Peas pulav

We had guests for lunch today and I thought of making something different from the usual lunch.

I have harvested a bunch of onion shoots and other greens, which I used in paneer koftas, palak parathas, green peas pulav and parippu vada.

Peas pulav

Basmathi rice 1 cups

Green peas 2 cups

Onion 1

Clove 2

Bay leaves 2

Green onion shoots a few

Jeera a teaspoon

Ghee 1 teaspoon

Method

*Wash and keep aside basmathi rice for half an hour. Cook it by adding 5 to 6 cups of water till rice is cooked well and grains are not touching each other.

Drain starchy water(ganji) spread cooked rice in a tray.

*saute onion till translucent.

* pour ghee in kadai add jeera, clove and bay leaf once it splutter add onion cook till translucent, add shelled peas, cook for a while. Add salt.

*Now add basmathi rice and gently mix in. Allow the mild flavours to release. Off stove serve hot with raitha.

Drumsticks leaves and flowers fritters

Evening snack for Aru.

Bread toast filled with a slice cheese.

One tomato roasted in griddle with crushed pepper and salt.

Drumsticks leaves, flowers and potato fritters.

It's something which will give her enough energy for 3 to 4 hours. After college snack should be interesting and nutritious for teens.

Drumsticks leaves, flowers and potato fritters
Ingredients

Potato 1/2 grated
Drumsticks leaves and flowers a handful
Coriander leaves a few
Green chilli 1/2
Turmeric a pinch
Red chilli powder a little
Salt as required
Ginger a small piece grated
Besan 1/2 cup
Garam masala a little
Butter a small piece
Sunflower oil for shallow frying

Tips

Use fresh greens, you can substitute with palak, green amaranth or malabar spinach.

Drumsticks leaves, flowers and potato fritters
Method

*Wash, chop drumsticks leaves and flowers.

*Grate potato and ginger

*In a bowl add besan, drumsticks leaves, grated potato and ginger, butter, dry masalas, salt and gently mix in.

*Don't add water, there is enough moisture in leaves and potato.

*In a pan pour just enough oil, once its medium hot take a small portion from the prepared mixture, flatten it and shallow fry.

*let the fritters become golden crust, fry both sides by flipping them.

*use a kitchen napkin, place the prepared fritters, let it absorb any excess oil.

*serve with hari chutney. It's yum!

Vegetable and red rice poha

We make red rice poha sometimes, today I have made the delicious filling poha with red rice. Its yum.

I increase the quantity of vegetables and reduce rice flakes. These red rice flakes are bit more thicker, so I have added hot water to make them soft, and used a large strainer to remove excess water. 

Being winter we get fresh green peas, a liberal addition of green peas, makes the dish more attractive! 

Vegetable poha with yogurt. Enjoying the pure bliss of husband 's love.

I am recovering from a  knee pain. Which is my friend from teaching days!

Morning as usual he asked what's for breakfast?

A question which annoy many, but I am glad he loves his home cooked breakfast!

Well, after a few seconds silence I said, upma.

And he, "oh no" we will make poha.

Then he asked me to give the vegetables and I soaked poha. Kept it for draining.

And helped myself with a cup of coffee. Jumped around and reached the couch.

He patiently sat and chopped all vegetables, went to kitchen and silently cooked breakfast.

Finally garnish poha with chopped coriander leaves.

The smile on his face was more than enough for me to forget my pain!

***

Vegetable poha
Ingredients

Poha/flattened rice flakes 2 cups
Gently rinse in running water and leave it for draining.

Onion 1
Carrot 2
Peas a handful
Ginger a small piece
Green chillies 2
Beans a few
Coriander leaves a few
Cauliflower a few florets
Grated coconut 2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder a little
Hing a pinch
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Urad dal 1/2 tsp
Red chilli broken into halves 1
Boiled potato 1

Tips

I've used thick rice flakes, it absorb water and becomes fluffy.

Chop vegetables finely.

Vegetable poha
Method

*soak poha or gently rinse it in running water, leave it for draining excess water.

*wash peel and chop all vegetables into thin pieces.

*peel off boiled potato and cut into small pieces.

