Muddhi Chatpata

During the lockdown ,to handle cravings for snacks is  very tedious ! 

Every evening the children  want a different item .As a mother,I 
need  to think about their oil intake,carb intake and so on..

I try to design a snack item which is tasty , healthy and nutritious :) 

One such item is  puffed rice chaat (muddhi ). In my state of Odisha, 
this is a very popular evening snack .It is liked by both old and the 
young at the same time. I have designed this recipe keeping in my 
mind the taste of my sons....They don't like tomatoes, whereas 
tomato is an essential ingredients in all puffed rice items .

Here goes the recipe-

Ingredients-

Muddhi (puffed rice)-4 glasses

Boiled potato-1 large (cut into small pieces )

Green chilli -1 medium (chopped)

Cucumber-1 medium (Chopped)

Carrot-1 medium (Grated)

Onion-1 large (chopped)

Peanuts-10-12 (incase someone has an allergy ,one may skip )

Corriander leaves-1/2 cup (Chopped)

Lemon-1/2 lemon juice

Mustard oil-1Tab spoon

Salt-To taste

Chat Masala-To taste

Chilli powder-To taste

Coconut -1/2 cup (grated )

Sev/bhujia- 1 glass

Method-

In a clean dry bowl, add all the items one by one. Add the puffed rice and bhujia at the end .

Mix well and serve immediately .

Chennapoda Pitha (Cheese cake )

Pandemic !!!! It has always been a word in the dictionary for so many years till Covid-19 came into existence. No one would have ever imagined that we have to face such a situation in our lifetime. Stay home and stay safe is the new Mantra of the year 2020 :) During the normal times ,the usual routine was to cook breakfast and lunch in the morning. Then off to work, school and college. In the evenings cook dinner which was usually not a very grand affair on the weekdays. Now with the new mantra of 2020, the lady of the house has to cook a minimum 3 proper meals which includes a breakfast, a proper lunch and a proper dinner. With the children around 24/7 a nice snack item also has to be made in the evenings.... One can therefore imagine the plight of the lady of the house who has to do everything from office work to cleaning to mopping to cleaning utensils etc. and then cooking in the summers when the temperature is very high during the mid-day. It is absolutely a hell lot of work for a lady :( It is absolutely necessary that all the members of the house help her with the daily chores ! One evening, when I had just done with my chores, my family wanted to have something sweet for dessert.... I was like totally upset, angry and disgusted with the idea to make something special for dessert. I kept on reading a book on Mughals of India . Then all of a sudden an idea stuck to me, I can make Chenapoda Pitha ......Yeah !!!;) I had made cottage cheese (paneer) at home in the morning... Half of my job was already done. I felt really happy that now its going to be an easy task ....:) So here goes the recipe - Ingredients - Paneer/Cottage Cheese - 300 gm Cottage cheese water - 2 to 3 tablespoon Suji/Semolina - 3 tea spoons Sugar - 4 table spoons (you can add more or less according to your taste ) Elaichi powder/Cardamom - 1tea spoon Cashews and Raisins - Handful Ghee (Clarified butter) - To grease the baking dish Method- In a clean bowl, take the cottage cheese, sugar, semolina, elaichi powder and the dry fruits. Mix well till everything is incorporated well. While mixing, you need to add 2-3tablespoon of the cheese water. In this way the paneer will be moist and soft. Now grease a baking dish with ghee and set the oven to 180 degrees for 20 minutes. Pre-heat the baking dish and then pour the paneer mixture evenly. Bake it for 20 min or till the upper layer is golden in colour. Let it cool down completely to the room temperature. Then de-mould the Cheenapoda Pitha from the baking dish. Cut it into small pieces.. Now time to relish the super delicious cheesecake from Odisha the land of Temples. You can have it at room temperature or you can slightly refrigerate it for sometime and then enjoy it .... Stay home and stay safe and stay blessed ! Reply Forward ReplyForward

Ghuguni Chaat

GHUGUNI CHAAT

It’s been a long three years since I wrote my last blog. Now that my children are all grown up particularly my elder one, I thought it is the right time to go to my blog again! My elder one is now in 12th grade and the younger one, in grade 5....

Last year my family and I shifted to a new housing-society after living in the old society for nearly 8  years. We shifted in October and then all of us fell ill by turn, perhaps due to our inability to adjust in the new environment. With this severe handicap, we had to set up the new house; send both the children to schools, make the new house congenial for the elder boy so that his study wasn’t disturbed and he was in good shape to attend to various school tests as well. 
You all can understand my plight!!! Anyways, now everything is fine. Touchwood guys 

It is a very quiet and beautiful housing society and everyone is very friendly, enthusiastic and sportive. Last Saturday there was a Cricket match in our society where my husband and both my boys participated and I had put up a chaat-stall. This particular chaat is a hot favourite of people in my state,Odisha, and my neighbouring state, West Bengal.

It was a wonderful event and all liked my Chaat immensely. This prompted me to write about it. So here goes the recipe -

Ingredients-

White peas -1cup

Potato 🥔-1 medium

Tomatoes -2 medium

Onion -One large

Oil-One table-spoon

Spices -

Salt -To taste

Turmeric powder-one tea-spoon

Chilli powder-To taste

Guguni masala - Dhania /Jeera /red chillies

(Two table-spoon Jeera , one table- spoon Dhania , Eight red-chillis. Dry roast all the three spices in a frying pan in low flame. It shouldn’t burn. Take it out in a big plate, let it cool down; then grind into a coarse powder)
Ginger -A small piece

Method -Soak the white peas in water overnight. Pressure-cook the white peas in water without adding any salt or any masala till it’s done. (If you add salt/masala while boiling, the peas will break and will not retain its shape.)

