Savory Shankarpali

 Happy Diwali to All!!

Diwali reminds us of the faral, the sweets and savories that are specially prepared during this time.

 Shankarpali is a commonly prepared sweet in most Indian homes during Diwali. Most of us prepare the sweet shankarpali.

This Diwali, try these savory shankarpali and you will forget the sweet ones.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 2 cups
Fine Sooji/Rawa - 1 tbsp
Ajwain/ Carom seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera/ Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - half tsp
Oil - for deep frying
Water - for kneading the dough
Salt - as per taste


Procedure:
1. Take a bowl and mix all the ingredients
2. Add 3 tbsp hot oil while preparing the dough. Dough should be not to loose and not too tight.
3. Cover it and keep it for 1 hour
4. Knead it again after 1 hour.
5. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and roll it using a chapati roller. Do not roll it thin. It should have the thickness of the crackers.
6. Cut it into diamond cuts using a pizza cutter. 
7. In the mean time, heat the oil for deep frying.
8. Deep fry each of them on a low flame till golden brown. Every batch may take a few minutes
9. Store them in a air tight container.

The delicious Savory Shankarpali is ready.

Pumpkin Halwa

We celebrate the Ganesh Chaturthi for 11 days. The first question that comes to my mind in the morning is what shall I prepare for Prasad. Every year I try to include at least some new recipes for Prasad. 

This year Pumpkin Halwa was one of them.

Its very simple , very healthy and yet very delicious :)

Ingredients:

Grated Pumpkin - 2 cups
Jaggery - half cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cardamom Powder - half tsp
Cinnamon Powder - half tsp
Crushed Cashewnuts - for garnish
Raisins - for garnish
Milk - 1 cup

Procedure:
1. Take a pan. Add ghee and add in the grated pumpkin and fry for a couple of mins. Once half cooked, add in the milk and let it boil.
2. Once the milk is boiling, add the jaggery and cook it till the ghee oozes out.
3. Switch off the gas and add the Cardamom powder and Cinnamon powder and mix well.
6. Finally garnish with Raisins and crushed Almonds.

The delicious Pumpkin Halwa is ready to serve.
Serve it hot.

Rajgira Thalipeeth

 The month of Shravan is the month of festivities. We usually observe fasts on Mondays during the month of Shravan. 

After having Sabudana Kichchdi on every monday farals, I was kinda bored of that food which I usually fall for.

For Haritalika Vrat (celebrated one day before Ganesh Chaturthi), I was in no mood of having the same, so I tried something new. 

I tried preparing the Thalipeeth with Rajgira flour and it tasted really yummy. Fast turned into a Feast :)

Ingriedients:
Rajgira flour- 2 cups
1 Potato - boiled and mashed
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Green chillies - 2 
Cumin seeds - half tsp
Cumin powder - half tsp
Coriander powder - half tsp
Sesame seeds - half tsp
Water - preferably warm
Ghee
Rock Salt (Sendha namak)

Procedure:
1. In a mixing bowl, add the Rajgira flour, mashed potatoes, chilli powder, green chillies, cumin seeds, cumin powder, coriander powder, sesame seeds and rock salt.
2. Next add sufficient water to prepare the dough and keep it aside for half an hour.
4. To prepare thalipeeth, make four balls of the dough.
5. Next take a pan and add 1 teaspoon ghee. Place one ball on the pan and pat it to form a round thin roti like structure. Apply little water to your hands while patting to avoid sticking.
6. Make a small hole at the centre and pour little ghee in it. Also add ghee from all sides.
7. Fry on a median flame without covering the pan. After 5 mins, turn the thalipeeth other way round, still maintaining the medium flame. Fry for another 3 minutes. 

Thalipeeth is ready to be served. Put one teaspoon ghee over the Thalipeeth while serving.

Serve the delicious Upasacha Thalipeet loaded with ghee along with some curd.

Lentil Soup

This recipe is invented by my husband. And it is so delicious that we can eat it everyday!!

And yet its very simple!

