoonful of ghee forms a best combination for soft and fluffy idles. This spicy preparation when combined with garlic is very healthy.
INGREDIENTS

• Chana dal                   1/2 cup
• Urad dal                     1/4 cup
• Coriander seeds         3/4 cup
• Garlic cloves               12(small)
• Red chilies                  10
• Salt                             to taste
• Jeera                          1 tsp
• Tamarind                   small lemon sized ball
• Oil                               2 Tsp

PROCEDURE
Heat oil in a pan and add the dals, when they are half fried add the coriander seeds, red chilies, jeera, tamarind pieces, garlic cloves.
Fry them on a low flame till they are fully fried and the dals turn crunchy.
Cool the whole mixture.
Add enough salt and grind to a slightly coarse powder.
Serve with idly or dosa or upma or even plain rice. Don’t forget to add a spoonful of ghee.
TIPS
Add more of the chilies to increase the spice.
Curry leaves and/or dry coconut can also be added for a different flavor and taste.
Fry the whole thing on a slow flame.
You can decrease the tamarind if you don’t like the tanginess. Cut the tamarind into very tiny pieces and fry them along with the other ingredients.                         

ANDHRA STYLE BAJJILU

Bajiilu, the very name itself waters the mouth. Different vegetables are dipped in the besan batter and deep fried to a perfect crisp and color. These are famous all over India. Called by different names in different places these form the main street foods in South India. Mirchi bajji, plantain bajji, potato bajji……..these are the popular street foods in Andhra. Well, these bajjilu can be made with any vegetable. I have already posted the Mirchi bajji recipe, here I come with a recipe which includes different vegetables. Easy to make and delicious to eat……….give it a try on a cold evening…….  
INGREDIENTS

• Vegetables  of your choice
• Besan                        1 cup
• Rice flour                  1/4 cup
• Ginger                       1 inch piece
• Green chilies             2-3
• Ajwain                      1/2 tsp
• Salt                            to taste
• Turmeric                    a pinch
• Baking soda               a pinch(optional)
• Oil                             for deep frying

PROCEDURE
Choose vegetables of your choice and cut them into thin slices. Here I used potatoes, plantain, brinjal, ridge gourd, onions and chilies.
Grind the chilies, ginger to a fine paste. In a bowl add the besan, rice flour, salt, turmeric, Ginger chilly paste, ajwain, baking powder. Mix well and now add enough water to make a smooth paste. The batter should not be too thick or too thin. If you do not want to use baking soda add a couple of spoons of hot oil to the besan, mix well and then add water to make batter.   Add enough oil in a deep pan. Heat it. Now take the veggie slices, dip them into the batter and coat them evenly with batter. Slowly drop them into the hot oil. Do not over crowd the oil. Fry the bajjis on medium high flame till golden brown. Remove them onto a tissue paper and serve hot.

BUTTER CORN(MY 150TH POST)

The butter corn recipe is a famous snack which is as popular as popcorn. This famous snack is now a days available is almost all theaters and malls in all major cities allover  India. The taste of this is ultimate and you will want to have more and more. A small katori of butter corn costs around 20 rupees, but it will not fill your tummy. With my Butter corn recipe you can make yummy snack for you and all of your family for just 20 rupees (cost of the corn).
INGREDIENTS

• Corn cobs             2
• Butter                  2 Tsp
• Salt                      to taste
• Red chilly flakes   to taste
• Black pepper        to taste (optional)
• Cilantro leaves      3 sprigs

PROCEDURE
Boil water in a large sauce pan. Break the corn cobs into 2 or 3 pieces. Add enough salt to the water and drop the corn cobs into the boiling water.
Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Switch off the flame, remove the corn cobs, let cool and then remove the corn gently with your hand. If the corn is well cooked it will be easy removing the corn from the cob.
In a pan heat the butter, sauté the corn for 2 minutes. Add the salt, red chilly flakes, black pepper, finely chopped cilantro. You have already added salt to the water so be careful while adding salt in the final step.
Mix well and serve hot.
Add chaat masala and lemon juice for an added flavor and taste.
Finely chopped garlic added to the heated butter gives a different flavor to the dish. Try it.
You can also try the frozen corn or even the dried corn. Soak the dried corn over night, boil and use them

CHEKKALU

Chekkalu……this is yet another South Indian snack which is loved by every one. These crispy and light munchies can be had as an evening snack or a picnic snack or an entertainment snack. More over these crisps are made with rice flour, so any number of these can be had without any hesitation. There are many variations in making these. Many combine the gram flour to the rice flour and some others use the urad dal flour. Well, for today I give my version of chekkalu which uses only the rice flour.
INGREDIENTS

• Rice flour                        3 cups
• Green chilies                   3-4
• Ginger                             small piece
• Chana dal                        2 Tsp
• Curry leaves                    a few
• Jeera                              1 tsp
• Butter                             3 Tsp
• Salt                                 to taste
• Oil                                   for deep frying.