Keep aside the boiled peas. Put oil in a Kadhai (deep bottom pan), add  onion, sauté till it changes its colour into light brown. Add the ginger paste, sauté till the raw smell goes, add the chopped tomatoes. sauté nicely, till done. Add salt to taste,turmeric powder and chilli powder. Mix well, add to the masala one cup of water so that the masala does not burn. Add the boiled peas and mix well. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.Add the boiled diced potatoes and mix well. Let it simmer for five minutes with a lid cover on the Kadhai. Add the ghugunimasala and mix well.

Serve it as a chaat item in the evenings. Take a plate, pour the ghuguni, add chaat-masala, ghuguni masala, dhania chutney and Dahi . Enjoy!!

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Pepper Gobhi

Cauliflower ( phul gobhi ) has been a very popular vegetable in Indian household. It is eminently suitable for multiple applications and may go not only as a sought after companion dish for Rice /Roti/ Paratha ; it can be a very suitable ingredient  in the making  of not only Pulao but Pakoda as well.. It has always been a favourite of my father in every season. When I was a child, I used to see vegetables like Cauliflower, Cabbage, Carrots, Capsicum in the kitchen only in winter. Now the seasonality of these vegetables is a thing of the past. One gets them now off the shelf throughout the year. One however, misses the old flavour of these vegetables. The aroma that pervaded the kitchen even an hour after cauliflower had been light fried lingers in the memory even now.
The other day I accompanied my husband to the nearby weekly vegetable market where I was told vegetables would be displayed on the ground under the sky. Yes, I saw plenty of fresh vegetables with the vendors, most of whom were women. It was a great experience for my younger son (7) who had accompanied us while the elder one (13) stayed back to study at home. My husband bought a good quantity of a variety of vegetables to stock the Refrigerator to its capacity so that he is off the neighbourhood grocer for a couple of days. We got a few cauliflowers too. One day,  I thought of cooking the cauliflower differently. Even both the children liked it.

Hope you would find it interesting    Here is the way to go:


Ingredients-

1. Cauliflower(phul gobhi) : one-- medium
( boil the florets in water with haldi (turmeric)powder and salt  for sometime till the florets are half done ) ...
2.  Onion –One small  (sliced )
3. Tomato –One medium (chopped)
4. Oil-One teaspoon
5. Hing (Asefotida )-  A pinch
6. Capsicum-  Small one (chopped)
6. Salt -To taste
7. Haldi (turmeric) powder – Half teaspoon
8. Pepper powder -To taste
9. Mustard seed -1/4 teaspoon


Method -
Heat oil in a pan ,add mustard seeds , let them  splitter . Add a pinch of hing and the onion , fry till its brown ,add chopped tomatoes , fry till done . Add cauliflower florets. ....
Add salt to taste, pepper powder, chopped capsicums and mix well . Cover the lid for two minutes or till the capsicums are tender.  .Add pepper powder and mix well .Serve hot with paratha ,roti or steam rice with dal ....Enjoy this simple but delicious phul gobhi dish  as a  special side dish ....

CHICKEN CUTLETS

With two growing children, the chef in me makes sure that I try new items every week for snacks .
This time, I tried my hand with chicken keema ( minced chicken ). It was very new to me when I tried this recipe.
I was skeptical , would the cutlets break while frying? If this happens, what would I offer to both the hungry children returning home after a good deal of running and playing? 😞
I heated the oil in a pan for deep frying and slowly let a freshly made cutlet and slide into the hot oil .. And a few more. ...I waited for a few seconds to check if the cutlets are intact or fragmented into pieces.,I was lucky; they came out fine 😃😃😃😃
I thanked my stars ,and fried a few more pieces , and then I heard the calling bell .😃
I was all set and served my children with their favorite mayonnaise and mint sauce which I had prepared the previous night .😇




Ingredients-
Chicken minced-  300 gms
Potato -  1  small (boiled )
Cheakpea flour /besan -  4  tablespoons
Kassori methi leaves -    1 tablespoon
Salt -To taste
Chat masala-      1  teaspoon
Green chillies -   1 (chopped)
Ginger and garlic paste-  1  teaspoon
Egg -       2      (beaten for the coating)
Breadcrumbs -    1  Cup or as required

Method -
In a bowl mix all the ingredients well . In a pan add oil and saute the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes ...Let it cool .Then shape them into cutlets into your desired shape and size. Coat the cutlets with the egg wash once and dip them into bread crumbs as soon as possible.  Deep fry them and relish with ketchup or any sauce of your choice.

EGG CUTLET ( ANDAA CHOP)

'Sunday ho ya Monday , roj khao Andey" This was a popular commercial jingle  during our growing age in India.  It means whether it's a Sunday or a Monday, eat eggs every day.......The recipe which I am going to write about for you is all about an egg recipe. That is why the jingle rang. 😊....Somethings do not just fade away from memories....