Comfort Food...Anytime :)

Ingredients:

Lentil Soup mix/ mix of dals - 375gm

1 boiled onion

Olive oil - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 - finely chopped

Saunf - quarter tsp

Garlic - finely chopped

Ajwain - quarter tsp

Procedure:

1. Pre soak the lentil soup mix in warm water for 1 hour.

2. Pressure cook it and keep aside

3. Take a wok, add olive oil, add the chopped garlic, saunf and ajwain and them add the chopped onions and fry them till golden brown.

4. Add the boiled lentil soup mix and add salt as required.

5. Mash the boiled potato and add it in the lentil soup.

6. Let it boil for another 10 mins.

The delicious Lentil soup is ready.

Serve it hot. Garnish it with Oregano and Chili flakes.

Khekada Bhaji/ Onion Fritters

Khekada bhaji is very similar to Onion bhaji, with a slight twist. They resemble Khekada meaning Crab due to its irregular shapes. 

The preparation is also slightly different to that of onion bhaji. Khekada bhaji is prepared by adding very little besan to thin long slices of onion. We also add a bit of rice flour to make them crisp.

Ingredients:

Onions - 3  

Besan - around 2 tbsp

Rice flour - 1 tbsp

Chili powder - 1 tsp

Salt

Ajwain/ Carom seeds - quarter tsp

Saunf - quater tsp

Cumin powder - half tsp

Oil - for deep frying

Coriander leaves - finely chopped

Procedure:

1. Cut the onions into half and slice them horizontally. Make long thin slices

2. Take a bowl and add the onion slices and separate them.

3. Add the salt, chili powder, ajwain, cumin powder and mix well

4. Crush the Saunf coarsely using mortar and pestle and add it in the mix.

5. Leave this for 15-20 mins. The salt will help to release the moisture from onions.

6. Next add 1 tbsp rice flour.

7. Next slowly add the besan. Add just enough besan to bind the mixture maybe around 2 tbsp. 

8. Heat oil in a deep frying pan.

9. Add one spoon of the oil to the besan mix and mix well.

10. Once the oil is hot, take a spoon and leave little besan in the oil. Keep reapeating this for 3-4 times.

11. Deep fry them on a medium flame till nicely golden brown.

12. Once done, take them on a kitchen roll and fry the next batch.

13. Keep repeating, till all are done.

The Delicious Khekada Bhaji is ready.

Serve them hot and fresh with coriander chutney.

Kadhai Paneer

Kadhai Paneer is a flavorful Paneer recipe made by cooking Paneer with the smoked bell peppers, which gives it a peculiar flavour.
I have added a twist to the original recipe. This one is a simple recipe with no ground spices, but instead adding all those ingredients directly during the seasoning.
Also I have cooked the bell peppers and onions on a high flame, for a couple of mins, to give it a smoky flavor and texture.
The read, yellow and green bell peppers make this colorful as well as flavorful.

Ingredients:
200 gms Paneer  - cut in cubes
1 cup Green, Yellow and Red Bell peppers - cut in cubes
Half Onion - cut in cubes
2 Tomatoes - chopped finely.
1 tbsp Kasuri Methi
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - half tsp
Fennel (saunf) Seeds - half tsp
Coriander seeds (hand crushed) - half tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
2-3 Cloves
2-3 peppercorns
2 red chilies
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
2 green chilies - chopped
Salt
Oil
Coriander leaves - chopped

Procedure:
1. In a vok, add oil, and add the cubes bell peppers and onion and cook it on a high flame for 2-3 mins till it is half cooked. Keep this aside.
2. In the same vok, add some more oil,  add cloves, peppercorns, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds.
3. Next add the green chilies.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes. Let it cook properly on a medium flame. Add salt.
5. Add the red chili powder and mix well.
6. Add in the earlier tossed bell peppers and onion. Add salt.
7. Slowly add paneer cubes and let it cook on a low flame.
8. Add the Garam Masala. and mix slowly so that paneer does not crush.
9. Add the Kasuri Methi and mix again.
10. Let it cook till it oozes oil at the sides.
11. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.

The delicious Kadhai Paneer is ready to serve.

Serve it with Naan or Roti.