PROCEDURE
Soak the chana dal for 2 hours and use it.
Grind the green chilies and ginger to a paste.
In a bowl add the rice flour, ginger chilly paste, butter, salt, jeera, chana dal, curry leaves.
Combine well. Butter should completely mix with the flour and a crumbling mixture should be formed.
Now make a thick dough using hot water. Be careful while adding the hot water. The dough should be thicker than the murukulu dough.
Rest the dough for 20 minutes.
Heat oil in thick bottomed deep pan.
Make a round out of a small amount of dough and place it on a greased sheet or banana leaf.
Press it flat into a 2” dia circle with your greased fingers.
Alternatively you can layer another greased sheet over the dough ball and press it with a small plate. This way you can avoid finger prints on the chekkalu.
Now prick some holes on the chekkalu so that they don’t puff up while frying. 

Gently remove the chekkalu from the greased sheet and Drop a batch of 5-6 of them into the hot oil.
Fry them on a medium flame to crisp golden brown.
Remove them onto a paper towel.
Serve 5-6 of them along with any sweet.
These can be stored for up to 20 days or even more.
TIPS

• Butter added to the dough makes the chekkalu crisp and light.
• Pricking the chekkalu with a fork makes the steam escape through these holes and the rice crackers will remain flat.
• Greasing the sheet with oil is an important step. This way you can easily remove them easily from the sheet.
• If you cannot make the dough with hot water, I give an alternate procedure for making the dough. Place the dry rice flour in a bowl, cover it and steam it in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes without whistle. Now remove the bowl, let the flour cool and then add the other ingredients in it and make the dough using plain water.

CARROT DADDOJANAM

This is a twist to the regular daddojanam. A little taste and health are added to the already tasty daddojanam. Very easy to make and delicious to eat.
INGREDIENTS

• Cooked rice                 1 cup
• Curd                             1+1/2 cups
• Carrot                           1 grated
• Ghee                             1 Tsp
• Salt                                to taste
• Urad dal                         1/2 tsp
• Cashews                        2 Tsp
• Mustard                        1/4 tsp
• Black pepper corns       1 tsp
• Coriander leaves          1 Tsp chopped
• Green chilies                1 chopped

PROCEDURE
Take the cooked rice and mash it to fine paste. For daddojanam, raw  rice and water ratio should be 1:3.  Add the curd and mix well (rice should be cooled before adding curd and use chilled curd to get a better taste). Heat ghee, add the urad dal, mustard, cashews, pepper corns. When the dal turns to golden brown add this tadka to the rice. Add the grated carrot, chopped coriander, green chilies and salt. Mix well and serve.

PUDINA RICE/PULAO

As the name suggests this pulao is made from the very refreshing mint leaves. The lovely aroma of the mint in this pulao make it the best dish. There are many different ways of making this pudina rice. Here I give my own version of it. You can add spices and veggies as per your taste. This is very easy to make, very flavorful and very delicious. This can be one of the  best lunch box recipes  for your kids.
INGREDIENTS

• Rice                             2 cup
• Pudina                         1 large bunch
• Ginger garlic paste       1 Tsp
• Onions                          1 large
• Tomatoes                     1 large
• Cinnamon                     1 inch piece
• Cardamom                     2
• Cloves                          3
• Star anise                     1
• Bay leaf                         1
• Cashews                       1 Tsp
• Oil                                 2 Tsp
• Ghee                             1 Tsp
• Green chilies                 1
• Jeera                            1 tsp
• Salt                               to taste
• Sugar                            1 tsp