Egg is a very good source of protein for growing children and sportsmen . This doesn't mean that others don't consume it but then if consumed, it should always be in moderation. My children like having egg almost everyday .It becomes very taxing for me to invent a new dish everyday ! .One day I remembered that when I was a child, my mother used to make egg cutlet for me . ( I really don't understand why this thought came to me so late , maybe because it's a cumbersome process ....hehehe)
Anyways, I  instantly called my mom to tell me the process so that I  could make it that day itself.....As usual my mom was upset with me that I was not jotting  down her instruction in a diary......😄
After listening to her I started with the preparation and in forty minutes, the egg cutlets were ready to be fried  when my sons would return from school.......
Now I come to the ingredients for this tasty recipe...

Eggs - Hard boiled
Breadcrumbs - 1cup
Oil - To shallow fry
Salt -To taste
Haldi  (Turmeric )- A pinch
Chilli powder - To taste
Garam masala - 1 teaspoon
Potato -3  ( boiled )

Method -
Boil the eggs and keep them aside to cool down. In the meantime boil the potatoes and add salt, haldi powder, chilli powder and garam masala. Mix well and keep it aside.
Now cut the eggs  into halves .Add a pinch of salt and haladi powder over the yolks. Now take the mashed potato and cover the egg evenly. Then do the same procedure with the other eggs too .Keep aside to set for 10 to 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, enough simmer the flame , roll the cutlets in the breadcrumbs and shallow fry them .Serve hot with  any chutney or ketchup.
(You can even deep fry the cutlets in oil .)

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BREAKFAST MENU PLANNER

A breakfast planner -

Breakfast is the first meal of the day ! It is always recommended that for people who are interested to lose weight should never stop eating breakfast . In India we have a number of local cuisines. The variety you can choose is so vast that sometimes one gets confused on what to eat and what to leave...:)

• In the northern states  the usual breakfast served is aloo paratha, gobhi paratha with curd and pickle .Another favorite breakfast is puri and aloo curry .Chole Bhatura is also a favorite breakfast .

• In the eastern part of the country,  it is usually Upama with aloo curry .Poda pitha (baked cake from rice  and urad dal ) with mix vegetable curry . Even chuda ( rice flakes ) upma and chutney make a good first meal of the day . Luchi and aloo curry is also a favorite combination as breakfast .

• In western part of the country, people usually have poha ,dhokla .Sagoo vada, sagoo upma.

• In the southern states, the breakfast menu is vast which includes Idili ,sambar and chutney. Vada and sambar ,upma with chutney. Masala dosa ,sambar and chutney , plain dosa ,sambar and chutney .Uttapam  and chutney ....the list is quite long. :)

In addition to the above local cuisines, people also have English breakfast sometimes. It includes bread ,sausages ,pancakes and eggs.

Even cornflakes is considered to be a great option these days . Oats ,porridge too are taking a place in the  breakfast table these days . Easy availability ,user friendliness and easy to make options are helping these items making way to the Indian homes these days .

In a family , the lady of the house is always in dilemma over what she would make for breakfast , then lunch and then dinner. If there are children, even snacks needs to be prepared . All these involve a lot of cooking ! If you plan a little ahead, this herculean task can be a cake-walk , I assure you .

I am leaving two days, ie the weekends for you and your family to decide .....Some may like to eat out , some may like to order food from outside......☺ My suggested menu for the other five days are as follows: 

Monday  -

Idili sambar and chutney (From the Deccan )

• Ingredients for idili-

Rice-2cups

Urad dal-1cup

Methi seeds-1/2tspn

Salt-To taste

Oil-To apply on the idli cases

Method-

Soak rice and urad dal separately with enough water for 7-8 hrs. Grind them and mix together to form a batter. Leave it in room temperature for fermentation overnight. On the next day, add salt to taste and grease the idili cases with oil. Pour the batter on to the cases and steam them for 15 minutes or till done. Serve hot with chutney and sambar. Enjoy!

• Ingredients for Sambar-

Toor dal or arhar dal (boiled with salt and haldi powder)-  1cup

Vegetables( brinjal, bhindi, radish)-  1/2cup

Onion-1 chopped

Garlic-2 pods (chopped)

Curry leaves- A few

Asafoetida-  A pinch

Oil- 1 tbspn

Tomato-1large (chopped)

Mustard seeds-1tspn

Sambar powder-1tbspn

Water-1cup

Method-   Heat oil in a pan. Add asafoetida, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Saute for a minute, add garlic and onion and then saute for a minute or so. Then add vegetables. Saute for 2-3 minutes or till the vegetables are done. Add the boiled toor dal, mix well. Add sambar powder and a cup water. Close the lid and let it simmer. Let Sambar have  the right consistency. Garnish with dhaniya patta and serve hot.

• Ingredients for chutney-

Coconut-1cup(grated)

Fried gram dal-1/2cup

Garlic pods-2(chopped)

Green chilli-2

Water-1/2cup

For tampering

Oil-1tspn

Mustard seeds-1tspn

Salt-To taste

Method-  Grind together fried channa dal, coconut with 1/2 cup water. Tamper it with oil  & mustard seed. Add salt to taste. Enjoy with Idli.