*In a heated pan pour oil add mustard seeds, urad dal and broken red chilli pieces.

*Add chopped vegetables, onion, ginger, green chillies, saute for a while. Add rest of the vegetables. Mix well. Once vegetables turned tender add boiled potato. Mix in.

*Now add fluffy poha, turmeric powder, salt and hing. Gently toss, pour a little ghee.

*Garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Penne pasta, boiled potatoes and bread toast

Penne pasta, bread toast and potato gently smashed with crushed pepper salt. It's yum.

I remember peeling potatoes at Mom's kitchen and slyly we kids eat a few boiled potatoes!

Those were the most beautiful days.

Breakfast with strawberries

Sunday breakfast. Low calories, low carbs, tangy, crunchy. Cornflakes, yogurt, papaya, pomegranate, strawberries and a dab of honey. Yum!

What's yours?

Carrot salad and mango slit

Winter and fresh carrots are plenty available. I love raw salads for brunch and sometimes for lunch. Its low calorie and gives you enough nourishment.

Carrot salad
Ingredients

Fresh carrots 5
Green chilli 2
Ginger a tiny piece
Fresh coriander leaves a few
Lemon extract a little

For the tempering

Mustard 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil 1/2 tsp
Red chilli broken into halves.

Tips

Peel and grate or chop carrots.

Use non spicy green chillies.

Method

In a bowl mix in grated carrots, green chillies, coriander leaves, salt and lemon extract.

In a small pan pour oil add mustard seeds, allow it to crackle. Add red chilli.

Pour the tempering on top of the carrot salad. Mix in.

Raw mango slit

Ingredients

Tothapuri mango 1
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Salt as required

Method

Wash cut and make thin slices, further slit, enjoy with red chilli powder and salt.

Egg omelette with vegetables

I like to play with different textures are colours. Today tried a simple omelette but I created the dish in a very different way. Voila, Sid liked it too!

Egg omelette with vegetables

Ingredients

Egg 2
Tomato 1
Onion 1
Red amaranth a few
Onion shoots a few
Butter a little
Red chilli powder a pinch
Salt a little

Tips

Use fresh greens

Beat the eggs well

Method

In a heated tawa place butter once its melted add onion, tomato, greens, and onion shoots. Until onion turns into translucent. Add red chilli powder, salt and stir fry. Pour beaten eggs around the vegetables. Let it cook in slow flame.  Fold egg layers on top of vegetables and cook for a few minutes. Remove in a serving plate and serve hot. It tastes yum!

Rice paper rolls and cheese vegetables

Dinner for Aru. Few rice paper rolls, one boiled egg, carrot, broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, ginger, garlic with herbs, baLsamic vinegar and hand crushed pepper and salt.Garnish with parsley leaves.

Peas, carrot aur aloo subzi

Winter is the perfect weather when we get plenty of fresh sweet pea. I love fresh peas. Those lovely shells with whole peas.

I bought the long carrots known as Delhi carrots, peas and other vegetables.

Sunday being a very busy day, peeling, chopping and storing vegetables for the week.

Mattar, carrot aur aloo ki subzi
Ingredients

Fresh mattar 2 cups
Boiled aloo/potatoes 2
Carrot 1

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp (freshly ground)
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

For tempering

Peanut oil 1 tsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp

Tips

Use fresh mattar as its very tender, sweet and tastes great.

Mattar, carrot aur aloo ki subzi
Method

*shell out peas, use tender shells also for the subzi.

*Boil and peel off the potatoes.

*Peel and chop carrot.

*In a heated kadai pour oil, add jeera,let it splutter.

*Add chopped pea shell, peas, chopped carrot and cook for 5 minutes.

*Add turmeric and salt mix in.

*Add boiled potatoes, garam masala and gently toss.

*Add red chilli powder and adjust salt.

*Finally add freshly made garam masala and mix in.

*Serve with rice or phulkas.

Red amaranth pakoda

Garma garam Red Amaranthus pakoda for evening snack.

I have harvested a few greens from terrace garden.