PROCEDURE
Cook the rice and set it aside to cool.
Wash the pudina leaves and finely chop them. You can also grind them to a fine paste. Here I used the chopped pudina as the leaves are very tender. You can use the leaves either way.
Heat oil and ghee together in a pan. Fry the cashews and remove them into a separate bowl.
In the same oil add the jeera and whole garam masala( cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, star anise, cloves). When the whole garam masala turns to release the fine aroma, add the finely chopped onions and ginger garlic paste. Fry till the onions turn golden brown. Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and the chilies.
Fry till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
Now add the chopped pudina or the pudina paste and some sugar. Add enough salt for the whole preparation. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. When the water evaporates and the mixture becomes thick add the cooked rice.
Mix well and finally add the fried cashews. 
Serve hot with any raita or plain curd.
TIPS

• Can add cooked veggies such as potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, beans, peas etc.
• Pudina paste instead of chopped pudina not only gives a gorgeous green color to the dish but also increases the flavor. Try it. 
• The masala flavor used should not overtake the pudina flavor, so use the whole garam masala instead of the powdered garam masala. 

ANNAM PARAVANNAM

Unlike the chakrapongali and the ksheerannam, this Annam paravannam is very easy to make. This traditional recipe is made for every festival in my home. This rice preparation is made with jaggery and uses very little of ghee and milk, so good for health. It is simple to make, yet delicious to eat.
INGREDIENTS

• Rice               3/4 cup
• Chana dal       2 Tsp
• Water             2 cups
• Milk                1/2 cup
• Jaggery          1 cup
• Ghee              1 Tsp
• Cardamom      a pinch
• Nuts               2 Tsp( cashew, almonds, raisins)

PROCEDURE
Cook the rice and chana dal with water and milk together. Rice should be very soft, so adjust the water accordingly.
Now take the cooked rice, jaggery in a thick bottomed pan and cook on a medium flame until the jaggery mixes well with rice. The paravannam thicken within 15 minutes.
Fry the nuts in the ghee and add them to the paravannam. Add the cardamom also. Mix well and serve hot.
Remove the paravannam from fire when it is on the liquid side. Paravannam thickens as it cools down.
You can make it even more tastier by adding khoya or evaporated milk.  

HOMEMADE VEGGIE SPRING ROLLS

Spring rolls….. the very name itself is tantalizing. This simple, easy to make Chinese dish became very popular in the appetizer world. Now a days every restaurant has this in their menu. These spring rolls can be fried or can be non fried. They can be sweet or savory. The filling can be your choice. The outer shell is premade and is readily available in market. Spring roll sheets are either made with corn flour or all purpose flour or some times rice flour. Egg and butter are liberally used to make the thin sheets which when fried gives the fine soft texture with a gorgeous color.
Today I have made my own spring roll sheets at home. Here I have not used egg. I used the maida and rice flour mixture to make the sheets. 
INGREDIENTS
for the dough

• Maida                      1 cup
• Rice flour                1/2 cup
• Oil                           2 Tsp
• Salt                         to taste
• Water                     to make the dough

for the stuffing

• Shredded cabbage                  1/2 cup
• Shredded carrot                      1/2 cup
• Shredded bell peppers             1/2 cup
• Finely chopped spring onions  1/4 cup
• Sesame Oil                               1 Tsp
• salt                                          to taste
• Pepper powder                       to taste
• Soy sauce                                1/2 Tsp
• Ajinamoto                               a pinch
• Ginger and garlic minced        1 tsp
• Oil                                           for deep frying

PROCEDURE
Mix all the dough ingredients to make a very stiff dough. The dough should be stiffer than the puri dough. Rest it for 20 minutes.
In a pan heat the sesame oil. Add the minced ginger and garlic. When they turn golden brown add the shredded and chopped veggies. Fry for two minutes.
Switch off the flame and add the salt, pepper, ajinamoto, soy sauce.  Let it cool.
Now take a small portion of the dough and roll it into a very very thin chapathi of 8 inch dia.
Cut this into two portions and make two rectangles with the two portions.(2 sheets with each rolled chapathi)
Take a rectangle and place 2 Tsp of the mixture on one end. Now roll tightly and close the edges and ends by wetting the edges. See that the stuffing don’t come out while frying. Use a mixture of maida and water paste to seal the edges.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry a batch of 4-5 at a time to golden brown color.
Enjoy them with chilly sauce or tomato sauce.