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Tuesday  -

Moongdal chilla with chutney -

Ingredients -
Moongdal (yellow) -1cup
Hing (asefotida )-A pinch
Garlic pods-4
Salt - To taste
Oil- As required 
Water -To make the chilla batter


Method-

Soak moongdal in water for one hour. Grind it to a paste with very less water, garlic pods, two green chillies and a pinch of hing . Add salt to taste  and mix well  . The batter should have the right consistency  and should not be watery . However, it should be of pouring consistency . Heat a frying pan , take a ladle of batter and spread on the pan. Don't make the chilla very thin . It should be of medium thickness. Take oil in a teaspoon and spread it around the side of the chilla. Turn the chilla .  After it is done , remove it on to a plate. Serve hot with chutney and relish !!

Wednesday -

Vegetable upma-

Ingredients -

Sujji ( Rawa)-1 cup

Mix vegetables -1/2 cup

Onion-1 small chopped

Oil or ghee -1 tbspoon

Mustard seed -1 tspn

Curry leaves -6-7 leaves

Urad dal-1 tspn

Salt-To taste

Method-

Heat a kadhai . Simmer the flame , add sujii and fry till golden brown. Keep aside . Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves. Sauté for a minute. Add onion , sauté till brown . Add vegetables , add salt to taste. Sauté till the vegetables are done. Add 2.5 cups of water . Let it boil . Add fried suji and mix well. Garnish with dhaniya pata (coriander leaves ). Serve  hot with any chutney of your choice.


Thursday-

Puri and sabjee( From the Himalayan belt )

Ingredients-

For the dough-

Atta /Wheat flour-2 cups

Asafoetida or hing- A pinch

Salt- To taste

Dhaniya and jeera powder -1tea spoon

Turmeric or haladi powder- A pinch

Water- To knead the dough

For the sabjee or curry -

Mix veg-1 cup (potato, peas, cauliflower )

Oil-1 tablespoon

Onion-1 small (chopped)

Tomato- 1small ( chopped)

Corriander and cumin powder-1 tea spoon

Garam masala -1 tea spoon

Salt-To taste

Method-

Knead the dough for the puri mixing all the ingredients stated above. The dough shouldnot be soft . Keep aside to rest for an hour.

In the meanwhile heat oil in a pan , add onion. Saute for a minute ,add chopped tomatoes and let it cook till the tomatoes are done. Add the vegetables and mix well. Cover the lid and let the vegetables cook on slow flame till the vegetables are done. add salt, haldi powder, dhaniya and jeera powder and mix well. Add a cup of water and let the vegetables cook on low flame for two minutes . When you get the gravy according to your requirement ,switch off the gas . Serve it hot with puri.

After the sabjee (curry ) is prepared , keep it aside. Heat oil in a pan .Take small ball size dough and roll them with a help of a rolling pin into small puris. Fry the puri and keep aside on a tissue paper so that excess oil is absorbed.

P.S - Some people may like to have just aloo sabjee with puri. For that you need to prepare the sabjee the way I have indicated  except  that  cauliflower and peas may not be used. We need to  use potato only. 

Friday-

Vegetable Poha- ( A delicacy from the western ghats )-

Ingredients :-

Chudwa(Poha)-1cup

Mustard seed-1/2tsp

Curry leaves-few

Salt-To taste

Onion-1small

Green chillies-2

Hing(Asafoetida)-A pinch

Haldi powder-A pinch

Peanuts -A handful

Bengal gram-1/4tsp

Mixed vegetables -1 cup (Potato, beans,peas ,cauliflower)

Oil-2tbsp

Cilantro/Coriander leaves-To garnish

Method:

1. Wash the chudwa in water and keep aside for five minutes so that all water is drained out.This will make the poha dry and not soggy.
2. Then take a kadhai ,add oil,then pinch of hing .To that add the peanuts and bengal gram and the green chillies. Fry them till they turn their colour and get roasted.
3. To that add the onions and curry leaves. Fry, till done .To that add mixed vegetable s and saute till the vegetables are done.
4. Then add the chudwa and add salt, haldi powder and mix well.
5. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot with coriander chutney.

GRILLED FISH

With all of us poised for Digital India, we in deed are moving ahead and have come a long way. Our daily life is getting more and more associated with technology driven tools and today we are more dependent on machines and equipment. We are today less agile and our physical postures are much simpler. We hardly sit on floor; nor do we use our hands in a grinding stone. This is affecting our body shape and weight. I saw a cartoon showing how people are growing around the waist and equipment becoming sleeker and thinner. :)

Jokes apart, we need a bit of planning for an ideal weight and shape of our body. We need a bit of more will power too. Not only we Indians, it seems mankind as a whole are confronted with this issue of shape and weight.  I have therefore been trying to bring out  simple and  non- oily recipes for you all. These are not only tasty and easy to make ,but as I have said earlier, facilitate our journey towards our goal to remain fit .

Coming to my recipe, this is a fish recipe,but the non-fish lovers and the vegetarians can make this recipe with vegetables/ lean meat as well.

Ingredients -

Fish -8 pieces (I have taken here Rohu fish )

Ginger /garlic paste-2 teaspoon

Salt -To taste 

Haldi powder- 1 teaspoon

Chilli powder-To taste

Green chillies -2 (sliced)

Garam masala powder- 1 teaspoon

Pudina leaves- A few (For garnishing)

Onion-1(sliced)

Oil- 2 teaspoon 

Method-

Marinate the fish pieces, green chillies and onion with the given masala and keep aside. After 2 hours, heat a grill pan .Add 2 teaspoon of oil , add the marinated fish pieces, green chillies and onion . Simmer the stove .Let it cook on both sides till done. Garnish with pudina leaves.Serve hot as a starter or with rice and dal . Enjoy !!