Egg Puff/ Egg Pattice

Egg Pattice , as it is usually called in Goa, reminds me of my childhood memories.
My mom used to bring veg puff or egg puff , while coming home from office.
Me and my sister would wait for her to enjoy these savories.

This was my first attempt to prepare the egg puff and it turned out super awesome.

Ingredients:
Boiled Eggs - 3
Puff Pastry Sheets - 2
Butter
Onions - 1
Tomato - 1
Ginger-Garlic paste
Salt
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Oil

Procedure:
1. Thaw the puff pastry sheets by keeping it out at normal temperature for about 15 - 20 mins.
2. Meanwhile, we can prepare the masala for the pastry.
3. Take a pan, Add oil.
4. Next add the onions and fry for some time.
5. Then add the tomatoes and fry well.
6. Add the chili powder, garam masala and the cumin powder.
7. Add salt and mix well.
8. Add some water and let it cook till it becomes a bit dry. If it is watery, the pastry will be soggy.
9. Keep the masala aside.
10. Take the puff pastry sheet and divide it into 3 parts.
11. Place the masala at the middle bottom portion.
12. Place half of the boiled egg.
13. Add water at the sides and press the sides to stick it.
14. Preheat the oven for 10 mins at 180 degrees.
15. Bake the puffs for 30 mins till it is nice golden brown.

The Egg Puff is ready to serve.
Serve it with ketchup.

Moong Dal Halwa

This recipe comes after multiple requests from my husband.

I finally dared to prepared the moong dal halwa and it turned out super awesome.

Ingredients:

Yellow Moong Dal - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Cardamom Powder

Ghee - 1 cup

Semolina/ Rawa - 1 tbsp

Besan - 1 tbsp

Pista - handful

Almonds - handful

Procedure:

1. Soak 1 cup yellow moong dal for 3-4 hours. Rinse out all the water and then grind it coarsely in a mixer and keep aside.

2. Take a wok, Add 1 cup Ghee. Ghee is one of the key ingredients in this recipe.

3. Once it is boiling, add 1 tbsp semolina.

4. Next add 1 tbsp besan and stir well till golden brown. Adding semolina and besan prevents the moong dal (which will be added next) from sticking to the pan.

5. Next add the  ground yellow moong dal and stir it nicely. Cook it on a low flame. Keep stirring.

6. In the meantime, in a separate wok, mix 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar and let it boil.

7. Add the cardamom powder.

8. Once it is boiling, add this to the moong dal and keep stirring on a low flame till the ghee is oozing out.

Garnish it with chopped pista and almonds.

The delicious Moong Dal Halwa is ready.

Serve it hot or chilled.

Puran Poli

This is a very special sweet dish, prepared on very special occasions like Holi and Diwali.
Every state has its own way of preparing Puran Poli. This is a Maharashtrian version of preparing Puran Poli with Chana dal.

Ingredients:
Chana Dal - 1 cup
Jaggery  1 cup
Ghee - loads
Cardamom powder - half tsp
Nutmeg powder - half tsp
Wheat flour
Salt
Water

Procedure:
1. First step is to prepare the dough by mixing Wheat flour and salt and required amount of water. It is best to add some Maida (All purpose flour) while kneading the dough. I usually skip this and prepare with only wheat flour. Adding Maida makes it easier to roll the puran poli.
2. Next step is to prepare the Puran. Soak the Chana dal for around 2 hours and then pressure cook to cook it nicely.
3. Once it is cooled, using a strainer, separate the water from the cooked dal. Do not throw away this water. We will use it to prepare Katachi Amti (recipe will be added later).
4. Mash the Chana dal nicely with your hands or in a blender.
5. In a pan, add the chana dal and jaggery and cook it till it all the moisture is lost. Initially jaggery will lose the moisture.
6. Finally add the cardamom powder and nutmeg powder and mix well.
7. Roll this into medium sized balls.
8.Take some dough and roll it for some time and stuff this dal jaggery ball in that and roll it to prepare poli.
9. Dry roast on the pan and keep aside.
10. Prepare the same with rest of the polis.
11. While serving, add loads of ghee. Ghee can also be added while roasting the poli.