KAJJIKAYALU

Kajjikayalu……. this is a famous traditional Andhra sweet. The light crunchy outer layer with sweet inside is very delicious. The inner filling can be any thing of your choice. Some use the sooji, sugar and coconut filling, some others use the nuts and jaggery with coconut. But going to the traditional recipe, fried bengal gram dal, jaggery, grated coconut are taken in equal ratio, mixed well and given a flavor of cardamom to make the most delicious kajjikayalu. Traditionally the kajjikayalu making mould is used, but if you do not have one of those you can use a fork to seal the edges. You can have these have moon shaped sweet after your lunch or dinner or have it as a tea time snack. They are so light and you can have 2 or 3 at a time.     
INGREDIENTS

• Maida                     2 cups
• Ghee                      2 Tsp
• Salt                         a pinch
• Water                     enough to make dough

For the filling

• Roasted bengal gram dal             1 cup
• Grated jaggery                            1 cup
• Chopped cashews                       1/2  cup
• Dry coconut powder                   1/4 cup
• Cardamom powder                      1 tsp

PROCEDURE
Add ghee and salt to maida and mix well. Now add water little by little and make a dough. Knead the dough for 10 minutes. The dough should be same as the puri dough. Rest the dough for 20 minutes.
Finely grind the roasted bengal gram dal to a fine powder. Grate the jaggery and use it. Mix the dal powder, grated jaggery, chopped cashews, dry coconut powder, cardamom powder. Do not grind all the ingredients. If the jagerry is too soft the whole thing will become a paste. The stuffing should be a powder and not a paste. 

Take a small amount of the dough and roll it into a small sized puri. The puri should be very thin.
Now place a Tsp of the stuffing on the puri.
Apply water to the edges of the puri. Wet your finger and run it along the edges of the puri.
Close the puri to form a half moon or a semi circle. Now seal the edges by twisting the edges with your hand so that the filling do not come out.
Alternatively you can use a fork to seal the edges. Use the back of the fork and gently press the edges to seal them.
If you have the kajjikayalu preparation wooden mould,  it will be a good alternative to the above two steps.
                                                             
You can see the above picture to know how to seal the edges.
Make all the kajjikayalu in the same manner and set aside. Close them with another plate or paper so that the outer layer don’t dry out.
Heat oil in a large pan and fry a batch of 3-4 kajjikayalu. Fry them on a medium flame till golden brown.
These can be stored for up to  15 days.

MIXED VEGGIE CAPSICUM RICE

Capsicum rice is one recipe which is quick and easy to make. I made a small variation by adding carrots and corn to the traditional capsicum rice. The ingredients list can be long but it is very simple to prepare. This can be a good recipe in lunch box for your kids.
INGREDIENTS

• Rice                     1 cup
• Capsicum             1/2 cup chopped
• Carrots and corn  1/4 cup chopped
• Curry leaves         a few
• Ghee                     1tsp
• Cinnamon stick      1 inch piece
• Cloves                    2
• Cardamom              1
• Oil                        3 Tsp
• Salt                       to taste

For the powder

• Ground nuts         2 Tsp
• Til(Sesame)          1 Tsp
• Red chilies            2-3
• Jeera                    1/2 tsp
• Chana dal              1 Tsp
• Urad dal                1/2 Tsp
• Grated coconut     2 Tsp
• Mustard seeds       1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE
Wash the rice and soak for half an hour.
Cook the rice along with some salt, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, a tsp of ghee.
Cool the rice and set aside.
In a pan add a tsp of oil and heat it. On a low flame fry the groundnuts, chana dal, urad dal, red chilies, jeera, coconut. When they are almost done add the sesame seeds.
Fry for another one minute till sesame seeds crackles.
Remove and cool. Make a fine powder out of the roasted ingredients.
In the same pan add the remaining oil, add the mustard seeds and the curry leaves. When the mustard crackles, add the chopped veggies. Cover and cook till they are soft. Add a little bit of salt just for the veggies (rice is cooked along with salt).
When the veggies are done add the cooked rice and the ground powder.
Mix well and serve hot.
TIPS

• I like to add the sesame seeds, you can skip them if you don’t like.
• The garam masala can be grinded to a powder instead of using the whole garam masala.
• Here I used the red and green capsicum along with carrots and corn. You can add other veggies or even make the preparation only with capsicum.