BAGHARA BAINGAN

With the vacations nearing to end, I thought I would resume my writing .My children always keep me busy and the daily chores have become a ritual these days . I have been keeping so busy that it took me nearly three months to resume blogging again.

I would like to thank my viewers and well wishers who have been visiting my blog and keep it going . My friends and family have also been prodding me that I resume blogging .A big "Thank You" to all my well wishers ! 

Coming to my recipe .This recipe is a traditional dish of Hyderabad. Nizams had a great appetite for a variety of food starting from non -vegetarian to vegetarian dishes . Baghara baigan which means tempering of stuffed eggplants with grounded peanut,sesame mixture and cooked in a rich and creamy paste was one of their  favorite  vegetarian dishes  . It is a very yummy dish which I am sure will be liked by all of you .

A teacher of mine has requested this recipe . Therefore this is just for Sabita Madam, who was my lecturer in College .

Ingredients-
Brinjal or baigan-6 (baby purple )
Sesame seeds-2 tbspoons
Peanuts-2 tbspoons
Grated coconut-2tbspoons
Onion-1 chopped
Ginger and garlic paste -2tbspn
Turmeric powder-1/4 tspoon
Jeera powder-1 tspn
Coriander powder-1 tspn
Red chilli powder-1tspn
Tamarind -A small lemon sized ball
Salt- To taste
Oil-For frying and for the curry

Method-

• Dry roast the peanuts and sesame seeds separately golden brown .Set aside to cool. Then grind together the peanuts ,sesame seeds and dry coconut with a little water into a fine paste.
• Extract the tamarind juice from the pulp after soaking the tamarind in warm water for 20minutes .

• Give 4 cuts to the brinjals with the stem intact .Fill a small quantity of the mixture into the brinjals .Deep fry in oil till the brinjal is soft but still holds the shape. Keep aside .

• In another pan, add two table spoons of oil , add chopped onion  and the ground paste .Add turmeric powder, chilli powder,jeera powder ,coriander powder and salt to taste. Mix well and add the tamarind juice and add the fried brinjals, again mix well .Cover the lid for 5 to 10 minutes .( You can add 1/2 cup of water at this point if you feel the gravy is thick .)   When done, serve it hot with biriyani or steamed rice .

PRAWN MALAI CURRY

 

Stress seems to the buzzword everywhere and is spreading to new areas where peace and tranquility prevailed not long ago. Stress appears sometimes due to heavy work, monotonous nature of work or even no work. Stress sometimes is due to health problems, relating to children, their studies....... I sometimes wonder how our older generations managed with STRESS!

I am sure they also must be having this "bimari". This was not a common term then, it may be because they were better in managing situations. They knew perfectly well how to manage it,
 both at work and at home.

Some people find bliss in cooking and find it an effective way to keep stress away.  My mantra to de-stress is to find time for your favourite hobby and devote some time in pursuing the same. I find myself quite activated and fresh in making any non-veg item........

Ingredients -
Prawns- 500 gms
Ginger and garlic paste -1teaspoon
Green chillies -2
Coconut milk -1cup
Dhaniya powder-1teaspoon
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt - To taste
Onion - 1 medium ( Grind into a paste )
Turmeric powder -1teaspoon
Green chillies ( slit )-1 for garnishing

Method -

Clean the prawns, add salt and haldi powder. Mix well and cover it and let it marinate for 30 minutes.Heat oil in a pan, add the marinated prawns and cook on both sides till done .(Please don't over cook the prawns otherwise they lose lusciousness)After the prawns are done, remove them to a plate and keep aside.

In the same pan heat oil , add onion, ginger and garlic paste. Add a pinch of salt and haldi powder. Mix well and saute till the raw smell goes. Add green chillies and saute for sometime .Add coconut milk and  one cup of water.Mix well and let it cook for ten minutes. As you get the desired consistency, add the fried prawns, salt to taste and haldi powder. Add dhaniya powder and mix well .  As the prawns absorb the juices well, switch off the stove . Garnish with a sliced green chilli. Serve hot with rice . Enjoy !

KOSALA SAAGA WITH BADI (RED LEAVES COOKED WITH URAD DAL DUMPLINGS )

In my state Odisha ,millions love to have Saag ----leaf based curry --with rice and dal at home .Choice of leaves has been wide. Varieties include Kalama saag (water spinach) ;Kosala saag ; Khada saag ;leutia saag ;palanga saga (spinach) ;Poi saag ; Sunusunia saag ; kakharu saag(leaves of the pumpkin plant);sorisha saag (mustard leaves ); Methi saag (fenugreek leaves ). All leafy vegetables are rich in protein ;fibre and vitamins. it is very low in calorie and fat . Leafy vegetables are easily available and are usually very cost effective .

The most popular, however, have been spinach and fenugreek leaves among the urban consumers while Kosala and Leutia have been the preferred ones in the rural households.  The "Red Saag"  as called in other parts of the country is a very popular leafy vegetable, which is called koshala saag in Odiya.

Coming to my recipe for today, I write about the red saag; or kosala. Usually it becomes quite difficult to make the children eat leafy vegetables. My children like badi i.e. (urad dal dumplings dried in sun and then fried to use it as required ). This time I made the red saag with badi which both my husband and my children liked. Even my 5 year old son also had it...... My senior female family members make this saag with vegetables. That also tastes good. I will tell you about that recipe some other day . This is a very rustic dish right from the countryside .....Happy cooking!