Red amaranth pakoda
Ingredients

Chana dal - a handful

Urad dal - 3 tbsp

Tuvar dal - 3 tbsp

Moong dal - 2 tbsp

Raw rice - 2 tbsp

Besan - 1 tbsp

Green chillies - 2

Ginger a small piece

Onion - 2

Garlic a few pods

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Saunf  - 1/2 tsp

Red amaranth, ajwain, pudina - a few leaves each

Red amaranth pakoda
Tips

Use fresh leaves

Add very less water while you make batter, for golden crispy pakodas.

Red amaranth pakoda
Method

Soak dals and rice for about an hour.

Grind to a smooth batter by adding two green chilies and a small piece ginger.

Mix to  chopped greens like red spinach, ajwain leaves and pudina.

Chop and add two onion, one small piece ginger, a few pods garlic, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and finally add a teaspoon saunf.

Mix well add a little basan powder if the batter is not thick.

Heat oil and carefully add a few pakodas and take it in kitchen paper napkins.

Enjoy pakoda with freshly made tea or coffee.

Hara bhara patties for burgers

Evening snack has to something really interesting for kids. Don't they expect some drool worthy snacks. Kids don't care whether it's healthy, nutritious or has all the essential nutrients their body need.

The challenge is there to create food appealing to their senses, taste good and equally nutrient rich.

Well, here is a patties which match to all that we want our kids to enjoy.

Hara bhara patties
Ingredients

Fresh peas 1 cup

Fresh coriander leaves 2 tbsp

Potato large 1

Green chilli 2

Peanuts a handful

Besan 2 tbsp

Salt as required

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Sesame seeds 2 tsp

Hara bhara patties
Tips

Use fresh peas as it gives body, texture and volume to patties. Which is easily available during winter season.

Use good quality potato, we are not going to boil it, we will grate and mix in with other spices.

Hara bhara patties :
Method

Wash, peel and grate potato, keep aside.

Grind peas, green chillies, coriander leaves in mixer, we will make coarse paste.

Coarsely powder peanuts. Keep aside

In a bowl mix in grated potato, peas paste, peanut powder, sesame seeds, besan, red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala,  salt  and use a ladle to mix in. Use hands if needed.

We are not going to add water as peas and potato has enough water, we are going to bind them with peanut and besan powder.

Keep the dough for 30 minutes. Make small patties using hands.

Pour a little olive oil in kadai, shallow fry patties until golden brown. Place them on a kitchen napkin, let it absorb excess oil.

Make a few as I am sure like my kids asked for more patties your kidoos will also enjoy the tasty, yummy patties.

These patties can be filled inside burger buns. I cut burger buns into half, placed a slice of cheese, placed a pattie, sliced onion and tomato, filled them and served. While after a bite one more pattie silently went inside the bun!! 

A little mustard sauce will make it more delicious, I think! 

Happy kidoos, happy mom!!

Vegetable sevai /noodles

Our breakfast includes different rice preparations, be it idly, dosa, pongal, sevai, idiyappam, puttu, poha etc

I try to add as much vegetables and lentils to breakfast menu. I believe its should be the best meal of the day. Many days when you have a good balanced breakfast you can have salads and subzis for lunch without rice/roti. I find this a great way to manage calorie intake.

Vegetables Rice sevai :
Ingredients

Rice sevai /rice noodles 1 block

Carrot 3

Capsicum 1

Beans 10

Onion 1

Green chilli 1

Ginger a tiny piece

Grated coconut 1 tbsp

For the tempering

Gingly oil 1 tbsp

Mustard 1/2 tsp

Urad dal 1/2 tsp

Red chilli broken into halves 1 (optional)

Tips

You can add more noodles if you want. I generally use less rice preparations and add more vegetables. In an effort to feed my teens more fibre, vitamins and minerals.

You can even try bean noodles and follow the same procedure.

Vegetables rice sevai
Method

Boil sufficient water and add rice noodles, let it cook for about 5 minutes, drain excess water, spread it in a plate. Keep aside.

Chop vegetables into thin long slices. Keep aside.

Pour gingly oil in a heated kadai, add mustard and urad dal, let mustard crackle.

Add onion, followed by carrot, beans and green chilli and ginger. Saute for a while in high flame. O ce they are tender add capsicum and cook further for 2 minutes. Add salt.

