Simple Cabbage and corn stir fry

A lot has happend since the past two days. Well more than two days actually. I have been busy preparing for my journey to India and today I cannot believe I am here. Initially, I was a nervous wreck as I was travelling alone with my little one. I had all kinds of doubts in my mind and I packed purvi's food like as though I was expecting a draught or a famine. But thankfully, the flight was on time and apart for some minor sniffles purvi behaved well. I could'nt have asked more from a 17 month old. Could I?

I arrived in bangalore in the morning today and since I've become blog-a-holic, I decided to make a post from here. This one is a simple stir fry that I make often.A hassle free and tasty recipe that can be enjoyed either with rice or rotis.

Cabbage and corn stirfry recipe:

Preparation time: 15min

Cooking time: 15mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Cabbage- 1/2 med, chopped fine

Corn kernels- 1cup

Green chillies- 1-2, chopped fine

Oil- 2tbsp

Channa dal- 1tsp

Urad dal- 1tsp

Mustard- 1/2tsp

Turmeric- 1/4 tsp

Hing- A pinch

Curry leaves- 1sprig

Salt to taste

Method:

• Par boil cabbage and corn kernels and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds
• Once the mustard pops add the channa dal and urad dal and fry till they turn brown
• Add the hing and curry leaves and saute till the curry leaves turn crisp.
• Add the turmeric and green chillies and stir
• Add the boiled cabbage and conrn and saute for min.
• Add salt and mix well. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Homemade baby food

This one is for all those tiny tots who have just started their first solid food. This recipe was given or should I say prescribed by Purvi's paediatrician and I must say that this is the best thing that any doctor can prescribe. This is definitely time consuming but it is rewarding as well. This mixture of sprouted whole grains and nuts is a tasty and power packed food to be introduced to the baby. 
Since the ragi and wheat are sprouted, their nutrient content is increased ten fold. As there are four types of grains involved, it ensures that the baby gets used to a myriad of tastes. The other best part about this mixture is, it allows you to experiment with a lot of flavours. You can make this either salty or sweet. The weaning period can be difficult for both the mother and the baby. This recipe made the introduction of solid food to my baby relatively easy for me. I hope it does the same for you and your baby as well. 

Homemade baby food recipe:

Preparation time: 2-3days, approximately

Ingredients:

Rice- 1 cup

Wheat- 1cup

Moong dal- 1cup

Ragi/ finger millet- 1 cup

Elaichi/ cardamom- 10, powdered

Nutmeg powder- 3/4tsp

Almonds- 15, blanched, peeled and dried

Method:

• Wash and soak the wheat and ragi in separate containers for 6-8 hrs
• Drain the water and place the grains in separate muslin cloths and tie them to a horizontal surface
• See to it that the cloth is wet and keep sprinkling water from time to time. It takes about 1-2 days for the grain to sprout completely.
• Wash the rice and the moong dal togoughly and drain. 
• Mix the rice and moong dal along with the the sprouted grains and dry them in the shade for 4-6 hrs or till completely dry.
• Roast the dried grains in a thick bottomed vessel on a low flame till the grains are fragrant and well toasted. See to it that the grains are not over toasted or burnt.
• Cool the grain mixture completely and grind them along with the dried almonds in the mixer to a fine powder.
• Pass the mixture through a fine sieve to separate the large particles.
• Grind the large particles again to a fine powder and sieve.
• Repeat the process till all of the grain mixture is ground to a fine powder.
• Mix the powdered elaichi and nutmeg powder to the grain mixture and store in air tight containers.

For the porridge:

Ingredients:

Malted grain mixture- 1-2tspn

Brown sugar/ Jaggery- 2tsp

Ghee- 1tsp

1 deseeded date or 1tsp of date syrup (optional)

Milk- 1/2cup

Method:

• Mix all the ingredents except milk in a bowl and make a think paste by adding some boiling water.
• Bring milk to a boil, and add the prepared paste. 
• Cook for a min till the desired consistency is achieved. Serve warm

Note

• Seive the ground mixture in a cheese cloth for the first couple of weeks and then make the mixture coarser with  each passing week. This will ensure that your child gradually gets used to chewing and gets ready for adult food
• You can try adding different flavourings like, pureed banana or apple.