Ingredients -
Red saag or kosala- 4 bunch (Chop finely after cleaning it thoroughly with water)
Badi (urad dal dumplings fried )- A few 7-8 pcs
Oil- 2 table spoon
Panch phooran -1teaspoon
Green chillies- 2 (Finely chopped)
Garlic pods-4 ( Crushed )
Salt -To taste



Method-

Heat 2 tea spoon of oil in a pan ,add the urad dal badis and fry till crisp. Keep aside .

Heat  2 teaspoons of oil in the same pan, add panch phooran . Let it crackle , add chopped green chillies , garlic and fry till the raw smell of garlic vanishes. Add the red saag and cover it with a lid. Simmer the stove and let it cook with its own juice. After 3 to 4 minutes , remove the lid to check the saag . By then, volume of the saag must have reduced to half; add salt and mix well. Now don't cover it ,cook the saag till done . Keep on stirring the saag . When the saag is done,add the fried badis and mix well. Serve hot with rice, and plain dal.

PIYAZI (A TRADITIONAL ODISHA SNACK )

Evening comes, and a mother gets tensed over snacks that needs to be  made for the children returning from games or a swim. Children have ever been fussy; but with an over active media displaying varieties of snacks children expect similar or comparable snacks .  Sandwich , maggie, pasta , pakoda have been easy options for a mother.

In Odisha ,we have a variety of snack items to choose from like upama, pakoda, chaat, dahi vada ,mudhi ,chuda upma, piyazi and the list goes on. I had made piyazi for my children and they liked it. Therefore I thought of sharing this easy ,simple and tasty recipe with my viewers. Hope you all will enjoy it, but remember to exercise and stay fit !

Here is how I made it.

Ingredients -

Channa dal-1 cup
Ginger/garlic paste-2 tea spoon
Green chillies- 3( Chopped )
Onion- 2 small ( Sliced )
Soda - A pinch
Salt - To taste
Oil-For deep frying

Method-

Soak channa dal for 5 to 6 hours.Grind the channa dal into a coarse paste . Keep aside, add salt to taste, ginger /garlic paste, onion and green chillies. Add a pinch of soda and mix. Keep aside for 10 minutes . Heat oil in a fry pan or kadhai . Take a portion of the channa dal mixture and drop it in oil. Cook the piyazis in low flame. Turn it over and let it cook from both sides. Serve it hot with a sauce of your choice...

P.S -In case the batter is a little watery, add one table spoon of besan (gram flour) . 

HANDI SABJEE ( VEGETABLES COOKED IN HEAVY-BOTTOM PAN )

Firstly let me thank all my viewers who have appreciated my blog and made my efforts worthwhile in reading my page. Today I have joined the bloggers' league having more than 10k viewership. Thanks for being with me through this journey of mine.....Thank you once again. Happy cooking and stay fit !


Coming to my next recipe now ......

Weekends and it's usually something special. Particularly when you have two children, demand for variety of food increases . :) )

I have been thinking about writing on selection of menus on a daily basis. It sometimes becomes quite a bit of work, when you don't understand what to make for a meal . Anyways, as usual, it was a lazy Sunday . I had made rice and dal. I was listening to music. All of a sudden the phone rang ....My sister and her husband were coming to our place .

I rushed to the fridge to check availability of vegetables. They are strict vegetarians, so only option was to make a vegetable dish . :)

I had a cauliflower, peas, capsicum, paneer (cottage cheese ) and spring onions. With these vegetables I had to make a mix vegetable item. 

This preparation consumes around 30 to 40 minutes . This dish requires a little more oil than usual and more masala .  The taste is awesome and it is worth spending the forty minutes !

You make this and tell me how it turned out to be. Happy cooking and enjoy ...

Ingredients-
Cauliflower florets -2 cups
Capsicum -1 cup (cut into cubes)
Spring onion-2 cups (Chopped)
Peas -1/2 cup
Paneer- 200 gms
Onion-1 small (Chopped )
Salt -To taste
Haladi (Turmeric ) powder- 1 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1 teaspoon
Oil- 3 tablespoon
Cloves-3
Cinnamon stick (Dal chini)- 1
Whole cumin seeds-2 teaspoon

For the paste masala -( Grind into a fine paste in a grinder)
Onion- 1 large (Chopped )
Garlic-4-5 pods( Chopped)
Ginger -1 inch (Chopped)
Tomatoes-2 large (Chopped)
Green chilli-2 (Chopped )

Method -

Heat oil in a handi (heavy bottom pan), add cloves , jeera and  cinnamon stick . Add chopped onion and saute for a few minutes till they change their color to brown .Add the ground paste and saute till oil separates from the masala. Add the cauliflower florets , peas ,spring onion . Add salt to taste ,haladi powder and mix well. Cover the lid and let it cook on low flame with its own juice for 5 minutes . (In between mix the gravy so that it does not burn from the bottom ). After the vegetables are half cooked add paneer . Saute for a minute so that the masala gels well with the paneer . Add 2 cups of water and again mix well . Cover the lid and let it cook till the gravy is thick enough . When you get the right consistency, add capsicum . Mix well. Cover the lid for a few seconds till the capsicum becomes a little soft . Switch off the stove and add garam masala .Mix well and serve hot.