VEGETABLE PULAO

Pulao is a rice preparation in which rice is seasoned with ghee and whole garam masala along with the choice of vegetables. Unlike the  vegetable biryani, this pulao is very easy to make and light on your tummy. There is no much preparation for this. Use the vegetables of your choice, combine with the whole garam masala, cook and serve.
INGREDIENTS

• Rice                              1 cup
• Water                            2 cups
• Vegetables                   1 cups
• Ghee                            2 Tsp
• Oil                                2 Tsp
• Salt                               to taste
• Whole garam masala      1 Tsp(Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, mace)
• Onion                            1 large(sliced)
• Ginger garlic paste        1 Tsp
• Green chilies                 2
• Sugar                             1/4 tsp

PROCEDURE
In a large pan add the ghee and oil. Heat the ghee add the ginger garlic paste and the whole garam masala. When done add the onions. When the onions turn brown add the cut veggies and chilies. Here I used carrots, green peas, beans, corn, potatoes. Add enough salt and 1/4 tsp of sugar. Cook for one minute and now add 2 cups of water. When the water comes to a boil add the pre soaked rice. Cover and cook for 15 minute on a medium flame. Switch off the flame and let remain for 10 minutes. Yummy vegetable pulao is ready to be served with raita and  curry of your choice.
TIPS

• If using basmati rice use only one cup of water.
• Pre soak the rice for half an hour if cooking on a open flame. If cooking in a pressure cooker pre soaking can be skipped.
• Cut the veggies into small pieces.
• Do not over cook the veggies, as they are further cook with rice.
• Chopped ginger and garlic can be used instead of ginger garlic paste.   

AAVADALU

Aaavadalu…… these are a must when ever I make Garelu. Also called the Perugu garelu…………these urad dal fritters soaked in beaten curds tastes heavenly. Usually served chill, this traditional recipe is a favorite of many Indians. These are some what similar to the Dahi Vada of North India. The procedure for both Aavadalu and dahi vada is same, except the seasoning given to the curd varies. 
INGREDIENTS

• Urad dal            1+1/2  cups
• Green chilies     3
• Ginger               1 inch piece
• Salt                    to taste
• Curd                  2 cups
• Turmeric           a pinch
• Oil                     1 tsp
• Urad wash         1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds   1/4 tsp
• Red chilies         2
• Curry leaves       5-6
• Cilantro             2 sprigs
• Carrot               1 small
• Oil                    for making garelu

PROCEDURE
Soak the urad dal and grind along with ginger and green chilies. Make the vadas. See my Garelu recipe for detailed procedure for making vadas.
In a large bowl add the curd and a half cup of water. Beat the curd until smooth. Add the salt and turmeric.
Heat a table spoon of oil, add the urad wash, mustard, red chilies, curry leaves. When the tadka is done add it to the curd. Mix well.
Soak the garelu in the curd for at least 2 hours.
Serve with grated carrot and chopped cilantro on the top.

CORN AND PALAK RICE/PULAO

Corn and palak are two such veggies which and very delicious. They both combined make many wonderful, delicious dishes. Corn palak rice or pulao is one such dish which is not only tasty but also healthy. This iron rich pulao can be made very easily. Give it a try for your Sunday lunch. This awesome rice can be made in many different ways, here I give my version of Palak-corn pulao.

INGREDIENTS

• Rice                  1 cup
• Palak(spinach)   2 cups chopped
• Corn                  1/2 cup
• Green peas        1/2 cup
• Onion                 1/4 cup chopped
• Cashews            2 Tsp
• Oil                     2 Tsp
• Green chilies     1
• Salt                   to taste
• Cinnamon         1 inch stick
• Cloves               4
• Cardamom        2
• Bay leaf            1
• Jeera                1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE

Wash and soak the rice for half an hour.

Cook the rice along with the whole garam masala(cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon) and some salt.

Cool the rice and set aside.

In a pan add the oil and heat it.

Add the jeera and the cashews. When the cashews turn golden brown add the chopped onions. When the onions turn golden brown add the  cooked corn and green peas. When they are done add the finely chopped palak.

Fry till all the moisture evaporates and the palak is dry. Now add little bit of salt( rice is cooked along with salt) and chopped green chilies. Sauté for a minute and add the cooked rice.

Mix well and serve hot with any raita.

TIPS

• You can also make this using the palak puree. Make sure that the palak is well cooked and the moisture is fully evaporated before adding the rice.
• Can use other veggies also.
• Fried onions enhances the taste of the dish. Try it.
• Rice when cooked with whole garam masala give an exotic flavor. So cook the rice with whole garam masala instead of using garam masala powder.