Now add noodles, you can use a kitchen scissors to cut noodles and mix in.

Add curry leaves and garnish with grated coconut, adjust salt if needed.

Off stove. Serve hot with sambar, chutney or enjoy it as it is. It's a nourishing meal in itself.

Deep fried potato and brinjal subzi

Today evening was hectic with making pasta for children, tried a little mango pickle by adding jaggery to it and then a quick subzi with potatoes and brinjal.

Its a tasty combination of two absolutely delicious vegetables, namely, potatoes and brinjals.

Ingredients

Potato 1 large

Brinjals 5 to 6 medium sized

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves chopped 1 tbsp

Salt as required

Tips

Select long and quick cooking potatoes which are not green in colour or has tiny sprouts in them.

Brinjal should be fresh, you can use any brinjal, I used few home grown and few lavender skinned brinjals.

Method

Wash, peel and thinly slice potatoes. Keep aside.

Slit brinjals into thin slices.

Keep oil in kadai frying. When it's medium hot, add small batches of potatoes and brinjals. Deep fry until golden brown. Remove in kitchen napkin. Let excess oil get absorbed.

Remove oil from kadai in same kadai put fried vegetables, mix in turmeric, red chilli powder and garam masala. Adjust salt, garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with freshly made phulkas or rice. Its yummilicious!

Methi parathas and lobia gravy

Winters and fresh methi leaves are plenty available. I generally pick greens from a street vendor, who sells fresh greens. I picked a few bunches of palak, methi and curry leaves. Sometimes he will give me coriander bunch as he will not have change to return. My morning walks are never done without picking these fresh greens.

Well, palak I made palak paneer and brinjal gravy, curry leaves are shadow dried for making curry leaves powder. Then left with methi which I cleaned, washed and chopped finely for making methi parathas.

Methi parathas:
Ingredients

Whole wheat atta  2 cups

Methi / Fenugreek leaves 1 bunch

Boiled Sweet potato 2

Aam ka achar(avakkai) gravy and oil 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder 1/2 tsp

Jeera powder 1/2 tsp

Salt very less as aam ka achar gravy got good amount of salt in it.

Tips

Use fresh leaves, it adds flavour to parathas.

Method

Peel  sweet potatoes crumble it with a fork and keep aside.

In a heated kadai pour a little oil add jeera, let it crackle, add chopped methi leaves, red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala, ginger and saute for a few minutes. Off stove keep the methi leaves aside.

In a large bowl add atta, boiled  sweet potato, mustard oil from avakkai, I add mustard gravy also from avakkai, sautéed methi leaves, a little salt (optional) mix in add less water, knead into a soft dough. Keep it in an air tight container until you roll out parathas.

Roll out parathas, in a heated tawa, cook both sides, pour little ghee cook parathas until golden brown. Serve with curd, pickle and subzi or gravy of your choice.

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Raw(fresh) lobia masala
Ingredients

Raw lobia seeds  1 cup

Potato 1 large

Onion 1

Tomatoes 2

Ginger a small piece

Green chillies 2

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder 1/2 tsp

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Fresh coriander leaves a few chopped

Ghee 1 tbsp

Tips

Try to use freshly bought raw lobia or dry soaked one.

Method

In a heated pressure pan pour ghee, add jeera, let it crackle, add chopped onions saute, add tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, mix in.

Let onion become translucent, now add chopped potato and fresh lobia. Mix in, add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala and cook for a few minutes.

Add 2 cups of water. Bring to boil.

Close and cook for 2 whistles. Pour lobia gravy into serving bowl. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with parathas, phulkas, steamed rice. It's divine.

Sabudana vada - evening snack

An evening snack is something which I believe should be filling for college going teens. Especially when your children don't carry lunch but prefer salads fruits as lunch. A habit which we follow and are happy about the lifestyle change.

Well, I made sabudana vada from scratch today. Generally we make it with leftover sabudana upma.

Sabudana vada

Ingredients

Sabudana 1 cup

Boiled potato 2

Boiled sweet potato 1

Green chilli 2

Lemon extract from 1/2 piece of lemon

Ginger a small piece (grated)

Coriander leaves chopped 2 tbsp

Raw peanuts coarse powder 3 tbsp

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Dry coriander powder 1/2 tsp

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Tips

Soak sabudana in just enough water for 2 hours.