This is my contribution to Aipi's book marked recipes

Chutney pudi

Chutney pudi aka lentil spice mix is a very common spice blend among the kannadigas. You would'nt pass a kannadiga household who would not have a stock of this powder. This powder goes great with Dosas, idlis, chapatis, and rice. It just takes a few minutes to prepare and stays fresh for almost 3mnths. So try this and recipe I'm sure even you will start stocking this spice mix :)

Chutney pudi recipe:

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:

Channa dal or bengal gram- 1 cup

Urad dal or black gram- 1 cup

Grated dry coconut- 3/4 cup

Kashmiri Red chillies- 12-15

Tamarind- Small Lime sized

Jaggery- Lime sized or to taste

Curry leaves- 2 sprigs

Hing- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 1tbsp

Method:

• Dry roast the chana dal and urad dal till brown and brittle and keep aside
• Dry roast the grated coconut till slightly brown and keep aside.
• Heat a tsp of oil and fry the tamarind for a min and keep aside
• Heat another 2tsp of oil and add the hing, red chillies and the curry leaves and fry till crisp.
• Turn off the heat and add the tamarind and the roasted lentils and mix thoroughly.
• Cool the mixture thoroughly and grind the mixture along with salt and jaggery to a coarse powder.
• Add the roasted coconut and grind again.
• Cool and store in air tight containers.

Broad beans curry

This recipe has been lying in my drafts for a long time now. I could not post this earlier because I could not take any pictures of this favourite curry of mine.  I would either be too hungry or too busy to take the shots. However, today I managed to take these shots inspte of all the severe hunger pangs. :)

This recipe is from my ajji's (grand mother) kitchen. She makes this curry so well that even after all these years, my grand father fondly remembers the way she had made this when they were no newly married. Sweet isn't it? This curry is an everyday ordinary curry with extra ordinary flavours. I know there are quite a few who do not favour these beans. But believe me, One bite of this curry and I'm sure you will become a broad beans lover.

Broad beans curry recipe:

Preparation time: 15mins

Cooking time:15 mins

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

Broad beans: 1/4kg, stringed and chopped into bite sized pieces

Onion- 1 large, chpped fine

Tomato- 2 chopped fine

Tamarind pulp- 1tbsp

Tuermeric- 1/4tsp

Oil- 2 tbsp

Jeera- 1 tsp

Hing- 1 pinch

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Salt to taste

Jaggery- Lime sized

Curry powder- 2-3 tbsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a wok and add the jeera.
• Once they pop, add the onion and saute till transclusent
• Add the tomato and saute for a min.
• Add the turmeric, salt, jaggery and the tamarind pulp and saute for a min more.
• Add the broad beans and  fry for 5 mins. 
• Cover the wok with a plate and allow the broad beans to cook for 10 mins until all the water is absorbed
• Add the curry powder and mix thoroughly.
• Check for salt and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Roasted eggplant and tomato dip

Today's spot light is on our very own sailu of sailu's food. I had got this recipe from her blog a few months back and this dish has become a favourite at our place. The flavours of the roasted brinjal and the tomatoes blend together beautifully making this chutney absolutely irresistable. This curry is a breeze to prepare and it can be had with either rice rotis or as a dip. Now is this another version of babaghanoush???

Roasted eggplant and tomato dip recipe:

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins+ roasting time

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Eggplant- 1 large

Onion- 1 Chopped fine

Tomato- 2, chopped fine

Ginger- 1" piece, grated

Green chilli- 1, chopped

Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp

Paprika powder- 1/2tsp

Coriander powder- 1/2tsp

Oil- 2tbsp

Mustard- 1/2tsp

Jeera/ cumin- 1/2tsp

Hing- a pinch 

Salt- to taste

Coriander to garnish

Method:

• Grease the eggplant with some oil and roast over a low flame.
• Once the eggplant is completely black, take off the heat and cool.
• Peel the skin and mash the pulp and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a wok and add the mustard seeds.
• Once they pop, add the jeera and hing and fry till the jeera turns brown
• Add the onion and the green chilli and saute till the onion turns pink.
• Add the grated ginger and saute for a min more.
• Add the chopped tomato and stir.
• Add the salt, tuermeric, paprika powder and coriander seed powder and saute for 2 mins
• Add the mashed eggplant and saute for 5 mins more.
• Take off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice or rotis.

This recipe is my contribution to Aipi's book marked recipes event

Eggless African millet( ragi) and chocolate muffin

This cake/ muffin has been in my "to do" list for a long time now. The reason for the procrastination was that I was trying to make this cake a wee bit healthier. The idea of incorporating ragi into this muffin came from here. And credit for the rest of the recipe goes to this lady here. Except for the addition of baking soda and butter, the recipe remains the same. The cake came out extremely well. It is actually very hard to tell that there is ragi in the cake. The Chocolate flavour camouflaged the taste of the ragi pretty well. As far as the texture is concerned, it is spongy, moist, and dense. All in all I would like to say that this is one recipe where super tasty and relatively healthy at the same time. 