The delicious Puran Poli is ready.

Do not forget to show naivaidyam first (prasad for god)

And then serve everyone :)

Mexican Tortilla Casserole

Tortilla Casserole is healthy and very delicious food. It is very quick and easy to prepare.

I usually prepare the sauce at home, so that I can adjust it just as we like. You can also use ready made sauce.
Next I add layers of black beans and top it with colorful veggies and finally add cheese at the top.
I bake this in the oven for about half an hour. and there you go, the hot Tortilla Casserole is ready.

Ingredients:
Corn Tortillas - 5
Onions - 1
Tomatoes - 3
Capsicum - half
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Tortilla spice mix - 2 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Frozen or semi-boiled Corn - half cup
Baked Black beans - 1 cup
Olives - handful
Cheese

Procedure:
Preparing Tortilla Sauce
1. In a pan, add the olive oil.
2. Once its hot, add the chopped onions.
3. After a minute, add chopped tomatoes and let them cook for some time.
4. Add salt for faster cooking.
5. Next add the chopped capsicum and mix well.
6. Finally add the Tortilla spice mix.
7. Add Chili powder for extra spiciness and let it cook for a coupe of minutes
8. Keep this sauce aside

Baking Tortillas
1. Pre-heat the oven at 160 degrees
2. Take a baking tray, grease it with olive oil or butter.
3. Spread the tortillas at the bottom of the tray. Cut the tortillas into 2 or 3 pieces and the spread on the tray such that the entire bottom layer is covered.
4. Spread the prepared Tortilla Sauce.
5. Next spread the baked black beans.
6. Next add the corns and the olives. You can also add any other veggies as per your likes.
7. Top it with cheese.
8. Bake it for 30 mins, till it is nicely cooked.

The delicious Tortilla Casserole is ready to be served.

Paneer Bhurji

The Paneer Bhurji is prepared by cooking the scrambled Paneer with Indian spices in a tomato based gravy. 

Usually a dry version of this is prepared. If you like it as a curry version, add more water to prepare the gravy.

Ingredients:
Paneer - 200 gms
Ghee
Onions - 1 small
Tomatoes - 2
Bay leaf - 2
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon stick - 1 small piece
Crushed Green Cardamom -2
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Pav Bhaji Masala - 1 tsp
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Kasuri Methi - 2 tbsp
Chopped Coriander leaves - for garnish
Salt

Procedure:
1. Take a vok, Add Ghee.
2. Add the khada masala - bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick
3. Next add the chopped onion, and fry for some time. Next add the chopped tomatoes and fry for a couple of minutes.
4. Next add chili powder, garam masala and  pav bhaji masala and salt and saute.
5. Pour 1 cup water and let it boil till till you see a thick gravy. Add salt as required. Add water as required in the gravy.
6. Add kasuri methi and cook for a couple of minutes.
7. Finally add the grated paneer and cook for a couple of minutes. You can also crumble the paneer in your hands and add it (instead of grating).
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

The delicious Paneer Bhurji is ready
Serve it with Naan or Roti.

Masala Pav

Masala Pav is delicious and spicy Mumbai street food.

The pav are sliced and spiced with  masala, prepared with onion and tomatoes and garnished with coriander leaves and onion and lemon

This can also be prepared using left over pav bhaji.


Ingredients:

• 6 pav
• butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomato finely chopped
• 1 small potato - boiled and peeled
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp pav bhaji masala
• salt
•  
• For garnishing:
• Coriander leaves - finely chopped
• Lemon 
• Sev
• Onion - finely chopped

Procedure:

• On a tawa, heat butter.
• Add onions and saute well.
• Next add tomato and fry till they are soft.
• Add chilli powder, pav bhaji masala and salt.
• Also add little water and mash and cook the masala well.
• Add the mashed boiled potato and mix well.
• scrape the masala to one side of pan.
• further, add butter on to tawa.
• cut the pav into half.
• then toast it for a minute.
• further, turn over and spread generous amount of prepared masala on both the pav.
• also spread the masala over the pav and garnish with chopped coriander leaves, chopped onion, lemon juice and sev.