You need to have it with rice or roti ,

P.S- While making this dish you need to ensure that all the vegetables are not cooked very soft .They should be a little crunchy. 

VEGETABLE STEW

Winter season and soup go hand in hand. It was a Saturday evening, very chilled and wet. We were watching the TV and no one wanted to do anything else. At 6 degrees  Celsius, you can't expect to run around the house. :) I have got a habit of usually cutting the vegetables for the day while the sun shines,  in the morning itself .

All off a sudden ,my younger one wanted to have something to eat . As it was already 5.30 pm ,I thought the dish should not be too heavy . I went to my work place and  took out the cut vegetables from the refrigerator and worked for a stew.

Ingredients -
Carrots 1 inch cubes- 2 medium
Potatoes 1 inch -    2 medium
Cauliflower -  1/4 small (cut into medium florets)
Onion-1 medium (sliced)
Green peas-1/2 cups
Beans 1 inch long - 7-8 pcs
bay leaf -1
Oil- 2 tablespoons
Refined flour (maida)- 1.5 tablespoons
Salt -To taste
Dalchini ( Cinnamon )- 1 piece
Black Pepper powder - To taste
Milk -    1/2 cup
Vegetable stalk -  2 cups

I switched on the stove ..(.and here is how I made it) -

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan .Add  the bay leave , dalchini and the sliced onion. Saute till the onions become translucent. Add carrot, potatoes, beans ,peas and cauliflower. Mix well. Saute for 2 minutes . Add refined flour , mix well. Add vegetable stalk and let it boil for 10 minutes or till the vegetables are done .Add milk, bring to boil and serve hot .

When It was done, I served it to my family .They were all so very happy ! This dish is a soup with vegetables , perfect for a winter evening . What do you all have to say about this  friends ???? ;)

 Happy cooking

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CHAWAL KHEER

Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival celebrated in almost all parts of India. It is celebrated in Nepal as well. It is a harvest festival. As India is an agrarian economy, festivals related to agriculture play a very important role in our culture. It marks the transition of the sun into the zodiac sign of Capricorn on its celestial path. The day is also believed to mark the arrival of spring in India. It is celebrated all around India in different forms; but the essence still remains the same. India united in diversity, you may say .:)

• Andhra Pradesh and Telengana-  The festival of Sankranti is celebrated for a duration of 4 days. On this occasion, in every town and city, people play with kites and the sky can be seen filled with beautiful kites. Chakinalu is one of the most popular savory made during the occasion. 
• Assam-   It is celebrated as Bihu. Pitha ( rice cake ) is usually prepared to mark the occasion. 
• Gujarat-  Uttarayan is the term given to Makar Sankranti in the western state of India. Undiyon is prepared there. 
• Punjab-  The occasion is celebrated as Maghi. Khichidi and jaggery is consumed in this rich state of India.
• Odisha-  In my state, people prepare makar chaula. It is newly harvested uncooked rice soaked overnight. Jaggery, sesame, rasagolla, banana, apple, paneer are added to the uncooked rice. It is mixed well and offered to God.

To mark this festival at home, I prepared chawal ki kheer ( picture above). It is a very common sweet dish. As I had mentioned in my previous post,  this is a not a heavy Kheer ......., I have used only milk (low fat), rice and sugar. No ghee or oil has been used. Enjoy this tasty recipe and enjoy the harvest festival, friends! Happy Makar Sankranti to all !!!

Ingredients-

Cooked rice- 1 cup

Low fat milk- 3 cups
Sugar- 3 tbsp or to taste
Raisins- 1 tbsp ;for garnishing

Method-

In a heavy bottom pan, bring milk to boiling point. Simmer the flame; add cooked rice and lower the flame. Mix well. Let it simmer on low flame for 10 minutes or untill you get the right consistency. Keep stirring the kheer so that it does not get burnt at the bottom . Add sugar to taste and mix well. Cook till you get your desired thickness. Turn off the flame;  garnish with raisins. Serve chilled or as per your requirement. Happy cooking !

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EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND BOILED POTATO MASH ---- BAIGAN, TOMATO AND ALOO BHARTA :)

I wish a very happy new year to all my viewers ! Hope you all enjoyed the winter vacation to the hilt. I am sure you all must have indulged in cakes , chocolates and high calorie food :) .That's ok ....but now you should all resolve to have a healthy lifestyle and eat the right kind of food . Healthy food is  not always bland or tasteless . You need to know the way to cook it or make it in the right way. :) Even a simple carrot salad can  taste divine .

My new year resolution for 2015 is to eat healthy and share healthy recipes with my viewers. I made eggplant ,tomato and boiled potato mash a few days back.It tasted good and the best part was that not much of cooking is required to be done to prepare it.

Traditionally we make only the eggplant mash at home .I have added tomato and potato for that extra filling for the people planning to reduce weight in a healthy manner.In addition to a restricted diet ,exercise should also be done on a regular basis.

Now coming to my simple and tasty recipe.. of 2015. It took a while to decide which recipe I should post ,so that my viewers will make a healthy kick-start of the year....