Ragi and chocolate muffin recipe:

Preparation time- 20mins

Baking time- 30-40 mins

Makes- 12- 14 muffins

Ingredients:

Ragi flour- 1 cup

Maida or all purpose flour- 1cup

Baking powder- 2tsp

Baking soda- 1/4tsp

Cocoa powder- 1tbsp

Vanilla essence- 1tsp

Condensed milk- 1 tin or 400 ml

Milk- 1 cup

Butter- 3-4 tbsp, melted

Method:

• Sift the ragi, maida, baking powder, Cocoa and baking soda in a bowl.
• In another bowl, mix the condensed milk, milk, vanilla essence and the melted butter and mix thoroughly.
• Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix only till the ingredients are well combined.
• Grease the muffin cups with a little oil and spoon the batter till 3/4 full
• Place in a preheated oven and bake at 180C for 30-40 mins or till a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool on a wire rack and serve warm.

Rajma masala

Yestereday my vegetable vendor got these fresh kindey beans right at my door step. I just could not resist buying them. Leter on, I could not resist making this curry immediately. 

Did you know that rajma is a power house of protein and it is rich in soluble fibers which eliminate cholestrol from the body. As they are low on fat, and rich in protein they form an excellent alternative to meat and any other animal protein. Kidney beans also contain protease inhibitors which retard the development of cancerous cells. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and devour this bean. Here goes the recipe.

Rajma masala recipe:

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Serves-4

Ingredients:

Rajma- 11/2 cups

Onion- 1, finely chopped

Tomatoes- 2 large, blanched and pureed

Jeera/cumin seeds- 1tsp

Ginger- garlic paste- 1-2tspn

Tuermeric/ haldi- 1/4tsp

Sugar- 1/2tsp

Pepper powder- 1/2tsp

Red chilli powder- 1/2tsp

Coriander seed powder- 1tsp

Garam masala powder- 1/2tsp

Kasuri methi- 1/2tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 2tbsp

Coriander leaves- 1tbsp

Butter- 1-2 tsp, (optional)

Method:

• Soak rajma overnight and pressure cook with salt till done.
• Heat oil in a wok and add the jeera seeds.
• Once they pop, add the chopped onion and saute till pink
• Add the ginger garlic paste and stir for 2 mins till the raw smell goes
• Add the pureed tomatoes and saute for 2 mins.
• Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sugar, salt, pepper powder, Kasuri methi and coriander seed powder and simmer the gravy for 3-4 mins
• Add the cooked rajma and garam masala and mix. Allow the gravy to cook for 2 mins on low flame.
• Take off the heat and garnmish with butter and coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Honey and mint lime juice

It is peak summer in my part of the world. And I literally thrive on this sweet, tangy and minty lemonade. An ideal thirst quencher for those sultry and humid days. Trust me, this cooling beverage is sure to please your guests at the next party or get together.

Honey and mint lime juice recipe:

Preparation time- 10mins

Makes- 4 glasses

Ingredients:

Water- 4 glasses

Juice of 1 lime

Mint leaves- 1-2 sprigs, 

Sugar- 3tbsp

Honey- 2tbsp

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients together in a mixer and blend for a min.
• Strain and serve with Ice cubes.

This recipe is my contribution to virtual party- Beverages event  by Aipi started by Shabita .

Spicy puffed rice

This is one of my favourite snacks. Hundreds have been the number of times when I have had this during my school days. Despite this being my favourite snack, I really don't know why did not make this before. When I was raking my brains for an easy snack for Diwali, S suggested that I make this. An easy breezy and a hassle free recipe. Goes great with a cup of coffee or tea. So here goes the recipe.

Spicy puffed rice recipe:

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time 15 mins

Ingredients:

Puffed rice-10 cups

Oil-2tbsp

Curry leaves- 2 sprigs

Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Red chillies- 2

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp

Peanuts- 1/2 cup

Roasted gram/ Dalia- 1/4 cup

Hing- 1/4tsp

Salt to taste

Other optional ingredients: Chopped dry coconut pieces and cashews.

Method:

• Toast the puffed rice till crisp and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
• Once it pops add the peanuts and fry till brown
• Add the red chillies and fry till crisp..
• Add the roasted gram and saute for a min.
• Next, add the turmeric, red chilli powder and curry leaves
• When the curry leaves turn crisp, add the hing and salt.
• Add the puffed rice, mix thoroughly and take of the flame. 
• Keep it closed for 10-15mins for the flavours to infuse.
• Store in an air tight container.