Use raw peanuts powder for volume and extra crunchiness.

Make sure you fry it just before serving. It should be eaten hot and when it's crunchy.

Method

Mix in all ingredients.

Smash potato, sweet potato, sabudana, all dry masalas, salt, chopped green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves, salt, red chilli powder, garam masala, peanut powder and lemon extract.

Make a soft non sticky dough. Add a little oil while kneading.

Keep oil for deep frying.

Make dough into approximately 20 parts, roll into small balls, use hands to flatten it, when oil is hot, carefully dip in 4 to 5 vadas.

Adjust heat, medium flame is sufficient, let the vadas get deep fried.

When they turn into crispy golden colour, remove using perforated ladle and place on kitchen napkin. Let it absorb excess oil.

Serve with green chutney or tamarind chutney or sweet and sour sauce.

A cup of freshly brewed filter coffee/black coffee or masala chai can also be served. 

Palak paneer

Palak paneer is a dish my children enjoy. During winters we get very fresh bunches of small palak variety. Yesterday I picked two bunches and cleaned them. Keep it in a big bucket of water for about 15 minutes to get rid of all mud and any dirt.  Remove the leaves into a colander. You can use that water for plants.

We at times have a small harvest of palak from garden.

Today, cut it into small pieces for making palak paneer.

Palak paneer

Ingredients 

2 bunches of palak 

400 grams paneer cubed

For tadka

3 pods of garlic

1 small onion 

2 green chillies (optional)

2 tablespoon of ghee

For dry masalas

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 

1/2 teaspoon jeera powder

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 tablespoon of coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon of garam masala

Salt as required

Method

*Wash, clean,cut and blanch palak. Use a hand blender to puree it. Keep aside.

* Peel and cut onion, garlic and green chilies. Use a small kadai to saute using little ghee. Keep aside.

*Use the same kadai for roasting the cubed paneer.Now add the sauteed onions and garlic, mix well.

*Add the paneer, onion garlic and green chilies to the pureed palak. Mix well.

*Add the dry masalas. Give a quick mixing of all the ingredients.

*Transfer to a serving bowl. Add a tablespoon of cream.

*Mix well before serving.

Serve with phulkas,naan or any Indian bread.

I enjoy palak paneer and dahi, many times reduce eating rice and roti.

Recipe 2

Variation : Added fried brinjals

I tried to create a new dish today with paneer, palak and brinjal. It was fun and I realised they do taste good as a trio!

Ingredients

2 bunches of Palak 
5 Brinjal 
200 grams of Paneer 
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder 
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2:tsp Coriander powder 
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder 
1/2 tsp Jeera powder 
1/2:tsp ofAmchur powder 
Cinnamon stick a small piece
2 crushed Elachi 
Butter a small cube
75 grams Cream 
1tablespoon Ghee 
1/2 tsp Kasuri methi

.

Method

A few bunches of palak, brinjal and paneer. The challenge before me is to make a tasty dish with these ingredients.

* I first washed and throughly cleaned palak using water, as there will be plenty of sand.

*Then slit brinjal into four, deep fried it in oil.

*Added a little butter, cubed paneer and roasted them using a little turmeric, red chilli powder and salt.

*Roughly chopped palak, cooked with a little salt, used blender to make a coarse paste.

*In a heated kadai pour a little oil, add cinnamon stick and crushed elachi let it release aroma, add palak, cook for a few minutes. 

*Reduce flame, add turmeric, salt, coriander, red chilli powder, amchur powder, garam masala, jeera powder add roasted brinjals and paneer. Mix in.  

*Coat paneer and brinjal with palak gravy. Now add cream and mix in. Adjust salt and do a quick tadka of ghee and crushed kasuri methi. Serve with phulkas.

Isn't something new and interesting? Happy cooking!

Tips

Use fresh palak leaves, blend in medium speed. Don't over cook palak. We want that lovely jade colour.

Use medium sized brinjal, slit in such a way the brinjals can be enjoyed with the stem.

Use fresh paneer for better results