This is a traditional dish from my state, Odisha.....:)

Ingredients ----
Eggplant -1 large( barbecued )
Tomatoes- 2 large (Barbecued)
Potatoes-1 large (Boiled)
Salt - To taste
Green chillies- 2 (Chopped finely)
Onion-1 medium (Chopped finely )
Mustard oil-2 table spoon
Coriander leaves- A few

Method-
Mash eggplant, tomatoes and potatoes nicely .Add salt to taste ,mustard oil,chopped onion ,chopped green chillies and coriander leaves. Mix well and serve with steamed rice and dal tadka !!!!\\

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SHRIMP FRIED RICE

Today being Christmas, festive mood is in the air and during the festive season people all over the globe can think of only two things......family and food!

When my father was posted in the port town of Paradip -- a major sea port of the country, I had the privilege of studying in.a convent school.  During the Christmas season, we were asked to help our Sisters in decorating the school with Bells, ChristmasTree etc . We also used to take part in carol singing . We were invited to attend the mass on the Christmas eve . It was real fun . Some of my friends were Christians and this acted as a cherry on the icing for me. We friends used to have a great time together in spite of the fact that we belonged to different religions . Unity in diversity. :D

The Sisters used to make so many delicacies like plum cake , idli  ( fermented with coconut water,  fried rice , chicken vindaloo, chocolate cake , fish fry--- to name a few. The Sisters  mostly belonged to Mangalore, a place in Karnataka. Their food had therefore the flavour of Mangalore cuisine . By now it is over two decades that I completed my school. Still during Christmas, I remember my days at Paradip. Fond memories they were ......

I  made shrimp fried rice today for lunch , which I would like to dedicate to my School Sisters. Wish you  Sisters a Merry Christmas !!

Now coming to my recipe for the day ....its a very simple yet tasty wholesome meal .It is shrimp fried rice....

Ingredients -

Shrimps -1 cup ( cleaned and marinated with salt pepper and haldi powder

Steamed rice -2 cups

Onion -finely chopped

Mint leaves - A few

Ginger -1 teaspoon  (Chopped )

Green chillies - 2 ( Grated )

Garlic -2 pods  (Chopped )

Salt - To taste

Haldi powder(turmeric ) -1 teaspoon

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Method -

Heat oil in a wok. Add onion and garlic and saute till the raw smell vanishes .Add ginger , green chillies and shrimps .Add salt to taste and haldi powder. Mix well and cover the wok with the lid .Let the shrimp fry in its own juice .After two minutes,  you need to check whether the shrimps are done or not. When the shrimp is done,  add the steamed rice .Mix well, add mint leaves. Mix well. Serve hot with raita.

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MIXED VEGETABLES IN COCONUT GRAVY

While watching  a daily soap in the evening, I was cutting some vegetables without deciding on the curry I would cook for dinner. I think I was more into the daily soap :). 
I had vegetables like brinjal, beans, capsicum, bell peppers, carrot and peas .

Daily soap over, I started teaching both my children. The elder one found a chapter in Social Studies difficult. He is more fond of subjects like maths, science, computers .The long and lengthy answers required lot of writing and he finds that tough. Anyways, somehow he understood the chapter and was confident enough for the test exam,  the next day .  

I chanced to look at the clock. It was 6.30 in the evening. It was time to take my younger son for his drawing class ."It was so nice to work rather than become a homemaker," I thought. There was little time to sit and relax. And I rushed with him to the drawing class. Sat there through the class as he won't let me return home without him.

Back home, it was already 7.30 and no time to cook anything fancy ! I had to cook something quick  and tasty . For a moment I even was annoyed with the Queen of daily soaps Ms.Ekta Kapoor..Had she not started this daily soap; I would have been through a well organised cooking by now. 

I took out my pressure cooker and said " boss , now  you alone can help me !" :) I was really thankful to the french physicist Denis Papin who invented pressure cooker in 1679, in an attempt to reduce the cooking time of food. His airtight cooker used steam pressure to raise the water's boiling point, thereby resulting in a much quicker cooking .

I decided on having mixed vegetables with coconut gravy.
Here goes the process of making this easy recipe.
The required ingredients are as follows -

Brinjals - One Cup

Carrot- One cup

Beans -One cup

Capsicum - Half cup

Red bell pepper half cup

Onion- one large (sliced )

Tomato -Two ( Chopped )

Coconut milk - Two hundred ml

Salt -To taste

Turmeric  powder- one tea spoon

Oil -Two table spoon

For the paste  -

Coriander seeds- One tea spoon

poppy seeds -Two tea spoon

Red chilli - 4/5

Peanuts -One tea spoon

Ginger and garlic paste -Two tea spoon

Grated coconut -One table spoon

Jeera -One tea spoon

Method-

• Heat one table spoon  oil in a pan. Add all the ingredients of the paste masala and fry for one to  two minutes. The nice aroma from the mixture would signal the optimal frying. Grind the mixture with a little water to a fine paste .Keep aside .
• In the pressure cooker  heat one table spoon of oil. Add onion, saute for a minute.  Add the paste which you have kept aside. Mix the masala and saute for a few seconds . Add all the vegetables, salt to taste and haldi powder and give a gentle mix  .
• Cover the lid and let the vegetables cook for a while in the juices secreted from the vegetables . You should make sure that the vegetables are coated with the paste properly. After the vegetables are half done , add the chopped tomatoes .Mix well .
• Add two hundred ml of coconut milk and mix well . Close the lid of the pressure cooker .Switch off the stove after you get two whistles . Keep it aside and open the lid only after the pressure becomes normal..
• Serve hot with steamed white rice.

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