 

VEGETABLE PARATHA

A healthy and delicious recipe which is a favorite to many is, Vegetable paratha. Filled with many veggies these parathas are very healthy for growing children. There are many ways of doing these yummy parathas, here I give my simple way of making these.
INGREDIENTS

• Wheat flour                     2 cups
• Water                              enough to make dough
• Potato                             1 large
• Carrot                              1 large
• Green peas                      1/4 cup
• Coriander                         4 sprigs
• Cabbage                          very finely shredded 3 Tsp
• Green chilies                   1 finely chopped
• Salt                                  to taste
• Jeera powder                 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder           1/4 tsp
• Ginger                             grated 1/4 tsp
• Garlic                               finely chopped 2 cloves 
• Oil                                   for frying the parathas

PROCEDURE
Boil the potato, carrot, green peas. When they are fully done mash them to a paste.
Now add the remaining ingredients one after another. Cabbage, coriander, chilies, jeera powder, coriander powder, ginger, garlic, salt. Mix well.
Now add the wheat flour. Mix well. If you need excess water use water and make a soft yet firm dough.
Rest dough for 10 minutes. Now add 2 Tsp of oil and  knead the dough for 10 minutes. Leave the dough to rest for 1 hour. Now the dough is ready for making the parathas.
Take small portion of the dough and roll it into 5 inch round.
Fry the paratha on a tawa with oil or butter. Keep the flame medium while frying.
Serve with a cup of curd and curry.
TIPS

• Cabbage should be finely shredded, otherwise the parathas would tear while rolling. You can blanch cabbage if you like.
• Use other veggies of your choice to enhance the taste.
• Resting of the dough is important to get soft parathas.

EGGLESS CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE

Cakes are everyone's favorite. Now a days eggless cakes became so popular and these can be had by strict vegetarians and even by those who are health conscious. When it comes to baking them at home many wonder how the cake becomes so fluffy without adding eggs. The cake is just eggless but not taste less. Here I come with an eggless cake recipe which has chocolate and coffee in it. This recipe is dedicated to all those who love coffee. Coffee and chocolate are a best combination and this ultimate combination in a cake……….the taste will be out of the world. I have tried very hard in making this eggless recipe, but I know, I need to have more practice to achieve perfection. For now enjoy this recipe. You can make a chocolate sauce and drizzle it on the top of the cake for extra taste.
INGREDIENTS

• Maida/all purpose flour            2 cups
• Powdered sugar                       1+1/2 cups
• Baking powder                         2 tsp
• Baking soda                              1/2 tsp
• Salt                                           a pinch
• Butter                                      3/4 cup
• Milk                                          1/2 cup
• Milk maid/evaporated milk       1/2 cup
• Instant coffee powder             1 Tsp
• Chocolate powder                    1/2 cup
• Vanilla essence                         1/4 tsp

PROCEDURE
Sift all the dry ingredients …………. maida, Powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chocolate powder and instant coffee powder. Sift them 2 to 3 times.
Take the room temperature butter and add the evaporated milk, vanilla essence in it. Mix them well, so that they become very soft. Now add the dry ingredients mixture little by little into the butter mixture and mix well.
Now add the warm milk and mix till a soft poring consistency cake mix is formed. Adjust the milk accordingly.
When using a blender, first mix the whole mixture with hand in the same direction and then use the blender on a slow speed for 10 minutes.
Pour the cake mix into the greased  and flour dusted cake mould.
Pre heat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes till the cake is fluffy and soft and fully baked from the inside.
Check for every 15 minutes.
Insert a toothpick in the middle of the cake and it should come out clean.
This eggless cake wouldn't rise as much as the normal cake.  
TIPS

• If you do not have chocolate powder, use the melted plain chocolate.
• The came batter should be just like the thick dosa batter.
• You can replace butter with 1 cup of cooking oil.       

SUGAR COATED AND CHOCOLATE DIPPED COOKIES

These cookies are the twist to my normal cookie recipe. For children who enjoy varieties these form the best cookie snacks. You can even add any flavor to the sugar powder and coat the cookies with it. Chocolates and cookies, both are very delicious and both combined yield heavenly dessert. You can use plain chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate etc. 