Spinach pulao

By now I think all the readers of my blog would have known two things about me. One- That I loooove spinach and two- I looove sanjeev kapoor's recipes. So my friends, this recipe is Sanjeev Kapoors Palak aur Gajar pulao. The Pulao is very easy to put together and is very tasty. I've tweaked a bit by adding potato. However, the rest of the recipe remains the same. Try it and I'm sure it will not disappoint you.

Spinach pulao recipe:

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Rice- 2cups, washed and soaked

Spinach- 1 bunch, chopped fine

Carrot- 1 large- cubed

Potato: 1 large, peeled and cubed

Onion- 1, chopeed

Ginger-garlic paste- 2tsp

Oil/ ghee- 1tbsp

Jeera/cumin seeds- 1tsp

Turmeric- 1/2tsp

Green chilli- 1, slit

Bay leaf- 1

Salt to taste

For the spice mix

Cinnamon- 1"

Cloves-3

Cardamom-3

Coriander seeds- 1tbsp

Pepper- 7

Method:

• Make a powder of all the ingredients for the spice mix and keep aside.
• Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker and add the jeera seeds and bay leaf
• Once it pops, add the spice powder and fry for a min.
• Add the onion and saute till translucent.
• Add the ginger- garlic paste and saute fora min more
• Add the cubed carrot and potato and saute for 2-3 mins
• Add the chopped spinach and stir for 2 more mins.
• Add the salt, green chilli, turmeric and mix till all the water is evaporated.
• Lastly add the soaked rice and 31/4 cups of water and mix gently.
• Close the pressure cooker and place the weight.
• Cook for 10-12 mins on a low flame till done.
• Allow the cooker to cool completely before unlocking.
• Check for salt and serve hot with raita of your choice.

This is my contribution to Aipi's book marked event.

And to Umm mymoonah's Eat well and live well event.

Kalakand

An elegant indian sweet dish which is prepared using cottage cheese and milk. The delicate flavouring of cardamom and saffron makes this dessert absolutely irresistable. This recipe is an easy way of making the traditional dessert without compromising on the taste.

Kalakand recipe:

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Makes about 12-15 pieces

Ingredients:

Fresh cottage cheese or paneer- 11/2 cups

Milk powder- 12tbsp

Cream- 1/2 cup

Sugar- 6tbsp

Saffron- a pinch (optional)

Cardamom/elaichi- 6, powdered

Chopped almonds to garnish

Method:

• Grease a plate with 1/2 a tsp of ghee and keep aside
• Combine all the ingredients, except almonds in a thick bottomed pan and cook over a low flame till the mixture the  mixture thickens and leaves the sides. (approximately 10-15mins)
• Take off the heat and spread the mixture on the greased plate.
• Garnish with chopped almonds and allow the mixture to cool.
• Cut the kalakand into desired shape and serve chilled

Happy Deepavali and Gulab Jamun recipe.

First of all I want to wish everyone a very happy Diwali. The past few days have been hectic with the cleaning and poojas and ofcourse my little one. I hardly found anytime to update my blog. Since, I have some spare time on my hands now, I decided to post my gulab jamun recipe. 

I guess this dessert needs no introduction. It is a favourite of one and all and it can be enjoyed warm or cold. It is a very simple way to make the traditional gulab jamun. And it tastes like it has been made out of khoya/mawa. So here goes the recipe. 

Gulab Jamun recipe:
Preparation time- 30 mins
Cooking time- 20 mins
Makes about 30 jamun


Dry milk powder- 21/2 cups
Maida or all purpose flour- 1/2 cup
Water- 4 cups
Sufar-3 cups
Saffron- a pinch (optional) 
Cardamom- 6-8, powdered
Baking soda- 1/8tsp
Milk- to make the dough
Oil or ghee to fry the jamun


Method:

• In a bowl, mix the dry milk powder, maida, soda and half of cardamom powder.
• Add little milk at a time and knead till a soft and firm dough is formed.
• For the syrup, bring the water and sugar to a boil.
• Simmer the srup over a low flame, till one string consistency is reached
• Add the other half of the cardamom and saffron and keep it aside.
• Divide the dough into 30 equal portions and shape them into balls. See to it that there no cracks on the surface or the jamuns will come apart while frying.
• Deep fry the balls in hot oil or ghee over low flame till golden in colour. 
• Drain and immerse in warm sugar syrup,
• Soak fo 30-40 mins. Serve warm or cold.