INGREDIENTS

• Home made cookies             12-15
• Plain milk chocolate bars      2(large)
• Powdered sugar                   1 cup

PROCEDURE

Bake the plain cookies without adding any flavor. Add only the vanilla essence if you like. See my CARDAMOM COOKIES  recipe for making the cookies. Avoid cardamom in these cookie. Cool the cookies half way, not completely. The cookies should be still warm.

Now melt the chocolate in a large bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute or use a double boiler to melt the chocolate.

Quickly dip the cookies in the melted chocolate and coat the cookies all over with chocolate. Lay them on a wire mesh and let them cool. You can make impressions on the chocolate cookies with a fork or a knife when the chocolate coating is still warm.

Alternatively place a table spoon of warm chocolate on one cookie and place one more cookie on the chocolate. This way you can make the chocolate sandwich cookies. 

Take the remaining warm cookies and roll them in the sugar powder. Cool them completely and again dust some more sugar poeder on them. serve.

Rolling the warm cookies in the sugar powder helps the powder stick to them. This way you can enjoy perfect sugar coated  cookies.  

VANGI BAATH

Vangi baath is on of the  traditional ways of serving brinjal………vankaya. A subtle flavored home made vangi baath masala is added to the fried brinjal pieces and this is added to the pre cooked rice. This is the best way of serving brinjal. Many variations can be made to the masala used. Can use other veggies to enhance the taste. Here I give the traditional way of making the vangi baath which I learned from my Grand Mom. You can even replace fried rice or pulao with this vangi baath for a joyful sunday. 

INGREDIENTS

• Rice                        1 cup
• Brinjal pieces         2 cups
• Salt                         to taste
• Oil                           2 Tsp
• Jeera                      1/2 tsp
• Mustard                  1/2 tsp
• Cashews                 2 Tsp
• Curry leaves            few
• Cilantro                   2 sprigs

For the vangi baath masala

• Cinnamon stick              1 inch
• Cloves                            3
• Cardamom                      2
• Chana dal                       1 Tsp
• Urad dal                         1 Tsp
• Jeera                             1/2 tsp
• Dhaniya seeds               1 Tsp
• Dry coconut powder     2 Tsp
• Cashews                        1 Tsp
• Red chilies                    3

PROCEDURE
Cook the rice along with some salt and oil and keep it aside.
Dry roast the masala ingredients on a slow flame and grind to a fine powder.
Heat oil in a pan and add the jeera, mustard. When they are done add the curry leaves, cashews. When the cashews turn golden brown add the brinjal pieces.
Add enough salt just for the brinjal pieces(rice is cooked along with salt). Fry till the brinjal pieces turn golden brown. Do not cover and cook. The brinjal pieces should be soft, fried to golden brown, should be separate.
Now add the cooked rice and ground masala powder. Add the powder just enough for the rice. You can refrigerate the remaining powder for up to 1 month.
Mix well and serve hot with plain curd or any raita.
TIPS

• Can add other veggies such as carrots, green peas, potatoes, corn.
• The same masala can also be used for capsicum rice.
• Don’t make the brinjals too mushy while frying. 

CRISPY ALMOND JAGGERY CHIKKI

Chikki is a simple Indian sweet which is made with jaggery(sometimes sugar) and nuts.  You might have heard of the peanut chikki or the sesame chikki or the cashew chikki. Now I have come with this almond chikki or the almond jaggery balls. You might be wondering how these large nuts are used in this recipe. After seeing the pictures, I think you got the answer. Yes, I have used the sliced and chopped almonds. Here I have made the balls and even the chikki pieces. Try whatever suites your taste.
INGREDIENTS

• Sliced and chopped almonds        1 cup
• Jaggery                                          1/2 cup
• Water                                           1/4 cup
• Cardamom                                    1/2 tsp
• Ghee                                             1 tsp

PROCEDURE
Use the sliced almonds for this recipe. Chop them into small pieces. Alternatively you can chop the whole almonds in a chopper or food processor.
In a large pan add the jaggery and the water.
Made a thick syrup( the same consistency of the syrup used to make peanut chikki).
Switch off the flame and add the almonds, cardamom, ghee.
Mix well and transfer on to a ghee smeared plate.
You can leave it to cool and cut into chikki pieces or roll the mixture into small balls. Roll into balls even when the mixture is still warm.
Enjoy the healthy crispy chikki at any time of the day.